Geology Commons^™

Geology Of The Gordon Natural Area: A Service-Learning Investigation By Students In Ess 405, Petrology, Fall 2009, Leeann Srogi

Gordon Natural Area Geology Studies Documents

No abstract provided.

Geochemical And Mineralogical Evidence For Sahara And Sahel Dust Additions To Quaternary Soils On Lanzarote, Eastern Canary Islands, Spain, Daniel R. Muhs, James Budahn, Gary Skipp, Joseph M. Prospero, Deanna Patterson, E. Arthur Bettis Iii

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Africa is the most important source of dust in the world today, and dust storms are frequent on the nearby Canary Islands. Previous workers have inferred that the Sahara is the most important source of dust to Canary Islands soils, with little contribution from the Sahel region. Soils overlying a late Quaternary basalt flow on Lanzarote, Canary Islands, contain, in addition to volcanic minerals, quartz and mica, exotic to the island!s bedrock. Kaolinite in the soils also likely has an exotic origin. Trace-element geochemistry shows that the soils are derived from varying proportions of locally derived basalt and African dust. …

Development And Application Of A Pollen-Based Paleohydrologic Reconstruction From The Lower Roanoke River Basin, North Carolina, Usa, Debra Willard, Christopher Bernhardt, Roger Brown, Bryan Landacre, Philip A. Townsend

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

We used pollen assemblages to reconstruct late-Holocene paleohydrologic patterns in floodplain deposits from the lower Roanoke River basin (North Carolina, southeastern USA). Using 120 surface samples from 38 transects, we documented statistical relationships between pollen assemblages, vegetation, and landforms. Backswamp pollen assemblages (long hydroperiods) are dominated by Nyssa (tupelo) and Taxodium (cypress) and have high pollen concentrations. Sediments from elevated levees and seasonally flooded forests (shorter hydroperiods) are characterized by dominant Pinus (pine) pollen, variable abundance of hardwood taxa, and low pollen concentrations. We apply the calibration data set to interpret past vegetation and paleohydrology. Pollen from a radiocarbon-dated sediment …

Plains Co2 Reduction (Pcor) Partnership Atlas, Wesley D. Peck, Katherine K. Anagnost, Barry W. Botnen, Lisa S. Botnen, Daniel J. Daly, Charles D. Gorecki, Megan M. Grove, John A. Harju, Melanie D. Jensen, Michael L. Jones, Steven A. Smith, James A. Sorensen, Edward N. Steadman, Stephanie L. Wolfe, Andrea T. Mcnemar, John T. Litynski, Sean I. Plasynski

EERC Maps and Infographics

The Plains CO₂ Reduction (PCOR) Partnership Atlas, revised 3rd edition, introduces global climate change and a regional profile of CO₂ sources and potential sinks across central North America. Carbon storage offers a promising set of technologies through which CO₂ can be stored for long periods of time.

Crustal Thickness Of The Marie Byrd Land Dome And Its Implications, Joshua Svaldi

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study focuses on the crustal thickness of the Marie Byrd Land Dome (MBLD) in West Antarctica, which is a region of high elevation in proximity to a zone of extension and crustal thinning. We use the H-K receiver-function stacking method developed by Zhu and Kanamori (2000) to analyze the incoming seismic waves of tcleseismic events. The aim of the project is to determine whether or not the MLBD is in isostatic equilibrium. Values for crustal thickness at the Mt. Patterson site, along the western extremity of MBLD, are 28-31 km, while theoretical calculations have yielded a thickness of 33.5 …

Planning The Future Of Geocybereducation, Jeffrey G. Ryan, Susan Eriksson

Geology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Sources And Occurrences Of Nonpoint-Source Chemicals In Groundwater, Jackson Purchase Region, Kentucky: Data Report, E. Glynn Beck

Information Circular--KGS

Groundwater from the Jackson Purchase Region was sampled to investigate possible contamination by nonpoint-source chemicals. Conclusions drawn from the resulting data and methodology can be found in “Sources and Occurrences of Nonpoint-Source Chemicals in Groundwater, Jackson Purchase Region, Kentucky,” Kentucky Geological Survey Report of Investigations 22 (series 12), by R.S. Fisher and E.G. Beck.

Geology Of Central Eleuthera, Bahamas: A Field Trip Guide, Pascal Kindler, John E. Mylroie, H. Allen Curran, James L. Carew, Douglas W. Gamble, Thomas A. Rothfus

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

See other Smith authored Field Trip Guides of Gerace Research Centre.

