Digital Commons Network^™

Estimation Of Evapotranspiration Of Cottonwood Trees In The Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, Cibola, Arizona, Amity J. Jetton

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This study used sap flow measurements and satellite imagery to estimatewater use by cottonwood (Populus fremontii S. Wats. ssp) trees in an irrigated restoration plot at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge on the Lower Colorado River. Several thousand hectares of irrigated plots of this type are planned to improve riparian habitat on the river, hence it is important to know how much water the trees require. In this study, the ET rates for 20 Freemont cottonwood trees, from an 8 ha plot, were monitored over a 30-day period. ET rates were estimated by measuring sap flow through branches of the trees. …

Analysis And Interpretation Of 2d Seismic Data Over The Ancona Gas Storage Facility, Illinois, Using Petrel Visualization Software, Nilanjan Roy

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Intriguing features of the North American mid-continent are the widespread and prominent subhorizontal seismic reflectors that are thought to be associated with thick sequences of layered rocks beneath the Phanerozoic cover of the Illinois Basin. The present investigation was an effort to identify and interpret new structural features of the pre-Paleozoic crust at the Ancona Gas Storage field in north-central Illinois. A grid of existing seismic data was reprocessed using the technique of extended correlation.

The reprocessed data was then analyzed using Schlumberger's Petrel visualization software for seismic interpretation and reconstruction of the 2D and 3D crustal geometry. The reprocessing …

Glacial Deposits, Vol. 36, 2007-2008, Department Of Geography-Geology

Glacial Deposits

Newsletter of the Department of Geography-Geology

The Impact Of Nutrient Availability And Algal Community On Carbon Isotope Fractionaion In Crystal Lake, Clark County, Ohio, April R. Wisebaker

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Crystal Lakes are a group of four interconnected lakes, located in southwestern Clark County, Ohio. Several studies have looked at separate geochemical and isotopic information at this location. However, no one has thoroughly studied the relationship between the algal community, geochemistry, and carbon isotope fractionation within Crystal Lake. The fractionation of carbon isotopes of dissolved inorganic carbonate is greatly affected by the process of photosynthesis; the amount of photosynthesis is affected by the amount of algae in the aquatic community; the amount of algae is affected by the available nutrients in system. Therefore, there should be a correlation between the …

Paleoenvironment And Lateral Extent Of An Exposed Carbonate Build-Up: Horry County, South Carolina, Lisa A. Raterink

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A carbonate build-up exposed in the Intracoastal Waterway in Horry County, South Carolina is estimated to be Pleistocene to Pliocene in age. The carbonate build-up discontinuously spans approximately 12 kilometers of the waterway. Prominent formations in the area consist of the Waccamaw and the Canepatch Formation. A distinct sand layer is present laterally between the build-up and the excavated waterway bank, which consists primarily of well preserved fossil molluscs and echinoderms.

Field observations show that the carbonate build-up is bluish-gray in color and composed of shell fragments, predominantly mollusc, in a mud matrix. Thin sections analyzed, using a petrographic microscope, …

Geologic Mapping Of The Changgo Dome In Southern Tibet Using Aster Imagery, Andrew Paul Folfas

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Within the thick TSS, south of the Indus-Tsangpo Suture, a series of granitic intrusions and gneissic domes crop out along the NHA. These culminations are common features that are seen in orogenic belts; therefore, understanding the nature and development of these features is an integral part of this study and other collisional orogenic studies. Changgo Dome is a granitic dominated feature that is characterized by the presence of two spectrally similar Tertiary granites. This zone is nearly inaccessible for ground mapping, thus it is an ideal setting for the use of satellite imagery as a cartographic medium. In a previous …

Availability And Toxicity Of Nickel To Lotic Periphyton And Macroinvertebrates, Stephanie Marie Bessom

