Geology Commons^™

Spatiotemporal Economic Impact Analysis Of The Taal Volcano Eruption Using Electricity Consumption And Nighttime Light Data, Ma Flordeliza P. Del Castillo, Toshio Fujimi, Hirokazu Tatano

SOSE Affiliate: Manila Observatory

Analyzing the spatiotemporal dimension of the economic impacts of disasters is critical for providing timely and proportionate support. However, traditional economic impact measures often lack spatiotemporal details. Hence, we estimated the daily electricity consumption (EC) loss using high-frequency EC data and analyzed temporal dimensions of the immediate impacts of Taal Volcano’s eruption on January 12, 2020. Subsequently, we computed the nighttime light (NTL) change using high-resolution NTL data to analyze the spatial distribution of these impacts. The temporal analysis revealed two EC loss peaks. The first peak coincided with the power outage and decreased energy demand, followed by a brief …

Characterization And Leaching Feasibility Studies Of Copper Flue Dust For The Recovery Of Main And Trace Metals, Fardis Nakhaei, Marek Locmelis, Lana Alagha, Michael S. Moats, Carlos Eyzaguirre, Cory Smith

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Although copper smelter dust (CSD) is classified as hazardous waste, it also serves as a valuable secondary resource, offering potential for the recovery of critical elements. In this study, CSD samples were collected from the waste heat boiler (WHB) and electrostatic precipitator (ESP) units connected to the flash smelting furnace at a copper smelter. The representative samples were extensively characterized by particle size, and chemical and mineralogical analyses. Following sample characterization, leaching experiments were performed to evaluate the potential extraction of Cu, Fe, As, Zn, Pb, In, Ga, and Ge from the flue dusts. Distilled water, H2SO4, and HCl were …

Distribution And Tooth Morphoguilds Of Mosasaurids (Squamata) Of The Campanian Western Interior Seaway With Implications For Controls On Mosasaur Paleobiogeography, Alec Zaborniak

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The Western Interior Seaway (WIS) of North America is well known for its mosasaurid squamate diversity, particularly during the Campanian of the Late Cretaceous. Mosasaurid diversity has historically been examined at a fine scale, with many studies investigating the faunal composition of specific assemblages; however, studies focusing on mosasaur communities within the Western Interior Seaway during specific Ages are currently lacking. Mosasaur tooth morphology has also been extensively studied, with tooth characteristics commonly being used as phylogenetic characters. However, many studies examining mosasaur communities and tooth morphology have been focused on broader spatiotemporal or phylogenetic scales. This study investigates the …

The Effects Of Return To Prairie In Barber County, Kansas: A Case Study Using Ndvi And Dendrochronology, Elijah O. Joy

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

This study aims to evaluate the impact of prairie restoration efforts in Barber County, Kansas, with a focus on removal of Eastern Red Cedar. Restoration effectiveness was assessed using remote sensing of satellite scenes via NDVI, density analysis, and dendrochronological methods. The tree density analysis revealed a 66% reduction across the study area and a 99% reduction in the fully restored zones. NDVI analysis from 2010 to 2024 showed higher summer vegetation health and seasonal fluctuations influenced by climate variability and fire events. Dendrochronological data from tree cores reveals growth patterns and establishes a baseline for future dendrochronological chronologies. The …

Oil-Oil Correlation Across Sedimentary Basins In Kansas Using Molecular Geochemistry And Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Oluwaseun V. Omoyemi

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Hydrocarbons are produced from different subbasins and stratigraphic intervals in Kansas. However, the geochemical characteristics and sources of these hydrocarbons are still poorly understood. While reservoir rocks, seals, and traps that are essential for petroleum systems are well defined within the state, the possible source rocks are often considered thermally immature, raising questions about their ability to generate the volume of hydrocarbons currently being produced. This research project tries to evaluate the geochemical characteristics of hydrocarbons produced in the state of Kansas and determine if the hydrocarbons from the different subbasins and stratigraphic units are genetically related. Thirty-seven crude oil …

A Histological Survey Of A Large, Sub-Adult Tylosaurus Nepaeolicus With Implications On The Validity Of Tylosaurus Kansasensis, Carson Cope

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Tylosaurus nepaeolicus is a basal, medium-sized tylosaurine mosasaur that lived during the late Coniacian and early Santonian in the Western Interior Seaway. Despite being a well-studied species, there is debate over whether Tylosaurus kansasensis represents the juvenile form of T. nepaeolicus, or if the two species are distinct. Osteohistology can determine organism age at time of death and can be used to help resolve this debate and provide a better understanding of the growth of T. nepaeolicus. Thin-sections were taken from a humerus, rib, and vertebra of a single individual (FHSM VP-2209). All thin-sections show primarily parallel-fibered cortical …

Geochemical And Sedimentological Signals Of Bottom Water Oxygen Dynamics From Lake Tanganyika (Zambia), Njahi Mwangala

