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Receiver Function Imaging Of The Mantle Transition Zone Beneath The East Sayan Mountains And Adjacent Area In Central Asia: Implications For Lithospheric Drip And Intraplate Cenozoic Volcanism, Yangyang Liao, Kelly H. Liu, Stephen S. Gao

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

To provide constraints on the formation mechanisms of intracontinental volcanisms and intriguing lithospheric thickness variations in the East Sayan Mountains and surrounding areas, we stack P-to-s receiver functions to image the 410-km and 660-km discontinuities. Mantle transition zone (MTZ) thickening observed in a continuous area is attributable to ancient slab remnants, and Cenozoic volcanisms in the peripheral area can be explained by slab dehydration. The thinning of the MTZ in the Tuva-Mongolian Massif can be explained by mantle upwelling branches induced by slab subduction. Our results reveal an approximately circular area in the MTZ that is significantly thicker than usual, …

From Coastal Retreat To Seaward Growth: Emergent Behaviors From Paired Community Beach Nourishment Choices, Jorge Lorenzo-Trueba, Arye Janoff, Oshane Thomas, Di Jin, Porter Hoagland, Andrew Ashton

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Coastal communities often address shoreline erosion through beach nourishment, adding externally sourced sand to widen beaches for recreation and property protection. While nourishment enhances beachfront property values, the need for periodic maintenance creates interdependencies where the actions of neighboring communities affect local shoreline dynamics. Using a coupled model of two neighboring communities, we examine the interplay between community nourishment decisions and the redistribution of nourishment sand. We find that the value a community places on wider beaches not only influences their propensity to nourish, but also their and their neighbors' nourishment efficiency and net benefits. Communities that nourish more frequently …

Enhancing Sustainable Rice Production Through Organic Plus Fertilizer In Irrigated Paddy Fields, Oviyanti Mulyani, Emma Trinurani Sofyan, Ania Citraresmini, Benny Joy, Anne Yuliana Husen

Jurnal Kultivasi

Sustainable rice farming is increasingly threatened by declining soil fertility, excessive reliance on chemical fertilizers, and environmental degradation from intensive agricultural practices. There is an urgent need for innovative organic fertilizer products that combine organic materials with macro and micronutrient enhancements to restore soil health effectively. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of organic plus fertilizer (OPF) as a sustainable soil amendment to improve soil nutrient status, increase paddy productivity, and enhance overall soil health. The experiment was conducted using a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with nine treatments: one recommended OPF dose, six combinations of NPK (75 – 100%) …

Effect Of Eco-Enzyme Application On Soil Nutrient And Plant Productivity Of Green Mustard-Peanut In Inceptisol, Idris Abd Rachman, Buhari Umasugi, Krishna Aji, Nurul Fahira A Hakim, Adnan Sofyan, Asrul Dedy Ali Hasan

Jurnal Kultivasi

Appropriate land management has a long-term impact on soil performance and is believed to improve soil fertility. This study investigated the effect of eco-enzymes on soil nutrients and plant productivity of green mustard-peanut in inceptisol. The research was conducted from February to April 2025. The experiment used a randomized block design (RBD) consisting of 5 treatments and replicated 3 times, so that there were 15 units, including N0 = without Eco-enzyme, N1 = Eco-enzyme 2cc/L. N2= Eco-enzyme 4cc/L, N3= Eco-enzyme 6cc/L, and N4= Eco-enzyme 8cc/L. The commodities used were green mustard (Brassica juncea L) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea Linn). Soil …

From Anorthosite To Silicic Volcanics: Photometry, Composition, And Buoyancy Of Crustal Rock Types On The Moon, Emily Margaret Culley

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

To better constrain the formation and evolution of the lunar crust, this dissertation addresses two key aspects of lunar crustal formation: the primary feldspathic crust, formed during solidification of an ancient lunar magma ocean (LMO), and non-mare silicic volcanic constructs, which represent either secondary or tertiary crustal formation processes. Specifically, we performed photometry on Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) images to determine the single-scattering albedo (SSA) of surface features that expose these two non-mare crustal rock types. Using digital terrain models (DTMs) derived from LROC NAC images of each analysis region, we accounted for potential topographic …

Performance Mapping And Weighting For The Evapotranspiration Models Of The Openet Ensemble, M. Reitz, J. M. Volk, T. Ott, M. Anderson, G. B. Senay, F. Melton, A. Kilic, R. Allen, Joshua B. Fisher, A. Ruhoff, A. J. Purdy, J. Huntington

