Earth Sciences Commons^™

Salt Mobility Under Different Geological Regimes, Oznur Surek

Masters Theses

"This study investigates the evolution of Dan Salt Structure in the southern salt dome province, Danish Central Graben and Mars-Ursa Basin in the Northern Gulf of Mexico to understand salt and sediment interaction over time under different geologic regimes. An integration of structural and stratigraphic analyses is conducted to understand the relationship between halokinesis and sedimentation.

Interpretation of the seismic data in Dan Salt Structure shows that the structure has a complex geometry, which is divided into upper and lower parts. The evolutionary stage of both the upper and lower parts of the structure has been influenced by salt. The …

Crustal Structure Beneath The Eastern Margin Of The Tibetan Plateau And Adjacent Areas From Receiver Function Stacking And Gravity Modeling, Yunxin Peng

Doctoral Dissertations

"To provide constraints on the mechanisms responsible for the uplift and crustal thickening of the eastern Tibetan Plateau, the thickness and Vp/Vs values of the Moho beneath 153 seismic stations are obtained by stacking P-to-S converted phases from the Moho and gravity modeling. The resulting crustal thickness generally decreases from the northwest to the south-east, from about 60 km in the Bayan Har Block to 30 km in the Sichuan Basin. The crustal Vp/Vs measurements in the Qinling Orogenic Belt, Bayan Har Block, Chuxiong Basin, and Yangtze Platform indicate an overall intermediate to felsic crustal composition. With a relatively thick …

Receiver Function Imaging Of Mantle Transition Zone Discontinuities Beneath The Tanzania Craton And Adjacent Segments Of The East African Rift System, Muchen Sun, Kelly H. Liu, Xiaofei Fu, Stephen S. Gao

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The mantle transition zone (MTZ) discontinuities beneath the Tanzania Craton and the Eastern and Western Branches of the East African Rift System are imaged by stacking over 7,100 receiver functions. The mean thickness of the MTZ beneath the Western Branch and Tanzania Craton is about 252 km, which is comparable to the global average and is inconsistent with the existence of present-day thermal upwelling originating from the lower mantle. In contrast, beneath the Eastern Branch, an up to 30 km thinning of the MTZ is observed and is attributable to upwelling of higher temperature materials from either the upper MTZ …

Topography Of The Mantle Transition Zone Discontinuities Beneath Alaska And Its Geodynamic Implications: Constraints From Receiver Function Stacking, Haider H. Dahm, Stephen S. Gao, Fansheng Kong, Kelly H. Liu

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The 410 and 660 km discontinuities (d410 and d660, respectively) beneath Alaska and adjacent areas are imaged by stacking 75,296 radial receiver functions recorded by 438 broadband seismic stations with up to 30 years of recording period. When the 1-D IASP91 Earth model is used for moveout correction and time depth conversion, significant and spatially systematic variations in the apparent depths of the d410 and d660 are observed. The mean apparent depth of the d410 and d660 for the entire study area is 417 ± 12 km and 665 ± 12 km, respectively, and the mean mantle transition zone (MTZ) …

A Prograding Margin During Global Sea-Level Maxima: An Example From Mahajanga Basin, Northwest Madagascar, Jonathan Obrist-Farner, Philip J. Ball, Thomas A. (Mac) Mcgilvery, Raymond R. Rogers

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Mesozoic shelf margin in the Mahajanga Basin, northwest Madagascar, provides an example where inherited palaeobathymetry, coupled with sea-level changes, high sediment supply and fluctuations in accommodation influenced the stacking patterns and geometry of clinoforms that accreted onto a passive rifted margin. Two-dimensional (2D) seismic profiles are integrated with existing field data and geological maps to study the evolution of the margin. The basin contains complete records of transgression, highstand, regression and lowstand phases that took place from Jurassic to Cretaceous. Of particular interest is the Cretaceous, Albian to Turonian (ca. 113-93 Ma), siliciclastic shelf margin that prograded …

