Earth Sciences Commons^™

The Borehol Wall Image Digital Description Method Of The Overlying Rock Structural Planes Evdution Process In Deep Mining, Wang Jinchao, Zou Junpeng, Li Shenghai, Wang Chao, Li Xiaobin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective In China, as mineral resource mining is increasingly expanding towards the deep parts of the Earth, the safe and efficient exploitation of deep resources has become a major strategic and technological challenge at the national level to be addressed urgently. Understanding the movement patterns of mining-affected strata in deep environments will assist in improving the intelligent prevention and control of mine disasters, thereby ensuring the safe and efficient exploitation of deep resources. Methods Targeting the complex and diverse forms of the overburden’s structural planes in deep mining, as well as a lack of characterization methods tailored to the evolutionary …

A Method Integrating A Non-Stationary Random Field For Constrained Inversion Of Csamt Data, Dai Qianwei, Guo Luyao, Wu Yun, Xiong Zhexian, Duan Dan, Bao Zhonglin, Wu Hongfei, Hao Fengyun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The inversion of controlled-source audio-frequency magnetotelluric (CSAMT) data remains challenging due to two key issues: computational efficiency and resolution. To tackle these two issues, especially the over-smoothing effect caused by traditional regularization methods in estimating complex geological structures, this study proposed an improved regularization inversion method to reflect the spatial distribution characteristics of subsurface physical property parameters more accurately. Methods The proposed method was developed using the method for establishing the stochastic partial differential equation (SPDE) based on the Matérn covariance function. By introducing vector fields and the shape parameters of a range ellipse, this method fully considered both …

A Visual Positioning Method For Tunnel Boring Machines In Underground Coal Mines Based On Anchor Net Features, Zhang Xuhui, Chi Yunkai, Du Yuyang, Jiang Junying, Yang Wenjuan, Zhao Youjun, Wan Jicheng, Wang Yanqun, Tian Chenhui

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Precise positioning of tunnel boring machines (TBMs) in underground coal mines plays a fundamental role in the automated and intelligent guidance and control of fully mechanized heading face. However, traditional visual positioning methods show limited application effects in underground roadways due to their narrow and enclosed spaces, insufficient illumination, and sparse textures. This study proposed a visual positioning method for TBMs in underground coal mines based on anchor net features.Methods A three-stream depthwise separable convolutional neural network (TSCR-NET) for image enhancement was employed to estimate the reflection, illumination, and noise in images individually. Through illumination adjustment while suppressing …

Spatiotemporal Evaluation Of Water Quality, Metal Pollution, And Human Health Risks In A Dredged Urban River, New Jersey, Usa, Oluwafemi Soetan, Qingzhi Zhu, Huan Feng

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Although the short-term effectiveness of remedial sediment dredging (RSD) on mitigating sediment contamination in the lower Passaic river (LPR), New Jersey, USA, was previously established in previous studies, dredging impacts on overlying water and consequential effects on aquatic life and human health were not investigated through model-based risk assessment methods. This study assessed the influence of RSD on metal pollution and toxicological risks upstream and downstream of River Mile-3.4, which was the subject of a 2012 RSD. Over the pre-, during-, and post-dredging periods, threats to aquatic life and humans were greater upstream at River Mile-4 (WQIavg. ≥ 50, PIavg. …

Assessing The Effects Of Design Modifications On The Use Of Wildlife Exits Designed For Endangered Texas Ocelots, Rupesh Maharjan, Jamie E. Langbein, John H. Young, Kevin W. Ryer, Alejandro Fierro-Cabo, Md Saydur Rahman, Richard Kline

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Roadside exclusionary fencing is commonly used on highways to prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions. Although it can mitigate wildlife road mortality by limiting their access to the road, it can also create a barrier for wildlife stranded within the right-of-way. On State Highway 100 in Texas, the Texas Department of Transportation installed 10 wildlife exits (WEs) to allow endangered ocelots and other wildlife to escape the fenced roadway and minimize wildlife-vehicle collisions. Our study compared three types of WE designs within the same area from 2019 to 2024 to assess their effectiveness. The first design (Design A) was without a door and …

Updated Take Estimates Of Marine Turtles In The Guajira Peninsula, Venezuela, Royner Carrasquero-Labarca, Matthew Ware, Jordano Palmar, Daniela Rojas-Cañizales, Héctor Barrios-Garrido

