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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Analyzing Slab Holes In Subduction Zones And Their Impacts Through Numerical Simulations, Taylor M. Arrowood Jan 2021

Analyzing Slab Holes In Subduction Zones And Their Impacts Through Numerical Simulations, Taylor M. Arrowood

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Subduction zones form as higher density oceanic lithosphere is forced beneath an over-riding, lower density, continental or oceanic plate; a process driven by contrasts in buoyancy throughout this system. We seek to explore subduction zones in which the subducting lithosphere is discontinuous after passing through the trench, forming a slab gap. The main research objective is to determine the effect of slab gaps on surface topography in a subduction-related orogen and asthenospheric flow into the mantle wedge using two and three-dimensional numerical mechanical models. We obtain results from 24+ models that suggest a connection between slab gaps/holes and the magnitude …


Admittance Modeling For Elastic Thickness Across The Mars Crustal Dichotomy Boundary, Aspen Davis Jan 2021

Admittance Modeling For Elastic Thickness Across The Mars Crustal Dichotomy Boundary, Aspen Davis

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

We use a Bouguer mass-sheet approximation for spectral admittance and correlation modeling to estimate elastic thickness, crustal thickness, crustal density, and load density across the Mars crustal dichotomy boundary near the landing site of NASA’s InSight Lander. We derive and constrain the parameter ranges using RMS misfit between the observed and theoretical admittance and their error bars. Spherical cap windows of 15° (900 km) radius are used to study 15 locations in the Northern Lowlands, the Southern Highlands and near and on the boundary which suggest distinct, but not sharp, difference in lithospheric properties. Elastic thickness estimates range generally between …


Geophysical Techniques Used For The Analysis And Prediction Of Soil Strength And Mechanical Behavior, Matthew A. Hurley Jan 2021

Geophysical Techniques Used For The Analysis And Prediction Of Soil Strength And Mechanical Behavior, Matthew A. Hurley

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Determining soil properties involves extensive laboratory testing of samples at discrete timing and location. Non-destructive analysis methods, such as electrical and seismic, presents alternatives to means of gathering soil properties accompanied with increased flexibility due to spatial and temporal applications. This research examined the ability of seismic wave data to predict soil behavior such as stress-strain and pore pressures using a modified version of Duncan and Chang (1970). Friction angle predictions were also analyzed using shear wave velocity and a modified form of the Santos and Gomez-Correria (2001) equation. This research also analyzed the use of electrical data to predict …


Integrated Geophysical Investigation Of Near-Surface Faults - Sassafras Ridge, New Madrid Seismic Zone, Usa, Cooper Cearley Jan 2021

Integrated Geophysical Investigation Of Near-Surface Faults - Sassafras Ridge, New Madrid Seismic Zone, Usa, Cooper Cearley

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

The New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) is a large source of seismic hazard within the central and eastern United States. Seismogenic source parameters such as active fault location, slip rate, total displacement, and strain accommodation is poorly constrained due to the masking effect of the Mississippi Embayment sediment and agricultural practices on structures and surface expressions. Consequently, noninvasive geologic and geophysical investigation of the subsurface is needed to characterize seismogenic sources. Recent investigation of the Reelfoot Fault found that there is a strain accommodation enigma between the dextral offset at seismogenic depth versus the surface expression, Reelfoot Scarp. This strain …