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Evapotranspiration (ET) accounts for the majority of water available from precipitation in the terrestrial water cycle, and improvements to the accuracy, resolution, and coverage of ET data can enhance hydrologic models and assessments. The OpenET collaboration of six remotely sensed ET modeling teams has demonstrated that an ensemble approach to ET estimation generally provides improved accuracy relative to individual ensemble members. The performance of individual models has been shown to vary by land cover type and climate zone, but a thorough study of the variables that influence model performance differences has not yet been conducted. In this paper, we model …

Activation Or Deactivation? Rethinking Ferrate(Vi) Reactivity Within A Broader Modulation Framework, Zepei Tang, Yang Deng

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Dream Pilot Project: Analysis Of Groundwater Development At Six Villages In Ethiopia, Lindsay K. Gordon

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This study presents a hydrogeologic assessment of the Distributed Renewable Energy Agriculture Modalities (DREAM) pilot project, an ongoing groundwater development initiative in rural Ethiopia. This project integrates solar-powered groundwater infrastructure across six villages to improve water access, agricultural productivity, and economic stability.

Fourteen production wells were installed at Murche, four at Dalle, and additional test wells at Murche, Dalle, Chefe Kora, and Huluku. Transmissivity values and the number of wells at Murche suggest that local water needs are currently being met. In contrast, fewer wells were drilled at Dalle. This reflects the high cost of well construction relative to yield, …

Role Of Quartz Grain Size And Saturation On Fault Strength And Frictional Healing, Sapana Regmi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Rocks near the Earth's surface (less than 5 kilometers deep) often break and grind against one another to create crushed rock materials known as fault gouge. These fault gouges are filled with fragmented particles and broken rocks, which vary in grain size over time and space due to repeated earthquakes. This variation in grain size distribution along fault gouge can affect the strength of the fault, how it slips during an earthquake and how it 'heals' or recovers strength between earthquakes. Further, fault gouges often contain water from underground sources, which can influence how they slip. Previous studies have examined …

Multiscale Drivers Of Water Level Fluctuations And Nutrient Availability In Small Intermittent Reservoirs In The Us Midwest, Uchechukwu Vitus Chinatu Ogbenna

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

Reservoir dynamics are often captured by fluctuations in water surface elevation, which reflect a complex interplay of hydrologic inputs, climatic conditions, land use influences, and management operations. While water level fluctuations (WLFs) in large regulated systems have been widely studied, the drivers and implications of WLFs in small reservoirs, particularly those fed by intermittent streams, remain poorly understood. Here, we examined the temporal dynamics of WLFs and their relationship with nutrient availability in nine small reservoirs in the U.S. Midwest using daily records from 1985 to 2022. We used water level classification from modified Zscore and transition matrices to assess …

Quantifying The Impacts Of Land Use And Land Cover Change On Urbanizing Agricultural Systems, Carli Beisel

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Western water supplies are increasingly stressed by the compounding impacts of population growth, urbanization, and climate change. Rising temperatures in Idaho are shifting precipitation patterns, with more falling as rain rather than snow. This reduces snowpack and the resulting snowmelt, which serves as the predominant water source for agriculture. At the same time, urbanization of agricultural land decreases surface permeability, replaces irrigated fields, and amplifies the impacts of climate change. The Treasure Valley, located in southwestern Idaho, has been rapidly urbanizing; urban land cover has grown by 52% from 1985 to 2021. Understanding how land use and land cover changes …

Heat Storage Using High Temperature Borehole Heat Exchangers, Jack Horvath

All Theses

The use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power is growing, and with it comes an increased need to store excess energy when it is generated and release it on demand. Moderate temperature thermal energy storage in the subsurface is widely used to heat buildings, but high temperatures, greater than 120℃, are required to power generators that convert stored heat to electricity. High temperature heat can be generated from solar collectors or other means and then transferred to the subsurface using borehole heat exchangers (BHE). A BHE consists of a closed-loop pipe system used to circulate a …

Influence Of Experience And Risk With Natural Hazards On Geoscience Interest And Career Expectations, Shannon Conner

All Dissertations

Understanding student interest in geoscience is important, as it has the potential to inform departmental decisions such as the selection of classroom examples and marketing strategies to attract new geoscience majors. Recruitment to geoscience is critical to address future social and environmental challenges. Our work may also provide insight into how to approach persistent recruitment problems within departments, such as student enrollment and the lack of diversity within the geosciences. This work involves developing a geoscience interest scale, integrating geospatial and educational data sets related to hazard risk and interest, and an exploring career motivations as related to natural hazard …

