Geomorphology Commons^™

Polygenetic Cave Sedimentation And Speleogenesis In The Mccloud Limestone Of Northern California, Niles Lathrop

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Caves in the Permian-aged, McCloud Limestone of the Klamath Mountains of Northern California preserve a diverse range of clastic sediments that represent broad-scale variations in paleo-hydrologic conditions and transport mechanisms that hint at varied modes of speleogenesis through local landscape development. Caves in the McCloud Limestone exhibit a range of cave passage geometries and arrangements that suggests periods of both hypogene and epigene cave development through temporal and spatial scales. This study evaluates the variability in the distribution, mineralogy, and transport mechanisms of clastic-cave sediments in seven hydrologically-distinct caves in the McCloud Limestone to establish relationships between clastic-cave sedimentation and …

New Insights Into The Tectonic Framework & Geologic Features Of The Bengal Basin, Bangladesh, Shahriar Bin Shahid

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In this research, high-resolution SRTM-based NASA Digital Elevation Models (DEM) data and published literature have used to gain new insights regarding South-east Asian surficial geology, fluvial geomorphology, and tectonics, focusing on the Bengal Basin. Seismic databased discovery of shallow, down-warping and >30 km thick Indian crust challenges prior knowledge of crustal origin, which was thought to be oceanic rather than continental in origin due to high-angle subduction. Furthermore, the collapse of the Indian passive margin beneath the Shillong Plateau may have formed a 20 km thick Surma Basin on top and has led to substantial earthquake risks. To update the …

Urban & Deltaic Subsidence In Bangladesh From Sentinel-1 Insar Data Analysis, Gavin Middleton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Bangladesh's Bengal Delta faces multiple challenges, such as rising sea levels, coastal flooding, and high population density, leading to land subsidence, saltwater intrusion, and biodiversity loss. The region's groundwater security, essential for the country's survival, is at risk due to climate change and saltwater intrusion. Groundwater security is dependent on the Bengal Water Machine (BWM), which is at risk due to saltwater intrusion and monsoon rainfall distribution from climate change. Groundwater exhaustion leads to natural hazards such as subsidence, landslides, and flooding. A large portion of the population is at risk from groundwater insecurity, which requires mitigating worldwide greenhouse gas …

Bibliography, Chris Groves

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Bibliography of publications by Chris Groves.

A Tectonic Geomorphic Study Of Neotectonics And Seismic Hazard Of The Fold And Thrust Belt Complex Of Bengal Basin, Eastern Himalayan Range, Niroj Shrestha

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Tectonic activity continues to shape and create challenges for human populations in tectonically active areas. The Bengal Basin is one of the most important sedimentary basins of the Eastern Himalayan Range, aiding in one of the densely populated regions of the world. The basin is part of the tectonically active Himalayan Orogen that is undergoing oblique subduction between the Eurasian Plate and the Indian Plate. As a result of this subduction-related convergence, the eastern part of the Basin, particularly the Chittagong-Tripura Fold Belt (CTFB) and western part of the Indo-Burman Range (IBR) has structurally deformed into a series of mostly …

Quantifying Tekeze River Canyon Incision On The Ethiopian Plateau From Low-Temperature Apatite Thermochronology, Jacob Thomas Grigsby

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Ethiopian Plateau in East Africa features dynamic topography, deep river incision (~1.5 km), active tectonics, continental rifting, volcanic terrain and ~2 km of plateau uplift. Situated on the northwestern part of the Ethiopian Plateau, the Tekeze River is one of the two major rivers associated with incising and documenting the recent geologic history of the uplifted plateau landscape. The consequential Tekeze River incision into the uplifted Ethiopian Plateau is associated with the arrival and impingement of the Afar mantle plume as evidenced by the presence of thick sheets of Cenozoic flood basalts (~30 Ma). However, the Cenozoic to present-day …

A Tourism Impact Index For Water-Based Natural Attractions Field-Tested In Subarctic And Maritime Climates, Jason Fox

