Activated aging dynamics and effective trap model description in the random energy model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baity-Jesi, M.; Biroli, G.; Cammarota, C.

2018-01-01

We study the out-of-equilibrium aging dynamics of the random energy model (REM) ruled by a single spin-flip Metropolis dynamics. We focus on the dynamical evolution taking place on time-scales diverging with the system size. Our aim is to show to what extent the activated dynamics displayed by the REM can be described in terms of an effective trap model. We identify two time regimes: the first one corresponds to the process of escaping from a basin in the energy landscape and to the subsequent exploration of high energy configurations, whereas the second one corresponds to the evolution from a deep basin to the other. By combining numerical simulations with analytical arguments we show why the trap model description does not hold in the former but becomes exact in the second.

The Geology and Remarkable Thermal Activity of Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

White, Donald Edward; Hutchinson, Roderick A.; Keith, Terry E.C.

1988-01-01

Norris Geyser Basin, normally shortened to Norris Basin, is adjacent to the north rim of the Yellowstone caldera at the common intersection of the caldera rim and the Norris-Mammoth Corridor, a zone of faults, volcanic vents, and thermal activity that strikes north from the caldera rim to Mammoth Hot Springs. An east-west fault zone terminates the Gallatin Range at its southern end and extends from Hebgen Lake, west of the park, to Norris Basin. No local evidence exists at the surface in Norris Basin for the two oldest Yellowstone volcanic caldera cycles (~2.0 and 1.3 m.y.B.P.). The third and youngest cycle formed the Yellowstone caldera, which erupted the 600,000-year-old Lava Creek Tuff. No evidence is preserved of hydrothermal activity near Norris Basin during the first 300,000.years after the caldera collapse. Glaciation probably removed most of the early evidence, but erratics of hot-spring sinter that had been converted diagenetically to extremely hard, resistant chalcedonic sinter are present as cobbles in and on some moraines and till from the last two glacial stages, here correlated with the early and late stages of the Pinedale glaciation <150,000 years B.P.). Indirect evidence for the oldest hydrothermal system at Norris Basin indicates an age probably older than both stages of Pinedale glaciation. Stream deposits consisting mainly of rounded quartz phenocrysts of the Lava Creek Tuff were subaerial, perhaps in part windblown and redeposited by streams. A few small rounded pebbles are interpreted as chalcedonic sinter of a still older cycle. None of these are precisely dated but are unlikely to be more than 150,000 to 200,000 years old. ...Most studies of active hydrothermal areas have noted chemical differences in fluids and alteration products but have given little attention to differences and models to explain evolution in types. This report, in contrast, emphasizes the kinds of changes in vents and their changing chemical types of waters and then provides models for explaining these differences. Norris Basin is probably not an independent volcanic-hydrothermal system. The basin and nearby acid-leached areas (from oxidation of H2S-enriched vapor) are best considered as parts of the same system, extending from Norris Basin to Roaring Mountain and possibly to Mammoth. If so, are they parts of a single large system centered within the Yellowstone caldera, or are Norris Basin and the nearby altered areas both parts of one or more young independent corridor systems confined, at least in the shallow crust, to the Norris-Mammoth Corridor? Tentatively, we favor the latter relation, probably having evolved in the past ~300,000 years. A model for large, long-lived, volcanic-hydrothermal activity is also suggested, involving all of the crust and upper mantle and using much recent geophysical data bearing on crust-mantle interrelations. Our model for large systems is much superior to previous suggestions for explaining continuing hydrothermal activity over hundreds of thousands of years, but is less attractive for the smaller nonhomogenized volcanic system actually favored here for the Norris-Mammoth Corridor.

Why Orange Guaymas Basin Beggiatoa spp. Are Orange: Single-Filament-Genome-Enabled Identification of an Abundant Octaheme Cytochrome with Hydroxylamine Oxidase, Hydrazine Oxidase, and Nitrite Reductase Activities

PubMed Central

Biddle, Jennifer F.; Siebert, Jason R.; Staunton, Eric; Hegg, Eric L.; Matthysse, Ann G.; Teske, Andreas

2013-01-01

Orange, white, and yellow vacuolated Beggiatoaceae filaments are visually dominant members of microbial mats found near sea floor hydrothermal vents and cold seeps, with orange filaments typically concentrated toward the mat centers. No marine vacuolate Beggiatoaceae are yet in pure culture, but evidence to date suggests they are nitrate-reducing, sulfide-oxidizing bacteria. The nearly complete genome sequence of a single orange Beggiatoa (“Candidatus Maribeggiatoa”) filament from a microbial mat sample collected in 2008 at a hydrothermal site in Guaymas Basin (Gulf of California, Mexico) was recently obtained. From this sequence, the gene encoding an abundant soluble orange-pigmented protein in Guaymas Basin mat samples (collected in 2009) was identified by microcapillary reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) nano-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (μLC–MS-MS) of a pigmented band excised from a denaturing polyacrylamide gel. The predicted protein sequence is related to a large group of octaheme cytochromes whose few characterized representatives are hydroxylamine or hydrazine oxidases. The protein was partially purified and shown by in vitro assays to have hydroxylamine oxidase, hydrazine oxidase, and nitrite reductase activities. From what is known of Beggiatoaceae physiology, nitrite reduction is the most likely in vivo role of the octaheme protein, but future experiments are required to confirm this tentative conclusion. Thus, while present-day genomic and proteomic techniques have allowed precise identification of an abundant mat protein, and its potential activities could be assayed, proof of its physiological role remains elusive in the absence of a pure culture that can be genetically manipulated. PMID:23220958

Formation of dome and basin structures: Results from scaled experiments using non-linear rock analogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zulauf, J.; Zulauf, G.; Zanella, F.

2016-09-01

Dome and basin folds are structures with circular or slightly elongate outcrop patterns, which can form during single- and polyphase deformation in various tectonic settings. We used power-law viscous rock analogues to simulate single-phase dome-and-basin folding of rocks undergoing dislocation creep. The viscosity ratio between a single competent layer and incompetent matrix was 5, and the stress exponent of both materials was 7. The samples underwent layer-parallel shortening under bulk pure constriction. Increasing initial layer thickness resulted in a decrease in the number of domes and basins and an increase in amplitude, A, arc-length, L, wavelength, λ, and layer thickness, Hf. Samples deformed incrementally show progressive development of domes and basins until a strain of eY=Z = -30% is attained. During the dome-and-basin formation the layer thickened permanently, while A, L, and λ increased. A dominant wavelength was not attained. The normalized amplitude (A/λ) increased almost linearly reaching a maximum of 0.12 at eY=Z = -30%. During the last increment of shortening (eY=Z = -30 to -40%) the domes and basins did not further grow, but were overprinted by a second generation of non-cylindrical folds. Most of the geometrical parameters of the previously formed domes and basins behaved stable or decreased during this phase. The normalized arc-length (L/Hf) of domes and basins is significantly higher than that of 2D cylindrical folds. For this reason, the normalized arc length can probably be used to identify domes and basins in the field, even if these structures are not fully exposed in 3D.

Tectonic isolation from regional sediment sourcing of the Paradox Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, T. M.; Saylor, J.; Sundell, K. E.; Lapen, T. J.

2017-12-01

The Appalachian and Ouachita-Marathon mountain ranges were created by a series of tectonic collisions that occurred through the middle and late Paleozoic along North America's eastern and southern margins, respectively. Previous work employing detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology has demonstrated that fluvial and eolian systems transported Appalachian-derived sediment across the continent to North America's Paleozoic western margin. However, contemporaneous intraplate deformation of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains (ARM) compartmentalized much of the North American western interior and mid-continent. We employ lithofacies characterization, stratigraphic thickness, paleocurrent data, sandstone petrography, and detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology to evaluate source-sink relationships of the Paradox Basin, which is one of the most prominent ARM basins. Evaluation of provenance is conducted through quantitative comparison of detrital zircon U-Pb distributions from basin samples and potential sources via detrital zircon mixture modeling, and is augmented with sandstone petrography. Mixing model results provide a measure of individual source contributions to basin stratigraphy, and are combined with outcrop and subsurface data (e.g., stratigraphic thickness and facies distributions) to create tectonic isolation maps. These maps elucidate drainage networks and the degree to which local versus regional sources influence sediment character within a single basin, or multiple depocenters. Results show that despite the cross-continental ubiquity of Appalachian-derived sediment, fluvial and deltaic systems throughout much of the Paradox Basin do not record their influence. Instead, sediment sourcing from the Uncompahgre Uplift, which has been interpreted to drive tectonic subsidence and formation of the Paradox Basin, completely dominated its sedimentary record. Further, the strong degree of tectonic isolation experienced by the Paradox Basin appears to be an emerging, yet common feature among other intraplate, tectonically active basins.

Microbial community of a hydrothermal mud vent underneath the deep-sea anoxic brine lake Urania (eastern Mediterranean).

PubMed

Yakimov, Michail M; Giuliano, Laura; Cappello, Simone; Denaro, Renata; Golyshin, Peter N

2007-04-01

The composition of a metabolically active prokaryotic community thriving in hydrothermal mud fluids of the deep-sea hypersaline anoxic Western Urania Basin was characterized using rRNA-based phylogenetic analysis of a clone library. The physiologically active prokaryotic assemblage in this extreme environment showed a great genetic diversity. Most members of the microbial community appeared to be affiliated to yet uncultured organisms from similar ecosystems, i.e., deep-sea hypersaline basins and hydrothermal vents. The bacterial clone library was dominated by phylotypes affiliated with the epsilon-Proteobacteria subdivision recognized as an ecologically significant group of bacteria inhabiting deep-sea hydrothermal environments. Almost 18% of all bacterial clones were related to delta-Proteobacteria, suggesting that sulfate reduction is one of the dominant metabolic processes occurring in warm mud fluids. The remaining bacterial phylotypes were related to alpha- and beta-Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroides, Deinococcus-Thermus, KB1 and OP-11 candidate divisions. Moreover, a novel monophyletic clade, deeply branched with unaffiliated 16S rDNA clones was also retrieved from deep-sea sediments and halocline of Urania Basin. Archaeal diversity was much lower and detected phylotypes included organisms affiliated exclusively with the Euryarchaeota. More than 96% of the archaeal clones belonged to the MSBL-1 candidate order recently found in hypersaline anoxic environments, such as endoevaporitic microbial mats, Mediterranean deep-sea mud volcanoes and anoxic basins. Two phylotypes, represented by single clones were related to uncultured groups DHVE-1 and ANME-1. Thus, the hydrothermal mud of hypersaline Urania Basin seems to contain new microbial diversity. The prokaryotic community was significantly different from that occurring in the upper layers of the Urania Basin since 60% of all bacterial and 40% of all archaeal phylotypes were obtained only from mud fluids. The uniqueness of the composition of the active prokaryotic community could be explained by the complex environmental conditions at the site. The interaction of oxygenated warm mud fluids with the cold hypersaline brine of the Urania Basin seems to simultaneously select for various metabolic processes, such as aerobic and anaerobic heterotrophy, sulfide- and methane-dependent chemotrophy along with anaerobic oxidation of methane, sulfate- and metal-reduction.

Evolution of the Grenada and Tobago basins and the onset of the Lesser Antilles subduction zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zitter, T. A. C.; Rangin, C.

2012-04-01

The Lesser Antilles active island arc marks the eastern boundary of the Caribbean plate, where the Atlantic oceanic crust is subducted. Geodynamic history of the Grenada and Tobago basins, accepted as both the back arc and fore arc basins respectively for this convergent zone, is the key for a better understanding of the Antilles arc subduction onset. Still, recent studies propose that these two basins formed as a single paleogene depocenter. Analysis of industrial and academical seismic profiling supports this hypothesis, and shows these basins are two half-graben filled by 15 kilometers of cenozoic sediments. The seismic profiles across these basins, and particularly the Geodinos Bolivar seismic profiles, indicate that the Antilles magmatic arc develops in the midst of the previously-extended Grenada-Tobago basin from Miocene time to present. The pre-cenozoic basement of the Grenada-Tobago basin can be traced from the Aves ridge to the Tobago Island where cretaceous meta-volcanic rocks are cropping out. Therefore, this large basin extension has been initiated in early Paleocene time during stretching or subsidence of the great cretaceous Caribbean arc and long time before the onset of the lesser Antilles volcanic arc. The question arises for the mechanism responsible of this intra-plate extension. The Tobago Ridge consists of the backstop of the Barbados prism. The innermost wedge is particularly well imaged on seismic data along the Darien Ridge, where the isopach paleogene sediments are jointly deformed in latest Oligocene. This deformation is starved with the early miocene piggy-back basin. Hence, we conclude the innermost wedge in contact with the butresss is late Oligocene in age and can be considered as the onset of the subduction along the Antilles arc. This 30 Ma subduction onset is also supported by the 750 km long Atlantic slab, imaged in tomography, indicating this subduction was active with constant velocity of 2.5 km/yr. Consequently, another mechanism, than the Atlantic subduction, has to be invoked for the formation of the Grenada-Tobago depocenter prior to 30 Ma. These results are part of a cooperative research-industry programm conducted by CEREGE/EGERIE, Aix-en-Provence and GeoAzur, Nice, with Frontier Basin study group TOTAL S.A., Paris.

Magnetic anomalies in the Imbrium and Schrödinger impact basins: Orbital evidence for persistence of the lunar core dynamo into the Imbrian epoch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hood, L. L.; Spudis, P. D.

2016-11-01

Approximate maps of the lunar crustal magnetic field at low altitudes in the vicinities of the three Imbrian-aged impact basins, Orientale, Schrödinger, and Imbrium, have been constructed using Lunar Prospector and Kaguya orbital magnetometer data. Detectable anomalies are confirmed to be present well within the rims of Imbrium and Schrödinger. Anomalies in Schrödinger are asymmetrically distributed about the basin center, while a single isolated anomaly is most clearly detected within Imbrium northwest of Timocharis crater. The subsurface within these basins was heated to high temperatures at the time of impact and required long time periods (up to 1 Myr) to cool below the Curie temperature for metallic iron remanence carriers (1043 K). Therefore, consistent with laboratory analyses of returned samples, a steady, long-lived magnetizing field, i.e., a former core dynamo, is inferred to have existed when these basins formed. The asymmetrical distribution within Schrödinger suggests partial demagnetization by later volcanic activity when the dynamo field was much weaker or nonexistent. However, it remains true that anomalies within Imbrian-aged basins are much weaker than those within most Nectarian-aged basins. The virtual absence of anomalies within Orientale where impact melt rocks (the Maunder Formation) are exposed at the surface is difficult to explain unless the dynamo field was much weaker during the Imbrian period.

Variation in Methane Emission Rates from Well Pads in Four Oil and Gas Basins with Contrasting Production Volumes and Compositions.

PubMed

Robertson, Anna M; Edie, Rachel; Snare, Dustin; Soltis, Jeffrey; Field, Robert A; Burkhart, Matthew D; Bell, Clay S; Zimmerle, Daniel; Murphy, Shane M

2017-08-01

Atmospheric methane emissions from active natural gas production sites in normal operation were quantified using an inverse Gaussian method (EPA's OTM 33a) in four major U.S. basins/plays: Upper Green River (UGR, Wyoming), Denver-Julesburg (DJ, Colorado), Uintah (Utah), and Fayetteville (FV, Arkansas). In DJ, Uintah, and FV, 72-83% of total measured emissions were from 20% of the well pads, while in UGR the highest 20% of emitting well pads only contributed 54% of total emissions. The total mass of methane emitted as a percent of gross methane produced, termed throughput-normalized methane average (TNMA) and determined by bootstrapping measurements from each basin, varied widely between basins and was (95% CI): 0.09% (0.05-0.15%) in FV, 0.18% (0.12-0.29%) in UGR, 2.1% (1.1-3.9%) in DJ, and 2.8% (1.0-8.6%) in Uintah. Overall, wet-gas basins (UGR, DJ, Uintah) had higher TNMA emissions than the dry-gas FV at all ranges of production per well pad. Among wet basins, TNMA emissions had a strong negative correlation with average gas production per well pad, suggesting that consolidation of operations onto single pads may reduce normalized emissions (average number of wells per pad is 5.3 in UGR versus 1.3 in Uintah and 2.8 in DJ).

Geomorphologic, stratigraphic and sedimentologic evidences of tectonic activity in Sone-Ganga alluvial tract in Middle Ganga Plain, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahu, Sudarsan; Saha, Dipankar

2014-08-01

The basement of the Ganga basin in the Himalayan foreland is criss-crossed by several faults, dividing the basin into several sub-blocks forming horsts, grabens, or half-grabens. Tectonic perturbations along basement faults have affected the fluvial regime and extent of sediment fill in different parts of the basin during Late Quaternary. The East Patna Fault (EPF) and the West Patna Fault (WPF), located in Sone-Ganga alluvial tract in the southern marginal parts of Middle Ganga Plain (MGP), have remained tectonically active. The EPF particularly has acted significantly and influenced in evolving the geomorphological landscape and the stratigraphic architecture of the area. The block bounded by the two faults has earlier been considered as a single entity, constituting a half-graben. The present investigation (by morpho-stratigraphic and sedimentologic means) has revealed the existence of yet another fault within the half-graben, referred to as Bishunpur-Khagaul Fault (BKF). Many of the long profile morphological characters (e.g., knick-zone, low width-depth ratio) of the Sone River at its lower reaches can be ascribed to local structural deformation along BKF. These basement faults in MGP lie parallel to each other in NE-SW direction.

Progressive Seismic Failure, Seismic Gap, and Great Seismic Risk across the Densely Populated North China Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, A.; Yu, X.; Shen, Z.

2014-12-01

Although the seismically active North China basin has the most complete written records of pre-instrumentation earthquakes in the world, this information has not been fully utilized for assessing potential earthquake hazards of this densely populated region that hosts ~200 million people. In this study, we use the historical records to document the earthquake migration pattern and the existence of a 180-km seismic gap along the 600-km long right-slip Tangshan-Hejian-Cixian (THC) fault zone that cuts across the North China basin. The newly recognized seismic gap, which is centered at Tianjin with a population of 11 million people and ~120 km from Beijing (22 million people) and Tangshan (7 million people), has not been ruptured in the past 1000 years by M≥6 earthquakes. The seismic migration pattern in the past millennium suggests that the epicenters of major earthquakes have shifted towards this seismic gap along the THC fault, which implies that the 180- km gap could be the site of the next great earthquake with M≈7.6 if it is ruptured by a single event. Alternatively, the seismic gap may be explained by aseismic creeping or seismic strain transfer between active faults.

Geologic Basin Boundaries (Basins_GHGRP) GIS Layer

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This is a coverage shapefile of geologic basin boundaries which are used by EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. For onshore production, the facility includes all emissions associated with wells owned or operated by a single company in a specific hydrocarbon producing basin (as defined by the geologic provinces published by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists). This layer is limited to the contiguous United States.

Landslide oil field, San Joaquin Valley, California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Collins, B.P.; March, K.A.; Caballero, J.S.

1988-03-01

The Landslide field, located at the southern margin of the San Joaquin basin, was discovered in 1985 by a partnership headed by Channel Exploration Company, on a farm out from Tenneco Oil Company. Initial production from the Tenneco San Emidio 63X-30 was 2064 BOPD, making landslide one of the largest onshore discoveries in California during the past decade. Current production is 7100 BOPD from a sandstone reservoir at 12,500 ft. Fifteen wells have been drilled in the field, six of which are water injectors. Production from the Landslide field occurs from a series of upper Miocene Stevens turbidite sandstones thatmore » lie obliquely across an east-plunging structural nose. These turbidite sandstones were deposited as channel-fill sequences within a narrowly bounded levied channel complex. Both the Landslide field and the larger Yowlumne field, located 3 mi to the northwest, comprise a single channel-fan depositional system that developed in the restricted deep-water portion of the San Joaquin basin. Information from the open-hole logs, three-dimensional surveys, vertical seismic profiles, repeat formation tester data, cores, and pressure buildup tests allowed continuous drilling from the initial discovery to the final waterflood injector, without a single dry hole. In addition, the successful application of three-dimensional seismic data in the Landslide development program has helped correctly image channel-fan anomalies in the southern Maricopa basin, where data quality and severe velocity problems have hampered previous efforts. New exploration targets are currently being evaluated on the acreage surrounding the Landslide discovery and should lead to an interesting new round of drilling activity in the Maricopa basin.« less

New constrains on the thermal history of the Miocene Jarando basin (Southern Serbia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrić, Nevena; Životić, Dragana; Fügenschuh, Bernhard; Cvetković, Vladica

2013-04-01

The Jarando basin, located in the internal Dinarides, formed in the course of the Miocene extension affecting the whole Alpine-Carpathian-Dinaride system (Schmid et al., 2008). In the study area Miocene extension led to the formation of a core-complex in the Kopaonik area (Schefer et al., 2011) with the Jarando basin located in the hanging wall of the detachment fault. The Jarando basin is characterized by the presence of bituminous coals, whereas in the other intramontane basins in Serbia coalification did not exceed the subbituminous stage within the same stratigraphic level. Furthermore, the basin hosts boron mineralizations (borates and howlite) and a magnesite deposit, which again implies elevated temperatures. This thermal overprint is possibly due to post-magmatic activity related to the emplacement of Oligocene I-type Kopaonik and Miocene S-type Polumir granitoid (Schefer et al., 2011.). This research project is aimed at providing new information about the thermal history of the Jarando basin. Fifteen core samples from three boreholes and 10 samples from the surrounding outcrops were processed for apatite fission-track analysis. Additionally, vitrinite reflectance was measured for 11 core samples of shales from one borehole and 5 samples of coal from an underground mine. VR data of Early to Middle Miocene sediments reveal a strong post-depositional overprint. Values increase with the depth from 0.66-0.79% to 0.83-0.90%. Thus organic matter reached the bituminous stage and experienced temperatures of around 110-120˚C (Barker and Pawlewicz, 1994). FT single grain ages for apatite scatter between 45 Ma to 10 Ma with a general trend towards younger ages with depth. Both, the spread in single grain ages together with the bimodal track lengths distribution clearly point to partial annealing of the detrital apatites. With the temperature given from the VR values the partial annealing points to a rather short-lived thermal event. This is assisted by thermal modelling of our fission track data indicating that maximum temperatures of <120°C around 15-12 Ma. We correlate the thermal event with the extension and core-complex formation followed by the syn-extensional intrusion of the Polumir granite. Later cooling from 10 Ma onwards is related to basin inversion and erosion.

The Importance of Lake Overflow Floods for Early Martian Landscape Evolution: Insights From Licus Vallis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goudge, T. A.; Fassett, C. I.

2017-01-01

Open-basin lake outlet valleys are incised when water breaches the basin-confining topography and overflows. Outlet valleys record this flooding event and provide insight into how the lake and surrounding terrain evolved over time. Here we present a study of the paleolake outlet Licus Vallis, a >350 km long, >2 km wide, >100 m deep valley that heads at the outlet breach of an approx.30 km diameter impact crater. Multiple geomorphic features of this valley system suggest it records a more complex evolution than formation from a single lake overflow flood. This provides unique insight into the paleohydrology of lakes on early Mars, as we can make inferences beyond the most recent phase of activity..

Central magnetic anomalies of Nectarian-aged lunar impact basins: Probable evidence for an early core dynamo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hood, Lon L.

2011-02-01

A re-examination of all available low-altitude LP magnetometer data confirms that magnetic anomalies are present in at least four Nectarian-aged lunar basins: Moscoviense, Mendel-Rydberg, Humboldtianum, and Crisium. In three of the four cases, a single main anomaly is present near the basin center while, in the case of Crisium, anomalies are distributed in a semi-circular arc about the basin center. These distributions, together with a lack of other anomalies near the basins, indicate that the sources of the anomalies are genetically associated with the respective basin-forming events. These central basin anomalies are difficult to attribute to shock remanent magnetization of a shocked central uplift and most probably imply thermoremanent magnetization of impact melt rocks in a steady magnetizing field. Iterative forward modeling of the single strongest and most isolated anomaly, the northern Crisium anomaly, yields a paleomagnetic pole position at 81° ± 19°N, 143° ± 31°E, not far from the present rotational pole. Assuming no significant true polar wander since the Crisium impact, this position is consistent with that expected for a core dynamo magnetizing field. Further iterative forward modeling demonstrates that the remaining Crisium anomalies can be approximately simulated assuming a multiple source model with a single magnetization direction equal to that inferred for the northernmost anomaly. This result is most consistent with a steady, large-scale magnetizing field. The inferred mean magnetization intensity within the strongest basin sources is ˜1 A/m assuming a 1-km thickness for the source layer. Future low-altitude orbital and surface magnetometer measurements will more strongly constrain the depth and/or thicknesses of the sources.

Assessment of groundwater quality in the Al- Burayhi and Hedran sub-basin, Taiz, Yemen - A GIS approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naser, Ramzy; El Bakkali, Mohammed; Darwesh, Nabil; El Kharrim, Khadija; Belghyti, Driss

2018-05-01

In many parts of the world, groundwater sources are the single most important supply for the production of drinking water, particularly in areas with limited or polluted surface water sources. Fresh water has become a scarce commodity due to over exploitation and pollution of water. Many countries and international organizations, including Wolrd Health Organization, are seeking to promote people's access to safe drinking water. The situation in Yemen is no exception. Although we rely on groundwater significantly in our lives and our survival, we do not manage it in a way that ensures its sustainability and maintenance of pollution. The objective of this study is to determine the suitability of the groundwater in Al Burayhi and Hedran sub-basin (one of the sub-basins of the Upper Valley Rasyan) as a source of drinking water in the shade of the expected deterioration due to natural processes (water interaction with rocks, semi-dry climate) and human activities.

Deformation style and controlling geodynamic processes at the eastern Guadalquivir foreland basin (Southern Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marín-Lechado, C.; Pedrera, A.; Peláez, J. A.; Ruiz-Constán, A.; González-Ramón, A.; Henares, J.

2017-06-01

The tectonic structure of the Guadalquivir foreland basin becomes complex eastward evolving from a single depocenter to a compartmented basin. The deformation pattern within the eastern Guadalquivir foreland basin has been characterized by combining seismic reflection profiles, boreholes, and structural field data to output a 3-D model. High-dipping NNE-SSW to NE-SW trending normal and reverse fault arrays deform the Variscan basement of the basin. These faults generally affect Tortonian sediments, which show syntectonic features sealed by the latest Miocene units. Curved and S-shaped fault traces are abundant and caused by the linkage of nearby fault segments during lateral fault propagation. Preexisting faults were reactivated either as normal or reverse faults depending on their position within the foreland. At Tortonian time, reverse faults deformed the basin forebulge, while normal faults predominated within the backbulge. Along-strike variation of the Betic foreland basin geometry is supported by an increasing mechanical coupling of the two plates (Alborán Domain and Variscan basement) toward the eastern part of the cordillera. Thus, subduction would have progressed in the western Betics, while it would have failed in the eastern one. There, the initially subducted Iberian paleomargin (Nevado-Filábride Complex) was incorporated into the upper plate promoting the transmission of collision-related compressional stresses into the foreland since the middle Miocene. Nowadays, compression is still active and produces low-magnitude earthquakes likely linked to NNE-SSW to NE-SW preexiting faults reactivated with reverse oblique-slip kinematics. Seismicity is mostly concentrated around fault tips that are frequently curved in overstepping zones.

Morphometric and landsliding analyses in chain domain: the Roccella basin, NE Sicily, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rapisarda, Francesco

2009-10-01

The dynamic interaction of endogenic and exogenic processes in active geodynamic context leads to the deterioration of the physico-mechanical characteristics of the rocks, inducing slopes instability. In such context, the morphometric parameters and the analysis of landslide distribution contribute to appraise the evolutive state of hydrographic basins. The aim of the study is the morphometric characterization of the Roccella Torrent basin (Rtb) located in South Italy. Landsliding and tectonic structure dynamically interact with the drainage pattern that records these effects and permits the definition of the evolutive geomorphic stage of the basin. The Air Photograph Investigation and field surveys permitted to draw the main geomorphic features, the drainage pattern of the Rtb, to calculate the morphometric parameters and to delimit the landslides’ bodies. Detailed analysis about the landslide distribution within a test site 17 km2 wide were carried out to elaborate indicative indexes of the landslides type and to single out the lithotypes that are more involved in slope instability phenomena. The morphometric parameters indicate the rejuvenation state within the Rtb where the stream reaches show the effects of increased energy relief in agreement with the geological settings of this sector of the Apennine-Maghrebian Chain.

Tectonic Evolution of the Northern Venezuela Margin and the Onset of the Lesser Antilles Subduction Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zitter, T.; Rangin, C.

2013-05-01

The Lesser Antilles active island arc marks the eastern boundary of the Caribbean plate, where the Atlantic oceanic crust is subducted. Geodynamic history of the Grenada and Tobago basins, accepted as both the back arc and fore arc basins respectively for this convergent zone, is the key for a better understanding of the Antilles arc subduction onset. Still, recent studies propose that these two basins formed as a single paleogene depocenter. Analysis of industrial and academical seismic profiling supports this hypothesis, and shows these basins are two half-graben filled by 15 kilometers of cenozoic sediments. The seismic profiles across these basins, and particularly the Geodinos Bolivar seismic profiles, indicate that the Antilles magmatic arc develops in the midst of the previously-extended Grenada-Tobago basin from Miocene time to present. The pre-cenozoic basement of the Grenada-Tobago basin can be traced from the Aves ridge to the Tobago Island where cretaceous meta-volcanic rocks are cropping out. Therefore, this large basin extension has been initiated in early Paleocene time during stretching or subsidence of the great cretaceous Caribbean arc and long time before the onset of the lesser Antilles volcanic arc. The question arises for the mechanism responsible of this intra-plate extension. The Tobago Ridge consists of the backstop of the Barbados prism. The innermost wedge is particularly well imaged on seismic data along the Darien Ridge, where the isopach paleogene sediments are jointly deformed in latest Oligocene. This deformation is starved with the early miocene piggy-back basin. Hence, we conclude the innermost wedge in contact with the butresss is late Oligocene in age and can be considered as the onset of the subduction along the Antilles arc. These results are part of a cooperative research-industry programm conducted by CEREGE/EGERIE, Aix-en-Provence and GeoAzur, Nice, with Frontier Basin study group TOTAL S.A., Paris.

Seismo-turbidite Sedimentology: Implications for Active Tectonic Margin Stratigraphy and Sediment Facies Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, C. H.; Goldfinger, C.; Gutierrez Pastor, J.; Polonia, A.; Van Daele, M. E.

2014-12-01

Earthquakes generate mass transport deposits (MTDs); megaturbidites (MTD overlain by coeval turbidite); multi-pulsed, stacked, and mud homogenite seismo-turbidites; tsunamites; and seiche deposits. The strongest (Mw 9) earthquake shaking signatures appear to create multi-pulsed individual turbidites, where the number and character of multiple coarse-grained pulses for correlative turbidites generally remain constant both upstream and downstream in different channel systems. Multiple turbidite pulses, that correlate with multiple ruptures shown in seismograms of historic earthquakes (e.g. Chile 1960, Sumatra 2004 and Japan 2011), support this hypothesis. The weaker (Mw = or < 8) (e.g. northern California San Andreas) earthquakes generate dominantly upstream simple fining-up (uni-pulsed) turbidites in single tributary canyons and channels; however, downstream stacked turbidites result from synchronously triggered multiple turbidity currents that deposit in channels below confluences of the tributaries. Proven tsunamites, which result from tsunami waves sweeping onshore and shallow water debris into deeper water, are a fine-grained turbidite cap over other seismo-turbidites. In contrast, MTDs and seismo-turbidites result from slope failures. Multiple great earthquakes cause seismic strengthening of slope sediment, which results in minor MTDs in basin floor turbidite system deposits (e.g. maximum run-out distances of MTDs across basin floors along active margins are up to an order of magnitude less than on passive margins). In contrast, the MTDs and turbidites are equally intermixed in turbidite systems of passive margins (e.g. Gulf of Mexico). In confined basin settings, earthquake triggering results in a common facies pattern of coeval megaturbidites in proximal settings, thick stacked turbidites downstream, and ponded muddy homogenite turbidites in basin or sub-basin centers, sometimes with a cap of seiche deposits showing bi-directional flow patterns.

BASINS Framework and Features

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

BASINS enables users to efficiently access nationwide environmental databases and local user-specified datasets, apply assessment and planning tools, and run a variety of proven nonpoint loading and water quality models within a single GIS format.

Tree-Ring-Based Reconstruction of Precipitation in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, since 1260 a.d.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, Stephen T.; Fastie, Christopher L.; Jackson, Stephen T.; Betancourt, Julio L.

2004-10-01

Cores and cross sections from 79 Douglas fir () and limber pine (Pinus flexilis) trees at four sites in the Bighorn Basin of north-central Wyoming and south-central Montana were used to develop a proxy for annual (June June) precipitation spanning 1260 1998 A.D. The reconstruction exhibits considerable nonstationarity, and the instrumental era (post-1900) in particular fails to capture the full range of precipitation variability experienced in the past 750 years. Both single-year and decadal-scale dry events were more severe before 1900. Dry spells in the late thirteenth and sixteenth centuries surpass both magnitude and duration of any droughts in the Bighorn Basin after 1900. Precipitation variability appears to shift to a higher-frequency mode after 1750, with 15 20-yr droughts becoming rare. Comparisons between instrumental and reconstructed values of precipitation and indices of Pacific basin variability reveal that precipitation in the Bighorn Basin generally responds to Pacific forcing in a manner similar to that of the southwestern United States (drier during La Niña events), but high country precipitation in areas surrounding the basin displays the opposite response (drier during El Niño events).

Structure of the la VELA Offshore Basin, Western Venezuela: AN Obliquely-Opening Rift Basin Within the South America-Caribbean Strike-Slip Plate Boundary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blanco, J. M.; Mann, P.

2015-12-01

Bathymetric, gravity and magnetic maps show that the east-west trend of the Cretaceous Great Arc of the Caribbean in the Leeward Antilles islands is transected by an en echelon series of obliquely-sheared rift basins that show right-lateral offsets ranging from 20 to 40 km. The basins are 75-100 km in length and 20-30 km in width and are composed of sub-parallel, oblique slip normal faults that define deep, bathymetric channels that bound the larger islands of the Leeward Antilles including Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire. A single basin of similar orientation and structure, the Urumaco basin, is present to the southwest in the Gulf of Venezuela. We mapped structures and sedimentation in the La Vela rift basin using a 3D seismic data volume recorded down to 6 seconds TWT. The basin can be mapped from the Falcon coast where it is correlative with the right-lateral Adicora fault mapped onshore, and its submarine extension. To the southeast of the 3D survey area, previous workers have mapped a 70-km-wide zone of northeast-striking, oblique, right-lateral faults, some with apparent right-lateral offsets of the coastline. On seismic data, the faults vary in dip from 45 to 60 degrees and exhibit maximum vertical offsets of 600 m. The La Vela and other obliquely-opening rifts accommodate right-lateral shear with linkages to intervening, east-west-striking right-lateral faults like the Adicora. The zone of oblique rifts is restricted to the trend of the Great Arc of the Caribbean and may reflect the susceptiblity of this granitic basement to active shearing. The age of onset for the basins known from previous studies on the Leeward Antilles is early Miocene. As most of these faults occur offshore their potential to generate damaging earthquakes in the densely populated Leeward Antilles is not known.

Imaging Basin Structure with Teleseismic Virtual Source Reflection Profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Z.; Sheehan, A. F.; Yeck, W. L.; Miller, K. C.; Worthington, L. L.; Erslev, E.; Harder, S. H.; Anderson, M. L.; Siddoway, C. S.

2011-12-01

We demonstrate a case of using teleseisms recorded on single channel high frequency geophones to image upper crustal structure across the Bighorn Arch in north-central Wyoming. The dataset was obtained through the EarthScope FlexArray Bighorn Arch Seismic Experiment (BASE). In addition to traditional active and passive source seismic data acquisition, BASE included a 12 day continuous (passive source) deployment of 850 geophones with 'Texan' dataloggers. The geophones were deployed in three E-W lines in north-central Wyoming extending from the Powder River Basin across the Bighorn Mountains and across the Bighorn Basin, and two N-S lines on east and west flanks of the Bighorn Mountains. The station interval is roughly 1.5-2 km, good for imaging coherent shallow structures. The approach used in this study uses the surface reflection as virtual seismic source and reverberated teleseismic P-wave phase (PpPdp) (teleseismic P-wave reflected at receiver side free surface and then reflected off crustal seismic interface) to construct seismic profiles. These profiles are equivalent to conventional active source seismic reflection profiles except that high-frequency (up to 2.4 Hz) transmitted wave fields from distant earthquakes are used as sources. On the constructed seismic profiles, the coherent PpPdp phases beneath Powder River and Bighorn Basins are distinct after the source wavelet is removed from the seismograms by deconvolution. Under the Bighorn Arch, no clear coherent signals are observed. We combine phases PpPdp and Ps to constrain the averaged Vp/Vs: 2.05-2.15 for the Powder River Basin and 1.9-2.0 for the Bighorn Basin. These high Vp/Vs ratios suggest that the layers within which P-wave reverberates are sedimentary. Assuming Vp as 4 km/s under the Powder River Basin, the estimated thickness of sedimentary layer above reflection below the profile is 3-4.5 km, consistent with the depth of the top of the Tensleep Fm. Therefore we interpret the coherent PpPdp phases about 1-3 s after direct P-wave arrival as the reflections off the interface between the Paleozoic carbonates/sandstones and Mesozoic shales.

Lithologic Diversity in Lunar Regolith: Lessons for Future Lunar Exploration Strategies with Application to South Pole-Aitken Basin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jolliff, B. L.; Haskin, L. A.; Gillis, J. J.; Korotev, R. L.; Zeigler, R. A.

2002-01-01

Diversity of rock fragments in individual regolith samples from Apollo sites and inferred regolith stratigraphy from large craters and basins in the South Pole-Aitken region are used to assess the value of a single-point sample from the SPA basin. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Geomorphic evidence of active faults growth in the Norcia seismic area (central Apennines, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Materazzi, Marco; Aringoli, Domenico; Farabollini, Piero; Giacopetti, Marco; Pambianchi, Gilberto; Tondi, Emanuele; Troiani, Francesco

2016-04-01

Fault-growth by segment linkage is one of the fundamental processes controlling the evolution, in both time and the space, of fault systems. In fact, step-like trajectories shown by length-displacement diagrams for individual fault arrays suggest that the development of evolved structures result by the linkage of single fault segments. The type of interaction between faults and the rate at which faults reactivate not only control the long term tectonic evolution of an area, but also influence the seismic hazard, as earthquake recurrence intervals tend to decrease as fault slip rate increase. The use of Geomorphological investigations represents an important tool to constrain the latest history of active faults. In this case, attention has to be given to recognize morphostructural, historical, environmental features at the surface, since they record the long-term seismic behavior due to the fault growth processes (Tondi and Cello, 2003). The aim of this work is to investigate the long term morphotectonic evolution of a well know seismic area in the central Apennines: the Norcia intramontane basin (Aringoli et al., 2005). The activity of the Norcia seismic area is characterized by moderate events and by strong earthquakes with maximum intensities of X-XI degrees MCS and equivalent magnitudes around 6.5±7.0 (CPTI, 2004). Based on the morphostructural features as well as on the historical seismicity of the area, we may divide the Norcia seismic area into three minor basins roughly NW-SE oriented: the Preci sub-basin in the north; the S. Scolastica and the Castel S. Maria sub-basins in the south. The wider basin (S. Scolastica) is separated from the other two by ridges transversally oriented with respect the basins themselves; they are the geomorphological response to the tectonic deformation which characterizes the whole area. Other geomorphological evidences of tectonic activity are represented by deformation of old summit erosional surfaces, hydrographic network diversion, faulted deposits, deep-seated gravitational slope deformations and large landslides. Moreover the sub-basins represent the surface evidence of traits belonging to the Norcia seismogenic structure, which have repeatedly caused earthquakes in the past, thus determining similar geological, structural and morphostructural features within the wider Norcia area, without causing the whole structure to rupture. The size of these sub-basins and, thus, the size of the relevant seismogenic segments, allows to calculate a maximum magnitude for the three sub-basins and for the seismogenic area as a whole. References Aringoli D., Cavitolo P., Farabollini P., Galindo-Zaldivar J., Gentili B., Giano S.I., Lòpez-Garrido A.C.,. Materazzi M, Nibbi L., Pedrera A., Pambianchi G., Ruano P., Ruiz-Constàn A., Sanz de Galdeano C., Savelli D., Tondi E., Troiani F. 2014. Morphotectonic characterization of the quaternary intermontane basins in the Umbria-Marche Apennines (Italy). Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei 25 (Suppl 2), S111-S128. DOI 10.1007/s12210-014-0330-0 CPTI, Working Group, 2004. Catalogo Parametrico Terremoti Italiani, ING, GNDT, SGA, SSN, 92 pp., Bologna. Tondi, E., Cello, G. 2003. Spatiotemporal Evolution of the Central Apennines Fault System (Italy). Journal of Geodynamics, 36, 113-128

Nature and classification of waterlain glaciogenic sediments, exemplified by Pleistocene, Late Paleozoic and Late Precambrian deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gravenor, C. P.; von Brunn, V.; Dreimanis, A.

1984-03-01

This study of waterlain glaciogenic sediments is designed to present both a review and new information on glaciogenic subaquatic deposits of differing age in a number of localities in North and South America and South Africa. The Late Paleozoic glaciogenic deposits of the ParanáBasin in Brazil and the Karoo Basin of South Africa are singled out for special attention as they show a reasonably complete lateral sequence of terrestrial to off-shore glaciogenic sedimentation. Although the environment of subaquatic glaciogenic sedimentation varies from one area to the next, certain common elements are found which can be used to develop a generalized model for both glaciomarine and glaciolacustrine sedimentation. For descriptive purposes, the model is divided into two broad categories: a shelf facies and a basinal facies. The shelf facies is marked by massive diamicton(ite) which may be 200 m or more in thickness and which is frequently overlain by a complex of clastic sediments consisting primarily of gravity and fluid flows. The basinal facies is marked by products of subaquatic slumps and more distal turbidites and glaciomarine sediments. New terminology is introduced. The massive diamicton(ite), which is diagnostic of the shelf facies, probably represents deposition from the base of active ice in a subaquatic environment and is termed undermelt diamicton(ite). The gravity and fluid flows which are usually found overlying undermelt diamicton(ite) and in the basinal facies are subdivided into six categories: glaciogenic subaquatic outwash, glaciogenic suspension flow, glaciogenic chaotic debris flow, glaciogenic subaquatic debris flow, glaciogenic slurry flow and glaciogenic turbidity flow. The relative abundance of undermelt diamicton(ite) and the various types of gravity and fluid flows can be used to define inner shelf, outer shelf, inner basin and outer basin facies of glaciomarine sedimentation.

Comparability among four invertebrate sampling methods, Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2010-2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zuellig, Robert E.; Bruce, James F.; Stogner, Sr., Robert W.; Brown, Krystal D.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering and Colorado Springs Utilities, designed a study to determine if sampling method and sample timing resulted in comparable samples and assessments of biological condition. To accomplish this task, annual invertebrate samples were collected concurrently using four sampling methods at 15 U.S. Geological Survey streamflow gages in the Fountain Creek basin from 2010 to 2012. Collectively, the four methods are used by local (U.S. Geological Survey cooperative monitoring program) and State monitoring programs (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment) in the Fountain Creek basin to produce two distinct sample types for each program that target single-and multiple-habitats. This study found distinguishable differences between single-and multi-habitat sample types using both community similarities and multi-metric index values, while methods from each program within sample type were comparable. This indicates that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment methods were compatible with the cooperative monitoring program methods within multi-and single-habitat sample types. Comparisons between September and October samples found distinguishable differences based on community similarities for both sample types, whereas only differences were found for single-habitat samples when multi-metric index values were considered. At one site, differences between September and October index values from single-habitat samples resulted in opposing assessments of biological condition. Direct application of the results to inform the revision of the existing Fountain Creek basin U.S. Geological Survey cooperative monitoring program are discussed.

Stochastic Resonance and Safe Basin of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes with Strongly Nonlinear Stiffness under Random Magnetic Field.

PubMed

Xu, Jia; Li, Chao; Li, Yiran; Lim, Chee Wah; Zhu, Zhiwen

2018-05-04

In this paper, a kind of single-walled carbon nanotube nonlinear model is developed and the strongly nonlinear dynamic characteristics of such carbon nanotubes subjected to random magnetic field are studied. The nonlocal effect of the microstructure is considered based on Eringen’s differential constitutive model. The natural frequency of the strongly nonlinear dynamic system is obtained by the energy function method, the drift coefficient and the diffusion coefficient are verified. The stationary probability density function of the system dynamic response is given and the fractal boundary of the safe basin is provided. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulation show that stochastic resonance occurs when varying the random magnetic field intensity. The boundary of safe basin has fractal characteristics and the area of safe basin decreases when the intensity of the magnetic field permeability increases.

Model swapping: A comparative performance signature for the prediction of flow duration curves in ungauged basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qamar, Muhammad Uzair; Azmat, Muhammad; Cheema, Muhammad Jehanzeb Masud; Shahid, Muhammad Adnan; Khushnood, Rao Arsalan; Ahmad, Sajjad

2016-10-01

The issue of lack of donor basins for prediction of flow duration curves (FDCs) in ungauged basins (PUB) is an important area of research that is not resolved in the literature. We present a distance based approach to predict FDCs at ungauged basins by quantifying the dissimilarity between FDCs and characteristics data of basins. This enables us to bracket hydrologically similar basins and thus allowing us to estimate FDCs at ungauged basins. Generally, a single regression model is selected to make hydrological estimates at an ungauged basin. Based on established laws and theories of hydrology, we work to devise a method to improve the output of selected model for an ungauged basin by swapping it with another model in case the latter gives better coverage and statistical estimates of the nearest neighbors of an ungauged basin. We report two examples to demonstrate the effectiveness of model swapping. Out of 124 basins used in analysis, 34 basins in example 1 and 41 basins in example 2 fulfill the set criteria of model swapping and subsequently their estimates are improved significantly.

Sources of Minor and Rare-Earth Elements in Hydrothermal Edifices of Near-Continental Rifts with Sedimentary Cover: Evidence from the Guaymas Basin, Southern Trough

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lein, A. Yu.; Dara, O. M.; Bogdanova, O. Yu.; Novikov, G. V.; Ulyanova, N. V.; Lisitsyn, A. P.

2018-03-01

The mineralogy and geochemistry of a fragment of an active hydrothermal edifice from the Hydrothermal Hill of the Southern Trough valley of the Guaymas Basin in the Gulf of California were studied. The sample was collected from a depth of 1995 m by the Pisces manned submersible on cruise 12 of the R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh, Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences. The fragment and the edifice itself consists of two accrete pipes: ore (pyrrhotite) and barren (carbonate) combined in a single edifice by an outer barite-opal zone. The ore edifice is located in the rift zone of the Guaymas Basin with a thick sedimentary cover and is depleted in metals in comparison with ores from rift zones of the open ocean, which are not blocked by sedimentary deposits. This is explained by loss of metals at the boundary between hot sills and sedimentary rocks and by the processes of interaction of hydrothermal solutions with sedimentary deposits. The sedimentary series faciitates long-term preservation of endogenous heat and the ore formation process. Ore edifices of the Guaymas Basin are mostly composed of pyrrhotite, have a specific set of major elements, microelements and REEs, and contain naphthenic hydrocarbons. They may be search signs of hidden polymetallic deposits, considered to be the roots of ore occurrences localized under the surface of the bottom in young active rifts with high spreading and sedimentation rates, i.e., in near-continental areas of rifts of the humid zone with avalanche sedimentation.

Configuration of multiple human stressors and their impacts on fish assemblages in Alpine river basins of Austria.

PubMed

Schinegger, Rafaela; Pucher, Matthias; Aschauer, Christiane; Schmutz, Stefan

2018-03-01

This work addresses multiple human stressors and their impacts on fish assemblages of the Drava and Mura rivers in southern Austria. The impacts of single and multiple human stressors on riverine fish assemblages in these basins were disentangled, based on an extensive dataset. Stressor configuration, i.e. various metrics of multiple stressors belonging to stressor groups hydrology, morphology, connectivity and water quality were investigated for the first time at river basin scale in Austria. As biological response variables, the Fish Index Austria (FIA) and its related single as well as the WFD biological- and total state were investigated. Stressor-response analysis shows divergent results, but a general trend of decreasing ecological integrity with increasing number of stressors and maximum stressor is observed. Fish metrics based on age structure, fish region index and biological status responded best to single stressors and/or their combinations. The knowledge gained in this work provides a basis for advanced investigations in Alpine river basins and beyond, supports WFD implementation and helps prioritizing further actions towards multi-stressor restoration- and management. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

River Networks and Human Activities: Global Fractal Analysis Using Nightlight Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCurley, K. 4553; Fang, Y.; Ceola, S.; Paik, K.; McGrath, G. S.; Montanari, A.; Rao, P. S.; Jawitz, J. W.

2016-12-01

River networks hold an important historical role in affecting human population distribution. In this study, we link the geomorphological structure of river networks to the pattern of human activities at a global scale. We use nightlights as a valuable proxy for the presence of human settlements and economic activity, and we employ HydroSHEDS as the main data source on river networks. We test the hypotheses that, analogous to Horton's laws, human activities (magnitude of nightlights) also show scaling relationship with stream order, and that the intensity of human activities decrease as the distance from the basin outlet increase. Our results demonstrate that the distribution of human activities shows a fractal structure, with power-law scaling between human activities and stream order. This relationship is robust among global river basins. Human activities are more concentrated in larger order basins, but show large variation in equivalent order basins, with higher population density emergent in the basins connected with high-order rivers. For all global river basins longer than 400km, the average intensity of human activities decrease as the distance to the outlets increases, albeit with signatures of large cities at varied distances. The power spectrum of human width (area) function is found to exhibit power law scaling, with a scaling exponent that indicates enrichment of low frequency variation. The universal fractal structure of human activities may reflect an optimum arrangement for humans in river basins to better utilize the water resources, ecological assets, and geographic advantages. The generalized patterns of human activities could be applied to better understand hydrologic and biogeochemical responses in river basins, and to advance catchment management.

Impact assessment of climate change and human activities on net runoff in the Yellow River Basin from 1951 to 2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, D.

2017-12-01

Runoff in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) has changed constantly during the past six decades. This study investigates the features of variations in runoff increment in the YRB and evaluates the impact of climate change and human activities on the mean annual net runoff. Residual analysis based on double mass curves (RA-DMC) was performed to quantitatively assess the separate contributions of climate change and human activities to the changes in net runoff. There was a significant downward trend in annual net runoff for each of the Yellow River sub-basins. For the basin as a whole, net runoff decreased at a rate of 0.721 × 109 m3 yr-1, with the upper, middle, and lower sub-basins separately accounting for 28.4%, 40.5% and 31.1% of the decrease. Human activities were responsible for more than 90% of the change in runoff in each separate sub-basin between 1960 and 2012. For the entire YRB, 91.7% of the change in net runoff from baseline was attributed to human activities. This indicates that human activities have become the dominant factor in net runoff changes in the Yellow River Basin. Among the upper, middle, and lower reaches, the effect of human activities was greatest in the lower reaches.

Postglacial recolonization of eastern Blacknose Dace,Rhinichthys atratulus(Teleostei: Cyprinidae), through the gateway of New England

PubMed Central

Tipton, Michelle L; Gignoux-Wolfsohn, Sarah; Stonebraker, Phoebe; Chernoff, Barry

2011-01-01

During the last ice age, much of North America far south as 40°N was covered by glaciers (Hewitt 2000). About 20,000 years ago, as the glaciers retreated, the hydrologic landscape changed dramatically creating waterways for fish dispersal. The number of populations responsible for recolonization and the regions from which they recolonized are unknown for many freshwater fishes living in New England and southeastern Canada. The Blacknose Dace,Rhinichthys atratulus, is one of the freshwater fish species that recolonized this region. We hypothesize that the earliest deglaciated region, modern-day Connecticut, was recolonized byR. atratulusvia a single founding event by a single population. In this paper, we test this hypothesis phylogenetically with regard to the major drainage basins within Connecticut. The mitochondrial DNA exhibits low nucleotide diversity, high haplotype diversity, and a dominant haplotype found across the state. A small percentage of individuals in the Housatonic drainage basin, however, share a haplotype with populations in New York drainage basins, a haplotype not found elsewhere in Connecticut's drainage basins. We calculated a range for the rate of divergence for NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (nd2) and control region (ctr) of 4.43–6.76% and 3.84–8.48% per million years (my), respectively. While this range is higher than the commonly accepted rate of 2% for mitochondrial DNA, these results join a growing list of publications finding high rates of divergence for various taxa (Peterson and Masel 2009). The data support the conclusion that Connecticut as a whole was recolonized initially by a single founding event that came from a single refugium. Subsequently, the Housatonic basin alone experienced a secondary recolonization event. PMID:22393505

Postglacial recolonization of eastern Blacknose Dace,Rhinichthys atratulus(Teleostei: Cyprinidae), through the gateway of New England.

PubMed

Tipton, Michelle L; Gignoux-Wolfsohn, Sarah; Stonebraker, Phoebe; Chernoff, Barry

2011-11-01

During the last ice age, much of North America far south as 40°N was covered by glaciers (Hewitt 2000). About 20,000 years ago, as the glaciers retreated, the hydrologic landscape changed dramatically creating waterways for fish dispersal. The number of populations responsible for recolonization and the regions from which they recolonized are unknown for many freshwater fishes living in New England and southeastern Canada. The Blacknose Dace,Rhinichthys atratulus, is one of the freshwater fish species that recolonized this region. We hypothesize that the earliest deglaciated region, modern-day Connecticut, was recolonized byR. atratulusvia a single founding event by a single population. In this paper, we test this hypothesis phylogenetically with regard to the major drainage basins within Connecticut. The mitochondrial DNA exhibits low nucleotide diversity, high haplotype diversity, and a dominant haplotype found across the state. A small percentage of individuals in the Housatonic drainage basin, however, share a haplotype with populations in New York drainage basins, a haplotype not found elsewhere in Connecticut's drainage basins. We calculated a range for the rate of divergence for NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (nd2) and control region (ctr) of 4.43-6.76% and 3.84-8.48% per million years (my), respectively. While this range is higher than the commonly accepted rate of 2% for mitochondrial DNA, these results join a growing list of publications finding high rates of divergence for various taxa (Peterson and Masel 2009). The data support the conclusion that Connecticut as a whole was recolonized initially by a single founding event that came from a single refugium. Subsequently, the Housatonic basin alone experienced a secondary recolonization event.

Geodatabase of sites, basin boundaries, and topology rules used to store drainage basin boundaries for the U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Water Science Center

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dupree, Jean A.; Crowfoot, Richard M.

2012-01-01

This geodatabase and its component datasets are part of U.S. Geological Survey Digital Data Series 650 and were generated to store basin boundaries for U.S. Geological Survey streamgages and other sites in Colorado. The geodatabase and its components were created by the U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Water Science Center, and are used to derive the numeric drainage areas for Colorado that are input into the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Information System (NWIS) database and also published in the Annual Water Data Report and on NWISWeb. The foundational dataset used to create the basin boundaries in this geodatabase was the National Watershed Boundary Dataset. This geodatabase accompanies a U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods report (Book 11, Section C, Chapter 6) entitled "Digital Database Architecture and Delineation Methodology for Deriving Drainage Basins, and Comparison of Digitally and Non-Digitally Derived Numeric Drainage Areas." The Techniques and Methods report details the geodatabase architecture, describes the delineation methodology and workflows used to develop these basin boundaries, and compares digitally derived numeric drainage areas in this geodatabase to non-digitally derived areas. 1. COBasins.gdb: This geodatabase contains site locations and basin boundaries for Colorado. It includes a single feature dataset, called BasinsFD, which groups the component feature classes and topology rules. 2. BasinsFD: This feature dataset in the "COBasins.gdb" geodatabase is a digital container that holds the feature classes used to archive site locations and basin boundaries as well as the topology rules that govern spatial relations within and among component feature classes. This feature dataset includes three feature classes: the sites for which basins have been delineated (the "Sites" feature class), basin bounding lines (the "BasinLines" feature class), and polygonal basin areas (the "BasinPolys" feature class). The feature dataset also stores the topology rules (the "BasinsFD_Topology") that constrain the relations within and among component feature classes. The feature dataset also forces any feature classes inside it to have a consistent projection system, which is, in this case, an Albers-Equal-Area projection system. 3. BasinsFD_Topology: This topology contains four persistent topology rules that constrain the spatial relations within the "BasinLines" feature class and between the "BasinLines" feature class and the "BasinPolys" feature classes. 4. Sites: This point feature class contains the digital representations of the site locations for which Colorado Water Science Center basin boundaries have been delineated. This feature class includes point locations for Colorado Water Science Center active (as of September 30, 2009) gages and for other sites. 5. BasinLines: This line feature class contains the perimeters of basins delineated for features in the "Sites" feature class, and it also contains information regarding the sources of lines used for the basin boundaries. 6. BasinPolys: This polygon feature class contains the polygonal basin areas delineated for features in the "Sites" feature class, and it is used to derive the numeric drainage areas published by the Colorado Water Science Center.

78 FR 17643 - Greater Mississippi River Basin Water Management Board; Engineer Regulation No. 15-2-13

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-22

... structure and is aligned with water management activities during recent flood and drought events in the... operating activities concerned with water management within the Greater Mississippi River Basin. The Greater... require coordination of basin-wide water management activities. b. To serve as a forum for discussion of...

Active transtensional intracontinental basins: Walker Lane in the western Great Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jayko, Angela S.; Bursik, Marcus

2012-01-01

The geometry and dimensions of sedimentary basins within the Walker Lane are a result of Plio-Pleistocene transtensive deformation and partial detachment of the Sierra Nevada crustal block from the North American plate. Distinct morpho-tectonic domains lie within this active transtensive zone. The northeast end of the Walker Lane is partly buried by active volcanism of the southern Cascades, and adjacent basins are filled or poorly developed. To the south, the basin sizes are moderate, 25–45km × 15–10 km, with narrow 8-12km wide mountain ranges mainly oriented N-S to NNE. These basins form subparallel arrays in discrete zones trending about 300° and have documented clockwise rotation. This is succeeded to the south by a releasing stepover domain ∼85-100km wide, where the basins are elongated E-W to ENE, small (∼15-30km long, 5-15km wide), and locally occupied by active volcanic centers. The southernmost part of the Walker Lane is structurally integrated, with high to extreme relief. Adjacent basins are elongate, 50-200km long and ∼5 -20km wide. Variations in transtensive basin orientations in the Walker Lane are largely attributable to variations in strain partitioning. Large basins in the Walker Lane have 2-6km displacement across basin bounding faults with up to 3 km of clastic accumulation based on gravity and drill hole data. The sedimentary deposits of the basins may include interbedded volcanic deposits with bimodal basaltic and rhyolitic associations. The basins may include lacustrine deposits that record a wide range of water chemistry from cold fresh water conditions to saline-evaporative

Microbial Habitability and Pleistocene Aridification of the Asian Interior.

PubMed

Wang, Jiuyi; Lowenstein, Tim K; Fang, Xiaomin

2016-06-01

Fluid inclusions trapped in ancient halite can contain a community of halophilic prokaryotes and eukaryotes that inhabited the surface brines from which the halite formed. Long-term survival of bacteria and archaea and preservation of DNA have been reported from halite, but little is known about the distribution of microbes in buried evaporites. Here we report the discovery of prokaryotes and single-celled algae in fluid inclusions in Pleistocene halite, up to 2.26 Ma in age, from the Qaidam Basin, China. We show that water activity (aw), a measure of water availability and an environmental control on biological habitability in surface brines, is also related to microbe entrapment in fluid inclusions. The aw of Qaidam Basin brines progressively decreased over the last ∼1 million years, driven by aridification of the Asian interior, which led to decreased precipitation and water inflow and heightened evaporation rates. These changes in water balance produced highly concentrated brines, which reduced the habitability of surface lakes and decreased the number of microbes trapped in halite. By 0.13 Ma, the aw of surface brines approached the limits tolerated by halophilic prokaryotes and algae. These results show the response of microbial ecosystems to climate change in an extreme environment, which will guide future studies exploring deep life on Earth and elsewhere in the Solar System. Halite fluid inclusions-Ancient microbes-Water activity-Qaidam Basin-Pleistocene aridification. Astrobiology 16, 379-388.

