Tectonics and Structure Commons^™

Earthquake-Resistant Design And Base Isolation Techniques, Christian George, Jacob Sweeten, Gabriela Cotto, Savion Stewart

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Earthquake-resistant design has become a critical feature in construction near active fault lines, where seismic activity is most frequent and potentially destructive. In recent years, technological advancements have significantly improved methods for protecting buildings from earthquake damage. Among these innovations, base isolation systems have appeared as one of the most effective solutions. By decoupling a building from ground motion, base isolators reduce the transmission of seismic forces, helping to prevent structural damage and support building stability during earthquakes. In addition to improving safety, base isolation systems can also reduce long-term costs associated with earthquake-related repairs and maintenance. Base-isolated structures are …

Minerals Rock!: Improving Audience Engagement And Interest In Stem Through Enhancement Of The In-Person And Online Mineral Collection At Ursinus College, Juliette Lyons

Environment and Sustainability Summer Fellows

Museums are a vital source of educational resources for the general public. They provide information on a variety of topics and disciplines and encourage visitors to be excited about and engaged in learning something new. As we work to comprehend key topics such as climate change, it is especially important for the broader public to better understand science, including geology. While the geological collection at Ursinus, Pieces of Earth’s History, is not in a museum, implementing methods that museums use can improve the reception of the collection. Through the application of research gathered through articles, journals, books, and talking with …

Tectonics: Supporting Information For Deformation Rates And Patterns Of The Emerging Banda Ranges Revealed By Uplifted Coral Terraces In Timor-Leste, Ron Harris, Nicole Cox, Megan Flexhaug, Dorothy Merritts, Chua-Chou Shen, Frederico Santos

ScholarsArchive Data

The supplementary information provided consist primarily of figures detailing coral terrace profiles and terrace inner margin elevation to MIS highstand correlations.

• a general overview of the kind of data files;
• a general description of processing steps used;
• any known imperfections or anomalies in the data.

Marine Geophysical Studies Of Coupled Tectonic And Sedimentary Processes At Active Plate Boundaries, Sarah R. Rysanek

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Deep-sea and convergent margin sedimentary systems preserve critical records of tectonic and climatic processes that shape Earth’s surface. This dissertation investigates source-to-sink sediment routing and forearc deformation to better constrain the interplay between sedimentary and tectonic processes, through investigations of a deep-sea fan system, and the forearc geomorphology offshore Nicaragua. In the Gulf of Alaska, we integrate ultra-long-offset and regional multi-channel seismic reflection data, multi-resolution bathymetry, and plate reconstructions to remap the Baranof Fan system. Results show that the fan is larger than previously recognized and constructed by two primary depocenters linked to distinct glacial sediment pathways, with accommodation space …

Mapping Of Petroleum-Prospective Structures In The Jurassic Complex Of The Western Aral Uplift Based On Seismic Attributes, Yuliya Leonidovna Salaydinova, Marina Georgievna Yuldasheva

Technical science and innovation

To solve the problems of identifying and mapping prospective structures, comprehensive analysis of 3D seismic attributes is widely used at the present stage of geological research; it was applied to assess the petroleum potential of the Jurassic rock complex in the Aral Sea offshore area of the Ustyurt region. The study integrates structural mapping on the tops of Permo-Triassic and Jurassic horizons, attribute volumes (Variance/Coherence, Sweetness, root-mean-square (RMS) amplitude, Envelope) and generalized spectral decomposition (GSD, 19-41 Hz), combined with well-log and well-test data from the Western Aral, Meros, Dengiz and Karakum areas. Variance attributes were used to delineate fault zones …

Effect Of Light Elements On The Melting Behavior Of Liquid Iron Alloys Under Earth’S Inner Core Boundary Conditions, Olaniyi Anisere

LSU Master's Theses

The temperature at Earth’s inner core boundary (ICB) is set by the melting temperature of the iron-rich outer core at core pressures, yet this remains uncertain because melting depends strongly on composition and pressure. Light elements are required to explain the core’s density deficit, but the identity, abundance, and combined influence of these elements on melting under ICB conditions are still debated. This thesis quantifies how candidate light elements modify the melting behavior of iron alloys at ICB-relevant pressures and uses these composition-dependent melting relations to constrain ICB temperature.

Melting relations were determined using molecular dynamics simulations in VASP accelerated …

Exploring Mesoproterozoic Marine Redox States In A Young Banded Iron Formation From The Needle Mountains, Jaya Sharma, Brenhin Keller

Wetterhahn Science Symposium Posters

Banded iron formations (BIF), as redox-dependent chemical sedimentary rocks, have served as proxies for marine and atmospheric oxygen and iron conditions throughout Earth history. While abundant in the Archean and early Proterozoic, the widespread deposition of BIFs declined following the Great Oxidation Event, as oxygenated surface waters prevented the accumulation of ferrous iron. However, the Needle Mountains, located in southwestern Colorado, houses an anomalously young BIFs deposited between 1.786±10 - 1.801±6 Ga given existing geochronology. Here, we use rare earth element (REE) systematics, bulk chemistry, and petrographic analysis to determine the depositional conditions under which this BIF was formed. We …