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The Guajira Peninsula is one of the most important foraging grounds areas for marine turtles in Venezuela. There, five species converging: the green turtle, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, and olive ridley. The Wayuú indigenous people are inhabits of the Guajira Peninsula. They have a close relationship with these animals, and for generations, they have used these species as subsistence resources. Marine turtle take has always occurred in this area and has historically been high; it is still happening now, but the current extent is unknown. For that reason, we aimed to assess and update the estimate for marine turtles take in …

First Insight On The Genesis Of Iron Oxide-Hydroxide Biospeleothems In Rancho Chico Lava Tube, Mexico, Rafael López-Martínez, Elizabeth Solleiro-Rebolledo, Rocio Alcántara-Hernández, Teresa Pi Puig, Sergey Sedov, Daisy Valera Fernández, M. Nayeli Luis-Vargas, Yasmany Lima Vera, Jesús Solé, Ramon Espinasa-Pereña

International Journal of Speleology

Iron is a common element in lava tube systems, typically observed as thin crusts or inferred from the reddish coloration of secondary mineral deposits. In this study, we describe iron oxide-hydroxide biospeleothems discovered in the Rancho Chico Lava Tube, located within the Xalapa Monogenetic Volcanic Field in Mexico. We adopt an integrative approach combining petrography, soil micromorphology, scanning electron microscopy, mineralogy, and 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding. DNA sequencing reveals the presence of microorganisms such as Acidithiobacillus, Gallionella, and members of the Leptospirillaceae family, which may be involved in the oxidation of Fe²⁺ within the lava tube. The source …

A Comprehensive Systematic Review Of Machine Learning Applications In Assessing Land Use/Cover Dynamics And Their Impact On Land Surface Temperatures, Rasool Vahid, Mohamed Aly

Environmental Dynamics Faculty Publications and Presentations

In a world experiencing rapid urbanization, the phenomenon of land surface temperature (LST) variation has invited substantial attention due to its profound impact on the environment and human well-being. Changes in land use and land cover (LULC) within urban areas significantly influence the dynamics of LST and are a major driver of urban eco-environmental change. The complex connections between LULC dynamics, LST, and climate change are investigated in this systematic review, with a focus on the combined effects of these variables and the use of Machine Learning (ML) techniques. The data in this study, based on peer-reviewed publications from the …

Stratigraphic Evidence Of Backwater Morphodynamics And Lowland River Deltas In The Northern Hemisphere Of Mars, C.M. Hughes, J.B. Shaw, A.M. Fernandes, T.E. Swanson

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Backwater morphodynamics describe feedbacks between hydraulics and sedimentation in fluvio-deltaic systems in the coastal backwater zone. On Earth, normalized channel belt width decreases approaching the coastline and drops sharply at the start of the backwater zone. This systematic decrease allows a backwater/belt-width window to be defined, one backwater length upstream from the coast with normalized widths from 2 to 6. We use the backwater/belt-width window to interpret backwater morphodynamics and estimate backwater length on Mars using narrowing channel belts at Aeolis Dorsa. We measure nine belts from martian delta deposits and compare normalized width to distance upstream from an ancient …

Machine Learning-Based Variance Analysis Of Brightness Temperature In Simulated Satellite Footprints, Chhaya R. Kulkarni, Nikki Prive, Vandana P. Janeja

I-GUIDE Forum

This study investigates the variance in brightness temperature (BT) within simulated satellite footprints for Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSE), focusing specifically on Channels 5 and 11 of the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU-A). High-resolution atmospheric simulations from the DYnamics of the Atmospheric general circulation Modeled On Non-hydrostatic Domains (DYAMOND) dataset were utilized to generate brightness temperature data using the Python interface for the Community Radiative Transfer Model (PyCRTM). A computational design map incorporating Random Forest and Association Rule Mining was employed to identify and validate key atmospheric variables influencing BT variance. This ensemble approach facilitated a deeper understanding of atmospheric …

Sea Turtle Nesting On Nourished Beaches With Different Construction Designs: A Case Study In Southeast Florida, Usa., Lara Novalvos Hernandez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the influences of different beach nourishment designs and subsequent post-nourishment profile adjustments on loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtles nest survival and reproductive success. Data on time-series post-nourishment beach-profile changes, positions and elevations of turtle tracks and nest/false-crawl apices, and sea turtle nest hatch/emergence success were collected on five high density nesting beaches along the east coast of Florida: Melbourne Beach, Jensen Beach, Jupiter Island Beach, Juno Beach, and South Hutchinson Island Beach. The field data collection was conducted in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 with the main goal of documenting and comparing turtle …

Usu Luminescence Lab Project 356: Durango Colorado Glacial And Fluvial Deposit Luminescence Age Results, Tammy M. Rittenour

Browse all Datasets

Luminescence dating of outwash terraces and glacial moraines. Project investigated the age of older (Bull Lake?) glacial advance sequences near Durango Colorado. Project was supervised by Dr. Jon Harvey at Fort Lewis College. Research was part of an undergraduate research project conducted by Josh Lingbloom.

