Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Authigenic Minerals In Volcaniclastics From An Eastern African Paleolake: A Proxy For Paleoenvironment, Kaitlyn Truss

Theses and Dissertations

Olduvai Gorge exposes the stratigraphy of Paleolake Olduvai, an often saline-alkaline rift lake that records volcanism from the Ngorongoro Volcanic Highlands. In 2014, cores retrieved from the study area revealed new stratigraphy, including the lacustrine Naibor Soit Formation (Fm) and the volcaniclastic Ngorongoro Fm. In the Ngorongoro Fm part of the cores, mineralogy and geochemistry are the best paleoenvironmental proxies, since under saline-alkaline conditions, volcanic glass alters into specific authigenic minerals (e.g., zeolite, feldspar). This study employs X-Ray Diffraction, X-Ray Fluorescence, and Scanning Electron Microscopy to analyze authigenic mineralogy and geochemistry. The lower Ngorongoro Fm experienced the most alteration, with …

Relative Eruption Chronology And Tephra-Vent Correlations Of The Sand Mountain Volcanic Field, Oregon High Cascades, Adam S. Chumley

Theses and Dissertations

Tephra stratigraphy east of the SMVF was sampled to characterize the major and trace element geochemistry, along with olivine and plagioclase mineral chemistry, in attempts to correlate the tephra with specific cones and cone groups in the SMVF chain. Three geochemical groups are represented in the tephra stratigraphy, defined by relative proportions of SiO2, TiO2, Sr, Cr, and Ni, and determined by SAHN Clustering analysis. These three groups are defined in the basal, middle, and upper portions of the stratigraphy and generally correlate with the three major geochemical groups defined in the SMVF lava flows. Correlation between the tephra and …

Immobilization Of Uranium And Iodine By Calcium Phosphate Minerals, Angel L. Jimenez-Arroyo

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is comprised of three independent but interconnected studies with the scope of further understanding uranium and iodine partitioning between apatite and fluid. The studies herein presented investigated: 1) brushite to apatite crystallization method; 2) the degree of uranium incorporation into apatite; 3) the degree of iodine incorporation into apatite. The importance of this work is assessing the role of apatite in immobilizing these elements, where uranium is a major component of spent nuclear fuel and iodine is a chemical analog of its radioactive isotope (¹²⁹I). Once we understand the incorporation mechanisms, we will provide data that …

Rock-Fluid Interaction And The Incorporation Of Cations Into Calcite During Recrystallization In Multiple Hydrothermal Systems., Van Anh Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

Fluid-rock interaction causes an exchange of isotopes or elements through various reactions. The rate of these reactions strongly depends on temperature. The interaction involves dissolution precipitation, chemical exchange reactions, redox reactions, diffusion, and their combinations. The goal of studying fluid-rock interaction is to understand the change in mineral chemistry of the rock materials when in contact with an aqueous solution. These processes occur in all regions of the Earth where aqueous solutions are found. This work is comprised of three independent studies which provide an understanding about crystallization processes under multiple hydrothermal conditions with geological and environmental applications.

In the …

Determining The Effects Of Elevated Carbon Dioxide On Soil Acidification, Cation Depletion, And Soil Inorganic Carbon And Mapping Soil Carbons Using Artificial Intelligence, Jannatul Ferdush

Theses and Dissertations

Soil carbon is the largest sink and source of the global carbon cycle and is disturbed by several natural, anthropogenic, and environmental factors. The global increase of atmospheric CO₂ affects soil carbon cycling through varied biogeochemical processes. The first chapter is a compilation of current information on potential factors triggering soil acidification and weathering mechanisms under elevated CO₂ and their consequences on soil inorganic carbon (SIC) pool and quality. Soil water content and precipitation were critical factors influencing elevated CO₂ effects on the SIC pool. The second chapter examines a detailed column experiment in which six soils …

Alkalinity Enhanced Mass Reduction Of Uranium Contaminated Sediment, Cullen Edward Meurer

Theses and Dissertations

Uranium is a toxic and radioactive metal that is naturally occurring in the Earth’s crust. The uranium mining boom of the 1950’s produced many contaminated aquifers throughout the United States. Monitoring of groundwater data suggests that uranium concentrations may take 100’s of years to naturally attenuate to below the maximum contamination limit. This project examines a potential and novel remediation technique of groundwater contaminated with uranium through alkalinity enhanced desorption from the solid phase. Alkalinity enhances the desorption of uranium by complexing uranyl (UO22+) with Ca and CO3 which allows for further desorption. Since remediation is time consuming and expensive, …

