Geology Commons^™

Testing Xrf Identification Of Marine Washover Sediment Beds In A Coastal Lake In Southeastern Texas, Usa, Harry F. L. Williams, Chelsea E. Beaubouef, Kam-Biu Liu, Nicholas Culligan, Lance Riedlinger

Faculty Publications

This study tests the ability of a novel approach to identifying washover beds in coastal lakes. Combined X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and cluster analysis was used to identify hurricane washover beds in sediment cores from Clam Lake on the McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Texas. The lake is known to contain washover beds from recent hurricanes, but the washover sediment has similar microfossil, loss-on-ignition and textural characteristics to non-washover sediment and is not readily distinguishable. Sediment cores taken from marshes surrounding the lake do contain visually-recognizable sandy washover beds of Hurricanes Ike, Rita, Carla and Audrey. XRF analysis of these …

Mineral Displays As Embodiments Of Geologic Thought And Colonial Invisibility, Selby Hearth, Carrie Robbins

Geology Faculty Research and Scholarship

Mineral displays embodied how we think about minerals: as symbols of social status, scholarly tools, theological objects, and instruments of education. Mineral displays are also representations of how we don’t think about minerals: as human products embedded in wider human histories. This paper reviews the historical themes in mineral display, from the cabinets of curiosity of the Renaissance to modern museums, and articulates a major narrative that has been omitted from mineral display traditions: the human processes that bring mineral specimens from the ground to the display case, particularly Western colonialism and labour. Historically, mineral displays have been used to …

Influence Of Bedrock Erodibility On Orogen Evolution In Collisional Systems And Implications For Geodynamic Models, Stephanie Ann Sparks

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Theoretical and numerical geodynamic models of continental collisional systems often involve, either explicitly or implicitly, a necessary yet complicated dependence between tectonics and erosion; however, the exact nature of these relationships remains elusive and controversial. In such models for the Himalayan-Tibetan (H-T) collisional orogen, surface processes are theorized or in some cases required to play an essential role in modulating critical processes active in the evolution of that system. To investigate, at least to first order. these interactions between climate and tectonics, we generate a simplified landscape evolution model of an actively uplifting orogenic wedge acted upon by surface processes. …

Data From: Inventory Of Glaciers And Perennial Snowfields Of The Conterminous Usa, Andrew G. Fountain, Bryce Glenn, Christopher Mcneil

Geology Faculty Datasets

This is an updated inventory of glaciers and perennial snowfields of the contiguous United States. All perennial snow and ice features greater than 0.01 km² are included. Outlines are mostly derived from aerial imagery provided by the National Agricultural Imagery Program, US Department of Agriculture with some satellite imagery in places where aerial imagery was not suitable. Imagery dates range from 2013 to 2020. Most (70%) of the outlines were acquired from 2015 imagery.

Mapping Of Microseismic Aftershock Sequences Following The 2017 Lincoln, Montana M 5.8 Earthquake, Reyer M. Fenoff

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The Rocky Mountains of western Montana have long been experiencing tectonic compression and extension that has shaped much of western North America. This activity consistently produces seismic events, like the 6 July 2017 M 5.8 earthquake 11 km southeast of Lincoln, MT, which can be used to advance understanding of crust and mantle dynamics and structure. Seismic mapping is vital to understanding structure and tectonic activity in western Montana as well as in analogous locations across the world. Recently deployed seismometers from the University of Montana as well as the Montana Regional Seismic Network (MRSN) from the Montana Bureau of …

Using Triple Oxygen Isotopes To Reveal The Origin And Evolution Of Mantle Eclogite, Catherine Mary Peshek

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Triple oxygen isotope (TOI) measurements of mantle eclogite from the Orapa kimberlite pipe have reconstructed bulk rock '18O values from 4.587 to 9.542‰ (vs. VSMOW) and '17O from -0.075 to -0.044‰ (vs. VSMOW,  ~0.528). TOI values show increasing '18O with decreasing '17O, overlapping with modern measured altered oceanic crust. Orapa eclogite xenoliths with alkali enrichments show variable mantle-like and heavy 18O, consistent with subduction of seafloor altered basalt. Na# (Na/Na+Ca) in clinopyroxene for some xenoliths pairs with mantle-like oxygen, variable and extreme LREE enrichment, elevated Mg# and lower jadeite contents. These samples preserve records of eclogite melting, mantle interaction …

