Earth Sciences Commons^™

Engaging Students In The Scientific Process: An Examination Of Active Learning Strategies In Introductory Geoscience Labs, Meryssa Piper

Theses and Dissertations

High-quality instruction of introductory geoscience courses entices students to major in geoscience fields and ensures undergraduate students have opportunities to learn and apply scientific information and practices. Prior studies indicate that active learning strategies in higher education settings can increase student knowledge and interest. This dissertation explores the integration of two active learning strategies in introductory geoscience laboratory courses: inquiry and gamification The first study housed in Chapter 2 investigates the level of inquiry used in introductory geoscience lab activities across the United States. Through a comprehensive analysis of these activities, this chapter assesses: (1) the degree to which instructor …

The Fifth Element In Three Dimensions: Boron Systematics Along And Across The Aleutian Volcanic Arc, Owen Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses abundances and isotope ratios of the fluid-mobile element boron (B) to better understand the role of fluids in volcanism at the Aleutian arc in Alaska. In volcanic rocks from the Aleutian volcanic front, patterns in B abundance and isotope ratios (δ11B) point to three endmembers: a sediment melt, a slab interior melt, and a slab-top melt. Most lavas from the eastern Aleutian Islands have δ11B of -2 to +5‰, similar to Aleutian sediment. Hence, sediment is likely to be the dominant B source in the Aleutian Island samples. In lavas from the western Aleutian seafloor, high δ11B …

Stable Isotope Analysis Of Antipatharian Diets From The Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico, Keir J. Macartney, Victoria Salinas, Zachary Rivera, David Hicks

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Antipatharians, or black corals, form a key component of the benthic fauna found throughout the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). In the northwestern GOM, they are a common member of the communities found on the natural relic coral—algal banks known as the South Texas Banks as well as on artificial reefs. They are known to provide important habitat for many ecologically and economically important species in the area but are relatively understudied. Here we present a study on their trophic ecology using stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen from 2 species, Antipathes atlantica and Stichopathes luetkeni from a mesophotic artificial …

Sigma Gamma Epsilon – Call To Convention: First Notice

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

The National Council has accepted an invitation from the Delta Psi Chapter (Western Illinois University) to host the Society’s 47th Biennial Convention on WIU’s Quad Cities Campus – located in Moline, Illinois, on the east bank of the Mississippi River. The convention is scheduled for April 11–13, 2025, and planning is underway. The Friday afternoon through Sunday noon schedule is designed to minimize the number of class days that delegates would need to miss. The Quad Cities International Airport (MLI) serves the area. At this time, we encourage chapters to “save the date” and to start making plans for a …

Introduction To The Issue: University Of Tennessee At Martin Eta Alpha Chapter Volume, Michael A. Gibson

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

Welcome to the Eta Alpha Chapter volume of The Compass. The geosciences degree program at The University of Tennessee at Martin celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, just in time for the 46th Biennial Convention of Sigma Gamma Epsilon. The cover photo for this volume depicts the Joseph E. Johnson EPS (Engineering and Physical Sciences) Building that has been the home of the geosciences program since its construction in 1960. This volume is a series of papers that were initially compiled to be part of the 46th biennial convention volume that was to occur in 2019; however, the COVID-19 pandemic, …

Geoscience Student Organizations At The University Of Tennessee At Martin, Michael A. Gibson, Natalie Hudson

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

In celebration of 2022 Sigma Gamma Epsilon 46th National Convention being hosted by the University of Tennessee at Martin (UT Martin), Eta Alpha Chapter, this paper serves a synopsis that celebrates the history of student clubs and professional organizations in the geosciences program at UT Martin. The first geoscience student organization officially recognized by the University was devoted to geology, the GeoClub, and established in 1970 and still serves as the primary student organization for all of the geosciences. UT Martin established the Eta Alpha Chapter of Sigma Gamma Epsilon honor society in 1997. A Travel and Tourism club was …

A History Of The Geology Program At The University Of Tennessee At Martin, Michael A. Gibson

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

The teaching of geology has as long a history as The University of Tennessee at Martin has itself, extending back to 1901 when the first geology class was offered at the campus’s original institution, Hall-Moody Institute, a small Baptist college. Geology, usually with geography, was offered as a service course to the primary programs of agriculture, education and, later, engineering. Faculty turnover during these formative years was frequent. When the school was acquired by the University of Tennessee in 1927 and became UT Junior College, geology remained a service course. Geology offerings had been expanding since 1947 and, in 1951, …

