Peatlands And Histosols In Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, West Virginia,
2019
West Virginia University
Peatlands And Histosols In Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, West Virginia, Mitzy Leigh Schaney
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
Canaan Valley in West Virginia contains a greater area of peatlands than any other locality in the mid-Atlantic Highlands. Extensive fieldwork focused on peat stratigraphy and pedology, combined with high-resolution radiocarbon dating, was used to evaluate five peatlands within Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge (CVNWR) in the central Appalachian Mountains. One hundred soil cores were profiled and described, 30 with laboratory data, including 52 radiocarbon dates. Calibrated basal peat dates among the five mapped peatlands indicate a late Pleistocene timeframe for the onset of peat genesis, ranging from ~18,600 to ~15,200 cal yr BP. The dates for peat initiation are …
Snowmelt Detection On Alpine Glaciers Using Synthetic Aperture Radar Time Series,
2019
CUNY City College
Snowmelt Detection On Alpine Glaciers Using Synthetic Aperture Radar Time Series, Corey Scher
Dissertations and Theses
Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) glaciers serve as some of the most sensitive indicators of changes in global climate. These glaciers shape the hydrologic dynamics of river systems supplying freshwater to over 2 billion people throughout Asia and regulate the geochemistry of sensitive aquatic alpine ecosystems. As snowmelt onsets sooner, lasts longer, and snowfields retreat due to increases in global temperature, the hydrologic dynamics of catchments draining HKH threaten to change the availability of surface freshwater resources for nearly one fifth of the global population, disturb sensitive aquatic habitat, and precipitate hazards associated with glacier wasting. Informed planning and decision-making around …
Cliff-Top Dunes In The Lower Chippewa River Valley Of West-Central Wisconsin,
2019
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Cliff-Top Dunes In The Lower Chippewa River Valley Of West-Central Wisconsin, Jason Millett
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
The purpose of this Master’s thesis is to investigate recently identified cliff-top sand dunes located within the Lower Chippewa River Valley (LCRV), Wisconsin, USA. Research within the LCRV notes the existence of a variety of aeolian deposits, but a comprehensive explanation of their complete spatial distribution, genesis, age, and paleoenvironmental significance does not exist. In particular, stabilized cliff-top dunes with a parabolic form remain poorly understood. This problem is exacerbated by a lack of clarity in the literature regarding the genesis of dunes in a cliff-top position. Therefore, this thesis begins by reviewing the literature concerning sand dunes in cliff-top …
Geology Of Southeastern Nebraska,
2019
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Geology Of Southeastern Nebraska, Robert Matthew Joeckel, Dana Divine, Leslie M. Howard, Kathleen Cameron, Michele M. Waszgis
Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications
No abstract provided.
Determining Rates Of Landscape Response To Tectonic Forcing Across A Range Of Temporal Scales And Erosional Mechanisms: Teton Range, Wy,
2019
University of Kentucky
Determining Rates Of Landscape Response To Tectonic Forcing Across A Range Of Temporal Scales And Erosional Mechanisms: Teton Range, Wy, Meredith Swallom
Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences
Understanding how mountain landscapes respond to variations in tectonic forcing over a range of temporal scales in active mountain belts remains as a prominent challenge in tectonic and geomorphological studies. Although a number of empirical and numerical studies have examined this problem, many of them were complicated by issues of scale and climatic variability. More specifically, the relative efficiencies of fluvial and glacial erosion, which are presumably controlled by climate, are difficult to unravel. The Teton Range in Wyoming, which results from motion on the crustal-scale Teton fault, is an ideal natural laboratory for addressing this challenge as the tectonic …
Identifying Key Factors Affecting Translational Landslides In Part Of The Yakima Fold And Thrust Belt, Washington State,
2019
Central Washington University
Identifying Key Factors Affecting Translational Landslides In Part Of The Yakima Fold And Thrust Belt, Washington State, Joseph Schilter
All Master's Theses
Washington has one of the fastest growth rates in the nation, and unfortunately also is among the most landslide-prone states. With increased population density and urban sprawl, the need for landslide hazard assessment grows. On the Columbia Plateau in central Washington, the smooth rigid, inclined surfaces of the Columbia River Basalts (CRBs) with loose sediment layers between them induces landslides of large blocks of bedrock. These hazards remain poorly understood, but their significance was heightened by the 2017 Rattlesnake Hills Landslide that currently threatens a community and an interstate highway south of Yakima, Washington. I propose that the strongest influences …
