Nanodiamond Extraction At A Potential Impact Location,
2015
DePaul University
Nanodiamond Extraction At A Potential Impact Location, Joel Kathan
DePaul Discoveries
Meteoritic or cometary impacts create the temperature and pressure conditions necessary to form nanodiamonds (NDs). The presence of extracted NDs from rocks of the time and locations of extinctions, fires, or known environmental changes are commonly used to confirm that a theorized cosmic impact occurred to trigger those events. Samples were obtained from an archeological site described in the Old Testament of the Bible as having been destroyed by the God of the Old Testament.† To see if the historical description of Biblical events might have been triggered by a cometary impact or explosion, an attempt was made to …
The State Of The Oligocene Icehouse World: Sedimentology, Provenance, And Stable Isotopes Of Marine Sediments From The Antarctic Continental Margin,
2015
CUNY Graduate Center
The State Of The Oligocene Icehouse World: Sedimentology, Provenance, And Stable Isotopes Of Marine Sediments From The Antarctic Continental Margin, Daniel William Hauptvogel
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
The Oligocene Epoch (34-23 Ma) was a dynamic time in Antarctica, with previous ice volume estimates suggesting fluctuations from below 50 % up to 140 % of modern all while atmospheric CO2 decreased from above 1,000 ppm in the Early Oligocene to near modern levels by the Late Oligocene. Most of what is known about the Oligocene Antarctic cryosphere however, is derived from distal sedimentary records that can only provide a generalized view of the cryospheric dynamics in Antarctica. To better understand regional differences in Antarctic glacial dynamics, proximal records are needed. This dissertation advances our understanding of these …
Geochemical Analysis Of Surface Materials Surrounding The Bautsch-Gray Mine Superfund Site Near Galena, Illinois,
2015
Augustana College
Geochemical Analysis Of Surface Materials Surrounding The Bautsch-Gray Mine Superfund Site Near Galena, Illinois, Ryan Plath
Geology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works
The Bautsch-Gray zinc and lead mine, near Galena, IL, was in operation from the early 1900s until closing in 1975. The mine’s tailings pile has documented elevated lead and zinc concentrations in the surface materials surrounding the site. Numerous floods have caused contaminated sediment to migrate off the mine tailings pile, across Blackjack Road and into an outwash basin, and towards Smallpox Creek. Since this site was designated an EPA priority list Superfund site in 2010, the EPA has conducted numerous remediation efforts. This study attempts to develop a better understanding of the contamination within the soils of the outwash …
Stable Isotopes As A Tool To Characterize Carbon Cycling And Develop Hydrologic Budgets In Mantled Karst Settings,
2015
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Stable Isotopes As A Tool To Characterize Carbon Cycling And Develop Hydrologic Budgets In Mantled Karst Settings, Katherine Knierim
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Isotopes of water (δ2H/δ18O), carbon dioxide (δ13C-CO2), and dissolved inorganic carbon (δ13C-DIC) were used to explore water quality, trace carbon cycling, and quantify recharge sources through mantled karst and into Blowing Spring Cave (BSC). Of the possible sources of contamination in the BSC recharge area, septic-tank effluent was hypothesized to degrade water quality at the spring outlet of BSC because of the dominance of septic tanks for waste treatment, unsuitable topography and soil for septic-tank absorption fields, increased nitrate and chloride concentrations concomitant with increased urbanization, and increased Escherichia coli with discharge. Carbon cycling between the soil and BSC was …
Carbon Isotope Variations Associated With A Middle Ordovician Karstic Unconformity,
2015
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Carbon Isotope Variations Associated With A Middle Ordovician Karstic Unconformity, Patricia Suzanne Williams
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Large negative carbon isotope (δ13C) excursions have been documented from late Neoproterozoic-Paleozoic successions. These δ13C excursions have been widely used for regional and global stratigraphic correlation, particularly in strata with limited paleontological and radiometric age controls. Recent studies, however, argued that some negative δ13C excursions from stratigraphic record may have been resulted from meteoric/burial diagenesis, which commonly shifts both carbon and oxygen isotopes toward lower values. Testing the diagenetic origin of δ13C excursions in stratigraphic successions without independent stratigraphic framework has been difficult because it evolves into circular arguments about stratigraphic completeness …
