Earth Sciences Commons^™

Cultural Science Night, Jiyoon Yoon

Mavs Open Press Open Educational Resources - Archive

This book is to learn water and weather by integrating with other cultures. This textbook is organized around two interconnected components. The first component provides cultural knowledge of China, India, Korea, and Mexico. The second component focuses on culturally responsive science instruction created for the Cultural Science Night event, an occasion in which teachers present hands-on, culturally responsive science activities in collaboration with students.

If you need an accessibility accommodation or have questions about the use of this text, please contact Mavs Open Press.

Timing, Orbital Pacing, And Provenance Of Late Paleogene Loess In The Western United States, Xiangwei Guo

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

This project examines the timing of loess emergence, the nature of the fluvial–eolian transition, orbital forcing on dust accumulation, and sediment recycling in the late Paleogene White River Formation (Group) of Wyoming and Nebraska, western United States. By integrating traditional sedimentology with machine learning–enhanced grain-size analysis, this research shows that loess accumulation at Flagstaff Rim in central Wyoming began during active fluvial deposition at approximately 35.8 Ma, indicating a gradual transition from fluvial to eolian conditions. Machine learning complements field sedimentology and granulometric interpretation while enabling the development of new, testable hypotheses. Extending this framework eastward to Toadstool Geologic Park …

Preliminary Investigation Of The Carbon Storage Potential In The Fort Worth Basin: Reservoir Characterization And Modeling Of The Lower Atoka Grant South Sand In Tarrant County, Texas, Mary Ann M. Moody

Earth & Environmental Sciences Theses

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is crucial for mitigating atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions that rise from industrial activities. Paleozoic sedimentary basins in Texas are significant reservoirs for hydrocarbon production, and when depleted, show promise for CCS. Long-term reservoir storage suitability requires a multifaceted approach, including site screening and ranking, as well as reservoir characterization, modeling, and simulation. This project first evaluates the CCS potential for the Fort Worth Basin in North Central Texas, then focuses on reservoir characterization of the Lower Atoka Grant South (STH) Sand in Tarrant County and finally assesses the sand’s CO₂ storage …

Forecasting Precipitation In Cuba Using Graph Based Deep Learning, Taufiqul Islam

Earth & Environmental Sciences Theses

Daily precipitation forecasting remained a challenging problem in regions characterized by strong spatial heterogeneity, nonlinear atmospheric dynamics, and intermittent rainfall behavior. Cuba represented a particularly complex case due to the combined influence of tropical cyclones, easterly waves, mesoscale convective systems, and orographic effects, which produced highly variable rainfall patterns in both space and time. Conventional statistical and machine-learning models typically treated stations independently and therefore overlooked spatial dependencies that strongly influenced rainfall variability across the island.

This study developed a spatiotemporal deep-learning framework for daily precipitation forecasting across 40 spatial nodes in Cuba using data from 1979 to 2023. The …

Constraining The Tectono-Climatic Evolution Of The Northern Rocky Mountains: Insights From Volcanic Glass, Leaf Water, And Leaf Wax Hydrogen Isotopes, Rijumon Nandy

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations

The Eocene-Oligocene period in the North American Cordillera represents a period of great intrigue with complex interactions among tectonics, climate, and surface processes. Although this period is generally associated with synorogenic extension associated with gravitational collapse of the Cordillera, the paleotopographic history remains debated. Existing studies offer conflicting interpretations, suggesting either sustained elevations or modest uplift during this time. Notably, recent reconstructions based on volcanic glass δD values have proposed renewed uplift during the early Oligocene, which needs to be tested with a more extensive and robust dataset. Concurrently, global cooling and aridification during this interval may have been amplified …

Data Repository For: Dorsey Et Al., 'Rapid Transient Uplift Driven By Active Slab Tear, Southern Calabria, Italy', Rebecca J. Dorsey, Nathan D. Brown, Sergio G. Longhitano, Marco Meschis, Domenico Chiarella, Charles P. Ogle

Earth & Environmental Sciences Datasets

Southern Italy preserves a well-studied record of deformation and uplift related to migrating oblique collision, trench retreat, and tearing of subducted ocean slabs. However, the surface expression of these processes is incompletely understood due to a lack of reliable ages for marine terraces >200 m above sea level (masl). Here we use luminescence methods to date shallow marine sands from terraces ~ 100 to 1,000 masl in southern Calabria and interpolate the results with regional surface mapping. Burial ages overlap across the full range of sampled elevations with a weighted mean of 118.8 ± 8.7 thousand years before present (ka). …

