Geology Commons^™

Analogue Sandbox Scaled Modelling Of Oblique And Orthogonal Extension Rifting In Rukwa Rift Basin, Tanzania, Tonny Ojok, John Bk Duot, Majorine Namaganda, Nasra Sadiki, Michael Msabi

Tanzania Journal of Science

Fault evolution in oblique and orthogonal rift systems in the brittle upper crust of the Rukwa rift basin was simulated using scaled sandbox modelling by varying the angle between the rift axis and the extension direction, α, through 45° and 90°, over a 10 cm displacement. The 45° oblique model exhibits a half-graben architecture bounded by a planar fault, intra-rift faults and a conjugate fault in some vertical sections. The map view of the model’s basin trends in the NW-SE direction, and is comparable with the Rukwa rift basin orientation. The 90° oblique model forms a basin structure which is …

Paleodepositional Environment And Sequence Stratigraphy Of Miocene Sediments In Well Tn-1, Coastal Swamp Depobelt, Niger Delta Basin, Nigeria, Jerry Osokpor, Efetobore G Maju-Oyovwikowhe

Tanzania Journal of Science

This research focused on the interpretation of paleodepositional environment and development of a sequence stratigraphic framework for the well TN-1 section, located in the coastal swamp depositional belt of the Niger Delta Basin. Integration of interpreted litho- and biofacies data sets that facilitated the interpretation of the paleodepositional environment enabled the erection of a sequence-stratigraphic framework. Three lithotypes (sand, clay, and shale) distributed within fourteen facies variants were integrated with palynomorph components to delineate five paleodepositional cycles ranging from distal delta plain to bathyal. Eight systems tracts (closely related to depositional cycles, but transcended depositional boundaries in some intervals) that …

Distribution And Characterization Of Rhyolites Of The Strawberry Volcanics -- Evolution Of A Major Rhyolite Field Associated With Columbia River Basalt Magmatism, Eastern Oregon, Usa, Chanel Leigh Dvorak

Dissertations and Theses

The Strawberry Rhyolites constitute a significant rhyolite field among the largest in Oregon. Aerial coverage of approximately 386 km² and an overall estimated volume of ~67 km³ using a median thickness for each unit. On the other hand, the total volume could be greater than 100 km³ if greater thicknesses apply. The Strawberry Rhyolites, a largely unknown mid-Miocene silicic volcanic rocks, crop out amongst voluminous flood basalt flows of the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) in eastern Oregon. The eruptive activity of the Strawberry Rhyolites is currently constrained to span a period of about 2 million years, …

2021 Grand River Water Quality, Allison Romanski, Madeleine Lang

Student Summer Scholars Manuscripts

2021 Grand River Water Quality Sampling

The goals of this research project were to collect repeat samples at designated reaches and under different flow conditions along the Grand River, sample the entire Grand River over a short period of time, collaborate with wastewater treatment plant labs and technicians to analyze water samples, and to calculate a Water Quality Index (WQI) for samples collected.

Seven different reaches were sampled and over 120 samples were collected between May 7th and August 12th of 2021. Water samples were collected and analyzed for nitrate, total phosphate, ammonium, chloride, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand , …

Cuny York College–Hosted Nasa Stem Outreach Program Graduates Over 30,000 Students – The Legacy Continues Amidst The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nazrul I. Khandaker

Publications and Research

The NASA MUREP (Minority University Research and Education Project) and SEMAA (Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy) at York College CUNY (City University of New York), borough of Queens, New York City, recently earned a distinction by graduating over 30,000 underrepresented minority students since 1999 with the culmination of the fall 2021 session! African American students are leading the graduates, followed by Hispanic and Asian students being almost equal in proportion. The primary objective of both MAA (MUREP Aerospace Academy) and SEMAA is getting underrepresented minority students exposure to innovative STEM content and prepare many of them to enter higher …

Characterization And Interpretation Of Feldspathic Chromite Assemblages (Fcas) In Four Ordinary Chondrites: An Electron Backscatter Diffraction (Ebsd) Study, Kimberly Louisa Maccini

Dissertations and Theses

Feldspathic Chromite Assemblages (FCAs) are chemically distinctive assemblages rich in Na, Al, and Cr that are found in a variety of chondrites. They consist of concentrations of chromite associated mainly with feldspathic material, either feldspar or the glassy material known as maskelynite. Professor Alan Rubin (2003) has proposed that some FCAs formed by shock melting, but the origin of different types of feldspathic chromite assemblages are unclear and have not been studied with more modern techniques such as Electron Backscatter Electron Diffraction (EBSD).