Enigmatic Structures On Upper Pleistocene Laminar Caliche Surfaces Of The Bahamas: Animal, Vegetable, Or Mineral?, H. Allen Curran

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

Trace fossils are a common and important component of most Quaternary carbonate rock units of the Bahamas and other, similar tropical carbonate regions. In the Bahamas, the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary is typically marked by a calichified paleosol horizon that formed on the exposed limestone surfaces of the islands during the time of lowered sea level of the Last Glacial. On the north coast of San Salvador Island, an extensive horizontal surface of laminar caliche is exposed at Singer Bar Point and to the west. This surface formed on carbonate eolianite of Late Pleistocene (Eemian) age and is overlain by Holocene eolianite. …

Absorption And Biotransformation Of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers De-71 And De-79 In Chicken (Gallus Gallus), Mallard (Anas Platyrhynchos), American Kestrel (Falco Sparverius) And Black-Crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax Nycticorax) Eggs, Moira A. Mckernan, Barnett A. Rattner, Jeff S. Hatfield, Robert C. Hale, Mary Ann Ottinger

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

We recently reported that air cell administration of penta-brominated diphenyl ether (penta-BDE; DE-71) evokes biochemical and immunologic effects in chicken (Gallus gallus) embryos at very low doses, and impairs pipping (i.e., stage immediately prior to hatching) and hatching success at 1.8 µg g^-1 egg (actual dose absorbed) in American kestrels (Falco sparverius). In the present study, absorption of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners was measured following air cell administration of a penta-BDE mixture (11.1 lg DE-71 g^-1 egg) or an octa-brominated diphenyl ether mixture (octa BDE; DE-79; 15.4 lg DE-79 g^{- …}

Assessment Of Row Crop, Alfalfa, And Pasture Field Practices On Groundwater Quality In An Upland Bedrock Setting, Henderson County, Kentucky: Report Of Soil- And Water-Quality Data, E. Glynn Beck, James S. Dinger, John H. Grove, Eugenia Pena-Yewtukhiw

Information Circular--KGS

An assessment of how present agricultural practices have influenced shallow groundwater and soil quality was conducted on a 540-acre farm in north-central Henderson County. Groundwater- and soil-quality data were collected from row crop (corn and soybean), alfalfa, and pasture fields. In addition to the field settings, groundwater and soil data were collected from the existing farmyard and an abandoned feedlot. Groundwater samples were analyzed for pH, specific conductance, temperature, oxidation-reduction potential, metals, anions, nutrients, herbicides, and various isotopes. Soil samples were analyzed for pH, bioavailable phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, organic matter, total nitrogen, and inorganic nitrogen (nitrate-N). Soil- and …

Development Of A Spectral 2-D Fast Fourier Transform Analysis For Sand Ripple Morphology Interpretation, Christopher M. Englert

Honors Theses

A MATLAB-based 2-Dimensional Fast Fourier Transform spectral analysis is developed and tested for its applicability to bedform morphology and hydrodynamic data from a hydrodynamically complex field site. The aspects of the procedure tested are (1) the use of an 8 sub-region arrangement for analysis versus five other arrangements, (2) the procedure for averaging the wavelength-and-orientation outputs from each sub-region to produce a single representative value for each image, (3) methods for eliminating and/or filtering poor quality data, and (4) the procedural steps in the spectral analysis that can appropriately incorporate automation versus manual involvement and interpretation. The automated technique is …

Late Permian Paleoenvironmental Factors Expounded Through Analysis Of A Forest-Floor Paleosol Profile, Karoo Basin, South Africa, Cassi Knight

Honors Theses

Beaufort Group paleosols from the Karoo Basin, South Africa, record the paleoenvironmental conditions that existed prior to and after the Permian-Triassic extinction event. Paleosol exposures from Wapadsberg Pass, Eastern Cape Province, represent a well- preserved forest-floor litter overlying an interpreted inceptisol, a condition unique to the basin. Vegetation that colonized this landscape included a canopy of the gymnosperm Glossopteris and an understory of sphenopsids (Phyllotheca and Trizygia). Wapadsberg Pass paleosol sites were sampled for petrographic and geochemical analyses to constrain interpretations of Late Permian paleoenvironmental conditions that existed ~ 70 m below the Permian-Triassic Boundary (PTB). This project focuses on …

What Are The Causes, Consequences And Correctives Of Fish Contamination In The Detroit River Aoc That Cause Health Consumption Advisories? (Final Report, Michigan Sea Grant Michu-T-10-001), Donna R. Kashian, Ken G. Drouillard, D. Haffner, Ann E. Krause, Z Liu, Larissa Sano

