Digital Commons Network^™

Automated Machine Learning For High-Resolution Daily And Hourly Methane Emission Mapping For Rice Paddies Over South Korea: Integrating Modis, Era5-Land, And Soil Data, Jiah Jang, Seung Hee Kim, Menas Kafatos, Jaeil Cho, Gayoung Yoo, Sujong Jeong, Yangwon Lee

Institute for ECHO Articles and Research

Agriculture is a major global source of methane (CH4), and accurate emission estimates are essential for refining national greenhouse gas inventories and supporting climate-resilient policies. This study develops a high-resolution estimation framework for CH4 emissions from Korean rice paddies by integrating multi-source datasets, including Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) vegetation indices, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Reanalysis Version 5 (ERA5)-Land meteorological variables, and Harmonized World Soil Database (HWSD) soil properties. Using CH4 flux observations from four global rice ecosystems (Italy, Japan, South Korea, and USA), we constructed parallel daily and hourly machine learning models using an automated machine …

Watersmart Farms - Desalination: Summary Report, Wendell Ela, Abdulla Rasheed, Sharmina Begum, Vaibhav Patel, Goruck Soubans, John K. Ruprecht, V Ravisankar, S Aktar, B Husbands, L Li

Natural resources commissioned reports

In 2026, Murdoch University completed a series of investigations into farm and community scale desalination in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia for the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and Water Corporation. The key studies investigated farm scale desalination, community scale desalination, best practice techniques for desalination in agriculture and brine management review.

The key findings of the studies are presented here, followed by an overview of the considerations concerning the potential for desalination across the Wheatbelt. Readers are referred to the Technical Reports for more detailed information.

This report is an overview of the following reports:

Ela, …

Dynamic Magnetic Null Behavior In Planar Ion Diodes: Particle-In-Cell Analysis Of Field Oscillations And Ion Beam Dynamics, Jesse C. Foster, Stephen B. Swanekamp, Paul F. Ottinger

Faculty Publications

Particle-in-cell simulations of a 1.75 MV, 375 kA, and 50 ns planar pinched-beam diode reveal that the strongest gigahertz-frequency oscillations in electric field and ion current arise from the dynamic motion of the magnetic null near the anode tip. These oscillations, which appear when the ion transit time becomes comparable to the local field-variation timescale, periodically expand the effective anode–cathode gap and generate bursts of over-accelerated ions. The resulting ion energy spectrum broadens substantially near the null while maintaining excellent beam uniformity along the anode. The simulations, therefore, demonstrate a direct physical linkage between ion transit time instability and magnetic …

Client Feedback Effects On Enjoyment, Motivation And Self-Efficacy In A Project-Based Learning Course, Krista Stacey, David M. Bourrie

University Faculty and Staff Publications

This paper reports a mixed-methods evaluation of how feedback/project source (faculty-led versus client-led) shapes student outcomes in a two-course undergraduate game and simulation development sequence (N = 29 across two academic years). Quantitative measures (enjoyment, intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy) were collected with a six-point Likert survey and analyzed, but due to small sample sizes were not used to empirically evaluate the constructs. Instead, qualitative data comprised of de-identified focus-group transcripts and open-ended survey responses were analyzed with a keyword-assisted codebook and manual validation. Year 1 (faculty feedback) exhibited more consistent post-course gains, especially in self-efficacy, while Year 2 (client feedback) produced …

Re: Conditional Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Revised Butte Hill Revegetation Specifications (Dated August 15, 2025), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Expression, Purification, And Crystallization Of Recombinant Human Abl-1 Kinase For X-Ray Crystallography, Ayça İrgi̇t, Hali̇li̇brahi̇m Çi̇ftçi̇, Hasan Demi̇rci̇

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Abelson-1 (ABL-1) is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase that plays essential roles in various cellular processes, including proliferation, survival, differentiation and its kinase activity is tightly regulated. The dysregulated ABL-1 kinase activity is linked to disease pathogenesis like Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), where the BCR::ABL-1 fusion oncoprotein drives oncogenic signaling. Due to its central role in CML pathogenesis, understanding the structure of ABL-1 is crucial for the effective management of the disease and drug development studies. This study focuses on optimizing the expression, purification and crystallization of the recombinant human ABL-1 kinase domain for its structural analysis via X-ray crystallography and …

