Geomorphology Commons^™

Super-Resolution Remote Sensing Datasets For Application To Caral–Supe Archeological Sites Employing Sar And Dems, Jungrack Kim, Ramesh P. Singh

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Publicly accessible spaceborne remote sensing datasets often lack the spatial resolution required to reliably distinguish archeological features from their surrounding geomorphological contexts. In this study, we assess the potential of super-resolution (SR) products derived from multiple public-domain remote sensing datasets for a systematic archeological survey in the Caral–Supe region. We focus on Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and topographic datasets—including Sentinel-1, Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Phased Array L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR), and Digital Elevation Models (DEMs)—because of their capacity to detect subtle surface expressions and shallow subsurface structures obscured by vegetation or sediment cover. Using state-of-the-art deep learning algorithms, …

Pitfalls Of Multiplied 3d Landforms Projection: Mapping Deep Multilevel Cave Systems In The Alps (Gamssteig Cave System, Göll Massif), Mateusz Golicz, Jacek Szczygieł

International Journal of Speleology

Cave mapping represents one of the most complex challenges in geomorphological cartography, as it must convey the true three-dimensional geometry of subterranean spaces such as overlapping passages, irregular cross-sections, and variable ceiling and floor morphologies, within a two-dimensional framework. This study examines the methodological and interpretive challenges of cave mapping, utilizing the Gamssteighöhle cave in the Austrian Alps as a case study. During the 11 years of exploration, over 10 km of passages were surveyed using the DistoX vector survey method. Yet, the complex morphological forms necessitated deviations from the standard symbology recommended by the International Union of Speleology. Several …

Stylespade: Realistic Image Augmentation For Robust Infrastructure Crack Segmentation Via Ensemble Learning, Jaeung Sim, Menas Kafatos, Seung Hee Kim, Yangwon Lee

Institute for ECHO Articles and Research

The rapid deterioration of global infrastructure necessitates precise and automated crack detection technologies for proactive maintenance. However, deep learning-based segmentation models often suffer from a scarcity of diverse, high-quality labeled datasets. This study proposes StyleSPADE, a novel conditional image generation model that integrates semantic masks and style images to synthesize realistic crack data with diverse background textures while preserving precise geometric morphology. To validate the effectiveness of the generated data, we conducted extensive semantic segmentation tasks using Transformer-based (Mask2Former, Swin-UPerNet) and CNN-based (K-Net) models. Experimental results demonstrate that StyleSPADE-based augmentation significantly outperforms baseline models, achieving a Crack IoU of 0.6376 …

Nebraska Statewide Groundwater-Level Monitoring Report 2025, Aaron R. Young, Mark E. Burbach, Sue Olafsen Lackey, Robert Matthew Joeckel, Jeffrey Westrop

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Early Successional Response To Stream Daylighting In Redwood National And State Parks, Orick, California, Rylee Rawson

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In-channel stream restoration projects can act as both disturbance and recovery mechanisms, disrupting existing conditions to reestablish the hydrologic and ecological processes that sustain stream ecosystems. These interventions initiate successional trajectories in which channel form and biological communities reorganize over time. In Redwood National and State Parks (California, USA), the Redwoods Rising initiative restores buried headwater channels by recontouring legacy logging roads and daylighting streams buried by Humboldt crossings. Using the National Park Service Klamath Network wadable stream monitoring protocol, I evaluated nine restored reaches spanning one to five years post-restoration, alongside old-growth reference reaches and available pre-treatment data. I …

A Tale Of Two Microbialities: Stromatolites And Microbially Induced Sedimentary Structures, Nora Noffke, Stanley M. Awramik

OES Faculty Publications

Microbialites are biosedimentary structures built by microbial mats. Five microbialite groups are distinguished: stromatolites, thrombolites, dendrolites, leiloites and microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS). This contribution discusses the two most abundant microbialite groups in marine settings, stromatolites and MISS. Microbial interactions with clastic sediment are very similar in both stromatolite and MISS formation. However, in stromatolites, syngenetic carbonate production caused by photoautotrophic and heterotrophic metabolisms and by calcimicrobes also takes place. More so, carbonate may precipitate within the extracellular polymeric substances. Due to the various carbonate forming processes as well as recrystallisation, the microscopic mat fabrics within stromatolite laminae are rarely …

Scanning Electron Microscopy As A Potential Tool For Distinguishing Charcoal From Dark, Oxidized, Biomass, João Vitor Dos Santos, Aleksandar I. Goranov, Lais Gomes Fregolente, Joao Marcos De Lima-Faria, Diego Stefani Teodoro Martinez, Patrick G. Hatcher