A Framework For Incorporating The Impact Of Water Quality On Water Supply Stress: An Example From Louisiana, David M. Borrok, Jian Chen, Hisham Eldardiry, Emad Habib

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Water of poor quality can directly impact the budget of water available for key user groups. Despite this importance, methods for quantifying the impact of water quality on water availability remain elusive. Here, we develop a new framework for incorporating the impact of water quality on water supply by modifying the Water Supply Stress Index (WaSSI). We demonstrate the usefulness of the framework by investigating the impact of high salinity waters on the availability of irrigation water for agriculture in Louisiana. The WaSSI was deconstructed into sectoral components such that the total available water supply could be reduced for a …

Aeromagnetic, Gravity, And Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar Analyses Reveal The Causative Fault Of The 3 April 2017 MW 6.5 Moiyabana, Botswana, Earthquake, Folarin Kolawole, Estella A. Atekwana, S. Malloy, Dorothy Sarah Stamps, Raphael Grandin, Mohamed G. Abdel Salam, Khumo Leseane, Elisha M. Shemang

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

On 3 April 2017, a M_w 6.5 earthquake struck Moiyabana, Botswana, nucleating at >20 km focal depth within the Paleoproterozoic Limpopo-Shashe orogenic belt separating the Archean Zimbabwe and Kaapvaal Cratons. We investigate the lithospheric structures associated with this earthquake using high-resolution aeromagnetic and gravity data integrated with Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) analysis. Here we present the first results that provide insights into the tectonic framework of the earthquake. The ruptured fault trace delineated by DInSAR aligns with a distinct NW striking and NE dipping magnetic lineament within the Precambrian basement. The fault plane solution and numerical modeling …

Bounding The Moment Deficit Rate On Crustal Faults Using Geodetic Data: Methods, Jeremy Maurer, Paul Segall, Andrew M. Bradley

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The geodetically derived interseismic moment deficit rate (MDR) provides a first-order constraint on earthquake potential and can play an important role in seismic hazard assessment, but quantifying uncertainty in MDR is a challenging problem that has not been fully addressed. We establish criteria for reliable MDR estimators, evaluate existing methods for determining the probability density of MDR, and propose and evaluate new methods. Geodetic measurements moderately far from the fault provide tighter constraints on MDR than those nearby. Previously used methods can fail catastrophically under predictable circumstances. The bootstrap method works well with strong data constraints on MDR, but can …

Mantle Transition Zone Discontinuities Beneath The Indochina Peninsula: Implications For Slab Subduction And Mantle Upwelling, Youqiang Yu, Stephen S. Gao, Kelly H. Liu, Ting Yang, Mei Xue, Khanhphon Le

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

While the northward indentation of the Indian into Eurasian plates has been intensively investigated, its oblique subduction beneath the Indochina Peninsula (ICP) and the role it played on mantle structure and dynamics remain enigmatic. In this first regional-scale receiver function study of the mantle transition zone (MTZ) discontinuities beneath the ICP and its surrounding areas, we stack ~12,000 receiver functions recorded at 33 stations using a non-plane wave common-conversion-point stacking technique. Systematic spatial variations of MTZ thickness with departures between -21 and +24 km from the globally averaged value are revealed, providing independent evidence for the presence of slab segments …

Seismic Anisotropy And Mantle Dynamics Beneath The Malawi Rift Zone, East Africa, Cory A. Reed, Kelly H. Liu, Youqiang Yu, Stephen S. Gao

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

SKS, SKKS, and PKS splitting parameters measured at 34 seismic stations that we deployed in the vicinity of the Cenozoic Malawi Rift Zone (MRZ) of the East African Rift System demonstrate systematic spatial variations with an average splitting time of 1.0 ± 0.3 s. The overall NE-SW fast orientations are consistent with absolute plate motion (APM) models of the African Plate constructed under the assumption of no-net rotation of the global lithosphere and are inconsistent with predicted APM directions from models employing a fixed hot spot reference frame. They also depart considerably from the trend of most of the major …