Environmental Science and Geology Faculty Research Publications

Using an Integrated Assessment (IA) framework, we consolidated and utilized existing data from the Detroit River to develop models that both identify possible drivers of elevated fish contaminant body burdens, and to facilitate a more risk-based approach of tissue trigger-levels for consumption advisories. This integrated assessment approach was particularly useful for consumption advisories as it provided the ability to integrate and organize complex data in a manner that can help inform management decisions. In addition, the IA framework explicitly fosters collaboration and participation of multiple interested groups. We have capitalized on this component of IAs, by seeking the active participation …

Age And Structure Of The San Jacinto And San Felipe Fault Zones And Their Lifetime Slip Rates, Susanne U. Janecke, R. J. Dorsey, B. Belgarde

Geosciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Impervious Surfaces Mapping Using High Resolution Satellite Imagery, Tahmina Shirmeen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, impervious surfaces have emerged not only as an indicator of the degree of urbanization, but also as an indicator of environmental quality. As impervious surface area increases, storm water runoff increases in velocity, quantity, temperature and pollution load. Any of these attributes can contribute to the degradation of natural hydrology and water quality. Various image processing techniques have been used to identify the impervious surfaces, however, most of the existing impervious surface mapping tools used moderate resolution imagery. In this project, the potential of standard image processing techniques to generate impervious surface data for change detection analysis …

Assessment Of Groundwater Quality In An Abandoned Feedlot, Henderson County, Kentucky: Data Report, E. Glynn Beck, James S. Dinger, John Grove, Eugenia Pena-Yewtukhiw

Information Circular--KGS

A three-phase project investigated the influence of past and present agricultural practices on groundwater resources in the Western Kentucky Coal Field. Phase II concentrated on past practices, specifically those associated with an abandoned dairy feedlot and an old homestead. Results of phase II analyses are presented in this report.

Geology And Structure Of The Rough Creek Area, Western Kentucky, William D. Johnson Jr., Howard R. Schwalb

Bulletin--KGS

The Rough Creek area is a rectangular area about 113 mi east to west and 35 mi north to south encompassing about 3,900 mi² in west-central and western Kentucky. The Ohio River delineates most of the western border with Illinois and locally also part of the northern border with Indiana. The northeast corner of the area is about 27 mi southwest of Louisville. The principal cities are Owensboro and Henderson.

The Precambrian basement has been penetrated in only two wells in western Kentucky at depths somewhat greater than 14,000 ft. Basement is projected to underlie much of the area …

Remaining Resources Of The Springfield Coal, Gerald A. Weisenfluh

Map and Chart--KGS

Historically, the Springfield (W. Ky. No. 9) opal bed has been the leading source of coal production in the Western Kentucky Coal Field. With 2009 production more than 21 million tons and another 8 million tons of idle capacity, it is also the most important resource in the state of Kentucky. The Springfield coal is known for its lateral continuity in terms of both thickness and quality. It is a medium-sulfur product, desirable for power plants with sulfur-reduction capability, and has higher Btu values and lower chlorine contents compared to other Illinois Basin areas north of Kentucky. It is estimated …

Soil- And Groundwater-Quality Data For An Abandoned Cattle And Hog Feedlot In Henderson County, Kentucky, E. Glynn Beck, James S. Dinger, Eugenia Pena-Yewtukhiw, John H. Grove

Information Circular--KGS

Groundwater samples collected from a livestock well in southwestern Henderson County, Ky., contained nitrate-N concentrations greater than 20 mg/L, two times the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant level. The well is located in an abandoned cattle and hog feedlot. The feedlot is located in an upland bedrock setting with Pleistocene loess overlying Pennsylvanian bedrock. One hundred twenty-one soil cores were collected to better define the areal extent of organic-rich soil believed to be the source of the elevated nitrate-N in the groundwater. Cores were collected on 25-ft centers to a depth of 4 ft below the land surface. Soil …

Assessment Of Groundwater Quality In A Remediated Abandoned Feedlot, Henderson County, Kentucky: Data Report, E. Glynn Beck, James S. Dinger, John Grove, Eugenia Pena-Yewtukhiw

Information Circular--KGS

A three-phase project investigated the influence of past and present agricultural practices on groundwater resources in the Western Kentucky Coal Field. Phase III concentrated on an abandoned dairy feedlot that had been remediated. Results of phase III analyses are presented in this report.

