Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 20 of 20

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Beach Erosion And Recovery Since Hurricane Ivan In 2004 Along A Headland-Bay Coast In Treasure Beach, Jamaica, Elandé Engelbrecht Jan 2024

Beach Erosion And Recovery Since Hurricane Ivan In 2004 Along A Headland-Bay Coast In Treasure Beach, Jamaica, Elandé Engelbrecht

MSU Graduate Theses

Anthropogenic climate change is causing sea-level rise and shoreline changes that threaten the environment and economy of coastal communities in Caribbean Island nations. To assess this risk, this study quantifies shoreline changes at Treasure Beach in St. Elizabeth Parish on the south coast of Jamaica from 2001 to 2023. The effects of storm events on erosion were also assessed. Over 10 km of shoreline are assessed with about half being sandy pocket beaches ranging from 300 to 900 m in length, separated by rocky headlands and beach rock outcrops. Sand beach erosion trends since 2001 are assessed for seven sandy …


Geology Of The Jacksonville 7.5 Minute Quadrangle And U–Pb And (U–Th)/He Reveal Sediment Routing And Uplift In The Southern Appalachian Valley And Ridge Province, Derek L. Spurgeon Jan 2022

Geology Of The Jacksonville 7.5 Minute Quadrangle And U–Pb And (U–Th)/He Reveal Sediment Routing And Uplift In The Southern Appalachian Valley And Ridge Province, Derek L. Spurgeon

MSU Graduate Theses

The southern Appalachian Mountains have experienced multiple deformation events having undergone two full Wilson cycles. The foreland Valley and Ridge province is composed of sedimentary Paleozoic rock that range in age from earliest Cambrian to Middle Pennsylvanian. This sedimentary basin was intensely folded and faulted during the collision of Gondwana during the Middle to Late Carboniferous Period. From previous geologic structural mapping that has taken place, some large-scale structures in the Valley and Ridge Province seem to be out of sequence. To better understand the relationships in these structures, geologic mapping in high detail at the 1:24,000 scale coupled with …


Detrital Zircon Petrochronology For Sedimentary Provenance Analysis: Source To Sink Of The Mississippi/Missouri River Drainage Basin, Sage Denali Muttel Aug 2020

Detrital Zircon Petrochronology For Sedimentary Provenance Analysis: Source To Sink Of The Mississippi/Missouri River Drainage Basin, Sage Denali Muttel

MSU Graduate Theses

Detrital petrochronology can provide a detailed look into sedimentary provenance through integrated mineral radioisotopic ages with corresponding mineral chemistry. By combining U-Pb ages and Th/U values of detrital zircon from 13 samples collected from Quaternary sand deposits in the Upper Missouri, Yellowstone, Bighorn, Platte, Kansas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Red and Brazos Rivers, an interpretation of detailed signatures that record evidence of the evolution of the Mississippi/Missouri River drainage and the tectonic events that shaped it were observed. Low Th/U values in zircon correlate temporally to convergent magmatism, whereas, higher and more variable Th/U zircon are coeval with known extensional tectonism. Using …


Field Measurements Of Bed-Load Transport Distances Using Painted Sediment Tracers In An Urban Stream In The Missouri Ozarks, Kristen E. Breckenridge Aug 2020

Field Measurements Of Bed-Load Transport Distances Using Painted Sediment Tracers In An Urban Stream In The Missouri Ozarks, Kristen E. Breckenridge

MSU Graduate Theses

Predictions of bed-load mobility and transport in stream channels are useful for restoration and management purposes. This study uses native gravel tracers to determine transport distances for bed-load in an urban stream in the Ozark Highlands. The objectives of this project are to: (i) determine downstream transport distances of painted tracers of different sizes over a range of flow conditions; (ii) evaluate the influence of channel morphology and thalweg location on transport; and (iii) compare field results to those predicted by mobility equations. The study site is located on South Creek, which drains Springfield, Missouri. The study reach is 132 …


Historical Floodplain Sedimentation Rates Using Mining Contaminant Profiles, Cesium-137, And Sediment Source Indicators Along The Lower Big River, Jefferson County, Missouri, Miranda M. Jordan Aug 2019

Historical Floodplain Sedimentation Rates Using Mining Contaminant Profiles, Cesium-137, And Sediment Source Indicators Along The Lower Big River, Jefferson County, Missouri, Miranda M. Jordan

