Geology Commons^™

Using Tidal Analysis To Examine Lake-Aquifer Connectivity On A Modern Carbonate Platform, Ronald A. Knoll

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lake-aquifer connectivity on carbonate platforms is governed by basin morphology which is influenced by diagenetic and depositional processes. Both these processes cause aquifer permeability to vary significantly with scale of measurement (i.e., pore-scale, well-scale, and regional-scale). Because coastal aquifers are well-known to have tidally controlled water level fluctuations, inland lakes may be used to expand the areal measurement of permeability and establish a link between well-scale and regional scale connectivity in the aquifer. To evaluate the impact of lake basin morphology on aquifer connectivity, water level fluctuations were collected at high temporal resolution in the ocean and twenty-four surface water …

Lidar Reveals >150 Km Of New Holocene Ruptures And Faults In Northeast Basin-And-Range Province, N Utah And Se Idaho, Susanne U. Jänecke, Nathaniel R. Ellis, Robert Q. Oaks Jr., Carly M. Lee, James P. Evans

Geosciences Faculty Publications

Cache Valley is a N-trending graben in N-central Utah and SE Idaho. The East Cache fault zone (ECFZ) appears to be the master fault due to the high mountain in its footwall, its inversion of the Providence thrust fault, and the deep sedimentary basin in its hanging wall. However, trenching in 1990s showed more Holocene ruptures within the West Cache fault zone (WCFZ, 4) than ECFZ (1). We use LIDAR data to document post-Bonneville paleo-earthquakes along known and newly documented normal faults of the WCFZ. New faults with scarps occur throughout the ~105 km long and 5-10 km wide WCFZ. …

An Update Of Seismic Monitoring And Research In The Vicinity Of The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant: January 2018–December 2019, Zhenming Wang, N. Seth Carpenter, Edward W. Woolery

Report of Investigations--KGS

From January 2018 to December 2019, the Kentucky Geological Survey monitored earthquakes and conducted research on seismic hazards in the vicinity of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a former uranium enrichment facility, in McCracken County, western Kentucky. Six hundred forty-four earthquakes with magnitude between 0.5 and 3.7 were recorded in the area during this period. Research focused on the influence of the thick sediments on earthquake ground motion, the so-called site response, through theoretical and data analysis of borehole seismic records. Our research has shown that the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program site classification, which is based on Vs30, and …

The Role Of Sediment-Induced Light Attenuation On Primary Production During Hurricane Gustav (2008), Zhengchen Zang, Z. George Xue, Kehui Xu, Samuel J. Bentley, Qin Chen, Eurico J. D'Sa, Le Zhang, Yanda Ou

Faculty Publications

We introduced a sediment-induced light attenuation algorithm into a biogeochemical model of the Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere-Wave-Sediment Transport (COAWST) modeling system. A fully coupled ocean-atmospheric-sediment-biogeochemical simulation was carried out to assess the impact of sediment-induced light attenuation on primary production in the northern Gulf of Mexico during the passage of Hurricane Gustav in 2008. When compared with model results without sediment-induced light attenuation, our new model showed a better agreement with satellite data on both the magnitude of nearshore chlorophyll concentration and the spatial distribution of offshore bloom. When Hurricane Gustav approached, resuspended sediment shifted the inner shelf ecosystem from a nutrient-limited …

The Use Of Green Pond Conglomerate As Building Stone In Morris County, New Jersey, Gregory A. Pope

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Green Pond Conglomerate (GPC) is a maroon colored quartzite with white quartz pebbles, a classic “puddingstone”. GPC derives from a NW-SW-trending sliver of Paleozoic sediments, the “Green Pond Outlier”, surrounded by older metamorphic and igneous rocks of Morris and Passaic Counties. Buildings, retaining walls, field fences, and monuments incorporate the durable and attractive stone, in a distinct geographic area of Morris County. Several instances of structures completely constructed or faced with GPC occur in and around Morristown, limited to affluent houses and one prominent church. In these cases, GPC stones were dressed and faced, a labor-intensive effort. Elsewhere in the …

Bubble Trail And Folia In Cenote Zapote, Mexico: Petrographic Evidence For Abiotic Precipitation Driven By Co2 Degassing Below The Water Table, Rafael López-Martínez, Fernando Gázquez, José M. Calaforra, Philippe Audra, Jean Y. Bigot, Teresa Pi Puig, Rocío J. Alcántara-Hernández, Ángel Navarro, Philippe Crochet, Liliana Corona Martínez, Raquel Daza Brunet