Antioxidant Potential Of Sulfenimides In Waste Walnut Oil Biodiesel: Kinetic Stability, Phosphomolybdenum Activity, And Reducing Power Capacity, Nalan Türköz Karakullukçu, Hasan Yakan, Volkan Murat Yilmaz, Hali̇t Muğlu, Semi̇ha Yeni̇gün, Hali̇l Kütük

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

This study investigated the influence of synthetic sulfenimides on biodiesel–diesel fuel blends. Three previously synthesized sulfenimide derivatives were structurally characterized using spectroscopic techniques. We evaluated their antioxidant properties through phosphomolybdenum activity and reducing power capacity assays. The tested fuel samples were designated as D100, B10D90, B10D90_AA (ascorbic acid), B10D90_3, B10D90_2, and B10D90_1. The effect of adding 2000 ppm of the additive was measured using an Oxifast instrument following the ASTM D7545 standard, and the results were compared to those of the chemical antioxidant ascorbic acid. Inhibition time values were derived from the oxidation stability results. The starting temperatures for crystallization …

Investigating The Structure And Bioactivity Of Lanthanum Coordination Compounds, Shantanu Kadam, Bhushan Dhale, Bapu Yamgar, Swaminath Bhattar

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Lanthanum metal complexes were synthesized using a classical condensation method by reacting lanthanum nitrate salts with a bidentate ligand in a 1:2:1 molar ratio (M:L:L). The formation and structure of the resulting complexes were confirmed through a combination of analytical techniques, including Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, elemental microanalysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The lanthanum complexes synthesized exhibited strong in vitro antimicrobial activity. Antibacterial screening showed inhibition zones of 18–26 mm against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, surpassing those of the reference drug ciprofloxacin (16–20 mm). Antifungal studies demonstrated inhibition zones of 15–23 mm against Candida …

Comparative Computational Study Of Sulfur-Donor Additives For Stabilization Of Fapbi3 Perovskites, Ilnar Nurgaliev, Akbarxon Hamzayev, Murad Marasulov, Zavkiddin Julliev, Akhmad Oblakulov, Nigmat Ashurov

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

A multiscale computational investigation integrating density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations was conducted to elucidate the mechanisms through which sulfur-containing donor molecules stabilize the photoactive α-phase of formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) perovskites. The binding energetics, charge-transfer behavior, and hydrogen-bonding interactions of thiourea (TU), thiosemicarbazide (TSC), thiocyanate (SCN–), and diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC) were systematically analyzed. DFT results revealed pronounced Pb–S coordination and multidentate hydrogenbonding, with binding energies following the trend SCN–>TSC>DTC>TU. Thermodynamic analysis demonstrated that these additives lower the Gibbs free energy difference, thereby stabilizing the black α-phase, with TSC, TU, and to a lesser extent …

Zoledronic Acid-Loaded Hap–Sio2–Camoo4:Eu3+ With Luminescent Properties As A Novel Drug Delivery System, Emi̇ne Kutlu, Muhammad Asim Ali, Fati̇h Mehmet Emen, Canan Vejselova Sezer, Hati̇ce Mehtap Kutlu

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

CaMoO4:Eu3+-functionalized hydroxyapatite–silica (HAp–SiO2–CaMoO4:Eu3+) core–shell nanocomposites were synthesized for the first time and evaluated as a multifunctional drug delivery and imaging platform. HAp–SiO2 nanocomposites were prepared via a hydrothermal route and subsequently functionalized with a luminescent CaMoO4:Eu3+ shell using the Pechini sol–gel method. Structural analyses confirmed the successful coexistence of HAp, SiO2, and CaMoO4:Eu3+ phases, while electron microscopy revealed spherical core–shell morphologies. Dynamic light scattering measurements showed average hydrodynamic particle sizes of approximately 1085 nm for HAp–SiO2 and 1427 nm for HAp–SiO2–CaMoO4:Eu3+ nanocomposites, indicating particle clustering in aqueous media, which is consistent with the low surface charge of the particles. The …