Verification and Improvement of the Three-Dimensional Basin Velocity Structure Model in the Osaka Sedimentary Basin, Japan Using Interstation Green's Functions and H/V Spectral Ratios of Microtremors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asano, K.; Iwata, T.; Sekiguchi, H.; Somei, K.; Nishimura, T.; Miyakoshi, K.; Aoi, S.; Kunugi, T.

2012-12-01

The Osaka sedimentary basin is filled by the Plio-Pleistocene Osaka group, terrace deposits, and alluvium deposits with thickness of 1 to 2 km over the bedrock, and it is surrounded by active fault systems. The Uemachi active fault system underlies the Osaka urban area. In order to predict the strong ground motions for future events of the Uemachi fault and others, the precise basin velocity structure model is indispensable as well as the detailed source fault model. The velocity structure of the Osaka basin has been extensively investigated by using various techniques such as gravity anomaly measurements, reflection surveys, boring explorations, and microtremor measurements. Based on these surveys and ground motion simulations for observed events, the three-dimensional velocity structure models of the Osaka basin have been developed and improved for decades (e.g., Kagawa et al., 1993; Horikawa et al., 2003; Iwata et al., 2008; Iwaki and Iwata, 2011). Now we are trying to verify the velocity structure model of the Osaka basin and to improve it incorporating new data sets. We have conducted two kinds of observations in the Osaka basin. The first observation is continuous microtremor observation. We have temporarily installed three-component velocity sensors at 15 sites covering the Osaka basin to record microtremors continuously for more than one year. The seismic interferometry technique (e.g. Shapiro and Campillo, 2004) is applied to retrieve interstation Green's function for analyzing the wave propagation characteristics inside the sedimentary basin. Both Rayleigh- and Love-wave type signals are identified in 0.1-0.5 Hz from observed interstation Green's functions. The group velocities of Rayleigh and Love waves propagating between two stations are estimated from them using the multiple filter analysis method, and they are compared with the theoretical group-velocities of the model. For example, estimated Love-wave group velocity along a line inside the basin is as low as 350 m/s in 0.2-0.5 Hz. The second observation is a set of short-time (30~60 min) single-station microtremor observations to obtain H/V spectral ratios at sites. We observed microtremor at 100 strong motion stations of Osaka prefecture government, JMA, K-NET, KiK-net, and other institutes. The peak period of H/V ranges from about 1 to 7 s, and it depends on the bedrock depth at the observation site as previously pointed by Miyakoshi et al. (1997). Though the basin velocity model explains the characteristics of observed H/V spectral ratios at most sites, we found discrepancies between observed and predicted H/V peak periods at north part of Osaka bay area and hill area in southeastern part of the basin. By combining the observed constraints from the group velocities, waveform characteristics of interstation Green's functions, and H/V spectral ratios, we will improve the S-wave velocity structure model inside the Osaka basin.

The geologic history of Margaritifer basin, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Salvatore, M. R.; Kraft, M. D.; Edwards, Christopher; Christensen, P.R.

2016-01-01

In this study, we investigate the fluvial, sedimentary, and volcanic history of Margaritifer basin and the Uzboi-Ladon-Morava (ULM) outflow channel system. This network of valleys and basins spans more than 8000 km in length, linking the fluvially dissected southern highlands and Argyre Basin with the northern lowlands via Ares Vallis. Compositionally, thermophysically, and morphologically distinct geologic units are identified and are used to place critical relative stratigraphic constraints on the timing of geologic processes in Margaritifer basin. Our analyses show that fluvial activity was separated in time by significant episodes of geologic activity, including the widespread volcanic resurfacing of Margaritifer basin and the formation of chaos terrain. The most recent fluvial activity within Margaritifer basin appears to terminate at a region of chaos terrain, suggesting possible communication between surface and subsurface water reservoirs. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these observations on our current knowledge of Martian hydrologic evolution in this important region.

The geologic history of Margaritifer basin, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvatore, M. R.; Kraft, M. D.; Edwards, C. S.; Christensen, P. R.

2016-03-01

In this study, we investigate the fluvial, sedimentary, and volcanic history of Margaritifer basin and the Uzboi-Ladon-Morava outflow channel system. This network of valleys and basins spans more than 8000 km in length, linking the fluvially dissected southern highlands and Argyre basin with the northern lowlands via Ares Vallis. Compositionally, thermophysically, and morphologically distinct geologic units are identified and are used to place critical relative stratigraphic constraints on the timing of geologic processes in Margaritifer basin. Our analyses show that fluvial activity was separated in time by significant episodes of geologic activity, including the widespread volcanic resurfacing of Margaritifer basin and the formation of chaos terrain. The most recent fluvial activity within Margaritifer basin appears to terminate at a region of chaos terrain, suggesting possible communication between surface and subsurface water reservoirs. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these observations on our current knowledge of Martian hydrologic evolution in this important region.

Age and paragenesis of mineralisation at Coronation Hill uranium deposit, Northern Territory, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orth, Karin; Meffre, Sebastien; Davidson, Garry

2014-06-01

Coronation Hill is a U + Au + platinum group elements deposit in the South Alligator Valley (SAV) field in northern Australia, south of the better known unconformity-style U East Alligator Rivers (EAR) field. The SAV field differs from the EAR by having a more complex basin-basement architecture. A volcanically active fault trough (Jawoyn Sub-basin) developed on older basement and then was disrupted by renewed faulting, before being buried beneath regional McArthur Basin sandstones that are also the main hanging wall to the EAR deposits. Primary mineralisation at Coronation Hill formed at 1607 ± 26 Ma (rather than 600-900 Ma as previously thought), and so it is likely that the SAV was part of a single west McArthur Basin dilational event. Most ore is hosted in sub-vertical faults and breccias in the competent volcanic cover sequence. This favoured fluid mixing, acid buffering (forming illite) and oxidation of Fe2+ and reduced C-rich assemblages as important uranium depositional mechanisms. However, reduction of U in fractured older pyrite (Pb model age of 1833 ± 67 Ma) is an important trap in diorite. Some primary ore was remobilised at 675 ± 21 Ma to form coarse uraninite + Ni-Co pyrite networks containing radiogenic Pb. Coronation Hill is polymetallic, and in this respect resembles the `egress'-style U deposits in the Athabascan Basin (Canada). However, these are all cover-hosted. A hypothesis for further testing is that Coronation Hill is also egress-style, with ores formed by fluids rising through basement-hosted fault networks (U reduction by diorite pyrite and carbonaceous shale), and into veins and breccias in the overlying Jawoyn Sub-basin volcano-sedimentary succession.

Seismic Structure of Perth Basin (Australia) and surroundings from Passive Seismic Deployments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Issa, N.; Saygin, E.; Lumley, D. E.; Hoskin, T. E.

2016-12-01

We image the subsurface structure of Perth Basin, Western Australia and surroundings by using ambient seismic noise data from 14 seismic stations recently deployed by University of Western Australia (UWA) and other available permanent stations from Geoscience Australia seismic network and the Australian Seismometers in Schools program. Each of these 14 UWA seismic stations comprises a broadband sensor and a high fidelity 3-component 10 Hz geophone, recording in tandem at 250 Hz and 1000 Hz. The other stations used in this study are equipped with short period and broadband sensors. In addition, one shallow borehole station is operated with eight 3 component geophones at depths of between 2 and 44 m. The network is deployed to characterize natural seismicity in the basin and to try and identify any microseismic activity across Darling Fault Zone (DFZ), bounding the basin to the east. The DFZ stretches to approximately 1000 km north-south in Western Australia, and is one of the longest fault zones on the earth with a limited number of detected earthquakes. We use seismic noise cross- and auto-correlation methods to map seismic velocity perturbations across the basin and the transition from DFZ to the basin. Retrieved Green's functions are stable and show clear dispersed waveforms. Travel times of the surface wave Green's functions from noise cross-correlations are inverted with a two-step probabilistic framework to map the absolute shear wave velocities as a function of depth. The single station auto-correlations from the seismic noise yields P wave reflectivity under each station, marking the major discontinuities. Resulting images show the shear velocity perturbations across the region. We also quantify the variation of ambient seismic noise at different depths in the near surface using the geophones in the shallow borehole array.

Great earthquakes along the Western United States continental margin: implications for hazards, stratigraphy and turbidite lithology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, C. H.; Gutiérrez Pastor, J.; Goldfinger, C.; Escutia, C.

2012-11-01

We summarize the importance of great earthquakes (Mw ≳ 8) for hazards, stratigraphy of basin floors, and turbidite lithology along the active tectonic continental margins of the Cascadia subduction zone and the northern San Andreas Transform Fault by utilizing studies of swath bathymetry visual core descriptions, grain size analysis, X-ray radiographs and physical properties. Recurrence times of Holocene turbidites as proxies for earthquakes on the Cascadia and northern California margins are analyzed using two methods: (1) radiometric dating (14C method), and (2) relative dating, using hemipelagic sediment thickness and sedimentation rates (H method). The H method provides (1) the best estimate of minimum recurrence times, which are the most important for seismic hazards risk analysis, and (2) the most complete dataset of recurrence times, which shows a normal distribution pattern for paleoseismic turbidite frequencies. We observe that, on these tectonically active continental margins, during the sea-level highstand of Holocene time, triggering of turbidity currents is controlled dominantly by earthquakes, and paleoseismic turbidites have an average recurrence time of ~550 yr in northern Cascadia Basin and ~200 yr along northern California margin. The minimum recurrence times for great earthquakes are approximately 300 yr for the Cascadia subduction zone and 130 yr for the northern San Andreas Fault, which indicates both fault systems are in (Cascadia) or very close (San Andreas) to the early window for another great earthquake. On active tectonic margins with great earthquakes, the volumes of mass transport deposits (MTDs) are limited on basin floors along the margins. The maximum run-out distances of MTD sheets across abyssal-basin floors along active margins are an order of magnitude less (~100 km) than on passive margins (~1000 km). The great earthquakes along the Cascadia and northern California margins cause seismic strengthening of the sediment, which results in a margin stratigraphy of minor MTDs compared to the turbidite-system deposits. In contrast, the MTDs and turbidites are equally intermixed on basin floors along passive margins with a mud-rich continental slope, such as the northern Gulf of Mexico. Great earthquakes also result in characteristic seismo-turbidite lithology. Along the Cascadia margin, the number and character of multiple coarse pulses for correlative individual turbidites generally remain constant both upstream and downstream in different channel systems for 600 km along the margin. This suggests that the earthquake shaking or aftershock signature is normally preserved, for the stronger (Mw ≥ 9) Cascadia earthquakes. In contrast, the generally weaker (Mw = or <8) California earthquakes result in upstream simple fining-up turbidites in single tributary canyons and channels; however, downstream mainly stacked turbidites result from synchronously triggered multiple turbidity currents that deposit in channels below confluences of the tributaries. Consequently, both downstream channel confluences and the strongest (Mw ≥ 9) great earthquakes contribute to multi-pulsed and stacked turbidites that are typical for seismo-turbidites generated by a single great earthquake. Earthquake triggering and multi-pulsed or stacked turbidites also become an alternative explanation for amalgamated turbidite beds in active tectonic margins, in addition to other classic explanations. The sedimentologic characteristics of turbidites triggered by great earthquakes along the Cascadia and northern California margins provide criteria to help distinguish seismo-turbidites in other active tectonic margins.

Quaternary tectonic evolution of the Pamir-Tian Shan convergence zone, Northwest China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson Jobe, Jessica Ann; Li, Tao; Chen, Jie; Burbank, Douglas W.; Bufe, Aaron

2017-12-01

The Pamir-Tian Shan collision zone in the western Tarim Basin, northwest China, formed from rapid and ongoing convergence in response to the Indo-Eurasian collision. The arid landscape preserves suites of fluvial terraces crossing structures active since the late Neogene that create fault and fold scarps recording Quaternary deformation. Using geologic and geomorphic mapping, differential GPS surveys of deformed terraces, and optically stimulated luminescence dating, we create a synthesis of the active structures that delineate the timing, rate, and migration of Quaternary deformation during ongoing convergence. New deformation rates on eight faults and folds, when combined with previous studies, highlight the spatial and temporal patterns of deformation within the Pamir-Tian Shan convergence zone during the Quaternary. Terraces spanning 130 to 8 ka record deformation rates between 0.1 and 5.6 mm/yr on individual structures. In the westernmost Tarim Basin, where the Pamir and Tian Shan are already juxtaposed, the fastest rates occur on actively deforming structures at the interface of the Pamir-Tian Shan orogens. Farther east, as the separation between the Pamir-Tian Shan orogens increases, the deformation has not been concentrated on a single structure, but rather has been concurrently distributed across a zone of faults and folds in the Kashi-Atushi fold-and-thrust belt and along the NE Pamir margin, where shortening rates vary on individual structures during the Quaternary. Although numerous structures accommodate the shortening and the locus of deformation shifts during the Quaternary, the total shortening across the western Tarim Basin has remained steady and approximately matches the current geodetic rate of 6-9 mm/yr.

Seismic valve as the main mechanism for sedimentary fluid entrapment within extensional basin: example of the Lodève Permian Basin (Hérault, South of France).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laurent, D.; Lopez, M.; Chauvet, A.; Imbert, P.; Sauvage, A. C.; Martine, B.; Thomas, M.

2014-12-01

During syn-sedimentary burial in basin, interstitial fluids initially trapped within the sedimentary pile are easily moving under overpressure gradient. Indeed, they have a significant role on deformation during basin evolution, particularly on fault reactivation. The Lodève Permian Basin (Hérault, France) is an exhumed half graben with exceptional outcrop conditions providing access to barite-sulfides mineralized systems and hydrocarbon trapped into rollover faults of the basin. Architectural studies shows a cyclic infilling of fault zone and associated S0-parallel veins according to three main fluid events during dextral/normal faulting. Contrasting fluid entrapment conditions are deduced from textural analysis, fluid inclusion microthermometry and sulfide isotope geothermometer: (i) the first stage is characterized by an implosion breccia cemented by silicifications and barite during abrupt pressure drop within fault zone; (ii) the second stage consists in succession of barite ribbons precipitated under overpressure fluctuations, derived from fault-valve action, with reactivation planes formed by sulphide-rich micro-shearing structures showing normal movement; and (iii) the third stage is associated to the formation of dextral strike-slip pull-apart infilling by large barite crystals and contemporary hydrocarbons under suprahydrostatic pressure values. Microthermometry, sulfide and strontium isotopic compositions of the barite-sulfides veins indicate that all stages were formed by mixing between deep basinal fluids at 230°C, derived from cinerite dewatering, and formation water from overlying sedimentary cover channelized trough fault planes. We conclude to a polyphase history of fluid trapping during Permian synrift formation of the basin: (i) a first event, associated with the dextral strike-slip motion on faults, leads to a first sealing of the fault zone; (ii) periodic reactivations of fault planes and bedding-controlled shearing form the main mineralized ore bodies by the single action of fluid overpressure fluctuations, undergoing changes in local stress distribution and (iii) a final tectonic activation of fault linked to last basinal fluid and hydrocarbon migration during which shear stress restoration on fault plane is faster than fluid pressure build-up.

In situ stress and pore pressure in the Kumano Forearc Basin, offshore SW Honshu from downhole measurements during riser drilling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saffer, D. M.; Flemings, P. B.; Boutt, D.; Doan, M.-L.; Ito, T.; McNeill, L.; Byrne, T.; Conin, M.; Lin, W.; Kano, Y.; Araki, E.; Eguchi, N.; Toczko, S.

2013-05-01

situ stress and pore pressure are key parameters governing rock deformation, yet direct measurements of these quantities are rare. During Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition #319, we drilled through a forearc basin at the Nankai subduction zone and into the underlying accretionary prism. We used the Modular Formation Dynamics Tester tool (MDT) for the first time in IODP to measure in situ minimum stress, pore pressure, and permeability at 11 depths between 729.9 and 1533.9 mbsf. Leak-off testing at 708.6 mbsf conducted as part of drilling operations provided a second measurement of minimum stress. The MDT campaign included nine single-probe (SP) tests to measure permeability and in situ pore pressure and two dual-packer (DP) tests to measure minimum principal stress. Permeabilities defined from the SP tests range from 6.53 × 10-17 to 4.23 × 10-14 m2. Pore fluid pressures are near hydrostatic throughout the section despite rapid sedimentation. This is consistent with the measured hydraulic diffusivity of the sediments and suggests that the forearc basin should not trap overpressures within the upper plate of the subduction zone. Minimum principal stresses are consistently lower than the vertical stress. We estimate the maximum horizontal stress from wellbore failures at the leak-off test and shallow MDT DP test depths. The results indicate a normal or strike-slip stress regime, consistent with the observation of abundant active normal faults in the seaward-most part of the basin, and a general decrease in fault activity in the vicinity of Site C0009.

Rain Basin Design Implications for Soil Microbial Activity and N-mineralization in a Semi-arid Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stern, C.; Pavao-Zuckerman, M.

2014-12-01

Rain basins have been an increasingly popular Green Infrastructure (GI) solution to the redistribution of water flow caused by urbanization. This study was conducted to examine how different approaches to basin design, specifically mulching (gravel vs. compost and gravel), influence the water availability of rain basins and the effects this has on the soil microbial activity of the basins. Soil microbes are a driving force of biogeochemical process and may impact the carbon and nitrogen dynamics of rain basin GI. In this study we sampled 12 different residential-scale rain basins, differing in design established at Biosphere 2, Arizona in 2013. Soil samples and measurements were collected before and after the onset of the monsoon season in 2014 to determine how the design of basins mediates the transition from dry to wet conditions. Soil abiotic factors were measured, such as moisture content, soil organic matter (SOM) content, texture and pH, and were related to the microbial biomass size within the basins. Field and lab potential N-mineralization and soil respiration were measured to determine how basin design influences microbial activity and N dynamics. We found that pre-monsoon basins with compost had higher moisture contents and that there was a positive correlation between the moisture content and the soil microbial biomass size of the basins. Pre-monsoon data also suggests that N-mineralization rates for basins with compost were higher than those with only gravel. These design influences on basin-scale biogeochemical dynamics and nitrogen retention may have important implications for urban biogeochemistry at neighborhood and watershed scales.

Predicting the switchable screw sense in fluorene-based polymers.

PubMed

Pietropaolo, Adriana; Wang, Yue; Nakano, Tamaki

2015-02-23

A chirality-switching free-energy landscape was reconstructed on a 43-mer of poly(9,9-dioctylfluoren-2,7-diyl) (PDOF). The simulations were conducted on amorphous silica surface as well as in the vacuum phase for a single chain or for a group of sixteen chains. The achiral-to-chiral transition occurs only on amorphous silica (activation free-energy 35 kcal mol(-1) ), where the enantiomeric (homochiral) basins are detected. This was supported by the experiments where effective chirality induction to PDOF using circularly polarized light (CPL) was attained only for a film deposited on a quartz glass and not for a solution or a suspension. These results indicate that interactions of PDOF with amorphous silica play a crucial role in chirality switching. Importance of chain assembling was also indicated. Theoretical ECD spectra of the enantiomeric basins containing a 51 helix reproduce the experimental spectra. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Field guide to Laramide basin evolution and drilling activity in North Park and Middle Park, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dechesne, Marieke; Cole, James Channing; Martin, Christopher B.

2016-01-01

Overview of the geologic history of the North Park–Middle Park area and its past and recent drilling activity. Field trip stops highlight basin formation and the consequences of geologic configuration on oil and gas plays and development. The starting point is the west flank of the Denver Basin to compare and contrast the latest Cretaceous through Eocene basin fill on both flanks of the Front Range, before exploring sediments of the same age in the North Park – Middle Park intermontane basin.

A new species of Laetiporus (Basidiomycota, Polyporales) from the Caribbean basin

Treesearch

Mark T. Banik; Daniel L. Lindner; Beatriz Ortiz-Santana; Deborah J. Lodge

2012-01-01

Laetiporus caribensis is described as a new species, causing brown rot on hardwoods in the Caribbean basin. Laetiporus caribensis is distinguished from described species in the genus by smaller basidiospores. In addition, single spore isolates of L. caribensis are incompatible with those of the known species of...

Late Pliocene-Quaternary evolution of outermost hinterland basins of the Northern Apennines (Italy), and their relevance to active tectonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sani, Federico; Bonini, Marco; Piccardi, Luigi; Vannucci, Gianfranco; Delle Donne, Dario; Benvenuti, Marco; Moratti, Giovanna; Corti, Giacomo; Montanari, Domenico; Sedda, Lorenzo; Tanini, Chiara

2009-10-01

We examine the tectonic evolution and structural characteristics of the Quaternary intermontane Mugello, Casentino, and Sansepolcro basins, in the Northern Apennines fold-and-thrust belt. These basins have been classically interpreted to have developed under an extensional regime, and to mark the extension-compression transition. The results of our study have instead allowed framing the formation of these basins into a compressive setting tied to the activity of backthrust faults at their northeastern margin. Syndepositional activity of these structures is manifested by consistent architecture of sediments and outcrop-scale deformation. After this phase, the Mugello and Sansepolcro basins experienced a phase of normal faulting extending from the middle Pleistocene until Present. Basin evolution can be thus basically framed into a two-phase history, with extensional tectonics superposed onto compressional structures. Analysis of morphologic features has revealed the occurrence of fresh fault scarps and interaction of faulting with drainage systems, which have been interpreted as evidence for potential ongoing activity of normal faults. Extensional tectonics is also manifested by recent seismicity, and likely caused the strong historical earthquakes affecting the Mugello and Sansepolcro basins. Qualitative comparison of surface information with depth-converted seismic data suggests the basins to represent discrete subsiding areas within the seismic belt extending along the axial zone of the Apennines. The inferred chronology of deformation and the timing of activity of normal faults have an obvious impact on the elaboration of seismic hazard models.

Quantitative analysis of the effect of climate change and human activities on runoff in the Liujiang River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LI, X.

2017-12-01

Abstract: As human basic and strategic natural resources, Water resources have received an unprecedented challenge under the impacts of global climate change. Analyzing the variation characteristics of runoff and the effect of climate change and human activities on runoff could provide the basis for the reasonable utilization and management of water resources. Taking the Liujiang River Basin as the research object, the discharge data of hydrological station and meteorological data at 24 meteorological stations in the Guangxi Province as the basis, the variation characteristics of runoff and precipitation in the Liujiang River Basin was analyzed, and the quantitatively effect of climate change and human activities on runoff was proposed. The results showed that runoff and precipitation in the Liujiang River Basin had an increasing trend from 1964 to 2006. Using the method of accumulative anomaly and the orderly cluster method, the runoff series was divided into base period and change period. BP - ANN model and sensitivity coefficient method were used for quantifying the influences of climate change and human activities on runoff. We found that the most important factor which caused an increase trend of discharges in the Liujiang River Basin was precipitation. Human activities were also important factors which influenced the intra-annual distribution of runoff. Precipitation had a more sensitive influence to runoff variation than potential evaporation in the Liujiang River Basin. Key words: Liujiang River Basin, climate change, human activities, BP-ANN, sensitivity coefficient method

76 FR 67670 - Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.: Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-02

..., modifications to 4 existing substations, a 345-kV switchyard, maintenance access roads, temporary construction... will address the construction, operation, and maintenance of Basin Electric's proposed Project. The Project includes construction, operation and maintenance of approximately 190 miles of new 345-kV single...

THE EFFECT OF VARYING ELECTROFISHING DESIGN ON BIOASSESSMENT RESULTS OF FOUR LARGE RIVERS IN THE OHIO RIVER BASIN

EPA Science Inventory

In 1999, the effect of electrofishing design (single bank or paired banks) and sampling distance on bioassessment results was studied in four boatable rivers in the Ohio River basin. The relationship between the number of species collected and the total distance electrofished wa...

Ocean Basin Impact of Ambient Noise on Marine Mammal Detectability, Distribution, and Acoustic Communication - YIP

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-30

when applying the 4 passive sonar equation. The integration of acoustic time series from different ocean basins will provide a synoptic...Penn State ARL Hydrophone Analog signal (V) Preamplifiers & 24-bit AiD 1-100 HzBP filter Signal Flow for a Single Hydrophone Digital signal

Morphometric evaluation of the Afşin-Elbistan lignite basin using kernel density estimation and Getis-Ord's statistics of DEM derived indices, SE Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarp, Gulcan; Duzgun, Sebnem

2015-11-01

A morphometric analysis of river network, basins and relief using geomorphic indices and geostatistical analyses of Digital Elevation Model (DEM) are useful tools for discussing the morphometric evolution of the basin area. In this study, three different indices including valley floor width to height ratio (Vf), stream gradient (SL), and stream sinuosity were applied to Afşin-Elbistan lignite basin to test the imprints of tectonic activity. Perturbations of these indices are usually indicative of differences in the resistance of outcropping lithological units to erosion and active faulting. To map the clusters of high and low indices values, the Kernel density estimation (K) and the Getis-Ord Gi∗ statistics were applied to the DEM-derived indices. The K method and Gi∗ statistic highlighting hot spots and cold spots of the SL index, the stream sinuosity and the Vf index values helped to identify the relative tectonic activity of the basin area. The results indicated that the estimation by the K and Gi∗ including three conceptualization of spatial relationships (CSR) for hot spots (percent volume contours 50 and 95 categorized as high and low respectively) yielded almost similar results in regions of high tectonic activity and low tectonic activity. According to the K and Getis-Ord Gi∗ statistics, the northern, northwestern and southern parts of the basin indicates a high tectonic activity. On the other hand, low elevation plain in the central part of the basin area shows a relatively low tectonic activity.

Evolution of the Mothra Hydrothermal Field, Endeavour Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glickson, D.; Kelley, D. S.; Delaney, J.

2005-12-01

The Mothra Hydrothermal Field (MHF) is a 600 m long, high-temperature hydrothermal field. It is located 2.7 km south of the Main Endeavour Field at the southern end of the central Endeavour Segment. Mothra is the most areally extensive field along the Endeavour Segment, composed of six active sulfide clusters that are 40-200 m apart. Each cluster contains rare black smokers (venting up to 319°C), numerous diffusely venting chimneys, and abundant extinct chimneys and sulfide talus. From north to south, these clusters include Cauldron, Twin Peaks, Faulty Towers, Crab Basin, Cuchalainn, and Stonehenge. As part of the Endeavour Integrated Study Site (ISS), the MHF is a site of intensive interdisciplinary studies focused on linkages among geology, geochemistry, fluid chemistry, seismology, and microbiology. Axial valley geology at MHF is structurally complex, consisting of lightly fissured flows that abut the walls and surround a core of extensively fissured, collapsed terrain. Fissure abundance and distribution indicates that tectonism has been the dominant process controlling growth of the axial graben. Past magmatic activity is shown by the 200 m long chain of collapse basins between Crab Basin and Stonehenge, which may have held at least ~7500 m3 of lava. Assuming a flow thickness of 0.5 m, this amount of lava could cover over half the valley floor during a single volcanic event. At a local scale, MHF clusters vary in size, activity, and underlying geology. They range in size from 400-1600 m2 and consist of isolated chimneys and/or coalesced cockscomb arrays atop ramps of sulfide talus. In the northern part of the field, Cauldron, Twin Peaks, Faulty Towers, and Crab Basin are located near the western valley wall, bounded by basalt talus and a combination of collapsed sheet flows, intermixed lobate and sulfide, disrupted terrain, and isolated pillow ridges. The southern clusters, Cuchalainn and Stonehenge, are associated with collapse basins in the central valley and bounded by extensive lobate flows and disrupted terrain. At all clusters, active chimneys stand within meters of extinct chimneys, suggesting that flow in the shallow subsurface is both complex and transient. 1-2 m high mounds of sulfide talus and broken chimneys indicate that focused flow has been concentrated at the clusters for long periods, while extinct sulfide deposits between clusters and in collapse basins demonstrate that flow conduits have been rerouted and/or clogged by mineral precipitation. Two subsurface processes are responsible for hydrothermal venting at the clusters: tapping of magmatic heat near the lava drainbacks and tectonic movement along the steeply dipping, inward-facing normal faults at the western wall boundary. The interplay between these processes and fluid flow is synthesized in an evolutionary model of hydrothermal development at Mothra.

Comparability among four invertebrate sampling methods and two multimetric indexes, Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2010–2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bruce, James F.; Roberts, James J.; Zuellig, Robert E.

2018-05-24

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering and Colorado Springs Utilities, analyzed previously collected invertebrate data to determine the comparability among four sampling methods and two versions (2010 and 2017) of the Colorado Benthic Macroinvertebrate Multimetric Index (MMI). For this study, annual macroinvertebrate samples were collected concurrently (in space and time) at 15 USGS surface-water gaging stations in the Fountain Creek Basin from 2010 to 2012 using four sampling methods. The USGS monitoring project in the basin uses two of the methods and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recommends the other two. These methods belong to two distinct sample types, one that targets single habitats and one that targets multiple habitats. The study results indicate that there are significant differences in MMI values obtained from the single-habitat and multihabitat sample types but methods from each program within each sample type produced comparable values. This study also determined that MMI values calculated by different versions of the Colorado Benthic Macroinvertebrate MMI are indistinguishable. This indicates that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment methods are comparable with the USGS monitoring project methods for single-habitat and multihabitat sample types. This report discusses the direct application of the study results to inform the revision of the existing USGS monitoring project in the Fountain Creek Basin.

Seismic transect across the Lomonosov and Mendeleev Ridges: Constraints on the geological evolution of the Amerasia Basin, Arctic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jokat, Wilfried; Ickrath, Michele; O'Connor, John

2013-10-01

We report on seismic and petrological data that provide new constraints on the geological evolution of the Amerasia Basin. A seismic reflection transect across the Makarov Basin, located between the Mendeleev and Lomonosov Ridges, shows a complete undisturbed sedimentary section of Mesozoic/Cenozoic age. In contrast to the Mendeleev Ridge, the margin of the Lomonosov Ridge is wide and shows horst and graben structures. We suggest that the Mendeleev Ridge is most likely volcanic in origin and support this finding with a 40Ar/39Ar isotopic age for a tholeiitic basalt sampled from the central Alpha/Mendeleev Ridge. Seismic reflection data for the Makarov Basin show no evidence of compressional features, consistent with the Lomonosov Ridge moving as a microplate in the Cenozoic. We propose that the Amerasia Basin moved as a single tectonic plate during the opening of the Eurasia Basin.

Modeling the Sedimentary Infill of Lakes in the East African Rift: A Case Study of Multiple versus Single Rift Basin Segments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, C.; Scholz, C. A.

2016-12-01

The sedimentary basins in the East African Rift are considered excellent modern examples for investigating sedimentary infilling and evolution of extensional systems. Some lakes in the western branch of the rift have formed within single-segment systems, and include Lake Albert and Lake Edward. The largest and oldest lakes developed within multi-segment systems, and these include Lake Tanganyika and Lake Malawi. This research aims to explore processes of erosion and sedimentary infilling of the catchment area in single-segment rift (SSR) and multi-segment rift (MSR) systems. We consider different conditions of regional precipitation and evaporation, and assess the resulting facies architecture through forward modeling, using state-of-the-art commercial basin modeling software. Dionisos is a three-dimensional numerical stratigraphic forward modeling software program, which simulates basin-scale sediment transport based on empirical water- and gravity-driven diffusion equations. It was classically used to quantify the sedimentary architecture and basin infilling of both marine siliciclastic and carbonate environments. However, we apply this approach to continental rift basin environments. In this research, two scenarios are developed, one for a MSR and the other for a SSR. The modeled systems simulate the ratio of drainage area and lake surface area observed in modern Lake Tanganyika and Lake Albert, which are examples of MSRs and SSRs, respectively. The main parameters, such as maximum subsidence rate, water- and gravity-driven diffusion coefficients, rainfall, and evaporation, are approximated using these real-world examples. The results of 5 million year model runs with 50,000 year time steps show that MSRs are characterized by a deep water lake with relatively modest sediment accumulation, while the SSRs are characterized by a nearly overfilled lake with shallow water depths and thick sediment accumulation. The preliminary modeling results conform to the features of sedimentary infills revealed by seismic reflection data acquired in Lake Tanganyika and Lake Albert. Future models will refine the parameters of rainfall and evaporation in these two scenarios to better evaluate detailed basin facies architecture.

New Morphometric Measurements of Peak-Ring Basins on Mercury and the Moon: Results from the Mercury Laser Altimeter and Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, David M. H.; Head, James W.; Prockter, Louise M.; Fassett, Caleb I.; Neumann, Gregory A.; Smith, David E.; Solomon, Sean C.; Zuber, Maria T.; Oberst, Juergen; Preusker, Frank;

Spatiotemporal Industrial Activity Model for Estimating the Intensity of Oil and Gas Operations in Colorado.

PubMed

Allshouse, William B; Adgate, John L; Blair, Benjamin D; McKenzie, Lisa M

2017-09-05

Oil and gas (O&G) production in the United States has increased in the last 15 years, and operations, which are trending toward large multiwell pads, release hazardous air pollutants. Health studies have relied on proximity to O&G wells as an exposure metric, typically using an inverse distance-weighting (IDW) approach. Because O&G emissions are dependent on multiple factors, a dynamic model is needed to describe the variability in air pollution emissions over space and time. We used information on Colorado O&G activities, production volumes, and air pollutant emission rates from two Colorado basins to create a spatiotemporal industrial activity model to develop an intensity-adjusted IDW well-count metric. The Spearman correlation coefficient between this metric and measured pollutant concentrations was 0.74. We applied our model to households in Greeley, Colorado, which is in the middle of the densely developed Denver-Julesburg basin. Our intensity-adjusted IDW increased the unadjusted IDW dynamic range by a factor of 19 and distinguishes high-intensity events, such as hydraulic fracturing and flowback, from lower-intensity events, such as production at single-well pads. As the frequency of multiwell pads increases, it will become increasingly important to characterize the range of intensities at O&G sites when conducting epidemiological studies.

Morphotectonics of the Jamini River basin, Bundelkhand Craton, Central India; using remote sensing and GIS technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prakash, K.; Mohanty, T.; Pati, J. K.; Singh, S.; Chaubey, K.

2017-11-01

Morphological and morphotectonic analyses have been used to obtain information that influence hydrographic basins, predominantly these are modifications of tectonic elements and the quantitative description of landforms. Discrimination of morphotectonic indices of active tectonics of the Jamini river basin consists the analyses of asymmetry factor, ruggedness number, basin relief, gradient, basin elongation ratio, drainage density analysis, and drainage pattern analysis, which have been completed for each drainage basin using remote sensing and GIS techniques. The Jamini river is one of the major tributaries of the Betwa river in central India. The Jamini river basin is divided into five subwatersheds viz. Jamrar, Onri, Sainam, Shahzad and Baragl subwatershed. The quantitative approach of watershed development of the Jamini river basin, and its four sixth (SW1-SW4) and one fifth (SW5) order subwatersheds, was carried out using Survey of India toposheets (parts of 54I, 54K, 54L, 54O, and 54P), Landsat 7 ETM+, ASTER (GDEM) data, and field data. The Jamini river has low bifurcation index which is a positive marker of tectonic imprint on the hydrographic network. The analyses show that the geomorphological progression of the study area was robustly influenced by tectonics. The analysis demonstrates to extensional tectonics system with the following alignments: NE-SW, NW-SE, NNE-SSW, ENE-WSW, E-W, and N-S. Three major trends are followed by lower order streams viz. NE-SW, NW-SE, and E-W directions which advocate that these tectonic trends were active at least up to the Late Pleistocene. The assessment of morphotectonic indices may be used to evaluate the control of active faults on the hydrographic system. The analysis points out westward tilting of the drainage basins with strong asymmetry in some reaches, marked elongation ratio of subwatersheds, and lower order streams having close alignment with lineaments (active faults). The study facilitated to considerate the function of active tectonism in the advancement of the basin.

Short-term ensemble streamflow forecasting using operationally-produced single-valued streamflow forecasts - A Hydrologic Model Output Statistics (HMOS) approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Regonda, Satish Kumar; Seo, Dong-Jun; Lawrence, Bill; Brown, James D.; Demargne, Julie

2013-08-01

We present a statistical procedure for generating short-term ensemble streamflow forecasts from single-valued, or deterministic, streamflow forecasts produced operationally by the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) River Forecast Centers (RFCs). The resulting ensemble streamflow forecast provides an estimate of the predictive uncertainty associated with the single-valued forecast to support risk-based decision making by the forecasters and by the users of the forecast products, such as emergency managers. Forced by single-valued quantitative precipitation and temperature forecasts (QPF, QTF), the single-valued streamflow forecasts are produced at a 6-h time step nominally out to 5 days into the future. The single-valued streamflow forecasts reflect various run-time modifications, or "manual data assimilation", applied by the human forecasters in an attempt to reduce error from various sources in the end-to-end forecast process. The proposed procedure generates ensemble traces of streamflow from a parsimonious approximation of the conditional multivariate probability distribution of future streamflow given the single-valued streamflow forecast, QPF, and the most recent streamflow observation. For parameter estimation and evaluation, we used a multiyear archive of the single-valued river stage forecast produced operationally by the NWS Arkansas-Red River Basin River Forecast Center (ABRFC) in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a by-product of parameter estimation, the procedure provides a categorical assessment of the effective lead time of the operational hydrologic forecasts for different QPF and forecast flow conditions. To evaluate the procedure, we carried out hindcasting experiments in dependent and cross-validation modes. The results indicate that the short-term streamflow ensemble hindcasts generated from the procedure are generally reliable within the effective lead time of the single-valued forecasts and well capture the skill of the single-valued forecasts. For smaller basins, however, the effective lead time is significantly reduced by short basin memory and reduced skill in the single-valued QPF.

Contemporary suspended sediment dynamics within two partly glacierized mountain drainage basins in western Norway (Erdalen and Bødalen, inner Nordfjord)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beylich, Achim A.; Laute, Katja; Storms, Joep E. A.

2017-06-01

This paper focuses on environmental controls, spatiotemporal variability and rates of contemporary fluvial suspended sediment transport in the neighboring, partly glacierized and steep Erdalen (79.5 km2) and Bødalen (60.1 km2) drainage basins in the fjord landscape of the inner Nordfjord in western Norway. Field work, including extended samplings and measurements, was conducted since 2004 in Erdalen and since 2008 in Bødalen. The distinct intra- and inter-annual temporal variability of suspended sediment transport found is mostly controlled by meteorological events, with most suspended sediment transport occurring during pluvial events in autumn (September-November), followed by mostly thermally determined glacier melt in summer (July-August), and by mostly thermally determined snowmelt in spring (April-June). Extreme rainfall events (> 70 mm d- 1) in autumn can trigger significant debris-flow activity that can cause significant transfers of suspended sediments from ice-free surface areas with sedimentary covers into main stream channels and is particularly important for fluvial suspended sediment transport. In years with occurring relevant debris-flow activity the total annual drainage-basin wide suspended sediment yields are strongly determined by these single extreme events. The proportion of glacier coverage, followed by steepness of slopes, and degree of vegetation cover in ice-free surface areas with sedimentary covers are the main controls for the detected spatial variability of suspended sediment yields. The contemporary sediment supply from glacierized surface areas and the Jostedalsbreen ice cap through different defined outlet glaciers shows a high spatial variability. The fact that the mean annual suspended sediment yield of Bødalen is with 31.3 t km- 2 yr- 1 almost twice as high as the mean annual suspended sediment yield of Erdalen (16.4 t km- 2 yr- 1) is to a large extent explained by the higher proportion of glacier coverage in Bødalen (38% of the drainage basin surface area) as compared to Erdalen (18% of the drainage basin surface area) and by a significantly higher sediment yield from the glacierized area of the Bødalen drainage basin compared to the glacierized surface area in Erdalen. When looking at the total annual mass of suspended sediments being fluvially exported from both entire drainage basin systems, the total amount of suspended sediments coming from the ice-free drainage basin surface areas altogether dominates over the total amount of suspended sediments coming from the glacierized surface area of both drainage basins. Drainage-basin wide annual suspended sediment yields are rather low when compared with yields of other partly glacierized drainage basin systems in Norway and in other cold climate environments worldwide, which is mainly due to the high resistance of the predominant gneisses towards glacial erosion and weathering, the altogether only small amounts of sediments being available within the entire drainage basin systems, the stable and nearly closed vegetation cover in the ice-free surface areas with sedimentary covers, and the efficiency of proglacial lakes in trapping sediments supplied by defined outlet glaciers. Both contemporary and long-term suspended sediment yields are altogether supply-limited. Contemporary suspended sediment transport accounts for nearly two-thirds of the total fluvial transport and, accordingly, plays an important role within the sedimentary budgets of the entire Erdalen and Bødalen drainage basins.

MPF model ages of the Rembrandt basin and scarp system, Mercury.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrari, Sabrina; Massironi, Matteo; Marchi, Simone; Byrne, Paul K.; Klimczak, Christian; Cremonese, Gabriele

2013-04-01

The 715-km-diameter Rembrandt basin is the largest well-preserved impact feature of the southern hemisphere of Mercury [1] (Fig. 1), and was imaged for the first time during the second flyby of the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission [2]. Much of the basin interior is covered by smooth, high-reflectance plains interpreted to be of volcanic origin [1-3] that host sets of contractional and extensional tectonic structures. Notably, Rembrandt basin and its smooth plains are cross-cut by a 1,000-km-long reverse fault system [1-5] that trends ~E-W, bending toward the north within the basin. The individual faults of this system accommodated crustal shortening that resulted from global contraction as Mercury's interior cooled [1]. The current shape of the reverse fault system may have been influenced by the formation of the Rembrandt basin [5]. The emplacement of the interior smooth plains predates both the basin-related tectonism and the final development of the giant scarp, which is suggestive of either short-lived volcanic activity immediately after basin formation or a later volcanic phase set against prolonged tectonic activity. In order to quantify the duration of volcanic and tectonic activity in and around Rembrandt basin, we determined the crater count-derived ages of the involved terrains by means of the Model Production Function (MPF) chronology of Mercury [6-8], which is rely on the knowledge of the impactors flux on the planet. Crater chronology allowed us to constrain the Rembrandt basin formation to the early Calorian period and a widespread resurfacing up to 3.5 Ga ago. The volcanic activity affected both the basin and its surroundings, but ended prior to some basin-related and regional faulting. Hence, if the giant scarp begun to develop even before the basin formation (as suggested by its length-displacement profile across the basin itself, [5]) the regional tectonic activity along this structure might have started even before the Late Heavy Bombardment period and lasted for more than 300 Ma, when the volcanic activity in this part of hermean surface was already accomplished. [1] Watters T. R. et al. (2009) Science, 324, 618. [2] Solomon S. C. et al. (2008) Science, 321, 59. [3] Denevi B. W. et al. (2009) Science, 324, 613. [4] Byrne P. K. et al. (2012) LPS, 43, abstract 1722. [5] Ferrari S. et al. (2012) EPSC, 7, abstract 2012-874. [6] Marchi S. et al. (2009) The Astron. Jour., 137, 4936. [7] Massironi M. et al. (2009) Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L21204. [8] Marchi S. et al. (2011) Plaet. Space Sci., 59, 1968.

Surface ozone in the Lake Tahoe Basin

Treesearch

Joel D. Burley; Sandra Theiss; Andrzej Bytnerowicz; Alan Gertler; Susan Schilling; Barbara Zielinska

2015-01-01

Surface ozone (O3) concentrations were measured in and around the Lake Tahoe Basin using both active monitors (2010) and passive samplers (2002, 2010). The 2010 data from active monitors indicate average summertime diurnal maxima of approximately 50–55 ppb. Some site-to-site variability is observed within the Basin during the well-mixed hours of...

Morphotectonic analysis and GNSS observations for assessment of relative tectonic activity in Alaknanda basin of Garhwal Himalaya, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Gopal; Champati ray, P. K.; Mohanty, S.

2018-01-01

Alaknanda basin in the Garhwal Himalaya, India, is a tectonically active region owing to ongoing crustal deformation, erosion, and depositional processes active in the region. Active tectonics in this region have greatly affected the drainage system and geomorphic expression of topography and provide an ideal natural set up to investigate the influence of tectonic activity resulting from the India-Eurasia collision. We evaluated active tectonics by using high resolution digital elevation model (DEM) based on eight geomorphic indices (stream length gradient index, valley floor width-to-height ratio, hypsometric integral, drainage basin asymmetry, transverse topography symmetry factor, mountain front sinousity index, bifurcation ratio, and basin shape index) and seismicity in eight subbasins of Alaknanda basin. The integrated product, relative tectonic activity index (TAI) map, was classified into three classes such as: 'highly active' with values ranging up to 2.0; 'moderately active' with values ranging from 2.0 to 2.25; and 'less active' with values > 2.25. Further, the results were compared with relatively high crustal movement rate of 41.10 mm/y computed through high precession Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) based continuous operating reference station (CORS) data. Thus, we concluded that this new quantitative approach can be used for better characterization and assessment of active seismotectonic regions of the Himalaya and elsewhere.

Fluvial drainage networks: the fractal approach as an improvement of quantitative geomorphic analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melelli, Laura; Liucci, Luisa; Vergari, Francesca; Ciccacci, Sirio; Del Monte, Maurizio

2014-05-01

Drainage basins are primary landscape units for geomorphological investigations. Both hillslopes and river drainage system are fundamental components in drainage basins analysis. As other geomorphological systems, also the drainage basins aim to an equilibrium condition where the sequence of erosion, transport and sedimentation approach to a condition of minimum energy effort. This state is revealed by a typical geometry of landforms and of drainage net. Several morphometric indexes can measure how much a drainage basin is far from the theoretical equilibrium configuration, revealing possible external disarray. In active tectonic areas, the drainage basins have a primary importance in order to highlight style, amount and rate of tectonic impulses, and morphometric indexes allow to estimate the tectonic activity classes of different sectors in a study area. Moreover, drainage rivers are characterized by a self-similarity structure; this promotes the use of fractals theory to investigate the system. In this study, fractals techniques are employed together with quantitative geomorphological analysis to study the Upper Tiber Valley (UTV), a tectonic intermontane basin located in northern Apennines (Umbria, central Italy). The area is the result of different tectonic phases. From Late Pliocene until present time the UTV is strongly controlled by a regional uplift and by an extensional phase with different sets of normal faults playing a fundamental role in basin morphology. Thirty-four basins are taken into account for the quantitative analysis, twenty on the left side of the basin, the others on the right side. Using fractals dimension of drainage networks, Horton's laws results, concavity and steepness indexes, and hypsometric curves, this study aims to obtain an evolutionary model of the UTV, where the uplift is compared to local subsidence induced by normal fault activity. The results highlight a well defined difference between western and eastern tributary basins, suggesting a greater disequilibrium in the last ones. The quantitative analysis points out the segments of the basin boundaries where the fault activity is more efficient and the resulting geomorphological implications.

Operational Readiness Review Final Report for K Basin Fuel Transfer System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DAVIES, T.H.

2002-10-01

An Operational Readiness Review (ORR) was conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Richland Operations Office (RL) to verify that an adequate state of readiness had been achieved for startup of the K Basin Fuel Transfer System (FTS). The DOE ORR was conducted during the period November 6-18, 2002. The DOE ORR team concluded that the K Basin Fuel Transfer System is ready to start operations, subject to completion and verification of identified pre-start findings. The ORR was conducted in accordance with the Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) K Basin Fuel Transfer System (FTS) Operational Readiness Review (ORR) Plan ofmore » Action and the Operational Readiness Review Implementation Plan for K Basin Fuel Transfer System. Review activities consisted of staff interviews, procedure and document reviews, and observations of normal facility operations, operational upset conditions, and an emergency drill. The DOE ORR Team also reviewed and assessed the adequacy of the contractor ORR3 and the RL line management review. The team concurred with the findings and observations identified in these two reports. The DOE ORR for the FTS evaluated the contractor under single-shift operations. Of concern to the ORR Team was that SNF Project management intended to change from a single-shift FTS operation to a two-shift operation shortly after the completion of the DOE ORR. The ORR team did not assess two-shift FTS operations and the ability of the contractor to conduct a smooth transition from shift to shift. However, the DOE ORR team did observe an operational upset drill that was conducted during day shift and carried over into swing shift; during this drill, swing shift was staffed with fewer personnel as would be expected for two-shift operations. The facility was able to adequately respond to the event with the reduced level of staff. The ORR Team was also able to observe a Shift Manager turnover meeting when one shift manager had to be relieved during the middle of the day. The ORR Team did not have the opportunity to observe a shift turnover from one crew to another. The ORR Team has evaluated the risk of not observing this activity and considers the risk to be minimal based on the fact that operating staff are very familiar with the FTS equipment and its procedures, and because existing Conduct of Operations processes and procedures are adequate and implemented. Because the ORR Team has not observed two-shift FTS operations, we recommend that additional RL oversight be provided at the start of two-shift FTS operations to evaluate the adequacy of crew turnovers.« less

Hydrological effects of cropland and climatic changes in arid and semi-arid river basins: A case study from the Yellow River basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Huazhen; Zhang, Qiang; Singh, Vijay P.; Shi, Peijun; Sun, Peng

2017-06-01

The Yellow River basin is a typical semi-arid river basin in northern China. Serious water shortages have negative impacts on regional socioeconomic development. Recent years have witnessed changes in streamflow processes due to increasing human activities, such as agricultural activities and construction of dams and water reservoirs, and climatic changes, e.g. precipitation and temperature. This study attempts to investigate factors potentially driving changes in different streamflow components defined by different quantiles. The data used were daily streamflow data for the 1959-2005 period from 5 hydrological stations, daily precipitation and temperature data from 77 meteorological stations and data pertaining to cropland and large reservoirs. Results indicate a general decrease in streamflow across the Yellow River basin. Moreover significant decreasing streamflow has been observed in the middle and lower Yellow River basin with change points during the mid-1980s till the mid-1990s. The changes of cropland affect the streamflow components and also the cumulative effects on streamflow variations. Recent years have witnessed moderate cropland variations which result in moderate streamflow changes. Further, precipitation also plays a critical role in changes of streamflow components and human activities, i.e. cropland changes, temperature changes and building of water reservoirs, tend to have increasing impacts on hydrological processes across the Yellow River basin. This study provides a theoretical framework for the study of the hydrological effects of human activities and climatic changes on basins over the globe.

Natural communities in catch basins in southern Rhode Island

USGS Publications Warehouse

Butler, M.; Ginsberg, H.S.; LeBrun, R.A.; Gettman, A.D.; Pollnak, F.

2007-01-01

Storm-water drainage catch basins are manmade structures that often contain water and organic matter, making them suitable environments for various organisms. We censused organisms inhabiting catch basins in southern Rhode Island in 2002 in an effort to begin to describe these communities. Catch-basin inhabitants were mostly detritivores, including annelids, arthropods, and mollusks that could withstand low oxygen levels and droughts. Our results suggest that catch-basin inhabitants were mostly washed in with rainwater, and populations increased over the summer season as biotic activity resulted in increased nutrient levels later in the summer. In contrast, mosquitoes and other Diptera larvae were abundant earlier in the summer because the adults actively sought catch basins for oviposition sites. Mosquito larvae were likely to be abundant in catch basins with shallow, stagnant water that had relatively low dissolved oxygen and pH, and relatively high total suspended solids, carbon, and nitrogen.

Using ground-penetrating radar and sidescan sonar to compare lake bottom geology in New England

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nesbitt, I. M.; Campbell, S. W.; Arcone, S. A.; Smith, S. M.

2017-12-01

Post-Laurentide Ice Sheet erosion and re-deposition has had a significant influence on the geomorphology of New England. Anthropogenic activities such as forestry, farming, and construction of infrastructure such as dams and associated lake reservoirs, has further contributed to near surface changes. Unfortunately, these surface dynamics are difficult to constrain, both in space and time. One analog that can be used to estimate erosion and deposition, lake basin sedimentation, is typically derived from lake bottom sediment core samples. Reliance on core records assumes that derived sedimentation rates are representative of the broader watershed, despite being only a single point measurement. Geophysical surveys suggest that this assumption can be highly erroneous and unrepresentative of an entire lake basin. Herein, we conducted ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and side-scan sonar (SSS) surveys of multiple lakes in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont which are representative of different basin types to estimate sedimentation rates since Laurentide retreat. Subsequent age constraints from cores on multiple GPR-imaged horizons could be used to refine estimates of sedimentation rate change caused by evolving physical, biological, and chemical processes that control erosion, transport, and re-deposition. This presentation will provide a summary of GPR and SSS data collection methods, assumptions and limitations, structural and surficial interpretations, and key findings from multiple lake basins in New England. Results show that GPR and SSS are efficient, cost effective, and relatively accurate tools for helping to constrain lake erosion and deposition processes.

Regionally coherent, downstream propagating trends of river bed incision and aggradation in glaciated basins of western Washington, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, S. W.; Konrad, C. P.

2016-12-01

Understanding the connections between climate and river bed morphology is relevant both for interpreting the geologic record and understanding modern channel change. Here, we use changing stage-discharge relations at USGS stream-gage sites in western Washington State to infer local bed-elevation changes over the past 50 to 90 years. A network of gages in a large, unregulated basin with active glaciation show decadal periods of aggradation and incision that are strongly correlated when lagged. Best-fit lag times indicate the downstream propagation of single coherent signal at a slope-dependent velocity of 1-4 km/yr. This same pattern of change is observed at the outlets of regional rivers with glaciated headwaters but is absent in unglaciated river systems. Sites high in glaciated river systems also show coherency across basins, suggesting that the similarity in the downstream trends across glaciated basins is the result of the downstream propagation of a regionally coherent headwater signal. Incisional trends emanating from headwaters between 1950 and 1980 match a period when regional glaciers were stable or advancing, but assigning causation is complicated by hydroclimatic trends with similar temporal patterns. The recent trend is aggradational, though current bed elevations are generally similar to those prior to 1950, and are consistent with regional data indicating that sediment production in glaciated basins from 1950 to 1980 was anomalously low relative to conditions over the past several hundred years. Regionally, our results suggest the possibility of forecasting periods of aggradation and increased flood hazards several years to decades in advance in populated downstream settings. More broadly, the methods used in this analysis involve simple calculations on publically available data and provide a low-cost means of assessing local channel change wherever USGS stream-gages have been operated.

The Pre-Messinian Total Petroleum System of the Provence Basin, Western Mediterranean Sea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pawlewicz, Mark

2004-01-01

The Provence Basin is in that portion of the western Mediterranean Sea that is deeper than 2 kilometers. The basin lies essentially beyond the outer continental shelf, between the countries of France, Italy, and Algeria, the Balearic Islands, and the islands of Sardinia and Corsica. It encompasses nearly 300,000 square kilometers and includes the Rhone River submarine fan on the continental slope of southern France. It is province 4068 in the World Energy study. A single, hypothetical, total petroleum system (TPS), the Pre-Messinian TPS (406801), was described for the Provence Basin. The designation hypothetical is used because there is no hydrocarbon production from the basin. The Provence Basin is a deep-water Tertiary rift basin in which the geothermal gradients vary regionally. The Red Sea Basin shares a similar geologic and thermal history with the rifted western Mediterranean Sea and was used as an analog to better understand the genesis of the Provence Basin and as a guide to estimating possible undiscovered amounts of hydrocarbons. For this assessment the basin was given a potential, at the mean, for undiscovered resources of 51 trillion cubic feet (1.4 trillion cubic meters) gas, 0.42 billion barrels oil, and 2.23 million barrels natural gas liquids.

Rivers at Risk: An Activity Based Study Guide for the Colorado River Basin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samples, Bob, Ed.

This activity guide is intended to increase student awareness and understanding about the Colorado River Basin. Each activity includes objectives, procedures, materials list, related activities, questions for students, and related information. The activities are varied to appeal to a wide range of learning styles and modalities and are…

Hotspots within the Transboundary Selenga River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasimov, Nikolay; Lychagin, Mikhail; Chalov, Sergey

2013-04-01

Gathering the efficient information on water pollution of transboundary river systems remains the crucial task in international water management, environmental pollution control and prevention health problems. Countries, located in the low parts of the river basins, depend on the water strategy and water use in the adjacent countries, located upstream. Surface water pollution is considered to be the most serious problem, facing the above-mentioned countries. Large efforts in terms of field measurement campaigns and (numerical) transport modeling are then typically needed for relevant pollution prediction and prevention. Russian rivers take inflow from 8 neighboring countries. Among them there are 2 developing economies - People Republic of China and Mongolia, which are located in water-scarce areas and thus solve their water-related problems through the consumption of international water. Negative change of water runoff and water quality in the foreign part of transboundary river is appeared inside Russian territory with more or less delay. The transboundary river system of Selenga is particularly challenging, being the biggest tributary of Lake Baikal which is the largest freshwater reservoir in the world. Selenga River contributes about 50 % of the total inflow into Baikal. It originates in the mountainous part of Mongolia and then drains into Russia. There are numerous industries and agricultural activities within the Selenga drainage basin that affect the water quality of the river system. Absence of the single monitoring system and predictive tools for pollutants transport in river system requires large efforts in understanding sources of water pollution and implemented data on the relevant numerical systems for the pollution prediction and prevention. Special investigations in the Selenga river basin (Mongolia and Russia) were done to assess hot spots and understand state-of-the art in sediment load, water chemistry and hydrobiology of transboundary systems. Hot spot assessment included 100 gauge stations in the river basin with discharge measurement by ADCP, turbidity (T) and suspended sediment concentration (SSC), bed load by bed load traps, composition of salt, biochemical oxidation, nitrogen and phosphorous content in water, pH, redox and conductivity values, and also content of heavy metals in water, suspended matter and sediments. The study revealed rather high levels of dissolved Fe, Al, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Mo in the Selenga River water which often are higher than MPC for water fishery. Most contrast distribution is characteristic for W and Mo, which is caused by mineral deposits in the Selenga basin. The most severe pollution of aquatic systems in the basin caused by mining activities is characteristic for a small river Modonkul, which flows into Dzhida River (left tributary of Selenga).

Multi-model ensemble hydrological simulation using a BP Neural Network for the upper Yalongjiang River Basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhanjie; Yu, Jingshan; Xu, Xinyi; Sun, Wenchao; Pang, Bo; Yue, Jiajia

2018-06-01

Hydrological models are important and effective tools for detecting complex hydrological processes. Different models have different strengths when capturing the various aspects of hydrological processes. Relying on a single model usually leads to simulation uncertainties. Ensemble approaches, based on multi-model hydrological simulations, can improve application performance over single models. In this study, the upper Yalongjiang River Basin was selected for a case study. Three commonly used hydrological models (SWAT, VIC, and BTOPMC) were selected and used for independent simulations with the same input and initial values. Then, the BP neural network method was employed to combine the results from the three models. The results show that the accuracy of BP ensemble simulation is better than that of the single models.

Temporal Variation Analysis on Climate of Dry-Hot Valley Since 1950s in Upper Yangtze River Basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, L.; Cai, Y.

2017-12-01

Climate of dry-hot valley areas regarding their long term temporal changes are seldom studied. In this paper, climate change in lower reach of Yalongjiang River, a typical dry-hot valley area locating in upper Yangtze River Basin, was analyzed. Ten single meteorological factors were used to investigate basic climatic characteristics, and two integrated index (i.e. relative evapotranspiration(AET/P), standard precipitation evapotranspiration index(SPEI)) were selected to reflect changes from human activities and gauge climate drought regime. Mann-Kendall mutation test was applied to identify mutation year, and variation trends were diagnosed with linear regression and distance average analysis. Mean values were tested to find if there were significant changes resulting from a large artificial reservoir constructed in 1999. Results of mutation test showed that minimum temperature, relative humidity, and AET/P in two stations changed significantly in 2000s. Temperature increased since 1990s, and other single index fluctuated in recent 50 years. Precipitation decreased and temperature increased in autumn significantly, while precipitation in summer decreased slightly. The variation of SPEI implied that the area was humid from 1980s to 2000s, but drought in 2010s. The results of mean test indicated that 56% meteorological index changed significantly, which might be related to the construction of the large reservoir. This research not only reveals the climate change in a dry-hot valley, but also helps study concerning human activities especially the construction of cascade reservoirs in the future in this area.

Exploring Sedimentary Basins with High Frequency Receiver Function: the Dublin Basin Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Licciardi, A.; Piana Agostinetti, N.