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There is a lack of information regarding the bioaccumulation and toxicity of nickel (Ni) to lotic ecosystems. The objective of this study was to investigate the source, uptake, and toxicity of Ni by periphyton and macroinvertebrates (Hyalella azteca and Daphnia magna) in simulated stream ecosystems that included sediment and water. Periphyton were exposed to two types of sediment, a low-organic sandy mixture and a high organic silt, treated with varying levels of Ni. After 96 h, Ni levels in overlying water and periphyton were related to those in sediments, although differences existed between sediment types. Tests with 64Ni added to …

Investigating Nickel Flux And Toxicity In Clay Sediments With Batch And Stream Recirculating Flume Experiments, Christina Elizabeth Cloran

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Using batch and stream recirculating flume experiments to compare and contrast one clayey sediment (Warden Ditch) and two analytical grade clay minerals (montmorillonite and kaolinite), the dynamic interactions between two aquatic stressors (suspended solids and nickel) were explored. Aldrich humic acid was incorporated to demonstrate the mitigating effects of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on Ni toxicity. The flux of Ni between compartments (dissolved and sorbed) was quantified as a partition/distribution coefficient. The USEPA test organism Daphnia magna (neonates, < 24 h) was utilized to evaluate toxicity in dynamic non-renewal, short-term bioassays. Generally, toxicity showed a linear relationship with turbidity level. Conversely, sorption coefficients were experiment specific, making them difficult to predict and assess. Clay functioned as an adsorbent, scavenging Ni. Results support the hypotheses that solids and metals act as stressors in streams, DOC attenuates the toxicity of Ni, and Ni fluxes quickly between system compartments.

Cenozoic Antarctic Diatomware/Bugcam: An Aid For Research And Teaching, Sherwood W. Wise, M. Olney, J. M. Covington, V. M. Egerton, S. Jiang, D. K. Kulhanek, S. Ramdeen, H. Schrader, P. A. Sims, A. S. Wood, A. Davis, D. R. Davenport, N. Doepler, W. Falcon, C. Lopez, T. Pressley, O. L. Swedberg, David M. Harwood

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Cenozoic Antarctic DiatomWare/BugCam^© is an interactive, icon-driven digital-image
database/software package that displays over 500 illustrated Cenozoic Antarctic diatom taxa along with original descriptions (including over 100 generic and 20 family-group descriptions). This digital catalog is designed primarily for use by micropaleontologists working in the field (at sea or on the Antarctic continent) where hard-copy literature resources are limited. This new package will also be useful for classroom/lab teaching as well as for any paleontologists making or refining taxonomic identifications at the microscope. The database (Cenozoic Antarctic DiatomWare) is displayed via a custom software program (BugCam) …

New Approaches And Progress In The Use Of Polar Marine Diatoms In Reconstructing Sea Ice Distribution, A. Leventer, L. Armand, David M. Harwood, R. Jordan, R. Ligowski

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Reconstructing the paleo-latitudinal extent of sea ice in the Southern Ocean over time can be accomplished using modern diatom data. However, it is more difficult to extend the utility of diatom proxies farther back in time, to time periods characterized by species that are now extinct, since we are uncertain of the paleoenvironmental affiliation of those species we can’t observe in modern assemblages. We propose several research strategies to strengthen our ability to use diatom data to reconstruct sea ice history. These tactics include the evaluation of specific morphologic characteristics and distinct taxa, as well as the identification of specific …

Hydrogeochemistry And Water Quality Of Echo Hills, Joel M. Kimball

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Ground water of the Echo Hills area in Clark County, Ohio was investigated for common water contaminants such as nitrate and coliform bacteria. Thirty-four water samples were collected from locations including private wells, streams and a spring. Nine of those samples were selected for nitrogen isotope analysis. Three locations were chosen for a tracer test. Additionally, well log data, historical water quality data, and GIS data were obtained from the Clark County Health Department in Springfield, Ohio. Results show that local agriculture likely has the greatest impact on ground water quality in Echo Hills especially the north-eastern portion, with local …

Detailed Geochemistry And K-Ar Geochronology Of The Metamorphic Sole Rocks And Their Mafic Dykes From The Mersin Ophiolite, Southern Turkey, Ömer Faruk Çeli̇k