MSU Graduate Theses

Floodplain sedimentology and geochemistry can indicate the age of sediment layers to evaluate the history of human-caused sedimentation in a watershed. While the Ozark Highlands of Missouri has had a long history of settlement and land disturbance beginning in the early 1800s, there are few studies that have investigated the effects of these anthropogenic activities on river form and legacy sedimentation. The goal of this study is to characterize the sediment properties and geochemical trends in post-settlement floodplain deposits along lower Big River in Jefferson County, Missouri. This study evaluated trends of sediment properties at 3 cm intervals in a …


Regional Stratigraphy And Distribution Of The Coastal Group, St. Elizabeth Parish, Southwestern Jamaica, Brett M. Kenning May 2018

Regional Stratigraphy And Distribution Of The Coastal Group, St. Elizabeth Parish, Southwestern Jamaica, Brett M. Kenning

MSU Graduate Theses

This contribution examines the characteristics and ages of sedimentary units in the Coastal Group located along the southwestern Jamaica coast between Great Pedro Bluff and Fort Charles Bay in southwestern St. Elizabeth Parish. The coastline is characterized by laterally discontinuous low cliff exposures, separated by modern beach deposits and tectonically raised shore platforms composed of the White Limestone Group (mid-Eocene to mid-Miocene) and coral rudstone to floatstone and calcareous sandstone of the Coastal Group (late Pleistocene). Electron-Spin Resonance spectroscopy conducted on corals collected from a coral rudstone to floatstone facies yielded an estimated age of 120 ka. The coral facies …


Cyclostratigraphic Trends Of Δ13c In Upper Cambrian Strata, Great Basin, Usa: Implications For Astronomical Forcing, Wesley Donald Weichert May 2017

Cyclostratigraphic Trends Of Δ13c In Upper Cambrian Strata, Great Basin, Usa: Implications For Astronomical Forcing, Wesley Donald Weichert

MSU Graduate Theses

Composite geochemical studies of carbonate isotope values (δ13C) by other investigators have established that the Cambrian period is punctuated by a series of significant, globally correlated, positive and negative δ13C excursions. However, it remains unclear if low-amplitude secular variations in δ13C values exist superimposed on, or between large-scale perturbations in the Cambrian carbon cycle, especially in cyclic successions. Rocks of Steptoean-Sunwaptan (Paibian-Jiangshanian) stage, exposed in the Great Basin of Utah and Nevada, are excellent candidates for testing the hypothesis that sedimentary cycles record minor variations in Earth's orbit (Milankovitch cycles) through application of high-resolution chemostratigraphic analysis. High-resolution δ13C data was …


Channel Bar Morphology, Distribution, And Mining-Related Geochemistry In The Big River, St. Francois County, Missouri: Implications For Geomorphic Recovery, Lindsay Marie Olson May 2017

Channel Bar Morphology, Distribution, And Mining-Related Geochemistry In The Big River, St. Francois County, Missouri: Implications For Geomorphic Recovery, Lindsay Marie Olson

MSU Graduate Theses

Tailings releases associated with large-scale historical Pb mining in St. Francois County, Missouri resulted in system-wide contamination of Pb and excess sediment in the Big River. Previous studies have addressed basin and segment scale variability of the contaminants; however, little is known about reach and bar scale variability. This study addresses how mining sediment inputs influence bar form and geochemistry across a range of scales. Bar sediment samples were collected at 21 reaches and analyzed for particle size and geochemistry, while air photo analysis was used to evaluate channel morphology, bar type, and area. Bar area is initially low in …


Using Survey Data And Hec-Ras Modeling To Assess A Riffle-Remediation Structure On The Big River, Bonne Terre, Missouri, Nichole Renee Weedman May 2017

Using Survey Data And Hec-Ras Modeling To Assess A Riffle-Remediation Structure On The Big River, Bonne Terre, Missouri, Nichole Renee Weedman

MSU Graduate Theses

Sediment transport and deposition in river channels can vary for many reasons including flooding, dredging, channel velocity, and grain size. On the Big River, the Army Corps of Engineers constructed a riffle ramp structure to trap and remediate lead-contaminated sediments. The performance of the structure is unknown. The goal of this study is to evaluate the storage capabilities of the riffle structure. To do this, survey data was collected to analyze sediment storage and entered into the HEC-RAS 5.0 to model the hydraulics of the channel before and after the riffle installation. Samples were collected to assess the level of …


Channel Sediment And Mining-Lead Storage In Flat River Creek, Old Lead Belt, Missouri, Ralph Joseph Hill Dec 2016

Channel Sediment And Mining-Lead Storage In Flat River Creek, Old Lead Belt, Missouri, Ralph Joseph Hill