From The Amazon To The Andes: Paleoclimatic And Paleoenvironmental Changes Recorded By Sedimentary Biomarkers Since The Late Pleistocene, Alessandro Antúnez De Mayolo Mauceri

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The South American tropics encompass some of Earth's most diverse and dynamic landscapes, from tropical glaciers and arid deserts to savannahs, shrublands, and the planet’s largest and most biodiverse rainforest—spread across a vast climatic and topographic gradient. These biomes provide vital natural resources that sustain communities, bolster economies, and serve as key components of the global hydrologic and carbon cycles. Despite their environmental and socioeconomic importance, these tropical systems are highly vulnerable to contemporary and future climate change and its cascading impacts. Adding to this challenge, the scarcity and short duration of instrumental climate records from this region pose major …

An Integrated Geophysical Approach For Estimating The Depth Of Mineral Potential In Some Part Of Basement Complex Terrain Southwestern Nigeria, Hamid Titilope Oladunjoye, Joseph Coker, Niyi-Ola Adebisi, Omolara Abosede Adenuga, Sofiat Adetomilola Adekoya, Aderemi Alabi, Abisola Akinmoladun

Al-Bahir

Effective mineral exploration in a basement complex necessitates precise delineation of overburden thickness and mineral potential within the Basement Complex terrain. This study examined the subsurface geology and assesses the abundance of prospective mineral deposits within the study area The objective of the study was to outline the overburden thickness and infer mineral potential using integrated ground magnetic and electrical resistivity geophysical methods. The electrical resistivity method unraveled the litho-stratigraphic sequence as surmised from geo-electric layers. Consequently, the mineralization of the basement delineated was characterized by the magnetic method. The acquired data were processed using WINRESIST and Oasis Montaj respectively. …

Quantifying Wellbore Effects During Co2 Sequestration In A Saline Aquifer, Uzoma Johnpaul Ajugwe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a strategy for mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from large stationary sources like fossil-fuel-fired power stations. One method of CCS involves carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in deep saline aquifers, where supercritical CO2 is injected into an aquifer. The success of such projects depends on accurate predictions of CO2 behavior within the subsurface, which are obtained through numerical simulations.

TOUGHREACT, a renowned simulation tool, models subsurface fluid flow, geochemical interactions, and solute transport, providing insights into the feasibility of CO2 sequestration projects. A critical aspect of these simulations is the apportioning of …

The Discovery, Communication, And Implementation Of New Geologic Findings: Examining The Cascadia Earthquake, Saylor Brainard

University Honors Theses

The Cascadia Subduction Zone, located off the Coast of the Pacific Northwest, is at risk of generating a 9.0 magnitude earthquake in the near future. Despite its significance, the discovery of the seismic potential of Cascadia didn't occur until 1987, when geologist Brian Atwater searched for non-traditional forms of earthquake evidence. As decades of continued research fleshed out Atwater's initial discovery, the implications associated with the discovery became apparent, presenting Washington and Oregon with the high probability that a massive earthquake will take place within the next century. Communicating the severity of this geologic discovery to both the public and …

Characterization Of The Quaternary Active Twin Lakes Fault, Mount Hood, Oregon, Johnathan Peterson

University Honors Theses

The High Cascades chain of volcanoes results from Cascade Arc volcanism and is responsible for the generation of the highest topography in the state of Oregon. Surrounding Mt. Hood at the crest of the Cascade chain in northern Oregon is the Mt. Hood Fault Zone, an extensional fault zone of generally north-south trending normal faults that down-drop this high volcanic topography. The Twin Lakes Fault is located just south of Mt. Hood and is one of the southernmost faults in the Mt. Hood Fault Zone, previously mapped as approximately 12-13 km in length. This study provides the first in-depth characterization …

How’S It Growing? Tools For Observing Snow And Sea Ice In A Changing Arctic Ocean, Ian Alexander Raphael

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

September Arctic sea ice extent has diminished by roughly 50% in the 45 years since satellite observations began. The Arctic Ocean may experience ice-free summers within the next decade, with implications for habitat, resource extraction, geopolitics, and local and global climate change. To predict how Arctic sea ice will change in the future, we need to understand its behavior in the present. In situ sea ice mass balance measurements (snow accumulation, ice growth, snow and ice surface melt, and bottom melt) are essential for studying the processes driving rapid changes in the ice pack, and for validating remote sensing measurements …