International Journal of Speleology

Folia are speleothems that resemble bells, inverted cups, or bracket fungi, and whose origins are still controversial. Cenote Zapote (an underwater cave) in the Yucatán Peninsula (México), is home to some of the largest folia reported to date. These speleothems are currently growing in an active underwater system, meaning this site offers an excellent opportunity to constrain the different formation models proposed for folia, which have traditionally relied on inactive examples. In Cenote Zapote, folia are closely related to bubble trails and cupolas, suggesting an underwater CO₂-degassing process. In thin section, they display a succession of columnar-open and …

Implementation Of An Occupancy-Based Monitoring Protocol For A Widespread And Cryptic Species, The New England Cottontail (Sylvilagus Transitionalis), Colin P. Shea, Mitchell J. Eaton, Darryl I. Mackenzie

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Context. Designing effective long-term monitoring strategies is essential for managing wildlife populations. Implementing a cost-effective, practical monitoring program is especially challenging for widespread but locally rare species. Early successional habitat preferred by the New England cottontail (NEC) has become increasingly rare and fragmented, resulting in substantial declines from their peak distribution in the mid-1900s. The introduction of a possible competitor species, the eastern cottontail (EC),may also have played a role. Uncertainty surrounding how these factors have contributed to NEC declines has complicated management and necessitated development of an appropriate monitoring framework to understand possible drivers of distribution and dynamics.

Aims. …

Preface For Article Collection "Evolution And Variability Of Asian Monsoon And Its Linkage With Cenozoic Global Cooling", Ryuji Tada, Christian Betzler, Peter D. Clift

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Ideas And Perspectives: The Same Carbon Behaves Like Different Elements - An Insight Into Position-Specific Isotope Distributions, Yuyang He, Xiaobin Cao, Huiming Bao

Faculty Publications

It is expected that information on the source, reaction pathway, and reaction kinetics of an organic compound can be obtained from its position-specific isotope compositions or intramolecular isotope distribution (Intra-ID). To retrieve the information, we could use its predicted equilibrium Intra-ID as a reference for understanding the observed Intra-IDs. Historically, observed, apparently close-to-equilibrium carbon Intra-ID has prompted an open debate on the nature of biosystems and specifically the pervasiveness of reversible biochemical reactions. Much of the debate remains unresolved, and the discussion has not clearly distinguished between two states of equilibrium: (1) the equilibrium among the corresponding bond-breaking and bond-forming …

Tributes To Rick Edwards Upon His Retirement, Robert F. Diffendal Jr., Michael Farrell, Michael David Forsberg, Maurice Godfrey, John J. Janovy Jr., Katie Nieland, Linda Pratt, Rebecca S Wingo, David J. Wishart, George E. Wolf, Peter Longo, John R. Wunder

Robert F. Diffendal, Jr., Publications

I understand that you will be retiring from UNL in August. I wanted to express my sadness that you will be leaving the Center for Great Plains Studies, but am glad that you will now be able to perhaps enjoy life even more without having to do the administrative tasks that go with being the director of any organization. (RFD)

Trends In Water Quality Of Cave Pools At Timpanogos Cave National Monument, July 2008–September 2018, Rebecca Weissinger, Andy Armstrong, Kirsten Bahr, Chris Groves

Crawford Hydrology Laboratory

No abstract provided.

Interpretations Of Lava Flow Properties From Radar Remote Sensing Data, Gavin Douglas Tolometti, Catherine Neish, Gordon R. Osinski, Scott S. Hughes, Shannon E. Kobs-Nawotniak

Earth Sciences Publications

The surface morphology and roughness of a lava flow provides insight on its lava properties and emplacement processes. This is essential information for understanding the eruption history of lava fields, and magmatic processes beneath the surface of Earth and other planetary bodies such as the Moon. The surface morphology is influenced by lava properties such as viscosity, temperature, composition, and rate of shear. In this work, we seek to understand how we can interpret the emplacement processes and lava properties of lava flows using remote sensing data. Craters of the Moon (COTM) National Monument and Preserve in Idaho hosts a …

Practical Measurement Of Size Distribution Of Blasted Rocks Using Lidar Scan Data, Irfan C. Engin, Norbert H. Maerz, Kenneth J. Boyko, Robert Reals

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Majority of the world's mine production is made by surface mining facilities for various reasons. Use of explosives is the most economical way in loosening of the main rock where hard rock formations exist. The degree of fragmentation affects the subsequent excavation and loading operations as well as indicates the success of the blasting process. Although the most preferred method for the measurement of fragment size of blasted rock is digital image analysis, the method also includes some limitations and errors. In this study, size distribution of the blasted rock was measured directly using laser scanning-LiDAR technology and a new …

Teaching With Digital 3d Models Of Minerals And Rocks, Graham Dm Andrews, Gabrielle Labishak, Sarah Brown, Shelby L. Isom, Holly Danielle Pettus, Trevor Byers

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The disruption to geoscience curricula due to the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the difficulty of making mineral and rock samples accessible to students online rather than through traditional lab classes. In spring 2020, our community had to adapt rapidly to remote instruction; this transition amplified existing disparities in access to geoscience education but can be a catalyst to increase accessibility and flexibility in instruction permanently. Fortunately, a rich collection of 3D mineral and rock samples is being generated by a community of digital modelers (e.g., Perkins et al., 2019).

