Digital Commons Network^™

Und-25, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model UND-25 - diorite - igneous rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/und-25-b0e90e8a6b7c4207a67f070f097b5370

126, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 126 - basalt - igneous rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/126-c6ef512294fa4a7ebab143a5260cacbf

131, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 131 - pumice - igneous rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/131-f3771991ac1f4864ad7b9a92835042a5

169, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 169 - chalk - sedimentary rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/169-0eec274a758747e4b54c37865f5be696

Borneo Stalagmite Evidence Of Significantly Reduced El Niño-Southern Oscillation Variability At 4.1 Kybp, C.M. Theaker, S.A. Carolin, C.C. Day, K.M. Cobb, S. Chen, Pamela R. Grothe, H.O. Couper

Earth and Environmental Sciences

The timing and geographic extent of a potential “4.2 ky event” remain highly contested. Here we present records of ENSO variability at 3.8 kyBP and 4.1 kyBP derived from a Borneo stalagmite, which suggest a significant change in ENSO properties between these time intervals. The Borneo records show evidence of significantly reduced ENSO activity at 4.1 kyBP, relative to other measured windows within the Holocene. This reduced ENSO activity coincides with a period of drier conditions and enhanced dust events in the Middle East that took place ∼4.0–4.3 kyBP. The Borneo records show evidence of enhanced ENSO activity at 3.8 …

Assessing Seismic Hazard In Western Kentucky And At The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant: An Overview Of The Issues, Mitigation Strategies, And The Research Conducted By The Kentucky Geological Survey, Zhenming Wang, Seth Carpenter

Bulletin--KGS

The exposure of homes, infrastructure, and critical facilities in western Kentucky, including the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP), to potential strong seismic shaking from the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) has been a major impetus for decades of effort to characterize seismic hazards by the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS). The purpose of this report is to provide 1) a summary of the earthquake hazards that affect Kentucky and KGS’s ongoing earthquake research, including seismic monitoring, 2) background on the types of seismic hazards in general and how they are quantified in seismic hazard assessments, including strengths and weaknesses of the …

Surficial Geologic Map Of The Bowling Green South 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Kentucky, Matthew Massey, Meredith Swallom, Bailee Nicole Hodelka, Hannah Hayes, Charles Wells Iii, Steven L. Martin, Emily Morris

Contract Reports--KGS

The Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS), a state-supported independent research center within the University of Kentucky, is committed to providing accurate and unbiased geologic information on natural resources, environmental issues, and natural hazards in Kentucky. While Kentucky boasts complete coverage by 1:24,000-scale geologic bedrock maps, surficial materials have been largely overlooked, except in regions with thick deposits obscuring the bedrock. Given the increasing trends in economic development and urbanization, detailed surficial geologic mapping has become crucial for supporting geotechnical planning, environmental management, and hazard assessment. In response, KGS has prioritized new, detailed surficial geologic mapping since 2004, specifically targeting areas anticipated …

Surficial Geologic Map Of The Bristow 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Kentucky, Bailee Nicole Hodelka, Matthew Massey, Meredith Swallom, Steven L. Martin, Charles Wells Iii, Emily Morris

Contract Reports--KGS

The Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS), a state-supported independent research center within the University of Kentucky, is committed to providing accurate and unbiased geologic information on natural resources, environmental issues, and natural hazards in Kentucky. While Kentucky boasts complete coverage by 1:24,000-scale geologic bedrock maps, surficial materials have been largely overlooked, except in regions with thick deposits obscuring the bedrock. Given the increasing trends in economic development and urbanization, detailed surficial geologic mapping has become crucial for supporting geotechnical planning, environmental management, and hazard assessment. In response, KGS has prioritized new, detailed surficial geologic mapping since 2004, specifically targeting areas anticipated …

Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan For Landslides For The Big Sandy Area Development District, Kentucky, Matt M. Crawford, Hudson J. Koch, Jason M. Dortch

Contract Reports--KGS

Landslides are a complex geologic hazard that occurs worldwide, impacting lives, infrastructure, and property. The Big Sandy Area Development District, Kentucky incurs high landslide activity impacting several municipalities. This hazard mitigation planning project includes landslide susceptibility and risk assessments for the Big Sandy Area Development District. We based the landslide susceptibility model on statistics of hillslope morphological features such as slope, curvature, roughness, aspect, and elevation. Using a dual machine learning approach, we modeled the probability of landslide occurrence, defined as an area that is occupied, or might be occupied in the future, by a landslide. We also developed the …

Subsurface Mapping Of Intra-Arbuckle Shale In North-West Kansas Using Well Log Data, Cole M. Denny

