Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Guano Mining In Kenyan Lava Tunnel Caves, Jim W. Simons

International Journal of Speleology

Commercial mining of bat guano for agricultural fertilizer only became possible in Kenya through discovery of major deposits in the lava tunnel caves of Mt. Suswa and the North Chyulu Hills in the early 1960’s. This paper provides historical information leading up to the guano mining, describes the cave deposits, outlines the mining under-takings, and provides information on the guano producing bats and insect faunas. The results of guano analyses, details of the tonnages extracted and sold to recipients between 1966 to 1984, and some benefits which resulted from its use on crops are given. A brief outline of attempts …

Volcanic Caves Of East Africa - An Overview, Jim W. Simons

International Journal of Speleology

Numerous Tertiary to recent volcanoes are located in East Africa. Thus, much of the region is made up volcanic rock, which hosts the largest and greatest variety of East Africas caves. Exploration of volcanic caves has preoccupied members of Cave Exploration Group of East Africa (CEGEA) for the past 30 years. The various publications edited by CEGEA are in this respect a treasure troves of speleological information. In the present paper an overview on the most important volcanic caves and areas are shortly reported.

Hollow Volcanic Tumulus Caves Of Kilauea Caldera, Hawaii County, Hawaii, William R. Halliday

International Journal of Speleology

In addition to lava tube caves with commonly noted features, sizable subcrustal spaces of several types exist on the floor of Kilauea Caldera. Most of these are formed by drainage of partially stabilized volcanic structures enlarged or formed by injection of very fluid lava beneath a plastic crust. Most conspicuous are hollow tumuli, possibly first described by Walker in 1991. Walker mapped and described the outer chamber of Tumulus E-1 Cave. Further exploration has revealed that it has a hyperthermic inner room beneath an adjoining tumulus with no connection evident on the surface. Two lengthy, sinuous hollow tumuli also are …

The Cave Exploration Group Of East Africa And Volcanic Caves In Kenya, Michael Declan Kennedy

International Journal of Speleology

This paper looks at the history of the Cave Exploration Group of East Africa with special reference to the exploration of volcanic caves. It demonstrates that the group has concentrated on two main areas, the Chyulu HiIls and Mt. Suswa, although other areas have also been studied. The Cave Exploration Group of East Africa has had to cope with various problems. The most important of which are related to the socio-economic conditions of a developing country. These problems have not prevented the group from making a valuable contribution to vulcanospeleology.

Overview Of The 8th International Symposium On Vulcanospeleology, William R. Halliday

International Journal of Speleology

In February 1998 the 8h International Symposium on Vulcanospeleology was hosted by CEGEA (Cave Exploration Group of East Africa) in Nairobi, Kenya: it was attended by 16 scientists coming from 4 continents. Pre- and Post- Symposium excursions allowed the participants to have an overview on the most important and famous volcanic cave of that area.

Tectonic Caves Of Solai In The Kenyan Rift Valley, Robert A. Davis

International Journal of Speleology

Tectonic caves at Solai, Kenya, were explored in 1970. These lie in a complex geological area of the Great Rift Valley in columnar-faulted ignimbrite. Fissures are presumed to have been widened by later tectonic activity -e.g. the major earthquake of January, 1928. The caves and exploration are briefly described. Questions of formation, drainage and possibilities of steam reservoirs are discussed.

Lave Caves Of Kilimanjaro. Mawenzi Lava Tubes, Clive Ward

International Journal of Speleology

This is the first short report on the exploration of lava tubes in the upper part of Kilimanjaro. The area seems to be extremely interesting from vulcanospeleological point of view.

Lava Caves Of Grande Comore, Indian Ocean: An Initial Reconnaissance, September 1997, Gregory J. Middleton

International Journal of Speleology

What are believed to have been the first speleological investigations in the Comoros Islands were carried out on Grande Comore island between 7 and 13 September 1997. A number of caves were located with the help of local informants and the more significant ones surveyed. Exploration of some caves was not able to be completed. The potential for further significant discoveries is believed to be high.

"Pit Craters", Lava Tubes, And Open Vertical Volcanic Conduits In Hawaii: A Problem In Terminology, William R. Halliday

International Journal of Speleology

Almost from the 1849 publication of the term pit crater, volcanologists have disagreed about the parameters differentiating these features from other vertical volcanic structures. Kaluaiki is a jameo giving entry to Thurston Lava Tube in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Long-standing misidentification of it as a pit crater is an example of misunderstandings arising from the lack of a clear definition of pit crater. In general, pit craters are unrelated to lava tube caves genetically, but two special cases are discussed. One probably is genetically related to a rift tube deep below the surface; the other is a complex of a …

Lava Tube Remelt By Radiant Heat And Burning Gasses, Kevin Allred

International Journal of Speleology

Some volcanologists assume that interior surfaces of hot lava tubes can commonly be remelted by burning gases and radiant heat. Pending further data, this appears to be unlikely.