Evaluation Of Geologic Co2 Sequestration Potential And Co2 Enhanced Oil Recovery In Kentucky, Thomas M. Parris, Stephen F. Greb, Brandon C. Nuttall

Report of Investigations--KGS

Kentucky gets approximately 95 percent of its electricity from coal-fired power plants, which produce significant amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂). In 2005, Kentucky coal-fired plants vented 102.8 million short tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere. The economic vitality of the state will be affected by its ability to develop and apply a portfolio of technologies that will mitigate input of CO₂ into the atmosphere. One technology that has the potential to assist in this challenge is geologic carbon storage, which captures CO₂ at point sources and injects it into deep rock strata that can store …

Nebraska Statewide Groundwater-Level Monitoring Report 2010, J. T. Korus, M. E. Burbach, L. M. Howard, R. M. Joeckel

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

The Presidential Range: Its Geologic And Tectonic History, J. Dykstra Eusden

Faculty Books

The complete hiker’s guide and map to the bedrock geology of the Presidential Range, New Hampshire —

This guide and its accompanying geologic map describe the bedrock geology and plate tectonic history of the Presidential Range, the highest peaks in the northeastern United States. The color illustrations and writing style make this accessible to all enthusiasts of the mountains. The map (21.5 x 28) shows the bedrock geology and highlights locations where hikers may view key exposures of bedrock in the field.

An Analysis Of Anchitherine Equids Across The Eocene–Oligocene Boundary In The White River Group Of The Western Great Plains, David M. Masciale

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Anchitherine horses are a subfamily of equids that are abundantly represented in the late Eocene and early Oligocene of North America. This group has been heavily studied in the past, but important questions still remain. Some studies have focused on the Eocene-Oligocene boundary and have used these equids along with other taxa to study mammalian diet and climate change through this interval. I reexamine two anchitherine genera, Mesohippus and Miohippus, from stratigraphic sequences of the White River Group in western Nebraska and southwestern South Dakota. These sequences span the Chadronian (late Eocene), Orellan (early Oligocene), and Whitneyan (early Oligocene) …

Late Devonian Spermatophyte Diversity And Paleoecology At Red Hill, North-Central Pennsylvania, U.S.A., Walter L. Cressler Iii, Cyrille Prestianni, Ben A. Lepage

Earth & Space Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Paleogeographic, Paleoceanographic, And Tectonic Controls On Early Late Ordovician Graptolite Diversity Patterns, Daniel Goldman, Shuang-Ye Wu

Department of Earth, Environment and Sustainability Faculty Publications

The Katian Age (early Late Ordovician) was a time of significant decline in marine biodiversity, but whether this decline was a real phenomenon or an artifact of the relatively few studies devoted to this interval requires further research. We examined the pattern of graptolite faunal changes across the boundary between the Climacograptus bicornis and Diplacanthograptus caudatus graptolite zones in North America and on several other continents.

A sharp decline in species diversity occurs in the Appalachian Basin. Scores for normalized diversity dropped from 20 in the C. bicornis Zone to 7 in the D. caudatus Zone. Only 11% of the …

Geophysical Analysis Of Seasonal Montandon Gravel Ridge Water Table Fluctuation And Moisture Gradient Variation Due To Storm Events, Annie Strader

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research project is to continue exploring the Montandon Long-Term Hydrologic Research Site(LTHR) by using multiple geophysical methods to obtain more accurate and precise information regarding subsurface hydrologic properties of a local gravel ridge,which are important to both the health of surrounding ecosystems and local agriculture. Through using non-invasive geophysical methods such as seismic refraction, Direct Current resistivity and ground penetrating radar (GPR) instead of invasive methods such as boreholedrilling which displace sediment and may alter water flow, data collection is less likely to bias the data itself. In addition to imaging the gravel ridge subsurface, another …

Bioturbation, Habitat Partitioning, And Tiering In Tropical Intertidal Callianassid Mounds: An Example From The Bahamas, H. Allen Curran

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

Abstract from 2010 Workshop on Crustacean Bioturbation — Fossil and Recent held in Lepe, Spain.

Editors: Jordi M. deGibert, Fernando Muñiz, Eduardo Mayoral, Zain Belaústegui

Grounding-Line Basal Melt Rates Determined Using Radar-Derived Internal Stratigraphy, Ginny Catania, Christina L. Hulbe, Howard Conway

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

We use ice-penetrating radar data across grounding lines of Siple Dome and Roosevelt Island, Antarctica, to measure the spatial pattern, magnitude and duration of sub-ice-shelf melting at these locations. Stratigraphic layers across the grounding line show, in places, a large-amplitude downwarp at, or slightly downstream of, the grounding line due to sub-ice-shelf basal melting. Localized downwarping indicates that melting is transient; melt rates, or the grounding line position, have changed within a few hundred years in order to produce the observed stratigraphy. Elsewhere, no meltrelated stratigraphic signature is preserved. In part, heterogeneity in the amount of sub-ice-shelf melt is due …