Supporting Dataset For The Influence Of Tile-Water On Groundwater Nitrate Concentrations Within A Saturated Riparian Buffer Zone, Aminat Tosin Abdulsalam, Eric Wade Peterson

Faculty Publications - Geography, Geology, and the Environment

In the U.S. Midwest, where fertile soils with high water retention are prevalent, the installation of tile drainage networks have become a common practice to drain excess soil water, which enhances plant growth and increases crop productivity. However, tile drainage networks coupled with the use of inorganic fertilizers have significant implications on water quality, contributing to eutrophication, leading to harmful algal blooms, and resulting in hypoxic conditions in surface water bodies. To mitigate excess nutrient exports to surface water bodies, edge-of-field practices have been introduced. One such practice is the saturated riparian buffer (SRB), which utilizes a diversion system to …

Million-Year Melt-Presence In Mogollon-Datil Volcanic Field Rhyolites: Constraining The Histories Of The Bursum Caldera Resurgent Domes, Ethan Wagner

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The Mogollon-Datil volcanic field which is located in southwestern New Mexico, is the result of punctuated volcanism and the transition between arc and rift magmatism. The resurgent domes within the 28 Ma Bursum caldera records the transition from rhyolitic to basaltic andesite volcanism that occurred between 27-26 Ma. Using a combination of new zircon U-Pb ages using chemical abrasion isotope dilution thermal ionization mass spectrometry (CA-ID-TIMS) with zircon U-Pb geochronology and trace element contents by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) and whole rock and mineral trace element contents and isotope geochemistry this study investigates the temporal and …

Water Quality Of A Karstic Shallow Aquifer In Greene And Lawrence Counties, Missouri, Claudia Patricia Colmenero Chacon

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

A water quality investigation in the Springfield Plateau aquifer of Greene and Lawrence counties, Missouri, was conducted. Water samples from eleven springs were collected at regular intervals during 2023 to determine major water quality parameters: total dissolved solids (TDS), alkalinity, calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), sulfate (SO₄), chloride (Cl) and nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃-N), along with per- and poly-fluorinated alkali substances (PFAS) from spring sediments. Nitrate-nitrogen was analyzed because of the importance for environmental health (e.g. to avoid eutrophication). Springs samples were separated by land use into urban and rural samples. In addition, Springfield Plateau water quality …

10be Dating Of Last Glacial Maximum Moraines And Subsequent Glacial Retreat In Chirripó National Park, Costa Rica, Caleb Emeka Okpala

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

During the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; ~26-19 ka) and Termination 1 (~19-12 ka), the expansion and retreat of glaciers across the Southern and Northern Hemispheres, as well as other paleoclimate proxies, document a complex pattern of global climate change. While the timing and magnitude of LGM cooling and subsequent warming is relatively well constrained in mid- and high-latitude regions across both hemispheres, less information is available about climate changes in the tropics. To provide more information about tropical climate conditions during the LGM and Termination 1, I mapped and dated the extents of past glaciers in two valleys in Chirripó …

Geoelectrical And Hydrochemical Characterization Of Submarine Groundwater Discharge In Florida Bay, Ifeanyi Emmanuel Eze

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Florida Bay, situated at the southern tip of Everglades National Park and underlain by the Miami Limestone formation, is an ecosystem of global significance. Over the past century, the bay has faced threats such as droughts, seagrass mortality, and hypersalinity. Despite various studies and management efforts, the dynamics of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in the region remain underexplored. Given that SGD plays a significant role in the chemical dynamics of coastal ecosystems, it warrants thorough investigation. This study aims to characterize the spatial and temporal patterns of SGD in Florida Bay by surveying three basins – Rankin, Whipray, and Rabbit …

Diatom Productivity And Nutrient Dynamics In The Ross Sea, Antarctica During Warm Events In The Neogene, Marialena Christopoulou

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Increased melting of the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) in recent decades, has had a significant impact on many aspects of the global ocean. Models indicate that by the end of the 21st century atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations may exceed 500 ppm, and the average global temperature will likely warm by more than 2°C. However, data that provide model constraints on potential feedbacks in ice-ocean-atmosphere system are limited by short-timescales (e.g., decadal- to centennial-scale) and incomplete spatial coverage. In particular, little is known about the impacts of future warming and widespread melting of AIS on marine biological productivity, silicate weathering …

Re-Evaluating Missouri’S Strategic Element Potential: A Geochemical Study Of The Mesoproterozoic Fe-Cu-Co-Ree Deposits In Southeast Missouri, Usa, Brandon James Sullivan

