Earth Sciences Commons^™

Stylolites Cathodoluminescence Under Cross Polarized Light, Katherine Dvorak

The Hilltop Review

Devil's Gate limestone under cathodoluminescence. Bright yellow and orange areas are calcite and the bright blue indicates trace minerals along the solution seam. Trace minerals left in the seam are heavy metals and other silicate minerals.

Detection Of Bedrock Fractures And Joints Beneath Cover: Geophysical Approaches To An Engineering Geology Problem, Muthanna Yousif Yaqoob Aldiney

Dissertations

This research used geophysical methods to detect the presence of sub-vertical failure planes, their direction(s), and their frequency in bedrock beneath soil or glacial drift overburden. Azimuthal measurements using the seismic, electrical resistivity (ER), and electromagnetic conductivity were made to evaluate which techniques might provide the best indication of the bedrock joints, faults, or shear zones. Measurements were made at multiple sites near each of three locations: Jackson, Alpena, and Grand Ledge, Michigan. The first two are former limestone quarries and the third is underlain by sandstone. Seismic measurements began with one or two linear refraction spreads, used to establish …

Application Of Handheld Ed-Xrf For High-Resolution Chemostratigraphy In Texturally Homogeneous Carbonate Mudstones: Salina A-1 Carbonate (Silurian), Michigan Basin, Matthew A. Hemenway

Masters Theses

Handheld energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (ED-XRF) is routinely used to observe elemental variability in fine-grained siliciclastics but has been applied rarely in fine-grained carbonates. Here, ED-XRF chemostratigraphy is utilized in the texturally homogenous, mudstones of the Silurian A-1 Carbonate (A-1C), Michigan Basin. Previous studies on the A-1C focused on the stratigraphic relationship with the underlying Niagaran reefs, so little is known about the geological variability in the basin center. In this study, high-resolution elemental data from nine cores were integrated with petrographic and mineralogical observations to evaluate two hypotheses: (1) Texturally homogeneous, basin-center mudstones in the A-1C have spatially …

Assessing Land Deformation And Sea Encroachment In The Nile Delta, Egypt, Esayas Gebremichael

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

Persistent scatterer interferometric analyses were conducted on a stack of 84 Envisat ASAR scenes spanning 7 years (2004 to 2010) over the entire Nile Delta of Egypt and surroundings to monitor the ongoing spatial and temporal land deformation, identify the factors controlling the deformation, and model the interplay between sea level rise and land subsidence to identify areas and populations threatened by sea encroachment by the end of the 21st century. Findings include: (1) general patterns of subsidence in the northern delta, near-steady (none) subsidence in the southern delta, separated by a previously mapped flexure zone undergoing uplift; (2) high …

Mapping Bedrock Topography Of The Portage And Schoolcraft Nw 7.5’ Quadrangles, Kalamazoo Co. Mi, Using The Hvsr Passive Seismic Method, Benjamin B. Seiderman

Masters Theses

This study utilizes the Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) technique to map bedrock topography in the Portage and Schoolcraft NW quadrangles, Kalamazoo Co., MI, looking for buried bedrock valleys. Glacial sediment-landform assemblages dominate the study area, due to multiple advances of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS). Tunnel valleys, which are one type of buried valley, are eroded by subglacial meltwater and commonly filled with the coarser varieties of glacial outwash, making them potential aquifers. The HVSR technique measures the ratio of horizontal to vertical ground motion, excited by ambient seismic noise, resulting in a peak at the resonance frequency. …

Geochemical And Petrological Investigation Of The Prospective Ni-Cu-Pge Mineralization At The Echo Lake Intrusion In The Upper Peninsula Of Michigan, Usa, Alexander J. Koerber

Masters Theses

The Echo Lake Intrusion is located in Houghton and Ontonagon counties in the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan. The intrusion is approximately 200 m below the surface and covers approximately 18 km2 in lateral extent. It is associated with the magmatic activities of a 1.1 Ga geologic event called the Midcontinent Rift. The rift is responsible for the formation of Ni-Cu ± PGE deposits in the Lake Superior Region. Based on its association with the Midcontinent Rift and a Cu and PGE enriched layer, the Echo Lake intrusion is identified as a prospect for an economic magmatic sulfide deposit.