Receiver Function And Gravity Constraints On Crustal Structure And Vertical Movements Of The Upper Mississippi Embayment And Ozark Uplift, Lin Liu, Stephen S. Gao, Kelly H. Liu, Kevin Lee Mickus

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Upper Mississippi Embayment (UME), where the seismically active New Madrid Seismic Zone resides, experienced two phases of subsidence commencing in the Late Precambrian and Cretaceous, respectively. To provide new constraints on models proposed for the mechanisms responsible for the subsidence, we computed and stacked P-to-S receiver functions recorded by 49 USArray and other seismic stations located in the UME and the adjacent Ozark Uplift and modeled Bouguer gravity anomaly data. The inferred thickness, density, and V_p/V_s of the upper and lower crustal layers suggest that the UME is characterized by a mafic and high-density upper crustal …

Field-Scale Observations Of A Transient Geobattery Resulting From Natural Attenuation Of A Crude Oil Spill, Jeffrey W. Heenan, Dimitrios Ntarlagiannis, Lee D. Slater, Carol L. Beaver, Silvia Rossbach, Andre Revil, Estella A. Atekwana, Barbara A. Bekins

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We present evidence of a geobattery associated with microbial degradation of a mature crude oil spill. Self-potential measurements were collected using a vertical array of nonpolarizing electrodes, starting at the land surface and passing through the smear zone where seasonal water table fluctuations have resulted in the coating of hydrocarbons on the aquifer solids. These passive electrical potential measurements exhibit a dipolar pattern associated with a current source. The anodic and cathodic reactions of this natural battery occur below and above the smear zone, respectively. The smear zone is characterized by high magnetic susceptibility values associated with the precipitation of …

Estimating The Permanent Loss Of Groundwater Storage In The Southern San Joaquin Valley, California, Ryan G. Smith, Rosemary Knight, J. Chen, J. A. Reeves, H. A. Zebker, T. Farr, Z. Liu

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In the San Joaquin Valley, California, recent droughts starting in 2007 have increased the pumping of groundwater, leading to widespread subsidence. In the southern portion of the San Joaquin Valley, vertical subsidence as high as 85 cm has been observed between June 2007 and December 2010 using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR). This study seeks to map regions where inelastic (not recoverable) deformation occurred during the study period, resulting in permanent compaction and loss of groundwater storage. We estimated the amount of permanent compaction by incorporating multiple data sets: the total deformation derived from InSAR, estimated skeletal-specific storage and hydraulic …

Salt Dissolution And Surface Subsidence In Central Kansas: A Seismic Investigation Of The Anthropogenic And Natural Origin Models, Neil Lennart Anderson, Alex A. Martinez, John F. Hopkins, Timothy R. Carr

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Gradual subsidence in the Punkin Center study area, northeast Reno County, Kansas, has resulted in ponding of surface waters, abandonment of at least one oil well, and damage to county roads. Because the Punkin Center area is within the Burrton oil field and is underlain by the Hutchinson Salt Member, surface subsidence historically has been attributed to salt dissolution of anthropogenic origin. Subsidence that occurred significant distances from any known well sites has been attributed to unrecorded abandoned wells or complex asymmetric patterns of salt dissolution that originated at a drillhole.