2015-12-01

The Receiver Function (RF) method is a widely applied seismological tool for the imaging of crustal and lithospheric structures beneath a single seismic station with one to tens kilometers of vertical resolution. However, detailed information about the upper crust (0-10 km depth) can also be retrieved by increasing the frequency content of the analyzed RF data-set (with a vertical resolution lower than 0.5km). This information includes depth of velocity contrasts, S-wave velocities within layers, as well as presence and location of seismic anisotropy or dipping interfaces (e.g., induced by faulting) at depth. These observables provides valuable constraints on the structural settings and properties of sedimentary basins both for scientific and industrial applications. To test the RF capabilities for this high resolution application, six broadband seismic stations have been deployed across the southwestern margin of the Dublin Basin (DB), Ireland, whose geothermal potential has been investigated in the last few years. With an inter-station distance of about 1km, this closely spaced array has been designed to provide a clear picture of the structural transition between the margin and the inner portion of the basin. In this study, a Bayesian approach is used to retrieve the posterior probability distributions of S-wave velocity at depth beneath each seismic station. A multi-frequency RF data-set is analyzed and RF and curves of apparent velocity are jointly inverted to better constrain absolute velocity variations. A pseudo 2D section is built to observe the lateral changes in elastic properties across the margin of the basin with a focus in the shallow portion of the crust. Moreover, by means of the harmonic decomposition technique, the azimuthal variations in the RF data-set are isolated and interpreted in terms of anisotropy and dipping interfaces associated with the major fault system in the area. These results are compared with the available information from previous seismic active surveys in the area, including boreholes data.

Compositional studies of Mare Moscoviense: New perspectives from Chandrayaan-1 VIS-NIR data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhatt, Megha; Wöhler, Christian; Dhingra, Deepak; Thangjam, Guneshwar; Rommel, Daniela; Mall, Urs; Bhardwaj, Anil; Grumpe, Arne

2018-03-01

Moscoviense is one of the prominent mare-filled basin on the lunar far side holding key insights about volcanic activity on the far side. Here, we present spectral and elemental maps of mare Moscoviense, using the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) and Infrared Spectrometer-2 (SIR-2) data-sets. The different mare units are mapped based on their spectral properties analyzing both quantitatively (band center, band depth) and qualitatively (Integrated Band Depth composite images), and also using their elemental compositions. We find a total of five distinct spectral units from the basin floor based on the spectral properties. Our analysis suggests that the northern part which was mapped as Iltm unit (Imbrian low Ti, low Fe) by earlier researchers is actually a distinct unit, which is different in composition and age, named as Ivltm unit (Imbrian very low Ti and very low Fe). We obtain the absolute model age of 3.2 Ga with uncertainties of +0.2/ -0.5 Ga for the unit Ivltm. The newly identified basalt unit Ivltm is compositionally intermediate to the units Im and Iltm in FeO and TiO2 abundances. We find a total of five distinct spectral units from the basin floor based on the spectral properties. The units Im (Imbrian very low Ti) from southern and northern regions of the basin floor are spectrally distinct in terms of band center position and corresponding band depths but considered a single unit based on the elemental abundance analysis. The units Ivltm and Im are consistent with a high-Al basalt composition. Our detailed analysis of the entire Moscoviense basin indicates that the concentrations of orthopyroxene, olivine, and Mg-rich spinel, named as OOS rock family are widespread and dominant at the western and southern side of the middle ring of the basin with one isolated area found on the northern side of the peak ring.

Human impacts on river water quality- comparative research in the catchment areas of the Tone River and the Mur River-

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kogure, K.

2013-12-01

Human activities in river basin affect river water quality as water discharges into river with pollutant after we use it. By detecting pollutants source, pathway, and influential factor of human activities, it will be possible to consider proper river basin management. In this study, material flow analysis was done first and then nutrient emission modeling by MONERIS was conducted. So as to clarify land use contribution and climate condition, comparison of Japanese and European river basin area has been made. The model MONERIS (MOdelling Nutrient Emissions in RIver Systems; Behrendt et al., 2000) was applied to estimate the nutrient emissions in the Danube river basin by point sources and various diffuse pathways. Work for the Mur River Basin in Austria was already carried out by the Institute of Water Quality, Resources and Waste Management at the Vienna University of Technology. This study treats data collection, modelling for the Tone River in Japan, and comparative analysis for these two river basins. The estimation of the nutrient emissions was carried out for 11 different sub catchment areas covering the Tone River Basin for the time period 2000 to 2006. TN emissions into the Tone river basin were 51 kt/y. 67% was via ground water and dominant for all sub catchments. Urban area was also important emission pathway. Human effect is observed in urban structure and agricultural activity. Water supply and sewer system make urban water cycle with pipeline structure. Excess evapotranspiration in arable land is also influential in water cycle. As share of arable land is 37% and there provides agricultural products, it is thought that N emission from agricultural activity is main pollution source. Assumption case of 10% N surplus was simulated and the result was 99% identical to the actual. Even though N surplus reduction does not show drastic impact on N emission, it is of importance to reduce excess of fertilization and to encourage effective agricultural activity. Population rate of waste water treatment is 67 % in the total catchment area. Assumption case of 100% WWT was simulated and the result suggests that connection to public sewer system with WWTP is effective potential measure. TN emission in the Tone is higher than it in the Mur. Emission per capita is almost same level for both basin areas. Though the personal pollution stresses same as European basin area, the basin has huge population and activities to support their daily life. Agricultural activity and urban structure have great impacts on N emission and on the river water quality. Possible remedy for river pollution is construction of sewer system with waste water treatment. Agricultural activity is potential betterment factor. Comparison of Mur, Tone and assumption cases

Comparative study of carbonic anhydrase activity in waters among different geological eco-environments of Yangtze River basin and its ecological significance.

PubMed

Nzung'a, Sila Onesmus; Pan, Weizhi; Shen, Taiming; Li, Wei; Qin, Xiaoqun; Wang, Chenwei; Zhang, Liankai; Yu, Longjiang

2018-04-01

This study provides the presence of carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity in waters of the Yangtze River basin, China, as well as the correlation of CA activity with HCO 3 - concentration and CO 2 sink flux. Different degrees of CA activity could be detected in almost all of the water samples from different geological eco-environments in all four seasons. The CA activity of water samples from karst areas was significantly higher than from non-karst areas (PP3 - concentration (r=0.672, P2 sink flux (r=0.602, P=0.076) in karst areas. This suggests that CA in waters might have a promoting effect on carbon sinks for atmospheric CO 2 in karst river basins. In conditions of similar geological type, higher CA activity was generally detected in water samples taken from areas that exhibited better eco-environments, implying that the CA activity index of waters could be used as an indicator for monitoring ecological environments and protection of river basins. These findings suggest that the role of CA in waters in the karst carbon sink potential of river basins is worthy of further in-depth studies. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Variability in warm-season atmospheric circulation and precipitation patterns over subtropical South America: relationships between the South Atlantic convergence zone and large-scale organized convection over the La Plata basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattingly, Kyle S.; Mote, Thomas L.

2017-01-01

Warm-season precipitation variability over subtropical South America is characterized by an inverse relationship between the South Atlantic convergence zone (SACZ) and precipitation over the central and western La Plata basin of southeastern South America. This study extends the analysis of this "South American Seesaw" precipitation dipole to relationships between the SACZ and large, long-lived mesoscale convective systems (LLCSs) over the La Plata basin. By classifying SACZ events into distinct continental and oceanic categories and building a logistic regression model that relates LLCS activity across the region to continental and oceanic SACZ precipitation, a detailed account of spatial variability in the out-of-phase coupling between the SACZ and large-scale organized convection over the La Plata basin is provided. Enhanced precipitation in the continental SACZ is found to result in increased LLCS activity over northern, northeastern, and western sections of the La Plata basin, in association with poleward atmospheric moisture flux from the Amazon basin toward these regions, and a decrease in the probability of LLCS occurrence over the southeastern La Plata basin. Increased oceanic SACZ precipitation, however, was strongly related to reduced atmospheric moisture and decreased probability of LLCS occurrence over nearly the entire La Plata basin. These results suggest that continental SACZ activity and large-scale organized convection over the northern and eastern sections of the La Plata basin are closely tied to atmospheric moisture transport from the Amazon basin, while the warm coastal Brazil Current may also play an important role as an evaporative moisture source for LLCSs over the central and western La Plata basin.

Estuarine Channel Evolution in Response to Closure of Secondary Basins: An Observational and Morphodynamic Modeling Study of the Western Scheldt Estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nnafie, A.; Van Oyen, T.; De Maerschalck, B.; van der Vegt, M.; Wegen, M. van der

2018-01-01

The fringes of estuaries are often characterized by the presence of side embayments (secondary basins), with dimensions in the order of hundreds of meters to tens of kilometers. The presence of secondary basins significantly alters the hydrodynamic and sediment characteristics in the main estuary, implying that loss of secondary basin area due to human interventions might affect the estuarine morphodynamics. Analysis of historical bathymetric data of the Western Scheldt Estuary (Netherlands) suggests that closure of its secondary basins has triggered the observed lateral displacement of the nearby channels. This analysis motivated investigation of the impact of secondary basins on decadal evolution of estuarine channels, using the numerical model Delft3D. Model results show that channels that form near a secondary basin are located farther away from the bank of the estuary with respect to their positions in the case without a basin. Overall, results in cases with two or three basins are similar to those in case with one single basin. The wider the basin, the farther away the nearby channel forms. Removing a secondary basin causes a lateral displacement of the nearby channel toward the bank, indicating that the observed lateral displacement of channels in the Western Scheldt is triggered by closure of its secondary basins. The physical explanation is that tidal currents in the main estuary are weaker and more rotary near secondary basins, favoring sediment deposition and shoal development at these locations. Model results are particularly relevant for estuaries with moderate to high friction and converging width.

Geochronological correlation of the main coal interval in Brazilian Lower Permian: Radiometric dating of tonstein and calibration of biostratigraphic framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simas, Margarete Wagner; Guerra-Sommer, Margot; Cazzulo-Klepzig, Miriam; Menegat, Rualdo; Schneider Santos, João Orestes; Fonseca Ferreira, José Alcides; Degani-Schmidt, Isabela

2012-11-01

The radiometric age of 291 ± 1.2 Ma obtained through single-crystal zircon U-Pb ages (Sensitive High Resolution Ion MicroProbe - SHRIMP II) of tonsteins from the Leão-Butiá Coalfield, southern Paraná Basin (Rio Grande do Sul state), associated with previous SHRIMP II radiometric data obtained from tonsteins from the western (Candiota Coalfield) and eastern (Faxinal and Leão-Butiá coalfields) borders of the basin indicate that the mean age of the main peat-forming interval is 291.0 ± 1.3 Ma. In a regional context, the mean age represents a consistent geochronological correlation for the uppermost and more important coal seams in southern Brazilian coalfields, but this assumption does not establish an ash fall origin from a single volcanic event. According to the International Stratigraphic Chart, the interval is dated as middle Sakmarian. The coal palynofloras are included in the Protohaploxypinus goraiensis Subzone within the palynostratigraphic framework for the Brazilian Paraná Basin. Formal relationships are also established with the Glossopteris-Rhodeopteridium Zone within the phytostratigraphic chart for the Lower Permian of southern Brazilian Paraná Basin.

Assessing the efficacy of single-pass backpack electrofishing to characterize fish community structure

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meador, M.R.; McIntyre, J.P.; Pollock, K.H.

2003-01-01

Two-pass backpack electrofishing data collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program were analyzed to assess the efficacy of single-pass backpack electrofishing. A two-capture removal model was used to estimate, within 10 river basins across the United States, proportional fish species richness from one-pass electrofishing and probabilities of detection for individual fish species. Mean estimated species richness from first-pass sampling (ps1) ranged from 80.7% to 100% of estimated total species richness for each river basin, based on at least seven samples per basin. However, ps1 values for individual sites ranged from 40% to 100% of estimated total species richness. Additional species unique to the second pass were collected in 50.3% of the samples. Of these, cyprinids and centrarchids were collected most frequently. Proportional fish species richness estimated for the first pass increased significantly with decreasing stream width for 1 of the 10 river basins. When used to calculate probabilities of detection of individual fish species, the removal model failed 48% of the time because the number of individuals of a species was greater in the second pass than in the first pass. Single-pass backpack electrofishing data alone may make it difficult to determine whether characterized fish community structure data are real or spurious. The two-pass removal model can be used to assess the effectiveness of sampling species richness with a single electrofishing pass. However, the two-pass removal model may have limited utility to determine probabilities of detection of individual species and, thus, limit the ability to assess the effectiveness of single-pass sampling to characterize species relative abundances. Multiple-pass (at least three passes) backpack electrofishing at a large number of sites may not be cost-effective as part of a standardized sampling protocol for large-geographic-scale studies. However, multiple-pass electrofishing at some sites may be necessary to better evaluate the adequacy of single-pass electrofishing and to help make meaningful interpretations of fish community structure.

Formation and inversion of transtensional basins in the western part of the Lachlan Fold Belt, Australia, with emphasis on the Cobar Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glen, R. A.

The Palaeozoic history of the western part of the Lachlan Fold Belt in New South Wales was dominated by strike-slip tectonics. In the latest Silurian to late Early Devonian, an area of crust >25,000 km 2 lying west of the Gilmore Suture underwent regional sinistral transtension, leading to the development of intracratonic successor basins, troughs and flanking shelves. The volcaniclastic deep-water Mount Hope Trough and Rast Trough, the siliciclastic Cobar Basin and the volcanic-rich Canbelego-Mineral Hill Belt of the Kopyje Shelf all were initiated around the Siluro-Devonian boundary. They all show clear evidence of having evolved by both active syn-rift processes and passive later post-rift (sag-phase) processes. Active syn-rift faulting is best documented for the Cobar Basin and Mount Hope Trough. In the former case, the synchronous activity on several fault sets suggests that the basin formed by sinistral transtension in response to a direction of maximum extension oriented NE-SW. Structures formed during inversion of the Cobar Basin and Canbelego-Mineral Hill Belt indicate closure under a dextral transpressive strain regime, with a far-field direction of maximum shortening oriented NE-SW. In the Cobar Basin, shortening was partitioned into two structural zones. A high-strain zone in the east was developed into a positive half-flower structure by re-activation of early faults and by formation of short-cut thrusts, some with strike-slip movement, above an inferred steep strike-slip fault. Intense subvertical cleavage, a steep extension lineation and variably plunging folds are also present. A lower-strain zone to the west developed by syn-depositional faults being activated as thrusts soling into a gently dipping detachment. A subvertical cleavage and steep extension lineation are locally present, and variably plunging folds are common. Whereas Siluro-Devonian basin-opening appeared to be synchronous in the western part of the fold belt, the different period of basin inversion in the Cobar region (late Early Devonian and Carboniferous) may reflect different movement histories on the master strike-slip faults in this part of the fold belt, the Gilmore Suture and Kiewa Fault.

Diazinon and chlorpyrifos loads in the San Joaquin River basin, California, January and February 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kratzer, Charles R.; Zamora, Celia; Knifong, Donna L.

2002-01-01

The application of diazinon and chlorpyrifos on dormant orchards in 2000 in the San Joaquin River Basin was less than 21 percent of application in 1993 and 1994. A total of 13 sites were sampled weekly during nonstorm periods and more frequently during two storm periods. The sites included five major river and eight minor tributary sites. The highest concentrations of diazinon and chlorpyrifos occurred during the storm periods. Four samples from major river sites (Tuolumne River and two San Joaquin River sites) had diazinon concentrations greater than 0.08 microgram per liter, the concentration being considered by the state of California as its criterion maximum concentration for the protection of aquatic habitat. One sample from a major river site (San Joaquin River) exceeded the equivalent State guideline of 0.02 microgram per liter for chlorpyrifos. At the eight minor tributary sites, 24 samples exceeded the diazinon guideline and four samples exceeded the chlorpyrifos guideline. The total diazinon load in the San Joaquin River near Vernalis during January and February 2000 was 19.6 pounds active ingredient; of this, 8.17 pounds active ingredient was transported during two storms. In 1994, 27.4 pounds active ingredient was transported during two storms. The total chlorpyrifos load in the San Joaquin River near Vernalis during January and February 2000 was 5.68 pounds active ingredient; of this, 2.17 pounds active ingredient was transported during the two storms. During the frequently sampled February 2000 storm, the main sources of diazinon in the San Joaquin River Basin were the San Joaquin River near Stevinson Basin (25 percent), Tuolumne River Basin (14 percent), and the Stanislaus River Basin (10 percent). The main sources of chlorpyrifos in the San Joaquin River Basin were the San Joaquin River near Stevinson Basin (17 percent), Tuolumne River Basin (13 percent), and the Merced River Basin (11 percent). The total January and February diazinon load in the San Joaquin River near Vernalis was 0.17 percent of dormant application; total January and February chlorpyrifos load was 0.16 percent of dormant application.

Extreme multi-basin flooding linked with extra-tropical cyclones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Luca, Paolo; Hillier, John K.; Wilby, Robert L.; Quinn, Nevil W.; Harrigan, Shaun

2017-11-01

Fluvial floods are typically investigated as ‘events’ at the single basin-scale, hence flood management authorities may underestimate the threat of flooding across multiple basins driven by large-scale and nearly concurrent atmospheric event(s). We pilot a national-scale statistical analysis of the spatio-temporal characteristics of extreme multi-basin flooding (MBF) episodes, using peak river flow data for 260 basins in Great Britain (1975-2014), a sentinel region for storms impacting northwest and central Europe. During the most widespread MBF episode, 108 basins (~46% of the study area) recorded annual maximum (AMAX) discharge within a 16 day window. Such episodes are associated with persistent cyclonic and westerly atmospheric circulations, atmospheric rivers, and precipitation falling onto previously saturated ground, leading to hydrological response times <40 h and documented flood impacts. Furthermore, peak flows tend to occur after 0-13 days of very severe gales causing combined and spatially-distributed, yet differentially time-lagged, wind and flood damages. These findings have implications for emergency responders, insurers and contingency planners worldwide.

Water-quality assessment of the Albermarle-Pamlico drainage basin, North Carolina and Virginia; a summary of selected trace element, nutrient, and pesticide data for bed sediments, 1969-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Skrobialowski, S.C.

1996-01-01

Spatial distributions of metals and trace elements, nutrients, and pesticides and polychiorinated biphenyls (PCB's) in bed sediment were characterized using data collected from 1969 through 1990 and stored in the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Data Storage and Retrieval (WATSTORE) system and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Storage and Retrieval (STORET) system databases. Bed-sediment data from WATSTORE and STORET were combined to form a single database of 1,049 records representing 301 sites. Data were examined for concentrations of 16 metals and trace elements, 4 nutrients, 10 pesticides, and PCB's. Maximum bed-sediment concentrations were evaluated relative to sediment-quality guidelines developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Sites were not selected randomly; therefore, results should not be interpreted as representing average conditions. Many sites were located in or around lakes and reservoirs, urban areas, and areas where special investigations were conducted. Lakes and reservoirs function as effective sediment traps, and elevated concentrations of some constituents occurred at these sites. High concentrations of many metals and trace elements also occurred near urban areas where streams receive runoff or inputs from industrial, residential, and municipal activities. Elevated nutrient concentrations occurred near lakes, reservoirs, and the mouths of major rivers. The highest concentrations of arsenic, beryllium, chromium, iron. mercury, nickel, and selenium occurred in the Roanoke River Basin and may be a result of geologic formations or accumulations of bed sediment in lakes and reservoirs. The highest concentrations of cadmium, lead, and thallium were detected in the Chowan River Basin; copper and zinc were reported highest in the Neuse River Basin. Total phosphorus and total ammonia plus organic nitrogen concentrations exceeded the sediment evaluation guidelines in each major river basin, possibly resulting from wastewater inputs and agricultural applications. Exceedances of pesticide guidelines were detected in the upper Neuse River Basin near Falls Lake and in the lower Tar River Basin.

A new plate tectonic concept for the eastern-most Mediterranean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huebscher, C.; McGrandle, A.; Scaife, G.; Spoors, R.; Stieglitz, T.

2012-04-01

Owing to the seismogenic faults bordering the Levant-Sinai realm and the discovery of giant gas reservoirs in the marine Levant Basin the scientific interest in this tectonically complex setting increased in recent years. Here we provide a new model for the Levant Basin architecture and adjacent plate boundaries emphasizing the importance of industrial seismic data for frontier research in earth science. PSDM seismics, residual gravity and depth to basement maps give a clear line of evidence that the Levant Basin, formerly considered as a single tectonic entity, is divided into two different domains. Highly stretched continental crust in the southern domain is separated from deeper and presumably Tethyan oceanic crust in the north. A transform continuing from southwest Cyprus to the Carmel Fault in northern Israel is considered as the boundary. If this interpretation holds, the Carmel-Cyprus Transform represents a yet unknown continent-ocean boundary in the eastern Mediterranean, thus adding new constrains for the Mediterranean plate tectonic puzzle. The Eratosthenes Seamount, considered as the spearhead of incipient continental collision in the eastern Mediterranean, is interpreted as a carbonate platform that developed above a volcanic basement. NW-SE trending strike-slip faults are abundant in the entire Levant region. Since this trend also shapes the topography of the Levant hinterland including Quaternary deposits their recent tectonic activity is quite likely. Thus, our study supports previous studies which attributed the evolution of submarine canyons and Holocene triggering of mass failures not only to salt tectonics or depositional processes, but also to active plate-tectonics.

Molecular Evidences of a Hidden Complex Scenario in Leporinus cf. friderici

PubMed Central

Silva-Santos, Rosane; Ramirez, Jorge L.; Galetti, Pedro M.; Freitas, Patrícia D.

2018-01-01

The megadiversity of the neotropical ichthyofauna has been associated to recent diversification processes, reflecting in subtle or lacking morphological differentiation between species, challenging the classical taxonomic identification. Leporinus friderici occurs in several river basins of South America, and its nominal taxonomic validity has been questioned. Its wide distribution within the Brazilian Shield suggests that this species could be genetically structured among the hydrographic basins, despite a sharp morphological similarity. In this study, we performed phylogenetic analyses, based on three nuclear (recombination activating gene 1, RAG1, recombination activating gene 2, RAG2, and myosin heavy chain 6 cardiac muscle alpha gene, Myh6) and two mitochondrial (COI and Cytochrome b, Cytb) markers, in specimens morphologically similar to L. friderici and related species from different hydrographic basins in South America. Our phylogenetic tree identified four well-supported clades, which point out to the existence of taxonomic inconsistencies within this fish group. A clade named L. cf. friderici sensu stricto included eight Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units recently diversified in the Brazilian Shield basins. These results were also confirmed by a single-gene species delimitation analysis. It is suggested that this clade includes a species complex, characterizing taxonomic uncertainties. Another clade recovered only L. friderici from the Suriname rivers, validating this nominal species in its type locality. A third no-named clade, characterized by deeper species divergence, recovered five different nominal species interleaved with other undescribed forms previously also recognized as L. cf. friderici, indicating taxonomic errors. The fourth clade only included L. taeniatus. Our results showed a complex scenario involving the morphotype L. cf. friderici and allowed us to address aspects related to evolutionary diversification of this fish group and historical processes involved with, highlighting the importance of revealing hidden biodiversity for the taxonomy and conservationist action plans of these fish. PMID:29497440

Estimates of (239+240)Pu inventories in Gdańsk Bay and Gdańsk basin.

PubMed

Skwarzec, Bogdan; Strumińska, Dagmara I; Prucnal, Małgorzata

2003-01-01

This paper presents and discusses the results of (239+240)Pu determinations in different components of Gdańsk bay and Gdańsk basin ecosystem, as well as estimated sources and inventories of plutonium in these basins. The total plutonium (239+240)Pu activities deposited in Gdańsk bay and Gdańsk basin sediments are 1.18 TBq and 3.77 TBq, respectively. Two rivers, the Vistula and Neman rivers, and atmospheric fallout were distinguished as the main sources of plutonium in these basins. In seawater (with suspended matter included) there is about 2.33 GBq (239+240)Pu (0.2% of total activity) in Gdańsk bay and 9.92 GBq (239+240)Pu (0.3% of total activity) in Gdańsk basin. In both cases, 56% of (239+240)Pu is associated with suspended matter. Organisms contain 3.81 MBq in Gdańsk bay and 7.45 MBq (239+240)Pu in Gdańsk basin. From this value in Gdańsk bay 82.1% of plutonium is associated with zoobenthos, 13.6% with phytobenthos, 1.6% with phytoplankton, 1.5% with zooplankton and 1.2% with fish. In Gdańsk basin, 83.2% is associated with zoobenthos, 7.5% with phytobenthos, 3.6% with phytoplankton, 3.2% with zooplankton and 2.5% with fish.

Basement Structure and Styles of Active Tectonic Deformation in Central Interior Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dixit, N.; Hanks, C.

2017-12-01

Central Interior Alaska is one of the most seismically active regions in North America, exhibiting a high concentration of intraplate earthquakes approximately 700 km away from the southern Alaska subduction zone. Based on increasing seismological evidence, intraplate seismicity in the region does not appear to be uniformly distributed, but concentrated in several discrete seismic zones, including the Nenana basin and the adjacent Tanana basin. Recent seismological and neotectonics data further suggests that these seismic zones operate within a field of predominantly pure shear driven primarily by north-south crustal shortening. Although the location and magnitude of the seismic activity in both basins are well defined by a network of seismic stations in the region, the tectonic controls on intraplate earthquakes and the heterogeneous nature of Alaska's continental interior remain poorly understood. We investigated the current crustal architecture and styles of tectonic deformation of the Nenana and Tanana basins using existing geological, geophysical and geochronological datasets. The results of our study demonstrate that the basements of the basins show strong crustal heterogeneity. The Tanana basin is a relatively shallow (up to 2 km) asymmetrical foreland basin with its southern, deeper side controlled by the northern foothills of the central Alaska Range. Northeast-trending strike-slip faults within the Tanana basin are interpreted as a zone of clockwise crustal block rotation. The Nenana basin has a fundamentally different geometry; it is a deep (up to 8 km), narrow transtensional pull-apart basin that is deforming along the left-lateral Minto Fault. This study identifies two distinct modes of tectonic deformation in central Interior Alaska at present, and provides a basis for modeling the interplay between intraplate stress fields and major structural features that potentially influence the generation of intraplate earthquakes in the region.

Recent Geological and Hydrological Activity in Amazonis and Elysium Basins and Their Link, Marte Valles (AME): Prime Target for Future Reconnaissance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dohm, J. M.; Robbins, S. J.; Hynek, B. M.

2012-03-01

Amazonis and Elysium basins and their link, Marte Vallis (AME), uniquely point to a geologically and hydrologically active Mars. We will present evidence for why AME reconnaissance can help address whether Mars is geologically, hydrologically, and biologically active.

Beyond water, beyond boundaries: spaces of water management in the Krishna river basin, South India.

PubMed

Venot, Jean-Philippe; Bharati, Luna; Giordano, Mark; Molle, François

2011-01-01

As demand and competition for water resources increase, the river basin has become the primary unit for water management and planning. While appealing in principle, practical implementation of river basin management and allocation has often been problematic. This paper examines the case of the Krishna basin in South India. It highlights that conflicts over basin water are embedded in a broad reality of planning and development where multiple scales of decisionmaking and non-water issues are at play. While this defines the river basin as a disputed "space of dependence", the river basin has yet to acquire a social reality. It is not yet a "space of engagement" in and for which multiple actors take actions. This explains the endurance of an interstate dispute over the sharing of the Krishna waters and sets limits to what can be achieved through further basin water allocation and adjudication mechanisms – tribunals – that are too narrowly defined. There is a need to extend the domain of negotiation from that of a single river basin to multiple scales and to non-water sectors. Institutional arrangements for basin management need to internalise the political spaces of the Indian polity: the states and the panchayats. This re-scaling process is more likely to shape the river basin as a space of engagement in which partial agreements can be iteratively renegotiated, and constitute a promising alternative to the current interstate stalemate.

Stretching factors in Cenozoic multi-rift basins, western Gulf of Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaewkor, Chanida; Watkinson, Ian

2017-04-01

The Gulf of Thailand (GoT) is the biggest petroleum producing province in Thailand. It is separated by the north-south trending Ko Kra Ridge into two main parts: the Western Area and Basinal Area. A series of horsts and grabens formed by north-south oriented extensional faults subdivides the GoT into a number of basins. The two major basins, Pattani and North Malay, are located in the Basinal Area that contains the main oil and gas fields. The Western Area comprises several smaller and shallower basins but has nonetheless resulted in commercial successes, including oil fields such as Nang Nuan (Chumphon Basin), Bualuang (Western Basin) and Songkhla (Songkhla Basin). The GoT is one of several unusual Cenozoic basins within Sundaland, the continental core of SE Asia. These basins have previously been characterized by multiple distinct phases of extension and inversion, rapid post-rift subsidence, association with low-angle normal faults; and are set within hot, thin crust similar to the Basin and Range province, but surrounded by active plate boundaries. The extensional faults systems play a major role in petroleum accumulation during syn-rift and post-rift phases in this area. This paper utilises well data and 3D seismic data from the Songkhla and Western basins of the western GoT. Structural balancing and restoration techniques are used to investigate the rate of extension and the effect on tectonostratigraphy. The basins are younger to the north, the Western basin was opened in Upper Oligocene to Lower Miocene. Stretching factors of the Western basin is approximately 1.1-1.2. Songkhla basin is the oldest basin that initial rift started in Eocene. The basin is dominated by major structures; western border fault, compressional structures related reactivated inversion fault, and inter-basinal faults. There are two main phases of tectonic activity; 1) Rifting phase which can be divided into three sub-extensional phase; Eocene, Oligocene, Lower Miocene. 2) Post-rift and subsidence from Middle Miocene to Recent. Stretching factors of Songkhla basin is approximately 1.2-1.4.

Sedimentary architecture of a Plio-Pleistocene proto-back-arc basin: Wanganui Basin, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Proust, Jean-Noël; Lamarche, Geoffroy; Nodder, Scott; Kamp, Peter J. J.

2005-11-01

The sedimentary architecture of active margin basins, including back-arc basins, is known only from a few end-members that barely illustrate the natural diversity of such basins. Documenting more of these basins types is the key to refining our understanding of the tectonic evolution of continental margins. This paper documents the sedimentary architecture of an incipient back-arc basin 200 km behind the active Hikurangi subduction margin, North Island, New Zealand. The Wanganui Basin (WB) is a rapidly subsiding, Plio-Pleistocene sedimentary basin located at the southern termination of the extensional back-arc basin of the active Central Volcanic Region (TVZ). The WB is asymmetric with a steep, thrust-faulted, outer (arc-ward) margin and a gentle inner (craton-ward) margin. It contains a 4-km-thick succession of Plio-Pleistocene sediments, mostly lying offshore, composed of shelf platform sediments. It lacks the late molasse-like deposits derived from erosion of a subaerial volcanic arc and basement observed in classical back-arc basins. Detailed seismic stratigraphic interpretations from an extensive offshore seismic reflection data grid show that the sediment fill comprises two basin-scale mega-sequences: (1) a Pliocene (3.8 to 1.35 Ma), sub-parallel, regressive "pre-growth" sequence that overtops the uplifted craton-ward margin above the reverse Taranaki Fault, and (2) a Pleistocene (1.35 Ma to present), divergent, transgressive, "syn-growth" sequence that onlaps: (i) the craton-ward high to the west, and (ii) uplifted basement blocks associated with the high-angle reverse faults of the arc-ward margin to the east. Along strike, the sediments offlap first progressively southward (mega-sequence 1) and then southeastward (mega-sequence 2), with sediment transport funnelled between the craton- and arc-ward highs, towards the Hikurangi Trough through the Cook Strait. The change in offlap direction corresponds to the onset of arc-ward thrust faulting and the rise of the Axial Ranges at ca 1.75 Ma, resulting in 5100-5700 m of differential subsidence across the fault system. Sedimentation has propagated south- to southeast-ward over the last 4 Myrs at the tip of successive back-arc graben, volcanic arcs and the associated thermally uplifted parts of the North Island, following the southward migration of the Hikurangi subduction margin. Subsidence occurred by mantle flow-driven flexure, the result of active down-drag of the lithosphere by locking of the Hikurangi subduction interface and sediment loading. The WB is considered to be a proto-back-arc basin that represents the intermediate stage of evolution of an epicratonic shelf platform, impacted by active margin processes.

Proceedings from a Workshop on Ecological Carrying Capacity of Salmonids in the Columbia River Basin : Measure 7.1A of the Northwest Power Planning Council`s 1994 Fish and Wildlife Program : Report 3 of 4, Final Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Gary E.; Neitzel, D.A.; Mavros, William V.

1996-05-01

This report contains the proceedings of a workshop held during 1995 in Portland, Oregon. The objective of the workshop was to assemble a group of experts that could help us define carrying capacity for Columbia River Basin salmonids. The workshop was one activity designed to answer the questions asked in Measure 7.1A of the Council`s Fish and Wildlife Program. Based, in part, on the information we learned during the workshop we concluded that the approach inherent in 7.1A will not increase understanding of ecology, carrying capacity, or limiting factors that influence salmon under current conditions. Measure 7.1A requires a definitionmore » of carrying capacity and a list of determinants (limiting factors) of capacity. The implication or inference then follows that by asking what we know and do not know about the determinants will lead to research that increases our understanding of what is limiting salmon survival. It is then assumed that research results will point to management actions that can remove or repair the limiting factors. Most ecologists and fisheries scientists that have studied carrying capacity clearly conclude that this approach is an oversimplification of complex ecological processes. To pursue the capacity parameter, that is, a single number or set of numbers that quantify how many salmon the basin or any part of the basin can support, is meaningless by itself and will not provide useful information.« less

Monitoring fossil fuel sources of methane in Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loh, Zoe; Etheridge, David; Luhar, Ashok; Hibberd, Mark; Thatcher, Marcus; Noonan, Julie; Thornton, David; Spencer, Darren; Gregory, Rebecca; Jenkins, Charles; Zegelin, Steve; Leuning, Ray; Day, Stuart; Barrett, Damian

2017-04-01

CSIRO has been active in identifying and quantifying methane emissions from a range of fossil fuel sources in Australia over the past decade. We present here a history of the development of our work in this domain. While we have principally focused on optimising the use of long term, fixed location, high precision monitoring, paired with both forward and inverse modelling techniques suitable either local or regional scales, we have also incorporated mobile ground surveys and flux calculations from plumes in some contexts. We initially developed leak detection methodologies for geological carbon storage at a local scale using a Bayesian probabilistic approach coupled to a backward Lagrangian particle dispersion model (Luhar et al. JGR, 2014), and single point monitoring with sector analysis (Etheridge et al. In prep.) We have since expanded our modelling techniques to regional scales using both forward and inverse approaches to constrain methane emissions from coal mining and coal seam gas (CSG) production. The Surat Basin (Queensland, Australia) is a region of rapidly expanding CSG production, in which we have established a pair of carefully located, well-intercalibrated monitoring stations. These data sets provide an almost continuous record of (i) background air arriving at the Surat Basin, and (ii) the signal resulting from methane emissions within the Basin, i.e. total downwind methane concentration (comprising emissions including natural geological seeps, agricultural and biogenic sources and fugitive emissions from CSG production) minus background or upwind concentration. We will present our latest results on monitoring from the Surat Basin and their application to estimating methane emissions.

Small-Scale Trials Suggest Increasing Applications of Natular™ XRT and Natular™ T30 Larvicide Tablets May Not Improve Mosquito Reduction in Some Catch Basins

PubMed Central

Harbison, Justin E.; Henry, Marlon; Corcoran, Peter C.; Zazra, Dave; Xamplas, Christopher

2016-01-01

Stormwater catch basins are commonly treated with larvicides by mosquito control agencies to reduce local populations of mosquito species capable of transmitting West Nile virus. Recent evidence suggests that extended-release larvicides formulated to last up to 180 days in catch basins may not be effective in some basins due to chronic flushing, rapid dissolution, or burying of treatment in sump debris. To investigate if increasing the number of applications could improve effectiveness, a small study was performed over 13 weeks in 2015 to evaluate two extended-release larvicides (Natular™ XRT 180-day tablets and Natular™ T30 30-day tablets) and a larvicide oil (CocoBear™). Over the course of 13 weeks, three groups of eight basins were monitored for mosquitoes, each group receiving Natular™ XRT, Natular™ T30, or CocoBear™ larvicides. All basins received a single application at the beginning of the study period. Once mosquitoes in a basin surpassed the treatment threshold during weekly monitoring, an additional application of the associated larvicide was given to that basin. The number of applications during the study period ranged from 1 to 10 for CocoBear™ basins, 1 to 7 for T30 basins, and 2 to 8 for XRT basins. Overall, the average number of applications and the cost of larvicide per basin were 4.4 applications at $0.66 per Coco-Bear™ basin, 4.4 applications at $6.26 per T30 basin, and 4 applications at $16.56 per XRT basin. Basins treated with XRT and T30 needed reapplications more often than expected, yet were no more effective than CocoBear™, suggesting that increasing the frequency of application of these larvicide formulations may not provide increased mosquito reduction in some basins. PMID:26792998

Hydrogeologic Framework of the Salt Basin, New Mexico and Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritchie, A. B.; Phillips, F. M.

2010-12-01

The Salt Basin is a closed drainage basin located in southeastern New Mexico (Otero, Chaves, and Eddy Counties), and northwestern Texas (Hudspeth, Culberson, Jeff Davis, and Presidio Counties), which can be divided into a northern and a southern system. Since the 1950s, extensive groundwater withdrawals have been associated with agricultural irrigation in the Dell City, Texas region, just south of the New Mexico-Texas border. Currently, there are three major applications over the appropriations of groundwater in the Salt Basin. Despite these factors, relatively little is known about the recharge rates and storage capacity of the basin, and the estimates that do exist are highly variable. The Salt Basin groundwater system was declared by the New Mexico State Engineer during 2002 in an attempt to regulate and control growing interest in the groundwater resources of the basin. In order to help guide long-term management strategies, a conceptual model of groundwater flow in the Salt Basin was developed by reconstructing the tectonic forcings that have affected the basin during its formation, and identifying the depositional environments that formed and the resultant distribution of facies. The tectonic history of the Salt Basin can be divided into four main periods: a) Pennsylvanian-to-Early Permian, b) Mid-to-Late Permian, c) Late Cretaceous, and d) Tertiary-to-Quaternary. Pennsylvanian-to-Permian structural features affected deposition throughout the Permian, resulting in three distinct hydrogeologic facies: basin, shelf-margin, and shelf. Permian shelf facies rocks form the primary aquifer within the northern Salt Basin, although minor aquifers occur in Cretaceous rocks and Tertiary-to-Quaternary alluvium. Subsequent tectonic activity during the Late Cretaceous resulted in the re-activation of many of the earlier structures. Tertiary-to-Quaternary Basin-and-Range extension produced the current physiographic form of the basin.

Crustal characteristic variation in the central Yamato Basin, Japan Sea back-arc basin, deduced from seismic survey results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Takeshi; No, Tetsuo; Miura, Seiichi; Kodaira, Shuichi

2018-02-01

The crustal structure of the Yamato Bank, the central Yamato Basin, and the continental shelf in the southern Japan Sea back-arc basin is obtained based on a seismic survey using ocean bottom seismographs and seismic shot to elucidate the back-arc basin formation processes. The central Yamato Basin can be divided into three domains based on the crustal structure: the deep basin, the seamount, and the transition domains. In the deep basin domain, the crust without the sedimentary layer is about 12-13 km thick. Very few units have P-wave velocity of 5.4-6.0 km/s, which corresponds to the continental upper crust. In the seamount and transition domains, the crust without the sedimentary layer is about 12-16 km thick. The P-wave velocities of the upper and lower crusts differs among the deep basin, the seamount, and the transition domains. These results indicate that the central Yamato Basin displays crustal variability in different domains. The crust of the deep basin domain is oceanic in nature and suggests advanced back-arc basin development. The seamount domain might have been affected by volcanic activity after basin opening. In the transition domain, the crust comprises mixed characters of continental and oceanic crust. This crustal variation might represent the influence of different processes in the central Yamato Basin, suggesting that crustal development was influenced not only by back-arc opening processes but also by later volcanic activity. In the Yamato Bank and continental shelf, the upper crust has thickness of about 17-18 km and P-wave velocities of 3.3-4.1 to 6.6 km/s. The Yamato Bank and the continental shelf suggest a continental crustal character.

Data-driven modeling of background and mine-related acidity and metals in river basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friedel, Michael J

2013-01-01

A novel application of self-organizing map (SOM) and multivariate statistical techniques is used to model the nonlinear interaction among basin mineral-resources, mining activity, and surface-water quality. First, the SOM is trained using sparse measurements from 228 sample sites in the Animas River Basin, Colorado. The model performance is validated by comparing stochastic predictions of basin-alteration assemblages and mining activity at 104 independent sites. The SOM correctly predicts (>98%) the predominant type of basin hydrothermal alteration and presence (or absence) of mining activity. Second, application of the Davies–Bouldin criteria to k-means clustering of SOM neurons identified ten unique environmental groups. Median statistics of these groups define a nonlinear water-quality response along the spatiotemporal hydrothermal alteration-mining gradient. These results reveal that it is possible to differentiate among the continuum between inputs of background and mine-related acidity and metals, and it provides a basis for future research and empirical model development.

Digital single-channel seismic-reflection data from western Santa Monica basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Normark, William R.; Piper, David J.W.; Sliter, Ray W.; Triezenberg, Peter; Gutmacher, Christina E.

2006-01-01

During a collaborative project in 1992, Geological Survey of Canada and United States Geological Survey scientists obtained about 850 line-km of high-quality single-channel boomer and sleeve-gun seismic-reflection profiles across Hueneme, Mugu and Dume submarine fans, Santa Monica Basin, off southern California. The goals of this work were to better understand the processes that lead to the formation of sandy submarine fans and the role of sea-level changes in controlling fan development. This report includes a trackline map of the area surveyed, as well as images of the sleeve-gun profiles and the opportunity to download both images and digital data files (SEG-Y) of all the sleeve-gun profiles.

Tectonic constraints on the development and individualization of the intermontane Ronda basin (external Betics, southern Spain): a structural and geomorphologic approach.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiménez-Bonilla, Alejandro; Balanyá, Juan Carlos; Expósito, Inmaculada; Díaz-Azpiroz, Manuel; Barcos, Leticia

2014-05-01

As a result of progressive shortening and orogenic wedge thickening, marine foreland basins tend to emerge and divide. We have analyzed possible recent tectonic activity within the late evolution stage of the Ronda basin, an intermontane basin located in the external wedge of the Gibraltar Arc, formerly connected with the Betic foreland basin and infilled by marine Upper-Miocene sediments. We analyze (1) the structures responsible for the basinward relief drop along the arc strike and the different topography of their boundaries; (2) qualitative and quantitative geomorphologic indices to asses which structures could present recent activity; and 3) the structures causing the division of the former Betic foreland basin and the isolation of the Ronda basin. Within the deformational history of the Ronda basin, late structures that control high topographic gradients and generate remarkable fault scarps group into three main types: (a) Extensional structures represented by NW-SE striking normal faults, clustered close to the current SW and NE boundaries of the basin. They usually dip towards the basin and their vertical displacement is maximum up to 1,5 km. These structures partially affect the basal unconformity of the Upper Miocene basin infill and are scarcely developed inside the basin infill. (b) Shortening structures developed both in the basin infill and in the outcropping basement near the Northeastern and Southwestern basin boundaries. They are represented by NE-SW directed plurikilometric box-folds and reverse faults, responsible for the alternation of sierras (altitudes 1000-1500 m) and valleys. (c) Strike-slip dominated structural associations where WSW-ENE lateral faults combined with folds and normal and reverse faults defined a NE-SW directed deformation band constituting the NW basin boundary. This band includes some sierras up to 1.100 m. Regarding the relief of the Ronda basin area, the abrupt slopes of the outcropping basement (heights between 500-1500 m) contrast with the relief inside the basin, a relative low-lying relief varying between 400 and 700 m. The drainage network is dendritic, although some 2nd-3rd order streams show a significant deviation to NW-SE , probably controlled by normal faults. The calculated geomorphologic indices (SLk, Vf, Smf) show anomaly zones in the footwall of normal faults, reaching their highest values in the Northeastern basin boundary (SlK > 6, Vf = 0-0.5, Smf = 1-1.15), where, additionally, the hypsometric curves display convex trajectories with HI > 0.5. Anomalous values of geomorphologic indices (SlK > 10, Vf 0-0.75, Smf 1-1.25) together with convex hypsometric curves with HI > 0.5 have also been obtained for shortening structures, such as hanging wall of reverse faults and folds. Structural criteria show that extensional and shortening structures in the Ronda basin are coetaneous and active since the Upper Miocene. Geomorphologic analyses suggest that some of these structures could continue active up to the Quaternary with low-to-medium deformation rates. Our results, together with previous sedimentological data suggest that, from the Messinian on, the Ronda basin became disconnected from the Betic foreland basin as the result of the tectonic uplift of its NW boundary.

Fluvial reservoir architecture in the Malay Basin: Opportunities and challenges

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elias, M.R.; Dharmarajan, K.

1994-07-01

Miocene fluvial sandstones are significant hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs in the Malay Basin. These include high energy, braided stream deposits of group K, associated with late development of extensional half grabens and relatively lower energy, meandering, and anastomosing channel deposits of group I formed during the subsequent basin sag phase. Group K reservoirs are typically massive, commonly tens of meters thick, and cover an extensive part of the Malay Basin. These reservoirs have good porosity and permeability at shallow burial depths. However, reservoir quality deteriorates rapidly with increasing depth. Lateral and vertical reservoir continuity is generally good within a field, commonly formingmore » a single system. Good water drive enhances recovery. Seismic modeling to determine fluid type and the extent of interfluvial shales is possible due to reservoir homogeneity.« less

Cenozoic tectonic reorganizations of the Death Valley region, southeast California and southwest Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fridrich, Christopher J.; Thompson, Ren A.

2011-01-01

The Death Valley region, of southeast California and southwest Nevada, is distinct relative to adjacent regions in its structural style and resulting topography, as well as in the timing of basin-range extension. Cenozoic basin-fill strata, ranging in age from greater than or equal to 40 to approximately 2 million years are common within mountain-range uplifts in this region. The tectonic fragmentation and local uplift of these abandoned basin-fills indicate a multistage history of basin-range tectonism. Additionally, the oldest of these strata record an earlier, pre-basin-range interval of weak extension that formed broad shallow basins that trapped sediments, without forming basin-range topography. The Cenozoic basin-fill strata record distinct stratigraphic breaks that regionally cluster into tight age ranges, constrained by well-dated interbedded volcanic units. Many of these stratigraphic breaks are long recognized formation boundaries. Most are angular unconformities that coincide with abrupt changes in depositional environment. Deposits that bound these unconformities indicate they are weakly diachronous; they span about 1 to 2 million years and generally decrease in age to the west within individual basins and regionally, across basin boundaries. Across these unconformities, major changes are found in the distribution and provenance of basin-fill strata, and in patterns of internal facies. These features indicate rapid, regionally coordinated changes in strain patterns defined by major active basin-bounding faults, coincident with step-wise migrations of the belt of active basin-range tectonism. The regionally correlative unconformities thus record short intervals of radical tectonic change, here termed "tectonic reorganizations." The intervening, longer (about 3- to 5-million-year) interval of gradual, monotonic evolution in the locus and style of tectonism are called "tectonic stages." The belt of active tectonism in the Death Valley region has abruptly stepped westward during three successive tectonic reorganizations that intervened between four stages of basin-range tectonism, the youngest of which is ongoing. These three tectonic reorganizations also intervened between four stages of volcanic activity, each of which has been distinct in the compositions of magmas erupted, in eruption rates, and in the locus of volcanic activity—which has stepped progressively westward, in close coordination with the step-wise migrations in the locus of basin-range extension. The timing of the Cenozoic tectonic reorganizations in the Death Valley region correlates closely with the documented timing of episodic reorganizations of the boundary between the Pacific and North American plates, to the west and southwest. This supports models that explain the widely distributed transtensional tectonism in southwestern North America since approximately 40 million years ago as resulting from traction imposed by the adjacent, divergent Pacific plate.

Tectonoestratigraphic and Thermal Models of the Tiburon and Wagner Basins, northern Gulf of California Rift System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Contreras, J.; Ramirez Zerpa, N. A.; Negrete-Aranda, R.

2014-12-01

The northern Gulf of California Rift System consist sofa series faults that accommodate both normal and strike-slip motion. The faults formed a series of half-greens filled with more than 7 km of siliciclastic suc­cessions. Here, we present tectonostratigraphic and heat flow models for the Tiburón basin, in the southern part of the system, and the Wag­ner basin in the north. The models are constrained by two-dimensional seis­mic lines and by two deep boreholes drilled by PEMEX­-PEP. Analysis of the seismic lines and models' results show that: (i) subsidence of the basins is controlled by high-angle normal faults and by flow of the lower crust, (ii) basins share a common history, and (iii) there are significant differences in the way brittle strain was partitioned in the basins, a feature frequently observed in rift basins. On one hand, the bounding faults of the Tiburón basin have a nested geometry and became active following a west-to-east sequence of activation. The Tiburon half-graben was formed by two pulses of fault activity. One took place during the protogulf extensional phase in the Miocene and the other during the opening of Gulf of California in the Pleistocene. On the other hand, the Wagner basin is the result of two fault generations. During the late-to middle Miocene, the west-dipping Cerro Prieto and San Felipe faults formed a domino array. Then, during the Pleistocene the Consag and Wagner faults dissected the hanging-wall of the Cerro Prieto fault forming the modern Wagner basin. Thermal modeling of the deep borehole temperatures suggests that the heat flow in these basins in the order of 110 mW/m2 which is in agreement with superficial heat flow measurements in the northern Gulf of California Rift System.

Water-quality characteristics of streams in forested and rural areas of North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simmons, Clyde E.; Heath, Ralph C.

1979-01-01

Data collected in North Carolina during 1973-78 from a statewide network of 39 rural sampling sites were used to define unpolluted or baseline stream quality. The basins were 90 to 100 percent forested and, except for the unknown effects of air pollution, were relatively unaffected by man 's activities. Five distinct geochemical zones were delineated across the State. The chemical characteristics of surface waters in each zone are similar. Mean and other statistical values for major dissolved constituents, nutrients, and minor elements in base runoff and storm runoff were determined. Twenty additional rural sites were located in basins where farming activities ranged from 15 to 55 percent of basins ' land area. Data from these 20 sites were used for comparison with data from the 39 unpolluted sites to determine the increase in constituent levels caused by man. For basins where farming activities accounted for 20 or more percent of total land use, phosphorus levels were 2 to 13 times greater than those from the forested basins and several major constituents were 2 to 3 times greater. Concentrations of minor elements were essentially the same in both developed and undeveloped basins. (Kosco-USGS)

Holocene faulting in the Bellingham forearc basin: upper-plate deformation at the northern end of the Cascadia subduction zone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kelsey, Harvey M.; Sherrod, Brian L.; Blakely, Richard J.; Haugerud, Ralph A.

2013-01-01

The northern Cascadia forearc takes up most of the strain transmitted northward via the Oregon Coast block from the northward-migrating Sierra Nevada block. The north-south contractional strain in the forearc manifests in upper-plate faults active during the Holocene, the northern-most components of which are faults within the Bellingham Basin. The Bellingham Basin is the northern of four basins of the actively deforming northern Cascadia forearc. A set of Holocene faults, Drayton Harbor, Birch Bay, and Sandy Point faults, occur within the Bellingham Basin and can be traced from onshore to offshore using a combination of aeromagnetic lineaments, paleoseismic investigations and scarps identified using LiDAR imagery. With the recognition of such Holocene faults, the northernmost margin of the actively deforming Cascadia forearc extends 60 km north of the previously recognized limit of Holocene forearc deformation. Although to date no Holocene faults are recognized at the northern boundary of the Bellingham Basin, which is 15 km north of the international border, there is no compelling tectonic reason to expect that Holocene faults are limited to south of the international border.

Buried Mesozoic rift basins of Moroccan Atlantic continental margin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohamed, N.; Jabour, H.; El Mostaine, M.

1995-08-01

The Atlantic continental margin is the largest frontier area for oil and gas exploration in Morocco. Most of the activity has been concentrated where Upper Jurassic carbonate rocks have been the drilling objectives, with only one significant but non commercial oil discovery. Recent exploration activities have focused on early Mesozoic Rift basins buried beneath the post-rift sediments of the Middle Atlantic coastal plain. Many of these basins are of interest because they contain fine-grained lacustrine rocks that have sufficient organic richness to be classified as efficient oil prone source rock. Location of inferred rift basins beneath the Atlantic coastal plainmore » were determined by analysis of drilled-hole data in combination with gravity anomaly and aeromagnetic maps. These rift basins are characterized by several half graben filled by synrift sediments of Triassic age probably deposited in lacustrine environment. Coeval rift basins are known to be present in the U.S. Atlantic continental margin. Basin modeling suggested that many of the less deeply bored rift basins beneath the coastal plain are still within the oil window and present the most attractive exploration targets in the area.« less

Studying Basin Water Balance Variations at Inter- and Intra-annual Time Scales Based On the Budyko Hypothesis and GRACE Gravimetry Satellite Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, H.

2017-12-01

Increasing intensity in global warming and anthropogenic activities has triggered significant changes over regional climates and landscapes, which, in turn, drive the basin water cycle and hydrological balance into a complex and unstable state. Budyko hypothesis is a powerful tool to characterize basin water balance and hydrological variations at long-term average scale. However, due to the absence of basin water storage change, applications of Budyko theory to the inter-annual and intra-annual time scales has been prohibited. The launch of GRACE gavimetry satellites provides a great opportunity to quantify terrestrial water storage change, which can be further introduced into the Budyko hypothesis to reveal the inter- and intra-annual response of basin water components under impacts of climate variability and/or human activities. This research targeted Hai River Basin (in China) and Murray-Darling Basin (in Australia), which have been identified with a continuous groundwater depletion trend as well as impacts by extreme climates in the past decade. This can help us to explore how annual or seasonal precipitation were redistributed to evapotranspiration and runoff via changing basin water storage. Moreover, the impacts of vegetation on annual basin water balance will be re-examined. Our results are expected to provide deep insights about the water cycle and hydrological behaviors for the targeted basins, as well as a proof for a consideration of basin water storage change into the Budyko model at inter- or intra-annual time steps.

Delimiting Evolutionarily Significant Units of the Fish, Piaractus brachypomus (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae), from the Orinoco and Amazon River Basins with Insight on Routes of Historical Connectivity.

PubMed

Escobar, Maria Doris; Andrade-López, Juana; Farias, Izeni P; Hrbek, Tomas

2015-01-01

The freshwater fish Piaractus brachypomus is an economically important for human consumption both in commercial fisheries and aquaculture in all South American countries where it occurs. In recent years the species has decreased in abundance due to heavy fishing pressure. The species occurs in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, but lack of meristic differences between fishes from the 2 basins, and extensive migration associated with reproduction, have resulted in P. brachypomus being considered a single panmictic species. Analysis of 7 nuclear microsatellites, mitochondrial DNA sequences (D-loop and COI), and body shape variables demonstrated that each river basin is populated by a distinct evolutionarily significant unit (ESU); the 2 groups had an average COI divergence of 3.5% and differed in body depth and relative head length. Historical connection between the 2 basins most probably occurred via the Rupununi portal rather than via the Casiquiare canal. The 2 ESUs will require independent fishery management, and translocation of fisheries stocks between basins should be avoided to prevent loss of local adaptations or extinction associated with outbreeding depression. Introductions of fishes from the Orinoco basin into the Putumayo River basin, an Amazon basin drainage, and evidence of hybridization between the 2 ESUs have already been detected. © The American Genetic Association 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Frequency and sources of basin floor turbidites in alfonso basin, Gulf of California, Mexico: Products of slope failures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez-Yajimovich, Oscar E.; Gorsline, Donn S.; Douglas, Robert G.

2007-07-01

Alfonso Basin is a small margin basin formed by extensional tectonics in the actively rifting, seismically active Gulf of California. The basin is centered at 24°40' N and 110° 38' W, and is a closed depression (maximum depth 420 m) with an effective sill depth of about 320 m (deepest sill), a width of 20 km and length of 25 km. Basin floor area below a depth of 350 m is about 260 km 2. The climate is arid to semiarid but was wetter during the early (ca. 10,000-7000 Calendar years Before Present [BP]) and middle Holocene (ca. 7000-4000 Cal. Years BP). Basin-wide turbidity currents reach the floor of Alfonso Basin at centennial to millennial intervals. The peninsular drainages tributary to the basin are small and have maximum flood discharges of the order of 10 4m 3. The basin-floor turbidites thicker than 1 cm have volumes of the order of 10 6m 3 to 10 8m 3 and require a much larger source. The largest turbidite seen in our cores is ca. 1 m thick in the central basin floor and was deposited 4900 Calendar Years Before Present (BP). Two smaller major events occurred about 1500 and 2800 Cal. Years BP. Seismicity over the past century of record shows a clustering of larger epicenters along faults forming the eastern Gulf side of Alfonso Basin. In that period there have been four earthquakes with magnitudes above 7.0 but all are distant from the basin. Frequency of such earthquakes in the basin vicinity is probably millennial. It is concluded that the basin-wide turbidites thicker than 1 cm must be generated by slope failures on the eastern side of the basin at roughly millennial intervals. The thin flood turbidites have a peninsular source at centennial frequencies.

Morphotectonic study of the Brahmaputra basin using geoinformatics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nath Sarma, Jogendra; Acharjee, Shukla; murgante, Beniamino

2013-04-01

The Brahmaputra River basin occupies an area of 580,000 km2 lying in Tibet (China), Bhutan, India and Bangladesh. It is bounded on the north by the Nyen-Chen-Tanghla mountains, on the east by the Salween River basin and Patkari range of hills, on the south by Nepal Himalayas and the Naga Hills and on the west by the Ganga sub-basin. Brahmaputra river originates at an elevation of about 5150 m in south-west Tibet and flows for about 2900 km through Tibet (China), India and Bangladesh to join the Ganga.. The Brahmaputra River basin is investigated to examine the influence of active structures by applying an integrated study on geomorphology, morphotectonics, Digital Elevation Model (DEM) using topographic map, satellite data, SRTM, and seismic data. The indices for morphotectonic analysis, viz. basin elongation ratio (Re) indicated tectonically active, transverse topographic symmetry (T = 0.018-0.664) indicated asymmetric nature, asymmetric factor (AF=33) suggested tilt, valley floor width to valley height ratio (Vf = 0.0013-2.945) indicated active incision and mountain-front sinuosity (Smf = 1.11-1.68) values indicated active tectonics in the area. A great or major earthquake in the modern times, in this region may create havoc with huge loss of life and property due to high population density and rapidly developing infrastructure. Keywords: .Morphotectonic, Brahmaputra river, earthquake

Constraints on a shallow offshore gas environment determined by a multidisciplinary geophysical approach: The Malin Sea, NW Ireland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, Xavier; Monteys, Xavier; Evans, Rob L.; Szpak, Michal

2014-04-01

During the Irish National Seabed Survey (INSS) in 2003, a gas related pockmark field was discovered and extensively mapped in the Malin Shelf region (NW Ireland). In summer 2006, additional complementary data involving core sample analysis, multibeam and single-beam backscatter classification, and a marine controlled-source electromagnetic survey were obtained in specific locations.This multidisciplinary approach allowed us to map the upper 20 m of the seabed in an unprecedented way and to correlate the main geophysical parameters with the geological properties of the seabed. The EM data provide us with information about sediment conductivity, which can be used as a proxy for porosity and also to identify the presence of fluid and fluid migration pathways. We conclude that, as a whole, the central part of the Malin basin is characterized by higher conductivities, which we interpret as a lithological change. Within the basin several areas are characterized by conductive anomalies associated with fluid flow processes and potentially the presence of microbial activity, as suggested by previous work. Pockmark structures show a characteristic electrical signature, with high-conductivity anomalies on the edges and less conductive, homogeneous interiors with several high-conductivity anomalies, potentially associated with gas-driven microbial activity.

Campaign datasets for Observations and Modeling of the Green Ocean Amazon (GOAMAZON)

DOE Data Explorer

Martin,Scot; Mei,Fan; Alexander,Lizabeth; Artaxo,Paulo; Barbosa,Henrique; Bartholomew,Mary Jane; Biscaro,Thiago; Buseck,Peter; Chand,Duli; Comstock,Jennifer; Dubey,Manvendra; Godstein,Allen; Guenther,Alex; Hubbe,John; Jardine,Kolby; Jimenez,Jose-Luis; Kim,Saewung; Kuang,Chongai; Laskin,Alexander; Long,Chuck; Paralovo,Sarah; Petaja,Tuukka; Powers,Heath; Schumacher,Courtney; Sedlacek,Arthur; Senum,Gunnar; Smith,James; Shilling,John; Springston,Stephen; Thayer,Mitchell; Tomlinson,Jason; Wang,Jian; Xie,Shaocheng

2016-05-30

The hydrologic cycle of the Amazon Basin is one of the primary heat engines of the Southern Hemisphere. Any accurate climate model must succeed in a good description of the Basin, both in its natural state and in states perturbed by regional and global human activities. At the present time, however, tropical deep convection in a natural state is poorly understood and modeled, with insufficient observational data sets for model constraint. Furthermore, future climate scenarios resulting from human activities globally show the possible drying and the eventual possible conversion of rain forest to savanna in response to global climate change. Based on our current state of knowledge, the governing conditions of this catastrophic change are not defined. Human activities locally, including the economic development activities that are growing the population and the industry within the Basin, also have the potential to shift regional climate, most immediately by an increment in aerosol number and mass concentrations, and the shift is across the range of values to which cloud properties are most sensitive. The ARM Climate Research Facility in the Amazon Basin seeks to understand aerosol and cloud life cycles, particularly the susceptibility to cloud aerosol precipitation interactions, within the Amazon Basin.