The …

Geologic Mapping Of The Bronson North And Bronson South 7.5-Minute Quadrangles, Branch County, Michigan, Karl John Backhaus

Masters Theses

This study contributes to a better understanding of the glacial history of southwest Michigan through detailed surficial geologic and bedrock topography mapping within the Bronson North and Bronson South Quadrangles in Branch County, Michigan. This project was supported during the summer of 2017 by the USGS EDMAP program in conjunction with the Michigan Geological Survey. Hand-auger borings, grain size analysis tests, passive seismic depth-to-bedrock measurements, and ground penetrating radar transects were collected for this study. There are 350 feet of bedrock relief from west to east across the quadrangles, including a bedrock cuesta of Mississippian Coldwater Shale. This cuesta underlies …

Mapping And Interpreting The Glacial Geology Of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan, Sarah M. Vandermeer

Dissertations

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is among the most popular parks in Michigan, yet prior to this study, it was the only National Park that lacked a detailed surficial geology map characterizing the distribution of sediments and landforms. Additionally, much of the landscape remained unexplored. These factors prevented thorough interpretations of landscape development and evolution. This research aims to map and further explore the relationship of glacial sediments and landforms throughout Pictured Rocks to refine and expand the current understanding of glacial events that shaped this landscape.

A new, detailed (1:24,000-scale) surficial geology map of the ten 7.5-minute quadrangles that contain …

An Lntegrated Approach (Remote Sensing, Hydrogeology, Geotechnical, And Geoinformatics) To Assess And Monitor Fossil Aquifers And Associated Land Deformation Over The Arabian Peninsula, Abdullah Ghurmullah Saeed Othman

Dissertations

Deformational features such as subsidence, sinkholes, fissures, settling and cracks in buildings and structures, and earthquakes are being reported from many of the world’s arid lands, in areas where fossil aquifers are being excessively exploited. Using the Lower Mega Aquifer System (LMAS) in Arabia as a test site, I applied an integrated approach (remote sensing, geodesy, GIS, geology, hydrogeology, and geotechnical) to identify nature, intensity, spatial distribution, and factors controlling the observed deformation in the central (Al-Qassim and Ha'il regions; area: 16×10⁴ km²) and the northern (Wadi As-Sirhan Basin; area: ~10.9×10⁴ km²) Arabia. A four -fold approach was adopted to …

Groundwater-Surface Water Interaction In The Headwater Of The White River, Manistee National Forest, Michigan, Ziqian Li

Masters Theses

Groundwater is a significant fresh water source in most areas and can be affected by potential changes to climate and precipitation from anthropogenic influences. Considering groundwater and surface water can be regarded as one hydrologic system, it is significant to understand the dynamics between precipitation, shallow groundwater and surface water in order to manage these resources.

Water samples were collected roughly biweekly from July 2016 to June 2017, and analyzed for electrical conductivity and stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen. During sample collection site visits, stream discharge and the groundwater heads from different wells were measured.

The stable isotopes of …

Karst Sub-Basin Delineation Via Dye Trace Study Near Turnhole Bend, Mammoth Cave National Park, Jake Tholen

Honors Theses

Establishing watershed boundaries is a critical stage in understanding the local water cycle. Drainage basins are typically identified by topographic divides; water flows to successively lower locations along the most direct path available. The karst terrain in Mammoth Cave National Park, however, presents additional challenges in identifying the boundaries of these basins. Underground drainages in the form of caves or conduits often do not correspond with surface topography. These passages can redirect water far from the most immediate surface release.