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Lake Tanganyika is a large, ancient freshwater body with exceptional biodiversity that is located in the East African Rift System. Lake Tanganyika’s size and longevity make its sedimentary record useful for understanding environmental changes that cross spatial and temporal boundaries. Lake Tanganyika is known to be susceptible to global warming given its tropical location. Over 12 million people living within Lake Tanganyika’s watershed rely on fishing for their income and nutrition. Changes to limnological function driven by climate could therefore have serious implications for human health and biodiversity conservation. This study focuses on using geochemical properties of modern lake bottom …

Late Holocene Paleolimnology Of Lake Tanganyika (East Africa), Leandro Domingos Luz

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Understanding the long-term responses of ecosystems to climate variability is crucial for predicting and mitigating future changes in the Afrotropics, a region where a significant portion of the population is highly vulnerable to extreme climatic events. Lake Tanganyika, the largest rift lake in East Africa, offers a unique sedimentary archive that can be used to investigate the limnological changes, hydroclimatic shifts, and vegetation dynamics across various timescales. A multi-proxy approach was employed to assess the landscape responses to hydroclimatic fluctuations in the Late Holocene, integrating paleoenvironmental records from radiocarbon-dated sediment cores. This approach involved sedimentology, mineralogy, geochemistry, phytolith analysis, and …

Applications Of Remote Sensing Data To Understanding Geohazards In Wyoming And Kentucky, Meredith Swallom

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Shallow geohazards such as earthquakes, landslides, and floods profoundly impact communities globally. Constraining susceptibility to these hazards is critical for effective hazard mitigation and building more resilient communities. This dissertation includes multiple studies that leverage remotely sensed datasets to address hazard susceptibility, including: (1) characterizing a potential northern extension of the Teton fault system, (2) deriving a vegetation-based metric to improve landslide susceptibility maps in eastern Kentucky, with potential global implications, and (3) combining numerical modeling, landscape models, and field constraints to understand how anthropogenic factors affect flood severity in southern Appalachian catchments.

In the first study, analysis of new …

Monazite Ages In And Fertility Of Crystalline Basement Rocks Of The Eastern Inner Piedmont Province: Potential Source Of Detrital Ree Critical Mineral Resources In The Coastal Plain And Modern Fluvial Systems, Abagale K. Ramsey

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

The southeastern United States has been known for over a century as a potential resource for rare earth elements due to the abundance of monazite in sediments and crystalline basement rocks. However, sedimentary evolution of the monazite from bedrock to placer deposit and the provenance of the monazite remain untested. This study examined samples collected from the basement rocks of the Piedmont terrane in South Carolina and western North Carolina including peraluminous granites, metagranites, mica schists, and biotite gneisses, and heavy-mineral concentrates of first-order streams draining from these rocks, for age comparison and monazite abundance. Monazite grains were analyzed for …

Sem Images And Eds Spectra Of Vapor Deposited Phases, Natalie Zimmermann

Geosciences Research Data

This file contains supplemental data for the JGR manuscript Trace Element Transport and Deposition during Magmatic Degassing: The Effect on Martian Rocks and Fines (Zimmermann et al., in review). It includes SEM images and associated EDS spectra of vapor deposited phases produced in experiments.

Geochemical Assessment Of Sediment Flux In A Sediment Core From A Tidal Flat In A Tropical Estuary, Olumide Ajulo

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Sediment flux in estuaries is influenced by both natural processes and anthropogenic activities. Understanding the historical and current trends in sediment flux inputs and geochemical composition are essential for evaluating the estuary’s response to natural and human-induced changes and for developing effective environmental management strategies. The tropical Wouri Estuary in Cameroon receives water and sediment inputs from three main rivers draining urban, industrial, and agricultural areas, as well as different rock terrains. The complex inputs into the estuary can significantly affect sediment flux, consequently impacting the ecosystem. Thereby making an understanding of the temporal variations in sediment inputs in the …

Assessing Potential For Managed Aquifer Recharge On The Manastash Alluvial Fan: A Geochemical Analysis, Elif A. Myers

All Master's Theses

In south-central Washington, the Yakima River Basin spans 6,100 square miles, encompassing approximately 10% of the state. With a growing population and over 400,000 acres of irrigated cropland, reliable water availability is vital for supporting agricultural irrigation, municipal needs, and aquatic habitats. To ensure water for future use, Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR), the practice of applying surface water to aquifers for storage or hydrologic system benefit, has been proposed within the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan (YBIP). This research explores the Manastash alluvial fan–located west of Ellensburg, Washington as a potential region for two MAR methods: Shallow Aquifer Recharge (SAR) and …

Hydrogeochemical Characterization Of The Ahtanum Alluvial Fan For Managed Aquifer Recharge, Yakima Basin, Washington, Brook M. Bauer

All Master's Theses

Overallocation of water resources in the Yakima River Basin, central Washington, has prompted investigation into facilitated aquifer recharge to enhance water supply during drought as part of the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan (YBIP). This study evaluates and characterizes the recharge potential of the Ahtanum Creek alluvial fan within the lower Ahtanum Sub-Basin by integrating geologic, hydraulic, and geochemical data.