Luminescence Dating Of Hydrothermal Explosions In The Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field, Karissa Cordero, Nathan D. Brown, Lauren N. Harrison, Shaul Hurwitz

Earth & Environmental Sciences Datasets - Archive

Hydrothermal explosions are a significant geological hazard in some active volcanic systems; however, the timing and triggering mechanisms of these explosions are poorly constrained. This study applies luminescence dating techniques to hydrothermal explosion deposits in the Yellowstone Plateau volcanic field to constrain explosion chronologies and evaluate potential triggering mechanisms. We tested four luminescence dating techniques: K-feldspar post-infrared infrared stimulated luminescence (pIRIR225), quartz blue light optically stimulated luminescence (BLOSL), quartz blue thermoluminescence (BTL), and quartz red thermoluminescence (RTL). The pIRIR225 and RTL protocols produce consistent age estimates that agree with independent radiocarbon ages and with the timing of the Pinedale deglaciation. …

Inter-Hemispheric Asymmetry In The High-Latitude Electrodynamics And Their Impacts On The Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere System, Yu Hong

Physics Dissertations - Archive

In this dissertation, the inter-hemispheric asymmetries (IHAs) in the ionosphere–thermosphere (I-T) system and their impacts on the coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere–thermosphere (M-I-T) were examined using multi-instrument observations and advanced global numerical modeling frameworks. First, the drivers and consequences of IHAs in the I-T were systematically investigated and quantified, revealing that seasonal solar irradiance differences, geomagnetic field offsets, and asymmetric high-latitude electrodynamic forcing each produce significant asymmetries in electron density, neutral density, velocity, and Joule heating, with seasonal effects dominating under relative quiet conditions. During geomagnetic storms, IHAs were found to depend more strongly on asymmetric field-aligned currents (FACs) and particle precipitation (PP), …

Assessing The Dallas-Fort Worth Urban Microclimate And Surface Ozone Variability Under Differing Drought Conditions, Patrick Sumner

Earth & Environmental Sciences Theses - Archive

The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex in North Central Texas is the 4^th largest and fastest growing region in the United States. In this study, the response of the urban microclimate and ozone levels to drought conditions will be assessed. The urban heat island (UHI), defined as the temperature difference between an urban and rural weather station, was filtered for low wind speeds (≤ 3 m s^-1). An in-depth analysis of the UHI at 1200 CST was done from 2008-2023 to identify trends. A significant correlation exists between the Palmer drought severity index and the UHI at 1200 CST, …

Impact Of Climate Change On North Central Texas, Diana K. T. Hansen

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

ABSTRACT

IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON

NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS

Diana Kay Thomas Hansen, Ph.D.

The University of Texas at Arlington, 2025

Supervising Professor: Arne M.E. Winguth

The North Central Texas region is a rapidly expanding metropolitan area. One of the largest climate hazards that will affect human health in this region are extended heat waves and heavy precipitation. This study will examine how these hazards will change in response to climate change and the impact to human health due to weather extremes in a changing climate.

Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (Phase 6) simulations were used to evaluate future projected temperature …

Characterizing The Earth's Magnetosheath With In Situ Measurements, Hector A. Salinas

Physics Dissertations - Archive

Earth’s magnetosheath is a region of shocked plasma that mediates energy and momentum transfer from the solar wind to the magnetosphere. The dynamics and thus the plasma structures of this region are highly dependent on upstream solar wind conditions. As such, the region is often characterized as a turbulent environment, with the most intense periods of turbulence occurring often under quasi-parallel bow shock conditions. This magnetosheath turbulence displays as variable and large-scale fluctuations with in-situ measurements. Given that turbulence is a characteristic feature of the magnetosheath, this dissertation asks two questions: (1) How are plasma structures inside the sheath affected …

Nanoscale Studies Of Magnesium Carbonate Precipitation At Ambient Conditions, Ian Shortt

Material Science and Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Currently approximately 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to the construction industry; of these emissions, a little over half of these emissions are due to the production of traditional calcium-based cements. Magnesium carbonate cements present a promising alternative to traditional calcium-based cements, both in terms of emission reductions and in terms of strength. The primary drawback to magnesium carbonate cements is that ambient curing is not yet viable. The objective of this dissertation is to therefore develop greater understanding of the precipitation pathways undertaken by hydrated magnesium carbonates under near-ambient conditions. In the first section of this …

Critical Convergence: Mapping The Boundaries Of How Faculty Interrogate Whiteness In The Geoscience Educational Landscape, James E. Hobbs

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

This study examined the role of faculty members in interrogating whiteness within geoscience education. The dominant reliance on whiteness as the primary way of knowing in geoscience education has long perpetuated a singular perspective that serves as a mechanism for reinforcing existing power structures rooted in white supremacy. Drawing on tenets from Critical whiteness Studies, Curriculum Theory, and Transformative Learning Theory, this research investigated U.S. higher education faculty members' strategies and challenges in disrupting whiteness within the geoscience curriculum.

