Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Geophysical Survey In Central North Dakota, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet about a 2023–2024 Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) geophysical survey in central North Dakota to evaluate the feasibility of developing safe and permanent CO₂ storage in the project area. Describes the purpose of the survey and potential impact on local landowners.

Seismic Shadow Zone Investigation In The Upper Magma Reservoir Of The Yellowstone Caldera, Sarah Nolt-Caraway

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

This study investigates whether the Yellowstone Caldera has enough melt to mute S-waves, creating a seismic shadow zone. Using a dense nodal deployment of ~650 stations, 7-9 earthquakes during the nodal deployment, and 21 broadband stations with 3,000-4,000 events per station; amplitude and noise maps, seismograms, and automatic phase picks probabilities from a deep learning model were analyzed to assess the potential role of melt, crustal attenuation, and noise in affecting body waves, particularly S-phases. The results are inconclusive, with unclear evidence whether observed amplitude decay is normal signal decay due to distance, noise-related, melt, or from scattering and intrinsic …

Quantifying Heterogeneity Along A Hillslope Using Seismic Refraction, Structure From Motion, And X-Ray Fluorescence In The Piedmont, South Carolina, Leah Topping

All Theses

The critical zone (CZ) is the life sustaining outer layer of the earth that spans from the top of unweathered bedrock to the tops of the trees. This dynamic zone is always evolving because a variety of chemical, physical, and biological processes transform bedrock into regolith, creating a spatially heterogeneous CZ architecture. This study aims to investigate the relationships between regolith thickness, seismic velocities, and chemical profiles as a function of slope position and it is hypothesized bedrock composition, fracture density, and foliation are the key factors controlling the physical heterogeneity in the top 1-2 meters of the CZ. To …

Stratigraphic Architecture Of Pozuelo Mounds As Revealed By Earth Resistivity Tomography, Caeli Connolly

Honors College

This study is a geoarchaeological analysis using earth resistance tomography (ERT) surveys of two of four mounds at Pozuelo (Formative Period, cal yr 3000 BP) in the Chincha Valley of coastal, southern Peru. Layers identified in the subsurface were to determine the presence or absence of regional continuity between the mounds. This effort is part of a larger investigation examining the paleoenvironmental setting of the site, and its influence on site location and use. Ten earth resistance tomography profiles were collected using an ABEM Terrameter LS2 and 81 pin array. These profiles were then topographically corrected using topographic survey data …

Silicon And Oxygen In Earth’S Core: Applications Of Machine Learning To Metal-Silicate Equilibria And Core Formation, Ruben Keane

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Within Earth’s core, light elements (Si, O, C, S, N, H) are known to make up a small fraction of the total mass of the core with respect to heavy elements. The degree to which these elements exist in the cores of terrestrial planets have geophysical and geochemical implications, most notably the presence of core convection and a geodynamo, thermal conductivity within the core, and core temperature. Comparison of the composition of chondrites to Earth’s mantle composition and the Preliminary Reference Earth Model have given an estimation of about 10 % light elements in Earth’s core. The concentrations of each …

Investigating Elastic Deformation Induced By Surface Loads On Planetary Bodies, Ashlesha Khatiwada, Hilary Martens, Donald F. Argus

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Planetary bodies, including the Earth, deform when there is a redistribution of surface load. In this thesis, I conduct three independent projects related to surface loading, two of which investigate methods related to the modeling of surface loading and one which seeks to catalog the displacement responses of other planetary bodies to a surface load.