Elemental Analysis Of Sediments In Johnson County, Kansas: Applications In Fluvial Suspended Sediment Tracing, Kiena Campbell

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This exploratory study investigates whether bulk elemental analysis of sediment samples using inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) can reveal chemical signatures that identify anthropogenic contributions to sedimentation and increased fluvial suspended sediment loads, and whether these contribution sources can be identified. Human activity, urbanization, and changes in land use increase erosion, resulting in higher-than-natural suspended sediments (SS) in waterways and increasing sedimentation in reservoirs across the state of Kansas. These threats to freshwater storage capacity are especially urgent given the projected rise in freshwater demand in the Great Plains region driven by climate change. Understanding the origin of anthropogenic SS …

Great Work Is Done While We Sleep, Julie Wildschut

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Ecostress Collection 2 Evapotranspiration Products: Strengths And Uncertainties For Evapotranspiration Modeling, Zoe Amie Pierrat, Adam J. Purdy, Gregory Halverson, Joshua B. Fisher, Kanishka Mallick, Madeleine Pascolini-Campbell, Youngryel Rye, Martha C. Anderson, Claire Villanueva-Weeks, Margaret C. Johnson, Brenna Hatch, Evan Davis, Yun Yang, Kerry Cawse-Nicholson

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) collects thermal observations from the International Space Station to support evapotranspiration (ET) research at fine spatial resolutions (70 m × 70 m). Initial ET from ECOSTRESS Collection 1 was used in scientific research and applications, though subsequent analyses identified areas for improvement. This study outlines updates to ECOSTRESS Collection 2 ET and presents an accuracy assessment of ET and auxiliary variables validated against in situ data from AmeriFlux. Key updates in Collection 2 include use of four independent model estimates of instantaneous latent energy (LE) and improved auxiliary forcing data. …

Enhancing Water Scarcity Resilience In Egypt Through Machine Learning-Driven Phenological Crop Mapping And Water Use Efficiency Analysis, Surendra Maharjan, Wenzhao Li, Shahryar Fazli, Aqil Tariq, Rejoice Thomas, Cyril Rakovski, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Agriculture forms the backbone of Egypt’s economy, with the Nile Valley and Delta serving as key production zones for crops like wheat, rice, and clover. However, the sector faces mounting pressure from water scarcity, as it depends almost entirely on the Nile for irrigation, making it necessary to map major crops for assessing Water Use Efficiency (WUE) and informing agricultural planning. In this study, we used machine learning (ML) techniques—specifically Support Vector Machine (SVM) to time-series phenological data and optical indices (Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Bare Soil Index (BSI), Land Surface Water Index (LSWI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and …

Spatiotemporal Analysis Of Available Freshwater Resources In Watersheds Across Northern New Jersey, Toritseju Oyen, Duke Ophori

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Groundwater is a critical freshwater resource, yet its quality is increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activities, particularly in urbanized regions. This study employs geospatial analysis to evaluate the spatiotemporal variability of groundwater quality across 11 Watershed Management Areas (WMAs) in northern New Jersey, from 1999 to 2016. Using specific conductance (SC) as a proxy for salinity, we applied Ordinary Kriging interpolation to estimate SC values in unmonitored locations, leveraging data from 295 shallow wells within the New Jersey Ambient Groundwater Quality Monitoring Network. The results reveal significant spatial heterogeneity in groundwater quality, strongly associated with land use and road density. The …

Perchlorate Brine Formation From Frost At The Viking 2 Landing Site, Vincent F. Chevrier

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The presence and stability of brines on Mars’s surface remain a significant mystery in planetary exploration. Previous mechanisms proposed for brine formation include melting of ice-salt mixtures and salt deliquescence. However, melting lacks a recharge mechanism, and deliquescence is impeded by Mars’s extreme surface aridity. This study explores an underexplored process: the role of seasonal frost in brine formation. Utilizing meteorological data from the Viking 2 lander—the only mission, with Phoenix, to observe in situ water frost formation—I demonstrate that brines can form over approximately 30 sols at the end of winter as frost sublimates. The stable brines exhibit a …

Land Instability Compounds The Risk Of Sea Level Rise In Alexandria, Egypt, Rejoice Thomas, Sara Zouriq, Shahryar Fazli, Amr Fawzy, Nikolay Grisel Todorov, Surendra Maharjan, Wenzhao Li, Erik Linstead, Daniele Struppa, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