To ascertain the validity of the widely accepted anthropogenic …

Seismic Azimuthal Anisotropy Beneath The Eastern United States And Its Geodynamic Implications, Bin B. Yang, Yunhua Liu, Haider Dahm, Kelly H. Liu, Stephen S. Gao

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Systematic spatial variations of anisotropic characteristics are revealed beneath the eastern U.S. using seismic data recorded between 1988 and 2016 by 785 stations. The resulting fast polarization orientations of the 5613 measurements are generally subparallel to the absolute plate motion (APM) and are inconsistent with the strike of major tectonic features. This inconsistency, together with the results of depth estimation using the spatial coherency of the splitting parameters, suggests a mostly asthenospheric origin of the observed azimuthal anisotropy. The observations can be explained by a combined effect of APM-induced mantle fabric and a flow system deflected horizontally around the edges …

The Use Of Geophysical Methods For Dam Seepage Investigations And Dredged Oyster Deposit Characterization, Stanley Chinedu Nwokebuihe

Doctoral Dissertations

"The dissertation is made up of three papers, which discuss the utility of geophysical tools in earthfill dam investigations and dredged oyster bed characterization.

In the first paper, an earthfill dam in Warren County, Missouri was effectively investigated for seepage through the dam and its outlet works using an integration of the electrical resistivity tomography, induced polarization and spontaneous potential geophysical tools. Recommendations were subsequently made based on the results of the study on grout locations to prevent further seepage. In the second paper, a similar study of earthfill dam seepage was conducted on a different dam in Southern Missouri. …

Wellbore Stability Evaluation For Mishrif Formation, Ethar H.K. Alkamil, Husam R. Abbood, Ralph E. Flori, Andreas Eckert

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

During drilling operations for the E oilfield in the Mishrif formation in southern Iraq, stuck pipe has been identified as a significant geomechanical problem for several wells. In this study, a 1-D mechanical earth model (MEM) of the Mishrif formation is compiled based on its state of stress and rock strength parameters and is utilized to assess the contribution of borehole collapse leading to the stuck pipe problems. The MEM model is based on the principal in situ stresses and their orientation obtained from wireline logs measurements, measuring while drilling (MWD), and leak off test (LOT). Rock strength properties are …

Acquisition Of Active Multichannel Analysis Of Surface Waves (Masw) Data In Karst Terrain, Ghassan Salem Alsulaimani

Doctoral Dissertations

"This study was designed to verify the effects and data reproducibility when the length of receiver array, receiver spacing, source offset and array orientation parameters are changed for data acquired using multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW), at intended target depth of 30ft (9m), and to compare the results with electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) data obtained for the same study site.

The MASW data acquired for 34 sites, along four profiles for each site using variable source offsets of 10ft (3m) and 30ft (9.1m), and variable receiver spacings of 2.5ft (0.76m) and 5.0ft (0.76m), concurrently. Out of the 272 profiles …

St. Louis Area Earthquake Hazards Mapping Project: Seismic And Liquefaction Hazard Maps, Chris H. Cramer, Robert A. Bauer, Jaewon Chung, J. David Rogers, Larry Pierce, Vicki Voigt, Brad Mitchell, David Gaunt, Robert A. Williams, David J. Hoffman, Gregory L. Hempen, Phyllis J. Steckel, Oliver Salz Boyd, Connor M. Watkins, Kathleen B. Tucker, Natasha S. Mccallister

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We present probabilistic and deterministic seismic and liquefaction hazard maps for the densely populated St. Louis metropolitan area that account for the expected effects of surficial geology on earthquake ground shaking. Hazard calculations were based on a map grid of 0.005°, or about every 500 m, and are thus higher in resolution than any earlier studies. To estimate ground motions at the surface of the model (e.g., site amplification), we used a new detailed near-surface shear-wave velocity model in a 1D equivalent- linear response analysis. When compared with the 2014 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Seismic Hazard Model, which uses …

Natural Recession Of The Eastern Margin Of The Leofnard Salt In Western Canada, Neil Lennart Anderson, Robert James Sidford Brown, Dale A. Cederwall

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Lloydminster area (T35-65, R15W3M-10W4M) of east-central Alberta and west-central Saskatchewan, Canada, is dissected by the north-northwest trending updip active dissolution margin, of the Devonian Leofnard Member rock salt. West of this margin, up to 150 m of rock salt is preserved; updip and to the east, the salt has mostly been leached from the rock record. The margin is up to 40 km wide and characterized by extreme local variations in net salt thickness. The dissolution of the Leofnard rock salt in the Lloydminster area has resulted in the entrapment of significant hydrocarbon accumulation. Stratigraphic traps, for example, have …

