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Challenges Of Using More Precise Temporal And Spatial Resolution Of Remote Sensing Data For Surface Water Quality Monitoring, Ivan Rykin

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Monitoring river suspended sediment concentration (SSC) is critical for environmental challenges such as understanding the fate of thawed permafrost sediment and its impact on global carbon cycling. However, traditional SSC monitoring using Landsat imagery is limited by spatial and temporal constraints, particularly for narrow rivers in cloudy and/or snowy regions.

This study investigates the use of higher spatial (3 m) and temporal (daily) resolution satellite imagery from the PlanetScope constellation to estimate SSC in remote rivers such as those in the Arctic. I compare the performance of PlanetScope’s spectral resolution (4 and 8 bands) with Landsat 7. Merging data from …

Engaging Students In The Scientific Process: An Examination Of Active Learning Strategies In Introductory Geoscience Labs, Meryssa Piper

Theses and Dissertations

High-quality instruction of introductory geoscience courses entices students to major in geoscience fields and ensures undergraduate students have opportunities to learn and apply scientific information and practices. Prior studies indicate that active learning strategies in higher education settings can increase student knowledge and interest. This dissertation explores the integration of two active learning strategies in introductory geoscience laboratory courses: inquiry and gamification The first study housed in Chapter 2 investigates the level of inquiry used in introductory geoscience lab activities across the United States. Through a comprehensive analysis of these activities, this chapter assesses: (1) the degree to which instructor …

The Fifth Element In Three Dimensions: Boron Systematics Along And Across The Aleutian Volcanic Arc, Owen Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses abundances and isotope ratios of the fluid-mobile element boron (B) to better understand the role of fluids in volcanism at the Aleutian arc in Alaska. In volcanic rocks from the Aleutian volcanic front, patterns in B abundance and isotope ratios (δ11B) point to three endmembers: a sediment melt, a slab interior melt, and a slab-top melt. Most lavas from the eastern Aleutian Islands have δ11B of -2 to +5‰, similar to Aleutian sediment. Hence, sediment is likely to be the dominant B source in the Aleutian Island samples. In lavas from the western Aleutian seafloor, high δ11B …

Geoscience Student Organizations At The University Of Tennessee At Martin, Michael A. Gibson, Natalie Hudson

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

In celebration of 2022 Sigma Gamma Epsilon 46th National Convention being hosted by the University of Tennessee at Martin (UT Martin), Eta Alpha Chapter, this paper serves a synopsis that celebrates the history of student clubs and professional organizations in the geosciences program at UT Martin. The first geoscience student organization officially recognized by the University was devoted to geology, the GeoClub, and established in 1970 and still serves as the primary student organization for all of the geosciences. UT Martin established the Eta Alpha Chapter of Sigma Gamma Epsilon honor society in 1997. A Travel and Tourism club was …

A History Of The Geology Program At The University Of Tennessee At Martin, Michael A. Gibson

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

The teaching of geology has as long a history as The University of Tennessee at Martin has itself, extending back to 1901 when the first geology class was offered at the campus’s original institution, Hall-Moody Institute, a small Baptist college. Geology, usually with geography, was offered as a service course to the primary programs of agriculture, education and, later, engineering. Faculty turnover during these formative years was frequent. When the school was acquired by the University of Tennessee in 1927 and became UT Junior College, geology remained a service course. Geology offerings had been expanding since 1947 and, in 1951, …

Examining The Relationship Between Land-Use Cover Change And Sociodemographic Characteristics: A Case Study Of Madison County, Tennessee, Thomas A. Depriest Jr., Anzhelia Antipova, Hsiang-Te Kung, Esra Ozdenerol

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

This study sought to holistically examine urbanization in Jackson, Madison County, TN. In order to accomplish this objective, a study of land-use and land cover (LULC) change in Madison County, TN from 1992–2011 was conducted. Once completed, noted changes in LULC were then compared to certain socio-demographic factors; these included, population, population density, point distance, central business district, and distance to roads. To determine if any significant relationships existed between socio-demographic factors and quantified LULC changes Spearman’s Correlations were utilized. Relationships between socio-demographic factors and land-use indicators were established as urban areas grew, agricultural and forested areas declined, and population …