A dye trace study is designed to identify flow paths from the surface to springs along the Green River. Three …

Land Deformation Associated With Salt Domes Along The Red Sea Coastline, Hannah Pankratz

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

The southwest portion of Saudi Arabia is rapidly growing (in size and population) especially in the Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia where they are currently building a multibillion-dollar economic city along the coast of the Red Sea. The area of focus for this project is the old city of Jazan, which is ~45 km south of the proposed economic city. The old city of Jazan is located on a peninsula that is located on a ~4 km2 salt dome or diapir structure that is located ~40 meters above the relatively flat surroundings. This study is aimed at assessing the land deformation …

Evaluation Of Non-Ionic Surfactants With And Without Hydrogen Peroxide For The In-Situ Remediation Of Napl Contaminants, Charles E. Holada

Masters Theses

Laboratory studies were conducted on Quillaja saponins and nine other surfactants commonly used to remove non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) from soils and aquifers. The NAPL contaminant tested was diesel fuel. Static batch reactors containing an aged diesel-contaminated soil was treated with saponins and nine other commercially available surfactants to determine how much diesel fuel could be removed with the pore fluids after 1 day and 10 days of contact time. Of all the surfactants tested, saponins achieved the greatest removal of diesel fuel after 1 day and 10 days. There was large disparity in the diesel fuel removed by the …

Modeling Channel Response To Dam Removal In Lansing, Michigan, Using Swat, Ryan Filbin

Masters Theses

The removal of dams has increased in recent decades in the United States, largely resulting from decaying infrastructure and greater efforts to restore rivers to a more natural, free-flowing state. Dam removal presents the opportunity for increased public safety, improved environmental prosperity, and improved economic prosperity in conjunction with riverfront revitalization projects. The City of Lansing, Michigan, contains two moderate-to high-risk dams along the Grand River that pose a significant risk to the surrounding area in the event of structural failure.

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is applied to model the impacts of the Moores Park Dam and …

Gravity And Passive Seismic Methods Used Jointly For Understanding The Subsurface In A Glaciated Terrain: Dowling And Maple Grove Quadrangles, Barry County, Michigan, Scott A. Feldpausch

Masters Theses

The Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) passive, single sensor seismic technique has been used together with gravimetry to study the topography hidden below the glacial drift of two 7.5’ quadrangles in Barry Co., MI. 265 stations were observed with both instruments along roads at nominal spacings of about 0.4 to 0.8 km. Occasional water wells and oil wells with documented penetrations of the base of glacial were used to calibrate the local power law regression calibration. This was also compared with the statewide calibration curve previously established. Results are presented as maps of Simple Bouguer Anomaly, Residual Bouguer Anomaly, …

Geosciences Newsletter - 2017, Department Of Geosciences

Geological and Environmental Sciences News

Vol. 10, No. 1

• Greetings from the Chair
• Faculty and Staff Roster
• Faculty Updates
• Hydrogeology Field Course and Hydrogeology Certificate
• Notes from Field Mapping Course
• CoreKids
• Michigan Geological Survey
• MGRRE—Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education
• Distinguished Alumni Award
• Advisory Council
• Endowments and Corporate Donors
• Individual Donors and Grants
• Student Scholarships and Awards
• Department Publications
• Graduate Student Updates
• New Graduate Students
• Geology Club
• AAPG
• SEG
• Department Photos

Geosciences Newsletter - 2016, Department Of Geosciences

Geological and Environmental Sciences News

Vol. 8, No. 2

• Greetings from the Chair
• Faculty & Staff
• Michigan Geological Survey
• MGRRE
• CoreKids
• Geosciences Advisory Council
• 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award
• Endowments and Donors
• Department Publications
• Student Scholarships & Awards
• Our Students
• Student Organizations

Stratigraphy Of The Upper Devonian-Lower Mississippian Michigan Basin: Review And Revision With An Emphasis On The Ellsworth Petroleum System, Bryan J. Currie

Masters Theses

Compression associated with the formation of the Transcontinental Arch and the Acadian Mountains initiated subsidence in the Michigan Basin and lead to a depositional switch in the Michigan Basin from an oxic shallow-water carbonate platform (Traverse Group and Squaw Bay Limestone) to a deep anaerobic sea floor and the beginning of Upper Devonian Antrim Shale. The vertical distribution of the different Upper Devonian-Lower Mississippian formations and members demonstrates large scale cycles of anaerobic-dysaerobic transitions attributed fluctuations in sea-level, different rates of subsidence and sediment influx triggered by different orogenic events to.

