Geology Commons^™

Natural And Anthropogenic Sources Of Arsenic And Nitrate In A Semi-Arid Alluvial Basin; Goshen Valley, Utah, Brian John Selck

Theses and Dissertations

Arsenic (As) and nitrate (NO₃) are common contaminants in groundwater that are introduced through a variety of natural and anthropogenic sources. In this study we investigated the sources and distribution of As and NO₃ in Goshen Valley, Utah, USA. Goshen Valley is a semi-arid alluvial basin that is impacted by geothermal waters, agriculture, urban development, and legacy mining. In this study we sampled surface water, springs, and wells to analyze concentrations of major ions, trace elements (As, B, Ba, Ca, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Pb, Si, Sr, Zn), and stable isotopes in water (δ^{18 …}

Small Mud And Sand Filled Paleochannels Offshore Charleston, Sc, Erin Smoak

Theses and Dissertations

The spatial variations of Quaternary sediments on the continental shelf record the progression of depositional environments during the latest sea-level rise, and are fundamental controls on submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) flow. SGD on continental shelves is an important but poorly constrained process. Spatial variations of lithologies on continental shelves, such as sand-filled paleochannels, are assumed to play a fundamental role in controlling where SGD occurs but coincident seismic mapping and sedimentological data are rare. Here we combine seismic mapping of paleochannel locations with sediment cores to examine the sedimentary characteristics of paleochannel fill and interfluvial deposits. To establish paleochannel locations …

Platinum Decoupling From Pge In Peridotitic Sulfides From The St. Elena Ophiolite In Costa Rica, Jessica A. Holm

Theses and Dissertations

The platinum group elements (Os, Ir, Ru, Rh, Pt, Pd) are important petrogenetic tracers of mantle processes and the Re-Os isotope system an important tool for tracing ancient depletion and refertilization processes in the mantle. A key characteristic of these elements is that they are siderophile and chalcophile, and their abundance in the Earth’s mantle is thought to be controlled by sulfides. Existing thermodynamic data suggests that at reducing conditions similar to those found at the early stages of serpentinization, PGE may exist as alloys in the mantle. While numerous studies report on the bulk peridotite PGE and sulfide PGE …

Behavior Of Rare Earth Elements And High-Field Strength Elements During Peridotite - Seawater Interaction, Carl Pasquale Frisby

Theses and Dissertations

Serpentinized abyssal peridotites are evidence for active communication between the Earth’s hydrosphere and the upper mantle, where exchange and retention of both major and trace elements occur. Rare earth elements (REE) and high-field strength elements (HFSE: Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta) are generally thought of as immobile during serpentinization. In partially serpentinized abyssal peridotites, clinopyroxenes typically retain radiogenic Nd and Hf isotopic signatures that have been used to infer the composition and high temperature processes in the upper mantle. However, bulk rock Nd isotopes in some serpentinized abyssal peridotites less radiogenic values that approach that of seawater, which has been …

An Integrated Structural Analysis On Seismic Of A Paleo Mound Development (Woolsey Mound, Northern Gulf Of Mexico), Ricardo Tomas Troco Kabila

Theses and Dissertations

Woolsey Mound is ~1 km diameter thermogenic gas hydrate and cold seep (GHCS) complex system. It is located at ~900 m water depth in the Mississippi Canyon Lease Block 118 (MC–118) on the upper continental slope of the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Due to its complex geology, widespread hydrate seepage activity and presence of benthic habitat, the mound serves as a permanent research site for a multidisciplinary seafloor observatory, thus providing insights into the dynamics of shallow fluid expulsion, their spatial and time variations and possible geological forcing mechanisms.

This study utilizes a set of high resolution 2D autonomous …

Ecohydrology And Groundwater Dynamics In A Salt Marsh Island, Andrea L. H. Hughes

Theses and Dissertations

Tidal salt marshes are extraordinarily productive and valuable ecosystems that provide via groundwater a not insignificant portion of coastal solute and nutrient budgets. Among the many goods and services they provide are habitat for diverse wildlife, protection for coastal communities during storms, and protection for coastal surface waters by filtering anthropogenic pollutants. One threat to the health of tidal salt marshes along the East Coast have been episodes of Acute Marsh Dieback (AMD) from 1999 to 2001. Dieback was observed at North Inlet salt marsh from 2000 to 2001. Since salt marsh hydrology is dominated by the local tidal regime, …

