Geology Commons^™

Digging Deep Into Curation: A Guide To Creating A Local Fossil Museum, Syd Joheim, René Shroat-Lewis

Research and Creative Works Expo

In Arkansas, the dissemination of educational content related to evolution and natural history is often constrained by prevailing cultural dynamics. This has resulted in a significant gap in the exposure of primary and secondary school students to foundational concepts in natural history and physical sciences. Even the state’s most popular science and history museums often intentionally exclude exhibits that risk upsetting a large portion of their visitors, further exacerbating the issue. As a consequence, many children do not receive proper education on natural history and physical sciences.  To address this educational deficiency, researchers identified and cataloged specimens from a collection …

Analyzing Surface Water And Groundwater Interactions From Pfas Contamination In The West Plains Region Of Spokane County, Jerusha R. Hampson

2026 Symposium

The West Plains region of Spokane County has been significantly impacted by PFAS contamination due to the decades-long use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for firefighting training at both Fairchild Air Force Base (FAFB) and the Spokane International Airport (SIA). Groundwater contamination is significant, but surface waters are impacted by the contamination as well. Groundwater flows to the north and east, meaning surface water bodies that make up the northern and eastern boundaries (Deep Creek, Hangman Creek, and the Spokane River) can be impacted by PFAS contamination. The West Plains aquifer system is complex but combining data about aquifer flow …

Preliminary Geologic Assessment And Pfas Occurrence In Western Cheney, Washington, Sydney Frandsen

2026 Symposium

In 2021 Cheney Water Well #5 was closed due to toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) levels above the current State Action Limits and the National Drinking Water Protection Act (https://www.cityofcheney.org/207/Water), which is a concern since PFAS has been associated to types of cancer, birth defects, and other negative human and environmental health concerns (https://doh.wa.gov/communityand-environment/contaminants/pfas). The City of Cheney also tested two downgradient deep-groundwater-wells (Cheney wells #6 and 7) and halted investigation due to the wells being below state and federal drinking water standards. However, a local resident’s shallow groundwater well tested to be above federal and state levels of …

Geochemistry And Petrography Of Upper Devonian (Famennian) Paleosols In The Appalachian Basin Of Central Pennsylvania, Usa, Cheyenne Woodward, Tami Emick, Lily Pfeifer, Jeff Trop

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

To test the hypothesis of alpine glaciation in the late Devonian (Famennian) at subtropic latitudes, we present new major element geochemistry and petrographic thin section images from upper Devonian paleosols collected from north-central Pennsylvania (Appalachian Basin).  Paleosols, ancient soils, record climate conditions at the time of formation. Major element geochemistry is used to calculate the intensity of weathering which is used for paleoclimate interpretations, and microfabrics observed in paleosol thin section petrography yield important clues about the soil type and degree of pedogenesis in the system. Twenty-three samples were collected from the Catskill and Lockhaven Formation paleosols for geochemical analysis, …

Towards Physics-Informed Neural Networks For Simulating Multiphase Geothermal Convection​*, Daniel C. Patton, Andrew Harrison Eno

Campus Research Month

Water and steam flow through porous rock, transferring heat via conduction and buoyancy-driven convection caused by density differences. Traditional numerical methods (finite-volume/finite-element) model this well but can become memory-intensive and unstable for long, high-detail simulations. This work demonstrates a Physics-Informed Neural Network (PINN) using a finite-difference approach within the NVIDIA PhysicsNeMo framework to simulate magma chambers in 2D. Tested on the Rio Pisco pluton in Peru, results are compared with the USGS HYDROTHERM model. PINNs learn from physical laws, offering accurate, flexible solutions with less data and development effort.