The regional understanding and the distribution of the different …

Pore Characterizations And Distributions Within Niagaran – Lower Salina Reef Complex Reservoirs In The Silurian Northern Niagaran Pinnacle Reef Trend, Michigan Basin, Agam Arief Suhaimi

Masters Theses

The Northern Niagaran Pinnacle Reef Trend (NNPRT) has generated significant oil and gas production in Michigan. The best reservoir rock in the Reef Trend reservoirs are from porous and permeable dolomite of the Guelph Dolomite. Low-to-non reservoir limestone occurs interstratified with reservoir dolomite in many locations. This study utilizes available cores data, thin section Petrographic Image Analysis (PIA), Mercury Injection Capillary Pressure (MICP) and a newly developed Niagaran Reef depositional model (Rine, 2015) to characterize the distribution of pore geometry within each dolomitized Niagaran Reef Complex (Brown Niagaran – Lower Salina Group) reservoir facies and lithofacies. This study shows that …

The Importance Of Geologic Study For The Application Of Carbon Capture And Storage (Ccs) In Otsego County, Michigan, Matthew Rine

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

The most recent Paris climate talks emphasized the importance of reducing carbon dioxide pollution associated with burning fossil fuels. In an attempt to mitigate CO₂ emissions, carbon capture and storage (CCS), which is a process by which CO₂ is pulled from a smokestack before it is released into our atmosphere and buried deep underground, is currently underway in Otsego County, Michigan. In order to safely and effectively store CO₂ into deep geologic formations, it is critical to gain a better understanding for the geologic “storage tank” in which these fluids will be stored. As part of this …

Michigan Geological Repository For Research And Education News,Spring 2016, Michigan Geological Repository For Research And Education

MGRRE News

New Potash Facility to Open Near Evart, MI Bibliography of Michigan Geology MGRRE and MOGA Presented Workshop Additional Racking Constructed New Core Collection MGRRE's Role in Rediscovering a Large Potash Deposit The Many uses of Core and Sample Data MGRRE's Role in Rediscovering a Large Potash Deposit

Characterizing Groundwater Recharge And Streamflow Using Stable Isotopes Of Oxygen And Hydrogen, Chanse M. Ford

Masters Theses

Potential changes to climate and precipitation patterns from anthropogenic influences like global climate change could have an impact on Michigan’s groundwater resources. Indirectly this could have an effect on Michigan’s surface waters as well, since groundwater and surface waters are intimately linked to form one system.

This investigation utilized stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen found in precipitation, groundwater and surface waters to better understand the contribution of different types of precipitation to recharge of a shallow aquifer in Manistee National Forest, MI. The study also examines the contribution of this shallow groundwater to streamflow in the nearby White River. …

Evaluation Of An Alternative Natural Surfactant For Non Aqueous Phase Liquid Remediation, Brian A. Beach

Masters Theses

Applications of surfactant technology in the environmental remediation industry can greatly enhance the success of non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) remediation. Saponins derived from the bark of the Quillaja soapbark tree were evaluated as an alternative natural surfactant. Properties including the critical micelle concentration, emulsion kinetics and the solubilization enhancement of sixteen PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) were measured. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) for Quillaja saponin was found to be 60 mg/L. Soil contaminated with NAPL from a former manufactured gas plant was used to evaluate saponin’s ability to enhance the solubilization of PAHs commonly found in NAPL. Although solubilization enhancement …

Extent Of Capillary Rise In Sands And Silts, Rachel Lynn Salim

Masters Theses

The values reported in literature for the height of capillary rise in fine sands, silts, and clays are contradictory. Most of the values were based on mathematical models, which used estimated rather than measured input data. This work measured capillary rise values in laboratory experiments in fine-grained sands and silts.