Factors Influencing Productivity And Production System Optimization For Deep Coalbed Methane In The Daning-Jixian Block, Ordos Basin, Zhao Haifeng, Jia Zhaojie, Chen Mengqi, Yang Ziyi, Wang Bin, Lin Hongliang, Yang Yanfeng

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Deep coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs are characterized by ultra-low porosity, ultra-low permeability, and super saturation, rendering it impractical to copy the productivity models of shallow coalbed methane and shale gas. Furthermore, the production performance of deep CBM varies significantly across different well sections. However, the impacts of different factors on the productivity of deep CBM remain poorly understood. This study conducted a numerical simulation analysis of the productivity of deep CBM in the Daning-Jixian block along the eastern margin of the Ordos Basin based on the geological characteristics of the block, aiming to explore the impacts of various key …

Seepage Dynamics And Damage Characteristics Of Shaft Lining Concrete Under Hydraulic Coupling, Xue Weipei, Zhou Yaya, Cheng Hua, Yao Zhishu, Rong Chuanxin, Wang Zhongjian, Wu Hao

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Concrete serves as a lining material for support structures used in vertical shafts in coal mines, and its seepage performance and mechanical characteristics play a crucial role in ensuring structural safety. Furthermore, shaft lining concrete is placed under the groundwater level, subjected to a stress environment significantly different from that of surface concrete.Methods To investigate the impacts of groundwater seepage on the performance of shaft lining concrete under triaxial stress conditions, hydraulic coupling tests were conducted using a servo pressure testing machine equipped with a seepage apparatus, yielding data on permeability, elastic volumetric strain, crack volumetric strain, and …

Evolutionary Mechanisms And Control Strategies For Surrounding Rock Stability Of Inclined Shafts Under Groundwater Seepage, Zhang Cun, Zhao Xiangyu, Chen Yanhong, Ren Zhaopeng, Wu Runze

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The western coal mining area has emerged as China’s primary coal production base. In this area, multiple ten-million-ton-scale coal mines are constructed using inclined shafts. Since inclined shafts run through multiple aquifers, many of them are subjected to shaft wall rupture and water inrushes to varying degrees.Methods This study aims to determine the impacts of groundwater seepage on the surrounding rock stability of inclined shafts. Using field survey, theoretical analysis, and numerical simulation, this study investigated the shaft wall stability of the main inclined shaft in water-rich sections in the Xiaojihan Coal Mine.Results and Conclusions Theoretical analysis …

Optimizing Gamma Radiation Shielding Of Low Bismuth Borate Glass Via Antimony Addition: Optical And Physical Insights, Shaimaa Hafez, Elsayed Salama, Wesam Omar

Basic Science Engineering

This study reports the fabrication and characterization of novel bismuth borate-based glass systems doped with varying concentrations of antimony oxide (Sb₂O₃) for gamma radiation shielding applications. Using the melt-quenching method, the glass systems [0] with x = 0, 1, 3, and 5 mol% were prepared. Density measurements, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV–Vis–NIR spectroscopy were employed to analyze the structural, physical, and optical properties systematically. The results show that increasing Sb₂O₃ content raises the glass density, refractive index, and oxygen packing density, while reducing the molar volume and optical band gap. These changes contribute to forming a …

Hybrid Vision Transformer–Cnn Framework For Alzheimer’S Disease Cell Type Classification: A Comparative Study With Vision–Language Models, Md Easin Hasan, Md Tahmid Hasan Fuad, Omar Sharif, Amy Wagler

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Accurate identification of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-related cellular characteristics from microscopy images is essential for understanding neurodegenerative mechanisms at the cellular level. While most computational approaches focus on macroscopic neuroimaging modalities, cell type classification from microscopy remains relatively underexplored. In this study, we propose a hybrid vision transformer–convolutional neural network (ViT–CNN) framework that integrates DeiT-Small and EfficientNet-B7 to classify three AD-related cell types—astrocytes, cortical neurons, and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells—from phase-contrast microscopy images. We perform a comparative evaluation against conventional CNN architectures (DenseNet, ResNet, InceptionNet, and MobileNet) and prompt-based multimodal vision–language models (GPT-5, GPT-4o, and Gemini 2.5-Flash) using zero-shot, few-shot, and chain-of-thought …