3D Printing — The Basins of Tristability in the Lorenz System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Anda; Sprott, Julien C.; Lyu, Jingxuan; Wang, Xilu

The famous Lorenz system is studied and analyzed for a particular set of parameters originally proposed by Lorenz. With those parameters, the system has a single globally attracting strange attractor, meaning that almost all initial conditions in its 3D state space approach the attractor as time advances. However, with a slight change in one of the parameters, the chaotic attractor coexists with a symmetric pair of stable equilibrium points, and the resulting tri-stable system has three intertwined basins of attraction. The advent of 3D printers now makes it possible to visualize the topology of such basins of attraction as the results presented here illustrate.

Total petroleum systems of the Grand Erg/Ahnet Province, Algeria and Morocco; the Tanezzuft-Timimoun, Tanezzuft-Ahnet, Tanezzuft-Sbaa, Tanezzuft Mouydir, Tanezzuft-Benoud, and Tanezzuft-Bechar/Abadla

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klett, T.R.

2000-01-01

Undiscovered, conventional oil and gas resources were assessed within total petroleum systems of the Grand Erg/Ahnet Province (2058) as part of the U.S. Geological Survey World Petroleum Assessment 2000. The majority of the Grand Erg/ Ahnet Province is in western Algeria; a very small portion extends into Morocco. The province includes the Timimoun Basin, Ahnet Basin, Sbaa Basin, Mouydir Basin, Benoud Trough, Bechar/Abadla Basin(s), and part of the Oued Mya Basin. Although several petroleum systems may exist within each of these basins, only seven ?composite? total petroleum systems were identified. Each total petroleum system occurs in a separate basin, and each comprises a single assessment unit. The main source rocks are the Silurian Tanezzuft Formation (or lateral equivalents) and Middle to Upper Devonian mudstone. Maturation history and the major migration pathways from source to reservoir are unique to each basin. The total petroleum systems were named after the oldest major source rock and the basin in which it resides. The estimated means of the undiscovered conventional petroleum volumes in total petroleum systems of the Grand Erg/ Ahnet Province are as follows: [MMBO, million barrels of oil; BCFG, billion cubic feet of gas; MMBNGL, million barrels of natural gas liquids] Total Petroleum System MMBO BCFG MMBNGL Tanezzuft-Timimoun 31 1,128 56 Tanezzuft-Ahnet 34 2,973 149 Tanezzuft-Sbaa 162 645 11 Tanezzuft-Mouydir 12 292 14 Tanezzuft-Benoud 72 2,541 125 Tanezzuft-Bechar/Abadla 16 441 22

Active intra-basin faulting in the Northern Basin of Lake Malawi from seismic reflection data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shillington, D. J.; Chindandali, P. R. N.; Scholz, C. A.; Ebinger, C. J.; Onyango, E. A.; Peterson, K.; Gaherty, J. B.; Nyblade, A.; Accardo, N. J.; McCartney, T.; Oliva, S. J.; Kamihanda, G.; Ferdinand, R.; Salima, J.; Mruma, A. H.

2016-12-01

Many questions remain about the development and evolution of fault systems in weakly extended rifts, including the relative roles of border faults and intra-basin faults, and segmentation at various scales. The northern Lake Malawi (Nyasa) rift in the East African Rift System is an early stage rift exhibiting pronounced tectonic segmentation, which is defined by 100-km-long border faults. The basins also contain a series of intrabasinal faults and associated synrift sediments. The occurrence of the 2009 Karonga Earthquake Sequence on one of these intrabasinal faults indicates that some of them are active. Here we present new multichannel seismic reflection data from the Northern Basin of the Malawi Rift collected in 2015 as a part of the SEGMeNT (Study of Extension and maGmatism in Malawi aNd Tanzania) project. This rift basin is bound on its east side by the west-dipping Livingstone border fault. Over 650 km of seismic reflection profiles were acquired in the Northern Basin using a 500 to 1540 cu in air gun array and a 1200- to 1500-m seismic streamer. Dip lines image a series of north-south oriented west-dipping intra-basin faults and basement reflections up to 5 s twtt near the border fault. Cumulative offsets on intra-basin faults decrease to the west. The largest intra-basin fault has a vertical displacement of >2 s two-way travel time, indicating that it has accommodated significant total extension. Some of these intra-basin faults offset the lake bottom and the youngest sediments by up to 50 s twtt ( 37 m), demonstrating they are still active. The two largest intra-basin faults exhibit the largest offsets of young sediments and also correspond to the area of highest seismicity based on analysis of seismic data from the 89-station SEGMeNT onshore/offshore network (see Peterson et al, this session). Fault patterns in MCS profiles vary along the basin, suggesting a smaller scale of segmentation of faults within the basin; these variations in fault patterns appear to correlate with variations in the distribution of aftershocks from the 2009 and 2014 Karonga earthquakes and in background seismicity beneath the lake, providing new constraints on length-displacement scaling for predictive models and earthquake hazards.

Behaviour and Locomotor Activity of a Migratory Catostomid during Fishway Passage

PubMed Central

Silva, Ana T.; Hatry, Charles; Thiem, Jason D.; Gutowsky, Lee F. G.; Hatin, Daniel; Zhu, David Z.; W. Dawson, Jeffery; Katopodis, Christos; J. Cooke, Steven

2015-01-01

Fishways have been developed to restore longitudinal connectivity in rivers. Despite their potential for aiding fish passage, fishways may represent a source of significant energetic expenditure for fish as they are highly turbulent environments. Nonetheless, our understanding of the physiological mechanisms underpinning fishway passage of fish is still limited. We examined swimming behaviour and activity of silver redhorse (Moxostoma anisurum) during its upriver spawning migration in a vertical slot fishway. We used an accelerometer-derived instantaneous activity metric (overall dynamic body acceleration) to estimate location-specific swimming activity. Silver redhorse demonstrated progressive increases in activity during upstream fishway passage. Moreover, location-specific passage duration decreased with an increasing number of passage attempts. Turning basins and the most upstream basin were found to delay fish passage. No relationship was found between basin-specific passage duration and activity and the respective values from previous basins. The results demonstrate that successful fishway passage requires periods of high activity. The resultant energetic expenditure may affect fitness, foraging behaviour and increase susceptibility to predation, compromising population sustainability. This study highlights the need to understand the physiological mechanisms underpinning fishway passage to improve future designs and interpretation of biological evaluations. PMID:25853245

Relationships between sinkholes areal distribution and main tectonic alignments in Abruzzo (Central Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrini, G.; Moretti, A.; De Rose, C.; Stagnini, E.,; Serafini, M.

2012-04-01

Intermountain basins, developed at the back side of the Apennines overturning front, are the most evident morphological expressions of extensional tectonics in Central Italy and can be recognized in many different sections of the chain. L'Aquila basin and the adjoining Subequana valley are part of a single NW-SE elongated depression (about 60 km long) which began to develop about in the early Quaternary in response to the identification of various regional extensional tectonic alignments and the consequent starting of the basin subsidence. This impressive morphological element is characterized by the presence of several large funnel-shaped features (locally named Fosse = trench) which affect mainly the Meso-Cenozoic carbonatic bedrock but also the Neogenic clastic sedimentary filling of the valley. Some of these last elements are often occupied by ponds or significant artesian water resurgences like the Sinizzo Lake where, during L'Aquila earthquake of April 6th 2009, the shores collapsed and strong microseismic activity, deep rumbles and flow rate changes were reported for the following months. The Fosse mapped in the L'Aquila basin have widths in the order of hundreds of meters, a considerable difference of elevation respect the rims and present a general morphology very close to that of the classic dissolution karst sinkholes. Their evolution/localization is strictly related to the active fault systems which controls also the main tracts of the relief; the low volume of residual sedimentary deposits within the depression, not comparable with the total volume of rock removed, indicates that surface karst dissolution phenomena are absent or secondary. The elevations of the floor of many Fosse are higher respect the actual flood plain depending on their age; in fact relict circular forms, recognizable at upper altitude on the relief slope, confirm that the phenomenon has been active for a considerable period of time. About the genesis of this features, even if at present there is no evidence of hydrothermal activity or gas diffusion, morphological and geostructural analogy with the hydrothermal field of San Vittorino (Rieti) suggest dissolution processes related to the rising of underground mineralized fluids (piping) and a subsequent collapse phase, in a classic sink-hole evolutionary model. To note the areal distribution of these elements developed in a narrow band , WNW-ESE oriented, running for about 40 km parallel back to the tectonic front of the Gran Sasso and coinciding, with good approximation, to the seismogenic source of the earthquake of April 6th 2009 and of the major historical earthquakes which hit the region. Geophysical survey carried out after the last strong seismic event pointed out the presence of large hidden cavities developed in the Neogene sedimentary filling of the L'Aquila basin confirming that the phenomenon cannot be considered exhausted; then a geochemical mapping of the all area is started to identify suitable sites for monitoring fluid in relation to seismic activity and to evaluate the risk of potential, sudden phenomena of gravitational collapse.

Well installation, single-well testing, and particle-size analysis for selected sites in and near the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, north-central Colorado, 2003-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beck, Jennifer A.; Paschke, Suzanne S.; Arnold, L. Rick

2011-01-01

This report describes results from a groundwater data-collection program completed in 2003-2004 by the U.S. Geological Survey in support of the South Platte Decision Support System and in cooperation with the Colorado Water Conservation Board. Two monitoring wells were installed adjacent to existing water-table monitoring wells. These wells were installed as well pairs with existing wells to characterize the hydraulic properties of the alluvial aquifer and shallow Denver Formation sandstone aquifer in and near the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin. Single-well tests were performed in the 2 newly installed wells and 12 selected existing monitoring wells. Sediment particle size was analyzed for samples collected from the screened interval depths of each of the 14 wells. Hydraulic-conductivity and transmissivity values were calculated after the completion of single-well tests on each of the selected wells. Recovering water-level data from the single-well tests were analyzed using the Bouwer and Rice method because test data most closely resembled those obtained from traditional slug tests. Results from the single-well test analyses for the alluvial aquifer indicate a median hydraulic-conductivity value of 3.8 x 10-5 feet per second and geometric mean hydraulic-conductivity value of 3.4 x 10-5 feet per second. Median and geometric mean transmissivity values in the alluvial aquifer were 8.6 x 10-4 feet squared per second and 4.9 x 10-4 feet squared per second, respectively. Single-well test results for the shallow Denver Formation sandstone aquifer indicate a median hydraulic-conductivity value of 5.4 x 10-6 feet per second and geometric mean value of 4.9 x 10-6 feet per second. Median and geometric mean transmissivity values for the shallow Denver Formation sandstone aquifer were 4.0 x 10-5 feet squared per second and 5.9 x 10-5 feet squared per second, respectively. Hydraulic-conductivity values for the alluvial aquifer in and near the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin generally were greater than hydraulic-conductivity values for the Denver Formation sandstone aquifer and less than hydraulic-conductivity values for the alluvial aquifer along the main stem of the South Platte River Basin reported by previous studies. Particle sizes were analyzed for a total of 14 samples of material representative of the screened interval in each of the 14 wells tested in this study. Of the 14 samples collected, 8 samples represent the alluvial aquifer and 6 samples represent the Denver Formation sandstone aquifer in and near the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin. The sampled alluvial aquifer material generally contained a greater percentage of large particles (larger than 0.5 mm) than the sampled sandstone aquifer material. Alternatively, the sampled sandstone aquifer material generally contained a greater percentage of fine particles (smaller than 0.5 mm) than the sampled alluvial aquifer material consistent with the finding that the alluvial aquifer is more conductive than the sandstone aquifer in the vicinity of the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin.

Impact of climate variability and anthropogenic activity on streamflow in the Three Rivers Headwater Region, Tibetan Plateau, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Chong; Li, Daiqing; Gao, Yanni; Liu, Wenfeng; Zhang, Linbo

2017-07-01

Under the impacts of climate variability and human activities, there is violent fluctuation for streamflow in the large basins in China. Therefore, it is crucial to separate the impacts of climate variability and human activities on streamflow fluctuation for better water resources planning and management. In this study, the Three Rivers Headwater Region (TRHR) was chosen as the study area. Long-term hydrological data for the TRHR were collected in order to investigate the changes in annual runoff during the period of 1956-2012. The nonparametric Mann-Kendall test, moving t test, Pettitt test, Mann-Kendall-Sneyers test, and the cumulative anomaly curve were used to identify trends and change points in the hydro-meteorological variables. Change point in runoff was identified in the three basins, which respectively occurred around the years 1989 and 1993, dividing the long-term runoff series into a natural period and a human-induced period. Then, the hydrologic sensitivity analysis method was employed to evaluate the effects of climate variability and human activities on mean annual runoff for the human-induced period based on precipitation and potential evapotranspiration. In the human-induced period, climate variability was the main factor that increased (reduced) runoff in LRB and YARB (YRB) with contribution of more than 90 %, while the increasing (decreasing) percentage due to human activities only accounted for less than 10 %, showing that runoff in the TRHR is more sensitive to climate variability than human activities. The intra-annual distribution of runoff shifted gradually from a double peak pattern to a single peak pattern, which was mainly influenced by atmospheric circulation in the summer and autumn. The inter-annual variation in runoff was jointly controlled by the East Asian monsoon, the westerly, and Tibetan Plateau monsoons.

The quality of our Nation's waters: water quality in the Denver Basin aquifer system, Colorado, 2003-05

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bauch, Nancy J.; Musgrove, MaryLynn; Mahler, Barbara J.; Paschke, Suzanne

2015-01-01

Availability and sustainability of groundwater in the Denver Basin aquifer system depend on water quantity and water quality. The Denver Basin aquifer system underlies about 7,000 square miles of the Great Plains in eastern Colorado and is the primary or sole source of water for domestic and public supply in many areas of the basin. Use of groundwater from the Denver Basin sandstone aquifers has been instrumental for development of the south Denver metropolitan area and other areas, but has resulted in a decline in water levels in some parts of the system. Human activities in many areas have adversely affected the quality of water in the aquifer system, especially the shallow parts. Groundwater in deeper parts of the system used for drinking water, once considered isolated from the effects of overlying land use, is increasingly vulnerable to contamination from human activities and geologic materials. Availability and sustainability of high-quality groundwater are vital to the economic health of the Denver Basin area.

Present-day geothermal characteristics of the Ordos Basin, western North China Craton: new findings from deep borehole steady-state temperature measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Peng; Qiu, Qianfeng; Jiang, Guangzheng; Zhang, Chao; Hu, Shengbiao; Lei, Yuhong; Wang, Xiangzeng

2018-03-01

Heat flow and associated thermal regimes are related to the tectonic evolution and geophysical properties of the lithosphere. The Ordos Basin is located in a tectonic transitional zone: areas to the east of the basin are characterized as tectonically active, while regions to the west of the basin are characterized as tectonically stable. It is of general interest to learn the geothermal characteristics of the basin in such tectonic conditions. To clarify the spatial variability of the present-day geothermal field across the basin and its implications, we report 13 terrestrial heat flow points based on the first systematic steady-state deep borehole temperature measurements in the basin. The new data together with existing data show that the geothermal gradients in the basin range from 12.6 to 42.3° C km-1 with a mean of 27.7 ± 5.3° C km-1; the terrestrial heat flow values range from 43.3 to 88.7 mW/m2 with a mean of 64.7 ± 8.9 mW/m2. Such values are higher than those of typical cratonic basins and lower than those of tectonically active areas. By using all these data in the basin and adjacent areas, we plot geothermal gradient and heat flow distribution maps. The maps reveal that the basin is cooling westward and northward. The distribution pattern of the geothermal field is consistent with the lithospheric thickness variation in the basin. This similarity suggests that the geothermal spatial variability of the Ordos Basin is mainly influenced by heat from the deep mantle. In the southeastern basin, we locate a positive geothermal anomaly caused by the convergence of heat flow in basement highs and the high radiogenic heat production. In addition, the high heat flow in the eastern basin is related to the intense uplift during the Cenozoic Era.

Present-day geothermal characteristics of the Ordos Basin, western North China Craton: new findings from deep borehole steady-state temperature measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Peng; Qiu, Qianfeng; Jiang, Guangzheng; Zhang, Chao; Hu, Shengbiao; Lei, Yuhong; Wang, Xiangzeng

2018-07-01

Heat flow and associated thermal regimes are related to the tectonic evolution and geophysical properties of the lithosphere. The Ordos Basin is located in a tectonic transitional zone: areas to the east of the basin are characterized as tectonically active, while regions to the west of the basin are characterized as tectonically stable. It is of general interest to learn the geothermal characteristics of the basin in such tectonic conditions. To clarify the spatial variability of the present-day geothermal field across the basin and its implications, we report 13 terrestrial heat flow points based on the first systematic steady-state deep borehole temperature measurements in the basin. The new data together with existing data show that the geothermal gradients in the basin range from 12.6 to 42.3 °C km-1 with a mean of 27.7 ± 5.3 °C km-1; the terrestrial heat flow values range from 43.3 to 88.7 mW m-2 with a mean of 64.7 ± 8.9 mW m-2. Such values are higher than those of typical cratonic basins and lower than those of tectonically active areas. By using all these data in the basin and adjacent areas, we plot geothermal gradient and heat flow distribution maps. The maps reveal that the basin is cooling westwards and northwards. The distribution pattern of the geothermal field is consistent with the lithospheric thickness variation in the basin. This similarity suggests that the geothermal spatial variability of the Ordos Basin is mainly influenced by heat from the deep mantle. In the southeastern basin, we locate a positive geothermal anomaly caused by the convergence of heat flow in basement highs and the high radiogenic heat production. In addition, the high heat flow in the eastern basin is related to the intense uplift during the Cenozoic Era.

High-resolution 3D seismic imaging of a pull-apart basin in the Gulf of Cadiz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crutchley, G.; Berndt, C.; Klaeschen, D.; Gutscher, M.

2009-12-01

In 2006, high-resolution 3D seismic data were acquired in the Gulf of Cadiz and the Mediterranean Sea aboard the RRS Charles Darwin as part of the HERMES (Hotspot Ecosystem Research on the Margins of European Seas) project. The P-Cable system, a cost-efficient set-up for fast acquisition of 3D seismic data on 12 single-channel streamers, was utilized to acquire seismic cubes at four different targets. Here, we present results from the second target - a WNW-ESE-oriented pull-apart basin in the southeastern Gulf of Cadiz. Initial processing has included: 1) spatial positioning of each recording channel from GPS data acquired on the outer two channels, 2) improved positioning of shot points and channels from the inversion of first arrival times, 3) application of a swell filter to improve reflection coherency, 4) CDP binning and stacking and 5) migration. The new data confirm that the southeastern Gulf of Cadiz north of the Rharb submarine valley is structurally controlled by numerous strike slip faults that were active until quite recently (within the resolution of the data). Given the location of this basin, between the extensional domain on the upper slope and the compressional toe of the accretionary wedge, we interpret the origin to be gravitational sliding on a detachment layer, possibly containing salt, but at this stage not imaged by our profiles.

Determination of Summertime VOC Emission Rates from Produced Water Ponds in the Uintah Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, R. S.; Woods, C.; Lyman, S.

2013-12-01

The observance of excess ozone concentrations in Utah's Uintah Basin over past several years has prompted several investigations into the extent and causes of the elevated ozone. Among these is the assessment of potential emissions of reactive VOCs. Evaporation ponds, used a remediation technique for treatment of contaminated production and other waters, are one potential source of significant VOC emissions and is estimated that there are around 160 such ponds within the Uintah Basin's oil and gas production areas. In June 2012 VOC emission rates for several reactive VOCs were derived for an evaporation facility consisting of a small inlet pond (≈0.03 acres) and two larger, serial ponds (≈4.3 acres each). The emission rates were determined over three sampling periods using an inverse modeling approach. Under this methodology, ambient VOC concentrations are determined at several downwind locations through whole-air collection into SUMMA canisters, followed by GC/MS quantification and compared with predicted concentrations using an EPA-approved dispersion model, AERMOD. The presumed emission rates used within the model were then adjusted until the modeled concentrations approach the observed concentrations. The derived emission rates for the individual VOCs were on the order of 10-3 g/s/m2 from the inlet pond and 10-6 g/s/m2 from the larger ponds. The emissions from the 1st pond in series after the inlet pond were about 3-4x the emissions from the 2nd pond. These combined emission rates are about an order of magnitude those reported for a single study in Colorado (Thoma, 2009). It should be noted, however, that the variability about each of the VOC emission rates was significant (often ×100% at the 95% confidence interval). Extrapolating these emission rates to the estimated total areas of all the evaporation ponds within Basin resulted in calculated Basin-wide VOC emissions 292,835 tons/yr. However, Bar-Ilan et al. (2009) estimated 2012 VOC oil and gas related emissions within the Uintah Basin to be 119,974 tons/yr. Given the large observed variabilities and the uncertainties with extrapolating the derived emission rates across varying pond types and differing climatic conditions, the comparisons are not unreasonable. If the lower, literature emission rates of Thoma (2009) are used the estimated Basin-wide evaporation emissions, the pond emissions would still be approximately 30% of the total emissions compiled by Bar-Ilan et al. (2009). Although the study described herein only represents a single facility and a single set of seasonal conditions, extrapolating these rates can give potential insight into the significance of VOC emissions into the Basin atmosphere from evaporation ponds.

Early Miocene Tectonic Activity in the western Ross Sea (Antarctica)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauli, C.; Sorlien, C. C.; Busetti, M.; Geletti, R.; De Santis, L.

2012-12-01

In the framework of the Rossmap Italian PNRA work objectives to compile extended and revised digital maps of the main unconformities in Ross Sea, Antarctica, much additional seismic reflection data, that were not available to previous ANTOSTRAT compilation, were incorporated into a new ROSSMAP interpretation. The correlation across almost all of Ross Sea, from DSDP Site 270 and Site 272 in Eastern Basin to northern Victoria Land Basin, of additional early Miocene and late Oligocene horizons that were not part of ANTOSTRAT allows interpretations to be made of fault activity and glacial erosion or deposition at a finer time resolution. New conclusions include that extensional or transtensional fault activity within the zone between Victoria Land Basin and Northern Basin, initiated by 23 Ma or earlier, and continued after 18 Ma. Steep parallel-striking faults in southern Victoria Land Basin display both reverse and normal separation of 17.5 Ma (from Cape Roberts Program-core 1) and post-16 Ma horizons, suggesting an important strike-slip component. This result may be compared with published papers that proposed post-17 Ma extension in southern Victoria Land Basin, 16-17 Ma extension in the AdareTrough, north of the Ross Sea continental shelf, but no Miocene extension affecting the Northern Basin (Granot et al., 2010). Thus, our evidence for extension through the early Miocene is significant to post-spreading tectonic models. Reference Granot R., Cande S. C., Stock J. M., Davey F. J. and Clayton R. W. (2010) Postspreading rifting in the Adare Basin, Antarctica: Regional tectonic consequences. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 8, Q08005, doi:10.1029/2010GC003105.

Neotectonic control on drainage systems: GIS-based geomorphometric and morphotectonic assessment for Crete, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Argyriou, Athanasios V.; Teeuw, Richard M.; Soupios, Pantelis; Sarris, Apostolos

2017-11-01

Geomorphic indices can be used to examine the geomorphological and tectonic processes responsible for the development of the drainage basins. Such indices can be dependent on tectonics, erosional processes and other factors that control the morphology of the landforms. The inter-relationships between geomorphic indices can determine the influence of regional tectonic activity in the shape development of drainage basins. A Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) procedure has been used to perform an integrated cluster analysis that highlights information associated with the dominant regional tectonic activity. Factor Analysis (FA) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) were considered within that procedure, producing a representation of the distributed regional tectonic activity of the drainage basins studied. The study area is western Crete, located in the outer fore-arc of the Hellenic subduction zone, one of the world's most tectonically active regions. The results indicate that in the landscape evolution of the study area (especially the western basins) tectonic controls dominate over lithological controls.

[sup 40]Ar/[sup 39]Ar ages of Challis volcanic rocks and the initiation of Tertiary sedimentary basins in southwestern Montana

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

M'Gonigle, J.W.; Dalrymple, G.B.

1993-10-01

[sup 40]Ar/[sup 39]Ar ages on single sanidine crystals from rhyolitic tuffs and ash flow tuffs within the uppermost and lowermost parts of the volcanic sequence of the Horse Prairie and Medicine Lodge topographic basins, southwestern Montana, show that these volcanic rocks were emplaced between about 48.8[+-]0.2 Ma and 45.9[+-]0.2 Ma, and are correlative with the Eocene Challis Volcanic Group of central Idaho. Sanidine ages on tuffs at the base of the Tertiary lacustrine, paludal, and fluvial sedimentary sequence, which unconformably overlies the volcanic sequence, suggest that sedimentation within an ancestral sedimentary basin that predated the development of the modern Horsemore » Prairie and Medicine Lodge basins began in the middle Eocene. 22 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Human activities and its Responses to Glacier Melt Water Over Tarim River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Hai; Zhou, Shenbei; Bai, Minghao

2017-04-01

Tarim River Basin lies in the south area of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the north-west area of China. It is the longest inland river of China. Being far away from ocean and embraced by high mountains, Tarim River Basin is the typical arid region in the world. The intensity of human activities increased rapidly in Tarim River Basin since 1980's and water resources lacking is the major issue restricting the development of social economy. The glacier melt water plays an important role for the regional social and economic development, and it accounts for 40% of mountain-pass runoff. It is a fragile mutual-dependent relationship between local sustainable development and runoff. Under the background of global change glacier melt water process has also changed especially in the arid and semi-arid region. Due to climate change, glacier in Tarim River Basin has melted in an observed way since 1980s, together with increasing trend of annual rainfall and virgin flow in mountain basins. Correspondingly, human activity gets more frequent since 1970s, resulting into the obvious fragile mutual-dependent relationship between basin runoff and water use amount. Through an analysis of meteorological, hydrological and geographical observation data from 1985 to 2015, this thesis make a multi-factor variance analysis of population, cultivation area, industrial development and runoff in upstream and mid-stream of Tarim River under changing conditions. Furthermore, the regulation function of natural factors and water demand management factors on relationship between runoff and water using amount are discussed, including temperature, rainfall, and evaporation, water conservation technology and soil-water exploitation administrative institutions. It concludes that: first, increase in glacier runoff, rainfall amount, and virgin flow haven't notably relieved ecological issue in Tarim River Basin, and even has promoted water use behaviour in different flowing areas and noticeably reduced the influence on water demand management. Second, water demand management factors positively relate to ecological improvement in Tarim River Basin. Third, after a further prediction on glacier melt with fuzzy neural network, it finds that the weaker adjustment influence of glacier runoff would put Tarim River Basin into a much weaker mutual-dependent relationship. The research believes that if short-term activity of society has wrongly adapted to runoff increase from faster glacier melt, it would put social development and ecological recovery of Tarim River Basin into a higher vulnerable way. Key words: Tarim River Basin, Changing Condition, Glacier Melt, mutual-dependent vulnerability

Verification and Validation of Multisegmented Mooring Capabilities in FAST v8

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andersen, Morten T.; Wendt, Fabian F.; Robertson, Amy N.

2016-07-01

The quasi-static and dynamic mooring modules of the open-source aero-hydro-servo-elastic wind turbine simulation software, FAST v8, have previously been verified and validated, but only for mooring arrangements consisting of single lines connecting each fairlead and anchor. This paper extends the previous verification and validation efforts to focus on the multisegmented mooring capability of the FAST v8 modules: MAP++, MoorDyn, and the OrcaFlex interface. The OC3-Hywind spar buoy system tested by the DeepCwind consortium at the MARIN ocean basin, which includes a multisegmented bridle layout of the mooring system, was used for the verification and validation activities.

DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVE SUMMARY REPORT FOR THE 105 K EAST ION EXCHANGE COLUMN MONOLITH

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

JOCHEN, R.M.

2007-08-02

The 105-K East (KE) Basin Ion Exchange Column (IXC) cells, lead caves, and the surrounding vault are to be removed as necessary components in implementing ''Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order'' (Ecology et al. 2003) milestone M-034-32 (Complete Removal of the K East Basin Structure). The IXCs consist of six units located in the KE Basin, three in operating positions in cells and three stored in a lead cave. Methods to remove the IXCs from the KE Basin were evaluated in KBC-28343, ''Disposal of K East Basin Ion Exchange Column Evaluation''. The method selected for removal was grouting themore » six IXCs into a single monolith for disposal at the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility (ERDF). Grout will be added to the IXC cells, IXC lead caves containing spent IXCs, and in the spaces between the lead cave walls and metal skin, to immobilize the contaminants, provide self-shielding, minimize void space, and provide a structurally stable waste form. The waste to be offered for disposal is the encapsulated monolith defined by the exterior surfaces of the vault and the lower surface of the underlying slab. This document presents summary of the data quality objective (DQO) process establishing the decisions and data required to support decision-making activities for the disposition of the IXC monolith. The DQO process is completed in accordance with the seven-step planning process described in EPA QA/G-4, ''Guidance for the Data Quality Objectives Process'', which is used to clarify and study objectives; define the appropriate type, quantity, and quality of data; and support defensible decision-making. The DQO process involves the following steps: (1) state the problem; (2) identify the decision; (3) identify the inputs to the decision; (4) define the boundaries of the study; (5) develop a decision rule (DR); (6) specify tolerable limits on decision errors; and (7) optimize the design for obtaining data.« less

Millennial-scale Denudation Rates of the Santa Lucia Mountains, CA: Implications for Landscape Thresholds from a Steep, High Relief, Coastal Mountain Range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, H.; Hilley, G. E.; Kiefer, K.; Blisniuk, K.

2015-12-01

We report new, 10-Be-derived denudation rates measured from river sands in basins of the Santa Lucia Range, central California. The Santa Lucia Mountains of the California Coast Range are an asymmetrical northwest-southeast trending range bounded by the San Gregorio-Hosgri (SG-HFZ ) and Rinconada-Reliz faults. This area provides an additional opportunity to analyze the relationships between topographic form, denudation rates, and mapped underlying geologic substrate in an actively deforming landscape. Analysis of in situ-produced 10-Be from alluvial sand samples collected in the Santa Lucia Mountains has yielded measurements of spatially varying basin-scale denudation rates. Despite the impressive relief of the Santa Lucia's, denudation rates within catchments draining the coastal side of the range are uniformly low, generally varying between ~90 m/Myr and ~350 m/Myr, with one basin eroding at ~500 m/Myr. Preliminary data suggest the lowest erosion rates are located within the northern interior of the range in sedimentary and granitic lithologies, while higher rates are located directly along the coast in metasedimentary bedrock. This overall trend is punctuated by a single high denudation rate, which is hosted by a watershed whose geometry suggests that it previously has, and continues to experience divide migration as it captures the adjacent watershed's area. Spatial distribution of basins with higher denudation rates is inferred to indicate a zone of uplift adjacent to the SG-HFZ. We compare erosion rates to basin mean channel steepness index, extracted from a 10 m digital elevation model. Denudation rate generally increases with channel steepness index until ~250 m/Myr, at which point the relationship becomes invariant, suggesting a non-linear erosion model may best characterize this region. These hypotheses will be tested further as additional denudation rate results are analyzed.

Responses to the 2800 years BP climatic oscillation in shallow- and deep-basin sediments from the Dead Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neugebauer, Ina; Brauer, Achim; Schwab, Markus; Dulski, Peter; Frank, Ute; Hadzhiivanova, Elitsa; Kitagawa, Hiroyuki; Litt, Thomas; Schiebel, Vera; Taha, Nimer; Waldmann, Nicolas

2015-04-01

Laminated lake sediments from the Dead Sea basin provide high-resolution records of climatic variability in the eastern Mediterranean region, which is considered being especially sensitive to changing climatic conditions. In the study presented here, we aim to reconstruct palaeoclimatic changes and their relation to the frequency of flood/erosion and dust deposition events as archived in the Dead Sea basin for the time interval from ca 3700 to 1700 years BP. A ca 4 m thick, mostly annually laminated (varved) sediment section from the western margin of the Dead Sea (shallow-water DSEn - Ein Gedi profile) was analysed and correlated to the new ICDP Dead Sea Deep Drilling Project core 5017-1 from the deep basin. To detect even single event layers, we applied a multi-proxy approach of high-resolution microscopic thin section analyses, µXRF element scanning and magnetic susceptibility measurements, supported by grain size and palynological analyses. Based on radiocarbon and varve dating two pronounced dry periods were detected at ~3500-3300 yrs BP and ~2900-2400 yrs BP that are characterized by a sand deposit during the older dry period and enhanced frequency of coarse detrital layers during the younger dry period in the shallow-water DSEn core, both interpreted as increased erosion processes. In the 5017-1 deep-basin core these dry periods are depicted by halite deposits. The timing of the younger dry period broadly coincides with the Homeric Minimum of solar activity at ca 2800 yrs BP. Our results suggest that during this period the Dead Sea region experienced a change in synoptic weather patterns leading to an increased occurrence of flash-flood events, overprinting the overall dry climatic conditions. Following this dry spell, a 250-yrs period of increased dust deposition is observed, coinciding with more regular aragonite precipitation during less arid climatic conditions.

Pre-existing normal faults have limited control on the rift geometry of the northern North Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Claringbould, Johan S.; Bell, Rebecca E.; Jackson, Christopher A.-L.; Gawthorpe, Robert L.; Odinsen, Tore

2017-10-01

Many rifts develop in response to multiphase extension with numerical and physical models suggesting that reactivation of first-phase normal faults and rift-related variations in bulk crustal rheology control the evolution and final geometry of subsequent rifts. However, many natural multiphase rifts are deeply buried and thus poorly exposed in the field and poorly imaged in seismic reflection data, making it difficult to test these models. Here we integrate recent 3D seismic reflection and borehole data across the entire East Shetland Basin, northern North Sea, to constrain the long-term, regional development of this multiphase rift. We document the following key stages of basin development: (i) pre-Triassic to earliest Triassic development of multiple sub-basins controlled by widely distributed, NNW- to NE-trending, east- and west-dipping faults; (ii) Triassic activity on a single major, NE-trending, west-dipping fault located near the basins western margin, and formation of a large half-graben; and (iii) Jurassic development of a large, E-dipping, N- to NE-trending half-graben near the eastern margin of the basin, which was associated with rift narrowing and strain focusing in the Viking Graben. In contrast to previous studies, which argue for two discrete periods of rifting during the Permian-Triassic and Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous, we find that rifting in the East Shetland Basin was protracted from pre-Triassic to Cretaceous. We find that, during the Jurassic, most pre-Jurassic normal faults were buried and in some cases cross-cut by newly formed faults, with only a few being reactivated. Previously developed faults thus had only a limited control on the evolution and geometry of the later rift. We instead argue that strain migration and rift narrowing was linked to the evolving thermal state of the lithosphere, an interpretation supporting the predictions of lithosphere-scale numerical models. Our study indicates that additional regional studies of natural rifts are required to test and refine the predictions of physical and numerical models, more specifically, our study suggests models not explicitly recognising or including thermal or rheological effects might over emphasise the role of discrete pre-existing rift structures such as normal faults.

The Inskip Formation, the Harmony Formation, and the Havallah Sequence of Northwestern Nevada - An Interrelated Paleozoic Assemblage in the Home of the Sonoma Orogeny

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ketner, Keith B.

2008-01-01

An area between the towns of Winnemucca and Battle Mountain in northwestern Nevada, termed the arkosic triangle, includes the type areas of the middle to upper Paleozoic Inskip Formation and Havallah sequence, the Upper Devonian to Mississippian Harmony Formation, the Sonoma orogeny, and the Golconda thrust. According to an extensive body of scientific literature, the Havallah sequence, a diverse assemblage of oceanic rocks, was obducted onto the continent during the latest Permian or earliest Triassic Sonoma orogeny by way of the Golconda thrust. This has been the most commonly accepted theory for half a century, often cited but rarely challenged. The tectonic roles of the Inskip and Harmony Formations have remained uncertain, and they have never been fully integrated into the accepted theory. New, and newly interpreted, data are incompatible with the accepted theory and force comprehensive stratigraphic and tectonic concepts that include the Inskip and Harmony Formations as follows: middle to upper Paleozoic strata, including the Inskip, Harmony, and Havallah, form an interrelated assemblage that was deposited in a single basin on an autochthonous sequence of Cambrian, Ordovician, and lowest Silurian strata of the outer miogeocline. Sediments composing the Upper Devonian to Permian sequence entered the basin from both sides, arkosic sands, gravel, limestone olistoliths, and other detrital components entered from the west, and quartz, quartzite, chert, and other clasts from the east. Tectonic activity was expressed as: (1) Devonian uplift and erosion of part of the outer miogeocline; (2) Late Devonian depression of the same area, forming a trough, probably fault-bounded, in which the Inskip, Harmony, and Havallah were deposited; (3) production of intraformational and extrabasinal conglomerates derived from the basinal rocks; and (4) folding or tilting of the east side of the depositional basin in the Pennsylvanian. These middle to upper Paleozoic deposits were compressed in the Jurassic, causing east-verging thrusts in the eastern part of the depositional basin (Golconda thrust) and west-verging thrusts and folds in the western part. Hypotheses involving a far-traveled allochthon that was obducted from an ocean or back-arc basin are incompatible with modern observations and concepts.

Did the Bering Sea Form as a Cenozoic Backarc Basin?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stern, R. J.; Barth, G. A.; Scheirer, D. S.; Scholl, D. W.

2012-12-01

Understanding the origins of Bering Sea marginal basins (Aleutian, Bowers, and Komandorsky basins; AB, BB, KB) is key for reconstructing N. Pacific tectonic and magmatic evolution. New acquisitions and recompilations of MCS, OBS, and potential field data (Barth et al. poster. this session) for USGS Extended Continental Shelf project and selection of Aleutians as GeoPrisms Subduction Cycles and Deformation focus site stimulate reconsideration of BB, KB, and especially AB origins. AB has long been regarded as N. Pacific crust trapped when the Aleutian subduction began ~45-50 Ma. BB and KB probably formed together as Miocene backarc basins. Presence of Oligo-Miocene arc volcanics on Bowers and Shirshov ridges suggests that these are remnant arcs, orphaned by AB and KB opening. Seven lines of evidence suggest that AB formed as a Paleogene backarc basin: 1) AB heatflow suggests an age of about 44 Ma (Langseth et al 1980 JGR). 2) Formation of NNW-trending rift basins on Bering shelf (Navarin, Pribilof, and St. George basins) in Paleogene time indicate extension at this time. 3) The early Paleogene "red unconformity" of the Beringian margin could indicate uplift, erosion, and subsidence associated with AB opening. 4) ~N-S magnetic anomalies in AB contrasts with E-W Kula anomalies on N. Pacific, indicating that the two tracts of oceanic crust formed at different spreading ridges. 5) Thicker sediment in AB (2-4 km) vs. BB and KB (< 2km) indicates AB is older and is consistent with episodic and short-lived (~20 m.y. duration) opening expected for backarc basins. 6) Aleutian arc magmatic activity began ~50 Ma, about the same time that the Beringian arc shut down. This could also be reconciled by rifting of the Beringian arc to form the AB as backarc basin, accompanied by the displacement of arc magmatic activity to near the present Aleutian arc. 7) Formation of the Aleutian arc as ~3900 km long, nearly perfect small circle is easiest to reconcile with an easily deformed backarc region, as might result from backarc basin opening. If the Aleutian arc formed by rifting of the Beringian margin then it is likely to contain some pre-50 Ma crust. The possibility that AB is a Paleogene backarc basin requires testing via IODP drilling through AB sediments and into oceanic crust.ectonic scenario for formation of Aleutian Arc and Bering Sea basins. Green = present land; yellow = shelf; AB = Aleutian Basin; KB = Komandorsky Basin; BB = Bowers Basin; SR = Shirshov Ridge, BR = Bowers Ridge; Red = active volcanism and spreading ; Blue = extinct volcanism and spreading

Aggregation of carbon dioxide sequestration storage assessment units

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blondes, Madalyn S.; Schuenemeyer, John H.; Olea, Ricardo A.; Drew, Lawrence J.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey is currently conducting a national assessment of carbon dioxide (CO2) storage resources, mandated by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Pre-emission capture and storage of CO2 in subsurface saline formations is one potential method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the negative impact of global climate change. Like many large-scale resource assessments, the area under investigation is split into smaller, more manageable storage assessment units (SAUs), which must be aggregated with correctly propagated uncertainty to the basin, regional, and national scales. The aggregation methodology requires two types of data: marginal probability distributions of storage resource for each SAU, and a correlation matrix obtained by expert elicitation describing interdependencies between pairs of SAUs. Dependencies arise because geologic analogs, assessment methods, and assessors often overlap. The correlation matrix is used to induce rank correlation, using a Cholesky decomposition, among the empirical marginal distributions representing individually assessed SAUs. This manuscript presents a probabilistic aggregation method tailored to the correlations and dependencies inherent to a CO2 storage assessment. Aggregation results must be presented at the basin, regional, and national scales. A single stage approach, in which one large correlation matrix is defined and subsets are used for different scales, is compared to a multiple stage approach, in which new correlation matrices are created to aggregate intermediate results. Although the single-stage approach requires determination of significantly more correlation coefficients, it captures geologic dependencies among similar units in different basins and it is less sensitive to fluctuations in low correlation coefficients than the multiple stage approach. Thus, subsets of one single-stage correlation matrix are used to aggregate to basin, regional, and national scales.

Analyses of infrequent (quasi-decadal) large groundwater recharge events in the northern Great Basin: Their importance for groundwater availability, use, and management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Masbruch, Melissa D.; Rumsey, Christine; Gangopadhyay, Subhrendu; Susong, David D.; Pruitt, Tom

2016-01-01

There has been a considerable amount of research linking climatic variability to hydrologic responses in the western United States. Although much effort has been spent to assess and predict changes in surface water resources, little has been done to understand how climatic events and changes affect groundwater resources. This study focuses on characterizing and quantifying the effects of large, multiyear, quasi-decadal groundwater recharge events in the northern Utah portion of the Great Basin for the period 1960–2013. Annual groundwater level data were analyzed with climatic data to characterize climatic conditions and frequency of these large recharge events. Using observed water-level changes and multivariate analysis, five large groundwater recharge events were identified with a frequency of about 11–13 years. These events were generally characterized as having above-average annual precipitation and snow water equivalent and below-average seasonal temperatures, especially during the spring (April through June). Existing groundwater flow models for several basins within the study area were used to quantify changes in groundwater storage from these events. Simulated groundwater storage increases per basin from a single recharge event ranged from about 115 to 205 Mm3. Extrapolating these amounts over the entire northern Great Basin indicates that a single large quasi-decadal recharge event could result in billions of cubic meters of groundwater storage. Understanding the role of these large quasi-decadal recharge events in replenishing aquifers and sustaining water supplies is crucial for long-term groundwater management.

Chapter 44: Geology and petroleum potential of the Lincoln Sea Basin, offshore North Greenland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sorensen, K.; Gautier, D.; Pitman, Janet K.; Ruth, Jackson H.; Dahl-Jensen, T.

2011-01-01

A seismic refraction line crossing the Lincoln Sea was acquired in 2006. It proves the existence of a deep sedimentary basin underlying the Lincoln Sea. This basin appears to be comparable in width and depth to the Sverdrup Basin of the Canadian Arctic Islands. The stratigraphy of the Lincoln Sea Basin is modelled in analogy to the Sverdrup Basin and the Central Spitsbergen Basin, two basins between which the Lincoln Sea intervened before the onset of seafloor spreading in the Eurasian Basin. The refraction data indicates that the Lincoln Sea Basin is capped by a kilometre-thick, low-velocity layer, which is taken to indicate an uplift history similar to, or even more favourable than, the fairway part of the Sverdrup Basin. Tectonic activity in the Palaeogene is likely to constitute the major basin scale risk. We conclude that the Lincoln Sea Basin is likely to be petroliferous and contains risked resources on the order of 1 ?? 109 barrels of oil, to which comes an equivalent amount of (associated and nonassociated) gas. ?? 2011 The Geological Society of London.

Midplate seismicity exterior to former rift-basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dewey, J.W.

1988-01-01

Midplate seismicity associated with some former rift-zones is distributed diffusely near, but exterior to, the rift basins. This "basin-exterior' seismicity cannot be attributed to reactivation of major basin-border faults on which uppercrustal extension was concentrated at the time of rifting, because the border faults dip beneath the basins. The seismicity may nonetheless represent reactivation of minor faults that were active at the time of rifting but that were located outside of the principal zones of upper-crustal extension; the occurrence of basin-exterior seismicity in some present-day rift-zones supports the existence of such minor basin-exterior faults. Other hypotheses for seismicity exterior to former rift-basins are that the seismicity reflects lobes of high stress due to lithospheric-bending that is centered on the axis of the rift, that the seismicity is localized on the exteriors of rift-basins by basin-interiors that are less deformable in the current epoch than the basin exteriors, and that seismicity is localized on the basin-exteriors by the concentration of tectonic stress in the highly elastic basin-exterior upper-crust. -from Author

3D basin structure of the Santa Clara Valley constrained by ambient noise tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, H.; Lee, S. J.; Rhie, J.; Kim, S.

2017-12-01

The basin structure is an important factor controls the intensity and duration of ground shaking due to earthquake. Thus it is important to study the basin structure for better understanding seismic hazard and also improving the earthquake preparedness. An active source seismic survey is the most appropriate method to determine the basin structure in detail but its applicability, especially in urban areas, is limited. In this study, we tested the potential of an ambient noise tomography, which can be a cheaper and more easily applicable method compared to a traditional active source survey, to construct the velocity model of the basin. Our testing region is the Santa Clara Valley, which is one of the major urban sedimentary basins in the States. We selected this region because continuous seismic recordings and well defined velocity models are available. Continuous seismic recordings of 6 months from short-period array of Santa Clara Valley Seismic Experiment are cross-correlated with 1 hour time window. And the fast marching method and the subspace method are jointly applied to construct 2-D group velocity maps between 0.2 - 4.0 Hz. Then, shear wave velocity model of the Santa Clara Valley is calculated up to 5 km depth using bayesian inversion technique. Although our model cannot depict the detailed structures, it is roughly comparable with the velocity model of the US Geological Survey, which is constrained by active seismic surveys and field researches. This result indicate that an ambient noise tomography can be a replacement, at least in part, of an active seismic survey to construct the velocity model of the basin.

Water Chemistry Control System for Recovery of Damaged and Degraded Spent Fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sindelar, R.; Fisher, D.; Thomas, J.

2011-02-18

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the government of Serbia have led the project cosponsored by the U.S, Russia, European Commission, and others to repackage and repatriate approximately 8000 spent fuel elements from the RA reactor fuel storage basins at the VIN?A Institute of Nuclear Sciences to Russia for reprocessing. The repackaging and transportation activities were implemented by a Russian consortium which includes the Sosny Company, Tekhsnabeksport (TENEX) and Mayak Production Association. High activity of the water of the fuel storage basin posed serious risk and challenges to the fuel removal from storage containers and repackaging for transportation. Themore » risk centered on personnel exposure, even above the basin water, due to the high water activity levels caused by Cs-137 leached from fuel elements with failed cladding. A team of engineers from the U.S. DOE-NNSA's Global Threat Reduction Initiative, the Vinca Institute, and the IAEA performed the design, development, and deployment of a compact underwater water chemistry control system (WCCS) to remove the Cs-137 from the basin water and enable personnel safety above the basin water for repackaging operations. Key elements of the WCCS system included filters, multiple columns containing an inorganic sorbent, submersible pumps and flow meters. All system components were designed to be remotely serviceable and replaceable. The system was assembled and successfully deployed at the Vinca basin to support the fuel removal and repackaging activities. Following the successful operations, the Cs-137 is now safely contained and consolidated on the zeolite sorbent used in the columns of the WCCS, and the fuel has been removed from the basins. This paper reviews the functional requirements, design, and deployment of the WCCS.« less

78 FR 69363 - Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, California, Heavenly Mountain Resort Epic Discovery Project

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-19

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, California, Heavenly Mountain Resort Epic Discovery Project AGENCY: Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Forest Service, USDA...: The Epic Discovery Project is intended to enhance summer activities in response to the USDA Forest...

Quantifying the effects of climate variability and human activities on runoff for Kaidu River Basin in arid region of northwest China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhongsheng; Chen, Yaning; Li, Baofu

2013-02-01

Much attention has recently been focused on the effects that climate variability and human activities have had on runoff. In this study, data from the Kaidu River Basin in the arid region of northwest China were analyzed to investigate changes in annual runoff during the period of 1960-2009. The nonparametric Mann-Kendall test and the Mann-Kendall-Sneyers test were used to identify trend and step change point in the annual runoff. It was found that the basin had a significant increasing trend in annual runoff. Step change point in annual runoff was identified in the basin, which occurred in the year around 1993 dividing the long-term runoff series into a natural period (1960-1993) and a human-induced period (1994-2009). Then, the hydrologic sensitivity analysis method was employed to evaluate the effects of climate variability and human activities on mean annual runoff for the human-induced period based on precipitation and potential evapotranspiration. In 1994-2009, climate variability was the main factor that increased runoff with contribution of 90.5 %, while the increasing percentage due to human activities only accounted for 9.5 %, showing that runoff in the Kaidu River Basin is more sensitive to climate variability than human activities. This study quantitatively distinguishes the effects between climate variability and human activities on runoff, which can do duty for a reference for regional water resources assessment and management.

Carboniferous-Rotliegend total petroleum system; description and assessment results summary

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gautier, Donald L.

2003-01-01

The Anglo-Dutch Basin and the Northwest German Basin are two of the 76 priority basins assessed by the U.S. Geological Survey World Energy Project. The basins were assessed together because most of the resources occur within a single petroleum system (the Carboniferous-Rotliegend Total Petroleum System) that transcends the combined Anglo-Dutch Basin and Northwest German Basin boundary. The juxtaposition of thermally mature coals and carbonaceous shales of the Carboniferous Coal Measures (source rock), sandstones of the Rotliegend sedimentary systems (reservoir rock), and the Zechstein evaporites (seal) define the total petroleum system (TPS). Three assessment units were defined, based upon technological and geographic (rather than geological) criteria, that subdivide the Carboniferous-Rotliegend Total Petroleum System. These assessment units are (1) the Southern Permian Basin-Offshore Europe Assessment Unit, (2) the Southern Permian Basin Onshore Europe Assessment Unit, and (3) the Southern Permian Basin Onshore United Kingdom Assessment Unit. Although the Carboniferous-Rotliegend Total Petroleum System is one of the most intensely explored volumes of rock in the world, potential remains for undiscovered resources. Undiscovered conventional resources associated with the TPS range from 22 to 184 million barrels of oil, and from 3.6 to 14.9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Of these amounts, approximately 62 million barrels of oil and 13 trillion cubic feet of gas are expected in offshore areas, and 26 million barrels of oil and 1.9 trillion cubic feet of gas are predicted in onshore areas.

A new concept for glacial geological investigations of surges, based on High-Arctic examples (Svalbard)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lønne, Ida

2016-01-01

Svalbard is a key area for the investigation of glacial surges, and almost two centuries worth of field observations exists from this region. Studies have shown that the course of a surge and the associated formation of landforms are strongly influenced by basinal factors, and that the broad range of variables involved can hamper interpretations and comparisons. Based on a review of surges in Svalbard, a new concept for glacial geological investigations has been developed that combines ice-flows, ice-front movements, and morphostratigraphy. The concept is comprised of the following four elements: 1) classification based on the configuration and characteristics of the receiving basin, 2) division of the surge cycle into six stages, 3) guidelines for morphological mapping, and 4) use of an allostratigraphic approach for interpreting ice-front movements. In this context, delineation of the active phase is critical, which include the history of terminus movements, and four main categories of receiving basins are recognized. These are (A) terrestrial basins with deformable substrates, (B) terrestrial basins with poorly deformable substrates, (C) shallow water basins, and (D) deep water basins. The ice-front movement history is reconstructed by coupling information from the proglacial moraines (syn-surge), the supraglacial moraines (post-surge), and the associated traces of meltwater to the surge stages (I-VI). This approach has revealed a critical relationship between the termination of the active phase and three morphological elements, namely, the maximum ice-front position, the maximum moraine extent and the youngest proglacial moraine, which are unique for each of the basins A-D. The concept is thus a novel and more precise approach for mapping the active phase and the active phase duration, as shown by the ∼12-year long surge of Fridtjovbreen, where stage I was 30 months (inception), stage II was 54 months (ice-front advance), stage III was 12 months (stillstand), and stage IV was 48 months (retreat during active flow). The glacier has been in quiescent phase (stages V/VI) since 2002.

Quaternary Activity of the Erciyes Fault Southeast of the Kayseri Basin, Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okumura, K.; Hayakawa, Y. S.; Kontani, R.; Fikri, K.

2016-12-01

The Erciyes fault in SE of the Kayseri basin is one of the most active Quaternary faults in Central Anatolia. Emre et al. (2011) mapped about 100 km long faults including a section runs across the Erciyes volcano. A M 7+ earthquake from the fault would be a big threat for the 1.5 million people in Kayseri basin, but little has been know about its activity and earthquake potential. We studied Plio-Pleistocene volacanics, Quaternary sediments, and UAV-SfM topography in southeast of the Kayseri basin and recognized significant dip-slip separation as well as sinistral slip in Late Quaternary. The Incesu ignimbrite (IC) of 2.52±0.49 Ma (Aydar et al., 2012) is a very distinctive densely welded ignimbrite layer in and around Kayseri basin. The Plinian pumice fall deposits from the Erciyes in Late Pleistocene (Sen et al. 2003) at Gesi Bagpnar (GBP) is another key-bed. There are two strands and one group of faults. The NE strike frontal strand separates the basin floor and the upland in SW extending from Kayseri city to more than 50 km NE. The Gesi Guney strand runs parallel to the frontal strand at 3 to 4 km away from the basin floor for 20 km from Ali Dag. The NS trending fault group is observed both inside and outside of the basin under IC. These NS faults are swarm of normal Pliocene faults. The Gesi Guney strand offsets IC around 120 m vertically. There is no information to infer the initiation of its activity, but the normal offset of an alluvial fan and unconsolidated fresh talus deposits indicate Late Quaternary activities. Near the SW end of the frontal strand, IC is vertically offset around 40 m. 15 km NE from the SW end, sand and gravel layers that intercalates GBP (0.11-0.14 Ma) are tilted to NW for 30 to 40 m and truncated by a sub-vertical sinistral faults. Most of frontal strand deformation occurred in Late Pleistocene because the offset of IC and GBP are similar. Estimated slip-rate of 0.3 to 0.4 mm/yr is significant for Central Anatolia.

Coal geology and assessment of coal resources and reserves in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Luppens, James A.; Scott, David C.

2015-01-01

This report presents the final results of the first assessment of both coal resources and reserves for all significant coal beds in the entire Powder River Basin, northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana. The basin covers about 19,500 square miles, exclusive of the part of the basin within the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations in Montana. The Powder River Basin, which contains the largest resources of low-sulfur, low-ash, subbituminous coal in the United States, is the single most important coal basin in the United States. The U.S. Geological Survey used a geology-based assessment methodology to estimate an original coal resource of about 1.16 trillion short tons for 47 coal beds in the Powder River Basin; in-place (remaining) resources are about 1.15 trillion short tons. This is the first time that all beds were mapped individually over the entire basin. A total of 162 billion short tons of recoverable coal resources (coal reserve base) are estimated at a 10:1 stripping ratio or less. An estimated 25 billion short tons of that coal reserve base met the definition of reserves, which are resources that can be economically produced at or below the current sales price at the time of the evaluation. The total underground coal resource in coal beds 10–20 feet thick is estimated at 304 billion short tons.

The role of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife in the Great Lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hester, F. Eugene

1973-01-01

Ecological blunders of man, such as timber exploitation, draining of wetlands, construction of canals and dams, and pollution have been mainly responsible for serious environmental degradation and catastrophic losses of fish and wildlife values in the Great Lakes Basin. Consequently, the major emphasis of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife must be on the protection and enhancement of the Great Lakes habitat -- primarily as a single large ecosystem, rather than as a number of political units separated by ecologically meaningless boundaries. By authority of Congress, the Bureau has long been concerned in the Great Lakes region with such diverse activities as establishing refuges for migratory waterfowl, conducting fishery research, evaluating the effects of federally sponsored water resource development projects on fish and wildlife, rearing and stocking of game fish, and assisting the states in fish and wildlife management by giving technical advice and financial assistance. Thus, the Bureau shares a strong common interest with other federal administrative units, as well as with state, interstate, and international agencies, in protecting, enhancing, and ensuring the wise use of fish and wildlife in the Great Lakes Basin.

Comparison of conceptually based and regression rainfall-runoff models, Denver Metropolitan area, Colorado, and potential applications in urban areas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindner-Lunsford, J. B.; Ellis, S.R.

1987-01-01

Multievent, conceptually based models and a single-event, multiple linear-regression model for estimating storm-runoff quantity and quality from urban areas were calibrated and verified for four small (57 to 167 acres) basins in the Denver metropolitan area, Colorado. The basins represented different land-use types - light commercial, single-family housing, and multi-family housing. Both types of models were calibrated using the same data set for each basin. A comparison was made between the storm-runoff volume, peak flow, and storm-runoff loads of seven water quality constituents simulated by each of the models by use of identical verification data sets. The models studied were the U.S. Geological Survey 's Distributed Routing Rainfall-Runoff Model-Version II (DR3M-II) (a runoff-quantity model designed for urban areas), and a multievent urban runoff quality model (DR3M-QUAL). Water quality constituents modeled were chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total lead, total manganese, and total zinc. (USGS)

Individual and cumulative effects of agriculture, forestry and metal mining activities on the metal and phosphorus content of fluvial fine-grained sediment; Quesnel River Basin, British Columbia, Canada.

PubMed

Smith, Tyler B; Owens, Philip N

2014-10-15

The impact of agriculture, forestry and metal mining on the quality of fine-grained sediment (<63 μm) was investigated in the Quesnel River Basin (QRB) (~11,500 km(2)) in British Columbia, Canada. Samples of fine-grained sediment were collected monthly during the snow-free season in 2008 using time-integrated samplers at replicate sites representative of agriculture, forestry and mining activities in the basin (i.e. "impacted" sites). Samples were also collected from replicate reference sites and also from the main stem of the Quesnel River at the downstream confluence with the Fraser River. Generally, metal(loid) and phosphorus (P) concentrations for "impacted" sites were greater than for reference sites. Furthermore, concentrations of copper (forestry and mining sites), manganese (agriculture and forestry sites) and selenium (agriculture, forestry and mining sites) exceeded upper sediment quality guideline (SQG) thresholds. These results suggest that agriculture, forestry and metal mining activities are having an influence on the concentrations of sediment-associated metal(loid)s and P in the Quesnel basin. Metal(loid) and P concentrations of sediment collected from the downstream site were not significantly greater than values for the reference sites, and were typically lower than the values for the impacted sites. This suggests that the cumulative effects of agriculture, forestry and mining activities in the QRB are presently not having a measureable effect at the river basin-scale. The lack of a cumulative effect at the basin-scale is thought to reflect: (i) the relatively recent occurrence of land use disturbances in this basin; (ii) the dominance of sediment contributions from natural forest and agriculture; and (iii) the potential for storage of contaminants on floodplains and other storage elements between the locations of disturbance activities and the downstream sampling site, which may be attenuating the disturbance signal. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Postspreading rifting in the Adare Basin, Antarctica: Regional tectonic consequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granot, R.; Cande, S. C.; Stock, J. M.; Davey, F. J.; Clayton, R. W.

