Earth Sciences Commons^™

Inside Front & Back Covers: Changes And Variability Of Urban Sprawl - Implications For Local Climate Change, Robert Hellström

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Lithophysal Geometry On The Uniaxial Compression Of Tuff-Like Rock, Douglas B. Rigby, Moses Karakouzian, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

The purpose of this report is to summarize the work and present conclusions of Project Activity Task ORD-FY04-013 conducted under Cooperative Agreement No. DEFC28- 04RW12232 between the U.S. Department of Energy and the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE). This document describes results of laboratory testing on analog lithophysal tuff (Hydro-StoneTB®) conducted in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV) from 2004 to 2006.

Some Applications Of Gaussian Quadrature And Neural Network Modeling In Earth Flows And Other Slow-Moving Landslides In Cohesive Slope Materials, Rennie Bwalya Kaunda

Dissertations

Geometrical changes and progressive displacements in earth flows and other slow moving landslides triggered by climatic changes may be addressed by digital modeling. Gaussian quadrature, a numerical integration technique though fixed points, is employed to compute geometrical areas defined by stratigraphic (soil or rock layering) units, vertical pole projections and a slip surface, based on kinematic admissibility. An example from the Lake Michigan coast shows that the total internal geometrical area is found to be preserved during the course of the progressive deformation. Displacement monitoring of the slope shows that it became less stable over a period of eleven years …

Towards A Better Understanding Of The Hydrology Of The Tigris- Euphrates System And Its Marshlands, Christopher K. Jones

Masters Theses

Rising demands for fresh water supplies are leading to water management practices that are altering natural flow systems world-wide. One of the most devastated of these natural systems is the Tigris-Euphrates watershed that over the past three decades has witnessed the construction of over 60 engineering projects that eliminated seasonal flooding, reduced natural flow and dramatically reduced the areal extent (1966: 11000 km² ; 2002: 750 km²) of the Mesopotamian Marshes downstream. We constructed a continuous (1964 to 1998) catchment-based rainfall runoff model for the entire Tigris-Euphrates watershed (area: one million km²) using the SWAT …

Modeling Effects Of Channel Complexity And Hyporheic Flow On Stream Temperatures, Chris Berger, Scott A. Wells

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Stream temperatures are affected by multiple forcing functions, including surface heat exchange (including solar radiation, evaporation, conduction, and net long wave radiation) and hyporheic flows. Each of these forcing functions is directly influenced by the level of channel complexity in the stream channel and riparian shading. The interrelationship between channel complexity, hyporheic flow and stream temperature is highly complex, and efforts to manage for habitat diversity by managing channel complexity could result in unintended consequences on stream temperature. When planning modifications to stream channel complexity, consideration should be given to the effects such moderations could have on stream temperatures.

Urbanization …

Seismic Field Survey Of The Ground Of The National Research Institute Of Astronomy And Geophysics, Mohamed Said Hanno

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Sea Surface Pco2‐Sst Relationships Across A Cold‐Core Cyclonic Eddy: Implications For Understanding Regional Variability And Air‐Sea Gas Exchange, Feizhou Chen, Wei‐Jun Cai, Claudia R. Benitez-Nelson, Yongchen Wang

Faculty Publications

[1] This study is designed to improve the understanding of how biologically productive, cold‐core cyclonic eddies affect sea surface pCO2 in the lee of the main Hawaiian Islands in the subtropical North Pacific Gyre. We identified three unique relationships between pCO2 and sea surface temperature (SST). A positive correlation between pCO2 and SST was observed in the waters surrounding the eddy suggesting surface CO2 is controlled primarily by thermodynamics. In contrast, a negative relationship was observed within the eddy core as a result of the upwelling of CO2‐enriched subsurface waters. A third relationship existed throughout the rest …

Slides: The Future Of Federal Wetlands Regulation, Mark Squillace

The Future of Federal Wetlands Regulation After Rapanos (May 10)

Presenter: Professor Mark Squillace, Director, Natural Resources Law Center, University of Colorado School of Law

35 slides

Agenda: The Future Of Federal Wetlands Regulation After Rapanos, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center

The Future of Federal Wetlands Regulation After Rapanos (May 10)

Hot-Topic Discussion held at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck in Denver, Colorado on May 10, 2007 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Speaker: Mark Squillace, Director of the Natural Resources Law Center, University of Colorado School of Law.