Modeling Background Radiation Using Geochemical Data,
2015
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Modeling Background Radiation Using Geochemical Data, Kara Marsac
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Aerial gamma ray surveys have many applications in geology and science in general, such as locating mining prospects, defining radioactive plumes, and detecting nuclear weapons. Unfortunately there is currently no simple way to separate the natural gamma radiation of soil and rocks from that of contaminants such as radioactive plumes. This project used geochemical data (uranium, potassium and thorium concentrations) collected from national databases, private companies, and the NURE (National Uranium Resource Evaluation) Survey, to create forward models of exposure rates measured by aerial gamma ray surveys. We developed these techniques using an area in north central Arizona known as …
Terrestrial Impacts Of The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province On Western Pangea,
2015
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Terrestrial Impacts Of The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province On Western Pangea, Todd Kenneth Knobbe
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Earth's climate is predominantly controlled by the fluctuation of greenhouse gases, specifically CO2 and CH4, over geologic time. The late Triassic is a period of abrupt climate change that has been associated with a disruption to the global carbon cycle due the emplacement of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP). Evidence has shown that this global carbon cycle perturbation may be the culprit for the end-Triassic extinction. The Whitmore Point Member of the Moenave Formation is a lacustrine deposit with a disputed age of either late Triassic or early Jurassic and currently no absolute dating techniques can be applied to …
Source Constraints Of Ore Metals In Mississippi Valley-Type Deposits In Central And Eastern Tennessee Using Pb Isotopes,
2015
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Source Constraints Of Ore Metals In Mississippi Valley-Type Deposits In Central And Eastern Tennessee Using Pb Isotopes, Austin Moyers
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT) Central and East Tennessee (TN) Districts contain economically significant lead-zinc deposits that occur in the Early Ordovician carbonates of the Knox Group. Although both districts share similar host rock, have similar temperatures of formation, and typically fill open spaces of collapse breccias or replace their host carbonates, previous studies may suggest that these ores did not form from the same mineralizing fluids and may have different Pb sources. Nu Plasma MC-ICP-MS Pb isotopic analyses on sulfides from Central and East TN were conducted and the metal sources evaluated. Results were plotted on covariation diagrams with respect …
Using Kriging, Cokriging, And Gis To Visualize Fe And Mn In Groundwater,
2015
East Tennessee State University
Using Kriging, Cokriging, And Gis To Visualize Fe And Mn In Groundwater, Crystal Johnson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
For aesthetic, economic, and health-related reasons, allowable concentrations of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) found present in drinking water are 0.3 mg/L and 0.05 mg/L, respectively. Water samples taken from private drinking wells in the rural communities within Buncombe County, North Carolina contain amounts of these metals in concentrations higher than the suggested limits. This study focused on bedrock geology, elevation, saprolite thickness, and well depth to determine factors affecting Fe and Mn. Using ArcGIS 10.2, spatial trends in Fe and Mn concentrations ranges were visualized, and estimates of the metal concentrations were interpolated to unmonitored areas. Results from this …
Influence Of Road Salt Deicers On Anaerobic Respiration And Metal Speciation In Soils,
2015
Western Michigan University
Influence Of Road Salt Deicers On Anaerobic Respiration And Metal Speciation In Soils, Danielle Dupuis
Honors Theses
Road salt deicers, especially NaCl and CaCl2, are used throughout the world on paved areas during the winter. Previous studies suggest that road salt deicers can alter the biogeochemistry of sediment located near roadways and influence the mobility of heavy metals. The goal of this study is to investigate the influence of CaCl2 on wetland soil biogeochemistry, especially trace metal speciation. Sediment cores were collected in the fall from a freshwater wetland near an urban kettle lake (Asylum Lake, Kalamazoo, MI) and incubated for 100 days in deionized water (control), 5 g/L of CaCl2, or …
Effects Of Physical Characteristics Of Urban Storm Sewersheds On Water Quality In Bloomington, Il,
2015
Illinois State University