Here EBSD was used to study FCAs in four metamorphosed ordinary chondrites of different shock stages, including …

Geochemical And Sensor-Based Monitoring Of Fault-Associated Carbonic Springs In Grand Canyon And Northern New Mexico: Identifying Hydrologic Pathways And Establishing Baselines, Chris Mcgibbon

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

This dissertation examines the interaction of spring systems and faulting. When springs discharge within a fault zone the interaction is often complex, and multiple methods are required to understand the flow, mixing and evolution of groundwater. In karst aquifer systems fracture networks can range from sub-millimeter to meters and only adds to the complexities involved in examining spring hydrology. The Interest in springs and faulting is not only driven by science, but also has applied applications. Faulting and fluid flow are of interest to the oil and gas industry, and potential CO₂ sequestration. In the southwestern US, water quantity …

Numerical Modeling Of Mineralizing Processes During The Formation Of The Yangzhuang Kiruna-Type Iron Deposit, Middle And Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt, China: Implications For The Genesis And Longevity Of Kiruna-Type Iron Oxide-Apatite Systems, Xunyu Hu, Simon Jowitt, Feng Yuan, Guangxian Liu, Jinhui Luo, Yuhua Chen, Hui Yang, Keyue Ren, Yongguo Yang

Geoscience Faculty Research

The Yangzhuang iron deposit is a Kiruna-type iron oxide-apatite (IOA) deposit within the Ningwu mining district of the Middle and Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt (MLYRMB), China. This study applies a numerical modeling approach to identify the key processes associated with the formation of the deposit that cannot be easily identified using traditional analytical approaches, including the duration of the mineralizing process and the genesis of iron orebodies within intrusions associated with the deposit. This approach highlights the practical value of numerical modeling in quantitatively analyzing mineralizing processes during the formation of mineral deposits and assesses how these methods can …

Mercury Emissions From Iron Mining And Copper Mining In The Upper Peninsula, Michigan, Ahmed Al Rahbi

Honors Theses

The wealth in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan has been intimately linked with mining, particularly the extraction of iron and copper. Iron was deposited in the Upper Peninsula 1.9 billion years ago (Gogebic and Ranges, 2020), and copper deposits are believed to be 1.1 billion years old (Blakemore et al., 2016). In the Upper Peninsula, mercury occurs naturally in taconite (iron ore) as elemental mercury (Hg⁰), and within the copper ores as “Mercury copper amalgam” (CuHg). When elemental mercury is released from the ores, it oxidizes in the atmosphere to form inorganic mercury (Hg²⁺) (Risher, 2003; …

Stratigraphic Analysis Of The Capps Limestone In The North Norton Oil Field In Runnels County, Texas, William Thompson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Desmoinesian (Middle Pennsylvanian) Capps Limestone Member of the Mineral Wells Formation is a carbonate reservoir located in North Central Texas. It consists of interbedded limestone, sandstone, and shale units. Much of the Capps Limestone exists in the subsurface of Brown, Coleman, Runnels, Coke, Nolan, and Taylor counties, however, the Capps Limestone outcrops on the surface in Brown, Eastland, and Palo Pinto counties.

