Diagenesis And Quartz Grain Provenance Of The Turner Sandstone, Carson Lee Broaddus

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Provenance analysis of sedimentary rocks is an essential tool for basin analysis and paleogeographic reconstructions. Numerous tools and analytical methods have been developed over the years to investigate the source of detrital constituents in sedimentary rocks. The Late Cretaceous (Turonian) Turner Sandstone in the eastern Powder River Basin (PRB), WY, and the time equivalent Frontier Formation in the western PRB are commonly described as the remnants of a marginal marine depositional system. However, contradictory evidence exists about the source of those deposits. Here, I present results from a comprehensive scanning electron microscope panchromatic cathodoluminescence (SEM-PCL) analysis of >1200 individual sand-sized …

Integration Of 3d Structural Modelling And Well Logging Analysis In The Evaluation Of October Oil Field, Gulf Of Suez, Egypt, Lamiaa Yahia, Mostafa Toni, Farouk I. Metwalli, M. H. Mansour, Amir Ismail

Trends in advanced sciences and technology

An extensive study of the NUBIA and MAT reservoirs, incorporating numerous data sources, enhances the accuracy of production forecasts for hydrocarbon exploration and development. This study aims to integrate seismic and well data for re-assessment and to delineate the geological and petrophysical characteristics of the October oil field which is one of the most productive in the central Gulf of Suez, but it has recently witnessed a drop in output in some regions, and some wells have begun to depletion. While facies modeling enabled the spatial distribution of lithologic facies inside the constructed 3D structural model, which reflected two types …

Modeling Earthquake Catalog (1985-2022) In Northern Egypt Using Space-Time Epidemic-Type Aftershock Sequences (Etas), Mariam Ramadan, Amir Ismail, Amin E. Khalil, Hesham Abdelhafiez, Nouran S. Salama

Trends in advanced sciences and technology

Earthquakes have the largest damaging effects among natural disasters on a global scale. Efforts for reducing their effects have taken place for a long time. The prediction of earthquakes was the main target, however the studies conducted were not successful. As a replacement, seismic hazard assessments were adopted to predict the levels of ground motion for the possible future large earthquakes. This approach is probabilistic in nature that rely on the quality of earthquake catalog. The probabilistic model adopted is built on the assumption that the events in the earthquake catalog are random Poisson distribution, assuming that events are independent …

Experimental Investigation Of High-Temperature Brine-Shale Interactions, Anna Atasha Hoffmann

Doctoral Dissertations

"Hydrofracturing (fracking), a common practice in the Petroleum Industry to induce or improve fluid flow in tight formations, creates chemical disequilibrium that further alters the porosity and permeability of host rocks and results in the production of saline and contaminated produced waters (PW). The PW of the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS) are Na-Ca-Mg-K-Cl brines with mean concentrations of approximately 16% Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and circumneutral pH. Analysis of composition suggests the PW result from a 20 to 80% dilution of formation waters (relict brines of the Louann Salt) by fracking fluid. Trace element concentrations generally show moderate to strong …

Investigating The Relationship Between Inherited Geologic Framework And Saltwater Intrusion On St. Catherines Island, Georgia, Juliet Talaber, Jacque Kelly, Robert Vance

Honors College Theses

Since the late 1800s, the oldest cities on the Georgia coast have been withdrawing water from the confined Floridan Aquifer System. As the population has grown, a cone of depression has formed extending from Savannah, GA to St. Catherines Island, GA, a barrier island 50 km southeast of Savannah. On St. Catherines Island, the cone of depression has reversed the lateral and horizontal groundwater flow gradients causing saltwater intrusion into the Upper Floridan Aquifer from the Lower Floridan Aquifer through joints, faults, or solution collapse features. Previous studies from the southern and central areas of the island have found evidence …