Isolating Microbes From The Surface Of An Introductory Laboratory Halite Hand Sample, Kesley G. Banks, Michael A. Gibson, Matthew A. Pritchett

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

Introductory geology labs stress simple physical testing (luster, hardness, etc.) to identify common minerals, using mineral charts to eliminate minerals not exhibiting a particular property. Special properties (magnetism, specific gravity, taste, etc.) for specific minerals narrows mineral identity. Students often express safety concerns about licking minerals, especially when they realize others have previously licked the specimen. As an exercise in medical geology, we cultured microbes from a halite sample used for nearly 25 years and licked by numerous students over that time span (Sample 1), a commercially purchased unused and freshly exposed surface of halite licked by one person (Sample …

Examining The Relationship Between Land-Use Cover Change And Sociodemographic Characteristics: A Case Study Of Madison County, Tennessee, Thomas A. Depriest Jr., Anzhelia Antipova, Hsiang-Te Kung, Esra Ozdenerol

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

This study sought to holistically examine urbanization in Jackson, Madison County, TN. In order to accomplish this objective, a study of land-use and land cover (LULC) change in Madison County, TN from 1992–2011 was conducted. Once completed, noted changes in LULC were then compared to certain socio-demographic factors; these included, population, population density, point distance, central business district, and distance to roads. To determine if any significant relationships existed between socio-demographic factors and quantified LULC changes Spearman’s Correlations were utilized. Relationships between socio-demographic factors and land-use indicators were established as urban areas grew, agricultural and forested areas declined, and population …

Impact Of Urbanization On Estimated Surface Runoff And Resulting Issuance Of Flash Flood Warnings In Jackson, Tennessee, Thomas A. Depriest Jr., Dorian J. Burnette, Ryan Parish, Hsiang-Te Kung

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

Land-use and land cover (LULC) changes for the Jackson, TN area from 1992–2011 were evaluated based on data from the National Landcover Database. During the time of study, this area underwent noted changes in LULC with an increase in the area defined as urban and decreases in forested and agricultural areas. This study also makes note of the increase in the number of days flash flood warnings were issued during the 1990’s as compared to the 2000’s. During the same time period, high intensity rainfall events during 1990’s (n=198) did not appreciably increase when compared to the 2000’s (n=208); therefore, …

The History Of The Tennessee Earth Science Teachers (Test), Michael A. Gibson

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

Tennessee Earth Science Teachers (TEST) was founded in 1990 to promote awareness of the need to integrate Earth science and geology education into the secondary school curricula of Tennessee and to ensure that Tennessee students received the curricular and instructional benefits of Earth Systems education. That mission expanded to include all K-12 grades and to infusing Earth science into other disciplines. A legacy of the participants from a 1991 Tittle II geology workshop for Tennessee teachers, TEST was instrumental in designing and providing academic and pedagogical training, disseminating educational materials, and with networking K-12 teachers with higher education geoscience educators …

The Journey Into Inquiry Land In Tennessee: How To Get There From Anywhere? Lessons Learned Over 25 Years, Michael A. Gibson, Don W. Byerly Jr

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

Driven by changes in the National Standards during the 1990s, inquiry became the pedagogical methodology of choice for K-12 sciences as a major paradigm shift. Inquiry was chosen because it realistically and accurately modeled how scientists conduct scientific studies. Scientific inquiry is itself a learning process, and early educational research suggested that students learned more efficiently through inquiry. However, inquiry was a difficult pedagogy for teachers to learn and for students to experience, as it appears chaotic and decentralized. K-12 Earth science in Tennessee was in need of revitalization, in terms of shifting to the new Earth systems curriculum and …

Sigma Gamma Epsilon Chapter And Student Awards For Academic Year 2023-2024, Lee Potter

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

The Society of Sigma Gamma Epsilon (SGE) encourages efforts to broaden the education and impact of its members through community outreach. In academic year 2023–2024, four awards were given at the chapter level: The Chapter Service Award to Gamma Sigma and Gamma Chi; and The James C. Walters Quality Chapter Award to Gamma Sigma and Gamma Chi. Individual merit was recognized through the W. A. Tarr awards given to twenty-nine members by their respective chapters. Two awards, the Austin A. Sartin and Charles J. Mankin Outstanding Poster Awards, were given to three students for merit in scientific communication at the …