Mineralogy, Dexter Perkins

Open Educational Resources

This is a beta version of an open access textbook on Mineralogy, current as of October 2020. For the most recently updated live version please see: https://opengeology.org/Mineralogy/

Pan American Interactions Of Amazon Precipitation, Streamflow, And Tree Growth Extremes, D. W. Stahle, M. C. A. Torbenson, I. M. Howard, D. Granato-Souza, A. C. Barbosa, S. Feng, J. Schöngart, L. Lopez, R. Villalba, J. Villanueva, K. Fernandes

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Rainfall and river levels in the Amazon are associated with significant precipitation anomalies of opposite sign in temperate North and South America, which is the dominant mode of precipitation variability in the Americas that often arises during extremes of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). This co-variability of precipitation extremes across the Americas is imprinted on tree growth and is detected when new tree-ring chronologies from the eastern equatorial Amazon are compared with hundreds of moisture-sensitive tree-ring chronologies in mid-latitude North and South America from 1759 to 2016. Pan-American co-variability exists even though the seasonality of precipitation and tree growth only …

Experimental And Thermodynamic Constraints On Mineral Equilibrium In Pantelleritic Magmas., Pierangelo Romano, Bruno Scaillet, John C. White, Joan Andujar, Ida Di Carlo, Silvio G. Rotolo

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Crystallization experiments on two pantellerites from Pantelleria, Italy, provide new evidence for the relation-ships between mineral phases in pantelleritic rocks as well as the influence of temperature and redox conditionson mineral assemblages. Experiments were performed at 1 kbar with temperature ranging between 750–900°C,andfluid saturation conditions with XH2O (=H2O/H2O+CO2) between 0 and 1. Redox conditions were fixed at, or slightly below, the FMQ buffer. Results show that at temperature of 900 °C pantelleritic magmas are well above the liquidus regardless their water content; we also observed a decrease in liquidus temperature (800°C) with increasingly reducing conditions. Mineral assemblages of the natural …

Coral Gardens Reef, Belize: A Refugium In The Face Of Caribbean-Wide Acropora Spp. Coral Decline, Lisa Greer, Tara Clark, Tanner Waggoner, James Busch, Thomas P. Guilderson, Karl Wirth, Jian-Xin Zhao, H. Allen Curran

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

Caribbean Acropora spp. corals have undergone a decline in cover since the second half of the twentieth century. Loss of these architecturally complex and fast-growing corals has resulted in significant, cascading changes to the character, diversity, and available eco spaces of Caribbean reefs. Few thriving Acropora spp. populations exist today in the Caribbean and western North Atlantic seas, and our limited ability to access data from reefs assessed via long-term monitoring efforts means that reef scientists are challenged to determine resilience and longevity of existing Acropora spp. reefs. Here we used multiple dating methods to measure reef longevity and determine …

Rare Earth-Bearing Particles In Fly Ash Carbons: Examples From The Combustion Of Eastern Kentucky Coals, James C. Hower, John G. Groppo Jr.

Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty and Staff Publications

Graphitic carbons from the combustion of bituminous coals and, perhaps, other coal ranks, tend to capture iron and a number of hazardous elements, including As, Hg, and Se. Rare earth elements in fly ashes occur in minerals, such as monazite, xenotime, and davidite. They also occur in sub-nm particles, probably in a mineral form, within the Al–Si glass on the investigated fly ashes. Just as graphitic carbons can capture Fe and hazardous elements, the carbons surrounding the fly ash glass and magnetic particles captures or encapsulates a broad suite of rare earth elements.

Rainfall Interception And Redistribution By A Common North American Understory And Pasture Forb, Eupatorium Capillifolium (Lam. Dogfennel), D. Alex Gordon, Miriam Coenders-Gerrits, Brent A. Sellers, S. M. Moein Sadeghi, John T. Van Stan Ii

Earth, Environment & Sustainability: Faculty Publications

In vegetated landscapes, rain must pass through plant canopies and litter to enter soils. As a result, some rainwater is returned to the atmosphere (i.e., interception, I) and the remainder is partitioned into a canopy (and gap) drip flux (i.e., throughfall) or drained down the stem (i.e., stemflow). Current theoretical and numerical modeling frameworks for this process are almost exclusively based on data from woody overstory plants. However, herbaceous plants often populate the understory and are the primary cover for important ecosystems (e.g., grasslands and croplands). This study investigates how overstory throughfall (P_T,o) is partitioned into …