The coastal region of Alexandria Governorate in Egypt holds significant strategic importance for trade while being susceptible to extreme weather events. It confronts a dual challenge of the rising sea levels and, as found in this study, land instability. While much attention has been rightly directed towards sea level rise (SLR), the stability of the land warrants equal consideration. Here, a comprehensive analysis of land stability is conducted in Alexandria by measuring Line of Sight (LOS) displacements and assessing their topographical, hydrological, and coastal impacts. Persistent Scatterer Interferometry technique is used to measure the LOS displacements in association with land …

Siliciclastic Cave Or Diamond Mine? Multiapproach Investigation In Igatu Village, Chapada Diamantina, Northeastern Brazil, Raphael Parra, Ricardo G. F. De A. Pereira, Leonardo F. Vieira, Rubson P. Maia

International Journal of Speleology

The territory around Igatu, as that of many villages in southeastern Chapada Diamantina (Bahia, Brazil), was deeply modified by diamond mine activity. Caves were special targets for miners, since they can act as diamond-bearing sediment traps, and the Canal da Fumaça Cave was one of the most important and rich of them. The question that arises is whether the formation is a natural cave or an artificial diamond mine. In order to answer this question, we developed speleological and geological studies with detailed cave surveys, remote sensing and field measurements for structural analysis, optical and electronic microscope for petrographic characterization, …

Age, Provenance, And Geochemical Relationships Amongst The Great Valley Group, Coast Range Ophiolite, And Franciscan Subduction Complex At Del Puerto Canyon, Central California, Devon A. Orme, Natalee Weis, Kathleen D. Surpless, Andrew K. Laskowski, James L. Crowley, Nicole Stine, Ian Colliver, Carly Ross, Emma Sweet

Earth and Environmental Geosciences Faculty Research

The Great Valley Forearc (GVF) basin of California, USA, preserves an extensive rock record of the Jurassic–Paleogene tectonic development of the California segment of the North American Cordillera. We present new U-Pb geochronology, zircon and whole-rock geochemistry, and petrographic analyses from the Great Valley Group (GVG), Franciscan subduction complex, and Coast Range Ophiolite (CRO) in the northern San Joaquin Valley to better understand the timing and location of initial forearc sedimentation, and how sediment routing systems may have evolved during Cretaceous time. Basal GVG strata of the Knoxville Formation were deposited ca. 145–140 Ma and are separated by an ~40 …

Short Communication: Multiscale Topographic Complexity Analysis With Pytopocomplexity, L. S.-H. Lai, Adam Booth, A. R. Duvall, E. Herzig

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

TopoComplexity is a Python package designed for efficient and customizable quantification of topographic complexity using four advanced methods: two-dimensional continuous wavelet transform analysis, fractal dimension estimation, rugosity index, and terrain position index calculations. This package addresses the lack of open-source software for these advanced terrain analysis techniques essential for modern geomorphology and geohazard research, enhancing data comparison and reproducibility. By assessing topographic complexity across multiple spatial scales, pyTopoComplexity allows users to identify characteristic morphological scales of studied landforms. The software repository also includes a Jupyter Notebook that integrates components from the surface-process modeling platform Landlab (Hobley et al., 2017), facilitating …

Toward Integrated Urban Observatories: Synthesizing Remote And Social Sensing In Urban Science, Danlin Yu

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Urbanization is reshaping landscapes and posing unprecedented sustainability challenges, necessitating more integrative approaches to urban observation. This review synthesizes recent advancements in traditional remote sensing and emerging social sensing technologies, emphasizing their convergence within urban science. A systematic thematic analysis of 667 peer-reviewed articles highlights the methodological progress, practical applications, and theoretical innovations arising from this integration. Traditional remote sensing effectively captures urban physical features but lacks insights into human behaviors. Conversely, social sensing, leveraging digital traces from social media and mobile data, introduces essential human-centered dimensions into urban monitoring. The fusion of these complementary paradigms through advanced data analytics …

Arkansas Corn And Grain Sorghum Research Studies 2024, Jason Kelley, Travis Faske

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The 2024 edition of the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Research Studies Series includes research results on topics pertaining to corn and grain sorghum production, including weed, disease, nematode, and insect management; economics; irrigation; agronomics; soil fertility; drone use; and research verification program results.

Our objective is to capture and broadly distribute the results of research projects funded by the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Board. The intended audience includes producers and their advisors, current investigators, and future researchers. The Series serves as a citable archive of research results.

The reports inform and guide our long-term recommendations, but should not …