2010-08-01

Extension during the middle Cenozoic (43-26 Ma) in the north end of the West Antarctic rift system (WARS) is well constrained by seafloor magnetic anomalies formed at the extinct Adare spreading axis. Kinematic solutions for this time interval suggest a southward decrease in relative motion between East and West Antarctica. Here we present multichannel seismic reflection and seafloor mapping data acquired within and near the Adare Basin on a recent geophysical cruise. We have traced the ANTOSTRAT seismic stratigraphic framework from the northwest Ross Sea into the Adare Basin, verified and tied to DSDP drill sites 273 and 274. Our results reveal three distinct periods of tectonic activity. An early localized deformational event took place close to the cessation of seafloor spreading in the Adare Basin (˜24 Ma). It reactivated a few normal faults and initiated the formation of the Adare Trough. A prominent pulse of rifting in the early Miocene (˜17 Ma) resulted in normal faulting that initiated tilted blocks. The overall trend of structures was NE-SW, linking the event with the activity outside the basin. It resulted in major uplift of the Adare Trough and marks the last extensional phase of the Adare Basin. Recent volcanic vents (Pliocene to present day) tend to align with the early Miocene structures and the on-land Hallett volcanic province. This latest phase of tectonic activity also involves near-vertical normal faulting (still active in places) with negligible horizontal consequences. The early Miocene extensional event found within the Adare Basin does not require a change in the relative motion between East and West Antarctica. However, the lack of subsequent rifting within the Adare Basin coupled with the formation of the Terror Rift and an on-land and subice extension within the WARS require a pronounced change in the kinematics of the rift. These observations indicate that extension increased southward, therefore suggesting that a major change in relative plate motion took place in the middle Miocene. The late Miocene pole of rotation might have been located north of the Adare Basin, with opposite opening sign compared to the Eocene-Oligocene pole.

Microseismicity at the North Anatolian Fault in the Sea of Marmara offshore Istanbul, NW Turkey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bulut, Fatih; Bohnhoff, Marco; Ellsworth, William L.; Aktar, Mustafa; Dresen, Georg

2009-01-01

The North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) below the Sea of Marmara forms a “seismic gap” where a major earthquake is expected to occur in the near future. This segment of the fault lies between the 1912 Ganos and 1999 İzmit ruptures and is the only NAFZ segment that has not ruptured since 1766. To monitor the microseismic activity at the main fault branch offshore of Istanbul below the Çınarcık Basin, a permanent seismic array (PIRES) was installed on the two outermost Prince Islands, Yassiada and Sivriada, at a few kilometers distance to the fault. In addition, a temporary network of ocean bottom seismometers was deployed throughout the Çınarcık Basin. Slowness vectors are determined combining waveform cross correlation and P wave polarization. We jointly invert azimuth and traveltime observations for hypocenter determination and apply a bootstrap resampling technique to quantify the location precision. We observe seismicity rates of 20 events per month for M < 2.5 along the basin. The spatial distribution of hypocenters suggests that the two major fault branches bounding the depocenter below the Çınarcık Basin merge to one single master fault below ∼17 km depth. On the basis of a cross-correlation technique we group closely spaced earthquakes and determine composite focal mechanisms implementing recordings of surrounding permanent land stations. Fault plane solutions have a predominant right-lateral strike-slip mechanism, indicating that normal faulting along this part of the NAFZ plays a minor role. Toward the west we observe increasing components of thrust faulting. This supports the model of NW trending, dextral strike-slip motion along the northern and main branch of the NAFZ below the eastern Sea of Marmara.

75 FR 15446 - Agency Information Collection Activities: United States-Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-29

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY U.S. Customs And Border Protection Agency Information Collection Activities: United States- Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection... respondent burden, U.S. Customs and Border (CBP) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to...

Hydrologic and chemical-quality data from four rural basins in Guilford County, North Carolina, 1985-88

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hill, C.L.

1989-01-01

An investigation was begun in 1984 in Guilford County, North Carolina, to monitor water quality and soil erosion in basins with various land-management practices. Hydrologic and chemical-quality data were collected from four rural drainage basins, including two agricultural basins (7.4 and 4.8 acres) cultivated in tobacco and small grains, a mixed rural land-use basin (665 acres) currently under standard land-management practices, and a forested control basin (44 acres) characterizing background conditions. Mean concentrations of total nitrite plus nitrate were 1.0 milligrams per liter from the agricultural basin under standard land-management practices. This was nearly 10 times greater than concentrations from the forested basin. Records of streamflow discharge, chemical quality, ground-water levels, precipitation, and farming activities collected from October 1984 through September 1988 at one or more of the basins are also presented in this report.

Petroleum geology and resources of the Amu-Darya basin, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Iran

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ulmishek, Gregory F.

2004-01-01

The Amu-Darya basin is a highly productive petroleum province in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan (former Soviet Union), extending southwestward into Iran and southeastward into Afghanistan. The basin underlies deserts and semideserts north of the high ridges of the Kopet-Dag and Bande-Turkestan Mountains. On the northwest, the basin boundary crosses the crest of the Karakum regional structural high, and on the north the basin is bounded by the shallow basement of the Kyzylkum high. On the east, the Amu-Darya basin is separated by the buried southeast spur of the Gissar Range from the Afghan-Tajik basin, which is deformed into a series of north-south-trending synclinoria and anticlinoria. The separation of the two basins occurred during the Neogene Alpine orogeny; earlier, they were parts of a single sedimentary province. The basement of the Amu-Darya basin is a Hercynian accreted terrane composed of deformed and commonly metamorphosed Paleozoic rocks. These rocks are overlain by rift grabens filled with Upper Permian-Triassic rocks that are strongly compacted and diagenetically altered. This taphrogenic sequence, also considered to be a part of the economic basement, is overlain by thick Lower to Middle Jurassic, largely continental, coal-bearing rocks. The overlying Callovian-Oxfordian rocks are primarily carbonates. A deep-water basin surrounded by shallow shelves with reefs along their margins was formed during this time and reached its maximum topographic expression in the late Oxfordian. In Kimmeridgian-Tithonian time, the basin was filled with thick evaporites of the Gaurdak Formation. The Cretaceous-Paleogene sequence is composed chiefly of marine clastic rocks with carbonate intervals prominent in the Valanginian, Barremian, Maastrichtian, and Paleocene stratigraphic units. In Neogene time, the Alpine orogeny on the basin periphery resulted in deposition of continental clastics, initiation of new and rejuvenation of old faults, and formation of most structural traps. A single total petroleum system is identified in the Amu-Darya basin. The system is primarily gas prone. Discovered gas reserves are listed by Petroconsultants (1996) at about 230 trillion cubic feet, but recent discoveries and recent reserve estimates in older fields should increase this number by 40 to 50 trillion cubic feet. Reserves of liquid hydrocarbons (oil and condensate) are comparatively small, less than 2 billion barrels. Most of the gas reserves are concentrated in two stratigraphic intervals, Upper Jurassic carbonates and Neocomian clastics, each of which contains about one-half of the reserves. Reserves of other stratigraphic units?from Middle Jurassic to Paleogene in age?are relatively small. Source rocks for the gas are the Lower to Middle Jurassic clastics and coal and Oxfordian basinal black shales in the east-central part of the basin. The latter is probably responsible for the oil legs and much of the condensate in gas pools. Throughout most of the basin both source-rock units are presently in the gas-window zone. Traps are structural, paleogeomorphic, and stratigraphic, as well as a combination of these types. The giant Dauletabad field is in a combination trap with an essential hydrodynamic component. Four assessment units were identified in the total petroleum system. One unit in the northeastern, northern, and northwestern marginal areas of the basin and another in the southern marginal area are characterized by wide vertical distribution of hydrocarbon pools in Middle Jurassic to Paleocene rocks and the absence of the salt of the Gaurdak Formation. The other two assessment units are stratigraphically stacked; they occupy the central area of the basin and are separated by the regional undeformed salt seal of the Gaurdak Formation. The largest part of undiscovered hydrocarbon resources of the Amu-Darya basin is expected in older of these assessment units. The mean value of total assessed resources of the Amu-Darya basin is estimated

Setting the baseline before geothermal exploration begins: the search of microseismic activity in the Geneva Basin, Western Switzerland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antunes, Verónica; Lupi, Matteo; Carrier, Aurore; Planès, Thomas; Martin, François

2017-04-01

Switzerland is moving towards the development of renewable energies. Following this trend, SIG (Services Industriels de Genève) and the Canton of Geneva is investing in the exploration of geothermal energy. Before the exploration takes place it is crucial to understand the rate of seismic activity in the region and its relationship with the existing faults. Historical and instrumental times suggest the presence of active faults in the region but to date little is known about the seismic activity in the Geneva Basin. Tectonic maps show the presence of major faults crossing the basin and recent seismic events indicate that such systems are still active on a regional scale. However, available data indicate infrequent and dispersed activity. This can be partially due to the small number of permanent stations in the area. To understand where micro-seismic activity may be located around and within the Geneva Basin we have deployed a temporary network composed of 20 broadband stations. With the densification of the network it could be possible to capture and localise small magnitude seismic events (i.e. M less than 1). Here we present the preliminary results obtained during the first months of the temporary network deployment.

Active shortening, intermontane basin formation, and geomorphic evolution in an orogenic plateau: Central Puna Plateau, NW Argentina (24°37'S, 67°03'W)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strecker, Manfred R.; Alonso, Ricardo N.; Bookhagen, Bodo; Freymark, Jessica; Pingel, Heiko

2017-04-01

The high-elevation Andean Plateau (Altiplano-Puna; 4km) is a first-order morphotectonic province of the Central Andes and constitutes the world's second largest orogenic plateau. While there are many unifying basin characteristics in this region, including internal drainage, semi-arid to arid climate and associated deposition of evaporites, there are notable differences between the northern and southern parts of the plateau. In contrast to the vast basins of the Altiplano (north) and incipient establishment of fluvial connectivity and sediment transport to the foreland, the Puna (south) comprises numerous smaller basins, bordered by reverse-fault bounded ranges up to 6 km high. The plateau is internally drained and fluvial connectivity with the foreland does not exist leading to thick sedimentary basin fills that comprise continental evaporites, volcanic and clastic deposits, typically between 3 and 5 km thick. However, repeated impacts of climate change and superposed tectonic activity in the southern plateau have resulted in further basin differentiation, abandonment or re-arrangement of fluvial networks and impacts on sediment transport. Here we report evidence for sustained contractional tectonic activity in the Pocitos Basin in the southern plateau. On the western margin of the basin fanning of dipping strata and regraded, steeply inclined gravel-covered pediment surfaces and wind gaps associated with gravel derived from distant sources in the west document late Tertiary to Pleistocene growth of an approximately N-S oriented and N plunging anticline. The growth of the eastern limb of this anticline has caused the isolation of a formerly more extensive basin. In addition, Late Pleistocene and Holocene lake shorelines and lacustrine deposits are tilted eastward along the same structure and InSAR measurements of deformed lake terraces document that the fold is growing. Despite widely reported extensional faulting in the southern Puna, we conclude (1) that the central sectors of the plateau are deformed by active shortening, suggesting that the kinematic changeover from shortening to neotectonic extension on the plateau must be highly disparate in space and time; (2) sustained deformation within the plateau results in a high degree of basin compartmentalization, which impacts the fluvial network and re-distribution of sediments, leading to similar geomorphic and sedimentary processes, although highly disparate in space and time.

Seismological and geodetic constraints on the 2011 Mw5.3 Trinidad, Colorado earthquake and induced deformation in the Raton Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnhart, William D.; Benz, Harley M.; Hayes, Gavin P.; Rubinstein, Justin L.; Bergman, E.

2014-01-01

The Raton Basin of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico is an actively produced hydrocarbon basin that has experienced increased seismicity since 2001, including the August 2011 Mw5.3 Trinidad normal faulting event. Following the 2011 earthquake, regional seismic observations were used to relocate 21 events, including the 2011 main shock, two foreshocks, and 13 aftershocks. Additionally, interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) observations of both the 2011 event and preevent basin deformation place constraint on the spatial kinematics of the 2011 event and localized basin subsidence due to ground water or gas withdrawal. We find that the 2011 earthquake ruptured an 8–10 km long segment of a normal fault at depths of 1.5–6.0 km within the crystalline Precambrian basement underlying the Raton Basin sedimentary rocks. The earthquake also nucleated within the crystalline basement in the vicinity of an active wastewater disposal site. The ensuing aftershock sequence demonstrated statistical properties expected for intraplate earthquakes, though the length of the 2011 earthquake is unexpectedly long for an Mw5.3 event, suggesting that wastewater disposal may have triggered a low stress drop, otherwise natural earthquake. Additionally, preevent and postevent seismicity in the Raton Basin spatially correlates to regions of subsidence observed in InSAR time series analysis. While these observations cannot discern a causal link between hydrocarbon production and seismicity, they constrain spatial relationships between active basin deformation and geological and anthropogenic features. Furthermore, the InSAR observations highlight the utility of space-based geodetic observations for monitoring and assessing anthropogenically induced and triggered deformation.

Nature and origin of basin-forming projectiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wetherill, G. W.

The formation of the observed lunar multi-ring basins is discussed in the context of current theories of terrestrial planet formation, particularly those in which these planets formed by the accumulation of large planetesimals. The observed number, size, and timing of lunar basin-forming impacts is in the range expected for such theories. Tidal disruption during close encounters to earth and Venus can provide a single mechanism that explains a number of details concerning the number, size distribution, and stochastic nature of the timing of these impacts. A basin time scale is suggested in which Nectaris is associated with the 4.1 b.y. age of the Apollo 16 light matrix breccias. In accordance with the present consensus, Serenitatis is 3.86 b.y., Imbrium and Orientale 3.80-3.82 b.y. in age. Other nearside circular basins (e.g., Humorum and Crisium) are intermediate in age between 3.86 and 4.12 b.y. The large number of 3.8-3.9 b.y. ages is attributed primarily to the magnitude of the Imbrium and Serenitatis impacts, and sampling bias resulting from concentration of collection sites in proximity to these basins.

Tree-ring-based reconstruction of precipitation in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, since 1260 A.D

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gray, S.T.; Fastie, C.L.; Jackson, S.T.; Betancourt, J.L.

2004-01-01

Cores and cross sections from 79 Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and limber pine (Pinus flexilis) trees at four sites in the Bighorn Basin of north-central Wyoming and south-central Montana were used to develop a proxy for annual (June-June) precipitation spanning 1260-1998 A.D. The reconstruction exhibits considerable nonstationarity, and the instrumental era (post-1900) in particular fails to capture the full range of precipitation variability experienced in the past ???750 years. Both single-year and decadal-scale dry events were more severe before 1900. Dry spells in the late thirteenth and sixteenth centuries surpass both magnitude and duration of any droughts in the Bighorn Basin after 1900. Precipitation variability appears to shift to a higher-frequency mode after 1750, with 15-20-yr droughts becoming rare. Comparisons between instrumental and reconstructed values of precipitation and indices of Pacific basin variability reveal that precipitation in the Bighorn Basin generally responds to Pacific forcing in a manner similar to that of the southwestern United States (drier during La Nin??a events), but high country precipitation in areas surrounding the basin displays the opposite response (drier during El Nin??o events). ?? 2004 American Meteorological Society.

[Genetic Differentiation of Sockeye Salmon Oncorhynchus nerka from Kamchatka River Basin and the Lake-River Systems of the West Coast of the Bering Sea as Inferred from Data on Single Nucleotide Polymorphism].

PubMed

Khrustaleva, A M; Klovach, N V; Vedischeva, E V; Seeb, J E

2015-10-01

The variability of 45 single nucleotide polymorphism loci (SNP) was studied in sockeye salmon from the Kamchatka River basin and four lake-river systems of the west coast of the Bering Sea. Based on the genetic differentiation estimates for the largest sockeye salmon populations of Eastern Kamchatka and Chukotka, the examined samples were combined into two regional groups represented by the population of the Kamchatka River drainage, which included numerous local subpopulations and seasonal races, and the northern population grouping from the rivers of Olutorsko-Navarinsky raion, wherein the sockeye salmon from Maynypilginskaya Lake-River system was relatively isolated. Considerable divergence was observed between the island (Sarannoe Lake, Bering Island) and continental populations. Genetic heterogeneity was revealed and groups of early- and late-maturing individuals were isolated in the sample of late-run sockeye salmon from Kamchatka River. In Apuka River, subdivision of the spawning run into two genetically distinct spatial and temporal groupings was also observed. The results suggest that the differentiation of sockeye salmon samples by single nucleotide substitution frequencies was largely due to differences in the direction and strength of local selection at some loci in the population complexes and intrapopulation groupings from the examined river basins of Eastern Kamchatka, Chukotka, and Commander Islands.

Global population genetic structure and male-mediated gene flow in the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas): analysis of microsatellite loci.

PubMed Central

Roberts, Mark A; Schwartz, Tonia S; Karl, Stephen A

2004-01-01

We assessed the degree of population subdivision among global populations of green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas, using four microsatellite loci. Previously, a single-copy nuclear DNA study indicated significant male-mediated gene flow among populations alternately fixed for different mitochondrial DNA haplotypes and that genetic divergence between populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans was more common than subdivisions among populations within ocean basins. Even so, overall levels of variation at single-copy loci were low and inferences were limited. Here, the markedly more variable microsatellite loci confirm the presence of male-mediated gene flow among populations within ocean basins. This analysis generally confirms the genetic divergence between the Atlantic and Pacific. As with the previous study, phylogenetic analyses of genetic distances based on the microsatellite loci indicate a close genetic relationship among eastern Atlantic and Indian Ocean populations. Unlike the single-copy study, however, the results here cannot be attributed to an artifact of general low variability and likely represent recent or ongoing migration between ocean basins. Sequence analyses of regions flanking the microsatellite repeat reveal considerable amounts of cryptic variation and homoplasy and significantly aid in our understanding of population connectivity. Assessment of the allele frequency distributions indicates that at least some of the loci may not be evolving by the stepwise mutation model. PMID:15126404

R-Area Reactor 1993 annual groundwater monitoring report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1994-09-01

Groundwater was sampled and analyzed during 1993 from wells monitoring the following locations in R Area: Well cluster P20 east of R Area (one well each in the water table and the McBean formation), the R-Area Acid/Caustic Basin (the four water-table wells of the RAC series), the R-Area Ash Basin/Coal Pile (one well of the RCP series in the Congaree formation and one in the water table), the R-Area Disassembly Basin (the three water-table wells of the RDB series), the R-Area Burning/Rubble Pits (the four water-table wells of the RRP series), and the R-Area Seepage Basins (numerous water-table wells inmore » the RSA, RSB, RSC, RSD, RSE, and RSF series). Lead was the only constituent detected above its 50{mu}g/L standard in any but the seepage basin wells; it exceeded that level in one B well and in 23 of the seepage basin wells. Cadmium exceeded its drinking water standard (DWS) in 30 of the seepage basin wells, as did mercury in 10. Nitrate-nitrite was above DWS once each in two seepage basin wells. Tritium was above DWS in six seepage basin wells, as was gross alpha activity in 22. Nonvolatile beta exceeded its screening standard in 29 wells. Extensive radionuclide analyses were requested during 1993 for the RCP series and most of the seepage basin wells. Strontium-90 in eight wells was the only specific radionuclide other than tritium detected above DWS; it appeared about one-half of the nonvolatile beta activity in those wells.« less

Paleogeography of the upper Paleozoic basins of southern South America: An overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limarino, Carlos O.; Spalletti, Luis A.

2006-12-01

The paleogeographic evolution of Late Paleozoic basins located in southern South America is addressed. Three major types of basins are recognized: infracratonic or intraplate, arc-related, and retroarc. Intraplate basins (i.e., Paraná, Chaco-Paraná, Sauce Grande-Colorado, and La Golondrina) are floored by continental or quasi-continental crust, with low or moderate subsidence rates and limited magmatic and tectonic activity. Arc-related basins (northern and central Chile, Navidad-Arizaro, Río Blanco, and Calingasta-Uspallata basins and depocenters along Chilean Patagonia) show a very complex tectonic history, widespread magmatic activity, high subsidence rates, and in some cases metamorphism of Late Paleozoic sediments. An intermediate situation corresponds to the retroarc basins (eastern Madre de Dios, Tarija, Paganzo, and Tepuel-Genoa), which lack extensive magmatism and metamorphism but in which coeval tectonism and sedimentation rates were likely more important than those in the intraplate region. According to the stratigraphic distribution of Late Paleozoic sediments, regional-scale discontinuities, and sedimentation pattern changes, five major paleogeographic stages are proposed. The lowermost is restricted to the proto-Pacific and retroarc basins, corresponds to the Mississippian (stage 1), and is characterized by shallow marine and transitional siliciclastic sediments. During stage 2 (Early Pennsylvanian), glacial-postglacial sequences dominated the infracratonic (or intraplate) and retroarc basins, and terrigenous shallow marine sediments prevailed in arc-related basins. Stage 3 (Late Pennsylvanian-Early Cisuralian) shows the maximum extension of glacial-postglacial sediments in the Paraná and Sauce Grande-Colorado basins (intraplate region), whereas fluvial deposits interfingering with thin intervals of shallow marine sediments prevailed in the retroarc basins. To the west, arc-related basins were dominated by coastal to deep marine conditions (including turbiditic successions). In the Late Cisuralian (stage 4), important differences in sedimentation patterns are registered for the western arc-related basins and eastern intraplate basins. The former were locally dominated by volcaniclastic sediments or marine deposits, and the intraplate basins are characterized by shallow marine conditions punctuated by several episodes of deltaic progradation. Finally, in the Late Permian (stage 5), volcanism and volcaniclastic sedimentation dominated in basins located along the western South American margin. The intraplate basins in turn were characterized by T-R cycles composed of shallow marine, deltaic, and fluvial siliciclastic deposits.

Comparison of different methods for estimating snowcover in forested, mountainous basins using LANDSAT (ERTS) images. [Washington and Santiam River, Oregon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meier, M. J.; Evans, W. E.

1975-01-01

Snow-covered areas on LANDSAT (ERTS) images of the Santiam River basin, Oregon, and other basins in Washington were measured using several operators and methods. Seven methods were used: (1) Snowline tracing followed by measurement with planimeter, (2) mean snowline altitudes determined from many locations, (3) estimates in 2.5 x 2.5 km boxes of snow-covered area with reference to snow-free images, (4) single radiance-threshold level for entire basin, (5) radiance-threshold setting locally edited by reference to altitude contours and other images, (6) two-band color-sensitive extraction locally edited as in (5), and (7) digital (spectral) pattern recognition techniques. The seven methods are compared in regard to speed of measurement, precision, the ability to recognize snow in deep shadow or in trees, relative cost, and whether useful supplemental data are produced.

Geology and assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Hope Basin Province, 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bird, Kenneth J.; Houseknecht, David W.; Pitman, Janet K.; Moore, Thomas E.; Gautier, Donald L.

2018-01-04

The Hope Basin, an independent petroleum province that lies mostly offshore in the southern Chukchi Sea north of the Chukotka and Seward Peninsulas and south of Wrangel Island, the Herald Arch, and the Lisburne Peninsula, is the largest in a series of postorogenic (successor) basins in the East Siberian-Chukchi Sea region and the only one with exploratory-well control and extensive seismic coverage.In spite of the seismic coverage and well data, the petroleum potential of the Hope Basin Province is poorly known. The adequacy of hydrocarbon charge, in combination with uncertainties in source-rock potential and maturation, was the greatest risk in this assessment. A single assessment unit was defined and assessed, resulting in mean estimates of undiscovered, technically recoverable resources that include ~3 million barrels of oil and 650 billion cubic feet of nonassociated gas.

Isopach and isoresource maps for oil shale deposits in the Eocene Green River Formation for the combined Uinta and Piceance Basins, Utah and Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mercier, Tracey J.; Johnson, Ronald C.

2012-01-01

The in-place oil shale resources in the Eocene Green River Formation of the Piceance Basin of western Colorado and the Uinta Basin of western Colorado and eastern Utah are estimated at 1.53 trillion barrels and 1.32 trillion barrels, respectively. The oil shale strata were deposited in a single large saline lake, Lake Uinta, that covered both basins and the intervening Douglas Creek arch, an area of comparatively low rates of subsidence throughout the history of Lake Uinta. Although the Green River Formation is largely eroded for about a 20-mile area along the crest of the arch, the oil shale interval is similar in both basins, and 17 out of 18 of the assessed oil shale zones are common to both basins. Assessment maps for these 17 zones are combined so that the overall distribution of oil shale over the entire extent of Lake Uinta can be studied. The combined maps show that throughout most of the history of Lake Uinta, the richest oil shale was deposited in the depocenter in the north-central part of the Piceance Basin and in the northeast corner of the Uinta Basin where it is closest to the Piceance Basin, which is the only area of the Uinta Basin where all of the rich and lean oil shale zones, originally defined in the Piceance Basin, can be identified. Both the oil shale and saline mineral depocenter in the Piceance Basin and the richest oil shale area in the Uinta Basin were in areas with comparatively low rates of subsidence during Lake Uinta time, but both areas had low rates of clastic influx. Limiting clastic influx rather than maximizing subsidence appears to have been the most important factor in producing rich oil shale.

Rio Grande Basin Consortium: Mission, goals, and activities

Treesearch

Deborah A. Potter; Deborah M. Finch

1996-01-01

The Rio Grande Basin Consortium (RGBC) serves as a networking group and clearinghouse for scientific information pertaining to the Rio Grande Basin. Its membership consists of natural and social scientists from New Mexico’s three research universities, administrators, and resource managers from federal, state, and local governmental agencies, members of community and...

Interannual and long-term changes in the trophic state of a multibasin lake: Effects of morphology, climate, winter aeration, and beaver activity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robertson, Dale M.; Rose, William; Reneau, Paul C.

2016-01-01

Little St. Germain Lake (LSG), a relatively pristine multibasin lake in Wisconsin, USA, was examined to determine how morphologic (internal), climatic (external), anthropogenic (winter aeration), and natural (beaver activity) factors affect the trophic state (phosphorus, P; chlorophyll, CHL; and Secchi depth, SD) of each of its basins. Basins intercepting the main flow and external P sources had highest P and CHL and shallowest SD. Internal loading in shallow, polymictic basins caused P and CHL to increase and SD to decrease as summer progressed. Winter aeration used to eliminate winterkill increased summer internal P loading and decreased water quality, while reductions in upstream beaver impoundments had little effect on water quality. Variations in air temperature and precipitation affected each basin differently. Warmer air temperatures increased productivity throughout the lake and decreased clarity in less eutrophic basins. Increased precipitation increased P in the basins intercepting the main flow but had little effect on the isolated deep West Bay. These relations are used to project effects of future climatic changes on LSG and other temperate lakes.

Basins in ARC-continental collisions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Draut, Amy E.; Clift, Peter D.; Busby, Cathy; Azor, Antonio

2012-01-01

Arc-continent collisions occur commonly in the plate-tectonic cycle and result in rapidly formed and rapidly collapsing orogens, often spanning just 5-15 My. Growth of continental masses through arc-continent collision is widely thought to be a major process governing the structural and geochemical evolution of the continental crust over geologic time. Collisions of intra-oceanic arcs with passive continental margins (a situation in which the arc, on the upper plate, faces the continent) involve a substantially different geometry than collisions of intra-oceanic arcs with active continental margins (a situation requiring more than one convergence zone and in which the arc, on the lower plate, backs into the continent), with variable preservation potential for basins in each case. Substantial differences also occur between trench and forearc evolution in tectonically erosive versus tectonically accreting margins, both before and after collision. We examine the evolution of trenches, trench-slope basins, forearc basins, intra-arc basins, and backarc basins during arc-continent collision. The preservation potential of trench-slope basins is low; in collision they are rapidly uplifted and eroded, and at erosive margins they are progressively destroyed by subduction erosion. Post-collisional preservation of trench sediment and trench-slope basins is biased toward margins that were tectonically accreting for a substantial length of time before collision. Forearc basins in erosive margins are usually floored by strong lithosphere and may survive collision with a passive margin, sometimes continuing sedimentation throughout collision and orogeny. The low flexural rigidity of intra-arc basins makes them deep and, if preserved, potentially long records of arc and collisional tectonism. Backarc basins, in contrast, are typically subducted and their sediment either lost or preserved only as fragments in melange sequences. A substantial proportion of the sediment derived from collisional orogenesis ends up in the foreland basin that forms as a result of collision, and may be preserved largely undeformed. Compared to continent-continent collisional foreland basins, arc-continent collisional foreland basins are short-lived and may undergo partial inversion after collision as a new, active continental margin forms outboard of the collision zone and the orogen whose load forms the basin collapses in extension.

Seismic Study of Tremor, Deep Long-Period Earthquakes, and Basin Amplification of Ground Motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jiangang

In this thesis, we use seismic data and seismological tools to investigate three topics, (1) triggering between slow slip (tremor as proxy) and nearby small earthquakes, (2) mechanisms of deep-long period earthquakes beneath Mount St. Helens, and (3) ground motion amplification in Seattle Basin. In Chapter 1, we investigate 12-year earthquake and tremor catalogs for southwest Japan, and find nearby small intraslab earthquakes are weakly correlated with tremor. In particular, intraslab earthquakes tend to be followed by tremor more often than expected at random, while the excess number of tremor before earthquakes is not as significant. The underlying triggering mechanism of tremor and inferred slow slip by earthquakes is most likely to be the dynamic stress changes (several to several tens of kPa) rather than the much smaller static stress changes. In Chapter 2, we use the catalog DLPs as templates to search for repeating events at Mount St. Helens (MSH). We have detected 277 DLPs, compared to only 22 events previously in the catalog from 2007 to 2016. Three templates from the catalog are single events, while all other templates produced matches, identifying loci of repeated activity. Overall, the detected DLPs show no significant correlation with either the subduction zone tremor and slow slip (ETS) west of MSH, or the shallow seismicity. Temporal analysis shows an elevated rate of DLPs at time of compressional tidal stress, suggesting their possible association with magmatic and/or fluid activity. We observed variable S wave polarization of the DLPs from the most productive DLP source region, indicating their source mechanisms are not identical. In Chapter 3, we use noise correlation to retrieve the empirical green's functions (EGFs) in Seattle Basin. Consistent amplitudes measured from noise EGFs, teleseismic S wave and numerical simulations all suggest the usefulness of the amplitude of EGFs. For surface wave with period of 5-10 sec propagating from west to east, the ground motion is amplified by a factor of up to 3 within the basin. The bias of EGFs from noise heterogeneity and uncertainties of synthetics due to inaccuracy of velocity model are still to be investigated.

Deformation in the Basin & Range Province and Rio Grande Rift using InSAR Time Series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, H.; Pisaniello, M.; Pritchard, M. E.

2012-12-01

High heat flow in the Basin and Range Province and Rio Grande Rift has been attributed to partial melting in the crust and upper mantle as a result of ongoing extension (e.g. Lachenbruch 1978). We would then expect to observe surface deformation in areas with actively moving magmatic fluids. The distribution of these magmatic fluids has implications for the rheology of the crust and upper mantle. For this study, we use InSAR to locate deformation due to magmatic sources as well as localized hydrologic deformation. While our focus is magmatic deformation, hydrologic signals are important for correcting geodetic data used to monitor tectonic activity. InSAR is a suitable technique for a large study in the Basin and Range and Rio Grande Rift since SAR acquisitions are both numerous and temporally extensive in these regions. We use ERS-1, ERS-2, and ENVISAT SAR images from 1992-2010 to create time series' with interferograms up to 1800km long from both ascending and descending satellite tracks. Each time series has an average of 100 interferograms reducing the atmospheric noise that masks small deformation signals in single interferograms. The time series' results are validated using overlapping tracks and are further compared to signals identified in previous geophysical studies (e.g. Reilinger and Brown 1980, Massonnet et al 1997, Finnegan and Pritchard 2009). We present results for several areas of deformation in the Basin & Range Province and Rio Grande Rift. An agricultural area near Roswell, NM exhibits seasonal uplift and subsidence of ±3.5cm/yr between 1992 and 1999. Results indicate subsidence on the order of 1cm/yr and uplift of 2cm/yr at the Raft River power plant, ID that is likely related to the start of geothermal fluid production and injection. Just north of the Raft River plant, we detect what appears to be rapid agricultural subsidence in an area extending for 50km. We discuss subsidence of ~2cm/yr in Escalante Valley, UT that is comparable to deformation observed in an earlier InSAR study on subsidence caused by ground-water withdrawal (Forster, 2006).

Blue-Green Solutions in Urban Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karlsson, Caroline; Kalantari, Zahra

2017-04-01

With the ongoing urbanisation and increasing pressure for new housing and infrastructure, the nexus of developing compact, energy-efficient and yet liveable and sustainable cities is urgent to address. In this context, blue-green spaces and related ecosystem services (ES) are critical resources that need to be integrated in policy and planning of urban. Among the ES provided by blue-green spaces, regulating ES such as water retention and purification are particularly important in urban areas, affecting water supply and quality, related cultural ES and biodiversity, as well as cities potential to adapt to climate change. Blue-green infrastructure management is considered a sustainable way to reducing negative effects of urbanisation, such as decreasing flood risks, as well as adapting to climate change for example by controlling increasing flood and drought risks. Blue-green infrastructure management can for example create multifunctional surfaces with valuable environmental and social functions and generally handle greenways and ecological networks as important ecosystem service components, for example for stormwater regulation in a sustainable urban drainage system. The Norrström drainage basin (22,000 km2) is a large demonstrator for Blue-green infrastructure management. Both urbanisation and agriculture are extensive within this basin, which includes the Swedish capital Stockholm and is part of the fertile Swedish belt. Together, the relatively high population density combined with agricultural and industrial activities in this region imply large eutrophication and pollution pressures, not least transferred through storm runoff to both inland surface waters and the coastal waters of the Baltic Sea. The ecosystems of this basin provide highly valued but also threatened services. For example, Lake Mälaren is the single main freshwater supply for the Swedish capital Stockholm, as well as a key nutrient retention system that strongly mitigates waterborne nutrient loads to the Baltic Sea a function that is in turn threatened by climate change. Large socio-economic values are also at stake here with regard to ecosystem regulation of both flood and drought risks, again threatened by both climate change and human development activities within the Norrström basin itself.

Identifying glacial influences on sedimentation in tectonically-active, mass flow dominated arc basins with reference to the Neoproterozoic Gaskiers glaciation (c. 580 Ma) of the Avalonian-Cadomian Orogenic Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carto, Shannon L.; Eyles, Nick

2012-06-01

Neoproterozoic 'Avalonian-Cadomian' volcanic arc basins once lay peripheral to Gondwana and are now found around the North Atlantic Ocean in New England, Atlantic Canada and northwestern Europe as 'peri-Gondwanan terranes.' Their thick (up to 9 km) marine fills are dominated by turbidites, debrites (diamictites and variably graded conglomerates), slumps and olistostromes recording the dominance of mass flow processes in arc basins oversupplied with volcaniclastic sediment. Several diamictite horizons in these basins were identified as glacial tillites more than one hundred years ago on the basis of poor textural sorting, and the lack of any understanding of mass flow processes. An association with thin-bedded turbidite facies, then interpreted as glaciolacustrine varvites, was seen as evidence for widespread glacial conditions which is still the basis today of a near global 'Gaskiers glaciation' at c. 580 Ma, despite classic sedimentological work which shows that the 'tillites' and 'varvites' of these basins are deep marine sediment gravity flow deposits. Only in two basins (Gaskiers Formation, Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland, and the Konnarock Formation of Virginia) is a distal and regionally-restricted glacial influence on marine sedimentation identified from ice-rafted, striated dropstones in turbidites but terrestrial 'ice-contact' facies are absent. As revealed in this study, terrestrial glacial facies may not have survived frequent volcanic activity such as seen today on glaciated active plate margin volcanoes such as Mount Rainier in Washington USA, and Cotopaxi Volcano in Ecuador where primary glacial sediment is frequently reworked by lahars, pyroclastic flows, debris avalanches and outburst floods. The weight of evidence presented in this study indicates that ice covers during the Gaskiers glaciation were not widespread across the Avalonian-Cadomian back arc basins; the deep marine Grenada Basin (Caribbean Sea) filled with turbidites, debrites (lahars) and debris avalanches from the adjacent Lesser Antilles Arc is identified here as a modern analogue for these ancient basins.

Manganese Oxidizing Bacteria in Guaymas Basin Hydrothermal Fluids, Sediments, and Plumes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dick, G. J.; Tebo, B. M.

2002-12-01

The active seafloor hydrothermal system at Guaymas Basin in the Gulf of California is unique in that spreading centers are covered with thick sediments, and hydrothermal fluids are injected into a semi-enclosed basin. This hydrothermal activity is the source of a large input of dissolved manganese [Mn(II)] into Guaymas Basin, and the presence of a large standing stock of particulate manganese in this basin has been taken as evidence for a short residence time of dissolved Mn(II) with respect to oxidation, suggestive of bacterial catalysis. During a recent Atlantis/Alvin expedition (R/V Atlantis Cruise #7, Leg 11, Jim Cowen Chief Scientist), large amounts of particulate manganese oxides were again observed in Guaymas Basin hydrothermal plumes. The goal of the work presented here was to identify bacteria involved in the oxidation of Mn(II) in Guaymas Basin, and to determine what molecular mechanisms drive this process. Culture-based methods were employed to isolate Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria from Guaymas Basin hydrothermal fluids, sediments, and plumes, and numerous Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria were identified based on the formation of orange, brown, or black manganese oxides on bacterial colonies on agar plates. The Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria were able to grow at temperatures from 12 to 50°C, and a selection of the isolates were chosen for phylogenetic (16S rRNA genes) and microscopic characterization. Endospore-forming Bacillus species accounted for many of the Mn(II)-oxidizing isolates obtained from both hydrothermal sediments and plumes, while members of the alpha- and gamma-proteobacteria were also found. Mn(II)-oxidizing enzymes from previously characterized Bacillus spores are known to be active at temperatures greater than 50°C. The presence of Mn(II)-oxidizing spores - some of which are capable of growing at elevated temperatures - in hydrothermal fluids and sediments at Guaymas Basin suggests that Mn(II) oxidation may be occurring immediately or very soon after hydrothermal fluids emerge from the seafloor.

Enhanced provenance interpretation using combined U-Pb and (U-Th)/He double dating of detrital zircon grains from lower Miocene strata, proximal Gulf of Mexico Basin, North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jie; Stockli, Daniel F.; Snedden, John W.

2017-10-01

Detrital zircon U-Pb analysis is an effective approach for investigating sediment provenance by relating crystallization age to potential crystalline source terranes. Studies of large passive margin basins, such as the Gulf of Mexico Basin, that have received sediment from multiple terranes with non-unique crystallization ages or sedimentary strata, benefit from additional constraints to better elucidate provenance interpretation. In this study, U-Pb and (U-Th)/He double dating analyses on single zircons from the lower Miocene sandstones in the northern Gulf of Mexico Basin reveal a detailed history of sediment source evolution. U-Pb age data indicate that most zircon originated from five major crystalline provinces, including the Western Cordillera Arc (<250 Ma), the Appalachian-Ouachita orogen (500-260 Ma), the Grenville (1300-950 Ma) orogen, the Mid-Continent Granite-Rhyolite (1500-1300 Ma), and the Yavapai-Mazatzal (1800-1600 Ma) terranes as well as sparse Pan-African (700-500 Ma) and Canadian Shield (>1800 Ma) terranes. Zircon (U-Th)/He ages record tectonic cooling and exhumation in the U.S. since the Mesoproterozoic related to the Grenville to Laramide Orogenies. The combined crystallization and cooling information from single zircon double dating can differentiate volcanic and plutonic zircons. Importantly, the U-Pb-He double dating approach allows for the differentiation between multiple possible crystallization-age sources on the basis of their subsequent tectonic evolution. In particular, for Grenville zircons that are present in all of lower Miocene samples, four distinct zircon U-Pb-He age combinations are recognizable that can be traced back to four different possible sources. The integrated U-Pb and (U-Th)/He data eliminate some ambiguities and improves the provenance interpretation for the lower Miocene strata in the northern Gulf of Mexico Basin and illustrate the applicability of this approach for other large-scale basins to reconstruct sediment provenance and dispersal patterns.

Geologic support for the putative Borealis basin (Mega-Impact) on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bleamaster, L. F.

2008-12-01

A series of recent papers (all in Nature v. 453) using Martian gravity and topography [Andrews-Hanna et al., 2008], 3-D hydrodynamic simulations [Marinova et al., 2008], and 2-D hydrocode models [Nimmo et al., 2008] have eloquently reintroduced the single mega-impact hypothesis for the formation of the Martian hemispheric dichotomy boundary. Although geophysical models often return non-unique solutions, the coalition front presented by these three independent methods to test such a hypothesis lends credibility and demands further evaluation. The central tenet of these works is the proposition that an elliptical basin (long axis 10,600km, ellipticity 1.25) centered at 67N, 208E marks the pre-Tharsis crustal thickness transition and thus the real dichotomy boundary. Evaluation of this new boundary with respect to the geologic record offers new avenues, especially since geologic tests of the mega-impact hypothesis have mostly proved inconclusive because of Mars' multi-stage and multi-process geologic history. Within this survey, a slightly larger ellipse with a long axis of 12,500 km, ellipticity of 1.48, and centered at 65.3N, 250E expands the putative Borealis impact basin (which does not necessarily represent the transient or final impact cavity dimensions, but defines a potential 'affected zone') while maintaining agreement with the original observations with respect to gravity and topography. The 'affected zone' can be defined by basement structure that may become susceptible to later deformation, or it may in fact have been the paleo- topographic expression of the basin. By expanding the overall area (nearly twice the area of the original mega-impact basin proposed by Wilhelms and Squyres in 1984) several geologic features become significant in evaluating the mega-impact story. 1) Valles Marineris is concentric to the putative basin interior and parallels the ellipse margin suggesting that it is the structural manifestation of localized crustal relaxation of the Tharsis volcanic pile over pre-existing basement structure related to Borealis basin subsidence. The present day Valles Marineris may actually represent the 'missing portion' of the original crustal dichotomy trace underneath Tharsis. 2) The 'great faults' (Connerney et al., 2005) that offset the magnetic field pattern radiate from near the center of the putative basin, again suggesting basement structural control related to basin formation. 3) The mysterious Medusa Fossae Formation is completely enclosed within the basin margin and the units' southern contacts fall within 5 km of the same elliptical trace that bisects central Valles Marineris. 4) Chaos regions at the eastern end of Valles Marineris are wholly contained within the basin margin and suggest some kind of marginal control on their locations. 5) Valley network (channel) densities sharply increase outside the basin and are truncated by the Borealis ellipse. Integrating these and other geologic observations (still ongoing) with the newly formulated geophysical methods suggests that a single mega-impact is reemerging as a viable and perhaps preferred mechanism for dichotomy formation.

Northwestern Montana next frontier

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stremel, K.

1983-08-01

Many contractors are proposing nonexclusive surveys, anticipating more activity in shallow, oil-producing basins. Excluding the Powder River Basin, a majority of geophysical activity in the northern Rockies is focusing on several areas in Montana. Some believe this virtually unexplored area may hold reserves equal to approximately 15-20% of the total known reserves in the U.S.

Environment, poverty and health linkages in the Wami River basin: A search for sustainable water resource management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madulu, Ndalahwa F.

The Wami Rivers basin is an important area due to its diversified use which benefits a multi-diversity of stakeholders. While large scale irrigated sugar production is the main issue of concern upstream, there are other equally important socio-economic activities which include biodiversity and environmental conservation, domestic water supply, livestock water needs, and fishing. A large water supply project has just been completed downstream of the Wami River to provide water for the Chalinze township and surrounding villages. Other important undertakings include irrigated rice farming in Dakawa area, livestock keeping activities, and the establishment of the Sadani National Park (SANAPA) and the Wami-Mbiki Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The Wami River basin forms significant parts of both the Wami-Mbiki WMA and the SANAPA wildlife conservation areas. Regardless of its importance, the basin is increasingly being degraded through deforestation for agricultural expansion, timber, and more important charcoal making. The basin is also being polluted through disposal of excess molasses from the sugar industry, and use of poisonous substances and herbs in fishing. The worsening environmental condition in the basin has become a health threat to both people in the surrounding villages and wildlife. To a large extent, such changes are intensifying poverty levels among the local population. These changes are raising concerns about the long-term environmental sustainability and health implications of the current water use competition and conflicts in the basin. The purpose of this paper is to examine the main water resource use conflicts and how they affect environmental sustainability in the long-run. It also intends to establish linkages between wildlife management, pastoralism, agricultural activities and how such linkages influence poverty alleviation efforts in the basin. An attempt has been made to examine the environmental and health implications of human activities in the basin in relation to poverty indicators, people’s lifestyle, and integrated water resource use in the Wami River basin. In the process of examining linkages and sources of conflicts, key strategies to harmonize the interests of various stakeholders and ensure integrated and sustainable use of the Wami River waters will be identified. As a conclusion to paper, issues related to population pressure, pollution, wildlife, pastoralism and many others will be discussed with the view of harmonizing the needs of various stakeholders and minimizing their effect on the river ecosystem. The discussion shows how poverty levels are linked to resources over-exploitation, hence limiting sustainability in the basin. Under the current poverty levels in almost all villages surrounding the Wami River basin, there is no alternative ways or technology to replace non-sustainable resource exploitation. Many villages depend on charcoal burning and selling as a survival strategy and source of income.

Improving the Amazonian Hydrologic Cycle in a Coupled Land-Atmosphere, Single Column Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harper, A. B.; Denning, S.; Baker, I.; Prihodko, L.; Branson, M.

2006-12-01

We have coupled a land-surface model, the Simple Biosphere Model (SiB3), to a single column of the Colorado State University General Circulation Model (CSU-GCM) in the Amazon River Basin. This is a preliminary step in the broader goal of improved simulation of Basin-wide hydrology. A previous version of the coupled model (SiB2) showed drought and catastrophic dieback of the Amazon rain forest. SiB3 includes updated soil hydrology and root physiology. Our test area for the coupled single column model is near Santarem, Brazil, where measurements from the km 83 flux tower in the Tapajos National Forest can be used to evaluate model output. The model was run for 2001 using NCEP2 Reanalysis as driver data. Preliminary results show that the updated biosphere model coupled to the GCM produces improved simulations of the seasonal cycle of surface water balance and precipitation. Comparisons of the diurnal and seasonal cycles of surface fluxes are also being made.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, S; Chourey, Karuna; REICHE, M

Metaproteomics combined with total nucleic acid-based methods aided in deciphering the roles of microorganisms in the formation and transformation of iron-rich macroscopic aggregates (iron snow) formed in the redoxcline of an acidic lignite mine lake. Iron snow had high total bacterial 16S rRNA gene copies, with 2 x 109 copies g (dry wt)-1 in the acidic (pH 3.5) central lake basin and 4 x 1010 copies g (dry wt)-1 in the less acidic (pH 5.5) northern lake basin. Active microbial communities in the central basin were dominated by Alphaproteobacteria (36.6%) and Actinobacteria (21.4%), and by Betaproteobacteria (36.2%) in the northernmore » basin. Microbial Fe-cycling appeared to be the dominant metabolism in the schwertmannite-rich iron snow, because cloning and qPCR assigned up to 61% of active bacteria as Fe-cycling bacteria (FeB). Metaproteomics revealed 70 unique proteins from central basin iron snow and 283 unique proteins from 43 genera from northern basin. Protein identification provided a glimpse into in situ processes, such as primary production, motility, metabolism of acidophilic FeB, and survival strategies of neutrophilic FeB. Expression of carboxysome shell proteins and RubisCO indicated active CO2 fixation by Fe(II) oxidizers. Flagellar proteins from heterotrophs indicated their activity to reach and attach surfaces. Gas vesicle proteins related to CO2-fixing Chlorobium suggested that microbes could influence iron snow sinking. We suggest that iron snow formed by autotrophs in the redoxcline acts as a microbial parachute, since it is colonized by motile heterotrophs during sinking which start to dissolve schwertmannite.« less

Viscous relaxation of the Moho under large lunar basins

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, C. David; Grimm, Robert E.

1993-01-01

Viscously relaxed topography on the Moon is evidence of a period in lunar history of higher internal temperatures and greater surface activity. Previous work has demonstrated the viscous relaxation of the Tranquilitatis basin surface. Profiles of the lunar Moho under nine basins were constructed from an inversion of lunar gravity data. These profiles show a pattern of increasingly subdued relief with age, for which two explanations have been proposed. First, ancient basins may have initially had extreme Moho relief like that of younger basins like Orientale, but, due to higher internal temperatures in early lunar history, this relief viscously relaxed to that observed today. Second, ductile flow in the crust immediately after basin formation resulted in an initially shallow basin and subdued mantle uplift. The intent is to test the first hypothesis.

Environmental Status of the Lake Michigan Region Volume 11. Natural Areas of the Lake Michigan Drainage Basin and Endangered or Threatened Plant and Animal Species

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stearns, Forest; Lindsley, Diane

1977-09-01

The accelerating encroachment of human activity on the natural landscape has made many citizens appreciate the need to save representative biotic communities before urbanization and technologically induced change eliminate such communities. Active programs in natural-area preservation a.re now in progress in the four basin states; these programs have strong public support and legislative mandate. Local, state, and federal agencies and private individuals have taken an active interest in protecting select areas as samples of the biotic communities and natural features of the Basin. Most natural areas described in this report have been dedicated or reserved in some fashion. Other areasmore » are being added by the basin states each year. The maintenance of natural communities is closely linked to the preservation of endangered and threatened species of plants and animals which would cease to survive as isolated populations. Under federal regulations, certain plants and animals are listed as endange~ ed or threatened in the Basin. As individual state lists are prepared and investigations proceed, it is probable that many more threatened species will be found.« less

Environmental status of the Lake Michigan region. Volume II. Natural areas of the Lake Michigan drainage basin and endangered or threatened plant and animal species

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stearns, F.; Lindsley, D.

1977-09-01

The accelerating encroachment of human activity on the natural landscape has made many citizens appreciate the need to save representative biotic communities before urbanization and technologically induced change eliminate such communities. Active programs in natural-area preservation are now in progress in the four basin states; these programs have strong public support and legislative mandate. Local, state, and federal agencies and private individuals have taken an active interest in protecting select areas as samples of the biotic communities and natural features of the Basin. Most natural areas described in this report have been dedicated or reserved in some fashion. Other areasmore » are being added by the basin states each year. The maintenance of natural communities is closely linked to the preservation of endangered and threatened species of plants and animals which would cease to survive as isolated populations. Under federal regulations, certain plants and animals are listed as endangered or threatened in the Basin. As individual state lists are prepared and investigations proceed, it is probable that many more threatened species will be found.« less

Geological Carbon Sequestration Storage Resource Estimates for the Ordovician St. Peter Sandstone, Illinois and Michigan Basins, USA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barnes, David; Ellett, Kevin; Leetaru, Hannes

The Cambro-Ordovician strata of the Midwest of the United States is a primary target for potential geological storage of CO2 in deep saline formations. The objective of this project is to develop a comprehensive evaluation of the Cambro-Ordovician strata in the Illinois and Michigan Basins above the basal Mount Simon Sandstone since the Mount Simon is the subject of other investigations including a demonstration-scale injection at the Illinois Basin Decatur Project. The primary reservoir targets investigated in this study are the middle Ordovician St Peter Sandstone and the late Cambrian to early Ordovician Knox Group carbonates. The topic of thismore » report is a regional-scale evaluation of the geologic storage resource potential of the St Peter Sandstone in both the Illinois and Michigan Basins. Multiple deterministic-based approaches were used in conjunction with the probabilistic-based storage efficiency factors published in the DOE methodology to estimate the carbon storage resource of the formation. Extensive data sets of core analyses and wireline logs were compiled to develop the necessary inputs for volumetric calculations. Results demonstrate how the range in uncertainty of storage resource estimates varies as a function of data availability and quality, and the underlying assumptions used in the different approaches. In the simplest approach, storage resource estimates were calculated from mapping the gross thickness of the formation and applying a single estimate of the effective mean porosity of the formation. Results from this approach led to storage resource estimates ranging from 3.3 to 35.1 Gt in the Michigan Basin, and 1.0 to 11.0 Gt in the Illinois Basin at the P10 and P90 probability level, respectively. The second approach involved consideration of the diagenetic history of the formation throughout the two basins and used depth-dependent functions of porosity to derive a more realistic spatially variable model of porosity rather than applying a single estimate of porosity throughout the entire potential reservoir domains. The second approach resulted in storage resource estimates of 3.0 to 31.6 Gt in the Michigan Basin, and 0.6 to 6.1 Gt in the Illinois Basin. The third approach attempted to account for the local-scale variability in reservoir quality as a function of both porosity and permeability by using core and log analyses to calculate explicitly the net effective porosity at multiple well locations, and interpolate those results throughout the two basins. This approach resulted in storage resource estimates of 10.7 to 34.7 Gt in the Michigan Basin, and 11.2 to 36.4 Gt in the Illinois Basin. A final approach used advanced reservoir characterization as the most sophisticated means to estimating storage resource by defining reservoir properties for multiple facies within the St Peter formation. This approach was limited to the Michigan Basin since the Illinois Basin data set did not have the requisite level of data quality and sampling density to support such an analysis. Results from this approach led to storage resource estimates of 15.4 Gt to 50.1 Gt for the Michigan Basin. The observed variability in results from the four different approaches is evaluated in the context of data and methodological constraints, leading to the conclusion that the storage resource estimates from the first two approaches may be conservative, whereas the net porosity based approaches may over-estimate the resource.« less

Continental-scale magmatic carbon dioxide seepage recorded by dawsonite in the Bowen-Gunnedah-Sydney basin system, eastern Australia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baker, J.C.; Bai, G.P.; Hamilton, P.J.

1995-07-03

Dawsonite, NaAlCO{sub 3}(OH){sub 2}, is widespread as a cement, replacement, and cavity filling in Permo-Triassic sedimentary rocks of the Bowen-Gunnedah-Sydney basin system eastern Australia. The origin of dawsonite in these rocks was studied by petrographic and stable isotope analysis. Dawsonite {delta}{sup 13}C (PDB) values range from {minus}4.0 to +4.1{per_thousand} and are remarkably consistent throughout the Bowen-Gunnedah-Sydney basin system. These values indicate either a marine carbonate or magmatic source for carbon in the dawsonite. A magmatic carbon source is considered more likely on the basis that (1) evidence of and the cause for widespread marine carbonate dissolution in the sedimentary successionsmore » are not apparent, (2) dawsonite is widespread in both marine and nonmarine facies, (3) the region has been the site of major igneous activity, (4) other dawsonite deposits of similar carbon isotopic composition are linked to igneous activity, and (5) magmatic CO{sub 2} accumulations are known in parts of the Bowen-Gunnedah-Sydney basin system. The timing of igneous activity in the Bowen Basin constrains the timing of dawsonite formation in the Bowen-Gunnedah-Sydney basin system to the Tertiary, consistent with textural relationships, which indicate that dawsonite formed late during the burial history of the Permo-triassic sequences. The distribution and interpreted origin of dawsonite implies magmatic CO{sub 2} seepage in the Bowen-Gunnedah-Sydney basin system on a continental scale.« less

Geometry and structure of the pull-apart basins developed along the western South American-Scotia plate boundary (SW Atlantic Ocean)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esteban, F. D.; Tassone, A.; Isola, J. I.; Lodolo, E.; Menichetti, M.

2018-04-01

The South American-Scotia plate boundary is a left-lateral fault system which runs roughly E-W for more than 3000 km across the SW Atlantic Ocean and the Tierra del Fuego Island, reaching to the west the southern Chile Trench. Analyses of a large dataset of single- and multi-channel seismic reflection profiles acquired offshore has allowed to map the trace of the plate boundary from Tierra del Fuego to the Malvinas Trough, a tectonic depression located in the eastern part of the fault system, and to reconstruct the shape and geometry of the basins formed along the principal displacement zone of the fault system. Three main Neogene pull-apart basins that range from 70 to 100 km in length, and from 12 to 22 km in width, have been identified along this segment of the plate boundary. These basins have elongated shapes with their major axes parallel to the ENE-WSW direction of the fault zone. The sedimentary architecture and the infill geometry of the basins suggest that they represent mostly strike-slip dominated transtension basins which propagated from E to W. The basins imaged by seismic data show in some cases geometrical and structural features linked to the possible reactivation of previous wedge-top basins and inherited structures pertaining to the external front of the Magallanes fold-and-thrust compression belt, along which the South American-Scotia fault system has been superimposed. It is suggested that the sequence of the elongated basins occur symmetrically to a thorough going strike-slip fault, in a left-stepping geometrical arrangement, in a manner similar to those basins seen in other transcurrent environments.

Occurrence, Distribution, Instantaneous Loads, and Yields of Dissolved Pesticides in the San Joaquin River Basin, California, During Summer Conditions, 1994 and 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Larry R.; Panshin, Sandra Y.; Kratzer, Charles R.; Zamora, Celia; Gronberg, JoAnn M.

2004-01-01

Water samples were collected from 22 drainage basins for analysis of 48 dissolved pesticides during summer flow conditions in 1994 and 2001. Of the 48 pesticides, 31 were reported applied in the basin in the 28 days preceding the June 1994 sampling, 25 in the 28 days preceding the June 2001 sampling, and 24 in the 28 days preceding the August 2001 sampling. The number of dissolved pesticides detected was similar among sampling periods: 26 were detected in June 1994, 28 in June 2001, and 27 in August 2001. Concentrations of chlorpyrifos exceeded the California criterion for the protection of aquatic life from acute exposure at six sites in June 1994 and at five sites in June 2001. There was a single exceedance of the criterion for diazinon in June 1994. The number of pesticides applied in tributary basins was highly correlated with basin area during each sampling period (Spearman's r = 0.85, 0.70, and 0.84 in June 1994, June 2001, and August 2001, respectively, and p < 0.01 in all cases). Larger areas likely include a wider variety of crops, resulting in more varied pesticide use. Jaccard's similarities, cluster analysis, principal components analysis, and instantaneous load calculations generally indicate that west-side tributary basins were different from east-side tributary basins. In general, west-side basins had higher concentrations, instantaneous loads, and instantaneous yields of dissolved pesticides than east-side basins, although there were a number of exceptions. These differences may be related to a number of factors, including differences in basin size, soil texture, land use, irrigation practices, and stream discharge.

Impact of climate change on precipitation distribution and water availability in the Nile using CMIP5 GCM ensemble.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mekonnen, Z. T.; Gebremichael, M.

2017-12-01

ABSTRACT In a basin like the Nile where millions of people depend on rainfed agriculture and surface water resources for their livelihoods, changes in precipitation will have tremendous social and economic consequences. General circulation models (GCMs) have been associated with high uncertainty in their projection of future precipitation for the Nile basin. Some studies tried to compare performance of different GCMs by doing a Multi-Model comparison for the region. Many indicated that there is no single model that gives the "best estimate" of precipitation for a very complex and large basin like the Nile. In this study, we used a combination of satellite and long term rain gauge precipitation measurements (TRMM and CenTrends) to evaluate the performance of 10 GCMs from the 5th Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) at different spatial and seasonal scales and produce a weighted ensemble projection. Our results confirm that there is no single model that gives best estimate over the region, hence the approach of creating an ensemble depending on how the model performed in specific areas and seasons resulted in an improved estimate of precipitation compared with observed values. Following the same approach, we created an ensemble of future precipitation projections for four different time periods (2000-2024, 2025-2049 and 2050-2100). The analysis showed that all the major sub-basins of the Nile will get will get more precipitation with time, even though the distribution with in the sub basin might be different. Overall the analysis showed a 15 % increase (125 mm/year) by the end of the century averaged over the area up to the Aswan dam. KEY WORDS: Climate Change, CMIP5, Nile, East Africa, CenTrends, Precipitation, Weighted Ensembles

Geologic framework of the regional ground-water flow system in the Upper Deschutes Basin, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lite, Kenneth E.; Gannett, Marshall W.

2002-12-10

Geologic units in the Deschutes Basin were divided into several distinct hydrogeologic units. In some instances the units correspond to existing stratigraphic divisions. In other instances, hydrogeologic units correspond to different facies within a single stratigraphic unit or formation. The hydrogeologic units include Quaternary sediment, deposits of the Cascade Range and Newberry Volcano, four zones within the Deschutes Formation and age-equivalent rocks that roughly correspond with depositional environments, and pre-Deschutes-age strata.

Human impacts on morphodynamic thresholds in estuarine systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Z. B.; Van Maren, D. S.; Ding, P. X.; Yang, S. L.; Van Prooijen, B. C.; De Vet, P. L. M.; Winterwerp, J. C.; De Vriend, H. J.; Stive, M. J. F.; He, Q.