The Origin Of Tubular Lava Stalactites And Other Related Forms, Kevin Allred, Carlene Allred

International Journal of Speleology

Tubular lava stalactites are often found in lava tubes. Field observations, sample analysis, and comparative studies indicate that these are segregations extruded during cooling from partially crystallized lava al about 1,070 - 1,000 °C. Retrograde boiling (gas pressure) within the lava provides a mechanism to expel the interstitial liquid. In addition to tubular lava stalactites, a variety of other lava features can also result, such as lava helictites, lava coralloids, barnacle-like stretched lava, runners, runner channels, and some lava blisters and squeeze-ups.

The 1981 Eruptive Fissure On Mt. Etna: Considerations On Its Exploration And Genesis, Angelo Leotta, Marco Liuzzo

International Journal of Speleology

This paper is targeted to an analysis of features common to various fissure caves on Mt. Etna, Sicily. The Authors report the preliminary results of the exploration carried out in the 1981 eruptive fissure, the technical problems met during the exploration, the flow trends and the different courses of the molten material inside the fissure, the particular morphologies. A genetic model is proposed, different from those characterising the lava tube cave genesis, and links are suggested between the various fissures and the main tectonic stress systems operating on Mt. Etna, as well as the morpho-structural conditions of the volcanic edifice …

Lava Caves Of The Republic Of Mauritius, Indian Ocean, Gregory J. Middleton

International Journal of Speleology

In their Underground Atlas, MIDDLETON & WALTHAM (1986) dismissed Mauritius as: “very old volcanic islands with no speleological interest”. Recent investigations indicate this judgement is inaccurate; there are over 50 significant caves, including lava tube caves up to 687 m long (one 665 m long was surveyed as early as 1769) and 35 m wide. Plaine des Roches contains the most extensive system of lava tube caves with underground drainage rising at the seashore. Notable fauna includes an insectivorous bat and a cave swiftlet (Collocalia francica), the nests of which are unfortunately prized for ‘soup”. The caves …

Effective Elastic Thickness Of The Lithosphere Along The Easter Seamount Chain, Sarah E. Kruse, Zhengro J. Liu, David F. Naar, Robert A. Duncan

Geology Faculty Publications

Bathymetry and gravity data collected during Legs 5, 6, and 7 of the 1993 GLORIA Expedition and the recently released 2-min altimetry-derived global gravity grid are used to determine the effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere along the Easter Seamount Chain (ESC). Forward modeling, admittance, and coherence methods yield consistent results. With the exception of the eastern and western ends of the ESC the effective elastic thickness along the chain is ∼1–4 km. The thin elastic thickness for the majority of the ESC seamounts is compatible with a young seafloor age at the time of loading derived from new radiometric …

Upper Hillsborough River Diagnostic Watershed Assessment Final Project Report, Limno-Tech, Inc. (Lti), Southwest Florida Water Management District (Swfwmd)

Reports

This report was prepared under a contract between Limno-Tech, Inc. (L TI) and the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) for a diagnostic assessment study of the Upper Hillsborough River watershed. The Hillsborough River drains more than 695 mi2 of predominantly agricultural lands in Pasco, Polk, and Hillsborough Counties. The present investigation focused on a 650 mi2 area encompassing the northern and central drainage segments of the Hillsborough River Watershed (Figure E-1). Of particular concern to this investigation is the Hillsborough River reservoir, which is designated as a Class I water based on its use as a potable water supply. …

Evaluation Of Constructed Wetlands On Phosphate Mined Lands In Florida, G. R. Best, M. T. Brown, Thomas Crisman, Keven L. Erwin, D. A. Graetz, K. R. Reddy, H. Kale, P. Pritchard, T. M. Missimer, C. W. Walker, A. Owosina, M. J. Deuver

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Summarizing research conducted from June 1993 to May 1995 on hydrology, soils, water quality, and aquatic fauna on phosphate mined lands in Florida.