From Near And Far: Utilization Of In-Situ And Remotely Sensed Satellite Data From Nasa And Noaa, Jessica Rochelle Price Sutton

Theses and Dissertations

Satellite remote sensing observations have been used for numerous studies to better understand physical and biological properties over varying spatial and temporal scales. Depending on the satellite and sensor, the satellite-derived observations can provide high spatial and temporal resolution for many important physical and biological variables. While there are many limitations in utilizing satellite remote sensing products, there are also many advantages. This dissertation investigates three different applications for satellite remote sensing products to address climatological and ecological concerns. This dissertation is motivated by two overall research questions: (1) How can satellite remote sensing products be used to address important …

Designing An Instructional Publication On The Geology Of Capitol Reef National Park, Kinsey Gayle Spiel

Theses and Dissertations

The wide variety of strata, structural features, and landscapes of Capitol Reef National Park result from its complex, yet discoverable history. Our task was to write and design an informative book on this complexity while making it engaging for the public. We approached the design of this book using Stufflebeam's (2007) CIPP model. The CIPP model uses both summative and formative evaluations in the categories of context, input, process, and product. It provides the framework to methodically investigate the value of a product and identify and correct less effective pedagogical and design elements during its development. We demonstrated the use …

Sedimentology And Stratigraphy Of The Middle Jurassic Preuss Sandstonein Northern Utah And Eastern Idaho, Preston Scott Cook

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to analyze the sedimentology and stratigraphy of the Middle Jurassic Preuss Sandstone and re-evaluate past sedimentological interpretations. The Preuss is located in northern Utah, western Wyoming and eastern Idaho and is stratigraphically equivalent to the Entrada Sandstone, which is Callovian in age (Dossett et al., 2014). This study is the first attempt at 1) a sequence stratigraphic framework, 2) a petroleum system analysis and 3) an extraterrestrial analog study for the Preuss. This study frames the Preuss within three broad facies groups: marine, coastal and terrestrial. The marine group includes the open marine and …

Spatial Trends And Facies Distribution Of The High-Energy Alluvial Cutler Formation, Southeastern Utah, Isaac John Allred

Theses and Dissertations

The Cutler Formation is composed of thick, arkosic, alluvial conglomerate, sandstone, and mudstone shed southwestward from the Uncompahgre Uplift into the Paradox Basin. More basin-ward the Cutler is recognized as a group consisting of differentiable formations. Discrete formations historically have not been distinguished near the uplift, but this study identified several separate successions in the Richardson Amphitheater. Research at the Richardson Amphitheater, ~12 km southwest of the uplift and ~30 km northeast of Moab, Utah, led to a systematic subdivision of the Permian Cutler Formation proximal to the uplift. Likely driven by channel cutting and migration across the alluvial fan, …

Geochemistry Of The Fluorine- And Beryllium-Rich Spor Mountain Rhyolite, Western Utah, Shane Robert Dailey

Theses and Dissertations

The Miocene rhyolites of the Spor Mountain Formation hosts the world's largest beryllium deposit which produced 85% of the world's beryllium in 2010. The fresh lava is extremely enriched in Be (up to 75 ppm in matrix glass). We have examined the rhyolite to understand the Be enrichment. The Spor Mountain rhyolite contains ~40% quartz, ~40% sanidine, ~10% biotite, and ~10% plagioclase, along with accessory fluorite, columbite, euxenite, fergusonite, monazite, thorite, and zircon. Two types of rhyolite erupted within the Spor Mountain Formation, a less evolved magma (1150 ppm Rb, 42 ppm Be, 0.68 wt% F in matrix glass) and …

Strain Analysis Across The Margins Of The Elkahatchee And Coley Creek Plutons, Alabama Eastern Blue Ridge: Implications For The Alexander City Fault, Kenneth Joel Roop-Eckart

Theses and Dissertations

The Ashland-Wedowee-Emuckfaw belt of the eastern Blue Ridge of Alabama and Georgia consists of metamorphosed Neoproterozoic-Ordovician continental margin and Ordovician back-arc sedimentary/volcanic sequences intruded by Ordovician-Mississippian granitic plutons. Two of these plutons, the Elkahatchee Quartz Diorite and Coley Creek orthogneiss exhibit zones of high strain, evidenced by mylonitic fabrics, ductile deformation of feldspar grains, grain size reduction, and changes in mica content at their margins. Geologic mapping in the vicinity of the Coley Creek pluton shows no evidence for a ductile shear zone beyond its margins and thus, is unlikely to be associated with a major fault. More likely, this …