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

The metamorphic sole rocks at the base of mantle peridotites from the Mersin ophiolite consist of amphibolites and metasedimentary lithologies. Mineral parageneses in the metamorphic sole rocks exhibit amphibolite and greenschist facies assemblages. Geothermobarometric studies based on mineral assemblages and chemical compositions of minerals indicate that average metamorphic temperature during the metamorphism was 522 ± 15 °C and the pressure was less than 5 kb. Amphibolites from the metamorphic sole rocks exhibit geochemical characteristics of a supra-subduction zone (SSZ) type ophiolite, based on their major, trace and rare earth element (REE) compositions. The Th/Nb ratios of the amphibolites are higher …

On The Origin And Age Of The Arıburnu Beachrock, Gelibolu Peninsula, Turkey, Ahmet Evren Ergi̇nal, Nafi̇ye Kiyak Güneç, Mustafa Bozcu, Ahmet Ertek, Hakan Güngüneş, Ali̇ Sungur, Gülen Türker

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

The beachrock formation on the Arıburnu coast situated in the Gelibolu Peninsula has been studied by field observation, thin-section interpretation, physicochemical analyses including ICP-AES and SEM/EDS, and OSL dating. These analyses reveal the presence of different amounts of major (Si, Ca, Mg, K, Fe, Al and Na) and trace elements within the beachrock cement with Si (36.2%) and Ca (32.68%) dominating the overall composition. Beachrocks composed of highly-fractured and friable beds reach a total thickness of 80 cm extending from +60 cm at the uppermost level down to -1 m at their most seaward extent and grade from conglomerate to …

Trace Fossils Of The Upper Eocene-Lower Oligocene Transition Of The Manipur, Indo-Myanmar Ranges (Northeast India), Rajkumar Hemanta Singh, Francisco J. Rodriguez Tovar, Soibam Ibotombi

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

A detailed ichnological analysis, for the first time, has been preformed on Upper Eocene-Lower Oligocene Transition of Manipur, Indo-Myanmar Ranges (Northeast India). Previous trace fossil analyses in India are scarce and usually poorly detailed, especially with respect to Cenozoic materials. Sediments from the Disang and Barail groups contain a relatively abundant and moderately diverse trace fossil assemblage that has been characterized at the ichnogenus and ichnospecies level. ?Arenicolites Salter 1857, Helminthopsis tenuis Ksiazkiewicz 1968, Ophiomorpha nodosa Lundgren 1891, Phycodes palmatus (Hall 1852), Planolites montanus Richter 1937, Rhizocorallium jenense Zenker 1836, Thalassinoides paradoxicus (Woodward 1830) and Skolithos linearis (Haldeman 1840) have …

Quantifying Twentieth Century Glacier Change In The Sierra Nevada, California, Hassan J. Basagic

Dissertations and Theses

Numerous small alpine glaciers occupy the high elevation regions of the central and southern Siena Nevada, California. These glaciers change size in response to variations in climate and are therefore important indicators of climate change. An inventory based on USGS topographic maps (l :24,000) revealed 1719 glaciers and perennial snow and ice features for a total area of 39.l5 ±7.52 km². The number of 'true' glaciers, versus non-moving ice, is estimated to be 118, covering 15.87 ± 1.69 Km². All glaciers were located on north to northeast aspects, at elevations >3000 m. Historical photographs, geologic evidence, …

Some Applications Of Geochemical And Isotopic Techniques To Hydrogeology Of The Caves After Research In Two Sites (Nerja Cave-S Spain And Fourbanne System-French Jura), Jacques Mudry, Bartolomé Andreo, Arnaud Charmoille, Cristina Liñán, Francisco Carrasco