Two uniform sands with grains 0.35--0.7 mm in diameter and 0.3-0.6 mm in diameter, silt with an average grain size below 40 microns, and 0.35--0.7 mm sand coated with a water-repellant spray were carefully packed into two-inch diameter glass columns. These columns were placed into clear plastic tanks with water …

Slug Tests In Unconfined Aquifers, Rozkar Izzaddin Ismael

Masters Theses

This research presents a hydraulic conductivity (K) analysis of unconfined aquifers using slug tests. Slug tests are used to determine in situ aquifer hydraulic conductivity more quickly and economically than by a pump test. This study examines how to best conduct a slug test using a physical slug. Different common slug test analysis methods are compared, including Bouwer and Rice (1976), Hvorslev (1951), Dagan (1978) and Kansas Geological Survey (KGS, 1994). Questions that motivated this study include: Which methods are better for performing and analyzing slug tests? Does the size of the physical slug affect the results? Do large initial …

Lnfluence Of Persulfate On Solidification/Stabilization Characteristics Of Iss Treatment, Jeffrey M. Hudson

Masters Theses

Two environmental remediation technologies that lend themselves well to being combined in a single application are In Situ Chemical Oxidation (ISCO) using activated persulfate (PS), and In Situ Stabilization (ISS). Persulfate can be activated by increasing the pH to 10.5 and/or increasing temperatures to 30ºC. Many common ISS amendments increase temperature to 30°C and/or pH to 10.5 when in contact with soil water. Laboratory experiments were conducted with various soils to determine the ability of eight ISS amendments to activate persulfate. All eight ISS amendments activated persulfate. This work also showed that the relative contribution of heat vs. alkaline activation …

Differentiating Saginaw From Huron-Erie Lce Lobe Meltwater Deposits In South Central Michigan Using Longitudinal Profiles, Grain Size Analysis, And Lithology, Nathan R. Erber

Masters Theses

The Saginaw and Huron-Erie lobes of the Laurentide Ice Sheet had a significant impact on the landscape of south-central Michigan after the Late Glacial Maximum. During the advances and retreats of these lobes, a complicated network of meltwater channels developed. Two goals of this study are: 1) to use sand-grain lithology, grain-size analysis, and longitudinal profiles to determine if a difference exists between Saginaw lobe and Huron-Erie lobe meltwater deposits; and 2) to determine if a large meltwater sluiceway containing the modern St. Joseph River had a source of meltwater and outwash from the Huron-Erie lobe. Two cores from drumlinized …

Geochemical And Petrological Characterizations Of Peridotite And Related Rocks In Marquette County, Michigan, Andrew Lloyd Sasso

Masters Theses

This study characterizes the following rock units in Marquette County, Michigan in terms of geochemistry and petrology: (1) Presque Isle Peridotite, (2) Deer Lake Peridotite, (3) Yellowdog Peridotite, and (4) Black Rock Point Gabbro. Analyses were conducted to determine if any petrological or geochemical relationships exist between these units, and to assess the potential of these units to host magmatic sulfide deposits.

The generated data and chosen geotectonic proxies indicate that Black Rock Point Gabbro and Deer Lake Peridotite crystallized from unrelated magmas, probably during the formation of the Great Lakes Tectonic Zone (2.7-1.85 Ga). No evidence was found which …

Stable Isotope Investigations Of Two Components Of The Cryosphere: Snow And Icicle Formation, Thomas C. Brubaker

Masters Theses

Understanding the processes that govern the cryosphere is necessary to understand the water budget within an area that receives significant winter precipitation. This research investigates two components of the cryosphere, namely snow and icicle formation, through the application of the stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen.

Stable isotope measurements from precipitation collected throughout the winter of 2013-2014 are presented. The measured isotope values are in discord with known isotope effects. This discrepancy hints at a previously unexplored atmospheric phenomenon, where the enriched oxygen isotope signature of atmospheric ozone was incorporated, via photochemical reactions, into water vapor which subsequently fell as …

Geochemical And Petrological Studies On The Origin Of Nickel-Copper Sulfide Mineralization At The Eagle Lntrusion In Marquette County, Michigan, Benjamin Davis Hinks

Masters Theses

The Eagle magmatic intrusion is located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in Marquette County. It hosts a high grade magmatic nickel-copper sulfide ore deposit. Country rocks surrounding the Eagle intrusion are metamorphosed slate and greywacke of the Proterozoic Michigamme Formation and Archean granite-gneiss. The aim of this thesis is to characterize the magmatic sulfide mineral deposit at Eagle and to establish its relationship to the surrounding host rocks of the Baraga Basin area.

The Eagle East intrusion is located 600 meters east of the Eagle intrusion. These two intrusions are similar in composition and sulfide mineralization. Sulfide textural domains …