Impact Of Urbanization On Estimated Surface Runoff And Resulting Issuance Of Flash Flood Warnings In Jackson, Tennessee, Thomas A. Depriest Jr., Dorian J. Burnette, Ryan Parish, Hsiang-Te Kung

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

Land-use and land cover (LULC) changes for the Jackson, TN area from 1992–2011 were evaluated based on data from the National Landcover Database. During the time of study, this area underwent noted changes in LULC with an increase in the area defined as urban and decreases in forested and agricultural areas. This study also makes note of the increase in the number of days flash flood warnings were issued during the 1990’s as compared to the 2000’s. During the same time period, high intensity rainfall events during 1990’s (n=198) did not appreciably increase when compared to the 2000’s (n=208); therefore, …

Sigma Gamma Epsilon Student Research Poster Session, Geological Society Of America Annual Meeting 2023, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Usa, Scott Beason

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

The Society of Sigma Gamma Epsilon sponsors an annual poster session at every Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America. The 35th Sigma Gamma Epsilon undergraduate research poster session took place during the 2023 Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, on Monday, October 16, 2022. Sixty-three (63) posters were presented in Exhibit Hall B at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center between 8:00 AM and 5:30 PM at the poster session. Titles, authors (italics for the presenting author), affiliations, and abstracts for each poster are listed in this report.

An Archaeological And Archaeoseismological Perspective On Earthquakes In The Coastal Cities Of Western Anatolia In The 3rd Millennium Bce: Settlement Abandonment And Changes In Social Structures, Ümi̇t Gündoğan

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

This study investigates the impact of the earthquakes that occurred in the first half of the 3rd millennium BCE on Western Anatolian settlements, aiming to determine the dates of the earthquakes that happened during the prehistoric period using the earthquake layers of the settlements and associated C14 data. The focus of the paper is the investigation of the effects of two earthquakes that occurred in the region during the first half of the 3rd millennium BCE on the settlements of the region. The first earthquake occurred around 2800 BCE and damaged settlements in the area of İzmir. Evidence of this …

Pillar Wall Angles Of Karst Collapse Pillars In The Xishan Coalfield: Characteristics And Implications, Zhao Jingui, Wang Jiangwei, Yang Gaofeng, Guo Mintai

Coal Geology & Exploration

Significance As coal mining expands into deep parts, karst collapse pillars have become one of the most concealed disaster-causing geological factors in coal mining from mines in North China. The pillar wall angle of a collapse pillar serves as an important index used to describe the morphology of the collapse pillar. Methods and Results With 265 karst collapse pillars cut by the fully mechanized mining of the upper and lower coal seams in the Xishan coalfield as the data source, this study extracted the geological information contained in the pillar wall angles of karst collapse pillars in the Xishan coalfield …

An Automated Machine Learning Approach To The Retrieval Of Daily Soil Moisture In South Korea Using Satellite Images, Meteorological Data, And Digital Elevation Model, Nari Kim, Soo-Jin Lee, Eunha Sohn, Mija Kim, Seonkyeong Seong, Seung Hee Kim, Yangwon Lee

Institute for ECHO Articles and Research

Soil moisture is a critical parameter that significantly impacts the global energy balance, including the hydrologic cycle, land–atmosphere interactions, soil evaporation, and plant growth. Currently, soil moisture is typically measured by installing sensors in the ground or through satellite remote sensing, with data retrieval facilitated by reanalysis models such as the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Reanalysis 5 (ERA5) and the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS). However, the suitability of these methods for capturing local-scale variabilities is insufficiently validated, particularly in regions like South Korea, where land surfaces are highly complex and heterogeneous. In contrast, artificial intelligence …

The Environment Of Glaciovolcanic Caves And Their Value As Planetary Analogues, Christian Stenner, Lee J. Florea, Linda Sobolewski, Andreas Pflitsch, Morgan Cable, Roberto Anitori, Richard E. Davis, Kathleen Graham, Glyn Williams-Jones

FRONTIERS UNBOUND: Exploring Extreme Environments

No abstract provided.