Surficial Geologic Map Of The Constantine 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Kentucky, Maxwell L. Hammond Iii, Antonia E. Bottoms, Matthew Massey, Emily Morris, Michele Mchugh

Contract Reports--KGS

The Constantine 7.5-minute quadrangle is located west of Elizabethtown along the boundary of Hardin and Breckinridge Counties. The quadrangle lies along the northern section of the Dripping Springs Escarpment, which separates the Mammoth Cave Plateau and Pennyroyal regions of the Mississippian Sinkhole Plain physiographic province (McFarlan, 1943). Topography is mostly characterized by high-elevation plateaus, ridges, and knobs of the Mammoth Cave Plateau (up to 919 ft), which have been intensely dissected by the Rough River and its tributaries (down to 516 ft). A small area of the Pennyroyal extends into the eastern part of the quadrangle, which is marked by …

Relative Tectonic Activity Assessment Of The Northern Sumatran Fault From Geomorphological And Morphotectonic Analyses, Aldo Febriansyah Putra

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The Northern Sumatran Fault is a part of a trench-parallel strike-slip fault situated in oblique subduction setting. This study aims to assess the relative tectonic activity using geomorphic indices and to interpret the basin-forming mechanisms from geomorphic expressions in order to construct the schematic evolution of the Northern Sumatran Fault based on the development of transverse drainage basins and streams. This study utilized the 8.25-m digital elevation model released by the Geospatial Information Agency, the Republic of Indonesia, namely the DEMNAS. This study applied six geomorphic indices for assessing the relative tectonic activity: mountain-front sinuosity (Smf; average 1.14—1.94), valley width-to-height …

2022 Nebraska Water Leaders Academy Final Report, Mark E. Burbach, Robert Matthew Joeckel, Brooke Mott, Gina S. Matkin

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

Fifteen participants completed the 2022 Water Leaders Academy bringing the total number of graduates to 168 since the inception of the program in 2011. Assessments of participants’ transformational leadership skills, champion of innovation skills, water knowledge, engagement with water issues, civic capacity, entrepreneurial leadership behaviors, and boundary spanning skills increased significantly over the course of the year, according to both the participants and their raters. Feedback from the participants was highly positive and constructive. Academy planners are addressing participant concerns. Results of the program assessment indicate that the curriculum is meeting Academy objectives. Therefore, only minor changes are planned for …

Amphibians And Reptiles Of Nebraska Coloring Pages, John Lokke

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

Black and white images from original art by John Lokke. Suitable for coloring pages. Published by the Nebraska Maps & More Store at the School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

Mapping Log Pd/Cu Ratios In Vulcan And Investigation Into The Origin Of The Magenta Zone In The Northmet Deposit: Hoyt Lakes Minnesota, Usa, Paige M. C. M. Bauer

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research is to investigate the origin of the PGE-rich Magenta Zone, a geologic feature within the NorthMet Deposit; a Cu-Ni-PGE deposit within a layered intrusion at the base of the 1.1 Ga Duluth Complex. The hypothesis is that a late-stage silicate magma containing dispersed sulfide droplets had infiltrated a permeable crystal mush resulting in the emplacement of the Magenta Zone. While mineralization is typically found along the base of the Duluth Complex, the Magenta Zone lies ~200 m above typical mineralization. Previous research has shown that the Magenta Zone cross cuts the younger concordant units. To …

Thermomechanical Evolution Of A Magmatic System During A Caldera Cycle: Okataina Volcanic Center, New Zealand, Jacob Bonessi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Caldera forming eruptions represent some of the largest simultaneous releases of mass and energy on the planet and pose a looming risk on a global scale. The study of the underlying magmatic systems is integral in understanding what leads to these large eruptions. This approach pairs a suite of major and trace element profiles from plagioclase with a grain texture classification and statistical analysis using Polytopic Vector Analysis (PVA) as proxies to explore potential changes in the thermomechanical state of the magmatic system at Okataina Volcanic Complex (OVC), New Zealand through its most recent caldera cycle. Results indicate systematic changes …

Pascoite Minerals And Potential Application Of Nmr Spectroscopy, Craig C. Mclauchlan, Beth Trent-Ringer, Debbie C. Crans