Stream Energy Impacting Sediment Transport Through Low-Gradient Agricultural Streams, Paula Jane Pryor

Theses and Dissertations

Water quality can be severely impacted by increased sediment transport, particularly agriculturally-dominated systems like those found in central Illinois. Many low-gradient sediment studies focus on the fine material transported in suspension. However, coarse-material transport can be equally important for understanding sediment loads to surficial reservoirs for local drinking water. To address a general gap in knowledge of coarse-sediment transport through agricultural streams, seasonal changes and watershed differences in sediment transport were examined in a low-gradient system. This was accomplished through the installation of bedload traps, scour-fill markers, and bank erosion pins at two streams, Six Mile Creek and Money Creek …

Trace Element Inputs From Natural And Anthropogenic Sources In An Agricultural Watershed, Middle Provo River, Utah, Timothy Holman Goodsell

Theses and Dissertations

Water chemistry in rivers is impacted by a variety of natural and anthropogenic processes including agricultural runoff, urban runoff, storm runoff, groundwater inputs, and the built environment. In this study we used trace element concentrations (including As, B, Ce, Co, Cu, Li, Mn, Rb, Sb, Sr, Tl, V, and Zn) and continuous measurements of flow rates and specific conductance to investigate dynamic processes affecting water quality in a rapidly urbanizing agricultural area typical of the western U.S. The middle Provo River, located in northern Utah, USA, was selected as the study area because it is well instrumented with water quality …

Lineations And Structural Mapping Of Io's Paterae And Mountains: Implications For Internal Stresses, Alexandra Anne Ahern

Theses and Dissertations

Io, the most volcanically active body in the solar system, also has some of the tallest and steepest mountains. The mountains seem to be tectonic in origin, yet the methods of their formation have not been decisively constrained and their associations with volcanic paterae are yet unclear. We have compiled global spatial statistics on mountain dimensions and orientations, lineations attributed to structures, straight patera margins, and patera dimensions in order to better define their genetic relationships and the mechanisms forming each type of feature. Additionally, we have produced 4 regional structural maps of mountain complexes and have proposed tectonic histories. …

The Effects Of Tile-Drain Input On A Low-Gradient Agricultural Stream In Central Illinois: Using A Thermal End Member Mixing Model And A Statistical Analysis Approach, Zachary David Kisfalusi

Theses and Dissertations

Tile-drains remove excess water from agricultural fields and channel it directly to the nearest surface water body decoupling the system from the natural flow paths. One way to measure the effects tile drains have on streams is to monitor the thermal energy both upstream and downstream of the tile input. In the temperate climate, a stream’s thermal signature experiences large fluctuations seasonally along with small diurnal changes. In contrast, groundwater temperature does not show these small-scale changes, and the seasonal changes are often muted and lagged in comparison to surface water. This project aimed to quantify any thermal change to …

Surficial Geology And Provenance Of Glacial Deposits Of The Saybrook 7.5 Minute Quadrangle, Mclean County, Illinois, Ellyn S. Rickels

Theses and Dissertations

The glaciated landscape of much of Illinois is a product of the most recent glacial episode, which is characterized by a series of end moraines composed predominantly of till and deposited by ice flowing into Illinois from the east and northeast around 20,000 years before present time. Two separate projects were completed as part of this thesis to better understand the surficial geology and the source areas of glacial sediment in central Illinois: the creation of a surficial geologic map of the Saybrook 7.5 Minute Quadrangle and a provenance study of granitic clasts from two moraines in the area.

A …

Implications Of Hf-Nd Isotopes In West Philippine Basin Basalts For The Initiation And Early History Of The Izu-Bonin-Mariana Arc, Benjamin D. Hocking

Theses and Dissertations

Drilling at Site U1438, located immediately west of Kyushu-Palau Ridge (KPR), the site of IBM subduction initiation, penetrated 1,460 m of volcaniclastic sedimentary rock and 150 m of underlying basement. Biostratigraphic controls indicate a probable age for the oldest sedimentary rocks at around 55 Ma. This is close to the 48-52 Ma time period of IBM subduction initiation, based on studies in the forearc. There, the first products of volcanism are tholeiitic basalts termed FAB (forearc basalt), which are more depleted than average MORB and show subtle indicators of geochemical enrichment due to subduction. Site U1438 basement basalts share many …