Luminescence, Esr And Cl Characterisation Of Quartz Extracted From Granite Source Rocks And The Derived Sediments Used For Provenance Studies, Daniela Constantin, Aditi Dave, Serban Grecu, Zuzanna Kabacińska, Mihai Ducea, Petru Urdea, Alida Timar-Gabor

FRONTIERS UNBOUND: Exploring Extreme Environments

No abstract provided.

Revisiting The Chronology Of Loess In North America By Using Sar-Osl And Pirir Protocols, Anca Avram

FRONTIERS UNBOUND: Exploring Extreme Environments

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Community Flood Resilience By Incorporating Landscape Hydrological Sensitivity And Connectivity, Wenlong Feng

Dissertations

Rapid urban expansion and dramatic climate change have significantly increased the intensity and frequency of floods worldwide. With rising flood risks, conventional flood defense strategies that rely on structural measures become ineffective. The present designations for flood-prone areas, such as FEMA's flood maps, are becoming unreliable. Flood risk management is shifting toward enhancing community flood resilience, highlighting the importance of non-structural approaches. Landscape resilience has become a foundation of community flood resilience. However, past urban development typically undermined natural hydro-ecological functions and landscape resilience because of poor recognition of landscapes' ecological role, hydrological sensitivity, and hydrological connections. This study aims …

Time-Transgressive Microbial Diversity In A Tropical Bat Guano Accumulation, Deer Cave, Mulu, Borneo, Joyce Lundberg, Donald A. Mcfarlane

International Journal of Speleology

Bat guano accumulations in caves can constitute large deposits of organic material, particularly chitin and its degradation products, that host a diverse microbiome. Previous microbiological studies have not addressed the stratified nature of these deposits in the context of the timeframe of the decomposition process. We present such data (temperature, pH, DNA sampling of eight carbon-dated strata) for a 75 cm-deep tropical guano accumulation that undergoes complete decomposition over a timescale of ~120 years. The aerobic, surface layer of freshly-fallen guano has the greatest diversity of taxa, with Bacteroidota co-dominant with Pseudomonadota, and includes many taxa unique to this …

Chinese Tallow Long-Term Impact On Stand Dynamics In A Bottomland Hardwood Forest Following Vegetation Management, Nicklaus R. Langlois

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera (L.) Small) is an invasive tree known to have negative impacts on bottomland hardwood forests. Chinese tallow is proficient in reproducing and surviving in bottomland hardwood forests because it is more flood and shade tolerant than most native trees. The long-term effectiveness of Chinese tallow control is an important topic to research as only a few long-term studies of Chinese tallow control have been conducted. A 10-year re-measurement of 22 paired plots installed in 2012 on the Pineywoods Mitigation Bank near Diboll, Texas following herbicide treatments examined Chinese tallow and native tree stand structure. Each …

Assessing The Role Of Steam Explosivity In Shallow And Deep Marine Environments, Frederick Ede

Master's Theses

Volcaniclastic deposits formed in shallow and deep marine environments show strikingly different characteristics resulting from the ability of steam to assist in lava fragmentation. Deep marine deposits come from recent lava flows at Axial Seamount, formed around 1,500 m water depth, while shallow marine samples come from Miocene Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) lava flows that were emplaced in a shallow marine to subaerial environment and are now exposed on the Oregon coast. Volcaniclastic material from these two environments was compared using granulometry, componentry, and mapping. Lithofacies from the CRBG contained abundant ash and lapilli sized clasts with a high …

Improving Methods Of Selecting Tropical Germplasm For Plant Breeding And Species Evaluation Studies, B C. Pengelly, R J. Williams

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Tropical forage germplasm centres have now accumulated very large collections of grass and legume species. The current methods of selecting germplasm from these collections, however, are based on limited information and tend to restrict the total germplasm pool from which selections can be made. To improve the selection process, genetic resource centres need to develop research programmes which both improve our understanding of the relative importance of particular plant attributes and the diversity of these attributes within collections.