Through critical qualitative narrative inquiry, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with geoscience faculty members across multiple institutions across the United …

Plant Water Uptake Strategies In An Urban Green Landscape, Erica G. Almance

Earth & Environmental Sciences Theses - Archive

Urban green landscapes have been widely recognized for potentially reducing surface water pollution and flood impacts. However, the understanding of the role that plants play in partitioning the urban water cycle is still limited. We present a study in the Fort Worth Botanic Garden to understand water uptake strategies from three common urban tree species (Elderberry, Sambucus canadensis; Cherry laurel, Prunus caroliniana; and Boxelder maple, Acer negundo) from February 2023 through January 2024. Stem (N=110) isotope ratios (δ18O and δ2H) are compared to multiple endmembers, including precipitation (N=509), throughfall (N=37), and soil water (N=135) at different depths (0- 38 cm). …

Petrophysics Characterization With Multiple Sample Scales Of Cuttings, Cores And Well Logs For Different Rock Types, Ogochukwu Azike

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

Petrophysics Characterization with Multiple Sample Scales of Cuttings, Cores and Well Logs for Different Rock Types

Laboratory-based experimental evaluations and nuclear magnetic resonance log data interpretation of carbonates, sandstones and shale rocks enable multi-scale petrophysical parameters characterization for integrated studies that can be applied in both the industry and academia. Numerous studies have been published on pore geometry and connectivity, as well as the diffusivity, migration, and containment of a fluid (oil/gas/water) in different reservoir types. However, despite the importance of diffusion and imbibition as a transport mechanism especially in unconventional resources, the direct measurements of these parameters have been …

Multi-Scale Characteriziation Of Pore Structure And Mass Transport In Natural Rocks, Xiaoqing Yuan

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

The mass transport process in porous natural rocks is notably influenced by the pore structure with both geometrical and topological attributes. Nevertheless, previous studies have not taken into consideration the sample size effect or the impact of diagenesis processes on petrophysical investigations of rocks, fluids, and rock-fluid interactions. Six rocks (one granodiorite, one limestone, two chalks, one mudstone, and one dolostone) with different extents of heterogeneity at six different particle sizes were studied to describe the effects of pore structure (especially connectivity) on mass transport. Thirteen geologically different rocks (two marbles, four fossiliferous limestones, six mudstones, and one sandstone) were …

Experimental And Theoretical Studies Of Fluid-Solid Coupling Processes Of Tight Rock Media, Tao Zhang

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

This study covers the application of continuum mechanics in the realm of rock work in geological studies. Continuum mechanics encompasses two major branches: fluid mechanics that deals with fluid behavior, and solid mechanics pertaining to the behavior of rock media. The research focuses on comprehending the mechanical behavior of rocks as a continuous mass, offering a comprehensive perspective for analyzing geological structures, fluid flow, and rock mechanics. Under the framework of continuum mechanics applied to rock media, following the sequence of the rock/solid properties, fluid flow properties, and the fluid-solid coupling behavior, this dissertation is divided into four sections, each …

Liquid Flow And Gas Diffusion In Natural Rocks: Experimental And Simulation Studies, Xuewei Ning

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

Natural rocks, as key components in energy and environmental geosciences, play crucial roles in groundwater extraction, geological storage of high-level nuclear waste, geothermal energy mining, and petroleum exploration in both conventional and unconventional reservoirs. Unconventional reservoirs, specifically the tight shale formations, have seen a significant usage in petroleum production in recent decades, largely due to advances in fracturing stimulation techniques which counter the inherently low permeability and connectivity of shale reservoirs by expanding natural fractures and creating artificial ones for an enhanced petroleum production. However, the low mobility (liquid flow and gas diffusion) of stored fluids in naturally fractured formations …

A Glimpse Into The Climate, Seasonality, Hydrological Cycle, Carbonate Chemistry And Marine Ecosystem Shift Of The Pre-Petm And The Petm Using Ncar Cesm1.2, Jiayi Wang