The first project aims to compare four methods for modeling the elastic loading response of the Earth: a homogeneous, non-gravitating, half-space method; a homogeneous, gravitating, spherical method; a homogeneous, non-gravitating spherical method; and a radially stratified gravitating spherical method. Many studies have focused on computing …

Structural Interpretation Of An Alkaline-Carbonatite Complex Using Gravity And Magnetic Methods At Magnet Cove, Arkansas, Chelsea Morgan Amaral

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Magnet Cove alkaline-carbonatite complex in the Ouachita Mountains of south-central Arkansas could be a valuable resource for rare earth elements, though it has not yet been thoroughly studied using geophysical methods, and existing geophysical models simplify its diverse nature. Prior to this study, the subsurface structure and extent of the Magnet Cove complex was poorly understood and, in general, the process of emplacement of alkaline carbonatite complexes worldwide is also not fully understood. The Magnet Cove complex hosts an extensive variety of rare rock types and mineral resources that contrast significantly to the sedimentary rocks into which they have …

Water And Soil Gas Sampling Near Richardton, North Dakota, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet on a 2019 Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) project to collect water and soil gas samples near Richardton, North Dakota, as part of the Red Trail Energy carbon capture and storage (CCS) research effort.

Using Geologic Principles And Data To Create A Symphony For Wind Ensemble, Thomas J. Davis

2022 Symposium

Geology and geologic processes have featured in many pieces of classical music such as Alan Hovhaness’ symphonic works after Mt. St. Helens and Glacier Peak but these pieces are impressionistic and only take general inspiration from the geology of their subjects. This paper describes the creation of Tectonics (2021) a piece which incorporates and describes many geologic principles and processes, such as mantle convection, through the musical form of cannon, the formation of fold and thrust belts whose cross sections are directly visually recreated in the score, and the physical dynamics of earthquake waves demonstrated through variations of pitch and …

Processing Seismic, Gravity And Magnetic Data Over Diebold Knoll On Juan De Fuca Plate, Md Ariful Islam, Irina Filina

UNL Student Research Days Posters, Graduate

The Juan de Fuca plate is subducting beneath the North American plate along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. The CSZ is associated with multiple earthquakes, although compared to other subduction zones, it is less active. Many studies suggest that subduction will cause major mega thrust earthquake in near future, while others oppose this view. This project is focused on the Diebold Knoll on the JdF plate Various geophysical methods will be integrated to determine its origin and tectonic history.

Toward The Understanding Of The 2018 Arnold, Ne Earthquake Cluster: Relocation Of Hypocenters And Establishment Of New Gravity Base Stations, Kris Guthrie

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In 2018, 27 unexpected earthquakes occurred in central Nebraska near Arnold. These earthquakes have no readily apparent cause and no evidence of the responsible fault system is seen at the surface. A joint analysis of vintage, regional gravity and magnetic datasets before the first earthquake revealed a lineament that could represent a pre-existing fault system. New high resolution potential fields data are needed to confidently map the subsurface features around the cluster. To design a survey and collect the data, the following tasks need to be addressed: [1] The earthquakes’ hypocenters need to be improved (relocated) to increase the efficiency …

To Erupt Or Not To Erupt? That Is The Question: Extremely High Levels Of Background Seismicity And Lack Of Eruptivity From 2003-2019 At Gareloi Volcano, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, Kiana Tamarie Harris

WWU Graduate School Collection

Mount Gareloi, one of the westernmost volcanoes in the Aleutian arc, has not erupted since 1989, yet it continuously exhibits extremely high levels of background seismicity. Hundreds of volcanic earthquakes are recorded per day on the island since seismometer installation in 2003. I analyzed and classified seismic data collected from 2003-2019 to explore the geophysical processes causing this consistent seismicity with no subsequent eruptive activity. Analysis of waveform and corresponding spectra indicate the vast majority of Gareloi earthquakes are characterized by frequencies between 1 and 5 Hz, which are typical of long-period (LP) events, and these events are particularly dominant …

Investigation Into Karst Of Southwest Missouri Using Electrical Resistivity, Donald Zachary Wormington

MSU Graduate Theses

Nixa, Missouri is located on the southwestern edge of the Ozark Dome which has a karst geomorphological environment. Near surface geophysical methods can be used in determining the location and nature of karst features such as caves and sinkholes. Electrical resistivity methods have been shown to be among the most useful methods in deciphering sinkholes and caves. To investigate a known cave and related sinkholes and faults within Mississippian carbonates south of Nixa, Missouri, a series of two-dimensional electrical resistivity profiles were collected using the dipole-dipole and Schlumberger arrays. Terrain data was collected to include in modeling. The data were …