Neuro-Fuzzy Classification Of Felsic Lava Geomorphology At Alarcon Rise, Mexico, Christina Hefron Maschmeyer

Theses and Dissertations

The Alarcon Rise is the only submarine oceanic spreading ridge setting where rhyolitic lavas have been found. This intermediate-rate spreading ridge provides a unique natural laboratory for studying the geomorphology of felsic submarine lava flows at oceanic spreading ridges. Seafloor observations of felsic lava indicate the flow morphology differs from typical submarine basaltic lava at the few other oceanic spreading ridges where differentiated compositions have been recorded. Morphologic variation between mafic and felsic lava flows, especially rhyolites, was also observed at Alarcon Rise.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute conducted mapping surveys with autonomous underwater vehicle D Allan B. in …

Submarine Groundwater Discharge And The Configuration Of The Freshwater-Saltwater Interface At The Nearshore And Embayment Scales, Tyler Brandon Evans

Theses and Dissertations

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) rivals riverine discharge to the world’s oceans but remains poorly understood. Until the early 1990’s, geochemical budgets for the ocean were developed using material fluxes from rivers only. SGD has been shown to carry high concentrations of dissolved nutrients, metals and carbon. However, SGD is a difficult to measure, complex phenomenon driven by multiple physical processes. Groundwater flow and the resultant chemical exchange at the land-sea interface are heavily impacted by the hydrodynamic effects of mixing between variable-density fluids. In order to better understand SGD, investigations have focused on the configuration of the freshwater-saltwater interface in …

Alongshore Momentum Balance Over Shoreface-Connected Ridges, Fire Island, Ny, Conor Ofsthun

Theses and Dissertations

Bathymetric variations, such as shoreface-connected ridges (SFCRs), modify inner shelf circulation, altering the significance of and relationships between alongshore momentum balance terms. The inner shelf of Fire Island, NY provides a study site representative of SFCRs around the world. During the winter of 2014, hydrodynamic observations (~12 m depth) from 6 ADCPs, 3 SeaGauge pressure sensors, 2 tide gauges, and 2 meteorological buoys were collected over a region of the inner shelf spanning a full wavelength of one such SFCR. Analysis of the data, under westward wind forcing, revealed a predominantly alongshore circulation with localized offshore (onshore) current veering over …

Three Dimensional Thermobaric Modeling Of A Gas Hydrate System, Amanda Quigley Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Seismic imaging is recognized as the most cost effective method for identifying the presence of gas hydrate resources. The base of the gas hydrate stability zone is recognized by the presence of regionally extensive bottom simulating reflectors (BSR). However, in some areas such as the Gulf of Mexico, regionally extensive BSRs are not found. In such cases, an understanding of the thermobaric conditions may be used to determine the location of gas hydrates and the base of the gas hydrate stability zone. The aim of this research is to combine seismic velocity analysis and thermal modeling to predict the base …

Delineation Of The Lower Permian Gas Sand Via Calibrated Avo And Pre-Stack Seismic Inversions In Majhol Field, Saudi Arabia, Abdullah Alhashel

Theses and Dissertations

The lower Permian formation in the central region of Saudi Arabia is a key hydrocarbon siliciclastic reservoir. However, in Majhol field, the reservoir properties vary laterally due to diagenesis and facies changes. Conventional seismic interpretation has failed to map the heterogeneities of the reservoir properties that control the gas production of this field. Therefore, there was an opportunity to employ more advanced quantitative seismic techniques to delineate the productive gas sand facies in the field.

The Majhol field was initially planned to be developed as an unconventional tight reservoir. Well-1 was drilled based on conventional seismic interpretation on the crest …

3d Seismic Depth Imaging And Velocity Model Building In Anisotropic Media: Serri Oil And Gas Field, Saudi Arabia, Ali Jomaah Alsalem

Theses and Dissertations

Seismic imaging is a significant element in hydrocarbon exploration to locate drilling prospects and it relies mainly on an accurate velocity model. Prestack depth migration (PreSDM) versus traditional post-stack time migration has become a common method for seismic velocity model building and imaging. This methodology accounts for seismic velocity anisotropy of the propagating waves in the subsurface with a higher level of accuracy in positioning the seismic events in their true positions in the subsurface.