Commentators: Wayne Forman and Michelle Kales, attorneys, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

"Rapanos v. United States, 547 U.S. 715 (2006), was a United States Supreme Court case challenging federal jurisdiction to regulate isolated wetlands under the Clean Water Act. It was the first major environmental case heard by the newly appointed Chief Justice, John Roberts and Associate Justice, Samuel Alito. The Supreme Court …

Origin And Tectonic Evolution Of Gondwana Sequence Units Accreted To The Banda Arc: A Structural Transect Through Central East Timor, Elizabeth Anick Zobell

Theses and Dissertations

Petrographic and age analysis of sandstones, detailed structural analysis and gravity modeling were conducted to investigate the origin of the Gondwana Sequence in the Timor Region, and to better constrain the tectonic evolution of the active Banda Arc. Our field studies and U/Pb zircon age analysis helped assign most units to either Asian or Australian affinity. Detrital zircon from uplifted Banda forearc units (Asian affinity) have U/Pb ages as young as 80 Ma (Standley and Harris, in press). In contrast, analysis of detrital zircon from Gondwana Sequence sandstones accreted to the Banda Arc from Savu to East Timor are no …

Dendrochronological Analysis Of Oak (Quercus) Tree Cores From The Wilsford Barn, Shreve, Wayne County, Ohio

Historic Structures

Dating historical structures in Wayne County, Ohio using dendrochronology. The Historical Structures collection consists of reports that are the result of dendochronological analysis of timbers from structures in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Contributors: Belding, Elyssa; Wiles, Greg

Dendrochronological Analysis Of Oak Tree (Quercus) Beams From The Original Schumaker Cabin, Coshocton County, Ohio

Historic Structures

Dating historical structures in Coshocton County, Ohio using dendrochronology. The Historical Structures collection consists of reports that are the result of dendochronological analysis of timbers from structures in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Contributors: Belding, Elyssa; Wiles, Greg.

Dendrochronological Analysis Of Oak (Quercus) Beams From The Coshocton (Darr) Log Barn, Coshocton County, Ohio

Historic Structures

Dating historical structures in Coshocton County, Ohio using dendrochronology. The Historical Structures collection consists of reports that are the result of dendochronological analysis of timbers from structures in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Contributors: Belding, Elyssa; Wiles, Greg.

Dendrochronological Analysis Of Oak (Quercus) Tree Cores And Cross-Sections From The Larry Reed Log Barn, Noble County, Ohio

Historic Structures

Dating historical structures in Noble County, Ohio using dendrochronology. The Historical Structures collection consists of reports that are the result of dendochronological analysis of timbers from structures in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Contributors: Belding, Elyssa; Wiles, Greg

High-Resolution Stratigraphy At A Coastal Drillhole, Beth Wrege

All Theses

Lithologic descriptions of continuous core interpreted in conjunction with borehole geophysical logs were used to determine thicknesses of hydrologic and geologic units at CR-622 in the coastal plain of North Carolina. Borehole geophysics was used to adjust the position of core loss within each cored interval and to supplement lithology to determine the stratigraphy of missing segments of core. Although some geophysical logs produce non-unique lithologic solutions, a complete normal stratigraphic profile may be obtained with the addition of continuous core. Curve characteristics within geophysical logs provide precise identification of transitional sequences and can be used to calibrate lithostratigraphy. The …

An Analysis Of Key Aspects Of Warm And Cool Season Flash Flooding In The Southern Appalachians, William Baldwin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Flash flooding kills more people in the United States than any other severe weather phenomenon. One of the most vulnerable areas for flooding is the southern Appalachians. These mountains lie in a geographical location that places them near the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, two major moisture source regions. This ample supply of moisture, mid-latitude circulation patterns, and orographic lifting leads to annual precipitation totals in the southern Appalachians that are comparable to locations along the Gulf coast. The present study investigates eight non-tropical flash flood events. Four of the events occurred in the cool season and four …

Storm Response And Water Balance Of Temperate Rainforest Karst Watersheds: Tongass National Forest, Alaska, Johanna Kovarik