Faculty Publications – Chemistry

The 20 minerals encompassing the pascoite family of decavanadate isopolyanion-containing [V₁₀O₂₈]⁶⁻ minerals include a few minerals, such as rakovanite, that have been described as containing a protonated decavanadate anion. Rakovanite was originally assigned the formula Na₃[H₃V₁₀O₂₈]•15H₂O and now is redefined with an ideal formula (NH₄)₃Na₃[V₁₀O₂₈]•12H₂O. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and particularly ⁵¹V NMR spectroscopy is an informative method used to describe the protonation state and speciation in both solid and solution states …

Distribution Of Particulate Organic Carbon – Fluxes And Inventories – In Growth-Faulted Coastal Wetlands, Samuel Joel Whitehead

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Coastal wetlands along the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOMx) are critically important but threatened environments which provide significant and diverse economic, social, and environmental value. These environments are essential components to the global carbon cycle, serving as one of the most efficient terrestrial carbon sinks. Since onset of the Industrial Revolution increasing rates of coastal wetland loss have been documented due to a variety of anthropogenic activities, neotectonic processes, subsidence, and rising sea-levels. This research utilized an array of methods and sedimentological analyses to test the hypothesis that growth-fault induced changes at Earth’s surface affects the delivery to, and storage …

Deformation Of Wall Rocks And Overburden Sequences Proximal To Salt Diapirs In Salt Valley, Utah: Implications For Predicting Subseismic Damage In Salt Tectonic Systems, William Swanger

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Although deformation related to salt tectonics is generally considered to be an ancillary field of structural geology, owing to its relatively limited occurrence in the geologic record, the preponderance of salt-involved systems in multiple hydrocarbon-rich basins around the world (e.g., Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic passive margins, Iran, etc.) creates a necessity for understanding salt-related deformation. Traditionally, salt was considered to be relatively weak and thus was mostly unable to drive deformation of adjacent wall rocks and cover sequences. However, a number of recent numerical modeling studies have shown that mobilized and pressurized salt may have the ability to actively pierce …

Tryptophan-Like Fluorescence And Non-Point Source Pollution In Karst Basins, Inner Bluegrass Region, Kentucky, Ryan Dapkus

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Typically, the degree of fecal contamination of water is assessed by the concentration of thermotolerant coliforms, like E. coli. This method is time-consuming, taking > 18 hours between the start of incubation and subsequent enumeration. The current study examines the utility of monitoring tryptophan-like fluorescence (TLF) using in-situ fluorometers as a proxy for fecal contamination, particularly E. coli. Relative timing of discharge peaks and TLF peaks is considered, as well as differences in E. coli concentrations and major anion concentrations between two different basins that were monitored weekly. Results indicate that TLF is somewhat useful in the prediction of …

Syn- To Post-Orogenic Evolution Of Collisional Mountain Systems: Investigating The Potential For Crustal Flow Using Thermochronology And Numerical Models, Brandon Spencer

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

This dissertation is composed of three distinct manuscripts which collectively investigate processes that contribute to the late evolution of collisional mountain systems —specifically, the ancient Appalachian-Caledonian system. In the first paper, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar thermochronological data are used to constrain the timing of exhumation of the Scandian orogenic wedge of northern Scotland. Muscovite and amphibole samples yield dates of ca. 420-411 Ma, consistent with cooling after peak orogenesis. During this cooling phase, dates from both systems in individual thrust sheets show an increase in cooling rate in the later stage of exhumation; in the orogenic core, the cooling rate …

Investigation Into Karst Of Southwest Missouri Using Electrical Resistivity, Donald Zachary Wormington

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Nixa, Missouri is located on the southwestern edge of the Ozark Dome which has a karst geomorphological environment. Near surface geophysical methods can be used in determining the location and nature of karst features such as caves and sinkholes. Electrical resistivity methods have been shown to be among the most useful methods in deciphering sinkholes and caves. To investigate a known cave and related sinkholes and faults within Mississippian carbonates south of Nixa, Missouri, a series of two-dimensional electrical resistivity profiles were collected using the dipole-dipole and Schlumberger arrays. Terrain data was collected to include in modeling. The data were …

U-Pb Apatite Chronometry Of Intrusions In An Accretionary Metamorphic Belt In Western Idaho, Usa, Colleen Grace Rankin