Detailed Structural And Stratigraphic Analysis Of The Salt-Sediment Interactions On Top Of The Wheeler Dome Salt Tongue, Mississippi Canyon Area, Gulf Of Mexico, Ryan Jaska

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Mississippi Canyon is in the northeastern part of the Gulf of Mexico, south of the state of Mississippi. In this area, there are many different salt structures present including salt canopies, diapirs, and salt pillows. The Callovian aged Louann Salt covers this area and is the cause of many of the salt structures and structures of the overlying formations seen in Gulf of Mexico today. Salt is mobile when subjected to stress from overlying sediment and gravity. Stress will force the salt to not only move upward, but to also move down slope deeper into adjacent basins through the …

Three-Dimensional Intrusion Geometries In The Monogenetic San Rafael (Utah) Sub-Volcanic Field Revealed By Nonlinear Inversion Of Magnetic Anomaly Data, Troy A. Berkey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Distributed volcanic fields are common on Earth and nearby planetary bodies. Unlike their central-vent counterparts, these volcanic centers are comprised of many individual basaltic magmatic dikes, which are often only expressed at the surface in the form of vents, domes, and lava flows. In situ imaging of the shallow (<1 km) subsurface can reveal important details about the 3D geometry of fissure systems that feed distributed eruptive centers, with implications for the nature of these eruptions: their mass flow rates, explosivity, durations, and volcanotectonic interaction. Luckily, dikes, sills, conduits and related near-surface structures tend to carry high remnant magnetizations, creating magnetic anomalies at the surface where sufficient magnetic contrast exists with the host rocks they intrude. In the San Rafael Sub-volcanic field (SRSVF), basaltic dikes intrude fractured and horizontally bedded Jurassic sandstones, now eroded to a depth of about 800 m beneath the paleo-surface. Detailed mapping and profiles with a Cs-vapor magnetometer reveal far more complex anomalies than can be attributed to simple planar dikes, including: sills, buds, and domes. We image these geometries using MagCube-parallel, an open-source nonlinear inversion code we developed that models complex geometry with multiple (<= 1,000) vertical-sided prisms. I show one normally polarized fissure system to include along strike: An ~3-14 m thick, ~50 m wide dome-like feature or laccolith at depths of ~9-20 m, a roughly vertical conduit ~15 m thick, ~36-50 m wide, at ~1-16 m depth near the center of the mapped fissure-like system, and a ~8-48 m. wide dike at ~2-17 m depth that is <1-6 m thick, with reducing magnitude northward. While model depth and thickness vary with magnetization contrast, the main geometric relationships do not. Magnetic mapping of a nearby fissure reveals the same types of structures. The implication of these structures is that the small-volume fissure eruptions were likely pulsatory, with episodes of horizontal intrusion of sills, and sufficient time to develop gravitational instabilities.

Geology Study – Drilling Down At Red Trail Energy, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet about a 2019–2020 geophysical survey near Richardton, North Dakota. The survey investigated the area’s feasibility as a CO₂ storage site, as part of the Red Trail Energy carbon capture and storage (CCS) research effort. Summarizes survey process and results.

Application Of 3d Seismic Signal And Geomechanical Attributes For Subsurface Fracture Characterization: A Case Study In Clearfield County, Central Pennsylvania, Iman F. Zulkapeli

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Hydrocarbon exploration in unconventional reservoirs is highly risky due to the nature of the reservoirs and the variability in fractures and reservoir geomechanical properties in the subsurface. The reservoir needs to be fully characterized to avoid any complication such as frac hit, wellbore failure, blowout, or even a dry hole. The Clearfield reservoir produces an exceptionally low amount of gas, compared to the neighboring region in the proximity, which has been poorly understood. This raises the question as to what causes the reservoir to have low productivity.