An Evaluation Of Plant Community Structure, Fish And Benthic Meio- And Macrofauna As Success Criteria For Reclaimed Wetlands, Thomas Crisman, William J. Streever, John H. Kiefer, David L. Evans

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

As a result of legislative action in 1975 (Florida Administrative Code Section 16C-16, 16C-17), landscape reclamation is required on all lands mined for phosphate in the State of Florida. Between 1975 and 1991, for example, approximately 40,000 ha of land in Florida were strip mined for phosphate and thus subject to provisions of this legislation. In excess of 2,700 ha of mitigation wetlands have been constructed as part of the land reclamation effort, but the degree to which these systems mimic both the structural and functional properties of natural wetlands is poorly known.

There has been a great diversity in …

Linking Transport Infrastructure Investments And Economic Development In Sub-Saharan Africa, Ambe J. Njoh

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

The study explores the link between investments in transportation infrastructure, operationalized in terms of road density, and economic development, defined in terms of gross domestic product per capita (GDP/Cap), in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The findings support the hypothesis of a positive association between the two variables. The association is stronger for paved, than for all, roads in general. Furthermore, a negative but statistically insignificant relationship is observed between unpaved roads and economic development. Thus, economic development is a function more of quality, than quantity of roads in SSA. Therefore, a more judicious use of the scarce resource of sub-Saharan African …

Relative Motion Between The Caribbean And North American Plates And Related Boundary Zone Deformation From A Decade Of Gps Observations, Timothy H. Dixon, Frederic Farina, Charles Demets, Pamela Jansma, Paul Mann, Eric Calais

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements in 1986, 1994, and 1995 at sites in Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Grand Turk define the velocity of the Caribbean plate relative to North America. The data show eastward motion of the Caribbean plate at a rate of 21 ± 1 mm/yr (1 standard error ) in the vicinity of southern Dominican Republic, a factor of 2 higher than the NUVEL-1A plate motion model prediction of 11 ± 3 mm/yr. Independent measurements on San Andres Island, and an Euler vector derived from these data, also suggest a rate that is much higher than …

Continuous Monitoring Of Surface Deformation At Long Valley Caldera, California, With Gps, Timothy H. Dixon, Ailin Mao, Marcus Bursik, Michael Heflin, John Langbein, Ross Stein, Frank Webb

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Continuous Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements at Long Valley Caldera, an active volcanic region in east central California, have been made on the south side of the resurgent dome since early 1993. A site on the north side of the dome was added in late 1994. Special adaptations for autonomous operation in remote regions and enhanced vertical precision were made. The data record ongoing volcanic deformation consistent with uplift and expansion of the surface above a shallow magma chamber. Measurement precisions (1 standard error) for “absolute” position coordinates, i.e., relative to a global reference frame, are 3–4 mm (north), 5–6 …

Constraints On Present-Day Shortening Rate Across The Central Eastern Andes From Gps Data, Lisa Leffler, Seth Stein, Ailin Mao, Timothy H. Dixon, Michael A. Ellis, Leonidas Ocola, I. Selwyn Sacks

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Two years of continuous GPS data from several sites in South America indicate that Arequipa in the southern Peruvian Andes has a velocity of 13±3 mm/yr (two standard errors) to the northeast with respect to stable South America. We interpret these data as reflecting a combination of elastic strain accumulation associated with a locked Nazca-South America subduction zone and a small amount of crustal shortening across the fold and thrust belt on the eastern margin of the Andes. Models of elastic strain accumulation for fully locked and partly locked subduction zones constrain shortening in the eastern Andes to 0–3 mm/yr …

Results Of The City Of Tampa Surface Water Compliance Monitoring Program For The Year 1996 And Examination Of Long-Term Water Quality And Biological Indicator Trends In Hillsborough Bay, City Of Tampa Department Of Sanitary Sewers

Reports

This report is submitted to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to satisfy the requirements set forth in specific condition No. 14 of the Howard F. Curren WWTP permit No. D029-184532B. The report is based on data obtained by the City of Tampa (COT) compliance water quality monitoring program approved under construction permit DC29-152799. The report also includes examination of long-term trends for water quality parameters and biological indicators collected by the City of Tampa Bay Study Group and the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County (EPC).

Kilauea Volcano Provides Hot Seismic Data For Joint Japanese-U.S. Experiment, Stephen R. Mcnutt, Y. Ida, B. A. Chouet, P. Okubo, J. Oikawa, G. Saccorotti

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

A team of 25 researchers from the United States, Japan, and Italy joined the staff of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) from January 8 through February 9, 1996, to make the most detailed seismic recordings on Kilauea Volcano ever. One-hundred-sixteen portable seismographs were installed in and near Kilauea Crater in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park as a joint Japanese-U.S. research project to record volcanic earthquakes and tremor. The importance of these events has long been recognized, but their origin remains poorly understood due to inadequate network coverage and limitations of the analog instrumentation used in the past.