MSU Graduate Theses

Historical mining for lead (Pb) in the Old Lead Belt District introduced large volumes of tailings into nearby streams resulting in the large-scale contamination of channel bed and bar deposits in Big River which drains the southeastern Missouri Ozarks. Tailings pile sites have been remediated so that present contamination sources to the river are primarily from the remobilization of Pb stored in channel and floodplain deposits. This study examined the channel geomorphology and sediment geochemistry of Flat River Creek (FRC), a major tributary to the Big River which drains an area that includes three of the six major mines in …


A Trace Metal Content Database Of Cave Sediments Of Midcontinent U.S.A., Matthew Dale Smith Jan 2016

A Trace Metal Content Database Of Cave Sediments Of Midcontinent U.S.A., Matthew Dale Smith

MSU Graduate Theses

The midcontinent of the United States has thousands of documented caves. These caves contain cave sediments, which are the accumulation of biological, geological, and anthropological debris. At this time there is no known database for trace metals of cave sediments of the midcontinent United States. Considering that caves host a wide variety of life, it is important to create a database to examine potential effects of trace metals on cave systems. In order to develop this baseline, 14 caves were sampled from across the midcontinent. Caves were selected based on geologic and hydrologic attributes. The sediments were analyzed for the …


Stream Bank Erosion Trends And Sediment Contributions In A Southwestern Missouri River, Ezekiel Allen Kuehn Jan 2015

Stream Bank Erosion Trends And Sediment Contributions In A Southwestern Missouri River, Ezekiel Allen Kuehn

MSU Graduate Theses

Bank erosion can be a significant source of in-stream sediment that negatively affects water quality and aquatic habitat. However, assessments of the role that eroding banks play in suspended and bed sediment supply are rarely available to managers. The purpose of this study was to quantify bank erosion rates for a 7 km conservation easement the James River in southwest Missouri to evaluate the annual contributions of bank sediment to the channel. The objectives were to: (1) monitor an eroding 260 m bank to better understand short-term, reach scale bank erosion rates; (2) determine historical rates of bank erosion for …


Mercury Contamination Of Channel And Floodplain Sediments In Wilson Creek Watershed, Southwest Missouri, Willard E. Rodgers Ii Jan 2005

Mercury Contamination Of Channel And Floodplain Sediments In Wilson Creek Watershed, Southwest Missouri, Willard E. Rodgers Ii

MSU Graduate Theses

Mercury (Hg) is a pollutant affecting aquatic environments and human health world wide. Sediments in urban streams can store Hg from historical industrial waste releases in channel and floodplain deposits. Subsequent erosion of these deposits can remobilize sediment-bound Hg impacting downstream receiving waters. This study describes the distribution of Hg in floodplain and channel sediments of Wilson Creek and its tributaries using geochemical sediment analysis and cesium-137 dating. The upper Wilson Creek watershed drains the southern two-thirds of Springfield, Missouri. Results indicate that Hg concentrations in overbank and active channel sediments along the entire stream length are elevated above the …


Consequences Of Reservoir Drainage On Downstream Water Chemistry, Suspended Sediment, And Nutrients, Southwest Missouri, Mark W. Bowen Jan 2004

Consequences Of Reservoir Drainage On Downstream Water Chemistry, Suspended Sediment, And Nutrients, Southwest Missouri, Mark W. Bowen

MSU Graduate Theses

Construction and subsequent draining of reservoirs can have dramatic affects on the release of nutrients and sediments to waterways. This study describes how the temporary draining of a small reservoir for dam repair influences downstream water quality. The Valley Mill Reservoir has a surface area of 6.1 hectares and volume of 150,000 m3 when filled. Water chemistry monitoring and water sampling were performed at six sites during baseflow and ten sites during runoff events for one year. Water samples were analyzed for total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorous (TP), and total suspended sediment (TSS) concentrations. Results indicate that draining of Valley …


Channel Geomorphology And Restoration Guidelines For Springfield Plateau Streams, South Dry Sac Watershed, Southwest Missouri, John M. Horton Jan 2003

Channel Geomorphology And Restoration Guidelines For Springfield Plateau Streams, South Dry Sac Watershed, Southwest Missouri, John M. Horton

MSU Graduate Theses

Land-use change, both historical and present, has been a source of channel degradation within Ozark streams. This study examines the influence of land use on channel morphology within the South Dry Sac Watershed which drains 78.5 km2. The main objectives of this study are to: (1) perform a geomorphic assessment of stream channel and sediment characteristics; (2) evaluate the effects of watershed factors on channel morphology and dynamics; (3) quantify the geomorphic relationships for use in stream restoration projects in the Springfield Plateau area. Thirty-six reaches were surveyed and evaluated in the field for channel cross-sectional geometry, longitudinal profile, and …