Development And Evaluation Of Supported Ionic Liquid Membrane And Porphyrin Frameworks For Carbon Capture Separation, Sarang Ismail

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The global urgency to mitigate anthropogenic CO₂ emissions has intensified the pursuit of energy-efficient separation technologies. Supported Ionic Liquid Membranes (SILMs) have emerged as promising candidates for CO₂ capture due to their tunable solubility-selectivity and low energy requirements. However, challenges such as mechanical instability, limited scalability, and trade-offs in transport performance have impeded their widespread adoption.

This thesis explores a systematic approach to designing and optimizing SILMs for enhanced CO₂ separation by tailoring polymer–ionic liquid interactions, processing conditions, and material architectures. A comprehensive set of studies were conducted using poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) with varying molecular weights, different grades of PEBAX®, …

Mantle Flow And Crustal Deformation Revealed By Seismic Anisotropy In The Subduction Zone Beneath Myanmar, Enbo Fan, Mingming Jiang, Yinshuang Ai, Stephen S. Gao, Kelly H. Liu, Yumei He, Yiming Bai, Guangbing Hou, Yuan Ling, Chit Thet Mon, Myo Thant, Kyaing Sein

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The oblique convergence of the Indian and Eurasian plates drives significant deformation in the crust and mantle beneath Myanmar. However, the crustal deformation in the Indo-Burman Ranges (IBR) and mantle flow beneath Myanmar and adjacent areas remain unclear due to limited studies. We utilized data from the newly deployed second phase of the China-Myanmar Geophysical Survey of the Myanmar Orogen array to perform shear wave splitting analysis of PKS, SKKS, and SKS (XKS) phases. Our results, together with previous findings, provide new insights into mantle flow and crustal deformation across central Myanmar. In the IBR, we observed a transition from …

Kinematic Representations Of Viscoelastic Postseismic Deformation, John Loveless, Brendan J. Meade

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

Abstract Following large earthquakes, viscoelastic stress relaxation may contribute to postseismic deformation observed at Earth's surface. Mechanical representations of viscoelastic deformation require a constitutive relationship for the lower crust/upper mantle material where stresses are diffused and, for non‐linear rheologies, knowledge of absolute stress level. Here, we describe a kinematic approach to representing
geodetically observed postseismic motions that does not require an assumed viscoelastic rheology. The core idea is to use observed surface motions to constrain time‐dependent displacement boundary conditions applied at the base of the elastic upper crust by viscoelastic motions in the lower crust/upper mantle, approximating
these displacements as …

Assessing Meteorological Impacts On Hydrological Switches In The Conus, Surendra Maharjan, Wenzhao Li, Sujan Shrestha, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Hydrological switches, defined as rapid transitions between extreme meteorological events such as droughts and floods, are becoming increasingly frequent across the contiguous United States (CONUS) due to climate variability. This study analyzes the spatial and temporal patterns of these hydrological switches and their correlation with large-scale meteorological indices, such as the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). Streamflow data from the US Geological Survey (USGS) is analyzed to investigate the impact of meteorological drivers on hydrological variability. Results indicate that regions dependent on snowmelt exhibit delayed hydrological responses to climatic conditions, while areas in the Eastern …

The Origin And Geologic History Of Dolostones Associated With The Moab Valley Salt Wall, Paradox Basin, Utah, Charles Ojodale Igomu, Charles Ojodale Igomu

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis investigates the origin and geologic context of dolostones associated with the Moab Valley salt wall in southeastern Utah, a feature within the broader Paradox Basin that offers an exceptional opportunity to study the interplay between carbonate sedimentation, diagenesis, and salt diapirism. The fundamental research question focuses on evaluating whether dolostones observed in the Moab Valley are all depositional, diagenetic or structurally reworked components of deeper stratigraphy, and how their presence and geometry relate to the halokinetic processes that shaped sedimentation across the Moab Valley. This study tested the hypothesis that dolostones within Moab Valley represent a mixed assemblage …

Explainable Machine Learning Surrogate Modeling For Exit Gradient Prediction In Hydraulic Structures Using Numerical Simulations, Prayas Rath, Jianting Zhu, Kevin M. Befus