Monitoring Strategies In Cave Microclimate Studies, Nenad Buzjak, Dalibor Paar, Aurel Persoiu, Christos Pennos, Franci Gabrovšek, Valerija Rossi

International Journal of Speleology

Cave atmospheres are spatially confined but dynamical systems that influence subterranean ecosystems, geomorphological processes, registration and preservation of climatic signals in sedimentary archives, cultural heritage, and conservation management. Despite major advances in cave climatology, methodological approaches to microclimate monitoring remain fragmented and are in some cases still shaped by the long-standing assumption that cave air temperature simply reflects the mean annual surface temperature. This paper revisits that assumption and develops an experience- and literature-based methodological framework for cave microclimate research. Key terminology is addressed by distinguishing between cave climate, cave microclimate, and cave meteorology, and by situating microclimatic variability within …

Survival On Image Regression With Application To Partially Functional Distributional Representation Of Physical Activity, Rahul Ghosal, Sunwoo Emma Cho, Marcos Matabuena

Faculty Publications

Technological advancements in wearable devices and medical imaging often lead to high-dimensional physiological signals in the form of images or surfaces. To address these data structures, we develop a novel survival on image regression model with a specific focus on partially functional distributional representation of wearable data. The existing approaches for functional data and survival outcomes have been primarily developed for uni-dimensional functional predictors. Drawing on recent developments in distributional data analysis, we model temporally varying distributional patterns of physical activity (PA) as a partially functional distributional predictor within a semiparametric Cox model framework. We use tensor product splines to …

Symmetric Orthogonalization And Probabilistic Weights In Resource Quantification, Gökhan Torun

Turkish Journal of Physics

Transforming nonorthogonal bases into orthogonal ones often compromises essential properties or physical meaning in quantum systems. Here, we demonstrate that Löwdin symmetric orthogonalization (LSO) outperforms the widely used Gram–Schmidt orthogonalization (GSO) in characterizing and quantifying quantum resources, with particular emphasis on coherence and superposition. We employ LSO both to construct an orthogonal basis from a nonorthogonal one and to obtain a nonorthogonal basis from an orthogonal set, thereby mitigating ambiguity related to the basis choice in defining quantum coherence. Unlike GSO, which depends on the ordering of input states, LSO applies a symmetric transformation that treats all vectors equally and …

Protecting ‘Punks’: The Shortcomings Of The Prison Rape Elimination Act, Rachel Goldsmith

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

Prisoner-on-prisoner sexual abuse is widespread in US male prisons, with inmates “turning each other out” by sexually assaulting each other. While the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) received unanimous support in Congress in 2003, motivated by the Human Rights Watch Report “No Escape: Male Rape in Prisons,” scholars argue that the PREA fails to protect prisoners from prison rape: for example, its standards may be ineffective or criminalize consensual sex between prisoners. This essay will examine the shortcomings of the PREA, drawing on current legal scholarship, and propose solutions to enhance the law's effectiveness in protecting prisoners. The US government …

A Photosynthetic–Respiratory Electron Transport Chain Chimera Based On Photosystem I And Cytochrome C Oxidase On Graphene Oxide, Xiaoping Zhu, Matthew J. Kummer, Carolyn E. Lubner, Vasily Kurashov, William Carr, John H. Golbeck, Robert A. Niederman, Lev G. Mourokh, Shelley D. Minteer, Paul G. Falkowski, Michele Vittadello

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Te self-assembly of enzyme proteins on 2D nanomaterials has enabled the construction and functional control of viable biochemical pathways. However, enzymatic cascades, which combine essential components of the photosynthetic and respiratory electron transport chains in tandem, have thus-far remained elusive. Herein, we have investigated a galvanic biohybrid nano system coupling photosystem I and cytochrome c oxidase on the surface of graphene oxide nanosheets in colloidal suspension. Te oriented immobilization of the enzymes was facilitated by Ni-coordination sites tethered to the carbon basal plane, with negligible parasitic O2 consumption. Transient absorption and electrochemical measurements provided evidence of electron transfer between donors …