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM, ~56 my ago, 170,000y event) is characterized by a negative δ13C excursion into the atmosphere. This event caused global temperature to increase by about 5-6 °C, followed by climate responses such as marine acidification, ocean stratification, shoaling of calcite compensation depth (CCD), stronger hydrological cycle, and significant changes in marine ecosystems. It is one of the very few analogies of today’s global warming climate and thus is valuable to study. It still holds much potential for research, including using the state-of-the-art model CESM1.2. Proxy records are limited due to the nature of geological preservation and …

Pore Connectivity Influences Mass Transport In Natural Rocks: Pore Structure, Gas Diffusion And Batch Sorption Studies, Qinhong Hu

Earth & Environmental Sciences Datasets - Archive

The Excel file contains supplementary dataset, in various sheets, for a manuscript entitled "Pore connectivity influences mass transport in natural rocks: Pore structure, gas diffusion and batch sorption studies" The Word file of "Data Dictonary" briefly explained the data in each sheet of the Excel file, from different measurements as detailed in the manuscript. Authors: Xiaoqing Yuan, Qinhong Hu ([email protected]), Xiang Lin, Chen Zhao, Qiming Wang, Yukio Tachi, Yuta Fukatsu, Shoichiro Hamamoto, Marja Siitari-Kauppia, and Xiaodong Li

Investigating The Frictional Properties Of Organic Matter And Pore Structure Of Organic-Rich Shales With Atomic Force Microscopy And Scanning Electron Microscopy, Farnood Sobhbidari

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

Understanding geomechanical properties of shales, such as stiffness properties and fracture toughness, is important in different areas of petroleum industry-related activities including fracturing efficiency, petroleum flow to the wellbores, and induced seismicity. Nanoscale to microscale experiments on shale samples require a much smaller sample compared to macroscale experiments. This is a major advantage because irregularly-shaped drill cuttings from shales can be used for experimental analyses, such as nanoindentation or atomic force microscopy (AFM). However, a characterization of mechanical properties at the nano- to micro-scale is a relatively new addition to classical geomechanical experiments on shales, and there is still lack …

A Comprehensive Analysis Of The Evolution Of Coastal Flooding In Texas And Louisiana For Application In Risk Assessment, Joshua Pulcinella

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

Coastal communities of the northern Gulf of Mexico have historically been at risk of flooding from tropical cyclone induced storm surge and extreme precipitation. Relative sea level rise resulting from a combination of increasing global mean sea level and regional subsidence presents an escalating threat that requires a comprehensive assessment of changing flood risks for the area. This study examines how coastal flooding events are changing and focuses on the future risks to communities and infrastructure in Texas and Louisiana. Utilizing historic tide gauge observations, tropical cyclone records, and associated storm tide data, the frequency, duration, and magnitude of events …

Machine Learning-Based Methods For The Segmentation Of Scanning Electron Microscopy Images Of Fine-Grained Shale Samples, Binqian Yin

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

The segmentation of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images is critical yet time-consuming for geological studies, as it will need to differentiate the boundaries for different mineral objects to facilitate subsequent analyses, such as porosity calculation. Recently, machine learning methods, especially convolutional neural networks (CNNs), have been explored to segment SEM images for fine-grained shale samples. However, existing methods fail to address two critical issues in the segmentation of shale rock images---insufficient labeled data and imbalanced objects. To this end, this dissertation has proposed a machine learning pipeline that consists of supervised, semi-supervised, and active learning stages to reduce manual efforts …

Supplementary Information For "Understanding Mid-To Large Underground Leaks From Buried Pipelines As Affected By Soil And Atmospheric Conditions – Field Scale Experimental Study", Navodi J.R.R. Jayarathne, Kathleen M. Smits, Stuart N. Riddick, Daniel J. Zimmerle, Younki Cho, Michelle Schwartz, Fancy Cheptonui, Kevan Cameron, Peter Ronney

Earth & Environmental Sciences Datasets - Archive

Reducing the amount of leaked natural gas (NG) from pipelines from production to use has become a high priority in efforts to cut anthropogenic emissions of methane and ensure public safety. However, tracking and evaluating NG pipeline leaks, especially at moderate to high flow rates, requires a better understanding of the leak from the source to the detector as well as more robust quantification methods. To better understand fugitive emissions from NG pipelines, we developed a field scale testbed that simulates mid and high-pressure gas leaks from belowground natural gas infrastructure. The system is equipped with subsurface, surface and atmospheric …