Effects Of Physical Characteristics Of Urban Storm Sewersheds On Water Quality In Bloomington, Il, Alicia Terese O'Hare
Theses and Dissertations
Increasing urbanization has consequences for surface water quality. Stormwater is a large component of urban water degradation that is poorly understood. Precipitation is quickly transported via underground pipes, from the land to the stream without following water's natural flow path. Studies have correlated detention ponds with improved water quality and impervious surface cover with degraded water quality. However, other physical characteristics within a storm sewer shed including the presence of sump pumps, area and pipe miles may also affect the stormwater quality. We chose 18 storm sewer systems in Bloomington, IL. We measured pH, temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, chloride, nitrate, …
On The Influence Of Ionic Strength On Radium And Strontium Sorption To Sandy Loam Soils,
2015
Clemson University
On The Influence Of Ionic Strength On Radium And Strontium Sorption To Sandy Loam Soils, Brian A. Powell, Todd Miller, Daniel I. Kaplan
Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science
Models which can estimate environmental transport of radioactive contaminants in natural and engineered systems are required to 1) deploy effective remediation strategies for contaminated sites, 2) design waste repositories for future waste streams, and 3) ensure protection of human and environmental health in all cases. These models require accurate transport parameters in order to correctly predict how these contaminants will move in the subsurface. This work aimed to determine more accurately the distribution coefficients for radium and strontium sorption to Savannah River Site (SRS) soils. Radium and strontium sorption to the soils was found to be highly dependent upon ionic …
Biogeochemical Cycling In A Headwater Stream And Riparian Zone,
2015
Montana Tech of the University of Montana
Biogeochemical Cycling In A Headwater Stream And Riparian Zone, A. Capri Gillam
Graduate Theses & Non-Theses
Several teams of researchers at multiple universities are currently measuring annual and seasonal fluxes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouses gases (nitrous oxide and methane) in riparian wetlands and upland forests in the Tenderfoot Creek Experimental Forest (TCEF), a subalpine watershed in the Little Belt Mountains, Montana. In the current thesis, the author characterized the geochemistry and stable carbon isotope composition of shallow groundwater, soil water, and stream water in upper Stringer Creek, near sites that are being investigated for gas chemistry and microbial studies. It was hypothesized that if methanogenesis were a dominant process in the riparian wetlands of …
Geochemical Assessment And Separation Of Source Waters In The Upper Boulder River Watershed Near Boulder, Mt,
2015
Montana Tech of the University of Montana
Geochemical Assessment And Separation Of Source Waters In The Upper Boulder River Watershed Near Boulder, Mt, John Anderson
Graduate Theses & Non-Theses
Environmental samples were collected at three surface water sites between 5/21/2011 and 11/21/2014 along the Upper Boulder River near Boulder Montana. The sites were located at Bernice (within the mountain block), near the High Ore drainage (near the mountain block/basin transition), and at the USGS Gauging Station near Boulder, Montana (within the basin). The parameters measured in the field were SC, temperature, and alkalinity with occasional pH measurements. We collected samples for anions, cations, and stable isotopes in the catchment. We identified endmembers by sampling snow and groundwater and determined from available data an approximate endmember for rain, snow, and …
Investigation Of The Potential For Algaenan To Produce Hydrocarbon Based Fuels From Algae By Hydrous Pyrolysis,
2015
Old Dominion University
Investigation Of The Potential For Algaenan To Produce Hydrocarbon Based Fuels From Algae By Hydrous Pyrolysis, Wassim Adel Obeid
Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations
The use of algae as a feedstock for hydrous pyrolysis has a high potential for producing biofuels. The non-food nature of algae in addition to the various advantages associated with the hydrous pyrolysis process makes this combination for the production of biofuels of high interest. However, current results from algae processing have alluded to some challenges: byproducts arising from the thermal transformation of carbohydrates and proteins, which become incorporated in the oil fraction, result in high oxygen and nitrogen contents of the oil. Accordingly, this produces an oil of low quality for refineries. This dissertation investigates use of a pretreatment …
The Relationship Between Carbon Dioxide Concentration And Visitor Numbers In The Homothermic Zone Of The Balcarka Cave (Moravian Karst) During A Period Of Limited Ventilation,