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Tourism in cold and cool-climate regions is largely characterized by recreational and sightseeing activities at water-based natural attractions such as beaches, coastal cliffs, and waterfalls. While the economic benefits of the tourism industry can contribute to a sustainable future for these regions, the environmental implications of a hastilydeveloped industry cannot be ignored given that cold-climate and cool-climate landscapes are at risk of rapid environmental change from a warming climate and other environmental concerns. This study consisted of the development of the Tourism Impact Index for Water-Based Natural Sites, the first of its kind, and its application and refinement in the …

Unroofing History Of The Northwestern Ethiopian Plateau: Insights From Low-Temperature Apatite Thermochronology, Shelby Bowden

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The geology of Ethiopia is dominated by the Ethiopian Plateau that is similar in elevation to, but aerially larger than, the Colorado Plateau. Several rivers have incised through the plateau, creating gorges that reach up to 1.5 km in depth. The plateau uplifted to its current elevation and was subsequently incised sometime after the Oligocene flood basalt event that signaled the arrival of the African Superplume below Kenya and Ethiopia. Due to its size and extent, published climate modeling has indicated that Late Cenozoic plateau formation could have been a driving force in the East African Cenozoic climate changes. Although …

Controls On Speleogenesis In The Upper-Mississippian Pennington Formation On The Western Cumberland Plateau Escarpment, Hali Steinmann

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Much of the pioneering work on caves of the Cumberland Plateau (province spanning Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia) has been stratigraphically located within the Mississippian Bangor and Monteagle Limestones, wherein some of the region’s largest and most spectacular caves occur. Of interest to the understanding of this karst landscape, but severely underrepresented in the literature thereof, are caves and karst features in a heterogeneous sequence of clastics and carbonates known collectively as the Pennington Formation (Upper Mississippian). This work consisted of a regional study of Pennington caves on the western Cumberland Plateau escarpment (Alabama and Tennessee), and a case study …

Highway Construction Or Stream Destruction: A Water Quality Analysis In The Black Warrior Basin, Walker County, Alabama, Cayla Baughn

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In 2012, residents along Freeman Branch Creek in Eldridge, Alabama observed unusual orange discoloration along the stream and on stream vegetation; an unprecendented black veneer coating pebbles along the streambed; and life in the stream seemed to have vanished. Freeman Branch Creek is located in Walker County, Alabama, which is known for its production of coal and natural gas from the underlying Pennsylvanian-aged Pottsville Formation, which is the uppermost geologic layer within the the Black Warrior Basin. Concerns for environmental safety related to intensive mining operations include the concern that shallow aquifers will be contaminated by mining in deep reservoir …

Petrographic Controls On Weathering Of The Haney Limestone, Steven M. Devine

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Although karst processes in south central Kentucky have been studied extensively, the Haney Limestone Member of the Golconda Formation has not been studied in detail in contrast to limestones stratigraphically below it that are thicker. In addition, the relationship between petrographic features of the Haney Limestone and the formation of caves and karst features has not been studied extensively compared to lithographic, petrographic, or structural variables

Petrographic data were collected using core and surface exposures across the study area of south central Kentucky from northern Logan and Warren counties up toward the Rough Creek Graben region, and stratigraphic columns were …

Cars And Karst: Investigating The National Corvette Museum Sinkhole, Jason S. Polk, Leslie North, Ric Federico, Brian Ham, Dan Nedvidek, Kegan Mcclanahan, Pat Kambesis, Michael Marasa

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty Publications

On February 12th, 2014, a sinkhole occurred at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The collapse happened inside part of the building known as the Skydome and eight Corvettes on display were lost into the void that opened in the concrete floor. In this region of Kentucky, known as the Pennyroyal sinkhole plain, subsidence and cover collapse sinkholes are commonly found throughout the landscape. This iconic karst region in the United States is also home to Mammoth Cave, the longest cave in the world, and thousands of other caves and karst features. Investigation of the sinkhole collapse began …

Geogram 2014, David J. Keeling Editor, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.