Temporal Analysis Of Floodplain Deposition Using Urban Pollution Stratigraphy, Wilson Creek, Sw Missouri, Kathy A. Shade Jan 2003

Temporal Analysis Of Floodplain Deposition Using Urban Pollution Stratigraphy, Wilson Creek, Sw Missouri, Kathy A. Shade

MSU Graduate Theses

Alluvial sediments record both hydrologic changes and variations of sediment quality affecting watersheds. This study uses urban pollution signatures as temporal tracers to date alluvial deposits along Wilson Creek located within Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Park in southwestern Missouri. The creek drains Springfield, the third largest city in the state, which was settled in 1833. This study has three main objectives: (1) review historical documents to develop a pollution history for the watershed; (2) determine if there is a correlation between heavy metal and phosphorus concentrations in sediment cores and the timing of release of those elements into the creek …


History Of Sedimentation And Contamination In Valley Mill Reservoir, Springfield, Missouri, Susan S. Licher Jan 2003

History Of Sedimentation And Contamination In Valley Mill Reservoir, Springfield, Missouri, Susan S. Licher

MSU Graduate Theses

The Valley Mill Reservoir (VMR) was constructed between 1851 and 1871 and drains an important recharge area of the drinking water watershed for Springfield, Missouri. Presently, management efforts to protect downstream water quality are aimed at using VMR as a non-point pollution and sedimentation basin since its watershed is planned for continued urban development. The morphometry of VMR is typical of most reservoirs with an elongated basin and the deepest point being near the dam. Sedimentation within the reservoir has created a delta formation with upstream wetlands and floodplains acting as part of the delta especially during the past. Little …


Spatial Patterns And Floodplain Contributions Of Mining-Related Contaminants In Chat Creek Watershed, Southwest Missouri, Jimmy Trimble Jan 2001

Spatial Patterns And Floodplain Contributions Of Mining-Related Contaminants In Chat Creek Watershed, Southwest Missouri, Jimmy Trimble

MSU Graduate Theses

Past mining activities have left a legacy of water quality problems in the Tri-State Mining District. Contemporary environmental risks stem from the release of lead and zinc from mine tailings previously dispersed far downstream in alluvial deposits as well as abandoned tailings piles. This study examines mining-related heavy metal contamination in the Chat Creek Watershed. Chat Creek drains the area near Aurora, Missouri on the eastern edge of the Tri-State District where mining occurred from 1886 to about 1930. This study identifies the spatial distribution of metal contamination in fluvial sediments and quantifies the role of bank erosion as a …


Spatial Distribution Of Phosphorus In Fluvial Sediments From The James River Basin, Sw Missouri, Briain Fredrick Jan 2001

Spatial Distribution Of Phosphorus In Fluvial Sediments From The James River Basin, Sw Missouri, Briain Fredrick

MSU Graduate Theses

Degraded ·water quality in the James River Arm of Table Rock Lake, southwest Missouri has raised concerns about sources and transport of nutrients, especially phosphorus, in the James River Basin. Sections of the James River Basin have been identified as having excessive nutrient problems on the Missouri Department of Natural Resources 303d list and ranked fifth in the state for water quality improvements. Understanding the sources and transport patterns of phosphorus in the James River is necessary to evaluate contamination problems and the effectiveness of management efforts to reduce phosphorus inputs to the lake. This study uses bed sediments to …


Spatial Assessment Of Nonpoint Phosphorus Sources Using Streambed Sediment Monitoring In The Kings River Basin, Nw Arkansas, Jason W. White Jan 2001

Spatial Assessment Of Nonpoint Phosphorus Sources Using Streambed Sediment Monitoring In The Kings River Basin, Nw Arkansas, Jason W. White

MSU Graduate Theses

This study of the Kings River Basin provides a watershed-scale assessment of streambed sediment-Phosphorus (P) and its sources on the landscape. The Kings River drains into Table Rock Lake where surface algal blooms have concerned water scientists and disrupted summer tourism. There are questions about how sediment loads, widespread poultry and cattle operations, and sewage treatment plants are affecting water quality. Previous water quality studies across the U.S. have generally evaluated watercolurnn P. In contrast, few studies have used streambed sediment monitoring to detect P levels at a watershed-scale, and none have been attempted in the Kings River Basin. Sediment …