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska contains 2,176 square kilometers of karst. As part of the evolving Tongass Land Management Plan, research into the function of karst systems is crucial in understanding how forest management affects not only karst areas but also surrounding ecosystems. Dye trace and water balance results in two watersheds on the north end of Prince of Wales Island demonstrate the difficulty in containing the effects of management, as water can enter karst catchments from unknown sources at different flow regimes. A dye trace was conducted in Windgate and Canyon Block watersheds. Two sinking streams were …

Agricultural Contaminant Source And Transport In A Karst Groundwater Basin, Patricia Kambesis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Agricultural land use in areas that are located in karst groundwater basins negatively impact groundwater quality because karst terrains provide multiple, direct hydrologic connections from the surface into karst aquifers. The connections and rapid velocities associated with surface and subsurface flow in karst aquifers allow for contaminants to move quickly into and through a groundwater basin. When groundwater returns to the surface via a spring or springs, any contaminants within the water become part of surface streams and rivers. These in turn, impact water quality in areas located downstream of the spring or springs. The purpose of this study was …

Spatio-Temporal Analysis Of Observed Soil Moisture From Nebraska, Ashley Littell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Soil moisture is a measure of the water content in a soil that is dependent upon precipitation, evapotranspiration, runoff, drainage, and irrigation. Nebraska is one of the few states that measures soil moisture in an extensive network that records weather variables on a daily basis. Daily soil moisture observations are collected from depths of 10, 25, 50, and 100 centimeters and analyzed in this research. Data from these stations are evaluated on the spatial and temporal scales using spatial interpolations, time-series analysis, and cross-correlations to better understand the variations of soil moisture in the Northern Great Plains. Spatial interpolation grids …

The Influence Of Grazing Systems On Grassland Bird Density, Productivity, And Species Richness On Private Rangeland In The Nebraska Sandhills, Silka Lori Finkbeiner Kempema

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

No abstract provided.

Conservation And Beneficial Functions Of Grassland Birds In Agroecosystems, Andrea Victoria Hanson

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

No abstract provided.

Direct Analysis Of Solid Corrosion Products By Laser Ablation Icp-Ms: Method Development And The Interaction Of Aqueous Uranium, Gadolinium And Neodymium With Iron Shot And Iron (Iii) Oxide, James Cizdziel, Klaus J. Stetzenbach, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

The purpose of this report is to summarize the work and present conclusions of Project Activity Task ORD-RF-03 conducted under cooperative agreement number DE-FC28-04RW12237 between the U.S. Department of Energy and the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE). The work was conducted in the Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies of the University of Nevada Las Vegas from October 1, 2004 to September 30, 2006. The purpose of the study was to develop a method using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) for the direct analysis of iron corrosion products, to evaluate its capabilities, advantages, and limitations, and …

The Marriage Of Eolian Rock Properties And Deformation Of The Nugget Formation; Anschutz Ranch East Field: Northeast Utah And Southwest Wyoming, Dustin J. Keele

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Nugget Formation in the Anschutz Ranch East field, northeast Utah and southwest Wyoming, provides an exceptional example of how primary eolian rock properties have a considerable influence on the style of structural deformation. Both new and existing subsurface data were integrated for an overall characterization of sedimentologic and diagenetic heterogeneities, which demonstrate relationships with different styles of structural compartmentalization in reservoirs. The Anschutz Ranch East field is a large asymmetric anticlinal trap in the Utah-Wyoming thrust belt. Three cores were analyzed in order to investigate brittle deformation in eolian facies: dune, apron, and interdune. Selected cores are located along …

Re-Evaluation Of The Jesse Ewing Canyon Formation: Implications For Neoproterozoic Paleogeography And Tectonic Setting Of Northeastern Utah, Andrew M. Brehm

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Detailed analysis of the basal unit of the Uinta Mountain Group, the Jesse Ewing Canyon Formation, of northeastern Utah and northwestern Colorado, expands on previous work by further documenting the character of the unit and proposing a revision of the description of the formation and interpretation. The Jesse Ewing Canyon Formation is ~≤1,000 meters thick as opposed to ≤225 meters thick, and the dominant lithology is not conglomerate, but rather finer-grained facies. The Jesse Ewing Canyon Formation reveals multiple alluvial fan point sources feeding a shallow body of water in an active rift basin at ~781 Ma.