2015-12-01

Many estuaries worldwide are modified, primarily driven by economic gain or safety. These works, combined with global climate changes heavily influence the morphologic development of estuaries. In this paper, we analyze the impact of human activities on the morphodynamic developments of the Scheldt Estuary and the Wadden Sea basins in the Netherlands and the Yangtze Estuary in China at various spatial scales, and identify mechanisms responsible for their change. Human activities in these systems include engineering works and dredging activities for improving and maintaining the navigation channels, engineering works for flood protection, and shoreline management activities such as land reclamations. The Yangtze Estuary is influenced by human activities in the upstream river basin as well, especially through the construction of many dams. The tidal basins in the Netherlands are also influenced by human activities along the adjacent coasts. Furthermore, all these systems are influenced by global changes through (accelerated) sea-level rise and changing weather patterns. We show that the cumulative impacts of these human activities and global changes may lead to exceeding thresholds beyond which the morphology of the tidal basins significantly changes, and loses its natural characteristics. A threshold is called tipping point when the changes are even irreversible. Knowledge on such thresholds or tipping points is important for the sustainable management of these systems. We have identified and quantified various examples of such thresholds and/or tipping points for the morphodynamic developments at various spatial and temporal scales. At the largest scale (mega-scale) we consider the sediment budget of a tidal basin as a whole. A smaller scale (macro-scale) is the development of channel structures in an estuary, especially the development of two competing channels. At the smallest scale (meso-scale) we analyze the developments of tidal flats and the connecting channels.

Similarities and contrasts in tectonic and volcanic style and history along the Colorado plateaus-to-basin and range transition zone in Western Arizona: Geologic framework for tertiary extensional tectonics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, R. A.; Mckee, E. H.; Hartman, J. H.; Simmons, A. M.

1985-01-01

The overall temporal and spatial relations between middle Tertiary volcanism and tectonism from the Basin and Range province onto the edge of the Colorado Plateaus province suggest that a single magnetic-tectonic episode affected the entire region more or less simultaneously during this period. The episode followed a post-Laramide (late Eocene through Oligocene) period of 25 million years of relative stability. Middle Tertiary volcanism did not migrate gradually eastward in a simple fashion onto the Colorado Plateau. In fact, late Oligocene volcanism appears to be more voluminous near the Aquarius Mountains than throughout the adjacent Basin and Range province westward to the Colorado River. Any model proposed to explain the cause of extension and detachment faulting in the eastern part of the Basin and Range province must consider that the onset of volcanism appears to have been approximately synchronous from the Colorado River region of the Basin and Range across the transition zone and onto the edge of the Colorado Plateaus.

Raton Basin, Colorado Retrospective Case Study Fact Sheet

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA conducted a retrospective case study in the Raton Basin of Colorado to investigate reported instances of contaminated drinking water resources in areas where hydraulic fracturing activities occurred.

Surface-water-quality assessment of the upper Illinois River basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin; project description

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mades, D.M.

1987-01-01

In 1986, the U.S. Geological Survey began a National Water-Quality Assessment program to (1) provide nationally consistent descriptions of the current status of water quality for a large, diverse, and geographically distributed part of the Nation's surface- and ground-water resources; (2) define, where possible, trends in water quality; and (3) identify and describe the relations of both status and trends in water quality to natural factors and the history of land use and land- and waste-management activities. The program is presently in a pilot phase that will test and modify, as necessary, concepts and approaches in preparation for possible full implementation of the program in the future. The upper Illinois River basin is one of four basins selected to test the concepts and approaches of the surface-water-quality element of the national program. The basin drains 10,949 square miles of Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Three principal tributaries are the Kankakee and Des Plaines Rivers that join to form the Illinois River and the Fox River. Land use is predominantly agricultural; about 75 percent of the basin is cultivated primarily for production of corn and soybeans. About 13 percent of the basin is urban area, most of which is located in the Chicago metropolitan area. The population of the basin is about 7 million. About 6 million people live in the Des Plaines River basin. Many water-quality issues in the upper Illinois River basin are related to sediment, nutrients, potentially toxic inorganic and organic constituents, and to water-management practices. Occurrence of sediment and the chemical constituents in the rivers and lakes within the basin has the potential to adversely affect the water's suitability for aquatic life, recreation, or, through the consumption of fish, human health. The upper Illinois River basin project consists of five major activities. The first activity--analysis of existing information and preparation of a report that describes recent water-quality conditions and trends--is currently underway. The second activity--fixed-station water-quality sampling at eight stations--began in April 1987 and will last at least 3 years. Water-quality data collected at these stations will be used to determine the frequency of occurrence of constituent concentrations, their annual and seasonal loads, and time trends in concentrations for a selected number of constituents. The third activity will be synoptic water-quality studies. Each study will involve sampling many sites at specific flow conditions and for selected water-quality constituents. Information gained from these studies will supplement informa tion gained from fixed-station sampling. A synoptic study of streambed sediments is tentatively planned for the summer of 1987 to describe the occurrence and distribution of trace elements in the basin. The fourth activity will consist of one or more topical subbasin or river-reach studies. The purpose of such studies is to better define certain water-quality conditions in specific areas and gain an understanding of the processes affecting the observed conditions. The fifth activity is the preparation of reports that will describe results from each of the first four activities. Quality assurance and coordination are being provided at both the national and pilot-project levels. A technical quality-assurance plan that addresses all aspects of sample collection, analysis, and reporting is being prepared at the national level. This plan will be appended as needed at the pilot-project level. A National Coordinating Work Group that functions under the auspices of the Interagency Advisory Committee on Water Data and the Advisory Committee on Water Data for Public Use has been established at the national level. A local liaison committee consisting of representatives from Federal, State, and local agencies has been established to enhance communication and to ensure that the scientific information produced by the

Total petroleum systems of the Trias/Ghadames Province, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya; the Tanezzuft-Oued Mya, Tanezzuft-Melrhir, and Tanezzuft-Ghadames

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klett, T.R.

2000-01-01

Undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources were assessed within total petroleum systems of the Trias/Ghadames Province (2054) as part of the U.S. Geological Survey World Petroleum Assessment 2000. The Trias/Ghadames Province is in eastern Algeria, southern Tunisia, and westernmost Libya. The province and its total petroleum systems generally coincide with the Triassic Basin. The province includes the Oued Mya Basin, Melrhir Basin, and Ghadames (Berkine) Basin. Although several total petroleum systems may exist within each of these basins, only three “composite” total petroleum systems were identified. Each total petroleum system occurs in a separate basin, and each comprises a single assessment unit.The main source rocks are the Silurian Tanezzuft Formation (or lateral equivalents) and Middle to Upper Devonian mudstone. Maturation history and the major migration pathways from source to reservoir are unique to each basin. The total petroleum systems were named after the oldest major source rock and the basin in which it resides.The estimated means of the undiscovered conventional petroleum volumes in total petroleum systems of the Trias/Ghadames Province are as follows [MMBO, million barrels of oil; BCFG, billion cubic feet of gas; MMBNGL, million barrels of natural gas liquids]:Tanezzuft-Oued Mya 830 MMBO 2,341 BCFG 110 MMBNGLTanezzuft-Melrhir 1,875 MMBO 4,887 BCFG 269 MMBNGLTanezzuft-Ghadames 4,461 MMBO 12,035 BCFG 908 MMBNGL

Delineation of the Pahute Mesa–Oasis Valley groundwater basin, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fenelon, Joseph M.; Halford, Keith J.; Moreo, Michael T.

2016-01-22

This report delineates the Pahute Mesa–Oasis Valley (PMOV) groundwater basin, where recharge occurs, moves downgradient, and discharges to Oasis Valley, Nevada. About 5,900 acre-feet of water discharges annually from Oasis Valley, an area of springs and seeps near the town of Beatty in southern Nevada. Radionuclides in groundwater beneath Pahute Mesa, an area of historical underground nuclear testing at the Nevada National Security Site, are believed to be migrating toward Oasis Valley. Delineating the boundary of the PMOV groundwater basin is necessary to adequately assess the potential for transport of radionuclides from Pahute Mesa to Oasis Valley.The PMOV contributing area is defined based on regional water-level contours, geologic controls, and knowledge of adjacent flow systems. The viability of this area as the contributing area to Oasis Valley and the absence of significant interbasin flow between the PMOV groundwater basin and adjacent basins are shown regionally and locally. Regional constraints on the location of the contributing area boundary and on the absence of interbasin groundwater flow are shown by balancing groundwater discharges in the PMOV groundwater basin and adjacent basins against available water from precipitation. Internal consistency for the delineated contributing area is shown by matching measured water levels, groundwater discharges, and transmissivities with simulated results from a single-layer, steady-state, groundwater-flow model. An alternative basin boundary extending farther north than the final boundary was rejected based on a poor chloride mass balance and a large imbalance in the northern area between preferred and simulated recharge.

Large-scale conservation assessment for Neotropical migratory land birds in the interior Columbia River basin.

Treesearch

Victoria A. Saab; Terrell D. Rich

1997-01-01

The status and habitats of Neotropical migratory land birds (NTMB) are evaluated within the interior Columbia River basin (interior basin). Objectives are to examine population trends, estimate NTMB responses to alternative management activities, and provide recommendations by habitat and species for the long-term persistence of NTMB populations. Among 132 NTMBs that...

Investigation Of North Anatolian Fault In The Sea Of Marmara: Fault Geometry, The Cumulative Extension, Age Modeling In Çinarcik Basin Using Multi Channel Seismic Reflection Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atgın, Orhan; Çifçi, Günay; Soelien, Christopher; Seeber, Leonardo; Steckler, Michael; Shillington, Donna; Kurt, Hülya; Dondurur, Derman; Okay, Seda; Gürçay, Savaş; Sarıtaş, Hakan; Mert Küçük, H.; Barın, Burcu

2013-04-01

Marmara Sea is a limelight area for investigations due to its tectonic structure and remarkable seismic activity of North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ). As NAFZ separates into 3 branches in the Marmara Sea, it has a complicated tectonic structure which gives rise to debates among researchers. Çınarcık Basin, which is close to Istanbul and very important for its tectonic activity is studied in this thesis. Two different multichannel seismic reflection data were used in this thesis. First data were acquired in 2008 in the frame of TAMAM (Turkish American Multichannel Project) and second data were in 2010 in the frame of TAMAM-2 (PirMarmara) onboard R/V K.Piri Reis. Also high resolution multibeam data were used which is provided by French Marine Institute IFREMER. In the scope of TAMAM project total 3000 km high resolution multi channel data were collected. 3000 km of multichannel seismic reflection profiles were collected in 2008 and 2010 using 72, 111, and 240 channels of streamer with a 6.25 m group interval. The generator-injector airgun was fired every 12.5 or 18.75 m and the resulting MCS data has 10-230 Hz frequency band. In this study, a detailed fault map of the basin is created and the fault on the southern slope of the basin which is interpreted by many researchers in many publications was investigated. And there is no evidence that such a fault exists on the southern part of the basin. With the multichannel seismic reflection data seismic stratigrafic interpretations of the basin deposits were done. The yearly cumulative north-south extension of the basin was calculated by making some calculations on the most active part of the faulting in the basin. In addition, the tilt angles of parallel tilted sediments were calculated and correlated with global sea level changes to calculate ages of the deposits in the basin. Keywords: NAFZ, multi channel seismic reflection, Çınarcık Basin

Chapter B: Regional Geologic Setting of Late Cenozoic Lacustrine Diatomite Deposits, Great Basin and Surrounding Region: Overview and Plans for Investigation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wallace, Alan R.

2003-01-01

Freshwater diatomite deposits are present in all of the Western United States, including the Great Basin and surrounding regions. These deposits are important domestic sources of diatomite, and a better understanding of their formation and geologic settings may aid diatomite exploration and land-use management. Diatomite deposits in the Great Basin are the products of two stages: (1) formation in Late Cenozoic lacustrine basins and (2) preservation after formation. Processes that favored long-lived diatom activity and diatomite formation range in decreasing scale from global to local. The most important global process was climate, which became increasingly cool and dry from 15 Ma to the present. Regional processes included tectonic setting and volcanism, which varied considerably both spatially and temporally in the Great Basin region. Local processes included basin formation, sedimentation, hydrology, and rates of processes, including diatom growth and accumulation; basin morphology and nutrient and silica sources were important for robust activity of different diatom genera. Only optimum combinations of these processes led to the formation of large diatomite deposits, and less than optimum combinations resulted in lakebeds that contained little to no diatomite. Postdepositional processes can destroy, conceal, or preserve a diatomite deposit. These processes, which most commonly are local in scale, include uplift, with related erosion and changes in hydrology; burial beneath sedimentary deposits or volcanic flows and tuffs; and alteration during diagenesis and hydrothermal activity. Some sedimentary basins that may have contained diatomite deposits have largely been destroyed or significantly modified, whereas others, such as those in western Nevada, have been sufficiently preserved along with their contained diatomite deposits. Future research on freshwater diatomite deposits in the Western United States and Great Basin region should concentrate on the regional and local processes that led to the formation and preservation of the deposits. Major questions that need to be answered include (1) why were some basins favorable for diatomite formation, whereas others were not; (2) what post-depositional conditions are needed for diatomite preservation; and (3) what were the optimum process combinations that led to the formation and preservation of economic diatomite deposits?

The development of the continental margin of eastern North America-conjugate continental margin to West Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dillon, William P.; Schlee, J.S.; Klitgord, Kim D.

1988-01-01

The continental margin of eastern North America was initiated when West Africa and North America were rifted apart in Triassic-Early Jurassic time. Cooling of the crust and its thinning by rifting and extension caused subsidence. Variation in amounts of subsidence led to formation of five basins. These are listed from south to north. (1) The Blake Plateau Basin, the southernmost, is the widest basin and the one in which the rift-stage basement took longest to form. Carbonate platform deposition was active and persisted until the end of Early Cretaceous. In Late Cretaceous, deposition slowed while subsidence persisted, so a deep water platform was formed. Since the Paleocene the region has undergone erosion. (2) The Carolina Trough is narrow and has relatively thin basement, on the basis of gravity modeling. The two basins with thin basement, the Carolina Trough and Scotian Basin, also show many salt diapirs indicating considerable deposition of salt during their early evolution. In the Carolina Trough, subsidence of a large block of strata above the flowing salt has resulted in a major, active normal fault on the landward side of the basin. (3) The Baltimore Canyon Trough has an extremely thick sedimentary section; synrift and postrift sediments exceed 18 km in thickness. A Jurassic reef is well developed on the basin's seaward side, but post-Jurassic deposition was mainly non-carbonate. In general the conversion from carbonate to terrigenous deposition, characteristics of North American Basins, occurred progressively earlier toward the north. (4) The Georges Bank Basin has a complicated deep structure of sub-basins filled with thick synrift deposits. This may have resulted from some shearing that occurred at this offset of the continental margin. Postrift sediments apparently are thin compared to other basins-only about 8 km. (5) The Scotian Basin, off Canada, contains Jurassic carbonate rocks, sandstone, shale and coal covered by deltaic deposits and Upper Cretaceous deeper water chalk and shale. ?? 1988.

Forecast Mekong 2012: Building scientific capacity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stefanov, James E.

2012-01-01

In 2009, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton joined the Foreign Ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam in launching the Lower Mekong Initiative to enhance U.S. engagement with the countries of the Lower Mekong River Basin in the areas of environment, health, education, and infrastructure. The U.S. Geological Survey Forecast Mekong supports the Lower Mekong Initiative through a variety of activities. The principal objectives of Forecast Mekong include the following: * Build scientific capacity in the Lower Mekong Basin and promote cooperation and collaboration among scientists working in the region. * Provide data, information, and scientific models to help resource managers there make informed decisions. * Produce forecasting and visualization tools to support basin planning, including climate change adaptation. The focus of this product is Forecast Mekong accomplishments and current activities related to the development of scientific capacity at organizations and institutions in the region. Building on accomplishments in 2010 and 2011, Forecast Mekong continues to enhance scientific capacity in the Lower Mekong Basin with a suite of activities in 2012.

Diversity of microbial communities correlated to physiochemical parameters in a digestion basin of a zero-discharge mariculture system.

PubMed

Cytryn, Eddie; Gelfand, Ilya; Barak, Yoram; van Rijn, Jaap; Minz, Dror

2003-01-01

Bacterial community structure and physiochemical parameters were examined in a sedimentation basin of a zero-discharge mariculture system. The system consisted of an intensively stocked fish basin from which water was recirculated through two separate treatment loops. Surface water from the basin was pumped over a trickling filter in one loop while bottom-water was recirculated through a sedimentation basin followed by a fluidized bed reactor in the other. Ammonia oxidation to nitrate in the trickling filter and organic matter digestion together with nitrate reduction in the sedimentation basin and fluidized bed reactor, allowed zero-discharge operation of the system. Relatively high concentrations of oxygen, nitrate, sulphate and organic matter detected simultaneously in the digestion basin suggested the potential for a wide range of microbially-mediated transformation processes. In this study, physiochemical parameters were correlated to bacterial diversity and distribution in horizontal and vertical profiles within this basin in an effort to obtain a basic understanding of the chemical and microbial processes in this system. Chemical activity and microbial diversity, the latter measured by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified 16S rDNA fragments, were higher in the sludge layer than in the overlying aqueous layer of the basin. Chemical parameters in sludge samples close to the basin inlet suggested enhanced microbial activity relative to other sampling areas with evidence of both nitrate and sulphate reduction. Four of the nine DGGE bands identified in this zone were affiliated with the Bacteroidetes phylum. Detected sequences closely related to sequences of organisms involved in the sulphur cycle included Desulfovibrio, Dethiosulfovibrio and apparent sulphur oxidizers from the gamma-proteobacteria. In addition, a number of sequences from the beta and alpha-proteobacteria were identified.

The role of post-collisional strike-slip tectonics in the geological evolution of the late Neoproterozoic volcano-sedimentary Guaratubinha Basin, southern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barão, Leonardo M.; Trzaskos, Barbara; Vesely, Fernando F.; de Castro, Luís Gustavo; Ferreira, Francisco J. F.; Vasconcellos, Eleonora M. G.; Barbosa, Tiago C.

2017-12-01

The Guaratubinha Basin is a late Neoproterozoic volcano-sedimentary basin included in the transitional-stage basins of the South American Platform. The aim of this study is to investigate its tectonic evolution through a detailed structural analysis based on remote sensing and field data. The structural and aerogeophysics data indicate that at least three major deformational events affected the basin. Event E1 caused the activation of the two main basin-bounding fault zones, the Guaratubinha Master Fault and the Guaricana Shear Zone. These structures, oriented N20-45E, are associated with well-defined right-lateral to oblique vertical faults, conjugate normal faults and vertical flow structures. Progressive transtensional deformation along the two main fault systems was the main mechanism for basin formation and the deposition of thick coarse-grained deposits close to basin-borders. The continuous opening of the basin provided intense intermediate and acid magmatism as well as deposition of volcaniclastic sediments. Event E2 characterizes generalized compression, recorded as minor thrust faults with tectonic transport toward the northwest and left-lateral activation of the NNE-SSW Palmital Shear Zone. Event E3 is related to the Mesozoic tectonism associated with the South Atlantic opening, which generated diabase dykes and predominantly right-lateral strike-slip faults oriented N10-50W. Its rhomboidal geometry with long axis parallel to major Precambrian shear zones, the main presence of high-angle, strike-slip or oblique faults, the asymmetric distribution of geological units and field evidence for concomitant Neoproterozoic magmatism and strike-slip movements are consistent with pull-apart basins reported in the literature.

Shallow crustal structure of eastern-central Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campos-Enriquez, J. O.; Ramón, V. M.; Lermo-Samaniego, J.

2015-12-01

Central-eastern Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB) is featured by large basins (i.e., Toluca, Mexico, Puebla-Tlaxcala, Libres-Oriental). It has been supposed that major crustal faults limit these basins. Sierra de Las Cruces range separates the Toluca and Mexico basins. The Sierra Nevada range separates Mexico basin from the Puebla-Tlaxcala basin. Based in gravity and seismic data we inferred the Toluca basin is constituted by the Ixtlahuaca sub-basin, to the north, and the Toluca sub-basin to the south, which are separated by a relative structural high. The Toluca depression is more symmetric and bounded by sub-vertical faults. In particular its eastern master fault controlled the emplacement of Sierra de Las Cruces range. Easternmost Acambay graben constitutes the northern and deepest part of the Ixtlahuaca depression. The Toluca-Ixtlahuaca basin is inside the Taxco-San Miguel de Allende fault system, and limited to the west by the Guerrero terrane which continues beneath the TMVB up to the Acambay graben. Mexico basin basement occupies an intermediate position and featured by a relative structural high to the north-east, as established by previous studies. This relative structural high is limited to the west by the north-south Mixhuca trough, while to the south it is bounded by the east-west Copilco-Xochimilco-Chalco sub-basin. The Puebla-Tlaxcala basin basement is the shallowest of these 3 tectonic depressions. In general, features (i.e., depth) and relationship between these basins, from west to east, are controlled by the regional behavior of the Sierra Madre Oriental fold and thrust belt basement (i.e., Oaxaca Complex?). This study indicates that an active east-west regional fault system limits to the south the TMVB (from the Nevado de Toluca volcano through the Popocatepetl volcano and eastward along southern Puebla-Tlaxcala basin). The Tenango and La Pera fault systems constituting the western part of this regional fault system coincide with northern exposures of the Morelos platform to the west. The eastward extension of this system limits the northern Acatlan Complex exposures. Accordingly, eastern TMVB has been subjected to extension and associated faults are being activated at present. The basins act as independent crustal blocks. The Puebla-Tlaxcala and the Tehuacan basins merge to the east.

Use of environmental isotope tracer and GIS techniques to estimate basin recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odunmbaku, Abdulganiu A. A.

The extensive use of ground water only began with the advances in pumping technology at the early portion of 20th Century. Groundwater provides the majority of fresh water supply for municipal, agricultural and industrial uses, primarily because of little to no treatment it requires. Estimating the volume of groundwater available in a basin is a daunting task, and no accurate measurements can be made. Usually water budgets and simulation models are primarily used to estimate the volume of water in a basin. Precipitation, land surface cover and subsurface geology are factors that affect recharge; these factors affect percolation which invariably affects groundwater recharge. Depending on precipitation, soil chemistry, groundwater chemical composition, gradient and depth, the age and rate of recharge can be estimated. This present research proposes to estimate the recharge in Mimbres, Tularosa and Diablo Basin using the chloride environmental isotope; chloride mass-balance approach and GIS. It also proposes to determine the effect of elevation on recharge rate. Mimbres and Tularosa Basin are located in southern New Mexico State, and extend southward into Mexico. Diablo Basin is located in Texas in extends southward. This research utilizes the chloride mass balance approach to estimate the recharge rate through collection of groundwater data from wells, and precipitation. The data were analysed statistically to eliminate duplication, outliers, and incomplete data. Cluster analysis, piper diagram and statistical significance were performed on the parameters of the groundwater; the infiltration rate was determined using chloride mass balance technique. The data was then analysed spatially using ArcGIS10. Regions of active recharge were identified in Mimbres and Diablo Basin, but this could not be clearly identified in Tularosa Basin. CMB recharge for Tularosa Basin yields 0.04037mm/yr (0.0016in/yr), Diablo Basin was 0.047mm/yr (0.0016 in/yr), and 0.2153mm/yr (0.00848in/yr) for Mimbres Basin. The elevation where active recharge occurs was determined to be 1,500m for Mimbres and Tularosa Basin and 1,200m for Diablo Basin. The results obtained in this study were consistent with result obtained by other researchers working in basins with similar semiarid mountainous conditions, thereby validating the applicability of CMB in the three basins. Keywords: Recharge, chloride mass balance, elevation, Mimbres, Tularosa, Diablo, Basin, GIS, chloride, elevation.

Characterization of petroleum reservoirs in the Eocene Green River Formation, Central Uinta Basin, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morgan, C.D.; Bereskin, S.R.

2003-01-01

The oil-productive Eocene Green River Formation in the central Uinta Basin of northeastern Utah is divided into five distinct intervals. In stratigraphically ascending order these are: 1) Uteland Butte, 2) Castle Peak, 3) Travis, 4) Monument Butte, and 5) Beluga. The reservoir in the Uteland Butte interval is mainly lacustrine limestone with rare bar sandstone beds, whereas the reservoirs in the other four intervals are mainly channel and lacustrine sandstone beds. The changing depositional environments of Paleocene-Eocene Lake Uinta controlled the characteristics of each interval and the reservoir rock contained within. The Uteland Butte consists of carbonate and rare, thin, shallow-lacustrine sandstone bars deposited during the initial rise of the lake. The Castle Peak interval was deposited during a time of numerous and rapid lake-level fluctuations, which developed a simple drainage pattern across the exposed shallow and gentle shelf with each fall and rise cycle. The Travis interval records a time of active tectonism that created a steeper slope and a pronounced shelf break where thick cut-and-fill valleys developed during lake-level falls and rises. The Monument Butte interval represents a return to a gentle, shallow shelf where channel deposits are stacked in a lowstand delta plain and amalgamated into the most extensive reservoir in the central Uinta Basin. The Beluga interval represents a time of major lake expansion with fewer, less pronounced lake-level falls, resulting in isolated single-storied channel and shallow-bar sandstone deposits.

Verification and Validation of Multisegmented Mooring Capabilities in FAST v8: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andersen, Morten T.; Wendt, Fabian; Robertson, Amy

2016-08-01

The quasi-static and dynamic mooring modules of the open-source aero-hydro-servo-elastic wind turbine simulation software, FAST v8, have previously been verified and validated, but only for mooring arrangements consisting of single lines connecting each fairlead and anchor. This paper extends the previous verification and validation efforts to focus on the multisegmented mooring capability of the FAST v8 modules: MAP++, MoorDyn, and the OrcaFlex interface. The OC3-Hywind spar buoy system tested by the DeepCwind consortium at the MARIN ocean basin, which includes a multisegmented bridle layout of the mooring system, was used for the verification and validation activities.

Coalbed Methane Extraction and Soil Suitability Concerns in the Powder River Basin, Montana and Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2006-01-01

The Powder River Basin is located in northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana. It is an area of approximately 55,000 square kilometers. Extraction of methane gas from the coal seams that underlie the Powder River Basin began in Wyoming in the late 1980s and in Montana in the late 1990s. About 100-200 barrels of co-produced water per day are being extracted from each active well in the Powder River Basin, which comes to over 1.5 million barrels of water per day for all the active coalbed methane wells in the Basin. Lab testing indicates that Powder River Basin co-produced water is potable but is high in sodium and other salts, especially in the western and northern parts of the Powder River Basin. Common water management strategies include discharge of co-produced water into drainages, stock ponds, evaporation ponds, or infiltration ponds; treatment to remove sodium; or application of the water directly on the land surface via irrigation equipment or atomizers. Problems may arise because much of the Powder River Basin contains soils with high amounts of swelling clays. As part of the USGS Rocky Mountain Geographic Science Center's hyperspectral research program, researchers are investigating whether hyperspectral remote sensing data can be beneficial in locating areas of swelling clays. Using detailed hyperspectral data collected over parts of the Powder River Basin and applying our knowledge of how the clays of interest reflect energy, we will attempt to identify and map areas of swelling clays. If successful, such information will be useful to resource and land managers.

Megafans of the Northern Kalahari Basin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkinson, M. J.; Miller, R. McG.; Eckardt, F.; Kreslavsky, M. A.

2016-01-01

We identify eleven megafans (partial cones of fluvial sediment, >80 km radius) in the northern Kalahari Basin, using several criteria based on VIS and IR remotely sensed data and SRTM-based surface morphology reconstructions. Two other features meet fewer criteria of the form which we class as possible megafans. The northern Kalahari megafans are located in a 1700 km arc around the southern and eastern flanks of the Angola's Bié Plateau, from northern Namibia through northwest Botswana to western Zambia. Three lie in the Owambo subbasin centered on the Etosha Pan, three in the relatively small Okavango rift depression, and five in the Upper Zambezi basin. The population includes the well-known Okavango megafan (150 km), Namibia's Cubango megafan, the largest megafan in the region (350 km long), and the largest nested group (the five major contiguous megafans on the west slopes of the upper Zambezi Valley). We use new, SRTM-based topographic roughness data to discriminate various depositional surfaces within the flat N. Kalahari landscapes. We introduce the concepts of divide megafans, derived megafans, and fan-margin rivers. Conclusions. (i) Eleven megafan cones total an area of 190,000 sq km. (ii) Different controls on megafan size operate in the three component basins: in the Okavango rift structural controls become the prime constraint on megafan length by controlling basin dimensions. Megafans in the other les constricted basins appear to conform to classic relationships fan area, slope, and feeder-basin area. (iii) Active fans occupy the Okavango rift depression with one in the Owambo basin. The rest of the population are relict but recently active fans (surfaces are relict with respect to activity by the feeder river). (iv) Avulsive behavior of the formative river-axiomatic for the evolution of megafans-has resulted in repeated rearrangements of regional drainage, with likely effects in the study area well back into the Neogene. Divide megafans comprise the majority of the identified features, some of which have delivered water and sediment alternately to neighboring basins in the course of normal avulsion activity, likely resulting in significant changes in the hydrologies of two of the study-area subbasins. (v) Paleoclimatic inferences extracted from fluvial and lacustrine sediments therefore need to take account of avulsion-driven drainage configurations, especially where these are autogenically controlled.

Classification of hydrogeologic areas and hydrogeologic flow systems in the basin and range physiographic province, southwestern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anning, David W.; Konieczki, Alice D.

2005-01-01

The hydrogeology of the Basin and Range Physiographic Province in parts of Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, and most of Nevada was classified at basin and larger scales to facilitate information transfer and to provide a synthesis of results from many previous hydrologic investigations. A conceptual model for the spatial hierarchy of the hydrogeology was developed for the Basin and Range Physiographic Province and consists, in order of increasing spatial scale, of hydrogeologic components, hydrogeologic areas, hydrogeologic flow systems, and hydrogeologic regions. This hierarchy formed a framework for hydrogeologic classification. Hydrogeologic areas consist of coincident ground-water and surface-water basins and were delineated on the basis of existing sets of basin boundaries that were used in past investigations by State and Federal government agencies. Within the study area, 344 hydrogeologic areas were identified and delineated. This set of basins not only provides a framework for the classification developed in this report, but also has value for regional and subregional purposes of inventory, study, analysis, and planning throughout the Basin and Range Physiographic Province. The fact that nearly all of the province is delineated by the hydrogeologic areas makes this set well suited to support regional-scale investigations. Hydrogeologic areas are conceptualized as a control volume consisting of three hydrogeologic components: the soils and streams, basin fill, and consolidated rocks. The soils and streams hydrogeologic component consists of all surface-water bodies and soils extending to the bottom of the plant root zone. The basin-fill hydrogeologic component consists of unconsolidated and semiconsolidated sediment deposited in the structural basin. The consolidated-rocks hydrogeologic component consists of the crystalline and sedimentary rocks that form the mountain blocks and basement rock of the structural basin. Hydrogeologic areas were classified into 19 groups through a cluster analysis of 8 characteristics of each area's hydrologic system. Six characteristics represented the inflows and outflows of water through the soils and streams, basin fill, and consolidated rocks, and can be used to determine the hydrogeologic area's position in a hydrogeologic flow system. Source-, link-, and sink-type hydrogeologic areas have outflow but not inflow, inflow and outflow, and inflow but not outflow, respectively, through one or more of the three hydrogeologic components. Isolated hydrogeologic areas have no inflow or outflow through any of the three hydrogeologic components. The remaining two characteristics are indexes that represent natural recharge and discharge processes and anthropogenic recharge and discharge processes occurring in the hydrogeologic area. Of the 19 groups of hydrogeologic areas, 1 consisted of predominantly isolated-type hydrogeologic areas, 7 consisted of source-type hydrogeologic areas, 9 consisted of link-type hydrogeologic areas, and 2 consisted of sink-type hydrogeologic areas. Groups comprising the source-, link-, and sink-type hydrogeologic areas can be distinguished between each other on the basis of the hydrogeologic component(s) through which interbasin flow occurs, as well as typical values for the two indexes. Conceptual models of the hydrologic systems of a representative hydrogeologic area for each group were developed to help distinguish groups and to synthesize the variation in hydrogeologic systems in the Basin and Range Physiographic Province. Hydrogeologic flow systems consist of either a single isolated hydrogeologic area or a series of multiple hydrogeologic areas that are hydraulically connected through interbasin flows. A total of 54 hydrogeologic flow systems were identified and classified into 9 groups. One group consisted of single isolated hydrogeologic areas. The remaining eight groups consisted of multiple hydrogeologic areas and were distinguished o

A study of tectonic activity in the Basin-Range Province and on the San Andreas Fault. No. 1: Kinematics of Basin-Range intraplate extension

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eddington, P. K.; Smith, R. B.; Renggli, C.

1986-01-01

Strain rates assessed from brittle fracture and total brittle-ductile deformation measured from geodetic data were compared to estimates of paleo-strain from Quaternary geology for the intraplate Great Basin part of the Basin-Range, western United States. These data provide an assessment of the kinematics and mode of lithospheric extension that the western U.S. Cordillera has experienced from the past few million years to the present. Strain and deformation rates were determined by the seismic moment tensor method using historic seismicity and fault plane solutions for sub-regions of homogeneous strain. Contemporary deformation in the Great Basin occurs principally along the active seismic zones. The integrated opening rate across the entire Great Basin is accommodated by E-E extension at 8 to 10 mm/a in the north that diminishes to NW-SE extension of 3.5 mm/a in the south. Zones of maximum lithospheric extension correspond to belts of thin crust, high heat flow, and Quaternary basaltic volcanism, suggesting that these parameters are related through mechanism of extension such as a stress relaxation, allowing bouyant uplift and ascension of magmas.

Geophysical prospecting for the deep geothermal structure of the Zhangzhou basin, Southeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Chaofeng; Liu, Shuang; Hu, Xiangyun; Wang, Guiling; Lin, Wenjing

2017-04-01

Zhangzhou basin located at the Southeast margins of Asian plate is one of the largest geothermal fields in Fujian province, Southeast China. High-temperature natural springs and granite rocks are widely distributed in this region and the causes of geothermal are speculated to be involved the large number of magmatic activities from Jurassic to Cretaceous periods. To investigate the deep structure of Zhangzhou basin, magnetotelluric and gravity measurements were carried out and the joint inversion of magnetotelluric and gravity data delineated the faults and the granites distributions. The inversion results also indicated the backgrounds of heat reservoirs, heat fluid paths and whole geothermal system of the Zhangzhou basin. Combining with the surface geological investigation, the geophysical inversion results revealed that the faults activities and magma intrusions are the main reasons for the formation of geothermal resources of the Zhangzhou basin. Upwelling mantle provides enormous heats to the lower crust leading to metamorphic rocks to be partially melt generating voluminous magmas. Then the magmas migration and thermal convection along the faults warm up the upper crust. So finally, the cap rocks, basements and major faults are the three favorable conditions for the formation of geothermal fields of the Zhangzhou basin.

System dynamics modeling of nitrogen removal in a stormwater infiltration basin with biosorption-activated media.

PubMed

Xuan, Zhemin; Chang, Ni-Bin; Wanielista, Martin P; Williams, Evan Shane

2013-07-01

Stormwater infiltration basins, one of the typical stormwater best management practices, are commonly constructed for surface water pollution control, flood mitigation, and groundwater restoration in rural or residential areas. These basins have soils with better infiltration capacity than the native soil; however, the ever-increasing contribution of nutrients to groundwater from stormwater due to urban expansion makes existing infiltration basins unable to meet groundwater quality criteria related to environmental sustainability and public health. This issue requires retrofitting current infiltration basins for flood control as well as nutrient control before the stormwater enters the groundwater. An existing stormwater infiltration basin in north-central Florida was selected, retrofitted, and monitored to identify subsurface physiochemical and biological processes during 2007-2010 to investigate nutrient control processes. This implementation in the nexus of contaminant hydrology and ecological engineering adopted amended soil layers packed with biosorption activated media (BAM; tire crumb, silt, clay, and sand) to perform nutrient removal in a partitioned forebay using a berm. This study presents an infiltration basin-nitrogen removal (IBNR) model, a system dynamics model that simulates nitrogen cycling in this BAM-based stormwater infiltration basin with respect to changing hydrologic conditions and varying dissolved nitrogen concentrations. Modeling outputs of IBNR indicate that denitrification is the biogeochemical indicator in the BAM layer that accounted for a loss of about one third of the total dissolved nitrogen mass input. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

[Hydrochemical Characteristics and Influencing Factors in Different Geological Background: A Case Study in Darongjiang and Lingqu Basin, Guangxi, China].

PubMed

Sun, Ping-an; Yu, Shi; Mo, Fu-zhen; He, Shi-yi; Lu, Ju-fang; Yuan, Ya-qiong

2016-01-15

The observation and sampling were carried out in May 2013 to April 2014 in a hydrological year for two river basins with different geological background in upstream of Li river basin. The seasonal variations of river water chemistry and its main influencing factors were discussed in this paper. The results showed that the hydrochemistry types of both Darongjiang basin with 9% of carbonates and Lingqu basin with nearly 50% of carbonates in area belonged to Ca-HCO3 type. Ca2+ and HCO3- were the main cations and anions. The main ion concentrations were higher in winter and lower in summer, affected by the change of the flow. Ca2+, Mg2+, HCO3- were mainly sourced from the weathering of carbonates by carbonic acid. The weathering of carbonates by sulfuric acid and the weathering of silicate rocks also had contribution to the river water chemistry. In addition, comparing to the Lingqu basin, the contribution of the weathering of carbonates was much more than the percent of carbonates area, because the carbonate rocks were eroded by the allogenic water. On the other hand, K+, Na+, Cl-, NO3-, SO4(2-) were mainly affected by the atmospheric precipitation and human activities. Comparing to the Darongjiang Basin, the effects of human activities on the changes of K+, Na+, Cl-, NO3-, SO4(2-) were more significant in Lingqu Basin.

An analytical approach to separate climate and human contributions to basin streamflow variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Changbin; Wang, Liuming; Wanrui, Wang; Qi, Jiaguo; Linshan, Yang; Zhang, Yuan; Lei, Wu; Cui, Xia; Wang, Peng

2018-04-01

Climate variability and anthropogenic regulations are two interwoven factors in the ecohydrologic system across large basins. Understanding the roles that these two factors play under various hydrologic conditions is of great significance for basin hydrology and sustainable water utilization. In this study, we present an analytical approach based on coupling water balance method and Budyko hypothesis to derive effectiveness coefficients (ECs) of climate change, as a way to disentangle contributions of it and human activities to the variability of river discharges under different hydro-transitional situations. The climate dominated streamflow change (ΔQc) by EC approach was compared with those deduced by the elasticity method and sensitivity index. The results suggest that the EC approach is valid and applicable for hydrologic study at large basin scale. Analyses of various scenarios revealed that contributions of climate change and human activities to river discharge variation differed among the regions of the study area. Over the past several decades, climate change dominated hydro-transitions from dry to wet, while human activities played key roles in the reduction of streamflow during wet to dry periods. Remarkable decline of discharge in upstream was mainly due to human interventions, although climate contributed more to runoff increasing during dry periods in the semi-arid downstream. Induced effectiveness on streamflow changes indicated a contribution ratio of 49% for climate and 51% for human activities at the basin scale from 1956 to 2015. The mathematic derivation based simple approach, together with the case example of temporal segmentation and spatial zoning, could help people understand variation of river discharge with more details at a large basin scale under the background of climate change and human regulations.

Coupled heat and fluid flow modeling of the Carboniferous Kuna Basin, Alaska: Implications for the genesis of the Red Dog Pb-Zn-Ag-Ba ore district

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garven, G.; Raffensperger, Jeff P.; Dumoulin, Julie A.; Bradley, D.A.; Young, L.E.; Kelley, K.D.; Leach, D.L.

2003-01-01

The Red Dog deposit is a giant 175 Mton (16% Zn, 5% Pb), shale-hosted Pb-Zn-Ag-Ba ore district situated in the Carboniferous Kuna Basin, Western Brooks Range, Alaska. These SEDEX-type ores are thought to have formed in calcareous turbidites and black mudstone at elevated sub-seafloor temperatures (120-150??C) within a hydrogeologic framework of submarine convection that was structurally organized by large normal faults. The theory for modeling brine migration and heat transport in the Kuna Basin is discussed with application to evaluating flow patterns and heat transport in faulted rift basins and the effects of buoyancy-driven free convection on reactive flow and ore genesis. Finite element simulations show that hydrothermal fluid was discharged into the Red Dog subbasin during a period of basin-wide crustal heat flow of 150-160 mW/m2. Basinal brines circulated to depths as great as 1-3 km along multiple normal faults flowed laterally through thick clastic aquifers acquiring metals and heat, and then rapidly ascended a single discharge fault zone at rates ??? 5 m/year to mix with seafloor sulfur and precipitate massive sulfide ores. ?? 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrogeology and ground-water flow in the carbonate rocks of the Little Lehigh Creek basin, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sloto, R.A.; Cecil, L.D.; Senior, L.A.

1991-01-01

The Little Lehigh Creek basin is underlain mainly by a complex assemblage of highly-deformed Cambrian and Ordovician carbonate rocks. The Leithsville Formation, Allentown Dolomite, Beekmantown Group, and Jacksonburg Limestone act as a single hydrologic unit. Ground water moves through fractures and other secondary openings and generally is under water-table conditions. Median annual ground-water discharge (base flow) to Little Lehigh Creek near Allentown (station 01451500) during 1946-86 was 12.97 inches or 82 percent of streamflow. Average annual recharge for 1975-83 was 21.75 inches. Groundwater and surface-water divides do not coincide in the basin. Ground-water underflow from the Little Lehigh Creek basin to the Cedar Creek basin in 1987 was 4 inches per year. A double-mass curve analysis of the relation of cumulative precipitation at Allentown to the flow of Schantz Spring for 1956-84 showed that cessation of quarry pumping and development of ground water for public supply in the Schantz Spring basin did not affect the flow of Schantz Spring. Ground-water flow in the Little Lehigh Creek basin was simulated using a finite-difference, two-dimensional computer model. The geologic units in the modeled area were simulated as a single water-table aquifer. The 134-squaremile area of carbonate rocks between the Lehigh River and Sacony Creek was modeled to include the natural hydrologic boundaries of the ground-water-flow system. The ground-water-flow model was calibrated under steady-state conditions using 1975-83 average recharge, evapotranspiration, and pumping rates. Each geologic unit was assigned a different hydraulic conductivity. Initial aquifer hydraulic conductivity was estimated from specific-capacity data. The average (1975-83) water budget for the Little Lehigh Creek basin was simulated. The simulated base flow from the carbonate rocks of the Little Lehigh Creek basin above gaging station 01451500 is 11.85 inches per year. The simulated ground-water underflow from the Little Lehigh Creek basin to the Cedar Creek basin is 4.04 inches per year. For steady-state calibration, the root-mean-squared difference between observed and simulated heads was 21.19 feet. The effects of increased ground-water development on base flow and underflow out of the Little Lehigh Creek basin for average and drought conditions were simulated by locating a hypothetical well field in different parts of the basin. Steady-state simulations were used to represent equilibrium conditions, which would be the maximum expected long-term effect. Increased ground-water development was simulated as hypothetical well fields pumping at the rate of 15, 25, and 45 million gallons per day in addition to existing ground-water withdrawals. Four hypothetical well fields were located near and away from Little Lehigh Creek in upstream and downstream areas. The effects of pumping a well field in different parts of the Little Lehigh Creek basin were compared. Pumping a well field located near the headwaters of Little Lehigh Creek and away from the stream would have greatest effect on inducing underflow from the Sacony Greek basin and the least effect on reducing base flow and underflow to the Ceda^r Creek basin. Pumping a well field located near the headwaters of Little Leh|igh Creek near the stream would have less impact on inducing underflow from|the Sacony Creek basin and a greater impact on reducing the base flow of Little Lehigh Creek because more of the pumpage would come from diverted base flow. Pumping a well field located in the downstream area of the Little Lehigh Creek basin away from the stream would have the greatest effect on the underflow to the Cedar Creek basin. Pumping a well field located in the downstream area of the Little Lehigh Creek basin near the stream would have the greatest effect on reducing the base flow of Little Lehigh Cteek. Model simulations show that groundwater withdrawals do not cause a proportional reduction in base flow. Under average conditions, ground-water withdrawals are equal to 48 to 70 percent of simulated base-flow reductions; under drought conditions, ground-water withdrawals are equal to 35 to 73 percent of simulated base-flow reductions. The hydraulic effects of pumping largely depend on well location. In the Little Lehigh basin, surface-water and ground-water divides do not coincide, and ground-water development, especially near surface-water divides, can cause ground-water divides to shift and induce ground-water underflow from adjacent basins. Large-scale ground-water pumping in a basin may not produce expected reductions of base flow in that basin because of shifts in the ground-water divide; however, such shifts can reduce base flow in adjacent surface-water basins. 

Cordilleran Intermontane thermotectonic history and implications for neotectonic structure and petroleum systems, British Columbia, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majorowicz, Jacek; Osadetz, Kirk

2008-04-01

Heat flow increases northward along Intermontane Belt in the western Canadian Cordillera, as shown by geothermal differences between Bowser and Nechako sedimentary basins, where geothermal gradients and heat flows are ˜30 mK/m and ˜90 mW/m2 compared to ˜32 mK/m and 70 -80 mW/m2, respectively. Sparse temperature profile data from these two sedimenatary basins are consistent with an isostatic model of elevation and crustal parameters, which indicate that Bowser basin heat flow should be ˜20 mW/m2 greater than Nechako basin heat flow. Paleothermometric indicators record a significant northward increasing Eocene or older erosional denudation, up to ˜7 km. None of the heat generation, tectonic reorganization at the plate margin, or erosional denudation produce thermal effects of the type or magnitude that explain the north-south heat flow differences between Nechako and Bowser basins. The more southerly Nechako basin, where heat flow is lower, has lower mean elevation, is less deeply eroded, and lies opposite the active plate margin. In contrast, Bowser basin, where heat flow is higher, has higher mean elevation, is more deeply eroded, and sits opposite a transform margin that succeeded the active margin ˜40 Ma. Differences between Bowser and Nechako basins contrast with the tectonic history and erosion impacts on thermal state. Tectonic history and eroded sedimentary thickness suggest that Bowser basin lithosphere is cooling and contracting relative to Nechako basin lithosphere. This effect has reduced Bowser basin heat flow by ˜10-20 mW/m2 since ˜40 Ma. Neither can heat generation differences explain the northerly increasing Intermontane Belt heat flow. A lack of extensional structures in the Bowser basin precludes basin and range-like extension. Therefore, another, yet an unspecified mechanism perhaps associated with the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province, contributes additional heat. Bowser basin’s paleogeothermal gradients were higher, ˜36 mK/m, before the Eocene and this might affect petroleum and metallogenic systems.

Vitrinite reflectance data for the Permian Basin, west Texas and southeast New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pawlewicz, Mark; Barker, Charles E.; McDonald, Sargent

2005-01-01

This report presents a compilation of vitrinite reflectance (Ro) data based on analyses of samples of drill cuttings collected from 74 boreholes spread throughout the Permian Basin of west Texas and southeast New Mexico (fig. 1). The resulting data consist of 3 to 24 individual Ro analyses representing progressively deeper stratigraphic units in each of the boreholes (table 1). The samples, Cambrian-Ordovician to Cretaceous in age, were collected at depths ranging from 200 ft to more than 22,100 ft.The R0 data were plotted on maps that depict three different maturation levels for organic matter in the sedimentary rocks of the Permian Basin (figs. 2-4). These maps show depths at the various borehole locations where the R0 values were calculated to be 0.6 (fig. 2), 1.3 (fig. 3), and 2.0 (fig. 4) percent, which correspond, generally, to the onset of oil generation, the onset of oil cracking, and the limit of oil preservation, respectively.The four major geologic structural features within the Permian Basin–Midland Basin, Delaware Basin, Central Basin Platform, and Northwest Shelf (fig. 1) differ in overall depth, thermal history and tectonic style. In the western Delaware Basin, for example, higher maturation is observed at relatively shallow depths, resulting from uplift and eastward basin tilting that began in the Mississippian and ultimately exposed older, thermally mature rocks. Maturity was further enhanced in this basin by the emplacement of early and mid-Tertiary intrusives. Volcanic activity also appears to have been a controlling factor for maturation of organic matter in the southern part of the otherwise tectonically stable Northwest Shelf (Barker and Pawlewicz, 1987). Depths to the three different Ro values are greatest in the eastern Delaware Basin and southern Midland Basin. This appears to be a function of tectonic activity related to the Marathon-Ouachita orogeny, during the Late-Middle Pennsylvanian, whose affects were widespread across the Permian Basin. The Central Basin Platform has been a positive feature since the mid to-late Paleozoic, during which time sedimentation occurred along its flanks. This nonsubsidence, along with the lack of supplemental heating (volcanism), implies lower maturation levels.

Oil and Gas Development in the Appalachian Basin

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA seeks applications for multidisciplinary research that will foster a better understanding of how the rapid increase of OGD activities in the Appalachian Basin may impact the surrounding environment and public health

Carbon isotope evidence for a magmatic origin for Archaean gold-quartz vein ore deposits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burrows, D. R.; Wood, P. C.; Spooner, E. T. C.

1986-01-01

Sediments from three sites in the Santa Barbara Basin were examined with a 160X power light microscope and TEM equipment to characterize the magnetostatic bacteria (MB) in the samples. Both the free magnetite and the crystals in the MB in the samples had lengths from 40-60 nm in length and increased in size from one end to the next. An intact magnetosome was also observed. Scanning the sediments with saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM) and altering field demagnetization techniques using a SQUID magnetometer yielded coercivity spectra which showed that the primary remanence carrier in the sediments was single domain magnetite. Although it is expected that the predominance of the bacterial magnetite component will decrease with depth in the open ocean basin, single-domain bacteria as old as 50 Myr have been observed in oceanic sediments.

The thermal history of the Miocene Ibar Basin (Southern Serbia): new constraints from apatite and zircon fission track and vitrinite reflectance data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrić, Nevena; Fügenschuh, Bernhard; Životić, Dragana; Cvetković, Vladica

2015-02-01

The Ibar Basin was formed during Miocene large scale extension in the NE Dinaride segment of the Alpine- Carpathian-Dinaride system. The Miocene extension led to exhumation of deep seated core-complexes (e.g. Studenica and Kopaonik core-complex) as well as to the formation of extensional basins in the hanging wall (Ibar Basin). Sediments of the Ibar Basin were studied by apatite and zircon fission track and vitrinite reflectance in order to define thermal events during basin evolution. Vitrinite reflectance (VR) data (0.63-0.90 %Rr) indicate a bituminous stage for the organic matter that experienced maximal temperatures of around 120-130 °C. Zircon fission track (ZFT) ages indicate provenance ages. The apatite fission track (AFT) single grain ages (45-6.7 Ma) and bimodal track lengths distribution indicate partial annealing of the detrital apatites. Both vitrinite reflectance and apatite fission track data of the studied sediments imply post-depositional thermal overprint in the Ibar Basin. Thermal history models of the detritial apatites reveal a heating episode prior to cooling that began at around 10 Ma. The heating episode started around 17 Ma and lasted 10-8 Ma reaching the maximum temperatures between 100-130 °C. We correlate this event with the domal uplift of the Studenica and Kopaonik cores where heat was transferred from the rising warm footwall to the adjacent colder hanging wall. The cooling episode is related to basin inversion and erosion. The apatite fission track data indicate local thermal perturbations, detected in the SE part of the Ibar basin (Piskanja deposit) with the time frame ~7.1 Ma, which may correspond to the youngest volcanic phase in the region.

Restoration of degraded lands in the interior Columbia River basin: passive vs. active approaches.

Treesearch

James McIver; Lynn Starr

2001-01-01

Evidence for success of passive and active restoration is presented for interior conifer forest, sagebrush steppe, and riparian ecosystems, with a focus on the Columbia River basin. Passive restoration, defined as removal of the stresses that cause degradation, may be most appropriate for higher elevation forests, low-order riparian ecosystems, and for sagebrush steppe...

The Pacific Basin market for wood products for military support activities

Treesearch

John D. Zinnikas

1966-01-01

Military support activities in Hawaii use between 50 and 150 thousand board feet of lumber annually for which locally grown and produced hardwood lumber might be used. In addition, the "other Pacific" market uses about 2 million board feet of hard-wood lumber annually. The Pacific Basin can be an important market for the Hawaii timber products industry...

Hydroclimate-driven changes in the landscape structure of the terminal lakes and wetlands of the China's Heihe River Basin.

PubMed

Xiao, Shengchun; Xiao, Honglang; Peng, Xiaomei; Song, Xiang

2015-01-01

Changes in the landscape structure of terminal lakes and wetlands along inland rivers in arid areas are determined by the water balance in the river basins under the impacts of climate change and human activities. Studying the evolution of these landscapes and the mechanisms driving these changes is critical to the sustainable development of river basins. The terminal lakes and wetlands along the lower reaches of the Heihe River, an inland river in arid northwestern China, can be grouped into three types: runoff-recharged, groundwater-recharged, and precipitation-recharged. These water-recharge characteristics determine the degree to which the landscape structure of a terminal lake or wetland is impacted by climate change and human activities. An analysis of seven remote-sensing and hydroclimatic data sets for the Heihe River basin during the last 50 years indicates that hydrological changes in the basin caused by regional human activities were the primary drivers of the observed changes in the spatial and temporal landscape-structure patterns of the terminal lakes and wetlands of the Heihe River. In this warm, dry climatic context, the lakes and wetlands gradually evolved toward and maintained a landscape dominated by saline-alkaline lands and grasslands.

Tulane/Xavier University Hazardous Materials in Aquatic Environments of the Mississippi River Basin. Quarterly progress report, January 1, 1995--March 31, 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-05-01

This progress report covers activities for the period January 1 - March 31, 1995 on project concerning `Hazardous Materials in Aquatic Environments of the Mississippi River Basin.` The following activities are each summarized by bullets denoting significant experiments/findings: biotic and abiotic studies on the biological fate, transport and ecotoxicity of toxic and hazardous waste in the Mississippi River Basin; assessment of mechanisms of metal-induced reproductive toxicity in quatic species as a biomarker of exposure; hazardous wastes in aquatic environments: biological uptake and metabolism studies; ecological sentinels of aquatic contamination in the lower Mississippi River system; bioremediation of selected contaminants inmore » aquatic environments of the Mississippi River Basin; a sensitive rapid on-sit immunoassay for heavy metal contamination; pore-level flow, transport, agglomeration and reaction kinetics of microorganism; biomarkers of exposure and ecotoxicity in the Mississippi River Basin; natural and active chemical remediation of toxic metals, organics and radionuclides in the aquatic environment; expert geographical information systems for assessing hazardous wastes in aquatic environments; enhancement of environmental education; and a number of just initiated projects including fate and transport of contaminants in aquatic environments; photocatalytic remediation; radionuclide fate and modeling from Chernobyl.« less

2D numerical modeling of gravity-driven giant-scale deformation processes in the offshore Barreirinhas Basin (Brazil)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruciani, Francesco; Manconi, Andrea; Rinaldo Barchi, Massimiliano

2014-05-01

Gravity-driven deformation processes at continental passive margins occur at different scales, from small-scale turbidity currents and sediment slides, to large-scale mass transport complexes (MTCs), to the giant-scale deep water fold and thrust belts (DW-FTBs), which affect most or the entire sedimentary sequence. This kind of giant structures, quite widespread in passive margins, may be active for tens of millions of years. In this context, the Brazilian Atlantic margin hosts several well-known DW-FTBs detached on both shale and salt décollement. Despite of their relevant scientific and economic importance, the mechanical processes driving the onset and evolution of these giant-scale structures are still poorly investigated. In this work, we focus on the shale décollement DW-FTB of the Barreirinhas Basin, where the continental slope has been affected by multi-phase gravitational processes since the Late Cretaceous. This DW-FTB consists of a linked fault system of listric normal faults updip and thrust faults downdip, detached over a common concave upward décollement surface. From the onshore extensional to the offshore compressional domain the DW-FTB is about 50 km wide and involve a sedimentary sequence up to 5 km thick. Shortening within the compressional domain is accommodated almost entirely from a single thrust ramp with a large related anticline fold. Previous studies have shown that the main activity phases of the gravitational processes are closely linked to significant increases in the sediment supply within the basin. Indeed, the highest deformation rate, accounting for about 80% of the net strain, occurred in the Upper Miocene following a drainage rearrangement which led to the birth of the modern Amazon River drainage system. The Barreirinhas Basin DW-FTB entails a rather simple geometrical structure, which can be well schematized, therefore is particularly suitable for numerical simulations aimed to study and understand the dynamics of DW-FTB at this particular place and also elsewhere. We set up a 2D fluid dynamic model by considering a Finite Element Method (FEM) environment, which allows us to well represent the geometries, densities and viscosities of the geological materials, as derived from geophysical investigations. Our study aims at understanding whether the long-term mechanical behavior of the Barreirinhas Basin DW-FTB can be reproduced by considering a simplified Newtonian fluid dynamics environment or it is controlled by a more complex rheology, which might include the effect of additional parameters such as internal friction, cohesive strength and pore-fluid pressure at the basal detachment.

Archean foreland basin tectonics in the Witwatersrand, South Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, K.; Kidd, W. S. F.; Kusky, T. M.

1986-01-01

The Witwatersrand Basin of South Africa is the best-known of Archean sedimentary basins and contains some of the largest gold reserves in the world. Sediments in the basin include a lower flysch-type sequence and an upper molassic facies, both of which contain abundant silicic volcanic detritus. The strata are thicker and more proximal on the northwestern side of the basin which is, at least locally, bound by thrust faults. These features indicate that the Witwatersrand strata may have been deposited in a foreland basin and a regional geologic synthesis suggests that this basin developed initially on the cratonward side of an Andean-type arc. Remarkably similar Phanerozoic basins may be found in the southern Andes above zones of shallow subduction. It is suggested that the continental collision between the Kaapvaal and Zimbabwe Cratons at about 2.7 Ga caused further subsidence and deposition in the Witwatersrand Basin. Regional uplift during this later phase of development placed the basin on the cratonward edge of a collision-related plateau, now represented by the Limpopo Province. Similarities are seen between this phase of Witwatersrand Basin evolution and that of active basins north of the Tibetan Plateau. The geologic evidence does not agree with earlier suggestions that the Witwatersrand strata were deposited in a rift or half-graben.

Fungal and Prokaryotic Activities in the Marine Subsurface Biosphere at Peru Margin and Canterbury Basin Inferred from RNA-Based Analyses and Microscopy

PubMed Central

Pachiadaki, Maria G.; Rédou, Vanessa; Beaudoin, David J.; Burgaud, Gaëtan; Edgcomb, Virginia P.

2016-01-01

The deep sedimentary biosphere, extending 100s of meters below the seafloor harbors unexpected diversity of Bacteria, Archaea, and microbial eukaryotes. Far less is known about microbial eukaryotes in subsurface habitats, albeit several studies have indicated that fungi dominate microbial eukaryotic communities and fungal molecular signatures (of both yeasts and filamentous forms) have been detected in samples as deep as 1740 mbsf. Here, we compare and contrast fungal ribosomal RNA gene signatures and whole community metatranscriptomes present in sediment core samples from 6 and 95 mbsf from Peru Margin site 1229A and from samples from 12 and 345 mbsf from Canterbury Basin site U1352. The metatranscriptome analyses reveal higher relative expression of amino acid and peptide transporters in the less nutrient rich Canterbury Basin sediments compared to the nutrient rich Peru Margin, and higher expression of motility genes in the Peru Margin samples. Higher expression of genes associated with metals transporters and antibiotic resistance and production was detected in Canterbury Basin sediments. A poly-A focused metatranscriptome produced for the Canterbury Basin sample from 345 mbsf provides further evidence for active fungal communities in the subsurface in the form of fungal-associated transcripts for metabolic and cellular processes, cell and membrane functions, and catalytic activities. Fungal communities at comparable depths at the two geographically separated locations appear dominated by distinct taxa. Differences in taxonomic composition and expression of genes associated with particular metabolic activities may be a function of sediment organic content as well as oceanic province. Microscopic analysis of Canterbury Basin sediment samples from 4 and 403 mbsf produced visualizations of septate fungal filaments, branching fungi, conidiogenesis, and spores. These images provide another important line of evidence supporting the occurrence and activity of fungi in the deep subseafloor biosphere. PMID:27375571

Fungal and Prokaryotic Activities in the Marine Subsurface Biosphere at Peru Margin and Canterbury Basin Inferred from RNA-Based Analyses and Microscopy.