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Condensed aromatic carbon (ConAC) is widely used as a proxy for organic materials derived from biomass burning. However, recent evidence shows that ConAC can be also formed through nonpyrogenic oxidative processes. This study presents a proof-of-concept investigation using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to distinguish charcoal from dark, ConAC-rich materials produced by ambient oxidation of biomass. Pine wood exposed to long-term iron-mediated oxidation was compared with unaltered wood and a controlled laboratory-generated charcoal reference. Conventional geochemical analytical methods, including benzenepoly(carboxylic acid) (BPCA) analysis, Fourier transform–ion cyclotron resonance–mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS), solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and elemental analysis, confirmed substantial …

Below The Rows, Beyond The Roots: An Art Exhibition Depicting Agriculture Across The Globe, Maggie Enoch

Honors Theses and Capstones

In Below the Rows, Beyond the Roots, artist Maggie Enoch creates multimedia works inspired by her exposure to diverse agricultural systems and perspectives while studying geography and sustainable agriculture/food systems around the world. By integrating complex histories with the contemporary realities of farming, Maggie paints vivid pictures of the power of food in this five-piece exhibition.

Soil Organic Carbon And Soil Health Property Responses To Land Management Across Topographic Positions, Mia D. Makovsky

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

uring the last ice age, ice sheets advanced and retreated across the upper Midwest, leaving behind a landscape characterized by poorly drained hummocky topography. Well-aerated soils have formed on uplands and lowlands are dominated by hydric soils. These wetlands and hydric soils have potential to store large quantities of carbon, particularly compared to the well-aerated uplands, but many have been drained and cultivated for decades. Conservation agriculture methods have emerged to protect and conserve soil health from negative effects due to cultivation.The purpose of this study is to determine how agricultural management practices and landscape properties (e.g, topographic position) affect …

Last Glacial Maximum And Late Glacial Aeolian Sand Activity, South-Central Indiana, Usa, H. M. Loope, J. L. Antinao, P.R. Hanson, P. M. Jacobs, D. A. Grimley

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Quantifying Uncertainty In Landscape Evolution And Provenance Analysis: Insights From Statistical And Numerical Modelling, Vivian Carmello Grom

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Landscape evolution models (LEMs) and detrital zircon provenance are widely used to investigate Earth surface processes, yet both face challenges related to quantifying model behavior and interpreting sedimentary signals under realistic, heterogeneous conditions. This thesis addresses these challenges through analysis and case studies that develop and apply new approaches for analyzing landscape dynamics and assessing uncertainties in sediment provenance.

Chapter 1 introduces a quantitative framework for evaluating LEM outputs using Shannon Entropy, Moran’s I, and Geary’s C. Applied to simulations with steady uplift, periodic uplift, spatially variable uplift, and a timeseries of DEMs, these metrics capture spatial organization and information …

Sedimentological Characterization Of Main And Chute Channel Scroll Bars Along The Kantishna River, Alaska, Cooper Sentz

Honors Theses

Scroll bars, arcuate sediment ridges found along the inner banks of river bends, are common floodplain features in meandering river systems that form during lateral channel migration. Two hypothesized formation mechanisms described in prior studies are the aggradation of suspended load onto abandoned inner bank levee (IBL) deposits during overbank flow and the migration of transverse bar packages from the channel bed up onto the point bar during flooding events. To study the sedimentology and geometry of these features, we conduct remote sensing and field analysis on a 60 km portion of the Kantishna River, AK: a highly sinuous, pro-glacial …

The Geomorphology And Hydrogeology Of Pre-Restoration West Fork Teanaway River, Wa, Usa, Shana M. Egan

All Master's Theses

The West Fork Teanaway (WFT) River in Kittitas County, WA is an entrenched bedrock river channel with disturbed floodplain geomorphology and degraded riparian ecology. Two stream restoration approaches, “stage 0” valley bottom reset and engineered logjam installation, will be installed at the WFT in summer 2026 by collaborators at the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife and Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group. The objective of this study was to constrain the pre-restoration geomorphic and hydrologic conditions of the WFT. The WFT has an unconsolidated floodplain aquifer of predominantly coarse-grained fluvial deposits. Monitoring of groundwater and surface water levels began in …

Using Grounded Iceberg Wake Patterns To Interpret Catastrophic Flood Events In Southcentral Alaska, Jana K. Macinnis

All Master's Theses

Catastrophic flood events such as landslide tsunamis and jökulhlaups in glaciated areas can transport and strand icebergs, which obstruct the flow of floodwaters and leave a unique and recognizable grounded iceberg wake pattern in the sediment surface. Grounded iceberg wake patterns (GIWs) were identified at the two study areas in Southcentral Alaska; the outwash plain of a 1967 landslide tsunami at the Grewingk Glacier and proglacial lake, and the Matanuska River valley which experienced an unrecorded jökulhlaup in recent geological times. From these sites, 110 GIWs were identified through visual interpretation of lidar imagery and characterized by measuring their geometry, …