Identifying Biogeochemical Factors Responsible For The Cyclical Precipitation Of Sphalerite And Galena In Low Temperature Mississippi Valley Type Ore Deposits, Daniel John Makowsky

Theses and Dissertations

Mississippi Valley Type (MVT) lead and zinc deposits provide a significant source of sedimentary galena and sphalerite. However, geochemical characteristics and genesis including the source and production of hydrogen sulfide required for galena and sphalerite ore formation and the reasoning for quick, episodic mineralization is not fully understood. By simulating regional MVT brines, the input and effect of biological by-products during the development of these ores as well as the cause of cyclicity within MVT deposits have been observed. Experiments using compositions from MVT fluid inclusions were conducted over two-week periods. Variables during the experiments included temperature, CO2, hydrogen sulfide …

Sorption Of 2-Naphthalene Sulfonate To Organic Carbon In Natural Saturated Porous Media, Jiyan Hatami

Theses and Dissertations

Organic carbon (OC) in aquifer sediments serves as a key geochemical control on contaminant fate and transport, potentially immobilizing or delaying mass transport downgradient. Quantifying the abundance of OC in aquifer sediments is therefore imperative in developing a conceptual understanding of local contaminant transport. Traditional methods involve time-intensive coring and lab analyses for total OC (TOC) at distinct intervals with depth. These methods fail to account for the heterogeneity between discrete points and do not interrogate TOC along groundwater flow pathways. 2-naphthalene sulfonate (2-NS), a novel groundwater tracer, was investigated here as a possible sorptive tracer for estimating the relative …

Analyzing Weathering Patterns In Modern And Paleolake Deposits Of Tecopa, California: Implications For The Detection Of Paleolakes On Mars, Jason Benjamin Carman

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on two stratigraphic sections from the Tecopa paleolake and samples from the modern Tecopa and Amargosa River basins as a terrestrial analogue to Martian paleolakes. Previous work shows that the later stages of Pleistocene Lake Tecopa were highly alkaline and saline due to evaporation, which led to the formation of authigenic lacustrine minerals such as zeolites, clays, and precipitates that are potentially similar to Martian paleolakes. Paleolakes can provide information on past aqueous processes, such as the changes in the hydrologic cycle that a particular area experienced over the lifespan of a lake on Earth or Mars. …

Analyzing Strain Localization, Kinematic Partitioning And Fluid Flow In The Pulo Do Lobo Metasedimentary Rocks Along The Southern Iberian Shear Zone, Andalucia, Spain, Nancy Alejandra Carman

Theses and Dissertations

The Southern Iberian Shear Zone is a regional scale ductile shear zone that placed Beja-Acebuches metabasites over metapelite and quartzite rocks of the Pulo do Lobo Formation in a transpressional deformation with components of thrust and left-lateral movement. This project evaluates factors that contributed to strain localization at a variety of scales within the Pulo do Lobo formation, including lithologic variations, microstructures, and fluid flow. Additionally, microstructural data are used to test whether kinematic partitioning accompanied strain localization. Grain scale asymmetric indicators of sigma-type clasts, S-C fabrics, and asymmetric folds indicate dominant thrust motion. Strain intensity and metamorphic grade increase …

Surface Alteration In The Ölkelduháls, Nesjavellir, And Geysir Hydrothermal Systems, Iceland: Implications For Mars, Jordan Ludyan

Theses and Dissertations

Silica- and sulfate-rich deposits observed by Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Spirit near Home Plate, Gusev crater, Mars, indicate alteration of Mars basalt by a diverse array of hydrothermal fluids and processes. Constraining the precise fluid conditions present at the time of deposition for these deposits on Mars relies on investigations of terrestrial hydrothermal systems that produce similar mineral assemblages. Alteration products and fluids collected from the Ölkelduháls, Nesjavellir, and Geysir hydrothermal areas in southern Iceland cover a wide range of end-member and intermediate fluid and alteration environments, and provide a means to compare the secondary minerals produced from different hydrothermal …

Sedimentology, Sequence Stratigraphy, And High-Precision U-Pb Age Constraints On The Late Paleozoic Ansilta Formation, Calingasta-Uspallata Basin, Nw Argentina, John Ethan Malone

Theses and Dissertations

The Ansilta Formation, located several kilometers east of the Astronomical Observatory El Leoncito near Barreal, San Juan Province, Argentina was deposited during the late Mississippian to early Pennsylvanian. This succession includes glacimarine, nearshore, and fluvial systems deposited at the mid-Carboniferous portion of the late Paleozoic ice age within the Calingasta—Uspallata Basin on the western margin of the Protoprecordillera. The lower member of the Ansilta Formation is equivalent to the nearby Leoncito, Majaditas, and Hoyada Verde formations, and is composed of diamictite, conglomerates, sandstones, pebbly mudstones, and laminated mudstone. Glacial environments are unique in that facies changes occur as a result …