Constraining The Tectono-Climatic Evolution Of The Northern Rocky Mountains: Insights From Volcanic Glass, Leaf Water, And Leaf Wax Hydrogen Isotopes, Rijumon Nandy

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations

The Eocene-Oligocene period in the North American Cordillera represents a period of great intrigue with complex interactions among tectonics, climate, and surface processes. Although this period is generally associated with synorogenic extension associated with gravitational collapse of the Cordillera, the paleotopographic history remains debated. Existing studies offer conflicting interpretations, suggesting either sustained elevations or modest uplift during this time. Notably, recent reconstructions based on volcanic glass δD values have proposed renewed uplift during the early Oligocene, which needs to be tested with a more extensive and robust dataset. Concurrently, global cooling and aridification during this interval may have been amplified …

A Cave In Miocene Conglomerate: The Törökpince-Abaliget Cave System, Hungary, Krisztina Sebe, Piroska Pazonyi, Márton Bauer, Bálint Szappanos, Márton Szabó, Zoltán Szentesi, Mihály Gasparik, Ákos Juhász, Luca Pandolfi, Máté Gregorits, József Haász, Ágnes Novothny, Zsófia Ruszkiczay-Rüdiger

International Journal of Speleology

Conglomerate caves are rare, and only a few have been described in the scientific literature. Here, we present a newly discovered and significant cave system in SW Hungary, comprising over 500 m of upper passages and a shorter, lower section of a through-cave developed in Lower–Middle Miocene conglomerates. The formation of these cave passages was controlled chiefly by bedding and fractures. Dissolution has produced typical karstification morphologies, whereas corrasion, granular disintegration, and rock collapse have also played a role in shaping the cave. The cave is dominated by vadose-zone morphologies, but sediment infills indicating upward water flow, along with ceiling …

Modeling The Greenland-Iceland-Faroe Ridge Using Integrated Geophysical Analysis, Zachary Clowdus

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

The Greenland-Iceland-Faroe Ridge (GIFR) is an area of significant geologic interest with anomalously thick crust related to enhanced melt generation from the interaction between the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Iceland hotspot. To the northeast of Iceland lies the Jan Mayen Microcontinent (JMMC), which is a continental fragment separated from Greenland during the opening of the Northern Atlantic. The overall extent of the JMMC, especially its southern boundary, remains poorly constrained. The crust beneath the GIFR is believed to be primarily of oceanic affinity. However, a recent discovery of felsic lavas in Iceland led to an alternative hypothesis that implies the …

Structural Geology Of The Brady Mountain Area, Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas: Integrating Field Mapping, Geospatial Techniques, Photogrammetry And 3d Modeling For Structural Analysis, Emmanuel Darko, Zachariah Fleming

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Much of the Ouachita orogenic belt, representing the deformed Paleozoic rocks flanking the southern margin of the North American craton, is buried beneath post-orogenic Mesozoic and Tertiary sediments composing the Gulf Coastal Plain. The Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma are the largest areas of outcrop for the Pennsylvanian-age Ouachita orogenic belt, making it an ideal place to study the orogeny. This study focuses on the Brady Mountain area within the Benton Uplift, the orogenic core of the Ouachita Mountains in western Arkansas. The region is comprised of numerous ridges trending nearly east-west and are for the most part densely …

The Depositional Environment Of The Triassic Cow Branch Formation, Dan River Basin Of Virginia And North Carolina Through Petrographic Study And Geochemical Analysis, And In Relation To Taphonomic Processes And Vertebrate Morphology, Gina M. Workman

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

The Upper Triassic Cow Branch Formation of the Dan River Basin, located in southern Virginia and northern North Carolina, has long captivated generations of geoscientists. Since the 1970s, researchers have sought to unravel the mystery surrounding the depositional environment of this ancient lake system. This world-class lagerstätte hosts a diverse assemblage of fossil fauna and flora, with a notable preservation bias toward fossil vertebrates, most prominently the archosauromorph, Tanytrachelos ahynis. The geology of the Cow Branch strata continues to evoke a persistent question: Are these sediments representative of a shallow or deep lake?

I undertook a petrographic and geochemical study …

A Kinematic, Data-Parameterized Approach To Constrain Subducted Seafloor During The Emplacement Of Shatsky Rise, Alexzandrya Katrina Shotorban

OES Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates ridge spreading rates and plate boundary geometry in interactions between large igneous provinces and mid ocean ridges, and their role in the kinematics of Shatsky Rise, an undersea volcanic plateau in the western Pacific Ocean that is roughly the size of the state of California. Shatsky Rise formed at a ridge-ridge-ridge (RRR) triple junction (TJ) (Hilde et al., 1976; Sager et al., 1988), at the intersection of the Pacific-Izanagi, Pacific-Farallon, and Izanagi-Farallon ridges, beginning at approximately 147 Ma. Investigations into Shatsky Rise’s formation are limited by the fact that two-thirds of the seafloor data has subducted with …