In this thesis, we examine a 303 km2 of 3D seismic data acquired by Saudi Aramco in the Serri field of North-West Saudi Arabia. The …

Utilization Of Satellite-Derived Salinity For Enso Studies And Climate Indices, Caroline Mary Corbett

Theses and Dissertations

Conventionally, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is studied using sea surface temperature (SST) observations in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. Recently, sea surface salinity (SSS) in the equatorial Pacific has been studied in relation to the phases of ENSO. Previously, SSS was observed in the equatorial Pacific using the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere (TOGA) / Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TOA), the Argo float network, and Oceanic General Circulation Models (OGCM). The launch of NASA’s Aquarius Salinity Mission and ESA’s Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) opened a new era in which high resolution global near real-time SSS observations are readily available. …

Superimposed And Auxiliary Dunes Of The Northern Namib Sand Sea: A Ground-Penetrating Radar Study, Clayton K. Chandler

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding modern features allows for their use as analogues for understanding the environments of the past and even environments on other planetary bodies. This study uses Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) to image the near surface sedimentary structures on a large linear dune in the northern Namib Sand Sea and image the sedimentary structure of an auxiliary dune. GPR data was collected using a 200 MHz antenna with a continuous scan method and was processed by removing direct arrival, gain balancing, migration and more which produced the highest resolution imagery from this region to date. Large dune data was analyzed to determine …

Cooling Before Super-Eruption: No Role For Rejuvenation In The Cottonwood Wash Tuff Magma Body, Southern Great Basin Ignimbrite Province, Utah And Nevada, Keryn Tobler Ross

Theses and Dissertations

The model of rejuvenation of a near-solidus crystal mush to produce large volumes of crystal-rich magma is tested here by analyzing the mineralogical, chemical, modal, and physical characteristics of the 31.1 Ma super-eruptive (2000 km3) Cottonwood Wash Tuff. It is the oldest in a series of three so-called “monotonous intermediate” ignimbrites from the Indian Peak-Caliente volcanic field in southern Utah and Nevada. A crystal-rich (~50% Pl > Qz ≈ Hbl ≈ Bt > Mag ≈ Ilm > Cpx + Zrn + Ap+ Po) dacite (62 – 69 wt% SiO2), the Cottonwood Wash Tuff is similar in age, volume, mineralogy, crystallinity, and elemental composition …

Development And Validation Of A Physically Based Ela Model And Its Application To The Younger Dryas Event In The Graubünden Alps, Switzerland, Durban Gregg Keeler

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid rate of global warming currently underway highlights the need for a deeper understanding of abrupt climate change. The Younger Dryas is a Late-Glacial climate event of widespread and unusually rapid change whose study can help us address this need for increased understanding. Reconstructions from the glacial record offer important contributions to our understanding of the Younger Dryas due to (among other things) the direct physical response of glaciers to even minor perturbations in climate. Because the glacier equilibrium line altitude (ELA) provides a more explicit comparison of climate than properties such as glacier length or area, ELA methods …

Low-Shield Volcanism: A Comparison Of Volcanoes On Syria Planum, Mars And Snake River Plain, Idaho, Amanda Olivia Henderson

Theses and Dissertations

Volcanoes are key indicators of a planet's internal structure, mechanics, and evolutionary history. Consequently, understanding the types and ages of volcanoes on a planet's surface is an important endeavor. In an attempt to better understand the relationship between morphometry and volcanic processes, we compared low-shield volcanoes on Syria Planum, Mars, with basaltic shields of the eastern Snake River Plain. We used 133 volcanoes on Syria Planum that are covered by Mars Orbiting Laser Altimeter (MOLA) and High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) elevation data and 246 eSRP shields covered by the National Elevation Dataset (NED) for this comparison. Shields on Syria …

Mechanisms And Timing Of Pluton Emplacement In Taranaki Basin, New Zealand Using Three-Dimensional Seismic Analysis, Phillip C. Cammans

Theses and Dissertations

Several off-shore volcano-plutonic complexes are imaged in detail in the Parihaka 3D seismic survey in the Taranaki Basin of New Zealand. Three intrusions were analyzed for this study. Part of the Mohakatino Volcanic Centre (15 to 1.6 Ma), these intrusions have steep sides, no resolvable base reflectors, no internal stratification or structure, and they exhibit doming and faulting in the sedimentary strata above the intrusions. Deformation along the sides is dominated by highly attenuated, dipping strata with dips of 45° or higher that decrease rapidly away from the intrusions. Doming extends several hundred meters from the margins and produced many …