Stratigraphic mapping, measured …

Sequence Stratigraphy Of The Middle Cambrian Marjum Formation: Response Of Sedimentary Facies And Biota To Sea-Level Changes, Douglas D. Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research on the Marjum Formation provides insight into facies transitions in the House Range embayment of southwestern Utah during the Middle Cambrian. Sections of the Marjum Formation and equivalents were measured in strata representing shallow- (Drum Mountains), intermediate- (Wheeler Amphitheater), and deep-ramp (Marjum Pass) environments. This traverse across the embayment reveals strong litho- and biofacies changes. The Drum Mountains strata (343 m thick) are dominated by thick-bedded shallow-water limestone facies containing polymerid trilobites and stromatolites. The Wheeler Amphitheater locality (392 m thick) provides an example of intermediate deposits between deep-water and shallow-water environments and is characterized by limestone and subordinate …

Effects Of Quaternary Climate Change On Tributary Sedimentation And Geomorphology In Eastern Grand Canyon, Benjamin D. Dejong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Climate variability has had a dramatic impact on eastern Grand Canyon tributaries over the past ~100 ky. This is readily observed in the Lava Chuar and Comanche catchments, which host well preserved colluvial remnants and river terraces that resulted from several climate-induced cycles of aggradation and incision. This study investigates these climate responses using surveying, sedimentology, and luminescence geochronology methods to investigate the mechanisms and timing of their deposition.

The survey data demonstrate that the concavity of terrace treads is lower than modern drainages. The sedimentology suggests the prevalence of stream-flow reworking of debris flow deposits and portrays an expected …

Discharge Monitoring, Chemical Characterization, And Source Identification Of Springs Along The East Side Of Southern Cache Valley, Utah, Aric Alan Olsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Discharge monitoring and water sampling of springs in the southeastern portion of Cache Valley, Utah was performed in order to determine recharge sources and the cause of decreasing flows for some springs. The discharges of 43 springs were measured monthly from May or June of 2005 through March of 2006. Water samples from 36 of these springs plus an additional 10 were analyzed for major ions and trace metals. Twenty-one of the springs were analyzed for deuterium and oxygen-18 and 10 of these were analyzed for tritium.

The springs were divided into groups based on when they had their peak …

Structural Characterization Of Three Southeast Segments Of The Clark Fault, Salton Trough California, Benjamin E. Belgarde

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We examine the structural complexities of a 28-km long part of the Clark fault of the San Jacinto fault zone in southern California in order to better document its lateral extent and the style of deformation of its southeast end. Changes in structural style are observed as the Clark fault’s damage zone widens from ~ 1-2 km in crystalline rocks of the Peninsular Ranges southeastward to ~ 18 km in the sedimentary rocks of the San Felipe-Borrego subbasin of the Salton Trough. The Clark fault extends into the San Felipe-Borrego subbasin as the Arroyo Salada segment for ~ 11-12 km …

Salinity, Ph, Temperature, Desiccation And Hypoxia Tolerance In The Invasive Freshwater Apple Snail Pomacea Insularum, Veena Ramakrishnan

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

Pomacea insularum is a tropical and subtropical, ampullariid, freshwater prosobranch snail that is native to slow-flowing rivers and canals in South America. It is a member of the genus, Pomacea, and, like other species in this genus, can be a severe agricultural pest in wetland rice and taro agriculture systems. It has been introduced to the United States, establishing populations in the rice belt region of southeastern Texas. The resistance adaptations of P. insularum were investigated with respect to important physico-chemical parameters including temperature, salinity, pH, emersion, desiccation and progressive hypoxia in order to predict its potential distribution in North …

The Geologic History Of Subsurface Arkosic Sedimentary Rocks In The San Andreas Fault Observatory At Depth (Safod) Borehole, Central California, Sarah D. Draper

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The aim of the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD) project, a component of the NSF Earthscope Initiative, is to directly observe active fault processes at seismogenic depths through the drilling of a 3 km deep (true vertical depth) inclined borehole across San Andreas fault. Preliminary subsurface models based on surface mapping and geophysical data predicted different lithologies than were actually encountered. At 1920 meters measured depth (mmd), a sequence of well-indurated, interbedded arkosic conglomerates, sandstones, and siltstones was encountered. We present a detailed lithologic and structural characterization as a step toward understanding the complex geologic history of this …