Doctoral Dissertations

"Iron-oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposits are poorly understood mineral systems. For example, we do not know why Cu- and Co-rich IOCG deposits typically occur proximal to Fe ore deposits that are notably Cu and Co-poor, such as Iron Oxide Apatite (IOA) deposits. To better understand the formation of IOA and IOCG deposits in Missouri, USA, this PhD thesis examines the genesis of the Kratz Spring IOA and the Boss Central Dome IOCG deposits. This study presents the first constraints on formation conditions and fluid sources in the studied deposits using integrated petrographic, mineral composition, and Fe isotope analyses of oxide minerals. Observations …

Modeling Apparent Pb Loss In Zircon U-Pb Geochronology, Glenn R. Sharman, Matthew A. Malkowski

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The loss of radiogenic Pb from zircon is known to be a major factor that can cause inaccuracy in the U–Pb geochronological system; hence, there is a need to better characterize the distribution of Pb loss in natural samples. Treatment of zircon by chemical abrasion (CA) has become standard practice in isotope dilution–thermal ionization mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS), but CA is much less commonly employed prior to in situ analysis via laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) or secondary ionization mass spectrometry (SIMS). Differentiating the effects of low levels of Pb loss in Phanerozoic zircon with relatively low-precision in situ U–Pb …

Quantifying Chemical Erosion In The Lithologically-Heterogenous Appalachian Valley And Ridge, Amelia Jayne Zanoni

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Quantifying chemical erosion in the lithologically-heterogenous Appalachian Valley and Ridge

Amelia J. Zanoni

The interplay between physical and chemical erosion is well understood in landscapes underlain by a uniform rock type, but many regions are underlain by a mixture of rock types with varying erosion resistance and solubility. We used measurements of stream-water chemistry to estimate chemical erosion rates in the Appalachian Valley and Ridge, a region where the mechanisms of lithologic control over topography are poorly understood. Newly acquired stream water samples were collected from 51 locations across the research area during the Fall of 2023. The sampled waters …

Estimating Inorganic Carbon Flux From Coal Mining Discharge Portals In The Bituminous Coal Field Region Of Pennsylvania, Lauren J. Rockwell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A fundamental driver of the adverse effects associated with coal mining is the interplay of water and oxygen within mined sites, leading to the creation of coal mine drainage (CMD). One often overlooked consequence of CMD is the release of geologically-bound carbon as carbon dioxide (CO₂). The interaction of CMD with carbonate rocks, specifically the presence of sulfuric acid driving the dissolution of these rocks, leads to the release of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). This study examined 25 CMD locations in an approximately 2,370 km² area within the bituminous coal field region of Pennsylvania (PA), specifically in …

Fluid-Rock And Fluid-Steel Interaction In Geothermal Energy Development In The Appalachain Basin, Samuel H. Bowman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The ever-increasing demand for clean energy requires creative solutions. In the United States, unconventional energy sources such as geothermal are conventionally limited to the western half of the country. The Appalachian Basin in the Eastern United States is one such possible creative solution, although the comparatively low temperature gradient presents a significant challenge to delivering economically feasible geothermal energy. An emerging technology is enhanced geothermal systems, these are engineered reservoirs where a working fluid (typically water) is cycled between the subsurface energy source and the energy collection facility at the surface. The liquid water interacts with the geothermal reservoir rock …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Reverse Pseudo-Gours: A New Sub-Type Of Folia Observed In The Nerja Cave (Se Spain), Cristina Liñán Baena, Concepción Jiménez De Cisneros, Yolanda Del Rosal, Paolo Forti

International Journal of Speleology

A new sub-type of folia named “reverse pseudo-gour” has been observed and described in the Nerja Cave, southern Spain. It consists of fairly vertical, thin barriers (about 5 mm high and 2 mm thick) that develop on the underside of a sub-horizontal surface (shelfstone) and grow in the opposite direction to normal gours (rimstone dams), generating sinuous shapes. Their mineral composition is essentially calcium carbonate, although globular aggregates composed of clay and phosphate minerals have also been identified. The genesis and evolution of these reverse pseudo-gours occur just at the air-water interface and are controlled by (1) the sub-horizontality of …

Environmental Fate Of Sulfur In Sulphur Creek, Valles Caldera, Nm: Implications For Metal Transport And Water Quality, Daniel Lavery

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The 1.2 Ma Valles Caldera in north-central New Mexico hosts a young igneous volcanic hydrothermal system after the model proposed in Goff and Janik (2000). The Sulphur Springs area within Valles Caldera is an acid-sulfate area typical of this model, discharging acidic waters (pH 1.5-3) formed by oxidation of magmatic H₂S at the surface. We report on samples obtained from springs and streams collected between October 2021 and May 2023 in the Sulphur Creek and Alamo watersheds. Sulphur Creek receives input from Sulphur Springs and exhibits low pH (2-4) and high concentrations of Al (≤110 mg/L), Fe (≤60 …