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Accurate prediction of exit gradients is essential for designing impounding hydraulic structures, such as dams and levees, to mitigate seepage-induced piping failures. Conventional analytical methods often neglect boundary effects and anisotropy, limiting their applicability in complex geological settings. This study develops an XGBoost-based machine learning surrogate model trained and tested on 8,000 MODFLOW numerical simulations to predict exit gradients under varying hydraulic and geological conditions. The data set covers numerous parameters, including anisotropy, head differences, structure width, cut-off wall depth, aquifer thickness, and uninterrupted riverbed length. The coefficient of determination for test data is 0.88, demonstrating reliable exit gradient prediction …

A Multi-Source Remote Sensing-Based Geocommunication Tool For Global Flood Monitoring And Management, Ebrahim Hamidi, Brad Peter, Hamed Moftakhari, Hamid Moradkhani

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Global warming is expected to increase the frequency of extreme flooding, making rapid and accurate flood mapping crucial for effective risk assessment. Many governmental agencies and organizations are developing flood risk assessment tools; however, due to the lack of observational records, some rely on probabilistic generated data, uncalibrated simulations, or terrain-based methods, all of which are subject to various types of uncertainty. Although remote sensing provides valuable flood data with global coverage, single-source reliance is constrained by satellite revisit rates, resolution, weather conditions, and sensor limitations. To address these challenges, this study introduces a user-friendly application on the Google Earth …

Highly Contaminated Sediments From The Gowanus Canal (New York) Superfund Site: An Environmental Forensic Approach, Michael A. Kruge, Kevin K. Olsen, Eric A Stern, Maria Mastalerz, Albert Permanyer

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The 2.5 km long Gowanus Canal (Brooklyn, NY, USA) is a severely contaminated urban waterway dating from the mid-19th century, listed as a US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Superfund site since 2010. Applying an environmental forensics approach to the extensive USEPA data set, we detect systematic variations in parent PAH ring number distributions in the canal sediments, as well as an extraordinary enrichment in organic carbon. We subjected a supplemental sample set to a more detailed analysis by quantitative pyrolysis-GC-MS, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, and organic petrology. With these sensitive methods, we can confirm the alkyl-PAH fingerprint of coal tar (a legacy …

Factors Influencing The Design Of Plant Juice Presses, H D. Bruhn, R J. Straub, R G. Koegel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Much of the suffering in the world today from protein-deficient diets could be alleviated by establishing small village-size green plant juice protein extraction system. One step in providing this protein involves pressing juice from plants. From fundamental research there is now extensive information available to the developers of juice pressing equipment. The primary objective of this paper is to bring available information together and indicate its application to the design of small presses of 100 to 500 kg/hr capacity. Satisfactory juice extraction can be accomplished in the following manner: (l)Maceration. (2) Applying a pressure of 700 to 2000 KPa. (3) …

Research On The Grassland Ecosystem In Inner Mongolia Of China And The Strategy Of Utilization, Shu Jiang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The strategy on grassland utilization based on regional vegetation investigation and longterm ecosystem research in the middle part of Innermongolia is described. Although there are some potential capacity for increasing livestock number by the estimation of the primary productivity measurement and some investigation data, but practically, the pasture in some places has been degraded even desertified caused by unreasonable utilization of overgrazing and agricultural cultivations. Therefore on the strategy, to transform the structure both of pastoral and rural area in lnnermongolia would be necessary, i.e. to introduce some means of plantation for artificial range establishing at some limited azonal places. …

Measuring The Impact On Landscape And Sediment Transport Of Climate And Anthropogenic Influence In The Mississippi River Since 2000 Bce, Bailey Wycoff

LSU Master's Theses

Understanding river dynamics is crucial to being able to interpret the geological history preserved in sediment deposited on continental margins, deltas, and alluvial plains. Sediment buffering can be a key control on the sediment flux to the ocean and involves sediment storage and recycling in flood plains. The efficiency of the transport varies depending on climatic and more recently anthropogenic influences. Sediment moving through meandering streams may be temporarily deposited in a point bar on the convex side of a meandering river. Meanders are sometimes cut off, creating an oxbow lake and filled in. The area of study, False River, …

Key Technologies And Approaches For Water Resource Conservation And Utilization In Arid To Semi-Arid Open-Pit Coal Mining Areas In The Northern Sand Prevention Belt Of China, Fang Jie, Xu Zhimin, Cheng Wei, Lu Zihan, Zhao Yongqiang, Zhu Yuhao, Chen Tianci