Late Paleozoic Climatic Reconstruction Of Western Argentina: Glacial Extent And Deglaciation Of Southwestern Gondwana, Kathryn N. Pauls

Theses and Dissertations

Throughout its history Earth has experienced both icehouse and greenhouse conditions. Shifts and transitions from one end member to the other are driven by numerous driving mechanisms on global, orbital and more local scales. In particular, the late Paleozoic ice age (LPIA) is thought to have been driven by global drivers such as the drift of the Gondwanan continent across the South Pole, fluctuations in atmospheric CO2 concentrations, and Milankovitch cycles. It was also affected by more local and regional drivers such as active tectonism along accretionary margins and changes in atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns. South American Gondwana provides …

Water Chemistry And Lake Dynamics Of Laguna Bacalar, Quintana Roo, Mexico, Ryan Matzuk

Theses and Dissertations

Laguna Bacalar in the Quintana Roo region is the second largest lake in Mexico and contains freshwater derived solely from groundwater. Local geology on the Yucatan Peninsula is karstic and the southern shoreline of Laguna Bacalar is spotted with a handful of cenotes that contribute substantial amounts of inflowing groundwater to the lake. This is shown by sonde profile data taken in one of the largest cenotes in the area. Outflow is dominated by a surface water outlet in the southern portion of the lake and an unknown amount of outflowing groundwater. During January of 2017 through 2019, UWM researchers …

Quantifying The Variability In Heavy Metal Concentrations In Produce Grown In Metals-Rich Soil, Harris Lowell Byers

Theses and Dissertations

Childhood Pb exposure is associated with a multitude of poor health outcomes. In food-insecure areas, growing fresh produce in residential backyard gardens is one option for parents; however, commonly grown crops are known to accumulate Pb in consumable tissues when grown in metals-rich soils. A variety of produce representing a continuum of consumable tissues were grown in soils collected from two residential vegetable gardens, a former metal foundry, and commercial topsoil purchased from a local hardware store. The concentrations of heavy metals in crop tissues were measured with custom wavelength dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WD-XRF) spectroscopy and portable energy dispersive X-ray …

The Dynamics And Speciation Of Arsenic In Drinking Water Wells In Eastern Wisconsin, Evvan Plank

Theses and Dissertations

Arsenic typically develops in Eastern Wisconsin groundwater as a result of oxidation of sulfide bearing minerals in the limestone bedrock (Schreiber et al. 2000). Naturally occurring arsenic exists in groundwater as oxyanions which have two oxidation states, As(III) and As(V). Under ambient pH conditions As(V) is primarily present as an anion (i.e., H2AsO4-) while As(III) tends to be uncharged (i.e., H3AsO3), making it much more difficult to remove through the existing treatment techniques such as adsorption and reverse osmosis (RO). Although many studies exist establishing arsenic concentrations across Wisconsin, there is a lack of investigations into the concentrations of each …

Sedimentological And Geochemical Analysis Of Deep-Water Deposits In The Mojón De Hierro Formation At Arroyo Garrido, Tepuel-Genoa Basin, Patagonia, Argentina, Natalie Beatrice Mcnall

Theses and Dissertations

The Earth has had multiple Phanerozoic glacial intervals but the Late Paleozoic Ice Age (LPIA) was its longest and most extensive, lasting from the Late Devonian (~372 Ma) until the Late Permian (~254 Ma). The LPIA is the last complete climate shift from a greenhouse to icehouse and back to a greenhouse state and the only one to occur on a biologically complex Earth. Therefore, it provides perspectives on deep-time climatic transitions, the parameters controlling them, and the Earth’s physical, chemical and biological responses to such climate changes. Research on mid to high-latitude deposits in Gondwana provides evidence that the …

Nitrogen And Phosphorus Uptake In An Urban Stream Ecosystem, Nicolette A. Sheffield

Theses and Dissertations

Urban stream ecosystems are faced with high input levels of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from anthropogenic activities. N and P are important to plant growth and stream health; however, high levels can lead to algal blooms and eutrophication, a harmful effect to both aquatic life and water quality. Common urban sources of N and P include fertilizer, atmospheric deposition, stormwater outfall, and leaf-litter decomposition. Common urban stream features such as a flashier hydrograph, altered channel stability and morphology, increase in nutrient output (such as N and P), and heat retention, have been shown to result in an overall decrease …