This study focuses on the natural fracture characterization using high-quality 3D seismic signal …

North Dakota Carbonsafe - Permanent Co2 Storage In Central North Dakota, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet on North Dakota CarbonSAFE project. An Environmental & Energy Research Center (EERC)-led project, under the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) CarbonSafe Initiative, it seeks to safely deploy safe and permanent CO₂ storage in North Dakota.

Quaternary Shelf-Slope Development In The Northern Gulf Of Alaska From Combined Geophysical And Geomorphologic Analysis, Wesley A. Clary

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

This dissertation follows the hybrid format as defined by the Office of Graduate Studies at the University of New Mexico. The three chapters defined herein were prepared as manuscripts to be submitted for publication in peer reviewed journals in the field of Earth sciences. A version of chapter 1 was published in Proceedings of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program, 2017, Volume 41. Chapter 2 was submitted to Marine Geology in Feb 2020, and is under revision as of this date. A version of chapter 3 will be submitted to the Journal of Geophysical Research. In chapter 1, I …

Core And Geophysical Analysis Of Biogenic Tufa Deposits In The Spring River In Northern Arkansas, Tyler W. Engelbart

MSU Graduate Theses

The Spring River is fed by Mammoth Spring, a large spring on the Missouri-Arkansas border which produces roughly 240 million gallons of water per day (MGD). In this area there are deposits that appear as dams which cause water to pool upstream. Aerial analysis of the dams shows that there are approximately 100 of these features present in the first 45 miles downstream of Mammoth Spring. These deposits, known as tufa, are not uncommon in a karstic area of a spring fed river, but these are more frequent farther downriver than near the mouth of the spring. Preliminary mapping data …

Testing A Drone-Based Magnetic Field Surveying System, Erik Jacobson, Irina Filina

UCARE Research Products

Aeromagnetic surveys are conducted by geoscientists to study subsurface geologic structures, such as faults. This type of survey uses a magnetometer mounted upon an airborne vehicle to collect magnetic field data. Magnetic anomalies are caused by variations in subsurface geology, namely in magnetic properties of subsurface rocks. Jacobson and Filina (2019) reported on the development of a new low cost drone, based magnetic field surveying system by the UNL Geophysics Team. This drone-based magnetic system is capable of collecting high resolution data at low speeds and low altitudes. The current study focuses on testing this system by conducting two flights …

Improving Aquifer Characterization Through Integration Of Airborne Electromagnetics (Aem) And Well Hydrographs, Jacqueline Polashek

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

The objective of this study is to evaluate methods of hydrostratigraphic modeling using geophysics and well hydrographs at the eastern edge of the High Plains aquifer (HPA) in Platte and Colfax counties within Nebraska, USA. The HPA is very heterogeneous in the study area, being hosted by architecturally complex glacial sediments and having many irregular hydraulic boundaries. Further, the HPA exhibits local variations between unconfined and confined conditions. Pumping in such bounded aquifers can be unsustainable because of cost increases and lost agricultural productivity. Moreover, the large drawdowns typical of confined aquifers can contribute to well interference during heavy pumping. …

Investigation Of Pervasive Clay Layers And Their Effect On Groundwater Flow Using Electrical Resistivity Tomography In The San Antonio Groundwater Basin, James M. Carlson

Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

The United States Geological Survey is developing an integrated hydrologic model of the San Antonio Creek Groundwater Basin to better understand and simulate the integrated surface water and groundwater system. An abrupt 60 meter offset in groundwater depth over a distance of less than one kilometer is observed in well readings within the Cañada De Las Flores region of the groundwater basin. Abrupt changes in groundwater levels are often explained by the presence of a fault in the subsurface vertically offsetting sedimentary units. However, observations of the structural geology of this region indicates that faulting is unlikely and suggests an …

Completed Geophysical Survey Near Richardton, N.D., University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet about an intended geophysical survey near Richardton, North Dakota. Describes the survey’s goal of evaluating the area’s feasibility as a CO₂ storage site, as part of the Red Trail Energy carbon capture and storage research effort.