The cored interval from Runnels County was deposited in a marginal marine environment during the Middle Pennsylvanian Period. Although the Capps Limestone was first described in the 1890s, there is still much to be discovered about its …

Identifying Biogeochemical Factors Responsible For The Cyclical Precipitation Of Sphalerite And Galena In Low Temperature Mississippi Valley Type Ore Deposits, Daniel John Makowsky

Theses and Dissertations

Mississippi Valley Type (MVT) lead and zinc deposits provide a significant source of sedimentary galena and sphalerite. However, geochemical characteristics and genesis including the source and production of hydrogen sulfide required for galena and sphalerite ore formation and the reasoning for quick, episodic mineralization is not fully understood. By simulating regional MVT brines, the input and effect of biological by-products during the development of these ores as well as the cause of cyclicity within MVT deposits have been observed. Experiments using compositions from MVT fluid inclusions were conducted over two-week periods. Variables during the experiments included temperature, CO2, hydrogen sulfide …

Comprehensive Report On Extraterrestrial Resource Extraction, Robinson Raphael

Student Works

The prospect of asteroid mining provides a plethora of riches that include metals and water. As the number of discovered asteroids continues to grow, opportunities arise to commercialize these resources within Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs). With urgent applications on Earth and in space, NEAs allow for a surge in sales. Planning forward, Astroider Aerospace Systems follows a mission split into four phases. Phase 1 develops a series of spacecraft using existing technologies, titled as Near-Earth Asteroid Miners and Near-Earth Asteroid Surveyors. Phase 2 first launches the surveyors to candidate NEAs, prospecting them for ores. To identify potential celestial bodies for this …

Rhizobium Symbiotic Capacity Shapes Root-Associated Microbiomes In Soybean, Yuanhui Lu, Bin Ma, Wenfeng Chen, Klaus Schlaeppi, Matthias Erb, Erinne Stirling, Lingfei Hu, Entao Wang, Yunzeng Zhang, Kankan Zhao, Zhijiang Lu, Shudi Ye, Jianming Xu

Environmental Science and Geology Faculty Research Publications

Root-microbiome interactions are of central importance for plant performance and yield. A distinctive feature of legumes is that they engage in symbiosis with N₂-fixing rhizobia. If and how the rhizobial symbiotic capacity modulates root-associated microbiomes are still not yet well understood. We determined root-associated microbiomes of soybean inoculated with wild type (WT) or a noeI mutant of Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens USDA 110 by amplicon sequencing. UPLC-MS/MS was used to analyze root exudates. The noeI gene is responsible for fucose-methylation of Nod factor secreted by USDA 110 WT strain. Soybean roots inoculated with the noeI mutant showed a significant decrease …

Chemical And Physical Weathering Rates Of Basaltic Volcanic Regions: Utilizing Space In Place Of Time In The Hawaiian Archipelago, Benjamin Clyde Barton

Theses and Dissertations

With large populations living in tropical regions of the world with volcanic substrates, understanding basalt weathering processes is vital. The Hawaiian Islands are an excellent natural analogue to study chemical weathering rates due to a uniform bedrock (basalt), large variations in rainfall, and varying ages across the islands. Laterite weathering profiles (LWP) develop over time through chemical weathering, where LWP thickness is influenced by many factors, including precipitation and time. Using the rapid, non-invasive horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) method, LWP thicknesses can be estimated to constrain chemical weathering rates. Studying the laterite weathering profiles developed from basaltic bedrock of varying …

Geochemical Investigation Of Monogenetic Volcanoes From The Pribilof Islands, Bering Sea, Alaska, Clayton L. Reinier

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Small-volume basaltic magmas found at continental intraplate environments have not been as extensively studied compared to their polygenetic counterparts. Specifically, regions such as the Bering Sea basalt province, described as a diffuse igneous province, have commonly been overlooked. Assumptions that these systems are invoked by simple, single batches of magma has subsequently left a gap in understanding the processes responsible for primary magma generation away from plate boundaries with little tectonic influence. The following studies that constitute this thesis focus on an in-depth geochemical investigation at the crystal and sub-crystal scale to evaluate lithospheric mantle heterogeneities, processes that govern primary …

Unusual Intraclast Conglomerates In A Stormy, Hot-House Lake: The Early Triassic North China Basin, Kaixuan Ji, Paul B. Wignall, Jeff Peakall, Jinnan Tong, Daoliang Chu, Sara B. Pruss