Sigma Gamma Epsilon Student Research Poster Session, Geological Society Of America Annual Meeting 2023, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Usa, Scott Beason

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

The Society of Sigma Gamma Epsilon sponsors an annual poster session at every Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America. The 35th Sigma Gamma Epsilon undergraduate research poster session took place during the 2023 Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, on Monday, October 16, 2022. Sixty-three (63) posters were presented in Exhibit Hall B at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center between 8:00 AM and 5:30 PM at the poster session. Titles, authors (italics for the presenting author), affiliations, and abstracts for each poster are listed in this report.

Challenges Of Using More Precise Temporal And Spatial Resolution Of Remote Sensing Data For Surface Water Quality Monitoring, Ivan Rykin

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Monitoring river suspended sediment concentration (SSC) is critical for environmental challenges such as understanding the fate of thawed permafrost sediment and its impact on global carbon cycling. However, traditional SSC monitoring using Landsat imagery is limited by spatial and temporal constraints, particularly for narrow rivers in cloudy and/or snowy regions.

This study investigates the use of higher spatial (3 m) and temporal (daily) resolution satellite imagery from the PlanetScope constellation to estimate SSC in remote rivers such as those in the Arctic. I compare the performance of PlanetScope’s spectral resolution (4 and 8 bands) with Landsat 7. Merging data from …

Proterozoic To Paleozoic Bedrock Geology Of The Islesboro Block, Penobscot Bay Maine, Usa, Luis Angel Torres

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

The Islesboro block is a fault-bounded crustal fragment isolated between the St. Croix and Ellsworth terranes in Penobscot Bay, Maine. We present the results of new geological mapping of the Islesboro 7.5´ quadrangle, which is coupled with new laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) U-Pb zircon data to support revised unit subdivisions and provide an assessment of the age and provenance of the Islesboro block. Based on these data, the Islesboro block consists of: (1) the Paleoproterozoic–Mesoproterozoic(?) Seven Hundred Acre Island Formation, composed of marble, quartzite, and garnet-mica schist, and intruded by highly retrogressed Neoproterozoic (ca. 670–655 Ma) amphibolite …

Incorporation Of Undissolved Lime From Previous Applications Can Ameliorate Subsoil Acidity Promptly And Improve Crop Performance On Sandy Soils Of The Semi-Arid Regions Of Western Australia, Gaus Azam, Md. Shahinur Rahman

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Background and aims

Repeated surface application of lime for managing subsoil acidity is slow and ineffective, resulting in an accumulation of undissolved lime (carbonate) in the topsoil. We investigated the impact of the incorporation of undissolved lime into the subsoil to improve acidity and crop performance.

Methods

The undissolved lime in 2-cm layers of topsoil (0–10 cm) from three long-term experiments in Western Australia was measured. Both limed and unlimed topsoil with the acidic subsoil of the same profile was incubated at eight incorporation rates for six weeks, followed by growing barley and wheat in the incubated soil for two …

Corrigendum To “A Two-Stage Deformation Of The Anatolian Plate Deduced Frompaleomagnetic Signals: The Initial Age Of The Anatolian’S Escape” [Turkish Journal Ofearth Sciences 33 (3) 2024 243-259 ], Mualla Cengi̇z, Savaş Karabulut

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

This corrigendum is to address an issue regarding the manuscript's previous title. The authors have regrettably noticed that the title is incorrect in the original published version of this paper. To rectify this oversight and ensure the accuracy of the published work, the title has been corrected for your reference below: A two-stage deformation of the Anatolian plate deduced from paleomagnetic signals: the initial age of the Anatolian escape.