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The Salmon River suture zone in west-central Idaho, USA records the tectonic processes where island arcs, similar to modern-day Japan, were accreted to the North American continent in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods (160-90 million years ago). This suture zone contains metamorphic rocks that were buried deep within the crust at depths of 20 kilometers or more and have subsequently been brought to the surface. The exhuming processes responsible for the metamorphic rocks in the Salmon River suture zone remains unclear. Two competing hypotheses have been proposed to explain the transport of the rocks from the Salmon River suture zone …

Downstream Dispersal Of Fine Tailings, Chat And Metals In Channel Sediment Of Big River, Old Lead Belt, Southeast Missouri, Jennifer Pace Witt

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

In St. François County, Missouri, compromised above-ground tailings piles and containment ponds from historical mining activities in the Old Lead Belt released considerable amounts of dolomitic, Pb- and Zn-contaminated waste sediments to the Big River, contributing to significant downstream floodplain and channel sediment contamination. Previous studies have documented the effects of heavy metals on Big River biota and water quality, as well as benthic habitat disruption resulting from the influx of small sediments. Few have considered the effects and future contamination risk of the coarse waste sediments (2-16 mm in diameter), locally called “chat”, which retain high Pb and Zn …

Chemical And Thermal Influence On Intermediate Magma Storage Conditions: Volcán Ollagüe, Chile-Bolivia, Central Andes, Drew Allen Laviada-Garmon

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Continental arc volcanoes are the single best portrayal of the evolution of recycled earth material stemming from subduction, one of the most important and foundational phenomena in global tectonics. Understanding the genesis of intermediate-composition magmas produced at arc volcanoes is a difficult process making them a focal point for investigation. Geochemical investigation of zircon and plagioclase mineral phases erupted from continental arcs can provide insight into magma process, generation, storage conditions, timescales and differentiation of sub-volcanic plumbing systems prior to eruption events. The Central Volcanic Zone is a prime example of continental arc volcanism through subduction, and is host to …

Geology Of The Jacksonville 7.5 Minute Quadrangle And U–Pb And (U–Th)/He Reveal Sediment Routing And Uplift In The Southern Appalachian Valley And Ridge Province, Derek L. Spurgeon

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The southern Appalachian Mountains have experienced multiple deformation events having undergone two full Wilson cycles. The foreland Valley and Ridge province is composed of sedimentary Paleozoic rock that range in age from earliest Cambrian to Middle Pennsylvanian. This sedimentary basin was intensely folded and faulted during the collision of Gondwana during the Middle to Late Carboniferous Period. From previous geologic structural mapping that has taken place, some large-scale structures in the Valley and Ridge Province seem to be out of sequence. To better understand the relationships in these structures, geologic mapping in high detail at the 1:24,000 scale coupled with …

Patterns Of Interdisciplinary Collaboration Resemble Biogeochemical Relationships In The Mcmurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica: A Historical Social Network Analysis Of Science, 1907–2016, Stephen M. Chignell, Adrian Howkins, Poppie Gullett, Andrew G. Fountain

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Co-authorship networks can provide key insights into the production of scientific knowledge. This is particularly interesting in Antarctica, where most human activity relates to scientific research. Bibliometric studies of Antarctic science have provided a useful understanding of international and interdisciplinary collaboration, yet most research has focused on broad-scale analyses over recent time periods. Here, we take advantage of a ‘Goldilocks’ opportunity in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, an internationally important region of Antarctica and the largest ice-free region on the continent. The McMurdo Dry Valleys have attracted continuous and diverse scientific activity since 1958. It is a geographically confined region with …

Geomorphic Evaluation Of The Goose Lake Fault And Fluvial Terraces At The Yager Creek–Van Duzen River Confluence, Northern Coastal California, Samuel E. Bold

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Upper-plate deformation in the southern Cascadia subduction zone is dynamic and complex, situated in the transition between northward translation to westward convergence. Rock uplift and incision rates characteristic of this dynamic region are preserved in suites of fluvial and marine terraces. Fluvial terraces at the Yager Creek–Van Duzen River confluence record fluvial incision rates, and are crosscut by the understudied Goose Lake fault, an upper plate structure. In this work, I use high resolution lidar imagery to map terrace surfaces, and use optically stimulated luminescence, radiocarbon, and Beryllium-10 geochronology to bracket terrace ages and calculate incision and slip rates. With …