Simulation Of Wave Propagation In Granular Particles Using A Discrete Element Model, Syed Tahmid Hussan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The understanding of Bender Element mechanism and utilization of Particle Flow Code (PFC) to simulate the seismic wave behavior is important to test the dynamic behavior of soil particles. Both discrete and finite element methods can be used to simulate wave behavior. However, Discrete Element Method (DEM) is mostly suitable, as the micro scaled soil particle cannot be fully considered as continuous specimen like a piece of rod or aluminum. Recently DEM has been widely used to study mechanical properties of soils at particle level considering the particles as balls. This study represents a comparative analysis of Voigt and Best …

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 …

Response Of Open Volcanic Systems To Static Stress Changes, Aimee Zimmerman

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Large earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater can alter volcanic emissions and even trigger eruptions at nearby volcanoes. The stress changes imparted by large earthquakes can cause otherwise stable conditions within the magmatic system to be disturbed, potentially inducing volcanic activity. The extent of the triggering potential is still unknown due to insufficient understanding of the mechanisms involved. We model static stress changes for 174 earthquake-volcano pairs from 2000-2023 at volcanoes within 500 km, computing changes in both the normal stress perpendicular to the direction of horizontal maximum stress and dilatational strain. We then use thermal satellite data to measure …

Petrologic And Geochemical Constraints On The Pre-Eruptive Storage Conditions Of Magmas Erupted During The ~12.5 Ka Flare Up Of Medicine Lake Volcano, Ca, Regina M. Khoury

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Medicine Lake Volcano (MLV) system in the California Cascades is composed of a large shield volcano with numerous basaltic to rhyolitic vents on and around the flanks, many of which are aligned with N-S trending normal faults. A significant portion of the post-glacial volcanic activity at MLV is comprised of the ~12.5 ka “flare up” eruptions of basalt and basaltic andesite magmas from seven discrete flank vents. Prior work documented surface areas (0.02-198 km²), volumes (0.0001-4.35 km³), and eruption styles (Hawaiian to Strombolian; Donnelly-Nolan, 2010) of the ~12.5 ka deposits. This study uses new geologic …

River Response To Removal Of A Small Dam And Replacement With A Roughened Channel, Chandler Sabin

All Master's Theses

Relatively few studies have analyzed how the removal of small dams and re-engineering of the channel affect river channel processes. The low-head Nelson Dam was built in 1920 on the Naches River in central Washington, causing two miles of aggraded sediments. This resulted in upstream flooding and excessive downstream incision that led to ineffective irrigation diversions, and hindered fish spawning. Nelson Dam was removed in 2021 and replaced with a graded, roughened, nature-like channel and a newly engineered diversion that was completed in 2023. The research presented here quantifies the effects of the Nelson Dam removal and channel redesign on …

Assessing The Ore Mineralization Depth And Crustal History Of Plutons In Northeastern Washington Using Thermodynamic Modeling Of Wall Rock Assemblages, David William Miller

All Master's Theses

Critical minerals are essential for advanced technologies across all economic sectors, but domestic deposits are unconstrained and underutilized, leaving the U.S. economy vulnerable to disruption. In northeastern WA, several ore-bearing plutons may be a significant resource; however, their formation depths, a component responsible for ore genesis, are unknown. To constrain regional ore formation depths, the mineral assemblages of calc-silicate and pelitic rocks from the contact aureoles of two Cretaceous plutons, located in the Adams Mountain and Hunters (AMH) quadrangles in the hangingwall of the Kettle detachment fault (KDF), were quantitatively constrained with scanning electron microscopy and XMapTools and compared to …

Gnss Radio Propagation Through Trapped Atmospheric Lee Waves In The San Bernardino Valley, Ca, Logan Grey

All Master's Theses

Atmospheric lee waves, also known as mountain waves, are a type of gravity wave that form as air that is forced over a mountain creates turbulence downstream. Trapped, or stationary, lee waves located directly over a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver on Earth’s surface appear to lead to anomalies in the receiver’s position estimate, usually skewed toward the neighboring mountain range. The exact mechanism by which trapped lee waves might cause these anomalies is not known, and so my research aims to understand this. GNSS station P612 located in the lee of the San Bernardino Mountains in southern California …