International Journal of Speleology

Caves constitute privileged sampling spots to investigate the hydrochemical behaviour of infiltration, but the representative nature of samples can limit their reach. Taking this into account many results can be obtained from chemistry of water sampled in the caves. Carbonate tracers enable to reconstruct the ‘history’ of drip water water, including rainfall and temperatures. Moreover, permanent drip waters prove durability of water stored in the unsaturated zone over the cave, and lags between rain inputs and drip output enable to evaluate transit time through the unsaturated zone. The comparison of input/output concentrations can also contribute to estimate the local water …

Late Pleistocene Cryogenic Calcite Spherolites From The Malachitdom Cave (Ne Rhenish Slate Mountains, Germany): Origin, Unusual Internal Structure And Stable C-O Isotope Composition, Detlev Konrad Richter, Dana Felicitas Christine Riechelmann

International Journal of Speleology

Cryogenic calcites yielded U-series ages in the range from 15.61±0.20 ka to 14.48±0.12 ka, which is the youngest age obtained so far for this type of cryogenic cave carbonates in Europe. Most of these particles of the Malachitdom Cave (NE Brilon, Sauerland, North Rhine-Westphalia) are complex spherolites usually smaller than 1 cm. They show δ¹³C-values between –1 and –5 ‰ VPDB and δ¹⁸O-values ranging from –7 to –16 ‰ VPDB, the δ¹³C-values increase and the δ¹⁸O-values decrease from centre to border. The complex spherolites are interpreted to be formed in slowly freezing …

The Environmental Features Of The Monte Corchia Cave System (Apuan Alps, Central Italy) And Their Effects On Speleothem Growth, L. Piccini, G. Zanchetta, R. N. Drysdale, J. Hellstrom, I. Isola, A. E. Fallick, G. Leone, M. Doveri, M. Mussi, F. Mantelli, G. Molli, L. Lotti, A. Roncioni, E. Regattieri, M. Meccheri, L. Vaselli

International Journal of Speleology

The Monte Corchia cave system, one of the most famous and popular caves in Italy, has in recent times been the subject of investigation on its speleothems as paleoclimate archives. This paper describes the geology, geomorphology and water chemistry of the cave system with the aim to elucidate the processes that have generated these speleothems and the properties they contain that are so useful for paleoclimatology. Some general conclusions can be drawn: i) the Corchia system is a cave developed over different altitudes during progressive uplift of the mountain chain in which it is located, probably under drainage conditions very …

Palaeoclimate Research In Villars Cave (Dordogne, Sw-France), Dominique Genty

International Journal of Speleology

Villars Cave is a typical shallow cave from South-West France (45.44°N; 0.78°E; 175 m asl) that has provided several speleothem palaeoclimatic records such as the millennial scale variability of the Last Glacial period and the Last Deglaciation. Monitoring the Villars cave environment over a 13-year period has helped in the understanding of the stable isotopic speleothem content and in the hydrology. For example, it was demonstrated that most of the calcite CaCO₃ carbon comes from the soil CO₂, which explains the sensitivity of the δ¹³C to any vegetation and climatic changes. Drip rate monitoring, carried …

Atlantic And Pacific Sst Influences On Medieval Drought In North America Simulated By The Community Atmospheric Model, Song Feng, Robert Oglesby, Clinton M. Rowe, David B. Loope, Qi Hu

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Severe drought is arguably one of the greatest recurring natural disasters that strikes North America. A synthesis of multiproxy data shows that North America was in the grip of a severe centennial-scale drought during medieval times (800–1300 AD). In this study, the Community Atmospheric Model (CAM) is used to investigate the role of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies from the North Atlantic and the tropical Pacific Ocean on this megadrought. These anomalies are obtained from proxy reconstructions of SST. Four model experiments with prescribed SST anomalies in the tropical Pacific and/or North Atlantic Ocean were made. The CAM results captured …

Life In A Temperate Polar Sea: A Unique Taphonomic Window On The Structure Of A Late Cretaceous Arctic Marine Ecosystem, Karen Chin, John Bloch, Arthur Sweet, Justin Tweet, Jaelyn Eberle, Stephen Cumbaa, Jakub Witowski, David M. Harwood