Results Of The March 2019 Geophysical Survey Near Richardton, North Dakota, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet describing the results of a March 2019 geophysical survey near Richardton, North Dakota, conducted by the Energy & Environmental Research Center and funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This was part of the Red Trail Energy carbon capture and storage (CCS) research effort.

Bedrock Topography Mapping Of The East Leroy And Climax 7.5’ Quadrangles, Mi Using Hvsr And Other Geophysical Methods, Tyler A. Norris

Masters Theses

Geophysical methods were used to estimate bedrock depths below sedimentary cover and infer previously unknown features in two adjacent topographic quadrangles (Climax & East Leroy) in Michigan, USA. The study area contains mostly Mississippian Shale bedrock overlain by Wisconsin-aged glacial drift deposited during multiple glacial advances and retreats of the Saginaw Lobe (Laurentide Ice Sheet). These glacial events created complex landform assemblages that have only recently been mapped in detail near-surface, but are still poorly understood in the subsurface. Buried bedrock valleys typically contain coarse glacial sediment and thus are valuable aquifers, but these can be difficult to locate due …

Utilizing Geophysical Attributes To Investigate The Architecture Of A Pinnacle Reef Complex, Michigan Basin, Usa, Austin M. Johnson

Masters Theses

The Silurian Niagaran Pinnacle Reefs of the Michigan Basin retain their relevance after primary recovery of hydrocarbons and are excellent candidates for carbon dioxide sequestration, natural gas storage, and enhanced oil recovery. Due to the nature of carbonate rocks, these reef complexes are heterogeneous and lateral interpolation between observations in wells, is ambiguous. Ambiguity has led to large uncertainty and disagreement regarding reef architectures and their internal facies distributions. Previous models of these reef complexes have relied almost entirely on well logs and conventional core. This study focused on integrating 3D seismic reflection data to reduce uncertainty when delineating the …

Geophysical Analysis Of The Midcontinent Rift’S Subsurface Structure In Southeastern Nebraska, Patrick Szopinski

Honors Theses

The Midcontinent Rift System (MCRS) is a 1.1 billion-year-old failed rift system that spans much of the North American continental interior. The MCRS is exposed at Lake Superior and is buried in the subsurface along its southwest-extending arm through southeastern Nebraska. Due to the presence of buried volcanic rocks, the MCRS has characteristic highly-pronounced potential field anomalies (gravity and magnetic). Despite these large anomalies, not much is known about the subsurface faulting associated with the rift zone in the Midwest. The goal of this project is to attempt to use integrated analysis of collected geophysical data from multiple methods to …

Mineral Exploration And Sustainable Development: A Case Study In The Republic Of South Sudan, Cosmas Pitia Kujjo

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

South Sudan, a new country formed in 2011, has been planning to develop its mineral sector by allocating exploration licenses to investors. This decision requires preliminary knowledge of geology and mineral occurrences, both of which are unavailable because the country has been engaged in a civil war for more than 50 years. Exploration of mineral resources in South Sudan has lagged behind its petroleum industry, except for artisanal gold mining, which is practiced intermittently by local communities. Freely available satellite gravity and remote-sensing data were used to map the basement architecture as well as zones of hydrothermal alteration in the …

Electrical Conductivity And Resistivity Study Of Heterogeneous Sediment In Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan, Ny, Rea A. Khaleda

Dissertations and Theses

The area near the inlet of Spuyten Duyvil Creek in Inwood Hill Park in New York City exhibits complex hydrological processes. The inlet is a tidal flat, which contains brackish water; a mixture of saltwater and freshwater. The area was modified by man, built on a shell bed and contains heterogeneous sediment. One field adjacent to the inlet contains several small sinkholes. Electrical resistivity and ground conductivity techniques were used in order to get an understanding of the hydrological processes of this field. It was hypothesized that the formation of the sinkholes is due to the tidal forcing of the …