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

Early Triassic temperatures were some of the hottest of the Phanerozoic, sea-surface temperatures approached 40°C, with profound consequences for both the sedimentology and faunal distributions in the oceans. However, the impact of these temperatures in terrestrial settings is unclear. This study examines shallow lacustrine sediments from the Lower Triassic succession of North China. These consist of diverse fluvial to shallow lacustrine sandstones and also spectacular, coarse conglomerates composed of diverse, intraformational clasts reworked from the interbedded sediments. The conglomerate beds can show inverse grading and high angle, flat-pebble imbrication in their lower part and vertically orientated flat pebbles in their …

Investigating Strike-Slip Faulting Parallel To The Icelandic Plate Boundary Using Boundary Element Models, Anna E.R. Pearson, John P. Loveless

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

Most faults in Iceland strike roughly parallel to the divergent plate boundary, a part of the North American-Eurasian plate boundary, which would be expected to lead to primarily normal faulting. However, several studies have observed a significant component of rift-parallel strike-slip faulting in Iceland. To investigate these fault kinematics, we use the boundary element method to model fault slip and crustal stress patterns of the Icelandic tectonic system, including a spherical hotspot and uniaxial stress that represents rifting. On a network of faults, we estimate the slip required to relieve traction imposed by hotspot inflation and remote rifting stress and …

Fingerprinting The Cretaceous-Paleogene Boundary Impact With Zn Isotopes, Ryan Mathur, Brandon Mahan, Marissa Spencer, Linda Godfrey, Neil Landman, Matthew Garb, D. Graham Pearson, Sheng-Ao Liu, Francisca Oboh-Ikuenobe

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Numerous geochemical anomalies exist at the K-Pg boundary that indicate the addition of extraterrestrial materials; however, none fingerprint volatilization, a key process that occurs during large bolide impacts. Stable Zn isotopes are an exceptional indicator of volatility-related processes, where partial vaporization of Zn leaves the residuum enriched in its heavy isotopes. Here, we present Zn isotope data for sedimentary rock layers of the K-Pg boundary, which display heavier Zn isotope compositions and lower Zn concentrations relative to surrounding sedimentary rocks, the carbonate platform at the impact site, and most carbonaceous chondrites. Neither volcanic events nor secondary alteration during weathering and …

Author Correction: Fingerprinting The Cretaceous-Paleogene Boundary Impact With Zn Isotopes (Nature Communications, (2021), 12, 1, (4128), 10.1038/S41467-021-24419-8), Ryan Mathur, Brandon Mahan, Marissa Spencer, Linda Godfrey, Neil Landman, Matthew Garb, D. Graham Pearson, Sheng Ao Liu, Francisca E. Oboh-Ikuenobe

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The original version of this Article contained an error in the 'Methods', which incorrectly read 'The error of the standard compared to itself throughout the four sessions is ±0.05‰ and is considered a conservative estimation of error as duplicate analyses of the same solutions and complete procedural duplicates of the USGS BVHO-2 rock standard (+0.01 ±0.03‰, 2σ, n = 8, overlapping values found in) are significantly less.' The correct version states '(+0.28 ±0.03‰, 2σ, n = 8, overlapping values found in)' in place of '(+0.01 ±0.03‰, 2σ, n = 8, overlapping values found in)'.

Reconstructing The Transition From Laramide Contraction To Rio Grande Rift Extension, Aaron Conley

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Exposure of tilted Eocene-Oligocene volcanic and sedimentary units unconformably overlying folded and thrusted Mesozoic rocks in the southern Indio Mountains provide an important geologic record of the transition from Laramide contraction to Rio Grande rift extension. Detailed geologic mapping and cross-section reconstruction combined with sedimentary analysis and geo/thermochronologic methods are used to test the hypothesis that Laramide contractional structures and post-Laramide topography focused ignimbrite and sedimentary deposition within two paleovalleys located in the northwest and northeast portions of the study area. Laramide deformation in the study area is confined to Mesozoic units and includes a series of low-angle thrust faults …