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

As the earth faces a warming climate, the rock record reminds us that comparable climatic scenarios have occurred before. In the Late Cretaceous, Arctic marine organisms were not subject to frigid temperatures but still contended with seasonal extremes in photoperiod. Here, we describe an unusual fossil assemblage from Devon Island, Arctic Canada, that offers a snapshot of a ca 75 _MYR ago marine paleoecosystem adapted to such conditions. Thick siliceous biogenic sediments and glaucony sands reveal remarkably persistent high primary productivity along a high-latitude Late Cretaceous coastline. Abundant fossil feces demonstrate that this planktonic bounty supported benthic invertebrates and large, …

Elevated Primary Productivity Of Calcareous Nannoplankton Associated With Ocean Anxoic Event 1b During The Aptian/Albian Transition (Early Cretaceous), Emily L. Browning, David K. Watkins

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Previous isotopic investigations of Aptian/Albian oceanic anoxic event (OAE) 1b from the western North Atlantic (Blake Nose) posited that increased sea surface temperatures and decreased salinity led to stratification of the upper water column, resulting in lowered dissolved oxygen and enhanced organic matter preservation. We examined calcareous nannofossils from the same site in the western North Atlantic (Blake Nose) to evaluate changes in surface water conditions prior to, during, and after the Aptian/Albian OAE1b. The results of our analysis conflict somewhat with the previous interpretation that OAE1b at Blake Nose was linked to water column stratification. The signal from calcareous …

Seismic Facies And Stratigraphy Of The Cenozoic Succession In Mcmurdo Sound, Antarctica: Implications For Tectonic, Climatic And Glacial History, Christopher R. Fielding, Joanne Whittaker, Stuart A. Henrys, Terry J. Wilson, Timothy R. Naish

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Integration of data from fully cored stratigraphic holes with an extensive grid of seismic reflection lines in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, has allowed the formulation of a new model for the evolution of the Cenozoic Victoria Land Basin of the West Antarctic Rift. The Early Rift phase (Eocene to Early Oligocene) is recorded by wedges of strata confined by early extensional faults, and which contain seismic facies consistent with drainage via coarse-grained fans and deltas into discrete, actively subsiding grabens and half-grabens. The Main Rift phase (Early Oligocene to Early Miocene) is represented by a lens of strata that thickens symmetrically …

Chloride And The Environmental Isotopes As The Indicators Of The Groundwater Recharge In The Gobi Desert, Northwest China, J. Z. Ma, Z. Ding, John B. Gates, Y. Su

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

The long term recharge in Gobi Desert from Hexi Corridor to Inner Mongolia Plateau was estimated to Be 1 mm year^-1 by using the chloride mass balance method from one unsaturated zone profile, which shows that no effective modern recharge is taking place. A good rainfall database from Zhangye provides definition of the stable isotopic composition of modern rainfall. The signature of groundwater from the late Pleistocene differs markedly from that of the Holocene, shown clearly by the compositions of -10.5‰ δ¹⁸O as compared with values of -7‰ at the present day. It is apparent that the …

Seismic Facies And Stratigraphy Of The Cenozoic Succession In Mcmurdo Sound, Antarctica: Implications For Tectonic, Climatic And Glacial History, Christopher R. Fielding, J. Whittaker, Stuart A. Henrys, T. J. Wilson, T. R. Naish

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

A new stratigraphic model is presented for the evolution of the Cenozoic Victoria Land Basin of the West Antarctic Rift, based on integration of seismic reflection and drilling data. The Early Rift phase (?latest Eocene to Early Oligocene) comprises wedges of strata confined by early extensional faults, and which contain seismic facies consistent with drainage via coarse-grained fans and deltas into discrete, actively subsiding grabens and half-grabens. The Main Rift phase (Early Oligocene to Early Miocene) comprises a lens of strata that thickens symmetrically from the basin margins into a central depocenter, and in which stratal events pass continuously over …

An Observational Analysis And Evaluation Of Land Surface Model Accuracy In The Nebraska Sand Hills, David B. Radell, Clinton M. Rowe