Mapping And Reconstructing The Paleotsunami Record In Queule, South-Central Chile,
2019
Central Washington University
Mapping And Reconstructing The Paleotsunami Record In Queule, South-Central Chile, Pedro I. Matos Llavona
All Master's Theses
Records of past tsunamis help constrain the long-term characteristics of megathrust earthquakes and elucidate the role of sea-level in the preservation of tsunami deposits. Near Queule, south-central Chile (39.3˚S, 73.2˚W), three sand layers interpreted as tsunami deposits are interbedded with dark, organic-rich, silt deposits along a tidal channel landward of a sand spit capped by eolian sand dunes. The uppermost sand layer is attributed to the tsunami from the Mw 9.5 1960 earthquake. The sand layer is widespread, tabular, oxidized, thins landward, and generally occurs at a depth of <20 cm. The spatial distribution of the deposit corresponds closely with the extent of the 1960 tsunami sand on 1961 aerial photographs. We computed numerical simulations of the 1960 tsunami in Queule using the GeoClaw finite-slip hydrodynamic model based on three published earthquake sources. The simulations showed inundation up to 4km inland that overtopped the coastal dunes; agreeing with historical documentation and testimonies of 1960 tsunami survivors. Stratigraphically below the 1960 tsunami deposit are two tabular, landward-thinning sand layers with sharp lower contacts above silty organic-rich layers. Combined radiocarbon ages of seeds, charcoal and wood fragments found at the contacts with the underlying organic layers yielded ages of 5460-5320 and 5990-5910 cal. years BP. These sand layers have similar distribution patterns to the 1960 sand layer, but are finer grained, thinner and less oxidized. Below this sequence of interbedded tsunami sands and silty organic layers there is an abrupt contact underlain by a distinct sequence of four inorganic silt layers alternating with dark brown organic-rich silts, which are older than 6280-6110 cal. years BP. The deepest studied layer is a thick, fine, gray sand. We interpret the gray sand as a submarine environment during the mid-Holocene sea-level high stand, and the alternating inorganic and organic silts as tidal to shallow sub-tidal environments, possibly indicating co-seismic land-level changes. Gradual sea level fall after the deposition of the two paleotsunami sand deposits that changed the geomorphology of the coast and limited the accommodation space necessary to preserve additional overwash sediments could explain the 5000-year hiatus with no evidence of earthquakes or tsunamis. Further research will offer possible explanations for the exception of the 1960 tsunami in breaking this long-term pattern.
Holocene Periods Of Aggradation And Incision, Hanson Creek, Washington,
2019
Central Washington University
Holocene Periods Of Aggradation And Incision, Hanson Creek, Washington, Levi Earl Windingstad
All Master's Theses
The causes and timing of cycles of aggradation and incision in the Hanson Creek drainage in central Washington provide insight into changes in channel morphology and paleoenvironment within the region over the last 8000 years. Stratigraphically and spatially coincident archaeological evidence reveals information related to human occupation during the latter half of the epoch. Using LiDAR imagery and field surveys, recent processes such as degree of modern channel incision, accumulation of valley floor sediment, channel morphology and gradient were evaluated. The spatial distribution of these channel characteristics was assessed in relation to proximal landforms such as colluvial deposits, basalt outcrops, …
Exploring The Northwest Margin Of The High Plains Aquifer: Structure, Depositional History And Hydrogeology, Nebraska Geological Society Field Trip,
2019
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Exploring The Northwest Margin Of The High Plains Aquifer: Structure, Depositional History And Hydrogeology, Nebraska Geological Society Field Trip, Doug Hallum, Dennis O. Terry, Jr., Michael Leite, Jennifer Balmat
Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications
The northwest portion of the High Plains Aquifer in Nebraska corresponds with the western Sandhills, Box Butte, Sioux and Dawes County tablelands, and the Nebraska Pine Ridge in northwest Nebraska. This field excursion will travel beyond the margins of the High Plains aquifer into the White River valley and onto the Oglala National Grasslands. These areas are not only rich in natural resources, but rich in history as well. While this excursion will explore earth history, depositional environments and a portion of the High Plains Aquifer, the authors encourage all attendees to take additional time to explore the cultural, military …
Middle To Late Holocene (7200-2900 Cal. Bp) Archaeological Site Formation Processes At Crumps Sink And The Origins Of Anthropogenic Environments In Central Kentucky, Usa,
2019
University of Kentucky