Link to the original submission: https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/earth/vol33/iss3/2/

Assessment Of Water Pollution In A Waste Storage Drainage Area (A Case Study In Eskişehir, Türkiye), Ali̇ Kayabaşi, Özlem Toygar Sağin, Candan Gökçeoğlu

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

Before 2016, the Eskişehir city landfill was an irregular landfill. Since then, it has been transformed into a regulated landfill. This study aimed to investigate the presence of pollution in the landfill drainage area. For this purpose, water samples were collected from the landfill drainage area and the Kadirbey Farm Spring, upstream of the landfill area, during the rainy and dry seasons of 2021. Analyses of the heavy metal content, total dissolved soil (TDS), chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, pH, phenol material content, ammonia nitrogen content, and conductivity were conducted on the samples. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) measurements were …

Detecting Edges Of Geologic Sources From Gravity Or Magnetic Anomalies Through A Novel Algorithm Based On Hyperbolic Tangent Function, Hanbing Ai, Yunus Levent Eki̇nci̇, Ahmad Alvandi, Hazel Deni̇z Toktay, Çağlayan Balkaya, Arka Roy

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

Directional derivative-based edge detectors are commonly used to outline the abrupt lateral variations in densities or magnetizations of geologic sources from potential-field datasets. Some subtle traces of faults, lithological contacts, and lineaments can be made more visible on anomaly maps using these algorithms. However, these algorithms generally suffer from common limitations such as blurry edges with low-resolution or faulty boundaries. To minimize these challenges, we proposed a new efficient edge detector that benefits from the hyperbolic tangent function. The performance of this detector was tested on the responses of a synthetic gravity model and Bishop's complex magnetic model. A Gaussian …

An Archaeological And Archaeoseismological Perspective On Earthquakes In The Coastal Cities Of Western Anatolia In The 3rd Millennium Bce: Settlement Abandonment And Changes In Social Structures, Ümi̇t Gündoğan

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

This study investigates the impact of the earthquakes that occurred in the first half of the 3rd millennium BCE on Western Anatolian settlements, aiming to determine the dates of the earthquakes that happened during the prehistoric period using the earthquake layers of the settlements and associated C14 data. The focus of the paper is the investigation of the effects of two earthquakes that occurred in the region during the first half of the 3rd millennium BCE on the settlements of the region. The first earthquake occurred around 2800 BCE and damaged settlements in the area of İzmir. Evidence of this …

Sequence Stratigraphy And Hydrocarbon Potential Of The Paleozoic Successions On The Arabian Platform And Southeast Türkiye, Muhi̇tti̇n Şenalp, Sema Teti̇ker

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

In 1989, the first prolific hydrocarbon reservoirs were discovered by Saudi Aramco in the highly porous and permeable friable continental sandstones (Unayzah reservoirs) and shallow marine carbonates (Khuff reservoirs) of the Paleozoic successions in south of Riyadh, Central Arabia. These successions were strongly affected by tectonic movements (Caledonian and Hercynian orogenesis) and Early and Late Paleozoic Gondwana glaciations. Therefore, some sections were fully eroded or significantly reduced in their thickness. The sequence stratigraphic interpretation of the Paleozoic successions helped to understand the depositional environments and regional distribution of the source, reservoir and cap rock facies in an improved palynologic studies. …

Top To Bottom Interactive Velocity Analysis Using Travel-Time Ellipses And First Break Times From Walkaway Vertical Seismic Profiling Data: A Synthetic Study, Cemal Erdemi̇r

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

An interactive velocity analysis method is introduced in this paper and its efficacy is tested on various walkaway vertical seismic profile (WVSP) modeled data sets. In WVSP surveys, interval velocity profiles are determined fairly accurately along the VSP borehole using first break travel time picks from the zero-offset VSP (ZVSP) data. However the accuracy of these vertical velocities fade away quickly as the source distance (offset) from the VSP borehole increases due to possible horizontal changes in the geology or dips of the horizons. If the layer boundaries are not known, a simple approach type of ray tracing using horizontally …

Information-Theoretic Modeling Of Categorical Spatiotemporal Gis Data, David Percy, Martin Zwick

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

An information-theoretic data mining method is employed to analyze categorical spatiotemporal Geographic Information System land use data. Reconstructability Analysis (RA) is a maximum-entropy-based data modeling methodology that works exclusively with discrete data such as those in the National Land Cover Database (NLCD). The NLCD is organized into a spatial (raster) grid and data are available in a consistent format for every five years from 2001 to 2021. An NLCD tool reports how much change occurred for each category of land use; for the study area examined, the most dynamic class is Evergreen Forest (EFO), so the presence or absence of …