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

In this study, the influence of subsurface water on the energy budget components of three locations with heterogeneous land surfaces in the Nebraska Sand Hills are examined through observations and use of the Noah land surface model (LSM). Observations of the four primary components of the surface energy budget are compared for a wet interdunal meadow valley, a dry interdunal valley, and a dunal upland location. With similar atmospheric forcing at each site, it was determined that differences in the partitioning of the mean diurnal net radiation (R_net) existed among the three locations due to the influence …

Improved Algorithm For Modis Satellite Retrievals Of Aerosol Optical Depths Over Western North America, Easan Drury, Daniel J. Jacob, Jun Wang, Robert J.D. Spurr, Kelly Chance

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Quantitative evaluation of chemical transport models (CTMs) with aerosol optical depth (AOD) products retrieved from satellite backscattered reflectances can be compromised by inconsistent assumptions of aerosol optical properties and errors in surface reflectance estimates. We present an improved AOD retrieval algorithm for the MODIS satellite instrument using locally derived surface reflectances and CTM aerosol optical properties for the 0.47, 0.65, and 2.13 μm MODIS channels. Assuming negligible atmospheric reflectance at 2.13 μm in cloud-free conditions, we derive 0.65/2.13 surface reflectance ratios at 1° X 1.25° horizontal resolution for the continental United States in summer 2004 from the subset of top-of-atmosphere …

The Optimal Bulk Wind Differential Depth And The Utility Of The Upper-Tropospheric Storm-Relative Flow For Forecasting Supercells, Adam L. Houston, Richard L. Thompson, Roger Edwards

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

An analysis of 4 yr of Rapid Update Cycle-2 (RUC-2) derived soundings in proximity to radar-observed supercells and nonsupercells is conducted in an effort to answer two questions: 1) over what depth is the fixed-layer bulk wind differential (BWD; the vector difference between the wind velocity at a given level and the wind velocity at the surface) the best discriminator between supercell and nonsupercell environments and 2) does the upper-tropospheric storm-relative flow (UTSRF) discriminate between the environments of supercells and nonsupercells? Previous climatologies of sounding-based supercell forecast parameters have documented the ability of the 0–6-km BWD in delineating supercell from …

Plant-Feeding Hemiptera And Orthoptera Communities In Native And Restored Mesic Tallgrass Prairies, Kristine T. Nemec, Thomas B. Bragg

United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

Aboveground Hemiptera and Orthoptera communities were compared among three native and three restored mesic tallgrass prairies along the Platte River in central Nebraska to assess both the relative success of restored sites and the relationship between insect and plant communities. Hemiptera and Orthoptera were sampled using sweep nets in early June, mid-July, and mid-August 2000. Plant species composition was assessed in early June and mid-August. A total of 89 Auchenorrhyncha (71 Cicadellidae, 15 Fulgoroidea, and 3 Membracidae) and 23 orthopterans (15 Acrididae and 8 Tettigoniidae) were collected. Eighty-five plant species were observed in combined study sites. Shannon diversity was significantly …

Bioaccumulation Of Pharmaceuticals And Other Anthropogenic Waste Indicators In Earthworms From Agricultural Soil Amended With Biosolid Or Swine Manure, Chad Kinney, Edward Furlong, Dana Kolpin, Mark Burkhardt, Steven Zaugg, Stephen Werner, Joseph Bossio, Mark Benotti

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Analysis of earthworms offers potential for assessing the transfer of organic anthropogenic waste indicators (AWIs) derived from land-applied biosolid or manure to biota. Earthworms and soil samples were collected from three Midwest agricultural fields to measure the presence and potential for transfer of 77 AWIs from land-applied biosolids and livestock manure to earthworms. The sites consisted of a soybean field with no amendments of human or livestock waste (Site 1), a soybean field amended with biosolids from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (Site 2), and a cornfield amended with swine manure (Site 3). The biosolid applied to Site 2 contained …