Molecular Detection Of Genes Encoded For Biofilm Formation In Bacteria Isolated From The Oral Cavity Of Patients, Tebarek Al-Taei, Ali A. Al-Hisnawi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Background: A biofilm is a collection of the microbial cells attached to the surface that are encased in a matrix of extracellular polymers. Biofilm formation creates a physical and chemical barrier that prevents antibiotics from reaching bacterial cells, resulting in treatment failure and reinfection. The present study aimed to investigate the biofilm formation in bacteria isolated from the oral cavity of patients.

Methods: In this study, 150 bacterial isolates were obtained from tooth and gum surface swabs of male and female patients of different ages who visited specialized centers and dental clinics in Babylon City after they were clinically diagnosed …

Whose Water Is It, Anyway? Federalism And Texas V. New Mexico, Bryon Louk

Arkansas Law Review

When a problem erupts between two states, interstate compacts provide a solution without the need for a nationwide decision. Rather than waiting for federal consensus, the states can, with Congressional approval, compact to solve their problems. However, the Supreme Court’s decision in Texas v. New Mexico (Texas II) has threatened interstate compacts, ignored principles of federalism, and overextended its original jurisdiction. It has allowed the United States to force Texas and New Mexico to keep fighting over a compact, even when the states have resolved their issues on their own.

First, this Comment will describe the legal background of compact …

Anfis And Rbfnn Efficacy And Timescale Dependence In Spei-Based Drought Prediction Using Meteorological Inputs, Alisa Afendi, Muhamad Usman Tariq, Shuhaida Ismail, Azizul Azhar Ramli

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

Drought is a slow-onset natural disaster that has far-reaching effects on agriculture, water security, and socio-economic systems, especially in climate-vulnerable countries such as Malaysia. It is imperative to predict droughts for prompt mitigation efforts. In this paper, the influence of temporal scale on drought modelling has been put into discussion by analyzing a comparison between two machine learning (ML) models: Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS); Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN) based on Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) as depicting drought. The SPEI of four timescale categories (SPEI-3, SPEI-6, SPEI-9, and SPEI-12) were calculated weekly and monthly (two different temporal …

Sentiment-Based Music Recommendation System Using Natural Language Processing For Emotion-Aware Song Suggestions, Yu Bui Xuan, S. Prabha Kumaresan, Naveen Palanichamy, Mohamed Uvaze Ahamed Ayoobkhan

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

Music plays a vital role in influencing emotions, mood, and mental health. However, classical music recommendation systems mostly rely on listening to history, genre preference, or popularity, ignoring the listener’s mood. Motivation to go further in this area gave birth to this study, where a new sentiment-based music recommendation system is being designed by incorporating Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques to provide emotion-aware song recommendations. The system collects various audio features such as valence, energy, tempo, and danceability from music distribution platforms such as Spotify, which are well-known indicators for classifying the emotional tone of a …

Flood Disaster Preparedness And Response Using A Web-Based Integrated Flood Management System (Ifms), Mohamed Abdiraman Abdirahim, Abd Samad Bin Hasan Basari, Malik Bader Alazzam, Muhammad Shukri Bin Che Lah, Rabiah Binti Ahmad, Aida Binti Mustapha

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

Floods are one of the most frequent and damaging natural hazards in Malaysia, especially in low-lying places, such as Batu Pahat and Johor. National flood monitoring systems, such as InfoBanjir and Malaysian Meteorological Department (MET) Malaysia, have disjointed data pools, late updates, and inadequate public access. In this paper, we present an IFMS, which is a contemporary web platform developed to integrate national flood management systems through data collection, automatic processing, dynamic visualization tools, and others. The system architecture consists of three main layers: IoT-enabled flood sensors, centralized web server, and responsive user interfaces. Backend processing is performed using Laravel, …