The Geochemistry And Mineralogy Of Surface Hydrothermal Alteration At Nesjavellir, Sw Iceland, Chase Glenister

Theses and Dissertations

Abundant sulfates have been detected by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit in the Columbia Hills of Mars, consistent with extensive alteration of basalt by hydrothermal processes. This study uses Iceland’s Nesjavellir geothermal system as an analogue for Columbia Hills hydrothermal alteration. This terrestrial site is home to a variety of acidic and near-neutral waters that are actively altering the Mars-like basalt of host volcano Mt. Hengill. Hydrothermal features heated by H2S gas and phase-segregated steam created oxidizing acid-sulfate conditions at the surface with pH values varying between 3.0 and 2.0 and near-boiling temperatures. Mobilization of cations (FeO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, …

Evaluating Ecohydrological Separation With Geochemical Tracers, Δ2h And Δ18o, From Northern California In An Irrigated And Semi-Arid Setting, Erin Bulson

Theses and Dissertations

The two water worlds hypothesis challenges the widely accepted ecohydrology tenet that plant roots access a single, homogeneous reservoir of soil water (McDonnell, 2014). This project aspired to advance the understanding of the two water worlds, or ecohydrological separation (ES) of soil water reservoirs, applied to an irrigated agricultural setting. This study also aimed to correlate plant root morphology with plant water uptake. Using geochemical tracers, δ2H and δ18O, isotopic analysis of soil and plant tissue was used to evaluate irrigated plant water acquisition. Field work was conducted on two irrigated farms, Full Belly Farm and Riverdog Farm, in the …

Hydrothermal Alteration At Devil's Kitchen In The Lassen Volcanic National Park: A Mars Analogue, Andy Wanta

Theses and Dissertations

The Devil’s Kitchen hydrothermal site, within the Lassen Volcanic National Park, has hydrothermal features that cover a wide range of pH conditions (2-7). Analysis of mineral precipitates, hot spring mud, unaltered substrate rock, and hot spring and meteoric water reveal a wide variety of alteration minerals, geochemical conditions, and water chemistry. Mineral suites included primary igneous phases, silica phases, clay minerals, and sulfate phases. Aluminum sulfates are the dominant sulfate species present with abundant Na+, Fe3+, and Ca2+ sulfate phases and less common K+ sulfates. Amorphous silica precipitates were observed in three samples from a near-neutral hot spring and one …

Soil-Grapevine Interactions: Insight From Verdicchio In The Marche Wine Region, Italy, Megan Luna Barlow

Theses and Dissertations

Verdicchio is a white grape varietal notably grown in the Marche wine region of east-central Italy within two Denominazione Origine Controllata (DOCs); Castelli di Jesi and Matelica, located less than 50 km apart. Jesi lies in the Apennine foothills near the coast of the Adriatic Sea and produces a smooth wine noted with apple-pear undertones and crisp, clean acidity. Conversely, Matelica is located in a synclinal valley of a fold-and-thrust belt and produces stronger wine with penetrating floral aromas and bold acidity. While macro-climatic variations do exist between DOCs, this research focuses on geological variations, specifically variations in soil composition, …

A Public Humanity: The Application Of Isotopic Analysis To The Intersection Between Body And Law At The Milwaukee County Poor Farm Cemetery, Shannon Kate Freire

Theses and Dissertations

The Milwaukee County Poor Farm Cemetery is an umbrella term used to describe the four cemeteries that were used by Milwaukee County from 1878 through 1974 for the burial of the indigent, unclaimed, institutionalized, and anatomized. Three of these cemeteries remain undisturbed. The primary focus of this research is the twice-excavated Cemetery II (Wisconsin Burial Site 47BMI0076), in use between 1882 and 1925. Archaeological excavations in 1991-1992 and again in 2013 resulted in the recovery of over 2,400 individuals from this cemetery location.