Deformation Processes At The Leading Edge Of The Sevier Fold And Thrust Belt, Southwest Utah, William Joseph Michael Chandonia

Masters Theses

"Deformation processes leading to formation and abandonment of 'triangle zones' along the leading edge of the Sevier fold and thrust belt are investigated near Kanarraville, Utah through construction of a detailed geologic map and cross-section along Spring Creek. Here the eastern limb of the Kanarra fold, a Sevier structure, is well exposed along the Hurricane Cliffs due to uplift and erosion of the footwall of the Hurricane Fault. The east-verging Kanarra fold changes from upright to overturned within Spring Creek. Within the fold limb, parasitic folds, minor thrust faults, and duplex structures result in local tectonic overthickening of units and …

Provenance And Depositional Environments Of Fluvial-Lacustrine Deposits In A Non-Marine Rift Basin, Lower-Triassic Jiucaiyuan And Shaofanggou Low-Order Cycles Bogda Shan, Nw China, Jaimeson Grigaitis Fredericks

Masters Theses

"The uppermost Carboniferous to Lower Triassic eolian-fluvial-lacustrine deposits of Turpan-Junggar Basin, NW China, record the non-marine sediment-filling processes in a continental rift basin in mid-latitude NE Pangea. This study focuses on the fluvial-lacustrine strata of the Lower Triassic Jiucaiyuan (JCY) and Shaofanggou (SFG) low-order cycles (LCs) in multiple half grabens at the southern and northern foothills of Bogda Shan. Outcrop, paleocurrent, and petrographic analyses indicate a southern provenance. Intermediate to felsic volcanic lithics and metamorphic lithics are interpreted as being derived from Tian Shan to the south while the sedimentary lithics originate from the local rift shoulders. The basaltic lithics …

Underground Structures, Rock Structures And Rock Mechanics From Ancient Era To The Modern Age, Ebru Akiş, Özgür Satici

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Usage of underground space is an old habit for human beings since ancient era. Our ancestors have used caves as a shelter for protection from the wildlife and nature, and they excavated caves to extract valuable minerals. They also used them as sanctuaries, tombs or for storage of goods. In addition, they built tunnels to be used as assault systems or to underpass fortifications during ancient warfare. Later on, tunnels were driven to supply water to the towns or to protect the towns from floods. They also built them for communication purposes. Though not knowing the exact time when they …

2-D And 3-D Mapping Of Soil And Rock Structure In Karst Terrain Of Southwestern Missouri Using The Non-Invasive Electrical Resistivity Tomography Method (Ert), Diya Ali Ahmad Alfuqara

Masters Theses

"Electrical resistivity tomography data were acquired in an extensively karstic area of southwestern Missouri. The interpretation of the electrical resistivity tomography data was constrained by multichannel analysis of surface wave data and limited boring control. The objective of the study was to determine if variations in the moisture content of the soil and shallow rock are related to ground surface topography. Analysis of the acquired electrical resistivity tomography data showed that resistivity values of soil and shallow rock beneath and in proximity to identified natural and man-made surface run-off pathways are typically low compared to the resistivity values of soil …

Geophysical Interpretation And Static Reservoir Modeling Of Structurally Complex Reservoir, Rg Oil Field Area, Sirte Basin, Libya, Abdalla A. Abdelnabi

Doctoral Dissertations

"Cambrian-Ordovician and Upper Cretaceous reservoir formations are found in the central western Sirte Basin, the main oil producing region in the Sirte Basin, Libya. As a result of changes in sedimentary environments and structural activities, a number of irregularities in reservoir continuity have developed, which negatively affected the overall performance of the reservoir. Effective simulation of such complex reservoirs can be achieved by integrating geophysical, geological, and petrophysical data to construct a reliable full-field static model, which has the potential to simulate the vertical and lateral variations in the reservoir formations. In this study, 2D and 3D seismic data acquired …