Polygenetic Cave Sedimentation And Speleogenesis In The Mccloud Limestone Of Northern California, Niles Lathrop

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Caves in the Permian-aged, McCloud Limestone of the Klamath Mountains of Northern California preserve a diverse range of clastic sediments that represent broad-scale variations in paleo-hydrologic conditions and transport mechanisms that hint at varied modes of speleogenesis through local landscape development. Caves in the McCloud Limestone exhibit a range of cave passage geometries and arrangements that suggests periods of both hypogene and epigene cave development through temporal and spatial scales. This study evaluates the variability in the distribution, mineralogy, and transport mechanisms of clastic-cave sediments in seven hydrologically-distinct caves in the McCloud Limestone to establish relationships between clastic-cave sedimentation and …

Land-Use Change As A Major Driver For Mid-20th-Century Flood Intensity Reduction In The Southeastern Us, Zhixiong Shen, Nicholas Conway, Shaowu Bao, Samuel Muñoz, Andreas Lang

Marine Science

Land-use changes affect hydrologic processes, but their impact on flooding remains obscure amid increasingly heavy precipitation. Instrumental records are short relative to land-use change history and inadequate for flood attribution studies. Here we integrate a high-resolution paleodischarge record spanning the past ∼200 years from the largest basin in the Southeastern United States with instrumental data and hydrological modeling. We find that the 100 yr flood magnitude for large regional rivers exhibits 50%–75% reductions in the mid-20th century. We attribute at least 50% of the reductions to a regional shift from widespread agricultural land to conservation and reforestation and the rest …

Controls On The Development Of Hummocky Topography On Debris-Covered Glaciers, Ryan M. Strickland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rock debris covers many glaciers in Earth’s highest mountains and the debris impacts glacier response to changes in climate. Interactions between debris, drainage, glacier dynamics, and climate produce contrasts in melt rates that cause debris-covered glaciers to develop complex, hummocky topography. Contrasts in melt rate produce thousands of hills–hummocks–and depressions. Ponds and ice cliffs often form in the depressions. Although ponds and ice cliffs occupy only a small fraction of the surface, they account for nearly half of glacier melt. Understanding the processes that control the development of hummocky topography is key to predicting the evolution of debris-covered glaciers. In …

Characterizing Groundwater Flow Across The Barrier Island-High Marsh Interface, Dean Michael Wrobel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The freshwater resources of barrier islands are influenced by a variety of hydrogeologic factors, which create unique regions of groundwater composition. Factors including evapotranspiration, geologic constraints, tidal forcing, and meteoric inputs influence subterranean flow creating a groundwater salinity gradient throughout the island-marsh setting which directly influences the spatial distribution of dominant vegetation on the island. Rising sea levels and variation in local climate may alter the hydrologic balance on barrier islands, potentially shifting salinity gradients and ecological baselines on short timescales. The intrusion of saltwater into the barrier island freshwater system could result in the shifting of ecotones and potential …

Applying Circuit Theory To Describe Changes In Structural Landscape Connectivity In Response To Wildfire, Christian Ross Nielsen

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Understanding and conserving ecological connectivity is critical to the preservation of vulnerable landscapes. Circuit theory, in which landscapes are imagined as circuit boards with varying resistances to the flow of current, is being increasingly used to model spatially explicit connectivity of landscapes and to inform land management and conservation decision-making. Utilizing continuous, quantitative estimates of percent cover by five land cover functional groups to create a conductance surface, this study expanded upon an established application of circuit theory that used the open-source software Circuitscape to model species-agnostic, omnidirectional connectivity. This model was automated using Python to create time-series connectivity maps …

Remotely Sensed Early Warning Of Algal Blooms In An Eastern Nebraska Reservoir: A Comparison Of Temporal And Spatial Indicators, Mercy Kipenda

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) detrimentally affect human, animal, and ecosystem health. Remotely sensed early warning systems for cyanoHABs in inland lakes could contribute to more proactive water quality monitoring and help mitigate negative impacts. Advances in freely available remote sensing imagery, with finer spatial, temporal, and spectral resolutions, present new opportunities for the development and comparative analysis of methods to detect sudden deterioration in lake water quality. In this thesis, I compared and tested for temporal and spatial early warning signals of cyanoHABs in field-based and remotely sensed datasets from 2019 to 2023 in Pawnee Lake in southeast Nebraska, …