Geological Support Technology Framework System For Mining Induced Hazards And Damage Reduction Mining Of Geological Conditions In Western Mining Area, Wang Shuangming, Sun Qiang, Geng Jishi, Yuan Shihao, Gu Chao, Yang Duoxing, Niu Chao, Lu Tuo, Guo Chen, Zhang Huanlan, Huang Haiyu, Shi Qingmin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Coals, as the main energy in China for the long term, secure the basic needs for energy development in China. However, large-scale, intense coal mining damages the geologic environment of coal mining areas, as well as inducing hazards such as water inrushes and rock bursts. Methods To overcome the challenges in geological security through the prediction and early warning of damage to geologic environments and damage-reducing mining faced by safe, efficient coal mining, this study, based on the interdisciplinary characteristics of the geological security, highlighted the hazard control mechanisms and mining-inducing hazard patterns of geological conditions, underscored the whole-space-time …

Table Of Contents, The Editors

Coal Geology & Exploration

No abstract provided.

Pillar Wall Angles Of Karst Collapse Pillars In The Xishan Coalfield: Characteristics And Implications, Zhao Jingui, Wang Jiangwei, Yang Gaofeng, Guo Mintai

Coal Geology & Exploration

Significance As coal mining expands into deep parts, karst collapse pillars have become one of the most concealed disaster-causing geological factors in coal mining from mines in North China. The pillar wall angle of a collapse pillar serves as an important index used to describe the morphology of the collapse pillar. Methods and Results With 265 karst collapse pillars cut by the fully mechanized mining of the upper and lower coal seams in the Xishan coalfield as the data source, this study extracted the geological information contained in the pillar wall angles of karst collapse pillars in the Xishan coalfield …

R&D And Application Of An Experimental System For Coal Permeability Enhancement Through Resonance Under The Excitation Of Low-Frequency Vibration, Wen Zhihui, Guo Shuqian, Wei Jianping, Zhang Tiegang, Wang Jianwei, Zhang Libo, Ren Yongjie

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective As an emerging green, efficient method for enhancing coal permeability, coal resonance under the excitation of vibration waves works by stimulating the development of pores and fractures in coals using the stress waves generated by low-frequency vibration. To investigate the impacts of excitation frequency, stress field, and resonance effect on permeability enhancement, as well as exploring the mechanisms behind coal permeability enhancement using the method, this study independently designed and developed an experimental system. Methods The system, consisting of a mainframe control unit, a coal-sample clamping unit, a vibrational excitation unit, and a coal vibration parameter monitoring unit, allows …

A Tin-Gtp Algorithm-Based Technique For 3d Geological Modeling Of Coal Mines, Wang Xiaohui, Liu Zaibin, Zhang Dongliang, Ma Liang, Chen Baohui, Lei Xiaorong, Bai Baojun, Yan Junsheng

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background A 3D geological model of a coal mine serves as an essential prerequisite to guiding the safe and efficient production of coal mines, holding great significance for precise coal mining and geological guarantee. Especially in complex geologic conditions, the failure of geological models to accurately describe the relationship between structures and strata will affect the mining area planning, mining processes, and production efficiency during the production of coal mines. Methods With the Qipanjing Coal Mine in the Zhuozishan Coalfield, Inner Mongolia, as an example, this study investigated the technology for high-accuracy 3D geological modeling of coal mines based on …

Accumulation Mechanisms And Resource Potential Of Helium In Coal Measures: A Case Study Of The Eastern Margin Of The Ordos Basin, Liu Xiangbai, Tao Shizhen, Yang Xiuchun, Zhao Qun, Chen Yanyan, Liu Ziyang, Pei Xiangbing, Wang Longfei, Yi Wei, Feng Jianqiu, Zhang Tan, Gao Jianrong, Tao Xiaowan, Liu Zhuangxiaoxue, Li Chaozheng, Yang Yiqing, Chen Yue

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Helium, with advantages such as stable chemical properties and high thermal conductivity, has been extensively applied in high-tech sectors like national defense, military, aviation, and aerospace, playing an irreplaceable role. Presently, helium in China is primarily imported from other countries, manifesting a high degree of dependence on foreign trade, suggesting a prominent issue concerning helium resource security. Previous studies on helium principally focus on conventional natural gas, rendering helium in coal measures relatively under-studied. Objective and Methods To determine the distribution and potential of helium resources in coal measures, this study analyzed the coal-measure gas sampled from the eastern …