Middle To Late Holocene (7200-2900 Cal. Bp) Archaeological Site Formation Processes At Crumps Sink And The Origins Of Anthropogenic Environments In Central Kentucky, Usa, Justin Nels Carlson
Theses and Dissertations--Anthropology
Though some researchers have argued that the Big Barrens grasslands of Kentucky were the product of anthropogenic land clearing practices by Native Americans, heretofore, this hypothesis had not been tested archaeologically. More work was needed to refine chronologies of fire activity in the region, determine the extent to which humans played a role in the process, and integrate these findings with the paleoenvironmental and archaeological record. With these goals in mind, I conducted archaeological and geoarchaeological investigations at Crumps Sink in the Sinkhole Plain of Kentucky. The archaeological record and site formation history of Crumps Sink were compared with environmental …
A Soil Genesis Investigation Into Possible Long-Range Transport Of Foreign Sediments In The Stann Creek District Of Belize,
2019
Humboldt State University
A Soil Genesis Investigation Into Possible Long-Range Transport Of Foreign Sediments In The Stann Creek District Of Belize, Heath Sawyer
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Throughout the world, long range transport (LRT) of aeolian dust plays a major role in the total global dust budget. Research suggests that LRT dust from the deserts of North Africa play a role in soil genesis in the Americas. The focus of this study is a preliminary investigation for evidence of North African dust or volcanic ash influence on the soils in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in Stann Creek District, Belize. A series of 7 soil profiles were analyzed from a catena transect to determine if there is evidence of foreign materials by using X-ray diffraction and Scanning …
Ephemeral Gully Erosion Modeling And Surveying With Close-Range Digital Photogrammetry,
2019
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Ephemeral Gully Erosion Modeling And Surveying With Close-Range Digital Photogrammetry, M. A. Islam, C. Weerasekara, Y. Zhou, A. Y. Shesukov
Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications
No abstract provided.
Influence Of Large Wood On Sediment Routing In A Mixed Bedrock-Alluvial Stream,
2019
University of Montana, Missoula
Influence Of Large Wood On Sediment Routing In A Mixed Bedrock-Alluvial Stream, Robin Welling
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
Sediment storage by instream wood in forested mountain streams mediates sediment movement from hillslopes through the channel network and can alter channel morphology at multiple spatial scales. Mixed bedrock-alluvial channels are prevalent in mountain stream networks, yet the distribution and geomorphic impact of large wood within these streams are poorly understood. To estimate how the distribution of large wood in a mixed bedrock-alluvial stream relates to sediment storage, we measured and characterized large wood, and surveyed the volume of associated sediment within a stream in the Bitterroot Mountains, Montana. The upstream portion of the study reach is predominantly alluvial and …
Geomorphology Of Shell Ridges And Their Effect On The Stabilization Of The Biloxi Marsh, East Louisiana,
2018
University of New Orleans
Geomorphology Of Shell Ridges And Their Effect On The Stabilization Of The Biloxi Marsh, East Louisiana, Frances R. Crawford
LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations
Extensive shell ridges frame the edges of marsh platforms in parts of the Biloxi Marsh of southeast Louisiana. The exact sources of the shells in these accumulations have not been clearly identified but the most likely source is a combination of shells from modern offshore and shells excavated from buried St. Bernard delta deposits. Larger or fetch-protected ridges remain stable through time, whereas ridges facing open water are more mobile, moving as much as 38 m inland from July 2017 to January 2018. Behind stable ridges, marsh platform biomass is relatively unaffected. When ridges are mobile, vegetation is smothered, leaving …
The Effects Of Sediment Properties On Barrier Island Morphology And Processes: A Numerical Modeling Experiment,
2018
University of New Orleans, New Orleans
The Effects Of Sediment Properties On Barrier Island Morphology And Processes: A Numerical Modeling Experiment, Brittany Kime
LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations
Barrier island restoration and nourishment is necessary for sustaining coastal systems worldwide. In the Mississippi River Delta Plain, the lack of sediment supply, relative sea level rise, and reworking of abandoned delta lobes promote rapid disintegration of barriers, which can contribute to mainland storm impacts. Barrier island restorations that utilize higher quality sediments (Outer Continental Shelf- OCS) are expected to exhibit higher resiliency, withstanding coastal erosion, event-induced erosion, and ongoing transgression when compared to barriers nourished using lower quality nearshore (NS) sands. Additionally, use of OCS sediments increases sediment supply by adding material to the system supporting increased barrier longevity …