Controlled Gelation Of Co₂-Resistant Polymer Systems For Improved Conformance In Co₂-Eor, Maryam Sharifi Paroushi

Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference

This presentation introduces a CO₂-resistant hydrogel developed to control fluid movement and improve CO₂ injection performance in subsurface reservoirs for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Conventional polymer gels often lose strength in CO₂-rich environments, resulting in weak plugging, early breakdown, and ineffective flow control. To address this limitation, a sulfonated HPAM-based gel system crosslinked with chromium was developed. The effects of polymer concentration, molecular weight, crosslinker ratio, ionic strength, and pH were investigated to better understand gelation behavior and performance. The formulation exhibited controlled gelation, strong resistance to temperature and CO₂, and minimal shrinkage over …

Reconstructing 5000 Years Of Hurricane Activity In Holyrood Pond Using Sediment Core Analysis, Jamie Mclaulin, Arielle Nogueira, Elizabeth Wallace

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Hurricanes are hazardous and costly events that annually negatively impact people that live in coastal areas in North America.  The current observational record of hurricanes is short (1970- present) and does not offer insight into the effects of climate change on hurricane frequency.  One method of improving and extending our observational record of hurricanes is to reconstruct paleohurricanes using sediment cores.  These cores record hurricane activity in the form of coarse-grained overwash layers that are deposited when hurricanes move sand from beaches into backbarrier ponds.  In this project, we analyzed sediment cores from Atlantic Canada to locate coarse-grained storm layers …

Uas Vs. In-Situ Measurement Techniques For Stream Substrates, Nathan Watson

Scholars Week

UAS vs. In-situ Measurement Techniques for Stream Substrates

Key words: Geomorphic, Fluvial, ArcGIS Pro, UAS

Traditionally, geomorphic assessments of streams and fluvial structures have been conducted using in-situ field techniques. These techniques include taking Wolman (D50) pebble counts to characterize substrate, measurements of stream dimensions with tape, meter sticks, and Jacob staff. We studied the efficacy of using an uncrewed aerial system (UAS) to measure the substrate composition of a section of stream along the east fork of the Clarks River in Calloway County, Kentucky. The section consists of a 30-meter riffle-pool-run sequence, with variation in substrate size to test …

One Year Of Analysis Of Pfas Contamination In Surface Waters Of The West Plains Region Of Spokane County, Jerusha R. Hampson

2025 Symposium

The West Plains has been significantly impacted by PFAS contamination due to the decades-long use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for firefighting training at both Fairchild Air Force Base (FAFB) and the Spokane International Airport (SIA). Groundwater contamination is significant, but less work had been done to understand contamination in surface waters. We now have over a year of data with most locations were sampled seasonally. Though FAFB and SIA are likely sources for some of the contamination, other, smaller sources exist. Surface waters are important to study as they form the boundaries of the West Plains and often function …

Latah Formation: History And Case Studies, Kylee M. Woodworth

2025 Symposium

The Latah Formation is a series of discontinuous sedimentary interbeds between the flows of the Columbia River Flood Basalts outcropping across northern Idaho and eastern Washington. Ages ranging between the Middle to Upper Miocene, the sediments represent varied fluvio-lacustrine environments. The deposits are predominantly composed of claystones and shales as alternating, laminated couplets, many containing a variety of fossils. Though the sediments may appear similar across localities, they come from different source rocks, ranging from ashes from Yellowstone hotspot to metamorphic rock from nearby hills. These ancient lacustrine and fluvial environments allowed for great preservation of fossils, often in great …

Structural Analysis Of Catawissa Quadrangle, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, Kylee M. Woodworth

2025 Symposium

Catawissa Mountain within Columbia County, Pennsylvania is a part of a much large system of mountains called the Appalachian Mountains. Though little more than hills today, the Appalachian Mountains are some of the oldest mountains in the Americas, dating back to after the separation of the supercontinent, Pangea. This presentation is about the structure interpretations of the Catawissa 7.5 Minute Quadrangle, located in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, including fold analysis of the SW trending Catawissa Syncline, formed from Appalachian fold-thrust belt. These analyses are to decipher how the mountain formed from the surrounding regional tectonics and the timeframe of when the …

Proceedings Of The 12th Research Symposium At Mammoth Cave National Park, Pat Kambesis Editor, Lee Anne Bledsoe Editor, Ana K. Celis Editor

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Proceedings of the 12th Research Symposium at Mammoth Cave National Park: Celebrating 100 Years of Scientific Research & Resource Management in the Mammoh Cave Region.