In Wisconsin, legislative efforts to govern indigent burial and dissection mediated competing aspirations between medical education and …

Diurnal And Seasonal Variation In Groundwater Nitrate -N Concentration In A Saturated Buffer Zone, Joseph Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Surface water pollution by nitrate (NO3-) is identified as a critical problem in agricultural land-use areas. Excess NO3- loading causes eutrophication and hypoxia in near-shore marine waters such as the Gulf of Mexico. Diversion of agricultural runoff into saturated buffer zones reduces NO3- loading. Although the mechanisms responsible for NO3- reduction in saturated buffer zones are well characterized, little is known about how NO3- concentrations vary temporally and what factors control those changes. The objective of this study is to understand NO3- concentration and environmental factor variability in a saturated buffer zone on a diurnal scale within and among the …

Terroir Studies In Washington And Wisconsin American Viticultural Areas, Snejana Karakis

Theses and Dissertations

The concept of terroir has been evaluated since the 12th century, when Cistercian monks from Burgundy realized that the physical environment in which grapes are grown has a major influence on the character and quality of the resulting wine. These environmental conditions affecting grape and wine quality are known as terroir in viticulture and have become increasingly important in the grape growing and wine industry. In this dissertation, three studies investigating the terroir of vineyards located in Washington and Wisconsin American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), which are defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) as delimited grape-growing …

A Physicochemical Prediction Of Prolonged Natural Co2 Leakage In The Little Grand Wash Fault Zone, Green River, Utah, Kyungdoe Han

Theses and Dissertations

Physicochemical investigation on a natural CO2 system and the accommodated fault-controlled fluids using a geochemical modeling method provides important information regarding the security assessment for geological carbon sequestration (GCS), which is the most promising method for enhancing our knowledge of the side effects of GCS. By employing an utilized series of regional fluid chemistry and hydrogeologic parameters, this study investigated the consequences caused by migration of CO2 in a naturally leaking CO2 system that developed in normal faults in the southwestern U.S. 1-D and 2-D models were conducted using the multi-phase, multi-component reactive transport simulator, TOUGHREACT, to establish sets of …

Assessing The Effects Of Riverbank Inducement On A Shallow Aquifer In Southeastern Wisconsin, Laura Rachel Fields-Sommers

Theses and Dissertations

The state of Wisconsin is heavily reliant upon groundwater resources. In order to induce river water, implementation of shallow wells with close proximity to river systems is being used as a method to augment groundwater supplies in portions of southeastern Wisconsin. However, river bank wells (RBI) are vulnerable to contamination due to their close interaction with the surface water. The vulnerability increases when induced surface waters contain municipally treated waste water. The objective of this study was to determine the current and potential influences of riverbank inducement, recharge mechanisms of the well field, and to discriminate the sources of sodium …

Hydrothermal Acid-Sulfate Alteration At Krafla And Námafjall, Ne Iceland: Implications For Gusev Crater And Meridiani Planum, Mars, George L. Carson

Theses and Dissertations

Opaline silica, sulfate, and phyllosilicate-bearing deposits have been detected on Mars from both obiters and rovers, indicating extensive aqueous alteration of the basaltic surface, some of which likely occurred under hydrothermal conditions. Ongoing hydrothermal acid-sulfate alteration of Mars-like high-Fe (15.48-16.27 wt. % Fe2O3T) basalts and hyaloclastites in northeastern Iceland was studied to help interpret the products of alteration in analogous environments on ancient Mars. The Krafla and Námafjall areas feature intense surface alteration in gas- (fumarole) and fluid- (hot spring/mud pot) dominated settings. Influx of H2S gas (H2S + 2O2 = H2SO4) produced steam-derived acid-sulfate waters with pH values 1.96-2.50 …

Paleoredox Geochemistry And Bioturbation Levels Of The Exceptionally Preserved Early Cambrian Indian Springs Biota, Poleta Formation, Nevada, Usa, Jonah Meron Novek

Theses and Dissertations

The early Cambrian Indian Springs biota, western Nevada, USA exhibits Burgess Shale-type (BST) preservation of a diverse array of animal phyla, including the earliest definitive echinoderms. It therefore provides an important window on animal life during the Cambrian radiation. The objective of this study is to analyze the trace metal paleoredox geochemistry and bioturbation levels of this BST deposit in order to characterize the paleoenvironmental conditions in which these animals lived and their fossils were preserved. A total of 28 rock samples were collected from outcrops at three previously reported intervals of exceptional preservation at the Indian Springs locality, as …

Effects Of Physical Characteristics Of Urban Storm Sewersheds On Water Quality In Bloomington, Il, Alicia Terese O'Hare

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing urbanization has consequences for surface water quality. Stormwater is a large component of urban water degradation that is poorly understood. Precipitation is quickly transported via underground pipes, from the land to the stream without following water's natural flow path. Studies have correlated detention ponds with improved water quality and impervious surface cover with degraded water quality. However, other physical characteristics within a storm sewer shed including the presence of sump pumps, area and pipe miles may also affect the stormwater quality. We chose 18 storm sewer systems in Bloomington, IL. We measured pH, temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, chloride, nitrate, …