Layered Crustal And Mantle Structure And Anisotropy Beneath The Afar Depression And Malawi Rift Zone, Cory Alexander Reed

Doctoral Dissertations

"Although a wealth of geophysical data sets have been acquired within the vicinity of continental rift zones, the mechanisms responsible for the breakup of stable continental lithosphere are ambiguous. Eastern Africa is host to the largest contemporary rift zone on Earth, and is thus the most prominent site with which to investigate the processes which govern the rupture of continental lithosphere. The studies herein represent teleseismic analyses of the velocity and thermomechanical structure of the crust and mantle beneath the Afar Depression and Malawi Rift Zone (MRZ) of the East African Rift System. Within the Afar Depression, the first densely-spaced …

Depositional Systems, Sequence Architecture, And Controlling Factors Of An Eocene Stratigraphic Sequence At Minfeng Steep Margin Of Dongying Depression, Eastern China, Zhixin Li

Doctoral Dissertations

“This study is carried out in Minfeng area, the steep margin of Dongying half graben, eastern China, by integrating 3-D seismic, wireline log, and core data, and aims to interpret the depositional systems, reconstruct sequence stratigraphic architecture, and understand the controlling processes and factors at the steep margin of a rift basin. In the first part of this work, an Eocene stratigraphic sequence is divided into three systems tracts, corresponding to different stages of lake evolution, as early expansion (EEST), late expansion-early contraction (LEECST), and late contraction (LCST). EEST is the thickest and diagnostic by the best-developed marginal and basinal …

In-Situ Assessment Of Concrete Bridge Decks And Pavements Using Stress-Wave Based Methods, Mengxing Li

Doctoral Dissertations

"Concrete infrastructure of United States is aging and deteriorating. Accurate assessment the condition of concrete infrastructure is critical for its maintenance and rehabilitation. Stress-wave based methods, including ultrasonic surface wave (USW) and impact echo (IE), are becoming popular for characterizing defects and mechanical properties of concrete infrastructures. In this dissertation, a comprehensive literature review of seismic wave theory and common types of defects identified in concrete infrastructures, as well as stress-wave based methods used for concrete infrastructure monitoring and characterizing on a selected concrete bridge deck and two concrete pavement segments are present. The utility and reliability of both methods …

Dissolution-Enlarged Fractures Imaging Using Electrical Resistivity Tomography (Ert), Elnaz Siami-Irdemoosa

Doctoral Dissertations

"In recent years the electrical imaging techniques have been largely applied to geotechnical and environmental investigations. These techniques have proven to be the best geophysical methods for site investigations in karst terrain, particularly when the overburden soil is clay-dominated. Karst is terrain with a special landscape and distinctive hydrological system developed by dissolution of rocks, particularly carbonate rocks such as limestone and dolomite, made by enlarging fractures into underground conduits that can enlarge into caverns, and in some cases collapse to form sinkholes.

Bedding planes, joints, and faults are the principal structural guides for underground flow and dissolution in almost …

Receiver Function Imaging Of Mantle Transition Zone Discontinuities Beneath Alaska, Haider Hassan Faraj Dahm

Doctoral Dissertations

"Subduction of tectonic plates is one of the most important tectonic processes, yet many aspects of subduction zone geodynamics remain unsolved and poorly understood, such as the depth extent of the subducted slab and its geometry. The Alaska subduction zone, which is associated with the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the North America plate, has a complex tectonic setting and carries a series of subduction episodes, and represents an excellent target to study such plate tectonic processes. Previous seismological studies in Alaska have proposed different depth estimations and geometry for the subducted slab. The Mantle transition zone discontinuities of …