Method For Low-Cost In Situ Measurement Of Dissolved Total Volatile Organic Compound Concentrations In Surface Waters, Teagan A. Jones

ATU Scholars Symposium

Increases in volatile organic compounds (VOC) in developing areas poses risks to aquatic health. Water quality changes in surface waters, if measured, are often only for field parameters of pH, specific conductance, water temperature, and major ions, e.g. Ca2+, Mg2+, Na, Cl. Elevated VOC concentrations can negatively impact aquatic ecosystems even at low concentrations, but do not cause changes in commonly measured parameters and may go undetected based on monitoring these common parameters. Traditional sampling and benchtop analysis for VOC can be both time and cost prohibitive. Here we demonstrate the use of a low-cost in situ dissolved total VOC …

The Effects Of Climate Change On The Advancement Of West Nile Virus, Mackenzie R. Epperson

ATU Scholars Symposium

The West Nile virus (WNV) first emerged in the United States in the year 1999 within the state of New York and has become endemic throughout the country over time. This virus is contracted from an avian species acting as the reservoir host, by the vector species which are mosquitoes. From this point, the mosquitoes transmit the virus to humans and other mammals, which are the dead end hosts. The WNV often presents itself as flu-like symptoms, but in serious cases can cause severe arboviral neurological disease. Since this is an arbovirus, it is important to have the ability to …

Experimental Impacts Into Sloped Targets, J.L.B. Anderson, Tyler S.L. Kadrie, A.L. Miller, C.J. Cline Ii

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Asymmetric craters have been ob-served on sloped surfaces on the Moon [1] and extensively across Vesta [2] and Ceres [3]. For example, Lowell Crater (Fig. 1A) is a large crater on the surface of the Moon that has a small-er crater, Lowell H, which formed when an asteroid impacted the sloped surface of Lowell’s crater rim [1]. The topography map of Lowell H (Fig. 1B) shows the original sloped crater wall, the highly asymmetric and slumped Lowell H crater, and the debris flows that formed during its collapse.

Typically, impact cratering experiments are performed into smooth, flat-lying targets as a …

Inconsistencies With The Drumian Carbon Isotope Excursion (Dice) In West-Central Utah, Michelle Norman

Student Research Symposium

Geologic Setting

• During the Cambrian Period (539-485.4Ma), the western US was submerged by a shallow ocean
• Carbon cycle fluctuations in stable carbon were preserved in marine sediments
• One such period of geologic time, the Drumian Age (500Ma), is defined by the first appearance of a deepwater trilobite, P. atavus, in west-central Utah
• Researchers have hypothesized we can find Drumian-aged rocks without the fossils using carbon cycle fluctuations preserved in limestone
• the Drumian Carbon Isotope Excursion (DICE) is defined as a -2.5‰ fluctuation in global carbon-bearing rocks

08 - Blue Carbon Sequestration And Sediment Storage In Seagrass Meadows Of South Bay, Luke C. Clements, Adriana Amrhein, Richard P. Hale

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Blue carbon is stored in coastal and marine ecosystems like seagrass meadows and salt marshes, which helps combat climate change by preventing greenhouse gas emissions. This study examines the role of seagrass in carbon storage by comparing sediment cores from a mud channel and a seagrass meadow in South Bay.

We collected a 100 cm core from the mud channel and a 55 cm core from the seagrass area, taking samples every 10 cm to analyze grain size and organic carbon content. Using a wet sieving method, we separated sand from mud and measured organic carbon through loss on ignition. …

Prediction Of Undrained Shear Strength From Towed-Tem Resistivity Attributes Using Machine Learning Techniques, Kolawole Arowoogun, Katherine R. Grote, Jeremy Maurer

Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Assessing Climate Change-Induced Drought In Abu Dhabi, Salem Anwar Alblooshi