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The northern sand prevention belt (NSPB) of China is primarily distributed in arid and semi-arid regions such as Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, and Gansu. This belt exhibits scarce rainfall and intense evaporation, which lead to a shortage of water resources and vulnerable ecosystems. In recent years, the large-scale development of open-pit coal mines has caused increasingly violent mining disturbance in this belt, as well as increasingly prominent issues such as a decline in regional groundwater levels and ecological contradictions. To address technical challenges in balancing coal exploitation and water resource conservation in this belt, there is an urgent need …

Mechanisms Behind Grouting Pressure Jumping In Low-Permeability Limestones And Techniques For Grouting Pressure Control, Fan Zhenli, Cao Lutong, Cui Yong, Zhang Zhiwei, Zhang Fengda

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The exploitation of the Carboniferous-Permian coalfields in China is gradually transitioning toward coal seams in lower formations. In this context, issues including the confined water hazards in the floor and karst water preservation become increasingly pronounced. During the advanced surface treatment of karst water hazards in coal seam floors, the unclear patterns of matching between grout selection and grouting pressure control lead to empirical parameter selection, thereby yielding poor performance of grouting reinforcement. Methods This study aims to deal with the phenomena of rapid pressure rise with a limited grout volume in the low-permeability argillaceous limestones within the top …

Suitability Evaluation For Deep Geological Storage Of Mine Water In The Ordos Basin, Gulbostan Tursun, Sui Wanghua, Aibibai Mamat, Yang Weifeng, Chen Ge, Gao Liang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Given the issues of large mine water drainage in coal mines in China, as well as the corresponding high treatment cost and low utilization rate, thoroughly investigating efficient, environmentally friendly, economically feasible mine water treatment technologies is the key to the green transformation and the implementation of the sustainable development strategy in the coal industry. Deep geological storage of mine water represents an emerging technology for mine water treatment, enjoying the advantages of low cost and zero emissions. A key step in the application of this technology is to select suitable target reservoirs. Although relevant studies have proposed some …

Permeability Evolutionary Patterns Of Fractured Rock Masses In Fault Zones Under Seepage-Stress Coupling, Zhao Dekang, Han Bing, Zeng Yifan, Feng Guorui, Xi Yonghong, Chang Bofeng, Li Zhenghao, Wang Pengwei, Wang Lisan

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background In coal mines, fault structures serve as critical pathways for water inrushes from coal seam floors, posing serious threats to the production safety of mines. Delving into the permeability evolutionary patterns of fractured rock masses in fault zones under seepage-stress coupling holds great significance for the prevention and control of water inrushes along faults from coal seam floors.Methods Against the engineering background of the Gaohe Coal Mine under the Shanxi Lu’an Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. in Shanxi Province, this study analyzed the microscopic physical properties and the pore and fracture structures of a fractured rock mass in a …

Theory And Engineering Practice Of Coal-Water Coordinated Mining Based On Constraints Of Formation Bearing Capacity, Pang Zhenzhong, Zeng Yifan, Han Keyao, Wu Qiang, Liu Shouqiang, Hua Zhaolai, Zhao Gangyi, Zhang Shuai, Yang Huxiong, Wang Xuejun, Li Feifan

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The high-intensity mining of coal resources in the Yushen mining area has caused negative environmental effects and water disasters on coal seam roofs, seriously restricting the sustainable development of the area.Methods and Results Based on a summary of previous research results on the mitigation of the impacts of coal mining on groundwater resources and surface ecosystem, this study analyzed the contradiction between coal mining and the protection of the fragile ecosystem in the Yushen mining area in Shaanxi Province through theoretical analysis, field investigation, and data statistics. Then, it systematically illustrated the concept of the formation bearing capacity …

Impacts Of Boundary Conditions And Parameter Heterogeneity On The Simulation And Prediction Of Water Inflow In Coal Mines, Ji Qiang, Wu Zhenjiang, Yao Yingying

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Accurate prediction of water inflow in coal mines is essential for ensuring safe mining operations. Three-dimensional (3D) groundwater numerical models can be used to characterize hydrogeological conditions in mining areas and simulate the dynamic processes of water inflow, providing a theoretical basis for scientifically predicting mining-induced water inflow. However, there is a lack of a clear understanding of the impacts of the boundary conditions with surface water-groundwater interactions and the heterogeneity of aquifer permeability coefficients (K) on the simulation and prediction of water inflow during coal mining. Methods This study developed a 3D transient groundwater numerical model …