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The aim of this research was to enhance knowledge of Intra-Arbuckle Shale (IAS) distribution and structure through new maps, cross sections, and well log correlations. Understanding the shale(s) ultimately advances the discernment of complex Arbuckle reservoirs that are critical to the Kansas petroleum industry. IAS has been intercepted by oil wells throughout Kansas, but this study focuses on their presence in portions of Ellis, Rooks, Graham, and Trego counties. To study the distribution and structure of IAS, data from micro-resistivity and gamma ray well logs were collected from more than three hundred Arbuckle oil and gas wells. On each well …

Multiple Lithologies In Camel Donga 003 (Ck3): Implications For The Cv Parent Body, Elana Alevy

Honors Theses

Carbonaceous chondrites record primitive physical and chemical conditions of the solar nebula. In addition, samples of these meteorites provide information about secondary processing due to thermal metamorphism or aqueous alteration on the meteorite’s parent asteroid. Currently, there is debate regarding the number of parent asteroids that the Vigarano-like (CV) and the Karoonda-like (CK) chondrites originate from, which can be addressed through detailed mineralogical and petrographic analysis of samples from these groups.

In this work, we analyzed a thin section of Camel Donga 003, which is currently classified as a CK3 chondrite. Using scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis, we …

Geomorphological Evolution Of The Mun River, Surin Province Northeastern Thailand, Chutiwat Sawangkit

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

From 1973 to 2023, the Mun River in Surin Province, Thailand, underwent geomorphological evolution. This study examines changes in channel parameters to determine how human activity and natural processes affect river shape. This study measures changes in four important geomorphological parameters channel sinuosity, radius of curvature, channel width, and channel length by analyzing the data from C (ERT), satellite imagery, and topographic maps. A dynamic meandering process that has created oxbow lakes, neck and chute cut-offs, and other geomorphological features throughout time is visible on satellite photos. Significant morphological changes have been brought about, notably, by the building of dams, …

The Behemoth Of The Last Ice Age: The Evolutionary Saga Of The Columbian Mammoth In North America, Nathaniel Valentine

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

The Columbian’s mammoth evolutionary history can be traced back to the origin of life and its evolutionary lineage can be tracked down by examining select species over geologic time. I conducted a literature review with multiple scientific journals to identify key transitional species that trace their lineage to the Columbian mammoth. Transitional species were selected from the Precambrian and the various periods of the Phanerozoic which exhibited vertebrate-like body structures and behaviors. Evidence suggests that early vertebrate-like animals were present by the Cambrian period. Mammal evolution would continue in the Mesozoic era and radiate in the Cenozoic era. The Columbian …

Groundwater Flow And Water Clarity At Cenotes In The Yucatan Peninsula, Laura Rossana Fracica Gonzalez

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Characterizing and predicting groundwater flow in complex karst aquifers poses significant challenges. This study explores the potential application of Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) technology for in-situ groundwater flow measurement within sinkholes (cenotes) in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Two specific questions are addressed: 1) Can ADCP determine flow within Yucatan Peninsula sinkholes? 2) Are groundwater flow vectors related to water clarity in open cenotes? The geological setting of the Yucatan Platform is characterized by horizontal sedimentary strata with highly permeable limestones and extensive karst features. The research focuses on the Holbox fracture zone, where groundwater flow dynamics remain elusive. The …

10be Dating Of Last Glacial Maximum Moraines And Subsequent Glacial Retreat In Chirripó National Park, Costa Rica, Caleb Emeka Okpala

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

During the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; ~26-19 ka) and Termination 1 (~19-12 ka), the expansion and retreat of glaciers across the Southern and Northern Hemispheres, as well as other paleoclimate proxies, document a complex pattern of global climate change. While the timing and magnitude of LGM cooling and subsequent warming is relatively well constrained in mid- and high-latitude regions across both hemispheres, less information is available about climate changes in the tropics. To provide more information about tropical climate conditions during the LGM and Termination 1, I mapped and dated the extents of past glaciers in two valleys in Chirripó …

A Bayesian Inversion For Emissions And Export Productivity Across The End-Cretaceous Boundary, Alexander A. Cox

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

The end-Cretaceous mass extinction was marked by both the Chicxulub impact and the ongoing emplacement of the Deccan Traps flood basalt province. Both of these events perturbed the environment by the emission of climate-active volatiles, primarily CO2 and SO2. To understand the mechanism of extinction, we must disentangle the timing, duration, and intensity of volcanic and meteoritic environmental forcings. In this thesis, we used a parallel Markov chain Monte Carlo approach to invert for the aforementioned volatile emissions, export productivity, and remineralization from 67 to 65 million years ago using the LOSCAR (Long-term Ocean-atmosphere-Sediment CArbon cycle Reservoir) model. The parallel …

144, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 144 - obsidian - igneous rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/144-a362edff33d84ca2b108ef7dc304d745

154, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 154 - rhyolite - igneous rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/154-3330c3ddf80540698ca7ded58e958ae7

146, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 146 - basalt - igneous rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/146-23207ef5c9784bb2b851ee15988f3461

141, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 141 - andesite - igneous rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/141-58cce95336f8483893eb258c3289dba4

158, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 158 - andesite - igneous rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/158-3a7d68066dae42f1b23a4adef32fcb28

143, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 143 - obsidian - igneous rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/143-6b5d9bd327a443e6a2b43087361c4e00

145, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 145 - basalt - igneous rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/145-aeea05a5c3524b1e880b14b5ca1e72ca

138, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 138 - rhyolite - igneous rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/138-ff74c3cfe9b84efcbdd17a4d2f16e539

140, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 140 - andesite - igneous rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/140-70d3697070254896a783d1e3696e55bd

Cataloguing Minerals, Part Two: Re-Imagining Mineral Catalogue Descriptions To Address Colonial Legacies, Carrie Robbins, Selby Hearth, Marianne Weldon, Aha Anderson, Rosa Bieber-Stanley, April Chernila, Helen Christ, Hannah Cosgrove, Morgan Hanson-Rosenberg, Carly Hill, Maya Hofstetter, Emily Lazo, Izzie Ludlow, Samantha Lyster, Rachel Myers, Jasper Nash, Georgia Reed, Julia Saint- Amour

Geology Faculty Research and Scholarship

Minerals are uniquely tied to colonialism, labour, and environment; however, those relationships have traditionally not been described in mineral catalogues – an omission that limits curators’ ability to account for mineral histories. This paper re-imagines mineral cataloguing practices to restore historical, cultural, and environmental contexts that were stripped away. We describe the roles of citations; linked data; provenience and provenance histories; non-standardized and ‘unapproved’ nomenclatures; positionality; and the need to label archival silences. We examine the risks and practical limitations that arise in attempting to turn this colonial tool against itself. In discussing these issues, we contribute to ongoing dialogues …

Geographically Dependent Thermodynamic And Geochemical Evolution In The Post-Batholith Upper Mantle Beneath The Sierra Nevada: Analysis Of The Blue Knob Xenoliths, Eleanor Ruos

Scripps Senior Theses

Xenoliths entrained in recent (Miocene) volcanics from the Sierra Nevada provide insights into a continuously evolving upper mantle during post-batholith generation periods (early Cenozoic–present). Hypothesized mantle refertilization followed by subsequent delamination of the lithospheric root beneath the Sierra provides a contextual framework for analyzing how the upper mantle responds to such events. This study contributes new geochemical data from the ultramafic xenoliths of Blue Knob, including bulk-rock major and trace element data, thin-section petrography, mineral chemistry and thermobarometry, and oxygen isotopes (delta¹⁸O). Blue knob (Eastern Sierra) data are compared to previous works on xenoliths from Chinese Peak and …

Maximizing Mining Operations: Unlocking The Crucial Role Of Intelligent Fleet Management Systems In Surface Mining’S Value Chain, Arman Hazrathosseini, Ali Moradi Afrapoli

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

On the one side, the operational expenses of mining enterprises are showing an upward trend; and on the other side, conventional mining fleet management systems (FMSs) are falling short in addressing the high-dimensionality, stochasticity, and autonomy needed in increasingly complex operations. These major drivers for change have convinced researchers to search for alternatives including artificial-intelligence-enabled algorithms recommended by Mining 4.0. The present study endeavors to scrutinize this transition from a business management point of view. In other words, a literature review is carried out to gain insight into the evolutionary trajectory of mining FMSs and the need for intelligent algorithms. …

The Influence Of Volcano Edifice Resonance On The Seismic Triggering Of Thermal Activity At Active Volcanoes, Morgana M. Wilke

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

There is an established correlation between large earthquakes and volcanic unrest, however the mechanisms between this connection are not well understood. Relatively small changes in stress within a volcanic system could be enough to initiate a response. One aspect that could serve to amplify small dynamic stress changes is volcanic edifice resonance triggered by surface waves at resonant frequency. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between thermal activity of volcanoes and various minimum thresholds of Love wave amplitudes at resonance caused by teleseismic earthquakes above a 7.0 M. Satellite-derived thermal data from 25 volcanoes are modeled in relation to …

256, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 256 - hornfels - metamorphic rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/256-c6781bb84f044acc84989bcb1ec0b50d