2015
Masaryk University
The Relationship Between Carbon Dioxide Concentration And Visitor Numbers In The Homothermic Zone Of The Balcarka Cave (Moravian Karst) During A Period Of Limited Ventilation, Marek Lang, Jiří Faimon, Camille Ek
International Journal of Speleology
The evolution of CO2 levels with and without human presence was studied in a selected site (Gallery Chamber) of the homothermic zone of the Balcarka Cave (Moravian Karst, Czech Republic) during the fall, a period of limited ventilation. There were recognized various factors controlling the cave CO2 levels under different conditions in the exterior and interior. When visitors were absent, CO2 levels were controlled by the advective CO2 fluxes linked to cave airflows and reaching up to ~1.5x10-3 mol s-1. These fluxes exceed by orders of magnitude the exchanged diffusive fluxes (up to …
Split-Beam Echosounder Observations Of Natural Methane Seep Variability In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico,
2015
University of New Hampshire, Durham
Split-Beam Echosounder Observations Of Natural Methane Seep Variability In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Kevin W. Jerram, Thomas C. Weber, Jonathan Beaudoin
Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping
A method for positioning and characterizing plumes of bubbles from marine gas seeps using an 18 kHz scientific split-beam echo sounder (SBES) was developed and applied to acoustic observations of plumes of presumed methane gas bubbles originating at approximately 1400 m depth in the northern Gulf of Mexico. A total of 161 plume observations from 27 repeat surveys were grouped by proximity into 35 clusters of gas vent positions on the seafloor. Profiles of acoustic target strength per vertical meter of plume height were calculated with compensation for both the SBES beam pattern and the geometry of plume ensonification. These …
Characterization Of The Major Ions Of Coal Creek Near Cedar City, Utah,
2015
Southern Utah University
Characterization Of The Major Ions Of Coal Creek Near Cedar City, Utah, Jared Bryce Weaver, Christopher Lamb, Kim Weaver, Jason Kaiser, J. Ty Redd
The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon
The major ions of Coal Creek near Cedar City, in southwest Utah, were measured to determine if there were any differences in ion concentrations in July of 2014 as compared with spring measurements of 2012 and 2013. Past analyses have shown higher ion concentrations in lower regions of Coal Creek despite the apparent lack of water input. This research is aimed to better characterize these abrupt increases in concentration and determine if these trends varied when samples were acquired in the summer vs. in the spring when sample acquisition has occurred in the past. Environmental water samples were collected at …
Origin And Quantification Of Diffuse Co2 And H2s Emission At Crater Hills, Yellowstone National Park,
2015
Michigan Technological University
Origin And Quantification Of Diffuse Co2 And H2s Emission At Crater Hills, Yellowstone National Park, Peipei Lin
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open
At Crater Hills, a thermally-altered area adjoining the Sour Creek resurgent dome that is located within the Yellowstone Caldera, we characterized volatile emissions based upon our soil degassing measurements and soil gas chemistry in 2014 and fumarole gas chemistry in 2007 (Bergfeld et al., 2011). The investigation at Crater Hills on its diffuse gases isotopes and CO2, H2S emission improve our understanding on its gas emission mode – including total emission and spatial distribution, and contribute to a more accurate estimation of total CO2 emission at Yellowstone volcanic system. The total emission of CO2 interpolated by sequential Gaussian simulation method …
The Effects Of Clay On Glycerol/Carboxylic Acid Polymerization: Implications Of Mineral Controls In Prebiotic Chemistry,
2015
Augustana College, Rock Island Illinois
The Effects Of Clay On Glycerol/Carboxylic Acid Polymerization: Implications Of Mineral Controls In Prebiotic Chemistry, Joseph T. Romero
Geology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works
Proto-enzymatic catalysis on early Earth is an important consideration in prebiotic chemistry research as it leads to the understanding of the emergence of the metabolic reaction networks. Contemporary enzymes are comprised of either organic or inorganic factors scaffolded by globular protein structure whereas we consider hyperbranched polyesters as a possible extant scaffold that is easier assembled than the peptide one. The goals of this project are to consider prebiotically plausible starting materials for such structure formation utilizing a subset of conditions for polymer synthesis involving the presence of mineral surfaces as well as temperature and hydration differential. As likely candidates …