Spatial Patterns And Morphometric Evolution Of Sinkholes In Response To Watershed Hydrogeomorphology: Examples From A Karst Landscape In The Missouri Ozarks, Usa, Marcell Tóth

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Sinkholes are characteristic enclosed depressions with internal drainage connecting the surface and subsurface karst hydrologic system. Their morphological evolution involves gradual subsidence of the ground surface and hazardous collapses. Therefore, understanding sinkhole morphometry and linked spatial distribution is critical for managing geohazards in karst watersheds. Sinkhole occurrence shows spatial variability based on watershed geomorphological attributes, surficial hydrological patterns, hydrogeological and geological settings. The aim of this research is to investigate morphometric properties and distribution of sinkholes in the carbonate karst-dominated lands of Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri, USA. The specific objectives were to (1) identify sinkhole clusters based on …

Flow Regime Shifts And Channel Morphological Adjustments In Response To Changing Climate Patterns: Examples From Gasconade River, Missouri, Usa, Katherine E. Brand

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Recent changes in climate patterns due to anthropogenic inputs (i.e. greenhouse gases/CO₂) have caused alterations to precipitation events leading to altered flow regimes. Changes in the magnitude and frequency of flood events results in physical adjustments to river morphology, including changes in width and depth. As rivers experience more frequent and larger flood events, they accommodate by changing their morphological characteristics. The Gasconade River, a tributary of the Missouri River located in southcentral Missouri, USA, has exhibited recent patterns of acute bank erosion with limited understanding of its causes and effects on the river. This study aims to understand how …

Investigating Netarts Bay, Oregon Coastal Landscape Change From Tectonic Subsidence Through Isotopic, Stratigraphic Records And Quantifying Dune Influence On Salt Marsh Morphodynamics, Emily Hall

Open Access Master's Theses

Coastal salt marshes on tectonically active margins face dual pressures from episodic seismic events and anthropogenic modifications. This study investigated how the 1700 CE Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and the 1900 CE introduction of invasive dune grass influenced back-barrier salt marsh morphodynamics at Netarts Bay, Oregon. It was hypothesized that (1) salt marsh habitats and elevation transitions would be detectable in geochemical proxies preserved in stratigraphy, (2) modern dune stabilization significantly limits mineral sediment delivery to the salt marsh, and (3) this reduction would be preserved in the stratigraphic record. Stratigraphic and isotopic analyses of sediment cores incorporating CT scans, …

The Effects Of Overwash On Barrier Island Evolution And Building A Barrier Island Measure Of Resistance, Beth Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

Barrier islands are critical for coastal communities, as they serve as a natural buffer against storm surge, waves, and the effects of rising sea levels, protecting life and property. These islands continuously evolve due to both normal and severe environmental conditions; global warming makes it increasingly difficult to predict the evolution of these islands due to increases in storm frequency and intensity. We present a cellular model of barrier island evolution consisting of biotic and abiotic processes including the effects of vegetation, wind, ocean currents, and gravity. The model is used to predict the future evolution of barrier islands off …

Report 17—Revisions To The Articles Of Organization And Procedure Of The Commission On Stratigraphic Nomenclature Of The Americas, Lynn T. Dafoe, Robert B. Macnaughton, Marie-Perre Aubry, Carlton E. Brett, James R. Lehane, Fernando Núñez-Useche, Randall C. Orndorff, Frank Brunton, Lucy E. Edwards, Richard H. Fluegeman, Howard Harper, Robert Matthew Joeckel, Norman P. Lasca, B. H. Tew

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

Several revisions to the Articles of Organization and Procedure for the North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature have been adopted following the 75th, 79th, and 80th annual meetings of the Commission in 2020, 2024 and 2025, respectively. Of these, the most substantial change was revision of Article III regarding membership composition of the Commission and the addition of new member organizations from Central and South America and the Caribbean region. As a result, the Commission also voted to change its name to be more inclusive of the expanding membership, with approval of the name: Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature of the …

Flood-Regime Shifts Across The Lower Midwest, Usa: Identifying Patterns Through Flood Magnitude–Frequency Analysis And Clustering, Kaiser Mostafiz

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Flood regimes describe how flood behavior changes in magnitude, recurrence, and occurrence through time. Changes in these flood characteristics can affect flood hazards, river systems, infrastructure, and floodplain management. This thesis examines flood-regime change across the Lower Midwest, focusing on Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri from 1961 to 2020. Records from 1,452 U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations were initially compiled, and 208 stations were retained after screening for record availability and analytical consistency. Flood-regime change was evaluated between two 30-year study periods: Period 1 (1961–1990) and Period 2 (1991–2020). The analysis combined Log-Pearson Type III flood-frequency analysis using L-moments in …