Landscape/Atmosphere Interactions And Carbon-Dioxide Dynamics In The Great Onyx Groundwater Basin, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, Meghan Raines

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

An increase in atmospheric CO2 since the Industrial Revolution has altered rates of global climate change and has motivated a need to better quantify the flux of carbon between Earth’s reservoirs. Attempts to quantify the exchange of atmospheric carbon between sources and sinks have led to an increasing interest in the terrestrial landscape, including the continental carbon sink associated with carbonate-mineral dissolution. This research sought to better inform an understanding of karst landscapes and their relationship with global climate change through carbon cycling. The study utilized high-resolution data collection of pH, temperature, and specific conductance of waters in the Cascade …

Wonderstone And Its Connection To Liesegang, Microbes, And Beyond, Haden S. Mandery

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

In the western and southwestern United States, the term wonderstone is used to describe volcanic, volcaniclastic, and sedimentary rocks with variegated banding produced by iron oxide mineralization or staining. This iron oxide mineralization is typically described as Liesegang banding. In this paper I will (1) test if the banding in wonderstone follows the spacing and width laws characteristic of Liesegang, (2) identify the source of iron that ultimately precipitated in the bands, and (3) examine the role that microbes played in the formation of the mineralization in these rocks. I conclude that the iron oxide mineralization is not Liesegang banding. …

Preliminary Assessment For Critical Minerals In The Terlingua Quicksilver District, Texas And Tres Marias Mine, Chihuahua, Mexico, Eduardo Lee Zuniga

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Terlingua Quicksilver district was discovered around the 1880s and was a mercury producing district from 1900 through 1946. The most productive years were during World War one and two. From 1900-1946 the Terlingua Quicksilver District (TQD) produced 150,000 flasks; 80% came from three mines: the Rainbow-Chisos, Mariposa, and Study Butte mines. The structural controls of the Mercury mineralization within these mines are breccia pipes and fractures, often located near igneous intrusions. This study will assess the potential for Critical Minerals and Rare Earth Elements in the Terlingua Quicksilver District. Fifty-five samples have been collected and analyzed for forty-four different …

Enhancing Our Understanding Of Ancient Oceans Through The Investigation Of Molybdenum Behavior Under Sulfidic Conditions, Rachel Faye Phillips

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The most abundant trace metal in the ocean today, molybdenum (Mo), exhibits distinct behavior in oxygenated water, where it remains predominantly dissolved, compared to euxinic (i.e., oxygen-free and sulfidic) water, in which it is sequestered into the sediment. This dissimilar behavior allows us to use Mo concentrations and isotopic compositions in sediment to reconstruct marine oxygenation conditions throughout geologic history. However, Mo sequestration mechanisms under euxinic conditions remain unresolved, which limits the accuracy and precision of reconstructions made using Mo signatures in the rock record. For my doctoral research, I experimentally investigated abiotic and biotic Mo sequestration mechanisms under various …

Geochemistry Of Metal-Rich Black Shales And Their Genetic Relationship To Mississippi Valley-Type Pb-Zn Ore Deposits, Midcontinent U.S., Noah S. Morris

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The formation of Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) lead-zinc (Pb-Zn) ores is complex, involving an interaction of tectonic compression, hydrothermal fluid migration, and geochemical processes within the subsurface. Fundamental questions regarding this interaction remain unclear, including the source(s) of the Pb and Zn ions that make up the ores. A genetic link between black shales and MVT ores has been thought to exist because of (1) the presence of mature hydrocarbon and brine fluid inclusions within many MVT ores, (2) the association of the hydrothermal fluids that are linked to MVT ore formation with organic compounds and oil-like droplets, and (3) the …

Geospatial Analysis Of Weathering And Recession On Architectural Limestone At The 1891 Powerhouse/Icehouse In Eureka Springs, Arkansas, Stuart Bruce Wright

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study of the architectural limestone of the 1891 Powerhouse/Icehouse in Eureka Springs, Arkansas was to analyze the environmental factors that influenced the deterioration and surface recession of this historical stone structure. The focus of this research was to examine and establish a baseline study that may assist in future monitoring and documentation of this historic limestone structure on stone weathering. A replicable methodology was specifically created toward this baseline research in hopes that it represented a solid baseline study. Observations and data analyses revealed the relationship between the architectural limestone building structure and the dominating recession …