Four main hydrogeologic units (unconsolidated, semi-consolidated, consolidated basin-fill deposits, and Columbia River Basalt aquifers) were identified from stratigraphic analysis of well logs across seven transects spanning the active fan and abandoned alluvial terrace portions of the alluvial fan study area. Stable …

Zircon Age And Oxidation State Estimates For Plutons Spatially Associated With Mineral Deposits Along The Kettle Detachment Fault In The Orient Quadrangle, Northeastern Washington, Karla Ortega

All Master's Theses

Critical minerals are essential to national security, economic stability, and the transition to clean energy, making them a priority in geologic research and exploration. To better understand the magmatic conditions associated with critical mineral concentration, zircon, a recorder of magmatic history, was analyzed using U-Pb geochronology and trace element geochemistry. The analyses were conducted via LASS-ICP-MS on ten plutonic samples from the Orient quadrangle in northeastern Washington and one sample from the Adams Mountain and Hunter (AMH) quadrangles to constrain the geological processes leading to ore deposit formation, including tungsten (W). This region, cut by the Kettle Detachment fault, is …

Applying Multi-Method P-T Estimation Techniques To Constrain Deep Crustal Tectonic Processes: An Example From Hp Granulites North Qaidam Terrane, China, James A. Anderson

All Master's Theses

High pressure (HP) granulites form within collisional and subduction zone tectonic environments. Due to high temperature and presence of melt, it is difficult to recover their pressure and temperature (P-T) history by conventional methods. An integration of multi-method P-T estimations provides insight on these deep crustal processes.

We apply petrographic analysis, Zr-in-Rt thermometry, phase equilibria modeling, and conventional thermobarometric calculations to constrain metamorphic conditions of Early Paleozoic HP granulite samples formed during late stage continental subduction/collision from the North Qaidam terrane.

HP granulites contain the mineral assemblage Grt + Pl ± Cpx + Qtz + Ky + Rt ± Czo. …

The Use Of Lidar In The Study Of Terrain Ruggedness Of Tsunami Inudation Areas At Grewingk Lake And Taan Fiord, Alaska Usa, Shannon P. Mckinnion

All Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

THE USE OF LIDAR IN THE STUDY OF TERRAIN RUGGEDNESS OF TSUNAMI INUDATION AREAS AT GREWINGK LAKE AND TAAN FIORD, ALASKA USA

by

Shannon Patricia McKinnion

In order to test the hypothesis that lidar technologies can detect possible changes in terrain ruggedness due tsunami inundation within a designated area, digital elevation models (DEM) were generated from lidar data for two sites with known tsunami inundation— Grewingk Lake, Alaska and Taan Fiord, Alaska. Cobbles and boulders in these locations were examined using existing terrain ruggedness tools in ArcHydro— Terrain Ruggedness Index (TRI) and Vector Ruggedness Measurement (VRM). The average values …

Origins And Mechanisms Of Mobility Of Geogenic Arsenic Contamination In Toutle And Silver Lake, Wa, Usa, William A. Hays

All Master's Theses

Arsenic (As), a common contaminant in groundwater, is toxic to human health and has a maximum contaminant level of 10 ppb set by both the World Health Organization and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (ATSDR, 2007). In Toutle, WA, USA (30 km west of Mount Saint Helens), a private well, labelled TOU1, was previously identified with ~670 ppb of As and was the impetus of this study. This study targeted private wells in the vicinity of TOU1 to identify the extent of the arsenic contamination, identify the aquifer(s) of concern, and identify the mechanism(s) of mobility.

The wells were screened …

Stream Response To A Dam Removal: Mill Creek, Davenport, Ca, Jessica J. Williamson

Master's Theses

Dams have many effects on stream morphology and ecology, including a loss of sediment supply downstream, reduced access to the entire stream for aquatic fauna, and a flooded area upstream of the dam. Dams are a hurdle for migrating organisms such as anadromous fish, which is a group of concern. An over 100-year-old dam on Mill Creek, a stream draining a coastal watershed in central California, was removed in the fall of 2021. The site is in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where endangered salmonids such as steelhead, Oncorhynchus mykiss, have historically lived. To study the change in the stream from …

A Paleobiological And Paleoecological Analysis Of Mississippian Trilobites With Segmentation Abnormalities, April Catherine Cerami

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Trilobites are a well-preserved group of arthropods, with a fossil record extending from the Cambrian to the end of the Permian. Abnormalities, such as injuries or teratological defects, have been observed and described in multiple individuals, although investigating how these abnormalities occur in populations has been largely overlooked.

One possible cause of abnormalities in marine arthropods is heavy metal pollution. Such metals can leave individuals more susceptible to teratological deformities and injuries, interfering with the molting and healing process. Here, methods for analyzing elemental composition and preservation of the trilobite cuticle were refined, finding that 30 μm thin sections are …