Assessing, Restoring, And Centering Social–Ecological Relationships For Advancing Social–Ecological Resilience In The Northern Great Plains Grasslands, Katia Pilar Carranza Bernal

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Northern Great Plains grasslands are social-ecological systems that were shaped by evolutionary and Indigenous social-ecological relationships. European colonization disrupted many of these interactions, including the coupling of fire and grazing, and degraded social-ecological resilience, shifting these grasslands to a new state. For those reasons, my research focused on assessing, restoring, and centering evolutionary and Indigenous social-ecological relationships for advancing social-ecological resilience in the Northern Great Plains grasslands. I first performed a study in the Nebraska Sandhillls assessing the potential of patch-burn grazing to support grassland resilience by comparing its effects to those of rotational grazing. Through vegetation and bird …

Sensitivity Of Present And Future Seasonal Precipitation Over Central United States To The Representation Of Rocky Mountain Topography, Ranasinghe Disanayakalage Sherly Shelton Ranathunga

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Precipitation change across the Central United States (USA) is of great interest to the research community. Studies using global climate simulations suggest that the “100^th-Meridian”, which separates the “dry west” from the “moist east” will shift to the east as the climate responds to future emissions pathways. However, these simulations are run at relatively coarse resolutions, which do not accurately represent topography. Here, we perform regional simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to explore the sensitivity of present and future precipitation patterns across the central USA to the representation of the Rocky Mountains (RM). We …

Tales In The Teeth: Using Isotopic Analysis To Understand The Paleoecology And Social Behavior Of Brontotheres Of The Intermountain Basins During The Middle Eocene, John Michael Michalski

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Isotopic analysis has been a common practice used in paleontology to study ancient ecosystems, and the lives of animals therein. Oxygen isotopic analysis is of particular importance not only because of its use in studying paleoecology, diet, and migration, but also its use in studying mountain elevation, and its impact on ancient ecosystems. I use stable oxygen isotopic analysis to study the habits and ecology of brontotheres from intermountain basins surrounding the Uinta Mountains of Utah and Wyoming, USA. I studied the oxygen isotopes from 16 fossil specimens of teeth, most of which belonged to brontotheres, including the genera Palaeosyops …

Staying Fresh: Unconventional Approaches Towards Advancing Energy Sustainability, Water Resources, And Community Resiliency In The Southwestern United States, Judith Hoyt

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation addresses critical challenges in urban heat management, sustainable energy resource utilization, and water quality communication through three studies. Study 1 investigates the impact of roof color on urban heat islands in Tucson, Arizona where approximately 70% of roofs display high albedo (i.e., light) colors. Energy consumption simulations conducted indicate that converting dark- to light-colored roofs could save Tucson approximately $1,400,000 annually in energy costs, highlighting the potential of cool roofs for energy savings and improved thermal comfort. Study 2 assesses the sources of lithium in subsurface waters in West Texas and South Central New Mexico. Water chemistry data …

Robust Hydropower Planning Balances Energy Generation, Carbon Emissions And Sediment Connectivity In The Mekong River Basin, M. Tangi, Rafael Schmitt, Rafael M. Almeida, S. Bossi, Alexander S. Flecker, F. Sala, A. Castelletti

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

We present a framework for strategic dam planning under uncertainty, which includes GHG emissions mitigation as a novel objective. We focus on the Mekong River Basin, a fast‐developing region heavily relying on river‐derived ecosystem services. We employ a multi‐objective evolutionary algorithm to identify strategic dam portfolios for different hydropower expansion targets, using process‐related and statistical models to derive indicators of sediment supply disruption and GHG emissions. We introduce a robust optimization approach that explores variations in optimal portfolio compositions for more than 5,000 state‐of‐ the‐world configurations, regarding sediment origins and trapping and GHG emissions. Thus, we can rank dam projects' …