An Ai Approach To Lunar Phase Detection: Enhancing The Identification Of The New Crescent With Astronomical Data Integration, Murad Al-Rajab, Samia Loucif, Raed Abu Zitar, Mubarak Gwaza Abdu-Aguye

All Works

Introduction: The observation of the lunar crescent is significant in astronomy, cultural traditions, and religious lunar calendar determinations. However, earth-based imaging that captures all lunar phases, particularly the new crescent across multiple months, remains limited. This study explores the feasibility of using artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to detect and analyze the birth of the new lunar crescent using space-borne imagery from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), spanning over 13 years. Methods: This study evaluates both deep learning and traditional machine learning approaches for new crescent detection. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Random Forests (RF), and Support Vector Machines (SVM) were applied …

Systematic Synthesis Of Crispr/Cas Applications For Enhancing Salt Tolerance In Crops: A Decade Of Progress And Challenges, Xindi Sun, Fusheng Wu, Zhuanzhuan Ma, Guohao Liang, Shumei Chen, Xutong Hu, Shugao Fan, Ying Zhao

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Soil salinity is a major constraint on global crop productivity, driving the need for salt-tolerant varieties. While CRISPR-Cas genome editing offers targeted solutions for trait improvement, significant biological and technical bottlenecks limit its application in conferring salt stress resilience. This systematic summarizes findings from 83 peer-reviewed studies (2015–2024) employing CRISPR/Cas technologies to improve salt tolerance in five major crops (rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, barley). Our systematic review reveals that early single-gene edits achieved modest gains (30–50% Na⁺ exclusion) but often showed limited yield gains in field settings, potentially due to compensatory regulation and environmental variation. The literature suggests that multiplex …

Exploring The Efficacy Of Storytelling In Education About Climate Change, Nina Adjanin, Srijana Katuwal, Heidi Sevestre, Gordon Brooks

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

From bedtime tales to digital narratives, stories wield unparalleled influence, shaping perceptions, and fostering empathy. Through mediums like social media and digital platforms, storytelling becomes a tool for advocacy, amplifying voices, and catalyzing social change. In this qualitative study, 107 higher education students from diverse backgrounds participated. The purpose of this study was to uncover salient beliefs about climate change stories on popular social media platforms among full-time college students. The results are based on three key components of the theory of planned behavior (TPB): affective beliefs, normative beliefs, and control beliefs. The respondents expressed both positive and negative attitudes …

Long-Range Fit: A Software Package For The Representation And Study Of Long-Range Molecular Interactions, Adrian L. Batista-Planas, Ernesto Quintas-Sánchez, Richard Dawes

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Describing intermolecular forces is fundamental to modeling and predicting the behavior of molecular systems. In particular, long-range molecular interactions with electrostatic, induction, and dispersion as the main components play a critical role, especially for low-temperature and low-density regimes. Long-range interactions are often described through perturbation theory, representing the electronic charge distribution via a multipolar series of the moments and polarizability tensors corresponding to each molecule. However, while the theory is well established, obtaining the resulting analytical expressions (and their practical implementation) constitutes a highly complex and system-dependent task. To address this challenge, we developed long-range-fit (LRF), an interactive and user-friendly …

Exceptional Variety Of Baryte-Celestine-Series Speleothems In Lechuguilla Cave (New Mexico, Usa), Max Wisshak, Johannes Birkenstock, Andrea Schröder-Ritzrau, Norbert Frank, Hazel A. Barton, Harvey R. Duchene

International Journal of Speleology

An inventory of speleothems primarily composed of the closely related sulfate minerals baryte (BaSO₄) and celestine (SrSO₄) in Lechuguilla Cave (New Mexico, USA) has revealed an extraordinary variety. This includes subaerial stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, coralloids, wall crusts, floor crystals, snow, frostwork, and subaqueous pool crystals. Large baryte and celestine crystals have also been documented in hydrothermal veins in the host rock, predating the cave and truncated when intersected by it. The respective carbonate mineral phases witherite (BaCO₃) and strontianite (SrCO₃), in contrast, were found to be rare in the studied speleothem samples, …