Investigating Telogenetic Karst Aquifer Processes And Evolution In South-Central Kentucky, U.S., Using High-Resolution Storm Hydrology And Geochemistry Monitoring, Nicholas Lawhon

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Recent studies have investigated the hydrological and geochemical characteristics of karst aquifers in different settings; however, telogenetic karst aquifer processes remain poorly understood. In south-central Kentucky, the iconic Lost River Cave and Valley represents a large, complex telogenetic karst drainage basin with a series of discharge points along a collapsed section of the cave. Two Campbell Scientific® CR1000 automated dataloggers were installed at Blue Hole Four, a primary discharge point of the Lost River Karst Aquifer (LRKA). These dataloggers recorded spring discharge, water temperature, specific conductance (SpC), and pH at ten-minute intervals from January to November, 2013. During the year, …

Sources Of Co2 Controlling The Carbonate Chemistry Of The Logsdon River, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, Bruce Elliott Hatcher

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Logsdon River is a major, base-level stream within the Turnhole Bend Drainage basin of the Mammoth Cave System. The Logsdon River system has provided a unique opportunity to examine the geochemical evolution of a stream flowing through a major karst conduit that can be traversed for 10 km. This study examines CO₂ inputs at the upstream portion of the river, which provide major control for the river’s hydrochemistry. Samples were collected from the upstream portion of Logsdon River at what is referred to as the S-188 sump and also nearby at Crowbar Dome over the course of 44 weeks …

Geogram 2013, David J. Keeling Editor, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.

Geogram 2012, David J. Keeling, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.

Geogram 2011, David J. Keeling Editor, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.

Full Conference Program With Abstracts, Jason S. Polk, Leslie A. North

International 2011 Conference on Karst Hydrogeology and Ecosystems

No abstract provided.

Geogram 2010, David J. Keeling Editor, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.

Geogram 2009, David J. Keeling Editor, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.

Geogram 2008, David J. Keeling, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.

Water Quality Impacts From Agricultural Land Use In Karst Drainage Basins Of Sw Kentucky And Sw China, Chris Groves, Ted Baker

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty Publications

Karst regions are composed of soluble rock, often limestone, which leads to the formation of fissures, sinkholes, and water flow conduits such as caves. Pollutants in karst waters tend to be quickly directed and concentrated into these subsurface conduits. As a result of this and other factors, water resources are especially sensitive to contamination and pollution in karst areas. Pollutant concentrations going into karst subsurface fluvial systems are often very similar to the concentrations surfacing at outlets such as springs. Areas connected by karst conduit flows must be distinctly determined and special attention should be given to water quality impacts …

Geogram 2007, David J. Keeling Editor, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.

Geogram 2006, David J. Keeling Editor, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.

Geogram 2005, David J. Keeling Editor, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.

Spatial And Temporal Variations In Epikarst Storage And Flow In South Central Kentucky’S Pennyroyal Plateau Sinkhole Plain, Chris Groves, Carl Bolster, Joe Meiman

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty Publications

The well-developed karst aquifers of south central Kentucky’s Pennyroyal Plateau are impacted by contamination from animal waste and other agricultural inputs. Understanding fate and transport of these and other contaminants first requires knowledge of flow and storage behaviors within the impacted aquifers, complicated by significant heterogeneity, anisotropy, and rapid temporal variations. Here we report on spatial and temporal variations in vadose zone flow and water chemistry (or quality) within Cave Spring Caverns, Kentucky beneath agricultural lands on a well-developed sinkhole plain. Weekly sampling of three underground waterfalls show statistically significant differences in water quality, though the sites are laterally within …

Geogram 2004, David J. Keeling Editor, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.

Hydrochemical Variations During Flood Pulses In The South-West China Peak Cluster Karst: Impacts Of Caco3–H2o–Co2 Interactions, Chris Groves, Zaihua Liu, Daoxian Yuan, Joe Meiman, Guanghui Jiang, Shiyi He, Qiang Li

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty Publications

High-resolution measurements of rainfall, water level, pH, conductivity, temperature and carbonate chemistry parameters of groundwater at two adjacent locations within the peak cluster karst of the Guilin Karst Experimental Site in Guangxi Province, China, were made with different types of multiparameter sonde. The data were stored using data loggers recording with 2 min or 15 min resolution. Waters from a large, perennial spring represent the exit for the aquifer's conduit flow, and a nearby well measures water in the conduit-adjacent, fractured media. During flood pulses, the pH of the conduit flow water rises as the conductivity falls. In contrast, and …

Geogram 2003, David J. Keeling Editor, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.