PubMed

Pachiadaki, Maria G; Rédou, Vanessa; Beaudoin, David J; Burgaud, Gaëtan; Edgcomb, Virginia P

2016-01-01

The deep sedimentary biosphere, extending 100s of meters below the seafloor harbors unexpected diversity of Bacteria, Archaea, and microbial eukaryotes. Far less is known about microbial eukaryotes in subsurface habitats, albeit several studies have indicated that fungi dominate microbial eukaryotic communities and fungal molecular signatures (of both yeasts and filamentous forms) have been detected in samples as deep as 1740 mbsf. Here, we compare and contrast fungal ribosomal RNA gene signatures and whole community metatranscriptomes present in sediment core samples from 6 and 95 mbsf from Peru Margin site 1229A and from samples from 12 and 345 mbsf from Canterbury Basin site U1352. The metatranscriptome analyses reveal higher relative expression of amino acid and peptide transporters in the less nutrient rich Canterbury Basin sediments compared to the nutrient rich Peru Margin, and higher expression of motility genes in the Peru Margin samples. Higher expression of genes associated with metals transporters and antibiotic resistance and production was detected in Canterbury Basin sediments. A poly-A focused metatranscriptome produced for the Canterbury Basin sample from 345 mbsf provides further evidence for active fungal communities in the subsurface in the form of fungal-associated transcripts for metabolic and cellular processes, cell and membrane functions, and catalytic activities. Fungal communities at comparable depths at the two geographically separated locations appear dominated by distinct taxa. Differences in taxonomic composition and expression of genes associated with particular metabolic activities may be a function of sediment organic content as well as oceanic province. Microscopic analysis of Canterbury Basin sediment samples from 4 and 403 mbsf produced visualizations of septate fungal filaments, branching fungi, conidiogenesis, and spores. These images provide another important line of evidence supporting the occurrence and activity of fungi in the deep subseafloor biosphere.

Lunar farside volcanism in and around the South Pole-Aitken basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasckert, Jan Hendrik; Hiesinger, Harald; van der Bogert, Carolyn H.

2018-01-01

We identified and mapped 129 mare basalt deposits in and around the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin, and determined absolute model ages (AMAs) for 101 of these units by performing crater size-frequency distribution (CSFD) measurements. The derived AMAs range from 2.2 Ga to 3.7 Ga, with the youngest deposits within Antoniadi crater and the oldest deposits at Jules Verne crater. Our investigations indicate a major peak in volcanic activity between 3.6 Ga and 3.2 Ga, which is a similar time range as the major volcanic activity on the nearside, and the rest of the farside. However, a second peak in volcanic activity (2.2-2.5 Ga), as observed for the nearside and parts of the farside, is not observed for the mare deposits within the SPA basin. Combining all AMAs derived for farside mare basalts reveals that volcanic activity was more abundant and lasted longer on the nearside than on the farside. We propose that the stripping of insulating crust by the large SPA-forming impact event, in combination with lower amounts of heat producing elements like Th, might be responsible for the reduced volcanic activity in the SPA basin. In addition, we estimated the thicknesses and volumes of the investigated mare deposits. With thicknesses between ∼31 m and ∼273 m and volumes of ∼1 km³ to ∼2630 km³, the mare basalt deposits in and around the SPA basin show a wide range of dimensions, similar to other mare basalts of the near- and farsides. A trend between the AMAs and the estimated volumes was not observed, but the mare deposits within the large northern craters (e.g., Apollo, Ingenii, or Leibnitz) seem to be generally larger and more voluminous than the mare basalt deposits at the center of the SPA basin.

Quantifying the magnitude of the impact of climate change and human activity on runoff decline in Mian River Basin, China.

PubMed

Fan, Jing; Tian, Fei; Yang, Yonghui; Han, Shumin; Qiu, Guoyu

2010-01-01

Runoff in North China has been dramatically declining in recent decades. Although climate change and human activity have been recognized as the primary driving factors, the magnitude of impact of each of the above factors on runoff decline is still not entirely clear. In this study, Mian River Basin (a watershed that is heavily influenced by human activity) was used as a proxy to quantify the contributions of human and climate to runoff decline in North China. SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model was used to isolate the possible impacts of man and climate. SWAT simulations suggest that while climate change accounts for only 23.89% of total decline in mean annual runoff, human activity accounts for the larger 76.11% in the basin. The gap between the simulated and measured runoff has been widening since 1978, which can only be explained in terms of increasing human activity in the region. Furthermore, comparisons of similar annual precipitation in 3 dry-years and 3 wet-years representing hydrological processes in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s were used to isolate the magnitude of runoff decline under similar annual precipitations. The results clearly show that human activity, rather than climate, is the main driving factor of runoff decline in the basin.

Environmental settings of the South Fork Iowa River basin, Iowa, and the Bogue Phalia basin, Mississippi, 2006-10

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCarthy, Kathleen A.; Rose, Claire E.; Kalkhoff, Stephen J.

2012-01-01

Studies of the transport and fate of agricultural chemicals in different environmental settings were conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program's Agricultural Chemicals Team (ACT) at seven sites across the Nation, including the South Fork Iowa River basin in central Iowa and the Bogue Phalia basin in northwestern Mississippi. The South Fork Iowa River basin is representative of midwestern agriculture, where corn and soybeans are the predominant crops and a large percentage of the cultivated land is underlain by artificial drainage. The Bogue Phalia basin is representative of corn, soybean, cotton, and rice cropping in the humid, subtropical southeastern United States. Details of the environmental settings of these basins and the data-collection activities conducted by the USGS ACT over the 2006-10 study period are described in this report.

Extreme multi-basin fluvial flows and their relationship to extra-tropical cyclones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Luca, Paolo; Hillier, John K.; Wilby, Robert L.; Quinn, Nevil W.; Harrigan, Shaun

2017-04-01

Fluvial floods are typically investigated as 'events' at the single basin scale, thereby implicitly assuming that severe flooding impacts each catchment independently from those nearby. A statistical analysis of the spatio-temporal characteristics of extreme flows in Great Britain (GB), during 1975-2014, is presented. These observations deepen understanding of the processes leading to multi-basin floods and present helpful insights for contingency planning and emergency responders. The largest multi-basin peak flow events within different time windows were identified by counting the number of coincident annual maximum river peak flows (AMAX) across 261 non-nested catchments, using search windows of 1 to 19 days. This showed that up to 107 basins reached their AMAX within the same plateauing 13-day window, draining a total area equivalent to ˜46% of the overall basins considered, which is an equivalent fraction of ˜27% of Great Britain. Such episodes are typically associated with persistent cyclonic atmospheric circulation and saturated ground, combined with short hydrological response times (<48 h) from large contributing basins. The most spatially extensive episodes also tend to coincide with the most severe gales (i.e. extra-tropical cyclones) on a ±0-13 day time-scale. The analysis suggests that multi-basin peak flow events can be characterised by concurrent peak flow AMAX and that the most extreme are driven by very severe gales (VSG). This has implications for emergency response including planning for combined flood-wind impacts (on for example power and communication systems), meaning that the emergency preparedness need to be reorganised in order to face this peril.

Facies analysis of Tertiary basin-filling rocks of the Death Valley regional ground-water system and surrounding areas, Nevada and California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sweetkind, Donald S.; Fridrich, Christopher J.; Taylor, Emily

2001-01-01

Existing hydrologic models of the Death Valley region typically have defined the Cenozoic basins as those areas that are covered by recent surficial deposits, and have treated the basin-fill deposits that are concealed under alluvium as a single unit with uniform hydrologic properties throughout the region, and with depth. Although this latter generalization was known to be flawed, it evidently was made because available geologic syntheses did not provide the basis for a more detailed characterization. As an initial attempt to address this problem, this report presents a compilation and synthesis of existing and new surface and subsurface data on the lithologic variations between and within the Cenozoic basin fills of this region. The most permeable lithologies in the Cenozoic basin fills are freshwater limestones, unaltered densely welded tuffs, and little-consolidated coarse alluvium. The least permeable lithologies are playa claystones, altered nonwelded tuffs, and tuffaceous and clay-matrix sediments of several types. In all but the youngest of the basin fills, permeability probably decreases strongly with depth owing to a typically increasing abundance of volcanic ash or clay in the matrices of the clastic sediments with increasing age (and therefore with increasing depth in general), and to increasing consolidation and alteration (both hydrothermal and diagenetic) with increasing depth and age. This report concludes with a categorization of the Cenozoic basins of the Death Valley region according to the predominant lithologies in the different basin fills and presents qualitative constraints on the hydrologic properties of these major lithologic categories.

Modeling Groundwater Flow System of a Drainage Basin in the Basement Complex Environment of Southwestern Nigera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akinwumiju, Akinola S.; Olorunfemi, Martins O.

2018-05-01

This study attempted to model the groundwater flow system of a drainage basin within the Basement Complex environment of Southwestern Nigeria. Four groundwater models were derived from Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) Data, remotely sensed data, geological information (hydrolineaments and lithology) and borehole data. Subsequently, two sub-surface (local and regional) flow systems were delineated in the study area. While the local flow system is controlled by surface topography, the regional flow system is controlled by the networks of intermediate and deep seated faults/fractures. The local flow system is characterized by convergence, divergence, inflow and outflow in places, while the regional flow system is dominated by NNE-SSW and W-E flow directions. Minor flow directions include NNW-SSE and E-W with possible linkages to the main flow-paths. The NNE-SSW regional flow system is a double open ended flow system with possible linkage to the Niger Trough. The W-E regional flow system is a single open ended system that originates within the study area (with possible linkage to the NNE-SSW regional flow system) and extends to Ikogosi in the adjoining drainage basin. Thus, the groundwater drainage basin of the study area is much larger and extensive than its surface drainage basin. The all year round flowing (perennial) rivers are linked to groundwater outcrops from faults/fractures and contact zones. Consequently, larger percentage of annual rainwater usually leaves the basin in form of runoff and base flow. Therefore, the basin is categorized as a donor basin but with suspected subsurface water input at its northeastern axis.

A geochemical and hydrological investigation of groundwater recharge in the Roswell basin of New Mexico: summary of results and updated listing of tritium determinations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gross, G.W.; Hoy, R.N.

Different approaches were used to study recharge and flow patterns in the Roswell, New Mexico, artesian basin. Isotope determination for tritium, deuterium, and oxygen-18 were made as a function of time and space. Observation well levels, springflow, and precipitation were analyzed by stochastic/numerical approaches. Also, a hydrogeologic survey was made of representative springs in the recharge zone on the basin western flank. An updated listing of tritium activity in precipitation, springs, surface runoff, and subsurface water from over 120 sampling sites in the basin covers 117 pages of the report. Substantial deep leakage contributions from the basin western flank mustmore » be included to account for the basin groundwater budget.« less

Asymmetric Distribution of Lunar Impact Basins Caused by Variations in Target Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miljkovic, Katarina; Wieczorek, Mark A.; Collins, Gareth S.; Laneuville, Matthieu; Neumann, Gregory A.; Melosh, H. Jay; Solomon, Sean C.; Phillips, Roger J.; Smith, David E.; Zuber, Maria T.

2014-01-01

Maps of crustal thickness derived from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission revealed more large impact basins on the nearside hemisphere of the Moon than on its farside. The enrichment in heat-producing elements and prolonged volcanic activity on the lunar nearside hemisphere indicate that the temperature of the nearside crust and upper mantle was hotter than that of the farside at the time of basin formation. Using the iSALE-2D hydrocode to model impact basin formation, we found that impacts on the hotter nearside would have formed basins up to two times larger than similar impacts on the cooler farside hemisphere. The size distribution of lunar impact basins is thus not representative of the earliest inner Solar system impact bombardment.

Supplemental Information For: Asymmetric Distribution of Lunar Impact Basins Caused by Variations in Target Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miljkovic, Katarina; Wieczorek, Mark; Collins, Gareth S.; Laneuville, Matthieu; Neumann, Gregory A.; Melosh, H. Jay; Solomon, Sean C.; Phillips, Roger J.; Smith, David E.; Zuber, Maria T.

2014-01-01

Maps of crustal thickness derived from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission revealed more large impact basins on the nearside hemisphere of the Moon than on its farside. The enrichment in heat-producing elements and prolonged volcanic activity on the lunar nearside hemisphere indicate that the temperature of the nearside crust and uppermantle was hotter than that of the farside at the time of basin formation. Using the iSALE-2D hydrocode to model impact basin formation, we found that impacts on the hotter nearside would have formed basins up to two times larger than similar impacts on the cooler farside hemisphere. The size distribution of lunar impact basins is thus not representative of the earliest inner Solar system impact bombardment

Survey of Rural Areas in the Western United States with the Potential to form Winter Ozone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, C. F.; Mansfield, M. L.

2012-12-01

Both the Uinta Basin of Eastern Utah and the Upper Green River Basin of Western Wyoming are prone to winter ozone events. Ozone in both basins is believed to require a specific set of meteorological phenomena, namely, snow cover and persistent thermal inversions. It is also believed that the primary source of ozone precursors in both basins is the production of oil and/or natural gas. We have conducted a survey of many basins and valleys in the West United States in order to identify regions having meteorology similar to either the Uinta or the Upper Green River Basins, but also having dissimilar industrial activity. Ozone monitoring in such regions may help us better understand the role of oil and gas emissions in the winter ozone phenomenon.

PGEs and Quartz Grains in a Resedimented Late Archean Impact Horizon in the Hamersley Group of Western Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simonson, B. M.; Davies, D.; Wallace, M.; Reeves, S.; Hassler, S.

1996-03-01

The early Precambrian Hamersley Group of Western Australia contains two thick packages of carbonate-rich strata, the Carawine Dolomite and the Wittenoom Formation, that occupy mutually exclusive areas within the Hamersley Basin. Within each of these formations is a single horizon which contains sand- to fine gravel-size particles believed to be distal ejecta from a large bolide impact. In the Carawine Dolomite, the ejecta are restricted to a coarse-grained dolomitic debris flow deposit up to 25 m thick. In the Wittenoom Formation, the ejecta are restricted to a turbidite which is <=1.3 m thick and consists largely of sand-size carbonate and argillite intraclasts. Together, these two horizons constitute a single, unique layer that appears to have been deposited rapidly over an area >= 50,000 km2 by a single high-energy event around 2.5 Ga. Deposition is inferred to have taken place in a series of distinct stages as follows: (1.) ballistic dispersal of mostly sand-size particles from the impact site to the seafloor in the Hamersley Basin, (2.) reworking of the newly deposited ejecta in the Hamersley Basin into large symmetrical ripples by impact-generated tsunami waves, and (3.) subsequent erosion and re-sedimentation of most of the ejecta by one to three large sedimentary gravity flows that moved south and west down the paleoslope of the Hamersley Basin. New data will be presented concerning the two main types of ejecta found in this layer: microkrystites and quartz grains. Specifically, microkrystite-rich samples are enriched in Ir and Ru by an order of magnitude or more relative to the surrounding strata, but other siderophile elements (Pd, Pt, Au, Cr, Co, and Ni) display neither anomalously high concentrations nor chondritic interelement ratios. As for the quartz grains, their petrographic characteristics clearly indicate they are not volcanic in origin, but they do not appear to have planar deformation features like those reported from numerous other impact ejecta horizons.

Sustainability or Collapse: Interplay Between Decadal Climate Variability and Human Activities Matters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Y.; Hu, H.; Tian, F.

2016-12-01

The Aral Sea Crisis and the deterioration of Tarim River Basin are representative cases of emergent water deficit problems in arid areas. Comparing cases of water deficit problems in different regions and considering the in the perspective of socio-hydrology is helpful to obtain guidance on integrated management of arid area basins. Analyzing the interplay between decadal climate variability and human activities in both basins, the important role of human activities is observed. Decadal climate variability tempts people to adapt fast to increasing water resources and slowly to decreasing water resources, while using unsustainable technical measures to offset water shortage. Due to this asymmetry the situation deteriorates with technically enhanced capabilities of societies to exploit water resources, and more integrated long-term management capacity is in high demand.

A noninvasive tool to assess the distribution of Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) in the Columbia River basin

Treesearch

Kellie J. Carim; J. Caleb Dysthe; Michael K. Young; Kevin S. McKelvey; Michael K. Schwartz

2017-01-01

The Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) is an anadromous fish once abundant throughout coastal basins of western North America that has suffered dramatic declines in the last century due primarily to human activities. Here, we describe the development of an environmental DNA (eDNA) assay to detect Pacific lamprey in the Columbia River basin. The eDNA assay...

The effect of deformation after backarc spreading between the rear arc and current volcanic front in Shikoku Basin obtained by seismic reflection survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamashita, M.; Takahashi, N.; Nakanishi, A.; Kodaira, S.; Tamura, Y.

2012-12-01

Detailed crustal structure information of a back-arc basin must be obtained to elucidate the mechanism of its opening. Especially, the Shikoku Basin, which occupies the northern part of the Philippine Sea Plate between the Kyushu-Palau Ridge and the Izu-Bonin (Ogasawara) Arc, is an important area to understand the evolution of the back-arc basins as a part of the growth process of the Philippine Sea. Especially, the crustal structure oft the east side of Shikoku Basin is complicated by colliding to the Izu Peninsula Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology has been carried out many multi-channel seismic reflection surveys since 2004 in Izu-Bonin region. Kodaira et al. (2008) reported the results of a refraction seismic survey along a north-south profile within paleoarc in the rear arc (i.e., the Nishi-shichito ridge) about 150 km west of current volcanic front. According to their results, the variation relationship of crustal thickness between the rear arc and volcanic front is suggested the evidence of rifting from current volcanic arc. There is the en-echelon arrangement is located in the eastern side of Shikoku Basin from current arc to rear arc, and it is known to activate after ceased spreading at 15 Ma (Okino et al., 1994) of Shikoku Basin by geologic sampling of Ishizuka et al. (2003). Our MCS results are also recognized the recent lateral fault zone is located in east side of Shikoku Basin. We carried out high density grid multi-channel seismic reflection (MCS) survey using tuned airgun in order to obtain the relationship between the lateral faults and en-echelon arrangement in KR08-04 cruise. We identified the deformation of sediments in Shikoku Basin after activity of Kanbun seamount at 8 Ma in MCS profile. It is estimated to activate a part of the eastern side of Shikoku Basin after construction of en-echelon arrangement and termination of Shikoku Basin spreading. Based on analyses of magnetic and gravity anomalies, Yamazaki and Yuasa (1998) proposed that the Miocene rifting had occurred at the western half of the northern Izu-Bonin Arc during the Middle Miocene, immediately after spreading ended in the Shikoku Basin. In this study, we compare about this hypothesis from the characteristics of MCS profiles. In 2012, we also carried out the new MCS survey around the Zenisu ridge. From the primary onboard result, many crustal reflectors are identified around the Zenisu ridge. We will report the new MCS result in northeast side of Shikoku Basin.

Analysis of petroleum potential of Philippine sedimentary basins

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saldivar-Sali, A.; Harrison, J.; Flower, L.

1986-07-01

An extensive reevaluation of the petroleum potential of all sedimentary basins in the Philippine Archipelago was recently completed using World Bank funds. The study was conducted jointly by the technical staff of the Bureau of Energy Development (BED)/Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) and senior consultants from Robertson Research, and Flower, Doery, Buchan Pty. Ltd., from 1983 to 1986. The joint team spent 2 1/2 years on the study and produced detailed reports and atlases, which constitute the most comprehensive basin analysis and petroleum potential assessment of the 13 major basins in the Philippines. Voluminous data available at the start ofmore » the project were supplemented by a countrywide aeromagnetic survey (216,000 km) and 9200 km of new marine seismic in 15 different areas. These surveys were also funded by the World Bank. The integration of all relevant geoscientific disciplines resulted in a better understanding of the geologic evolution of each basin and its bearing on the generation, migration, and entrapment of hydrocarbons. Many similarities and common characteristics were noted in the evolution and sedimentation of some basins. Play concepts have been developed and proposed for each basin, many of which are new plays that were not the objectives of previous exploration. The degree of exploration in these basins varies, and clearly, exploration activity has not reached a mature stage in any basin. Even where wells are numerous, many of them are old and shallow and of limited geologic value. Elsewhere, particularly offshore, there are large areas where no wells have been drilled. In conclusion, the bilateral cooperation between the Philippine government and the World Bank, particularly when exploration activity in the private sector was at a low level, proved most timely and beneficial.« less

Permian plate margin volcanism and tuffs in adjacent basins of west Gondwana: Age constraints and common characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Gamundí, Oscar

2006-12-01

Increasing evidence of Permian volcanic activity along the South American portion of the Gondwana proto-Pacific margin has directed attention to its potential presence in the stratigraphic record of adjacent basins. In recent years, tuffaceous horizons have been identified in late Early Permian-through Middle Permian (280-260 Ma) sections of the Paraná Basin (Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay). Farther south and closer to the magmatic tract developed along the continental margin, in the San Rafael and Sauce Grande basins of Argentina, tuffs are present in the Early to Middle Permian section. This tuff-rich interval can be correlated with the appearance of widespread tuffs in the Karoo Basin. Although magmatic activity along the proto-Pacific plate margin was continuous during the Late Paleozoic, Choiyoi silicic volcanism along the Andean Cordillera and its equivalent in Patagonia peaked between the late Early Permian and Middle Permian, when extensive rhyolitic ignimbrites and consanguineous airborne tuffaceous material erupted in the northern Patagonian region. The San Rafael orogenic phase (SROP) interrupted sedimentation along the southwestern segment of the Gondwana margin (i.e., Frontal Cordillera, San Rafael Basin), induced cratonward thrusting (i.e., Ventana and Cape foldbelts), and triggered accelerated subsidence in the adjacent basins (Sauce Grande and Karoo) located inboard of the deformation front. This accelerated subsidence favored the preservation of tuffaceous horizons in the syntectonic successions. The age constraints and similarities in composition between the volcanics along the continental margin and the tuffaceous horizons in the San Rafael, Sauce Grande, Paraná, and Karoo basins strongly suggest a genetic linkage between the two episodes. Radiometric ages from tuffs in the San Rafael, Paraná, and Karoo basins indicate an intensely tuffaceous interval between 280 and 260 Ma.

Contrasting sedimentary processes along a convergent margin: the Lesser Antilles arc system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Picard, Michel; Schneider, Jean-Luc; Boudon, Georges

2006-12-01

Sedimentation processes occurring in an active convergent setting are well illustrated in the Lesser Antilles island arc. The margin is related to westward subduction of the North and/or the South America plates beneath the Caribbean plate. From east to west, the arc can be subdivided into several tectono-sedimentary depositional domains: the accretionary prism, the fore-arc basin, the arc platform and inter-arc basin, and the Grenada back-arc basin. The Grenada back-arc basin, the fore-arc basin (Tobago Trough) and the accretionary prism on the east side of the volcanic arc constitute traps for particles derived from the arc platform and the South American continent. The arc is volcanically active, and provides large volumes of volcaniclastic sediments which accumulate mainly in the Grenada basin by volcaniclastic gravity flows (volcanic debris avalanches, debris flows, turbiditic flows) and minor amounts by fallout. By contrast, the eastern side of the margin is fed by ash fallout and minor volcaniclastic turbidites. In this area, the dominant component of the sediments is pelagic in origin, or derived from South America (siliciclastic turbidites). Insular shelves are the locations of carbonate sedimentation, such as large platforms which develop in the Limestone Caribbees in the northern part of the margin. Reworking of carbonate material by turbidity currents also delivers lesser amounts to eastern basins of the margin. This contrasting sedimentation on both sides of the arc platform along the margin is controlled by several interacting factors including basin morphology, volcanic productivity, wind and deep-sea current patterns, and sea-level changes. Basin morphology appears to be the most dominant factor. The western slopes of the arc platform are steeper than the eastern ones, thus favouring gravity flow processes.

Fluvial Connectivity and Sediment Dispersal within Continental Extensional Basins; Assessment of Controlling Factors using Numerical Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geurts, A., Jr.; Cowie, P. A.; Gawthorpe, R.; Huismans, R. S.; Pedersen, V. K.

2017-12-01

Progressive integration of drainage networks has been documented in many regional-scale studies of extensional continental systems. While endorheic drainage and lake sedimentation are common features observed in basin stratigraphy, they often disappear from the record due to the development of a through-going river network. Because changes in the fluvial connectivity of extensional basins have profound impact on erosion and sediment dispersal, and thus the feedback between surface processes and tectonics, it is of great importance to understand what controls them. Headward erosion (also called headward capture or river piracy) is often suggested to be the main mechanism causing basins to become interconnected over time with one another and with the regional/coastal drainage network. We show that overspill mechanisms (basin over-filling or lake over-spilling) play a key role in the actively extending central Italian Apennines, even though this area is theoretically favorable for headward erosion (short distances to the coast in combination with rapid surface uplift). In other tectonic settings (e.g. contractional basins and high plateaux) the role of headward erosion in transverse drainage development and integrating endorheic basins has also been increasingly questioned. These two mechanisms predict very different spatio-temporal patterns of sediment dispersal and thus timing of sediment loading (or erosional unloading) along active normal faults, which in turn may influence the locus of subsequent extensional deformation. By means of surface process modelling we develop a process-based understanding of the controls on fluvial connectivity between extensional basins in the central Italian Apennines. We focus on which conditions (tectonic and erosional) favour headward erosion versus overspill and compare our model results with published field evidence for drainage integration and the timing of basin sedimentation/incision.

Occurrence, distribution, and transport of nutrients in Eastern Iowa Rivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becher, Kent D.

2001-01-01

Total nitrogen loads contributed to the Mississippi River from the Eastern Iowa Basins during 1996, 1997, and 1998 were 97,000, 120,000, and 230,000 metric tons respectively. Total phosphorus loads contributed to the Mississippi River from the Eastern Iowa Basins during 1996, 1997, and 1998 were 6,900, 4,600, and 8,800 metric tons, respectively. The highest nitrogen and phosphorus yields typically occurred in streams draining small watersheds that were dominated by a single land use and geology. Sampling sites located in drainage basins with higher row-crop percentage typically had higher nitrogen and phosphorus yields. Sites that were located in the Des Moines Lobe and the Southern Iowa Drift Plain typically had higher phosphorus yields probably due to more erodible soils and steeper slopes.

Seasonal cycle of precipitation over major river basins in South and Southeast Asia: A review of the CMIP5 climate models data for present climate and future climate projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasson, Shabeh ul; Pascale, Salvatore; Lucarini, Valerio; Böhner, Jürgen

2016-11-01

We review the skill of thirty coupled climate models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) in terms of reproducing properties of the seasonal cycle of precipitation over the major river basins of South and Southeast Asia (Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra and Mekong) for the historical period (1961-2000). We also present how these models represent the impact of climate change by the end of century (2061-2100) under the extreme scenario RCP8.5. First, we assess the models' ability to reproduce the observed timings of the monsoon onset and the rate of rapid fractional accumulation (RFA) slope - a measure of seasonality within the active monsoon period. Secondly, we apply a threshold-independent seasonality index (SI) - a multiplicative measure of precipitation (P) and extent of its concentration relative to uniform distribution (relative entropy - RE). We apply SI distinctly over the monsoonal precipitation regime (MPR), westerly precipitation regime (WPR) and annual precipitation. For the present climate, neither any single model nor the multi-model mean performs best in all chosen metrics. Models show overall a modest skill in suggesting right timings of the monsoon onset while the RFA slope is generally underestimated. One third of the models fail to capture the monsoon signal over the Indus basin. Mostly, the estimates for SI during WPR are higher than observed for all basins. When looking at MPR, the models typically simulate an SI higher (lower) than observed for the Ganges and Brahmaputra (Indus and Mekong) basins, following the pattern of overestimation (underestimation) of precipitation. Most of the models are biased negative (positive) for RE estimates over the Brahmaputra and Mekong (Indus and Ganges) basins, implying the extent of precipitation concentration for MPR and number of dry days within WPR lower (higher) than observed for these basins. Such skill of the CMIP5 models in representing the present-day monsoonal hydroclimatology poses some caveats on their ability to represent correctly the climate change signal. Nevertheless, considering the majority-model agreement as a measure of robustness for the qualitative scale projected future changes, we find a slightly delayed onset, and a general increase in the RFA slope and in the extent of precipitation concentration (RE) for MPR. Overall, a modest inter-model agreement suggests an increase in the seasonality of MPR and a less intermittent WPR for all basins and for most of the study domain. The SI-based indicator of change in the monsoonal domain suggests its extension westward over northwest India and Pakistan and northward over China. These findings have serious implications for the food and water security of the region in the future.

Extinct mid-ocean ridges and insights on the influence of hotspots at divergent plate boundaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacLeod, Sarah; Dietmar Müller, R.; Williams, Simon; Matthews, Kara

2016-04-01

We review all global examples of confirmed or suspected extinct mid-ocean ridges that are preserved in present-day ocean basins. Data on their spreading rate prior to extinction, time of cessation, length of activity, bathymetric and gravity signature are analysed. This analysis identifies some differences between subgroups of extinct ridges, including microplate spreading ridges, back-arc basin ridges and large-scale mid-ocean ridges. Crustal structure of extinct ridges is evaluated using gravity inversion to seek to resolve a long-standing debate on whether the final stages of spreading leads to development of thinned or thickened crust. Most of the ridges we assess have thinner crust at their axes than their flanks, yet a small number are found to have a single segment that is overprinted by an anomalous feature such as a seamount or volcanic ridge. A more complex cessation mechanism is necessary in these cases. The location of spreading centres at their time of cessation relative to hotspots was also evaluated using a global plate reconstruction. This review provides strong evidence for the long-term interaction of spreading centres with hotspots and plate boundaries have been frequently modified within the radius of a hotspot zone of influence.

Recent state of stress change in the Walker Lane zone, western Basin and Range province, United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellier, Olivier; Zoback, Mary Lou

1995-06-01

The NW to north-trending Walker Lane zone (WLZ) is located along the western boundary of the northern Basin and Range province with the Sierra Nevada. This zone is distinguished from the surrounding Basin and Range province on the basis of irregular topography and evidence for both normal and strike-slip Holocene faulting. Inversion of slip vectors from active faults, historic fault offsets, and earthquake focal mechanisms indicate two distinct Quaternary stress regimes within the WLZ, both of which are characterized by a consistent WNW σ3 axis; these are a normal faulting regime with a mean σ3 axis of N85°±9°W and a mean stress ratio (R value) (R=(σ2-σ1)/(σ3-σ1)) of 0.63-0.74 and a younger strike-slip faulting regime with a similar mean σ3 axis (N65° - 70°W) and R values ranging between ˜ 0.1 and 0.2. This younger regime is compatible with historic fault offsets and earthquake focal mechanisms. Both the extensional and strike-slip stress regimes reactivated inherited Mesozoic and Cenozoic structures and also produced new faults. The present-day strike-slip stress regime has produced strike-slip, normal oblique-slip, and normal dip-slip historic faulting. Previous workers have explained the complex interaction of active strike-slip, oblique, and normal faulting in the WLZ as a simple consequence of a single stress state with a consistent WNW σ3 axis and transitional between strike-slip and normal faulting (maximum horizontal stress approximately equal to vertical stress, or R ≈ 0 in both regimes) with minor local fluctuations. The slip data reported here support previous results from Owens Valley that suggest deformation within temporally distinct normal and strike-slip faulting stress regimes with a roughly constant WNW trending σ3 axis (Zoback, 1989). A recent change from a normal faulting to a strike-slip faulting stress regime is indicated by the crosscutting striae on faults in basalts <300,000 years old and is consistent with the dominantly strike-slip earthquake focal mechanisms and the youngest striae observed on faults in Plio-Quaternary deposits. Geologic control on the timing of the change is poor; it is impossible to determine if there has been a single recent absolute change or if there is, rather, an alternating or cyclical variation in stress magnitudes. Our slip data, in particular, the cross-cutting normal and strike-slip striae on the same fault plane, are inconsistent with postulated simple strain partitioning of deformation within a single regional stress field suggested for the WLZ by Wesnousky and Jones [1994]. The location of the WLZ between the deep-seated regional extension of the Basin and Range and the right-lateral strike-slip regional tectonics of the San Andreas fault zone is probably responsible for the complex interaction of tectonic regimes in this transition zone. In early to mid-Tertiary time the WLZ appears to have had a similarly complex deformational history, in this case as a back arc or intra-arc region, accommodating at least part of the right-lateral component of oblique convergence as well as a component of extension.

Relative tectonics and debris flow hazards in the Beijing mountain area from DEM-derived geomorphic indices and drainage analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Weiming; Wang, Nan; Zhao, Min; Zhao, Shangmin

2016-03-01

The geomorphic setting of the tectonically active area around Beijing is a result of complex interactions involving Yanshan neotectonic movements and processes of erosion and deposition. The Beijing Mountain study area contains the junction of two mountain ranges (the Yanshan Mountains and the Taihang Mountains). Tectonic activity has significantly influenced the drainage system and the geomorphic situation in the area, leading to a high probability of the development of debris flows, which is one of the major abrupt geological disasters in the region. Based on 30-m-resolution ASTER GDEM data, a total of 752 drainage basins were extracted using ArcGIS software. A total of 705 debris flow valleys were visually interpreted from ALOS satellite images and published documents. Seven geomorphic indices were calculated for each basin including the relief amplitude, the hypsometric integral, the stream length gradient, the basin shape indices, the fractal dimension, the asymmetry factor, and the ratio of the valley floor width to the height. These geomorphic indices were divided into five classes and the ratio of the number of the debris flow valleys to the number of the drainage basins for each geomorphic index was computed and analyzed for every class. Average class values of the seven indices were used to derive an index of relative active tectonics (IRAT). The ratio of the number of the debris flow valleys to the number of the drainage basins was computed for every class of IRAT. The degree of probable risk level was then defined from the IRAT classes. Finally, the debris flow hazard was evaluated for each drainage basin based on the combined effect of probable risk level and occurrence frequency of the debris flows. The result showed a good correspondence between IRAT classes and the ratio of the number of the debris flow valleys to the number of the drainage basins. Approximately 65% of the drainage basins with occurred debris flow valleys are at a high risk level, while 43% of the drainage basins without occurred debris flow valleys are at a high risk level. A comparison with results from past studies demonstrated that the accuracy of these findings is greater than 85%, indicating that the basin topography created by rapid tectonic deformations is more favorable for debris flows.

Basins of coexistence and extinction in spatially extended ecosystems of cyclically competing species.

PubMed

Ni, Xuan; Yang, Rui; Wang, Wen-Xu; Lai, Ying-Cheng; Grebogi, Celso

2010-12-01

Microscopic models based on evolutionary games on spatially extended scales have recently been developed to address the fundamental issue of species coexistence. In this pursuit almost all existing works focus on the relevant dynamical behaviors originated from a single but physically reasonable initial condition. To gain comprehensive and global insights into the dynamics of coexistence, here we explore the basins of coexistence and extinction and investigate how they evolve as a basic parameter of the system is varied. Our model is cyclic competitions among three species as described by the classical rock-paper-scissors game, and we consider both discrete lattice and continuous space, incorporating species mobility and intraspecific competitions. Our results reveal that, for all cases considered, a basin of coexistence always emerges and persists in a substantial part of the parameter space, indicating that coexistence is a robust phenomenon. Factors such as intraspecific competition can, in fact, promote coexistence by facilitating the emergence of the coexistence basin. In addition, we find that the extinction basins can exhibit quite complex structures in terms of the convergence time toward the final state for different initial conditions. We have also developed models based on partial differential equations, which yield basin structures that are in good agreement with those from microscopic stochastic simulations. To understand the origin and emergence of the observed complicated basin structures is challenging at the present due to the extremely high dimensional nature of the underlying dynamical system. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

Diagenetic contrast of sandstones in hydrocarbon prospective Mesozoic rift basins (Ethiopia, UK, USA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolela, A.

2014-11-01

Diagenetic studied in hydrocarbon-prospective Mesozoic rift basins were carried out in the Blue Nile Basin (Ethiopia), Ulster Basin (United Kingdom) and Hartford Basin (United States of America). Alluvial fan, single and amalgamated multistorey meandering and braided river, deep and shallow perennial lake, shallow ephemeral lake, aeolian and playa mud-flat are the prominent depositional environments. The studied sandstones exhibit red bed diagenesis. Source area geology, depositional environments, pore-water chemistry and circulation, tectonic setting and burial history controlled the diagenetic evolution. The diagenetic minerals include: facies-related minerals (calcrete and dolocrete), grain-coating clay minerals and/or hematite, quartz and feldspar overgrowths, carbonate cements, hematite, kaolinite, illite-smectite, smectite, illite, chlorite, actinolite, laumontite, pyrite and apatite. Diversity of diagenetic minerals and sequence of diagenetic alteration can be directly related to depositional environment and burial history of the basins. Variation in infiltrated clays, carbonate cements and clay minerals observed in the studied sandstones. The alluvial fan and fluviatile sandstones are dominated by kaolinite, illite calcite and ferroan calcite, whereas the playa and lacustrine sandstones are dominated by illite-smectite, smectite-chlorite, smectite, chlorite, dolomite ferroan dolomite and ankerite. Albite, pyrite and apatite are predominantly precipitated in lacustrine sandstones. Basaltic eruption in the basins modified mechanically infiltrated clays to authigenic clays. In all the studied sandstones, secondary porosity predominates over primary porosity. The oil emplacement inhabited clay authigenesis and generation of secondary porosity, whereas authigenesis of quartz, pyrite and apatite continued after oil emplacement.

Potentiometric-surface map of the Wyodak-Anderson Coal Bed, Powder River Structural Basin, Wyoming, 1973-84

USGS Publications Warehouse

Daddow, Pamela B.

1986-01-01

Previous water level maps of shallow aquifers in the Powder River structural basin in Wyoming were based on water levels from wells completed in different stratigraphic intervals within thick sequences of sedimentary rocks. A potentiometric surface using water levels from a single aquifer had never been mapped throughout the basin. The sandstone aquifers in the Fort Union Formation of Paleocene age and the Wasatch Formation of Eocene age are discontinuous and lenticular, and do not extend even short distances. Coal aquifers are more continuous and the Wyodak-Anderson coal bed, in the Fort Union Formation, has been mapped in much of the Powder River structural basin in Wyoming. Water level altitudes in the Wyodak-Anderson coal bed and other stratigraphically equivalent coal beds were mapped to determine if they represent a continuous potentiometric surface in the Powder River structural basin. The potentiometric surface, except in the vicinity of the Wyodak mine east of Gillette, represents a premining condition as it was based on water level measurements made during 1973-84 that were not significantly affected by mining. The map was prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. (Lantz-PTT)

Basin stability measure of different steady states in coupled oscillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakshit, Sarbendu; Bera, Bidesh K.; Majhi, Soumen; Hens, Chittaranjan; Ghosh, Dibakar

2017-04-01

In this report, we investigate the stabilization of saddle fixed points in coupled oscillators where individual oscillators exhibit the saddle fixed points. The coupled oscillators may have two structurally different types of suppressed states, namely amplitude death and oscillation death. The stabilization of saddle equilibrium point refers to the amplitude death state where oscillations are ceased and all the oscillators converge to the single stable steady state via inverse pitchfork bifurcation. Due to multistability features of oscillation death states, linear stability theory fails to analyze the stability of such states analytically, so we quantify all the states by basin stability measurement which is an universal nonlocal nonlinear concept and it interplays with the volume of basins of attractions. We also observe multi-clustered oscillation death states in a random network and measure them using basin stability framework. To explore such phenomena we choose a network of coupled Duffing-Holmes and Lorenz oscillators which are interacting through mean-field coupling. We investigate how basin stability for different steady states depends on mean-field density and coupling strength. We also analytically derive stability conditions for different steady states and confirm by rigorous bifurcation analysis.

Environmental heterogeneity, dispersal mode, and co-occurrence in stream macroinvertebrates

PubMed Central

Heino, Jani

2013-01-01

Both environmental heterogeneity and mode of dispersal may affect species co-occurrence in metacommunities. Aquatic invertebrates were sampled in 20–30 streams in each of three drainage basins, differing considerably in environmental heterogeneity. Each drainage basin was further divided into two equally sized sets of sites, again differing profoundly in environmental heterogeneity. Benthic invertebrate data were divided into three groups of taxa based on overland dispersal modes: passive dispersers with aquatic adults, passive dispersers with terrestrial winged adults, and active dispersers with terrestrial winged adults. The co-occurrence of taxa in each dispersal mode group, drainage basin, and heterogeneity site subset was measured using the C-score and its standardized effect size. The probability of finding high levels of species segregation tended to increase with environmental heterogeneity across the drainage basins. These patterns were, however, contingent on both dispersal mode and drainage basin. It thus appears that environmental heterogeneity and dispersal mode interact in affecting co-occurrence in metacommunities, with passive dispersers with aquatic adults showing random patterns irrespective of environmental heterogeneity, and active dispersers with terrestrial winged adults showing increasing segregation with increasing environmental heterogeneity. PMID:23467653

Tectono-geomorphic indices of the Erin basin, NE Kashmir valley, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Shabir; Alam, Akhtar; Ahmad, Bashir; Afzal, Ahsan; Bhat, M. I.; Sultan Bhat, M.; Farooq Ahmad, Hakim; Tectonics; Natural Hazards Research Group

2018-01-01

The present study aims to assess the tectonic activity in the Erin basin (NE Kashmir) on the basis of several relevant geomorphic indices and field observations. We use Digital Elevation Model (SRTM) and Survey of India (SoI) topographic maps in GIS environment to compute the geomorphic indices. The indices i.e., convex hypsometric curve, high hypsometric integral value (Hi > 0.5), low basin elongation ratio (Eb = 0.17), low mountain front sinuosity values (Smf = 1.08 average), low valley floor width ratios (Vf < 1), topographic assymetric character (T < 1), uneven basin asymmetry factor (AF < 50), elongated shape (Bs > 4) suggest that the area is tectonically active. Moreover, prominent irregularities (knickpoints/knickzones) along longitudinal profile of the Erin River even in homogenous resistant lithology (Panjal trap) and anomalous stream gradient index (SL) values reflect that the Erin basin is dissected by two faults (EF-1 and EF-2) with NNW-SSE and SSW-NNE trends respectively. The results of this preliminary study further substantiate the recent GPS studies, which argue that the maximum strain is accumulating in the NE part of the Kashmir Himalaya.

BOULDER AREA SUSTAINABILITY INFORMATION NETWORK (BASIN)

EPA Science Inventory

The primary goal of the Boulder Area Sustainability Information Network (BASIN) is to help citizens make meaningful connections between environmental data and their day-to-day activities and facilitate involvement in public policy development. Objectives include:

...

• Statistical Aspects of the North Atlantic Basin Tropical Cyclones: Trends, Natural Variability, and Global Warming

  NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

  Wilson, Robert M.

  2007-01-01

  Statistical aspects of the North Atlantic basin tropical cyclones for the interval 1945- 2005 are examined, including the variation of the yearly frequency of occurrence for various subgroups of storms (all tropical cyclones, hurricanes, major hurricanes, U.S. landfalling hurricanes, and category 4/5 hurricanes); the yearly variation of the mean latitude and longitude (genesis location) of all tropical cyclones and hurricanes; and the yearly variation of the mean peak wind speeds, lowest pressures, and durations for all tropical cyclones, hurricanes, and major hurricanes. Also examined is the relationship between inferred trends found in the North Atlantic basin tropical cyclonic activity and natural variability and global warming, the latter described using surface air temperatures from the Armagh Observatory Armagh, Northern Ireland. Lastly, a simple statistical technique is employed to ascertain the expected level of North Atlantic basin tropical cyclonic activity for the upcoming 2007 season.

• Database of the Geology and Thermal Activity of Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park

  USGS Publications Warehouse

  Flynn, Kathryn; Graham Wall, Brita; White, Donald E.; Hutchinson, Roderick A.; Keith, Terry E.C.; Clor, Laura; Robinson, Joel E.

  2008-01-01

  This dataset contains contacts, geologic units and map boundaries from Plate 1 of USGS Professional Paper 1456, 'The Geology and Remarkable Thermal Activity of Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.' The features are contained in the Annotation, basins_poly, contours, geology_arc, geology_poly, point_features, and stream_arc feature classes as well as a table of geologic units and their descriptions. This dataset was constructed to produce a digital geologic map as a basis for studying hydrothermal processes in Norris Geyser Basin. The original map does not contain registration tic marks. To create the geodatabase, the original scanned map was georegistered to USGS aerial photographs of the Norris Junction quadrangle collected in 1994. Manmade objects, i.e. roads, parking lots, and the visitor center, along with stream junctions and other hydrographic features, were used for registration.

• Hydrological Cycle in the Heihe River Basin and Its Implication for Water Resource Management in Endorheic Basins

  NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

  Li, Xin; Cheng, Guodong; Ge, Yingchun; Li, Hongyi; Han, Feng; Hu, Xiaoli; Tian, Wei; Tian, Yong; Pan, Xiaoduo; Nian, Yanyun; Zhang, Yanlin; Ran, Youhua; Zheng, Yi; Gao, Bing; Yang, Dawen; Zheng, Chunmiao; Wang, Xusheng; Liu, Shaomin; Cai, Ximing

  2018-01-01

  Endorheic basins around the world are suffering from water and ecosystem crisis. To pursue sustainable development, quantifying the hydrological cycle is fundamentally important. However, knowledge gaps exist in how climate change and human activities influence the hydrological cycle in endorheic basins. We used an integrated ecohydrological model, in combination with systematic observations, to analyze the hydrological cycle in the Heihe River Basin, a typical endorheic basin in arid region of China. The water budget was closed for different landscapes, river channel sections, and irrigation districts of the basin from 2001 to 2012. The results showed that climate warming, which has led to greater precipitation, snowmelt, glacier melt, and runoff, is a favorable factor in alleviating water scarcity. Human activities, including ecological water diversion, cropland expansion, and groundwater overexploitation, have both positive and negative effects. The natural oasis ecosystem has been restored considerably, but the overuse of water in midstream and the use of environmental flow for agriculture in downstream have exacerbated the water stress, resulting in unfavorable changes in surface-ground water interactions and raising concerns regarding how to fairly allocate water resources. Our results suggest that the water resource management in the region should be adjusted to adapt to a changing hydrological cycle, cropland area must be reduced, and the abstraction of groundwater must be controlled. To foster long-term benefits, water conflicts should be handled from a broad socioeconomic perspective. The findings can provide useful information on endorheic basins to policy makers and stakeholders around the world.

• Geologic setting and water quality of selected basins in the active coal-mining areas of Ohio, 1987-88

  USGS Publications Warehouse

  Sedam, A.C.

  1991-01-01

  This report presents hydrologic data from selected drainage basins in the active coal-mining areas of Ohio from July 1987 through October 1988. The study area is mostly within the unglaciated part of eastern Ohio along the western edge of the Appalachian Plateaus physiographic province. The 1987-88 work is the second phase of a 7-year study to assess baseline water quality in Ohio's coal region. The data collection network consisted of 41 long-term surface-water sites in 21 basins. The sites were measured and sampled twice yearly at low flow. In addition, six individual basins (three each year) selected for a more detailed representation of surface-water and ground-water quality. In 1987, the Sandy Creek, Middle Tuscarawas River and Sugar Creek, and Lower Tuscarawas River basins were chosen. In 1988, the Short and Wheeling Creeks, Upper Wills Creek, and Upper Raccoon Creek basins were chosen. Because of their proximity to the glaciated region and outwash drainage, the basins studied intensively in 1987 contain more shallow productive aquifers than do the basins studied in detail for 1988, in which shallow ground-water sources are very localized. Chemical analyses for 202 surface-water and 24 ground-water samples are presented. For field measurements made at surface-water sites, the specific conductance ranged from 295 to 3150 ? S/cm (microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius). For pH, the range was 2.8 to 8.6. Alkalinity ranged from 5 to 305 mg/L (milligrams per liter) as CaCO3.

• Tectonic implications of facies patterns, Lower Permian Dry Mountain trough, east-central Nevada

  DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

  Gallegos, D.M.; Snyder, W.S.; Spinosa, C.

  1991-02-01

  Paleozoic tectonism is indicated by a study of a west-east facies analysis transect across the northern portion of the Lower Permian Dry Mountain trough (DMT). In an attempt to characterize the Early Permian basin-filling sequences, three broadly recognizable facies packages have been identified across the DMT: the western margin facies and the central basin facies of the DMT and an eastern shelf facies. In the western margin facies of the basin, pulses of tectonic activity are recorded at McCloud Spring in the Sulphur Springs Range. Here, shallow open-marine carbonate overlies eroded Vinini Formation and, in turn, is unconformably overlain bymore » basinal marine carbonate. An unconformity also marks the contact with the overriding prograding coarse clastic facies. These abrupt transitions suggest the sediments were deposited in a tectonically active area where they preservation of Waltherian sequences is unlikely to occur. Similarly abrupt transitions are evident in the western part of the central basin facies. At Portuguese Springs n the Diamond Range, a thin basal marine conglomerate delineates Lower Permian sedimentation over the Pennsylvanian Ely Formation. Coarsening-upward basinal carbonate strata of pelagic, hemipelagic, and turbidite components overlie the basal conglomerate. this progression of sediments is unconformably overlain by a subaerial sequence of coarse clastic deposits. Within the eastern part of the central basin facies in the Maverick Spring Range, the Lower Permian sediments are open-marine siltstone, wackestone, packstone, and grainstone. The sediments are assigned to a gradually sloping ramp, indicating the effects of tectonism on this margin of the basin were subdued.« less

• Tephra and cryptotephra in a 60,000-year-old lacustrine sequence from the Fucino Basin: new insights into the major explosive events in Italy

  NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

  Di Roberto, Alessio; Smedile, Alessandra; Del Carlo, Paola; De Martini, Paolo Marco; Iorio, Marina; Petrelli, Maurizio; Pantosti, Daniela; Pinzi, Stefania; Todrani, Alessandro

  2018-03-01

  Two cores were sampled in the Fucino Basin (central Apennines, Italy), which represents an extensional intramountain basin filled by Pliocene to Quaternary continental alluvial and lacustrine deposits. The cores were investigated for tephra content and five visible tephras with thickness ranging from 1 to 8 cm were identified. Six additional cryptotephra were identified during the inspection of significant peaks of the magnetic susceptibility curve. Texture and mineralogy of five tephra and six cryptotephra layers were analyzed by means of scanning electron microscope coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry system (SEM-EDS) and geochemical measurements were performed by an electron microprobe (EPMA) equipped with five wavelength-dispersive spectrometers (WDS) and using a laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) system on single glass shards. The results allowed us to assign tephra and cryptotephra to ten known volcanic eruptions that occurred over the last ca. 60 ka in the Campanian Province (Phlegrean Fields and Ischia Island), the Alban Hills volcanic complex, and Lipari island. In particular, we recognized the deposits of the Monte Epomeo Green Tuff and the Piroclastiti di Catavola eruptions of Ischia, the pre-Campanian Ignimbrite Tlc, the Campanian Ignimbrite and the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff eruptions of the Phlegrean Fields, the Gabellotto-Fiume Bianco eruption of Lipari, and all the four explosive events belonging to the last cycle of volcanic activity of Albano maar (Albano 4-7). Deposits from five of these identified events (i.e., Piroclastiti di Catavola, Gabellotto-Fiume Bianco, Albano 5 and 6 eruptions, and Campanian Ignimbrite) were previously un-reported in the Fucino basin. These findings add new tephra layers to the list of possible tephrochronologic markers in the region and highlight that a comprehensive tephra record may be constructed when the study of cryptotephra layers is included. Moreover, results provide insights into the most recent volcanic activity of Albano maar, allowing us to date the onset of activity at the maar system at ca. 40 ka and to estimate the ages of all four eruptions that made up this eruptive sequence at ca. 37.5 ka (Albano 5), ca. 36.5 ka (Albano 6) and ca. 36 ka (Albano 7), respectively. Our work extends the known dispersal of several major explosive events, suggesting the intensity and magnitude appraisals, and attended risk scenario's need to be revised using improved records of distal fall out.

• a Revision to the Tectonics of the Flores Back-Arc Thrust Zone, Indonesia?

  NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

  Tikku, A. A.

  2011-12-01

  The Flores and Bali Basins are continental basins in the Flores back-arc thrust zone associated with Eocene subduction of the Indo-Australian plate beneath the Sunda plate followed by Miocene to present-day inversion/thrusting. The basins are east of Java and north of the islands of Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa and Flores in the East Java Sea area of Indonesia. The tectonic interpretation of these basins is based on seismic, bathymetry and gravity data and is also supported by present-day GPS measurements that demonstrate subduction is no longer active across the Flores thrust zone. Current thinking about the area is that the Flores Basin (on the east end of the thrust zone) had the most extension in the back-arc thrust and may be a proto-oceanic basin, though the option of a purely continental extensional basin can not be ruled out. The Bali Basin (on the west end of the thrust zone) is thought to be shallower and have experienced less continental thinning and extension than the Flores Basin. Depth to basement estimates from recently collected marine magnetic data indicate the depth of the Bali Basin may be comparable to the depth of the Flores Basin. Analysis of the marine magnetic data and potential implications of relative plate motions will be presented.

• Sedimentary and tectonic evolution of Plio Pleistocene alluvial and lacustrine deposits of Fucino Basin (central Italy)

  NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

  Cavinato, Gian Paolo; Carusi, Claudio; Dall'Asta, Massimo; Miccadei, Enrico; Piacentini, Tommaso

  2002-04-01

  The Fucino Basin was the greatest lake of the central Italy, which was completely drained at the end of 19th century. The basin is an intramontane half-graben filled by Plio-Quaternary alluvial and lacustrine deposits located in the central part of the Apennines chain, which was formed in Upper Pliocene and in Quaternary time by the extensional tectonic activity. The analysis of the geological surface data allows the definition of several stratigraphic units grouped in Lower Units and Upper Units. The Lower Units (Upper Pliocene) are exposed along the northern and north-eastern basin margins. They consist of open to marginal lacustrine deposits, breccia deposits and fluvial deposits. The Upper Units (Lower Pliocene-Holocene) consist of interbedded marginal lacustrine deposits and fluvial deposits; thick coarse-grained fan-delta deposits are interfingered at the foot of the main relief with fluvial-lacustrine deposits. Most of the thickness of the lacustrine sequences (more than 1000-m thick) is buried below the central part of the Fucino Plain. The basin is bounded by E-W, WSW-ENE and NW-SE fault systems: Velino-Magnola Fault (E-W) and Tremonti-Celano-Aielli Fault (WSW-ENE) and S. Potito-Celano Fault (NW-SE) in the north; the Trasacco Fault, the Pescina-Celano Fault and the Serrone Fault (NW-SE) in the south-east. The geometry and kinematic indicators of these faults indicate normal or oblique movements. The study of industrial seismic profiles across the Fucino Basin gives a clear picture of the subsurface basin geometry; the basin shows triangular-shaped basin-fill geometry, with the maximum deposits thickness toward the main east boundary fault zones that dip south-westward (Serrone Fault, Trasacco Fault, Pescina-Celano Fault). On the basis of geological surface data, borehole stratigraphy and seismic data analysis, it is possible to recognize and to correlate sedimentary and seismic facies. The bottom of the basin is well recognized in the seismic lines available from the good and continuous signals of the top of Meso-Cenozoic carbonate rocks. The shape of sedimentary bodies indicates that the filling of the basin was mainly controlled by normal slip along the NW-SE boundary faults. In fact, the continental deposits are frequently in on-lap contact over the carbonate substratum; several disconformable contacts occurred during the sedimentary evolution of the basin. The main faults (with antithetic and synthetic fault planes) displace the whole sedimentary sequence up to the surface indicating a recent faults' activity (1915 Avezzano earthquake, Ms=7.0). The stratigraphic and tectonic setting of the Fucino Basin and neighboring areas indicates that the extensional tectonic events have had an important role in driving the structural-sedimentary evolution of the Plio-Quaternary deposits. The geometry of the depositional bodies, of the fault planes and their relationships indicate that the Fucino Basin was formed as a half-graben type structure during Plio-Quaternary extensional events. Some internal complexities are probably related to the fold-and-thrust structures of the Apenninic orogeny formed in Messinian time, in this area, and to a different activity timing of the E-W and WSW-ENE fault systems and the NW-SE fault systems. We believe, based on the similarity of the surface characteristics, that the structural setting of the Fucino Basin can be extrapolated to the other great intramontane basins in Central Italy (e.g. Rieti, L'Aquila, Sulmona, Sora, Isernia basins).

• Late Neogene sedimentary facies and sequences in the Pannonian Basin, Hungary

  USGS Publications Warehouse

  Juhasz, E.; Phillips, L.; Muller, P.; Ricketts, B.; Toth-Makk, A.; Lantos, M.; Kovacs, L.O.

  1999-01-01

  This paper is part of the special publication No.156, The Mediterranean basins: Tertiary extension within the Alpine Orogen. (eds B.Durand, L. Jolivet, F.Horvath and M.Seranne). Detailed sedimentological, facies and numerical cycle analysis, combined with magnetostratigraphy, have been made in a number of boreholes in the Pannonian Basin, in order to study the causes of relative water-level changes and the history of the basin subsidence. Subsidence and infilling of the Pannonian Basin, which was an isolated lake at that time occurred mainly during the Late Miocene and Pliocene. The subsidence history was remarkably different in the individual sub-basins: early thermal subsidence was interrupted in the southern part of the basin, while high sedimentation rate and continuous subsidence was detected in the northeastern sub-basin. Three regional unconformities were detected in the Late Neogene Pannonian Basin fill, which represent 0.5 and 7.5 Ma time spans corresponding to single and composite unconformities. Consequently two main sequences build up the Late Neogene Pannonian Basin fill: a Late Miocene and a Pliocene one. Within the Late Miocene sequence there are smaller sedimentary cycles most probably corresponding to climatically driven relative lake-level changes in the Milankovitch frequency band. Considering the periods, the estimated values for precession and eccentricity in this study (19 and 370 ka) are close to the usually cited ones. In the case of obliquity the calculated period (71 ka) slightly deviates from the generally accepted number. Based on the relative amplitudes of oscillations, precession (sixth order) and obliquity (fifth order) cycles had the most significant impact on the sedimentation. Eccentricity caused cycles (fourth order) are poorly detectable in the sediments. The longer term (third order) cycles had very slight influence on the sedimentation pattern. Progradation, recorded in the Late Miocene sequence, correlates poorly in time within the basin. The dominant controls of this process probably were changes of basin subsidence rate and the very high sedimentation rate. The slow, upward trend of silt and sand bed thickness as well as that of the grain size also reflects the local progradation.

Control of mosquitoes in catch basins in Connecticut with Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, Bacillus sphaericus, [corrected] and spinosad.

PubMed

Anderson, John F; Ferrandino, Francis J; Dingman, Douglas W; Main, Andrew J; Andreadis, Theodore G; Becnel, James J

2011-03-01

Catch basins are a major source of Culex pipiens pipiens, Cx. restuans, and Aedes japonicus in northeastern USA. VectoBac CG (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis [Bti]), VectoLex CG (Bacillus sphaericus [Bs]), and VectoBac 12AS (Bti), each applied at maximum label rate of 1.8 g, 1.8 g, and 0.193 ml per catch basin, respectively, significantly reduced the numbers of larvae for 1 wk. The dosages on the labels for treatment of mosquito larvae in catch basins, where mosquito breeding is continuous, are not adequate for providing long-term control in the northeastern USA without the need for frequent retreatment. When applied at 3 times the maximum label rate, VectoLex CG, VectoBac 12AS, and VectoBac CG significantly reduced the numbers of larvae for 5, 4, and 2 wk, respectively. A single application of VectoMax WSP (Bti + Bs) (1 pouch containing 10 g) per catch basin significantly reduced the numbers of 3rd and 4th instars and healthy pupae in catch basins in 2008, but numbers of 3rd and 4th instars in treated catch basins at 21 days after treatment had increased to 40% of the numbers in untreated catch basins. A 2nd treatment of 1 pouch per catch basin reduced the numbers of 3rd and 4th instars and healthy pupae to near zero for the next 4 wk, into the middle of September 2008. In 2009, VectoMax applied as 1 pouch per catch basin on July 1 and again on August 18 significantly reduced the numbers of healthy pupae throughout the summer until the end of September. A 2nd application of VectoMax to catch basins is likely needed during summer, when rainfall averages 13.7 in. (approximately 34.25 cm) during June through September, to keep the numbers of Culex and Ae. japonicus significantly reduced to lower risk of human exposure to West Nile virus. The application of 1 Natular XRT tablet, each weighing approximately 40.5 g (6.25% spinosad), to individual catch basins in 2009 significantly reduced the total numbers of larvae for 5 wk.