Nanopetrophysical Characterization Of The Upper Mancos Shale In The San Juan Basin, New Mexico, U.S.A., Ann Kiat Gan

Earth & Environmental Sciences Theses - Archive

The San Juan Basin is no stranger to oil and gas production and the Mancos Shale is one of the formations of the basin that had been producing petroleum since the early 1920’s as conventional, and recently as, unconventional resources. Due to the economic significance of shale oil and gas production, oil and gas companies have a strong motivation to understand the petrophysical property measurements of shale reservoirs, in this case, the Upper Mancos Shale, both in the laboratory and in the subsurface. By understanding shale petrophysics, such as total organic carbon, mineral composition, wettability, porosity, permeability, pore connectivity for …

Remediation Of Contaminated Dumpsite Soil: An Evaluation Of Soil Amendments In Combination With Phytoremediation, Sasha Shanda Karen Jones

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

Contamination of soils and water from open dump site leachate is a frequent problem in developing nations. Water supplies are threatened when water percolates through the waste, bringing with it a variety of substances, such as metals, bacteria, viruses, flammables, organic chemicals, and other toxics. Metals in particular are complex in terms of the pathways they can choose in the environment; unlike organics, they do not degrade within the environment. Due to increases in population and affluence, the generation of waste has increased, meaning that leachate treatment will become an increasing problem. The overarching research goal was to evaluate a …

Boundary Conditions For A Late Triassic Climate Simulation Using Cesm1.2-Som, James Alden Breen

Earth & Environmental Sciences Theses - Archive

Climate models have been widely adapted to reconstruct the environmental changes and associated mass extinction events across geologic times, such as the Younger Dryas (~12.9 Kyr), the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maxima (~55 Ma), and the Permian-Triassic Mass Extinction Event (~251 Ma). However, few studies have utilized climate models to investigate the potential climatic triggers of the large biological decline at the end-Triassic Mass Extinction (ETE; ~201 Ma). In this study, global boundary conditions for the end-Triassic hothouse climate are developed in order to allow a common framework for paleoclimate simulation and to study to internal climate variability in order to better …

Replication Data For: A Closer Look At Underground Natural Gas Pipeline Leaks Across The United States, Younki Cho, Kathleen M. Smits, Nathaniel L. Steadman, Bridget A. Ulrich, Clay S. Bell, Daniel J. Zimmerle

Earth & Environmental Sciences Datasets - Archive

Underground natural gas (NG) pipeline leakage can result in methane (CH₄) buildup and migration through the soil. What is not well understood in such scenarios is how the soil conditions affect the gas migration behavior, particularly in regard to the relative contributions of specific soil properties such as soil moisture content. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of soil properties on CH₄ concentration and migration from leaking underground NG pipelines. Site characteristics such as surface cover and spatial dimensions, soil samples, and gas concentration data were collected from over 70 gas leakage sites …

Age, Provenance And Tectonic Implications Of Late Paleozoic Volcanic Tuffs In Southwest Laurentia, Hepeng Tian

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

Assembly of the supercontinent Pangea is among the most important tectonic events in late Paleozoic Earth history. The diachronous Laurentia-Gondwana collision destroyed the intervening subduction zone(s) of the Rheic oceanic plate, ultimately leading to subduction of the Paleo-Pacific oceanic plate beneath western Pangea. However, details about the timing, nature, and geochemical signatures of the two arc systems during the transition from Rheic oceanic plate to Paleo-Pacific oceanic plate subduction are poorly understood. This lack of understanding, in part, reflects the fact that arc magmatic products (esp. granitic rocks) related to the Rheic ocean subduction are largely obscured by those related …

Replication Data For: Investigating Detection Probability Of Mobile Survey Solutions For Natural Gas Pipeline Leaks Under Different Atmospheric Conditions, Shanru Tian, Stuart Riddick, Younki Cho, Clay Bell, Daniel Zimmerle, Kathleen Smits

Earth & Environmental Sciences Datasets - Archive

The 2015 Paris agreement aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions and keep global temperature rise below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels. Reducing CH4 emissions from leaking pipelines presents a relatively achievable objective. While walking and driving surveys are commonly used to detect leaks, the detection probability (DP) is poorly characterized. This study aims to investigate how leak rates, survey distance and speed, and atmospheric conditions affect the DP in controlled belowground conditions with release rates of 0.5–8.5 g min−1. Results show that DP is highly influenced by survey speed, atmospheric stability, and wind speed. The average DP in Pasquill–Gifford stability …