Assessing Ground Penetrating Radar’S Ability To Image Subsurface Characteristics Of Icy Debris Fans In Alaska And New Zealand,
2018
Bucknell University
Assessing Ground Penetrating Radar’S Ability To Image Subsurface Characteristics Of Icy Debris Fans In Alaska And New Zealand, Robert W. Jacob, Jeffrey M. Trop, R. Craig Kochel
Faculty Journal Articles
Icy debris fans have recently been described as fan shaped depositional landforms associated with (or formed during) deglaciation, however, the subsurface characteristics remain essentially undocumented. We used ground penetrating radar (GPR) to non-invasively investigate the subsurface characteristics of icy debris fans (IDFs) at McCarthy Glacier, Alaska, USA and at La Perouse Glacier, South Island of New Zealand. IDFs are largely unexplored paraglacial landforms in deglaciating alpine regions at the mouths of bedrock catchments between valley glaciers and icecaps. IDFs receive deposits of mainly ice and minor lithic material through different mass-flow processes, chiefly ice avalanche and to a lesser extent …
Assessing Ground Penetrating Radar's Ability To Image Subsurface Characteristics Of Icy Debris Fans In Alaska And New Zealand,
2018
Bucknell University
Assessing Ground Penetrating Radar's Ability To Image Subsurface Characteristics Of Icy Debris Fans In Alaska And New Zealand, Robert W. Jacob, Jeffrey M. Trop, R. Craig Kochel
Faculty Journal Articles
Icy debris fans have recently been described as fan shaped depositional landforms associated with (or formed during) deglaciation, however, the subsurface characteristics remain essentially undocumented. We used ground penetrating radar (GPR) to non-invasively investigate the subsurface characteristics of icy debris fans (IDFs) at McCarthy Glacier, Alaska, USA and at La Perouse Glacier, South Island of New Zealand. IDFs are largely unexplored paraglacial landforms in deglaciating alpine regions at the mouths of bedrock catchments between valley glaciers and icecaps. IDFs receive deposits of mainly ice and minor lithic material through different mass-flow processes, chiefly ice avalanche and to a lesser extent …
Keeping Pace With Relative Sea Level Rise: Marsh Platform Monitoring Shows Minimal Sediment Deficit Along The Louisiana Coast,
2018
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Keeping Pace With Relative Sea Level Rise: Marsh Platform Monitoring Shows Minimal Sediment Deficit Along The Louisiana Coast, Kelly Marie Sanks
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Recent reports estimate that the marshes of the Mississippi Delta receive just 30% of the sediment necessary to sustain current land area1. An extensive monitoring campaign by the USGS and LCPRA provides direct measurements of sediment accumulation, subsidence rates, and deposit characteristics along the coast over the past 10 years2, allowing us to directly evaluate this sediment balance. By interpolating bulk density, organic fraction, and vertical accretion rates from 273 sites, a direct measurement of organic and inorganic sediment accumulation can be made. Results show that a total of 82 MT/year of sediment is delivered to the coast. Using a …
Post-Fire Variation In Aeolian Deposition In The Northern Great Basin,
2018
Boise State University
Post-Fire Variation In Aeolian Deposition In The Northern Great Basin, Clayton Roehner
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
Aeolian processes play a significant role in the redistribution of sediment and nutrients in sparsely vegetated sagebrush-steppe ecosystems. When fire is introduced to the landscape, decreased surface roughness and associated threshold friction velocities allow for the increased mobility of surface sediments and burnt organic material, mobilizing previously stable material. Once material is entrained, interactions between a dynamic atmosphere and complex topography control the spatial distribution of aeolian deposition over a landscape. Given the significant impact of fire on aeolian processes in semi-arid deserts, we posit that postfire aeolian redistribution of material is an important control on the spatial variability of …
Holocene Formation And Evolution Of Horn Island, Mississippi, Usa,
2018
University of Southern Mississippi
Holocene Formation And Evolution Of Horn Island, Mississippi, Usa, Nina Gal
Master's Theses
Horn Island, one of the most stable barriers along the Mississippi-Alabama chain, provides critical habitat, helps regulate estuarine conditions in the Mississippi Sound, and reduces wave energy and storm surge for the mainland. This study integrates 2,200 km of high-resolution geophysics, 35 sediment cores, and 15 radiocarbon ages to better understand the formation and evolution of the island in response to sea-level rise, storms, and antecedent geology. The Biloxi and Pascagoula incised valleys converge at Horn Island and have played a profound role in the evolution of the system. Within the incised valleys, numerous shallow paleochannels between 4 and 9 …