The Relationship Between Lineaments And Cave Passages In Unfaulted Gently-Folded Strata, Snail Shell Cave, Central Tennessee, Usa, Mark Abolins, Joseph Firkaly-Paciera, Blake King, Cris Ocasio-Valentin, Jackson Slighter, Teagan Sullivan, Justin Whited

International Journal of Speleology

Near Snail Shell Cave in central Tennessee, USA, seven image interpreters independently mapped lineaments using a 3DEP LiDAR DTM, revealing geomorphic and structural differences in and near different parts of the cave. MANOVA comparison of lineament and cave passage trend for Western, Central, and Eastern Snail Shell caves reveals statistically significant differences (p <0.05). The Western cave (mean depth 44 m) is in the gently-dipping limb of the Snail Shell anticline, and the Central cave (mean depth 31 m) is in the anticline hinge. In contrast, many Eastern cave passages (mean depth 40 m) cut across the anticline hinge and part of the limb of the Overall syncline. For both the Western and Central caves, a post-hoc Tukey’s HSD test fails to show that lineament trend within 235 m of the cave differs significantly from passage trend, and the test fails to show that the two differ significantly within 235 and 433 m of the Eastern cave. Additional statistical testing fails to show a difference between Western passage trend and bed strike, indicating the likelihood that lineaments and passages developed within strike-joints. However, testing shows a statistically significant difference between passage trend and bed strike for the Central and Eastern caves. The strike of joints inside the Eastern cave shows that it is within a joint zone which penetrates to depths of at least 80 m and is expressed at the surface as an ~4.2 km-long belt of elevated lineament line density. The lack of a statistically significant difference between Eastern passage trend and the trend of a nearby topographic escarpment suggests that many joints are stress release fractures formed during relatively recent erosion. For the Eastern cave, intersections between lineaments and structures would be attractive targets for groundwater exploration at depths typical of wells in carbonates.

Integrating Satellite Observations And Modeling Approaches To Study Tectonic And Land Surface Hazards, Jeng Hann Chong

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The increasing availability of Earth observation satellites, such as SAR and optical platforms, has improved our ability to study the ground deformation processes during, after, and leading up to these natural hazards, such as earthquakes and debris flows. In this dissertation, I analyze satellite geodetic interseismic velocities across the Rakhine-Bangladesh megathrust and the influence of having realistic modeling assumptions for subduction zones to better constrain seismic hazard. I also examined changes in post-fire debris flow likelihood four years after the 2020 Lake Fire in Southern California using a suite of satellite data and field observations. Together, these studies highlight how …

Characterization Of The Quaternary Active Twin Lakes Fault, Mount Hood, Oregon, Johnathan Peterson

University Honors Theses

The High Cascades chain of volcanoes results from Cascade Arc volcanism and is responsible for the generation of the highest topography in the state of Oregon. Surrounding Mt. Hood at the crest of the Cascade chain in northern Oregon is the Mt. Hood Fault Zone, an extensional fault zone of generally north-south trending normal faults that down-drop this high volcanic topography. The Twin Lakes Fault is located just south of Mt. Hood and is one of the southernmost faults in the Mt. Hood Fault Zone, previously mapped as approximately 12-13 km in length. This study provides the first in-depth characterization …

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 …

Seismological Applications To Crustal Deformation And Explosion Discrimination, Olumide Adedeji

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

There are many outstanding questions in seismology and plate tectonics that remain unresolved due to the complexity of seismic wave propagation, fault system evolution, and sedimentary-tectonic interactions. In this dissertation, I analyze seismic and acoustic data to improve event discrimination, understand strain partitioning along a transpressive plate boundary, and investigate the influence of tectonic deformation on sedimentary processes. Using seismic arrays, I assess the detectability of Ground Coupled Airwaves (GCA) generated by shallow borehole explosions and earthquakes, demonstrating that GCA detections are highly dependent on source type, environmental conditions and sensor distribution. Along the Queen Charlotte Plate Boundary, I analyze …

Survey Of A Paired Gravity Anomaly Within The Benton Uplift Of The Ouachita Mountains, Isaac B. Prud'homme

Physics Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Benton Uplift west of Hot Springs, AR is underlain by a paired gravity anomaly on the order of 80 mGal. Nicholas & Rozendal (1975) have theorized that the gravitational low is caused by a “downwarp of the crust into the mantle”1 however the cause of the gravitational high is still debated. This paired gravity anomaly within the Benton Uplift follows the Ouachita orogenic belt southwest for 500 miles where it meets the Marathon uplift in southwest Texas. We conducted a gravity survey along a 108-km-long transect east of two previous gravity surveys.2,3 We corrected the data from this transect …

The Petm: A Window Into Earth's Future Climate, Jacalyn M. Wittmer Malinowski

Climate Change and the Individual, 2025-26

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) is not just an event that occurred in Earth’s distant past (~55 million years ago) but is a crucial lesson for today’s meteoric climate change. The PETM offers a historical parallel of rapid flux of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere that caused global warming, ocean acidification, dramatic changes in weather, and extinctions. This global warming event was the result of 20,000 years of “rapid” warming (in geological terms) however, we are experiencing rates of warming that are 5-10x higher than PETM levels. We are not experiencing rapid warming today, in comparison to the past, we …