On February 1, a …

Seagrass And Caulerpa Monitoring In Hillsborough Bay Eighth Annual Report, City Of Tampa Department Of Sanitary Sewers

Reports

This is the eighth annual report to FDER to satisfy the requirements set forth in specific condition #14 of FDER construction permit DO29-1845321B.

The City of Tampa, Bay Study Group (BSG), has monitored the effects of sewage pollution abatement in Hillsborough Bay since 1976. Within the last decade, water quality improvements and evidence of minor seagrass revegetation in Hillsborough Bay prompted the BSG to initiate a seagrass study to compliment other programs assessing the environmental status of Hillsborough Bay.

A Gps Estimate Of Relative Motion Between North And South America, Timothy H. Dixon, Ailin Mao

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

GPS velocity data are used to estimate the Euler vector describing rigid body motion of North America relative to South America. Assuming the boundary between the North and South American plates is located near the Fifteen Twenty fracture zone in the equatorial Atlantic, the Euler vector predicts extension across the Royal Trough up to 1 mm/yr, and convergence across the Barracuda Ridge at about 2 mm/yr, in agreement with geological estimates averaged over tens of millions of years. Further west, convergence between North and South America at rates up to 8 mm/yr may contribute to deformation of the Caribbean plate …

Magnetic Surveys Help Reassess Volcanic Hazards At Yucca Mountain, Nevada, Charles B. Connor, Sammantha Lane-Magsino, John A. Stamatakos, Ronald H. Martin, Peter C. Lafemina, Brittain E. Hill, Steve Lieber

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Natural disasters like volcanic eruptions occur infrequently, but if they occur near nuclear power plants or high‐level radioactive waste repositories, local and global communities can be threatened. Ideally, such facilities should be constructed only where geologic risk is very low.

Estimating the probabilities of such events requires a comprehensive understanding of site geology and the geologic processes operating in the site region on timescales of 104 to 107years. In light of these requirements, geologists and geophysicists must continually improve techniques for site characterization.

New Constraints On Source Processes Of Volcanic Tremor At Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica, Using Broadband Seismic Data, John P. Benoit, Stephen R. Mcnutt

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Broadband seismic data recorded 2.3 km from the active vent of Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica, provide new constraints on tremor source processes. Arenal's tremor contains as many as seven harmonics, whose frequencies vary temporally by up to 75 percent, from initial values of 1.9 Hz for the first peak immediately following explosive eruptions to 3.2–3.5 Hz several minutes later. We infer that gas bubble concentration is variable within the conduit and also changes as a function of time, thereby changing the acoustic velocity. We infer that the source is a shallow, 200–660 m-long, vertically oriented 1-D resonator with matched boundary …

1997 File Geodatabase Containing Photo Point Locations, Aerial Photos, And Flight Maps, City Of Tampa Department Of Sanitary Sewers Bay Study Group, Pete Reehling, Richard Mckenzie

Data Sets

The Bay Study Group was created by the City of Tampa in 1976 to monitor the effects of pollution abatement that occurred in Hillsborough Bay when the city’s wastewater treatment plant was upgraded from primary to advanced treatment in 1979. The Bay Study Group documented a remarkable restoration of water quality parameters and biological indicators in Hillsborough Bay from the mid 1980s until 2009, when it was disbanded. This zip Geodatabase file contains the photo point locations, aerial photos, and flight maps for the year 1997.

1997 File Geodatabase Containing Aerial Photos, Pete Reehling, Richard Mckenzie, City Of Tampa Department Of Sanitary Sewers Bay Study Group

Images

The Bay Study Group was created by the City of Tampa in 1976 to monitor the effects of pollution abatement that occurred in Hillsborough Bay when the city’s wastewater treatment plant was upgraded from primary to advanced treatment in 1979. The Bay Study Group documented a remarkable restoration of water quality parameters and biological indicators in Hillsborough Bay from the mid 1980s until 2009, when it was disbanded. This zip Geodatabase file contains the aerial photos for the year 1997.

State Of Tampa Bay 1996, J.O.R. Johansson

Reports

The amount of phytoplankton present in Tampa Bay waters can be estimated from measurements of the green plant pigment chlorophyll-a. Phytoplankton is one of several major forms of plants that exist in Tampa Bay and most other estuaries. Other major plant types are submerged seagrass, macro-algae and benthic micro-algae. The different plants can be viewed as being in competition with each other for required resources, such as light and nutrients. Studies conducted in urbanized estuaries have shown that excessive loading of nitrogen generally is accompanied by an increase of phytoplankton and macro-algae, including epiphytic and drift macro-algae, and by a …