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

This thesis examines trends of drought related to climate change in a region within the Abu Dhabi Emirate through advanced remote sensing and statistical trend analysis techniques. To analyze long-term trends in temperature, precipitation, evapotranspiration, and groundwater levels, we use Google Earth Engine (GEE) as our primary data extraction and analysis tool, covering the years from 2002 to 2016. Evaluation of MODIS Land Surface Temperature data indicated a statistically significant warming trend each month, with rates reaching as high as 0.1°C/year. Although precipitation patterns revealed significant variability without any major trends, evapotranspiration values showed a predictable increase, especially during the …

Luminescence, Esr And Cl Characterisation Of Quartz Extracted From Granite Source Rocks And The Derived Sediments Used For Provenance Studies, Daniela Constantin, Aditi Dave, Serban Grecu, Zuzanna Kabacińska, Mihai Ducea, Petru Urdea, Alida Timar-Gabor

FRONTIERS UNBOUND: Exploring Extreme Environments

No abstract provided.

Hraunrásir: Exploring And Studying The Steaming Lava Tubes Of Fagradalsfjall Volcano (Iceland), Francesco Sauro, Riccardo Pozzobon, Martina Cappelletti, Bogdan P. Onac, Ana Zelia Miller, Groq Birkefeldt Moller Pedersen, Tommaso Santagata

FRONTIERS UNBOUND: Exploring Extreme Environments

No abstract provided.

Historical Structural Analysis Of The Rileyville Quadrangle, Page County, Virginia, Sydney Fergen

2024 Symposium

The Northwest corner of Virginia, within the Appalachian Mountains, formed during a collision of continents called the Alleghenian Orogeny roughly 250 million years ago(Ma). This event caused tectonic plates to collide, reforming the fractured continental crust back into a new supercontinent, Pangaea. This process took over 100 Ma and closed the Rheic Ocean. These large-scale compressional tectonics had several effects including formation of the Allegheny Plateau and Taconic Mountain range, which has gradually eroded exposing a series of plunging folds and imbricated thrust faults. This poster presents a structural analysis of the Rileyville quadrangle to help decipher regional geologic history …

U/Pb Zircon Ages Of Saltese Upland Conservation Area, Priest River Core Complex, Jessica M. Lawrence, Natalie Potter, Chad Pritchard

2024 Symposium

The Saltese Upland Conservation Area provides a window into the Priest River Core Complex with Lake Hauser gneiss grading to migmatite, garnet-baring amphibolite juxtaposed with felsite to orthogneiss rocks. U/Pb ages from LA-ICP-MS of separated zircon grains show trends very similar to detrital 207Pb/206Pb ages of the Belt Supergroup. The amphibolite displays a much stronger peak at 1.4 to 1.5 Ga , possibly related to the emplacement of Mesoproterozoic dikes. The amphibolite and granitic rocks also contain a number of grains with 238U/206Pb around 60 Ma preserving events from the uplift of the Priest River Complex in the Spokane area. …

Paleohydraulic Analysis Of Megaripples From Outburst Floods In Omak, Washington, Jessica M. Lawrence

2024 Symposium

Located in Omak, Washington atop what is observed to be a gravel point bar are giant current ripples associated with outburst floods that took place during the Pleistocene (O’Connor et al. 2020 and Minard 1985). Thorough breakdown of these giant current ripples was conducted using their geomorphologies associated with stream flow mechanisms for gravel bedforms such as hydraulic radius of cross- sectional area and velocity using Manning’s equation to determine Froude’s Number (USDA 2007). Ripple index associated with ripple wavelength and height was then compared to additional megaripples located throughout Scablands of Washington that have been correlated to the Great …

Preliminary Analysis Of Per-And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) In Surface Waters Of The West Plains Region Of Spokane County, Jerusha Hampson

2024 Symposium

Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) have become a national issue as regulatory limits for these toxins have just recently been put into the Clean Water Act. The West Plains has been significantly impacted by PFAS contamination due to the decades-long use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for firefighting training at both Fairchild Airforce Base and the Spokane International Airport. Though research is still underway, it is known that PFAS contamination in West Plains groundwater is significant and widespread. This study focuses on West Plains surface waters, as there is currently less information about how these water bodies are impacted by PFAS. …