Late Quaternary Glacier Fluctuations At Picayune Lake, Northern California, Aidan Patrick Cowan

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Klamath Mountains are a 233-km-long (north to south) mountain range located in northern California that shows extensive geomorphic evidence of Pleistocene glaciation. Within the Klamath’s there are many highland lakes, which record evidence of glacial deposition, one of which is Picayune Lake. Lake sediment data collected from Picayune Lake offers insights into the glaciation, and broader depositional history of the Picayune Lake Valley, as well as the climate history of the Klamath Mountains region. I measured magnetic susceptibility, loss on ignition, and grain size in sediment cores and used radiocarbon dating to determine a chronology of glacier fluctuations in …

Evaluating The Relationship Between Floodplain Topography And Channel Avulsion: Evidence From The Devonian Catskill Formation, North-Central Pennsylvania, Usa, Molly O'Halloran

Honors Theses

Topographic complexity on floodplains can route flow, control sediment dispersal, and influence channel behavior, but studying floodplain-channel interactions in modern rivers is challenging because of human modifications and the short timescales of observable data. This project assesses the link between different types of floodplain microtopography and avulsion style in the Devonian Catskill Formation, north-central Pennsylvania, where thick stacks of fluvial strata provide a lengthy record of channel-floodplain interaction. Using a combination of field observations and computer modeling, this study identifies sedimentary features indicative of floodplain complexity and analyzes their impact on avulsion style at fourteen Catskill Formation outcrops.

Based on …

Geology Of The Porter Gap 7.5–Minute Quadrangle, Alabama, And Stretched Pebble Analysis Within The Western Blue Ridge Of The Southern Appalachians, Tessa Mills

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The Porter Gap 7.5–minute quadrangle in eastern Alabama contains portions of the undifferentiated sedimentary Knox Group of the Valley and Ridge province, the metamorphic Talladega Group of the western Blue Ridge, and the metamorphic Ashland Supergroup of the eastern Blue Ridge. Three major faults separate the rock units, including the Talladega-Cartersville fault, the Hillabee thrust fault, and the Hollins Line fault. Deformation and metamorphism of rocks within the Talladega Group occurred during the middle to late Mississippian (~334–320 Ma) recorded by stretched pebbles within the Cheaha Quartzite member of the Lay Dam Formation. Stretched pebbles within the Cheaha Quartzite have …

Ecosystem Damage Leading To A Possible Human Extinction, Meagan Wilburn, Matthew Balentine

Scholar's Day

While there are many factors that could lead to possible human extinction, the interaction between humans and the planet is something that needs to be monitored and changed, in order to prevent any more harm to the environment. By shaping the ecosystem and environment in a way that only benefits humans, there has been a tremendous loss of biodiversity. This will affect humans’ way of life. As everything is connected, it is important to understand the risks of how humans are treating the planet, so conservation efforts can be implemented based on the current state of the environment.

Application Of Machine Learning In Geophysics: Ranking Teleseismic Shear Wave Splitting Measurements And Classifying Different Types Of Earthquakes, Yanwei Zhang

Doctoral Dissertations

"During the past decades, applications of Machine Learning have been explosively developed to solve various academic and industrial problems, and over-human performance has been shown in diverse areas. In geophysical research, Machine Learning, especially Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), has been applied in numerous studies and demonstrated considerable potential. In this study, we applied CNN to solve two geophysical problems, ranking teleseismic shear splitting (SWS) measurements and classifying different types of earthquakes.

For ranking teleseismic SWS measurements, we utilized a CNN-based method to automatically select reliable SWS measurements. The CNN was trained by human-verified teleseismic SWS measurements and tested using synthetic …

Adsorption Of Arsenic Onto River Sediments, Leticia Augusta Dos Santos Ferreira

Masters Theses

“Previous studies have noted the relationship between shallow groundwater rich in sodium (Na) and bicarbonate (HCO₃) and elevated levels of dissolved arsenic. However, most experimental work on arsenic adsorption in the presence of HCO₃ and differing Na/Ca ratios has proven difficult to extrapolate to natural systems because of differences in tested mineral compositions and component concentrations. In this study, I performed a series of adsorption experiments using river sediments to evaluate the influence of HCO₃ and monovalent/divalent cations on the extent of arsenic adsorption onto natural sediment in groundwater.

Batch adsorption (kinetics, equilibrium, and metal loading) …