Eruption Initiation Mechanisms And Timescales At A Very-High-Threat Washington Volcano: Clues From Crystal Cargo In Lavas From Mount Baker (Koma Kulshan), Emily Yoder

All Master's Theses

Understanding the timescales of pre-eruptive processes is key for improving forecast models of future eruptions. Mount Baker (Koma Kulshan), WA, is part of the northern Cascade volcanic arc and classified as a very high threat volcano. However, we lack an understanding of the duration of time between the final magmatic process before eruption (potentially the process that initiated the eruption) and the eruption itself. This study focuses on (1) estimating eruption initiation timescales via diffusion chronometry and (2) determining eruption initiation mechanisms for three andesitic lava flows from Mount Baker: Dobbs Creek (~119 ka), Dobbs Cleaver (~105 ka), and Swift …

Timescales Of Magma Storage And The Pre-Eruptive History For The Most Recent Lava Flow At Mount Baker (Koma Kulshan), Wa, Desiree Cunningham

All Master's Theses

Mount Baker, ranked as a very-high threat volcano in the United States, is in a well-populated area in northern WA, putting many at risk in the event of a future eruption. Previous work on Mount Baker focused on understanding the magmatic architecture beneath the volcano and has identified multiple magmatic components that contributed to different eruptions throughout its history. The youngest lava flow in the Mount Baker Volcanic Field is the 9.8 ka Sulphur Creek lava flow. The last study conducted on this flow by Garvey (2022) determined the most recent magma mush configuration that was tapped for this eruption. …

The Effects Of Environmental Factors On Tsunami Propagation And Inundation: A Comparison Of Earth With Other Planetary Bodies, Austin Halstead

All Master's Theses

Tsunamis are a universal hazard in any environment with oceans or lakes. Having a firm understanding of them is essential because of this. However, the vast number of tsunami studies have been solely on Earth, despite the growing evidence of oceans and lakes being on, or having once existed on, other planets and moons. In this study, I investigated tsunami behavior in non-Earth environments by testing the effects of varying viscosity and gravity. I conducted simulations using GeoClaw, Flow3D®, and VolcFlow on established tsunami benchmarks to identify consistent patterns in tsunami flow patterns and inundation. The results show …

Zagamiite, Caal2si3.5o11, The Hexagonal High-Pressure Cas Phase With Dominant Si, As A Mineral From Mars, Chi Ma, Oliver Tschauner, John R. Beckett, Eran Greenberg, Vitali B. Prakapenka

Geoscience Faculty Research

Within the Ca-Al-silicate system, dense, layered hexagonal phases occur at high temperatures and pressures between 20 and 23 GPa. They have been observed both in nature and in experiments. In this study, we describe the endmember with a dominant sixfold coordinated Si as a mineral zagamiite (IMA 2015-022a). This new mineral identified in Martian meteorites has a general formula of (Ca,Na)(Al,Fe,Mg)2(Si,Al,□)4O11, thus defining CaAl2Si3.5O11 as a previously unknown endmember of the hexagonal CAS phases. Zagamiite assumes space group P63/mmc with a unit cell of a = 5.403(2) Å, c = 12.77(3) Å, V = 322.9(11) Å3, and Z = 2. …

The Magmatic Origin Of The Columbia River Gorge, Usa, Nathaniel Klema, Leif Karlstrom, Charles Cannon, Chengxin Jiang, Jim O'Connor, Ray E. Wells, Brandon Schmandt

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Along subduction zones, high-relief topography is associated with sustained volcanism parallel to the plate margin. However, the relationship between magmatism and mountain building in arcs is poorly understood. Here, we study patterns of surface deformation and correlated fluvial knickpoints in the Columbia River Gorge to link long-term magmatism to the uplift and ensuing topographic development of the Cascade Range. An upwarped paleochannel exposed in the walls of the Gorge constrains unsteady deep magma flux, the ratio of intrusive to extrusive magmatic contributions to topography, and the impact of magmatism on Columbia River incision since 3.5 million years ago. Geophysical data …

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 …