Textural Investigation Into Rapid Welding Transitions In The Tuff Of Leslie Gulch Along Succor Creek At The Mahogany Mountain-Three Fingers Rhyolite Field, Southeastern Oregon, Alicia J. Martinez-Garling, Martin J. Streck

Student Research Symposium

The Mahogany Mountain-Three Fingers Rhyolite Field (MM-TFrf) in southeastern Oregon, associated with mid-Miocene rhyolite activity and Columbia River flood basalts, has been the subject of geological scrutiny. Previous studies proposed separate origins for the tuff of Leslie Gulch (LGT) and Spring Creek, but Benson and Mahood (2006) suggested a single ignimbrite event at 15.8 Ma, prompting a reassessment of MM-TFrf's history. This research focuses on LGT, investigating textural disparities between welded and non-welded tuff formations. Petrographic examinations delve into the transformation stages of pyroclastic tuff deposition, revealing the dynamic influences of volcanological and magmatic processes on welded and non-welded tuff …

Analyzing Intensifying Storm Events Correlation To Landslide Frequency In Portland’S West Hills, Aurora Villa Juan

Student Research Symposium

As the Pacific Northwest climate changes, extreme weather, such as intensifying storms, and a shift in the type of precipitation experienced with warmer winters causing more precipitation to fall as rain instead of snow, may lead to an increased frequency of landslides. There have been several recent landslides in Portland, noticeable to the public, particularly in areas of high elevation such as Council Crest, which stands at 1,073 feet. Additionally, residents of neighboring homes have observed changes in the landscape, including those on private properties. To better safeguard both public and private property, comprehensive research and mitigation efforts are required. …

Characterizing Potentially Harmful Environmental Legacy Issues Within A Declining Midwest City: A Street Sediment Study Of Northeastern Terre Haute, Indiana, Katelyn Adams '24, Ken Brown

Senior Scholarly and Creative Symposium

Urban settings face unprecedented environmental challenges that include legacy issues as well as emerging pollution problems (e.g., micro-plastics) that continually impact the public health of its communities. Determining the baseline abundances of potentially harmful contaminants in soil, sediment, air, and water is essential to protecting residents. This study examines anthropogenic pollution in street sediments collected from three neighborhoods located in northeast Terre Haute, Indiana. Using stereomicroscopy, SEM/EDS, pXRF analyses, and geospatial analysis (GIS), the goal of this work is to characterize the types of pollutants present and place important constraints on their potential sources.

Stereomicroscopy on nine street sediment samples …

Dating The Ste. Genevieve Limestone In West-Central Indiana Using Sr-Isotope Stratigraphy, Claire Wolfe '24

Senior Scholarly and Creative Symposium

A section of Mississippian limestone is exposed in quarry walls at the DePauw Nature Park in Greencastle, Indiana, but its precise age is not known. This research project aimed to date the exposed wall using 87Sr/86Sr isotopic ratios to determine the absolute age. Ten samples of brachiopods and ooids were collected at various levels along the stratigraphic column. Isotope ratios were measured in these samples at ALS Scandinavia using a Neptune Plus MC-ICP-MS. Those ratios were then placed on a LOESS seawater Sr-isotope curve (McArthur, 2020) to determine the absolute age range for each sample. Whereas several samples were contaminated …

Arkansas Soil Erosion And Conservation Methods In Ornamental Landscapes, Abby J. Cutsinger

ATU Scholars Symposium

This study will attempt to identify the best soil erosion mitigation methods for Arkansas ornamental landscape settings by comparing the strengths and weaknesses of known techniques. Since soil is not a renewable resource, we must apply conservation practices wherever possible, not just in agricultural settings. To determine the most effective erosion prevention techniques, this study will review soil studies conducted by the NRCS and NASA, as well as articles on best practices observed in ornamental landscape and agricultural industries. These are analyzed by comparing and contrasting techniques against known problems with Arkansas soil to determine which methods are most effective. …