Tectonics vs. Climate efficiency in triggering detrital input in sedimentary basins: the Po Plain-Venetian-Adriatic Foreland Basin (Northern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amadori, Chiara; Di Giulio, Andrea; Toscani, Giovanni; Lombardi, Stefano; Milanesi, Riccardo; Panara, Yuri; Fantoni, Roberto

2017-04-01

The relative efficiency of tectonics respect to climate in triggering erosion of mountain belts is a classical but still open debate in geosciences. The fact that data both from tectonically active and inactive mountain regions in different latitudes, record a worldwide increase of sediment input to sedimentary basins during the last million years concomitantly with the cooling of global climate and its evolution toward the modern high amplitude oscillating conditions pushed some authors to conclude that Pliocene-Pleistocene climate has been more efficient than tectonics in triggering mountain erosion. Po Plain-Venetian-Adriatic Foreland System, made by the relatively independent Po Plain-Northern Adriatic Basin and Venetian-Friulian Basin, provides an ideal case of study to test this hypothesis and possibly quantify the difference between the efficiency of the two. In fact it is a relatively closed basin (i.e. without significant sediment escape) with a fairly continuous sedimentation (i.e. with a quite continuous sedimentary record) completely surrounded by collisional belts (Alps, Northern Apennines and Dinarides) that experienced only very weak tectonic activity since Calabrian time, i.e. when climate cooling and cyclicity increased the most. We present a quantitative reconstruction of the sediment flow delivered from the surrounding mountain belts to the different part of the basin during Pliocene-Pleistocene time. This flow was obtained through the 3D reconstruction of the Venetian-Friulian and Po Plain Northern Adriatic Basins architecture, performed by means of the seismic-based interpretation and time-to-depth conversion of six chronologically constrained surfaces (seismic and well log data from courtesy of ENI); moreover, a 3D decompaction of the sediment volume bounded by each couple of surfaces has been included in the workflow, in order to avoid compaction-related bias. The obtained results show in both Basins a rapid four-folds increase of the sediment input occurred since mid-Pleistocene time respect to Pliocene-Gelasian times. Even if the absolute amount of sediment arriving in the two basins is quite different, reflecting the different extension of their source regions, this increase occurred concomitantly with both the strong decrease of tectonic activity in the surrounding belts and the onset of major glaciations in the Alpine range. Therefore we argue that a cool, highly oscillating climate, causing glacial-interglacial cycles is approximately 4 times more efficient than tectonics in promoting the erosion of mountain belts and the related detrital input in the surrounding sedimentary basins.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cregg, A.K.

Kenya basins have evolved primarily through extension related to episodic continental rifting. In eastern Kenya, thick accumulations of sediments formed within grabens during the prerift phase (Precambrian to Carboniferous) of the Gondwana breakup. Synrift sedimentation (Late Carboniferous to Middle Jurassic) occurred within a north-south rift system, which included the Mandera basin, South Anza basin, and Lamu embayment. During the Early Jurassic, a marine transgression invaded the margins of the eastern Kenya rift basins, resulting in the deposition of platform carbonates and shales. A Callovian-aged salt basin formed in the offshore regions of the Lamu embayment. Intermittent tectonic activity and eustaticmore » sea-level changes controlled sedimentation, which produced marine shales, carbonates or evaporites, and fluvio-deltaic to lacustrine sandstones. From the Early Cretaceous to recent, continental sediments were deposited within the North Anza and Turkana basins. These fluvial-lacustrine sediments are similar to the Lower Cretaceous sequences that have produced oil in the Mesozoic Sudanese Abu Gabra rift. Although exploration activities began in the early 1950s, significant occurrences of potential reservoir, source, and seal lithologies as well as trapping configurations remain in many areas. Favorable structures and sequences of reservoir sandstones and carbonates overlain by potentially sealing lacustrine or marine shales, evaporites, or volcanics have been noted. Potential source beds are believed to be present within shales of the lacustrine or marine depositional environments.« less

Late Pleistocene fishes of the Tennessee River Basin: an analysis of a late Pleistocene freshwater fish fauna from Bell Cave (site ACb-2) in Colbert County, Alabama, USA.

PubMed

Jacquemin, Stephen J; Ebersole, Jun A; Dickinson, William C; Ciampaglio, Charles N

2016-01-01

The Tennessee River Basin is considered one of the most important regions for freshwater biodiversity anywhere on the globe. The Tennessee River Basin currently includes populations of at least half of the described contemporary diversity of extant North American freshwater fishes, crayfish, mussel, and gastropod species. However, comparatively little is known about the biodiversity of this basin from the Pleistocene Epoch, particularly the late Pleistocene (∼10,000 to 30,000 years B.P.) leading to modern Holocene fish diversity patterns. The objective of this study was to describe the fish assemblages of the Tennessee River Basin from the late Pleistocene using a series of faunas from locales throughout the basin documented from published literature, unpublished reports, and an undocumented fauna from Bell Cave (site ACb-2, Colbert County, AL). Herein we discuss 41 unequivocal taxa from 10 late Pleistocene localities within the basin and include a systematic discussion of 11 families, 19 genera, and 24 identifiable species (28 unequivocal taxa) specific to the Bell Cave locality. Among the described fauna are several extirpated (e.g., Northern Pike Esox lucius, Northern Madtom Noturus stigmosus) and a single extinct (Harelip Sucker Moxostoma lacerum) taxa that suggest a combination of late Pleistocene displacement events coupled with more recent changes in habitat that have resulted in modern basin diversity patterns. The Bell Cave locality represents one of the most intact Pleistocene freshwater fish deposits anywhere in North America. Significant preservational, taphonomic, sampling, and identification biases preclude the identification of additional taxa. Overall, this study provides a detailed look into paleo-river ecology, as well as freshwater fish diversity and distribution leading up to the contemporary biodiversity patterns of the Tennessee River Basin and Mississippi River Basin as a whole.

Tectonic evolution of the Qumran Basin from high-resolution 3.5-kHz seismic profiles and its implication for the evolution of the northern Dead Sea Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubberts, Ronald K.; Ben-Avraham, Zvi

2002-02-01

The Dead Sea Basin is a morphotectonic depression along the Dead Sea Transform. Its structure can be described as a deep rhomb-graben (pull-apart) flanked by two block-faulted marginal zones. We have studied the recent tectonic structure of the northwestern margin of the Dead Sea Basin in the area where the northern strike-slip master fault enters the basin and approaches the western marginal zone (Western Boundary Fault). For this purpose, we have analyzed 3.5-kHz seismic reflection profiles obtained from the northwestern corner of the Dead Sea. The seismic profiles give insight into the recent tectonic deformation of the northwestern margin of the Dead Sea Basin. A series of 11 seismic profiles are presented and described. Although several deformation features can be explained in terms of gravity tectonics, it is suggested that the occurrence of strike-slip in this part of the Dead Sea Basin is most likely. Seismic sections reveal a narrow zone of intensely deformed strata. This zone gradually merges into a zone marked by a newly discovered tectonic depression, the Qumran Basin. It is speculated that both structural zones originate from strike-slip along right-bending faults that splay-off from the Jordan Fault, the strike-slip master fault that delimits the active Dead Sea rhomb-graben on the west. Fault interaction between the strike-slip master fault and the normal faults bounding the transform valley seems the most plausible explanation for the origin of the right-bending splays. We suggest that the observed southward widening of the Dead Sea Basin possibly results from the successive formation of secondary right-bending splays to the north, as the active depocenter of the Dead Sea Basin migrates northward with time.

Aquifer recharge from infiltration basins in a highly urbanized area: the river Po Plain (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masetti, M.; Nghiem, S. V.; Sorichetta, A.; Stevenazzi, S.; Santi, E. S.; Pettinato, S.; Bonfanti, M.; Pedretti, D.

2015-12-01

Due to the extensive urbanization in the Po Plain in northern Italy, rivers need to be managed to alleviate flooding problems while maintaining an appropriate aquifer recharge under an increasing percentage of impermeable surfaces. During the PO PLain Experiment field campaign in July 2015 (POPLEX 2015), both active and under-construction infiltration basins have been surveyed and analyzed to identify appropriate satellite observations that can be integrated to ground based monitoring techniques. A key strategy is to have continuous data time series on water presence and level within the basin, for which ground based monitoring can be costly and difficult to be obtained consistently.One of the major and old infiltration basin in the central Po Plain has been considered as pilot area. The basin is active from 2003 with ground based monitoring available since 2009 and supporting the development of a calibrated unsaturated-saturated two-dimensional numerical model simulating the infiltration dynamics through the basin.A procedure to use satellite data to detect surface water change is under development based on satellite radar backscatter data with an appropriate incidence angle and polarization combination. An advantage of satellite radar is that it can observe surface water regardless of cloud cover, which can be persistent during rainy seasons. Then, the surface water change is correlated to the reservoir water stage to determine water storage in the basin together with integrated ground data and to give quantitative estimates of variations in the local water cycle.We evaluated the evolution of the infiltration rate, to obtain useful insights about the general recharge behavior of basins that can be used for informed design and maintenance. Results clearly show when the basin becomes progressively clogged by biofilms that can reduce the infiltration capacity of the basin by as much as 50 times compared to when it properly works under clean conditions.

Major unconformities/termination of extension events and associated surfaces in the South China Seas: Review and implications for tectonic development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morley, C. K.

2016-04-01

The distribution of unconformities and end of Cenozoic rifting events in the South China Seas (SCS) reflects both the modes of rift development, and the effects of driving mechanisms. Continental rifting began in the eastern basins during the Paleocene, and propagated westwards to the Vietnam basin margin in the Late Eocene. Continental breakup around 32-28 Ma caused a regional reduction or cessation in extensional activity, particularly affecting basins furthest from the spreading centre. Basins in the slope and deepwater area north of the spreading centre exhibit reduced fault activity until 21-20 Ma. Propagation of oceanic crust westwards between ∼25 and 23 Ma, and termination of seafloor spreading sometime between 20.5 and 16 Ma affected fault activity in the Qiongdongnan, and Nam Con Song basins. In the Phu Khanh Basin and South, in the Dangerous Grounds area, extension continued until about 16 Ma, ending at the Red Unconformity. The end of seafloor spreading around 20.5 Ma reflects loss of extensional driving force as thinned continental crust entered the NW Borneo subduction zone. Controversially, a key component of the driving force maybe attributed to slab-pull. A transitional period of about 5-7 my between the onset of subduction of continental crust, and final jamming of the subduction zone (Deep Regional Unconformity, DRU) is inferred. The last pulse of extension was focussed in the western SCS, and terminated around 10.5 Ma. Detailed understanding of proto South China Seas development remains uncertain and controversial.

Late Quaternary stratigraphy and depositional history of the Long Island Sound basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewis, Ralph S.; Stone, Janet R.

1991-01-01

Where quiet waters prevail, marine mud generally less than 15 m thick blankets the older deposits of the Basin. Elsewhere, especially in eastern LIS, tidal currents are actively reworking and transporting glacial and postglacial deposits.

Socio-hydrologic Perspectives of the Co-evolution of Humans and Water in the Tarim River Basin, Western China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ye; Tian, Fuqiang; Hu, Heping; Liu, Dengfeng; Sivapalan, Murugesu

2013-04-01

Socio-hydrology studies the co-evolution of coupled human-water systems, which is of great importance for long-term sustainable water resource management in basins suffering from serious eco-environmental degradation. Process socio-hydrology can benefit from the exploring the patterns of historical co-evolution of coupled human-water systems as a way to discovering the organizing principles that may underpin their co-evolution. As a self-organized entity, the human-water system in a river basin would evolve into certain steady states over a sufficiently long time but then could also experience sudden shifts due to internal or external disturbances that exceed system thresholds. In this study, we discuss three steady states (also called stages in the social sciences, including natural, human exploitation and recovery stages) and transitions between these during the past 1500 years in the Tarim River Basin of Western China, which a rich history of civilization including its place in the famous Silk Road that connected China to Europe. Specifically, during the natural stage with a sound environment that existed before the 19th century, shifts in the ecohydrological regime were mainly caused by environmental changes such river channel migration and climate change. During the human exploitation stages in the 5th and again in the 19th-20th centuries, however, humans gradually became the main drivers for system evolution, during which the basin experienced rapid population growth, fast socio-economic development and intense human activities. By the 1970s, after 200 years of colonization, the Tarim River Basin evolved into a new regime with vulnerable ecosystem and water system, and suffered from serious water shortages and desertification. Human society then began to take a critical look into the effects of their activities and reappraise the impact of human development on the ecohydrological system, which eventually led the basin into a treatment and recovery stage. Since then, the basin has shown a reverse trend of regime shift towards healing of the environmental damage that was inflicted in the previous stage of human development. In this paper we analyze the recasting effect of human activities on the water system and provide explanations on how human activities influence the co-evolution of human-water system from a broader perspective.

Tectono-Thermal History Modeling and Reservoir Simulation Study of the Nenana Basin, Central Alaska: Implications for Regional Tectonics and Geologic Carbon Sequestration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dixit, Nilesh C.

Central Interior Alaska is an active tectonic deformation zone highlighted by the complex interactions of active strike-slip fault systems with thrust faults and folds of the Alaska Range fold-and-thrust belt. This region includes the Nenana basin and the adjacent Tanana basin, both of which have significant Tertiary coal-bearing formations and are also promising areas (particularly the Nenana basin) with respect to hydrocarbon exploration and geologic carbon sequestration. I investigate the modern-day crustal architecture of the Nenana and Tanana basins using seismic reflection, aeromagnetic and gravity anomaly data and demonstrate that the basement of both basins shows strong crustal heterogeneity. The Nenana basin is a deep (up to 8 km), narrow transtensional pull-apart basin that is deforming along the left-lateral Minto Flats fault zone. The Tanana basin has a fundamentally different geometry and is a relatively shallow (up to 2 km) asymmetrical foreland basin with its southern, deeper side controlled by the northern foothills of the central Alaska Range. NE-trending strike-slip faults within the Tanana basin are interpreted as a zone of clockwise crustal block rotation. Seismic refection data, well data, fracture data and apatite fission track data further constrain the tectonic evolution and thermal history of the Nenana basin. The Nenana basin experienced four distinct tectonic phases since Late Paleocene time. The basin initiated as a narrow half-graben structure in Late Paleocene with accumulation of greater than 6000 feet of sediments. The basin was then uplifted, resulting in the removal of up to 5000 feet of Late Paleocene sediments in Eocene to Oligocene time. During Middle to Late Miocene time, left lateral strike-slip faulting was superimposed on the existing half-graben system. Transtensional deformation of the basin began in the Pliocene. At present, Miocene and older strata are exposed to temperatures > 60°C in the deeper parts of the Nenana basin. Coals have significant capacity for sequestering anthropogenic CO 2 emissions and offer the benefit of enhanced coal bed methane production that can offset the costs associated with the sequestration processes. In order to do a preliminary assessment of the CO2 sequestration and coal bed methane production potential of the Nenana basin, I used available surface and subsurface data to build and simulate a reservoir model of subbituminous Healy Creek Formation coals. The petroleum exploration data were also used to estimate the state of subsurface stresses that are critical in modeling the orientation, distribution and flow behavior of natural coal fractures in the basin. The effect of uncertainties within major coal parameters on the total CO2 sequestration and coal bed methane capacity estimates were evaluated through a series of sensitivity analyses, experimental design methods and fluid flow simulations. Results suggest that the mature, unmineable Healy Creek Formation coals of the Nenana basin can sequester up to 0.41 TCF of CO2 while producing up to 0.36 TCF of CH4 at the end of 44-year forecast. However, these volumes are estimates and they are also sensitive to the well type, pattern and cap rock lithology. I used a similar workflow to evaluate the state of in situ stress in the northeastern North Slope province of Alaska. The results show two distinct stress regimes across the northeastern North Slope. The eastern Barrow Arch exhibits both strike-slip and normal stress regimes. Along the northeastern Brooks Range thrust front, an active thrust-fault regime is present at depths up to 6000 ft but changes to a strike-slip stress regime at depths greater than 6000 ft.

Hurricane intensification along United States coast suppressed during active hurricane periods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kossin, James P.

2017-01-01

The North Atlantic ocean/atmosphere environment exhibits pronounced interdecadal variability that is known to strongly modulate Atlantic hurricane activity. Variability in sea surface temperature (SST) is correlated with hurricane variability through its relationship with the genesis and thermodynamic potential intensity of hurricanes. Another key factor that governs the genesis and intensity of hurricanes is ambient environmental vertical wind shear (VWS). Warmer SSTs generally correlate with more frequent genesis and greater potential intensity, while VWS inhibits genesis and prevents any hurricanes that do form from reaching their potential intensity. When averaged over the main hurricane-development region in the Atlantic, SST and VWS co-vary inversely, so that the two factors act in concert to either enhance or inhibit basin-wide hurricane activity. Here I show, however, that conditions conducive to greater basin-wide Atlantic hurricane activity occur together with conditions for more probable weakening of hurricanes near the United States coast. Thus, the VWS and SST form a protective barrier along the United States coast during periods of heightened basin-wide hurricane activity. Conversely, during the most-recent period of basin-wide quiescence, hurricanes (and particularly major hurricanes) near the United States coast, although substantially less frequent, exhibited much greater variability in their rate of intensification, and were much more likely to intensify rapidly. Such heightened variability poses greater challenges to operational forecasting and, consequently, greater coastal risk during hurricane events.

Variable modes of rifting in the eastern Basin and Range, USA from on-fault geological evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stahl, T.; Niemi, N. A.

2017-12-01

Continental rifts are often divided along their axes into magmatic (or magma-assisted) and amagmatic (or magma-poor) segments. Less is known about magmatic versus non-magmatic extension across `wide' continental rift margins like the Basin and Range province of the USA. Paleoseismic trench investigations, Quaternary geochronology (10Be and 3He exposure-age, luminescence, and 40Ar/39Ar dating), and high-resolution topographic surveys (terrestrial laser scanning and UAV photogrammetry) were used to assess the timing and spatial variability of faulting at the Basin and Range-Colorado Plateau transition zone in central Utah. Results show that while the majority of strain is accommodated by a single, range- and province-bounding fault (the Wasatch fault zone, WFZ, slip rate of c. 3-4 mm yr-1), a transition to magma-assisted rifting occurs near the WFZ southern termination marked by a diffuse zone of faults associated with Pliocene to Holocene volcanism. Paleoseismic analysis of faults within and adjacent to this zone reveal recent (<18 ka) surface-ruptures on these faults. A single event displacement of 10-15 m for the Tabernacle fault at c. 15-18 ka (3He exposure-age) and large fault displacement gradients imply that slip was coeval with lava emplacement and that the faults in this region are linked, at least in part, to dike injection in the uppermost crust rather than slip at seismogenic depths. These results have implications for the controversial nature of regional seismic hazard and the structural evolution of the eastern Basin and Range.

The role of topography on catchment‐scale water residence time

USGS Publications Warehouse

McGuire, K.J.; McDonnell, Jeffery J.; Weiler, M.; Kendall, C.; McGlynn, B.L.; Welker, J.M.; Seibert, J.

2005-01-01

The age, or residence time, of water is a fundamental descriptor of catchment hydrology, revealing information about the storage, flow pathways, and source of water in a single integrated measure. While there has been tremendous recent interest in residence time estimation to characterize watersheds, there are relatively few studies that have quantified residence time at the watershed scale, and fewer still that have extended those results beyond single catchments to larger landscape scales. We examined topographic controls on residence time for seven catchments (0.085–62.4 km2) that represent diverse geologic and geomorphic conditions in the western Cascade Mountains of Oregon. Our primary objective was to determine the dominant physical controls on catchment‐scale water residence time and specifically test the hypothesis that residence time is related to the size of the basin. Residence times were estimated by simple convolution models that described the transfer of precipitation isotopic composition to the stream network. We found that base flow mean residence times for exponential distributions ranged from 0.8 to 3.3 years. Mean residence time showed no correlation to basin area (r2 < 0.01) but instead was correlated (r2 = 0.91) to catchment terrain indices representing the flow path distance and flow path gradient to the stream network. These results illustrate that landscape organization (i.e., topography) rather than basin area controls catchment‐scale transport. Results from this study may provide a framework for describing scale‐invariant transport across climatic and geologic conditions, whereby the internal form and structure of the basin defines the first‐order control on base flow residence time.

Effects of drainage-basin geomorphology on insectivorous bird abundance in temperate forests.

PubMed

Iwata, Tomoya; Urabe, Jotaro; Mitsuhashi, Hiromune

2010-10-01

Interfaces between terrestrial and stream ecosystems often enhance species diversity and population abundance of ecological communities beyond levels that would be expected separately from both the ecosystems. Nevertheless, no study has examined how stream configuration within a watershed influences the population of terrestrial predators at the drainage-basin scale. We examined the habitat and abundance relationships of forest insectivorous birds in eight drainage basins in a cool temperate forest of Japan during spring and summer. Each basin has different drainage-basin geomorphology, such as the density and frequency of stream channels. In spring, when terrestrial arthropod prey biomass is limited, insectivorous birds aggregated in habitats closer to streams, where emerging aquatic prey was abundant. Nevertheless, birds ceased to aggregate around streams in summer because terrestrial prey became plentiful. Watershed-scale analyses showed that drainage basins with longer stream channels per unit area sustained higher densities of insectivorous birds. Moreover, such effects of streams on birds continued from spring through summer, even though birds dispersed out of riparian areas in the summer. Although our data are from only a single year, our findings imply that physical modifications of stream channels may reduce populations of forest birds; thus, they emphasize the importance of landscape-based management approaches that consider both stream and forest ecosystems for watershed biodiversity conservation. © 2010 Society for Conservation Biology.

Assessment of basin-scale hydrologic impacts of CO2 sequestration, Illinois basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Person, M.; Banerjee, A.; Rupp, J.; Medina, C.; Lichtner, P.; Gable, C.; Pawar, R.; Celia, M.; McIntosh, J.; Bense, V.

2010-01-01

Idealized, basin-scale sharp-interface models of CO2 injection were constructed for the Illinois basin. Porosity and permeability were decreased with depth within the Mount Simon Formation. Eau Claire confining unit porosity and permeability were kept fixed. We used 726 injection wells located near 42 power plants to deliver 80 million metric tons of CO2/year. After 100 years of continuous injection, deviatoric fluid pressures varied between 5.6 and 18 MPa across central and southern part of the Illinois basin. Maximum deviatoric pressure reached about 50% of lithostatic levels to the south. The pressure disturbance (>0.03 MPa) propagated 10-25 km away from the injection wells resulting in significant well-well pressure interference. These findings are consistent with single-phase analytical solutions of injection. The radial footprint of the CO2 plume at each well was only 0.5-2 km after 100 years of injection. Net lateral brine displacement was insignificant due to increasing radial distance from injection well and leakage across the Eau Claire confining unit. On geologic time scales CO2 would migrate northward at a rate of about 6 m/1000 years. Because of paleo-seismic events in this region (M5.5-M7.5), care should be taken to avoid high pore pressures in the southern Illinois basin. ?? 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

[Spatiotemporal variation characteristics and related affecting factors of actual evapotranspiration in the Hun-Taizi River Basin, Northeast China].

PubMed

Feng, Xue; Cai, Yan-Cong; Guan, De-Xin; Jin, Chang-Jie; Wang, An-Zhi; Wu, Jia-Bing; Yuan, Feng-Hui

2014-10-01

Based on the meteorological and hydrological data from 1970 to 2006, the advection-aridity (AA) model with calibrated parameters was used to calculate evapotranspiration in the Hun-Taizi River Basin in Northeast China. The original parameter of the AA model was tuned according to the water balance method and then four subbasins were selected to validate. Spatiotemporal variation characteristics of evapotranspiration and related affecting factors were analyzed using the methods of linear trend analysis, moving average, kriging interpolation and sensitivity analysis. The results showed that the empirical parameter value of 0.75 of AA model was suitable for the Hun-Taizi River Basin with an error of 11.4%. In the Hun-Taizi River Basin, the average annual actual evapotranspiration was 347.4 mm, which had a slightly upward trend with a rate of 1.58 mm · (10 a(-1)), but did not change significantly. It also indicated that the annual actual evapotranspiration presented a single-peaked pattern and its peak value occurred in July; the evapotranspiration in summer was higher than in spring and autumn, and it was the smallest in winter. The annual average evapotranspiration showed a decreasing trend from the northwest to the southeast in the Hun-Taizi River Basin from 1970 to 2006 with minor differences. Net radiation was largely responsible for the change of actual evapotranspiration in the Hun-Taizi River Basin.

Structural imaging of the East Beni Sueif Basin, north eastern Desert, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salem, E.; Sehim, A.

2017-12-01

The East Beni Sueif Basin is the only tested hydrocarbon-bearing basin on the eastern side of the Nile in Egypt. The basin is located around 150 km to the south of Cairo. This work introduces the first attempt of seismic interpretation and structural patterns of this basin, for which subsurface published works are lacking. Structural imaging of the area is achieved through interpretation of pre-stack time migration (PSTM) seismic cube and data sets of seven wells. The penetrated sedimentary section is represented by Albian-Middle Eocene sediments. The East Beni Sueif Basin is a type of the whole graben-system and is bounded by two NW-SE bounding faults. These faults had continued activity in an extensional regime associated with fault-propagating folds. The basin is traversed by a N75°E-trending fault system at basement level. This fault system separates the basin into two structural provinces. The Northwestern Province is deeper and shows more subsidence with a predominance of NW-trending longitudinal faults and N60·W oblique faults to the basin trend. The Southeastern Province is shallow and crossed by N14·W-trending faults which are slightly oblique to the basin axis. Albian time had witnessed the main extensional tectonic phase and resulted in major subsidence along basin-bounding faults associated with growth thickening of basal deposits. During Senonian time, the basin experienced a mild phase of transtensional tectonics, which formed negative-flower structures entrapping different folds along the N75°E and N60·W faults. The timing and style of these structures are similar to the Syrian-Arc structures in several Western Desert oil fields. The basin emerged during the Paleocene with scoured and eroded top Cretaceous sediments. Subsidence was resumed during the Early Eocene and resulted in 1500 m-thick carbonate sediments. Lastly, a mild extensional activity possibly occurred during the Oligocene-Miocene time. Despite the possible restricted potentiality of the source rock, the main hydrocarbon accumulation risk is attributed to retention in traps of long-span tectonic history. Reaching of main faults to surface through brittle carbonate cap rocks and limited thickness of the shale in the reservoir section risk hydrocarbon sealing. Buried structures of passive setting during the Tertiary show a minor trapping risk.

Quantification of Covariance in Tropical Cyclone Activity across Teleconnected Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tolwinski-Ward, S. E.; Wang, D.

2015-12-01

Rigorous statistical quantification of natural hazard covariance across regions has important implications for risk management, and is also of fundamental scientific interest. We present a multivariate Bayesian Poisson regression model for inferring the covariance in tropical cyclone (TC) counts across multiple ocean basins and across Saffir-Simpson intensity categories. Such covariability results from the influence of large-scale modes of climate variability on local environments that can alternately suppress or enhance TC genesis and intensification, and our model also simultaneously quantifies the covariance of TC counts with various climatic modes in order to deduce the source of inter-basin TC covariability. The model explicitly treats the time-dependent uncertainty in observed maximum sustained wind data, and hence the nominal intensity category of each TC. Differences in annual TC counts as measured by different agencies are also formally addressed. The probabilistic output of the model can be probed for probabilistic answers to such questions as: - Does the relationship between different categories of TCs differ statistically by basin? - Which climatic predictors have significant relationships with TC activity in each basin? - Are the relationships between counts in different basins conditionally independent given the climatic predictors, or are there other factors at play affecting inter-basin covariability? - How can a portfolio of insured property be optimized across space to minimize risk? Although we present results of our model applied to TCs, the framework is generalizable to covariance estimation between multivariate counts of natural hazards across regions and/or across peril types.

Spatial analysis from remotely sensed observations of Congo basin of East African high Land to drain water using gravity for sustainable management of low laying Chad basin of Central Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Modu, B.; Herbert, B.

2014-11-01

The Chad basin which covers an area of about 2.4 million kilometer square is one of the largest drainage basins in Africa in the centre of Lake Chad .This basin was formed as a result of rifting and drifting episode, as such it has no outlet to the oceans or seas. It contains large area of desert from the north to the west. The basin covers in part seven countries such as Chad, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Cameroun, Niger, Sudan and Algeria. It is named Chad basin because 43.9% falls in Chad republic. Since its formation, the basin continues to experienced water shortage due to the activities of Dams combination, increase in irrigations and general reduction in rainfall. Chad basin needs an external water source for it to be function at sustainable level, hence needs for exploitation of higher east African river basin called Congo basin; which covers an area of 3.7 million square km lies in an astride the equator in west-central Africa-world second largest river basin after Amazon. The Congo River almost pans around republic of Congo, the democratic republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, western Zambia, northern Angola, part of Cameroun, and Tanzania. The remotely sensed imagery analysis and observation revealed that Congo basin is on the elevation of 275 to 460 meters and the Chad basin is on elevation of 240 meters. This implies that water can be drained from Congo basin via headrace down to the Chad basin for the water sustainability.

Analysis of temporal and spatial trends of hydro-climatic variables in the Wei River Basin.

PubMed

Zhao, Jing; Huang, Qiang; Chang, Jianxia; Liu, Dengfeng; Huang, Shengzhi; Shi, Xiaoyu

2015-05-01

The Wei River is the largest tributary of the Yellow River in China. The relationship between runoff and precipitation in the Wei River Basin has been changed due to the changing climate and increasingly intensified human activities. In this paper, we determine abrupt changes in hydro-climatic variables and identify the main driving factors for the changes in the Wei River Basin. The nature of the changes is analysed based on data collected at twenty-one weather stations and five hydrological stations in the period of 1960-2010. The sequential Mann-Kendall test analysis is used to capture temporal trends and abrupt changes in the five sub-catchments of the Wei River Basin. A non-parametric trend test at the basin scale for annual data shows a decreasing trend of precipitation and runoff over the past fifty-one years. The temperature exhibits an increase trend in the entire period. The potential evaporation was calculated based on the Penman-Monteith equation, presenting an increasing trend of evaporation since 1990. The stations with a significant decreasing trend in annual runoff mainly are located in the west of the Wei River primarily interfered by human activities. Regression analysis indicates that human activity was possibly the main cause of the decline of runoff after 1970. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

An application of excess lead-210 analysis for the study of fine sediment connectivity in a Mediterranean mountain basin with badlands, the Vallcebre research catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno de las Heras, Mariano; Gallart, Francesc; Latron, Jérôme; Martínez-Carreras, Núria; Ferrer, Laura; Estrany, Joan

2017-04-01

Analysis of sediment dynamics in Mediterranean environments is fundamental to basin management, particularly for mountain catchments with badlands, which affect water bodies and freshwater ecosystems. Connectivity has emerged in Environmental and Earth Sciences as an evolution of the sediment delivery concept, providing a useful framework for understanding how sediments are transferred between geomorphic zones of the catchment. This study explores the feasibility of excess lead-210 (210Pbex) to analyse sediment connectivity in a 4-km2 Mediterranean mountain basin with badlands (the Vallcebre research catchments, Eastern Pyrenees) by applying simple 210Pbex mass-balance models for hypothesis generation and experimental testing in the field. Badland surfaces in the basin are weathered by freezing during the winter and are further eroded in summer by the effect of high-intensity storms. The eroded sediments may remain deposited within the catchment streams from months to years. Application of 210Pbex balance models in our basin proposes: (i) a saw-tooth seasonal pattern of badland surface 210Pbex activities (increasing from October to May, and depleted in summer) and (ii) a downstream increase in sediment activity due to fallout lead-210 accumulation in streambed sediment deposits. Both deposited and suspended sediments collected at the Vallcebre catchments showed, in general, low sediment 210Pbex concentrations, illustrating their fresh-rock origin at the badland sites, but also hampering the understanding of sediment 210Pbex patterns due to high measurement uncertainty (particularly for sediments with d50>20µm) and to strong dependence on sediment sampling methodology. Suspended sediment 210Pbex activity reproduced the simulated seasonal activity patterns for the badland surfaces. Contrary to the in-stream transit increases of sediment 210Pbex activity that were predicted by our model simulations, fallout lead-210 concentrations in the suspended sediments decreased towards the basin outlet, suggesting that fine sediment flushing by flooding prevented 210Pbex accumulation in the coarser streambed sediment deposits. These results indicate a high fine-sediment connectivity between the badlands, streams and basin outlet of the Vallcebre catchments, as well as the sequestration and fast transmission of fallout lead-210 by the finest and most dynamic fraction of sediments.

Active Layer and Water Geochemistry Dynamics throughout the Yukon River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mutter, E. A.; Toohey, R.; Herman-Mercer, N. M.; Schuster, P. F.

2017-12-01

The hydrology of the Yukon River Basin has changed over the last several decades as evidenced by a variety of discharge, gravimetric, and geochemical analyses. The Indigenous Observation Network (ION), a community-based project, was initiated by the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council and USGS. Capitalizing on existing USGS monitoring and research infrastructure and supplementing USGS collected data, ION investigates changes in surface water geochemistry and active layer dynamics throughout the Yukon River Basin. Over 1600 samples of surface water geochemistry (i.e., major ions, dissolved organic carbon, and 18O and 2H) have been collected at 35 sites throughout the Yukon River and its major tributaries over the past 15 years. Active layer dynamics (maximum thaw depth, soil temperature and moisture) have been collected at 20 sites throughout the Yukon River Basin for the past eight years. Important regional differences in geochemistry and active layer parameters linked to permafrost continuity and tributaries will be highlighted. Additionally, annual trends and seasonal dynamics describing the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the watershed will be presented in the context of observed hydrological changes. These data assist the global effort to characterize arctic river fluxes and their relationship to the carbon cycle, weathering and permafrost degradation.

Introduction in New perspectives on Rio Grande rift basins: from tectonics to groundwater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hudson, Mark R.; Grauch, V.J.S.

2013-01-01

Basins of the Rio Grande rift have long been studied both for their record of rift development and for their potential as host of natural resources. Early workers described the basin geomorphology and the character of infilling sediments (e.g. Siebenthal, 1910; Bryan, 1938; Speigel and Baldwin, 1963), and subsequent research compilations provided general stratigraphic and tectonic overviews of rift basins and described their geophysical characteristics within the crust (Hawley, 1978; Riecker, 1979; Baldridge et al., 1984; Keller, 1986). Subsurface knowledge gained from hydrocarbon exploration activities coupled with detailed surface studies of basins and their flanking uplifts were presented in Geological Society of America (GSA) Special Paper 291, edited by Keller and Cather (1994a).

The rotation of Iberia during the Aptian and the opening of the Bay of Biscay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Z.; Langereis, C. G.; Mullender, T. A. T.

2008-08-01

The Cretaceous rotation of the Iberian plate in a geodynamical active setting between Africa and Europe is contemporaneous with the opening of the northern Atlantic Ocean, and provides fundamental, temporal and kinematical constraints on the evolution of the Bay of Biscay and the Pyrenees. Here, we report new paleomagnetic data from 50 sites (1109 drilled cores) from marine sediments of the Cretaceous Organyà Basin in the southern Pyrenees, to constrain the timing and magnitude of the rotation of Iberia. Berriasian to Barremian directions in exclusively limestone lithology are remagnetised, in agreement with previous Organyà Basin studies. The Aptian to Cenomanian marls and limestones in the Organyà Basin, however, provide primary magnetisations asserted by rock magnetic experiments and positive fold tests. Our results constrain the rotation of Iberia to be finished just before the Albian. Paleomagnetic data cannot well constrain the onset of the rotation, but sea-floor anomaly studies restrict the onset of the rotation to anomaly M0, or the Barremian-Aptian boundary. This implies that the entire rotation of Iberia happened in one single phase, and is confined to the Aptian. This is in contrast to earlier studies that suggested a two-phase rotation of Iberia, but we argue that the large errors in published ages are not in disagreement with our results. In summary, we constrain the ∼ 35° rotation of Iberia to the Aptian period which implies a rotation rate of 2.7-5.1°/Myr, depending on the (controversial) duration of the Aptian.

Miocene calc-alkaline magmatism, calderas, and crustal extension in the Kofa and Castle Dome Mountains, southwestern Arizona

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grubensky, M.J.; Bagby, W.C.

1990-11-10

Two widespread lower Miocene rhyolite ash flow tuffs in the Kofa and Castle Dome Mountains of southwestern Arizona are products of caldera-forming eruptions. These closely erupted tuffs, the tuff of Yaqui Tanks and the tuff of Ten Ewe Mountain, are approximately 22 Ma in age and their eruptions culminate a 1- to 2-m.y.-long burst of calc-alkaline volcanic activity centered on the northern Castle Dome Mountains. Exotic blocks of Proterozoic and Mesozoic crystalline rocks up to 20 m across are present in exposures of the tuff of Yaqui Tanks exposed in the central Castle Dome Mountains and the southern Kofa Mountains.more » A single, thick cooling unit of the tuff of Ten Ewe Mountain that includes thick lenses of mesobreccia marks the location of the younger caldera that extends from Palm Canyon in the western Kofa Mountains eastward more than 7 km along strike to the central part of the range. Large residual Bouguer gravity anomalies, one beneath each inferred caldera, are interpreted as batholithic rocks or low-density caldera fill. Caldera-related volcanism in the Kofa region occurred during a transition in extensional tectonic regimes: From a regime of east-west trending uplifts and basins to a regime manifest primarily by northwest striking normal faults. A narrow corridor of folding and strike-slip faulting formed during volcanism in the southern Kofa Mountains. Upper Oligocene or lower Miocene coarse sedimentary rocks along the southern flank of the Chocolate Mountains anticlinorium in the southern Castle Dome Mountains mark the periphery of a basin similar to other early and middle Tertiary basins exposed in southern California. The volcanic section of the Kofa region was dissected by high-angle normal faults related to northeast-southwest oriented crustal extension typical of the southern Basin and Range province.« less

The distribution of trace elements in Turkish lignites in Western Anatolia and the Thrace Basin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Palmer, C.A.; Tuncali, E.; Finkelman, R.

1999-07-01

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration in Turkey (Maden Tetkik ve Arama:MTA) are working together to provide a more complete understanding of the chemical properties of lignites from major Turkish lignite producing areas. The project is a part of the USGS effort to produce an international coal database and is part of the ``Technological and Chemical properties of Turkish Lignite Inventory Project'' being conducted by the MTA General Directorate. The lignites in Turkey formed in several different depositional environments at different geologic times and have differing chemical properties. The Eocene lignitesmore » are limited to northern Turkey. Oligocene lignites, in the Trace Basin of northwestern Turkey, are intercalated with marine sediments. Miocene lignites are generally located in western Turkey. These coal deposits have relatively abundant reserves, with limnic characteristics. The Pliocene-Pleistocene lignites are found in the eastern part of Turkey. Most of these lignites have low calorific values, high moisture and high ash contents. The majority of the lignite extraction is worked in open-pit mines. Turkish lignite production is used mainly by power plants; small amounts are used by households and in industry. All the samples in this study were collected as channel samples of the beds. Analyses of 71 coal samples (mostly lignites) have been completed for 54 elements using various analytical techniques including inductively coupled plasma emission and mass spectrometry, instrumental neutron activation analysis and various single element techniques. Many of these lignites have elemental concentrations similar to those of US lignites. However, maximum or mean concentrations of B, Cr, Cs, Ni, As, Br, Sb, Cs and U in Turkey were higher than the corresponding maximum or mean found in either of the Fort Union or Gulf Coast basins, the two most productive lignite basins in the U.S.« less

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Arminto NTMS quadrangle, Wyoming, including concentrations of forty-three additional elements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morgan, T.L.

1979-11-01

During the summers of 1976 and 1977, 570 water and 1249 sediment samples were collected from 1517 locations within the 18,000-km/sup 2/ area of the Arminto NTMS quadrangle of central Wyoming. Water samples were collected from wells, springs, streams, and artifical ponds; sediment samples were collected from wet and dry streams, springs, and wet and dry ponds. All water samples were analyzed for 13 elements, including uranium, and each sediment sample was analyzed for 43 elements, including uranium and thorium. Uranium concentrations in water samples range from below the detection limit to 84.60 parts per billion (ppb) with a meanmore » of 4.32 ppb. All water sample types except pond water samples were considered as a single population in interpreting the data. Pond water samples were excluded due to possible concentration of uranium by evaporation. Most of the water samples containing greater than 20 ppb uranium grouped into six clusters that indicate possible areas of interest for further investigation. One cluster is associated with the Pumpkin Buttes District, and two others are near the Kaycee and Mayoworth areas of uranium mineralization. The largest cluster is located on the west side of the Powder River Basin. One cluster is located in the central Big Horn Basin and another is in the Wind River Basin; both are in areas underlain by favorable host units. Uranium concentrations in sediment samples range from 0.08 parts per million (ppm) to 115.50 ppm with a mean of 3.50 ppm. Two clusters of sediment samples over 7 ppm were delineated. The first, containing the two highest-concentration samples, corresponds with the Copper Mountain District. Many of the high uranium concentrations in samples in this cluster may be due to contamination from mining or prospecting activity upstream from the sample sites. The second cluster encompasses a wide area in the Wind River Basin along the southern boundary of the quadrangle.« less

Channel Capture as a Response to Anthropogenic Modification of a Tidal Landscape: Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta, Southwest Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, C.; Bain, R. L.; Goodbred, S. L., Jr.; Hale, R. P.

2017-12-01

Studies of tidal channel dynamics frequently emphasize "morphologically short" spatial scales (i.e., settings in which the cross-system tidal propagation time is negligible) or idealized single-channel planforms. In contrast, tides in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta (GBMD) propagate more than 100 kilometers inland from the coast through a network of interconnected tidal estuaries, producing complex hydrodynamic behavior that remains poorly understood. Intense anthropogenic modification of the GBMD landscape further complicates tidally-driven, natural delta surface maintenance. Analyzing this system is particularly urgent given the current trend of rising sea level and its associated impacts on coastal communities.We present results from an ongoing field investigation of tidal waveform interaction and mass exchange between the Pussur and Shibsa Rivers, two large macrotidal estuaries in the southwestern GBMD. In the 1960s, construction of earthen embankments ("polders") eliminated regular tidal inundation for a vast region of the tidal platform, shrinking the Shibsa and Pussur basins by an estimated 1000 km2 and 700 km2, respectively. Conservation of mass predicts that a reduction in tidal basin area will decrease peak flow velocities and induce channel siltation; indeed, 100 km2 of secondary channels at the distal end of the tidal range have partly or fully closed in recent decades. The Pussur is likewise rapidly shoaling, restricting navigational access along a major shipping route. However, discharge and bathymetric datasets indicate that the adjacent Shibsa conveys three to four times more water than the Pussur and is actively scouring its bed, contrary to its predicted response to polder construction. Our field measurements are consistent with an ongoing channel capture event in which the Shibsa floods and drains a progressively greater portion of the former Pussur basin, allowing the Shibsa to widen and deepen despite the regional trend of channel abandonment. These observations suggest that natural or anthropogenic changes to a tidal basin can drive rapid morphological adjustment of these typically-stable tidal channel systems.

The significance of stylolitization and intergranular pressure solution in the formation of pressure compartment seals in the St. Peter Sandstone, Ordovician, Michigan basin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Drzewiecki, P.A.; Simo, T.; Moline, G.

1991-03-01

The Middle to Late Ordovician St. Peter Sandstone of the Michigan basin is a fine- to medium-grained quartz sandstone. Extensive stylolitization and intergranular pressure solution have been major factors in reducing the porosity of certain horizons within the St. Peter, resulting in pressure compartmentation of the reservoir. Pressure versus depth data for various Michigan basin wells indicate that the basin contains compartments that are overpressured by as much as 500 psi. Horizons bounding these compartments are often affected by intense stylolitization (or intergranular pressure solution) and quartz cementation and have been correlated with zones of low porosity and permeability ({phi}more » = 0-3%, k = <50 {mu}d). These tight zones can be correlated within single gas fields, and some may extend across the Michigan basin. The St. Peter Sandstone has been buried to depths of about 3,500 m in the central part of the basin and 1,500 m at the margins. Intensely stylolitized zones are found at all depths throughout the basin and do not appear to change in abundance or style with depths. Factors that influence the formation, morphology, and abundance of stylolites in the St. Peter include (1) clay intraclasts, (2) intergranular clay, and (3) fine-grained, feldspar-rich sand. Stylolites also occur at contacts between quartz-cemented and carbonate-cemented zones and within well-cemented sands. Intergranular pressure solution and stylolites may be responsible for the formation of a compartment seal. Understanding their genesis can allow prediction of variations in porosity in Michigan basin well cores.« less

Geologic Controls on the Growth of Petroleum Reserves

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fishman, Neil S.; Turner, Christine E.; Peterson, Fred; Dyman, Thaddeus S.; Cook, Troy

2008-01-01

The geologic characteristics of selected siliciclastic (largely sandstone) and carbonate (limestone and dolomite) reservoirs in North America (largely the continental United States) were investigated to improve our understanding of the role of geology in the growth of petroleum reserves. Reservoirs studied were deposited in (1) eolian environments (Jurassic Norphlet Formation of the Gulf Coast and Pennsylvanian-Permian Minnelusa Formation of the Powder River Basin), (2) interconnected fluvial, deltaic, and shallow marine environments (Oligocene Frio Formation of the Gulf Coast and the Pennsylvanian Morrow Formation of the Anadarko and Denver Basins), (3) deeper marine environments (Mississippian Barnett Shale of the Fort Worth Basin and Devonian-Mississippian Bakken Formation of the Williston Basin), (4) marine carbonate environments (Ordovician Ellenburger Group of the Permian Basin and Jurassic Smackover Formation of the Gulf of Mexico Basin), (5) a submarine fan environment (Permian Spraberry Formation of the Midland Basin), and (6) a fluvial environment (Paleocene-Eocene Wasatch Formation of the Uinta-Piceance Basin). The connection between an oil reservoir's production history and geology was also evaluated by studying production histories of wells in disparate reservoir categories and wells in a single formation containing two reservoir categories. This effort was undertaken to determine, in general, if different reservoir production heterogeneities could be quantified on the basis of gross geologic differences. It appears that reserve growth in existing fields is most predictable for those in which reservoir heterogeneity is low and thus production differs little between wells, probably owing to relatively homogeneous fluid flow. In fields in which reservoirs are highly heterogeneous, prediction of future growth from infill drilling is notably more difficult. In any case, success at linking heterogeneity to reserve growth depends on factors in addition to geology, such as engineering and technological advances and political or cultural or economic influences.

Closure of the R Reactor Disassembly Basin at the SRS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Austin, W.E.

The Facilities Disposition Division (FDD) at the Savannah River Site is engaged in planning the deactivation/closure of three of the site's five reactor disassembly basins. Activities are currently underway at R-Reactor Disassembly Basin and will continue with the P and C disassembly basins. The basins still contain the cooling and shielding water that was present when operations ceased. Low concentrations of radionuclides are present, with tritium, Cs-137, and Sr-90 being the major contributors. Although there is no evidence that any of the basins have leaked, the 50-year-old facilities will eventually contaminate the surrounding groundwaters. The FDD is pursuing a pro-activemore » solution to close the basins in-place and prevent a release to the groundwater. In-situ ion exchange is currently underway at the R-Reactor Disassembly Basin to reduce the Cs and Sr concentrations to levels that would allow release of the treated water to previously used on-site cooling ponds or to prevent ground water impact. The closure will be accomplished under CERCLA.« less

78 FR 4865 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Recovery Plan for the Columbia Basin Distinct...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-23

... activities and future updates to the recovery plan. Large-scale loss and fragmentation of native shrub steppe... threats to the population and potentially suitable shrub-steppe habitats in the Columbia Basin; (2...

Deactivation of the P, C, and R Reactor Disassembly Basins at the SRS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pickett, J.B.

The Facilities Disposition Division (FDD) at the Savannah River Site is engaged in planning the deactivation/closure of three of the site's five reactor disassembly basins. Activities are currently underway at 105-R Disassembly Basin and will continue with the 105-P and 105-C disassembly basins. The basins still contain the cooling and shielding water that was present when operations ceased. Low concentrations of radionuclides are present, with tritium, Cs-137, and Sr-90 being the major contributors. Although there is no evidence that any of the basins have leaked, the 50-year-old facilities will eventually contaminate the surrounding groundwaters. The FDD is pursuing a pro-activemore » solution to close the basins in-place and prevent a release to the groundwater. In-situ ion-exchange is currently underway at the R-Reactor Disassembly Basin to reduce the Cs and Sr concentrations to levels that would allow release of the treated water to previously used on-site cooling ponds. A NEPA Environmental Assessment (EA) is being prepared to propose the preferred closure alternative for each of the three basins. The EA will be the primary mechanism to inform the public and gain stakeholder and regulatory approval.« less

A Noninvasive Tool to Assess the Distribution of Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) in the Columbia River Basin

PubMed Central

Young, Michael K.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Schwartz, Michael K.

2017-01-01

The Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) is an anadromous fish once abundant throughout coastal basins of western North America that has suffered dramatic declines in the last century due primarily to human activities. Here, we describe the development of an environmental DNA (eDNA) assay to detect Pacific lamprey in the Columbia River basin. The eDNA assay successfully amplified tissue derived DNA of Pacific lamprey collected from 12 locations throughout the Columbia River basin. The assay amplifies DNA from other Entosphenus species found outside of the Columbia River basin, but is species-specific within this basin. As a result, the assay presented here may be useful for detecting Entosphenus spp. in geographic range beyond the Columbia River Basin. The assay did not amplify tissue or synthetically derived DNA of 14 commonly sympatric non-target species, including lampreys of the genus Lampetra, which are morphologically similar to Pacific lamprey in the freshwater larval stage. PMID:28068358

Variations in fluvial deposition on an alluvial plain: an example from the Tongue River Member of the Fort Union Formation (Paleocene), southeastern Powder River Basin, Wyoming, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, E.A.; Pierce, F.W.

1990-01-01

The Tongue River Member of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation is an important coal-bearing sedimentary unit in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana. We studied the depositional environments of a portion of this member at three sites 20 km apart in the southeastern part of the basin. Six lithofacies are recognized that we assign to five depositional facies categorized as either channel or interchannel-wetlands environments. (1) Type A sandstone is cross stratified and occurs as lenticular bodies with concave-upward basal surfaces; these bodies are assigned to the channel facies interpreted to be the product of low-sinuosity streams. (2) Type B sandstone occurs in parallel-bedded units containing mudrock partings and fossil plant debris; these units constitute the levee facies. (3) Type C sandstone typically lacks internal structure and occurs as tabular bodies separating finer grained deposits; these bodies represent the crevasse-splay facies. (4) Gray mudrock is generally nonlaminated and contains ironstone concretions; these deposits constitute the floodplain facies. (5) Carbonaceous shale and coal are assigned to the swamp facies. We recognize two styles of stream deposition in our study area. Laterally continuous complexes of single and multistoried channel bodies occur at our middle study site and we interpret these to be the deposits of sandy braided stream systems. In the two adjacent study sites, single and multistoried channel bodies are isolated in a matrix of finer-grained interchannel sediment suggesting deposition by anastomosed streams. A depositional model for our study area contains northwest-trending braided stream systems. Avulsions of these systems created anastomosed streams that flowed into adjacent interchannel areas. We propose that during late Paleocene a broad alluvial plain existed on the southeastern flank of the Powder River Basin. The braided streams that crossed this surface were tributaries to a northward-flowing, basin-axis trunk stream that existed to the west. ?? 1990.

Novel single-nucleotide polymorphism markers confirm successful spawning of endangered pallid sturgeon in the upper Missouri River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eichelberger, Jennifer S.; Braaten, P. J.; Fuller, D. B.; Krampe, Matthew S.; Heist, Edward J.

2014-01-01

Spawning of the federally endangered Pallid Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus is known to occur in the upper Missouri River basin, but progeny from natural reproductive events have not been observed and recruitment to juvenile or adult life stages has not been documented in recent decades. Identification of Pallid Sturgeon progeny is confounded by the fact that Shovelnose Sturgeon S. platorynchus occurs throughout the entire range of Pallid Sturgeon and the two species are essentially indistinguishable (morphometrically and meristically) during early life stages. Moreover, free embryos of sympatric Paddlefish Polyodon spathula are very similar to the two sturgeon species. In this study, three single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assays were employed to screen acipenseriform free embryos and larvae collected from the upper Missouri River basin in 2011, 2012, and 2013. A mitochondrial DNA SNP discriminates Paddlefish from sturgeon, and specific multilocus genotypes at two nuclear DNA SNPs occurred in 98.9% of wild adult Pallid Sturgeon but only in 3% of Shovelnose Sturgeon sampled in the upper Missouri River. Individuals identified as potential Pallid Sturgeon based on SNP genotypes were further analyzed at 19 microsatellite loci for species discrimination. Out of 1,423 free embryos collected over 3 years of sampling, 971 Paddlefish, 446 Shovelnose Sturgeon, and 6 Pallid Sturgeon were identified. Additionally, 249 Scaphirhynchus spp. benthic larvae were screened, but no Pallid Sturgeon were detected. These SNP markers provide an efficient method of screening acipenseriform early life stages for the presence of Pallid Sturgeon in the Missouri River basin. Detection of wild Pallid Sturgeon free embryos in the upper Missouri and Yellowstone rivers supports the hypothesis that the failure of wild Pallid Sturgeon to recruit to the juvenile life stage in the upper Missouri River basin is caused by early life stage mortality rather than by lack of successful spawning.

The geometry of pull-apart basins in the southern part of Sumatran strike-slip fault zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aribowo, Sonny

2018-02-01

Models of pull-apart basin geometry have been described by many previous studies in a variety tectonic setting. 2D geometry of Ranau Lake represents a pull-apart basin in the Sumatran Fault Zone. However, there are unclear geomorphic traces of two sub-parallel overlapping strike-slip faults in the boundary of the lake. Nonetheless, clear geomorphic traces that parallel to Kumering Segment of the Sumatran Fault are considered as inactive faults in the southern side of the lake. I demonstrate the angular characteristics of the Ranau Lake and Suoh complex pull-apart basins and compare with pull-apart basin examples from published studies. I use digital elevation model (DEM) image to sketch the shape of the depression of Ranau Lake and Suoh Valley and measure 2D geometry of pull-apart basins. This study shows that Ranau Lake is not a pull-apart basin, and the pull-apart basin is actually located in the eastern side of the lake. Since there is a clear connection between pull-apart basin and volcanic activity in Sumatra, I also predict that the unclear trace of the pull-apart basin near Ranau Lake may be covered by Ranau Caldera and Seminung volcanic products.

Evolution of the Andaman Sea region: Dextral transtension as consequence of the India-Asia collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; Xu, J.; Ben-Avraham, Z.; Kelty, T. K.

2010-12-01

The two gigantic conjugate strike-slip faults: the Altyn Fault and the Sagaing Fault in northwest and southeast of the proto-Tibet plateau respectively, began to form as consequence of initiation of the India-Asia collision at around 50 Ma (Xu, 2005; Xu et al., 2010). The Sagaing Fault, Andaman trench fault as well as the Sumatra Fault controlled the evolution of the Andaman Sea region while the collision proceeded. By synthesis of geometry and rifting history of the Andaman Sea Basin and Mergui Basin and the plate tectonic setting, we suggest the following five-stage evolution model for the Andaman Sea region: (1) dextral pull-apart rifting and seafloor spreading from 50 Ma to 32 Ma; (2) dextral transform margin-type rifting was active in Mergui Basin with principal fault being the Sumatran Fault system, and both the transform margin-type rifting and the dextral pull-apart rifting were coevally active in the Andaman Sea Basin during 32 Ma to 20 Ma, when the Sumatra fault rotated CW enough and obliquity of subduction of the Indian plate motion along the Sumatra trench was enough to trigger the dextral displacement to take place on the Sumatra Fault system and the Mottawi fault; (3) the Alcock and Sewell plateaus formed in the Andaman Sea by the NNW transtension and the transform margin-type rifting continued in the Mergui basin during 20 Ma to 15 Ma; (4) NNW weak transtensional rifting on the Alcock and Sewell plateaus and NW weak transform margin-type rifting continued in the Mergui basin during 15 Ma to 5 Ma; (5)transtensional rifting similar with but more intensive than earlier stage kept on, forming the central Andaman Basin and the East basin, from 5 Ma to present.

Thermal regime of the Great Basin and its implications for enhanced geothermal systems and off-grid power

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sass, John H.; Walters, Mark A.

1999-01-01

The Basin and Range Province of the Western United States covers most of Nevada and parts of adjoining states. It was formed by east-west tectonic extension that occurred mostly between 50 and 10 Ma, but which still is active in some areas. The northern Basin and Range, also known as the Great Basin, is higher in elevation, has higher regional heat flow and is more tectonically active than the southern Basin and Range which encompasses the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. The Great Basin terrane contains the largest number of geothermal power plants in the United States, although most electrical production is at The Geysers and in the Salton Trough. Installed capacities of electrical power plants in the Great Basin vary from 1 to 260 MWe. Productivity is limited largely by permeability, relatively small productive reservoir volumes, available water, market conditions and the availability of transmission lines. Accessible, in-place heat is not a limiting condition for geothermal systems in the Great Basin. In many areas, economic temperatures (>120°C) can be found at economically drillable depths making it an appropriate region for implementation of the concept of "Enhanced Geothermal Systems" (EGS). An incremental approach to EGS would involve increasing the productivity and longevity of existing hydrothermal systems. Those geothermal projects that have an existing power plant and transmission facilities are the most attractive EGS candidates. Sites that were not developed owing to marginal size, lack of intrinsic permeability, and distance to existing electrical grid lines are also worthy of consideration for off-grid power production in geographically isolated markets such as ranches, farms, mines, and smelters.

Emergency Assessment of Debris-Flow Hazards from Basins Burned by the Piru, Simi, and Verdale Fires of 2003, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, Susan H.; Gartner, Joseph E.; Rupert, Michael G.; Michael, John A.

2003-01-01

These maps present preliminary assessments of the probability of debris-flow activity and estimates of peak discharges that can potentially be generated by debris-flows issuing from basins burned by the Piru, Simi and Verdale Fires of October 2003 in southern California in response to the 25-year, 10-year, and 2-year 1-hour rain storms. The probability maps are based on the application of a logistic multiple regression model that describes the percent chance of debris-flow production from an individual basin as a function of burned extent, soil properties, basin gradients and storm rainfall. The peak discharge maps are based on application of a multiple-regression model that can be used to estimate debris-flow peak discharge at a basin outlet as a function of basin gradient, burn extent, and storm rainfall. Probabilities of debris-flow occurrence for the Piru Fire range between 2 and 94% and estimates of debris flow peak discharges range between 1,200 and 6,640 ft3/s (34 to 188 m3/s). Basins burned by the Simi Fire show probabilities for debris-flow occurrence between 1 and 98%, and peak discharge estimates between 1,130 and 6,180 ft3/s (32 and 175 m3/s). The probabilities for debris-flow activity calculated for the Verdale Fire range from negligible values to 13%. Peak discharges were not estimated for this fire because of these low probabilities. These maps are intended to identify those basins that are most prone to the largest debris-flow events and provide information for the preliminary design of mitigation measures and for the planning of evacuation timing and routes.

Nutrient loads in the river mouth of the Río Verde basin in Jalisco, Mexico: how to prevent eutrophication in the future reservoir?

PubMed

Jayme-Torres, Gonzalo; Hansen, Anne M

2017-10-04

Since nutrients are emitted and mobilized in river basins, causing eutrophication of water bodies, it is important to reduce such emissions and subsequent nutrient loads. Due to processes of attenuation, nutrient loads are reduced during their mobilization in river basins. At the mouth of the Río Verde basin in western Mexico, the El Purgatorio dam is being constructed to supply water to the metropolitan area of the second most populated city in the country, Guadalajara. To analyze situations that allow protecting this future dam from eutrophication, nutrient loads in the mouth of the river basin were determined and their reduction scenarios evaluated by using the NEWS2 (Nutrient Export from Watersheds) model. For this, a nutrient emissions inventory was established and used to model nutrient loads, and modeling results were compared to an analysis of water quality data from two different monitoring sites located on the river. The results suggest that 96% of nitrogen and 99% of phosphorus emissions are attenuated in the watershed. Nutrient loads reaching the mouth of the river basin come mainly from wastewater discharges, followed by livestock activities and different land uses, and loads are higher as emissions are located closer to the mouth of the river basin. To achieve and maintain mesotrophic state of water in the future dam, different nutrient emission reduction scenarios were evaluated. According to these results, the reduction of 90% of the phosphorus loads in wastewater emissions or 75% of the phosphorus loads in wastewater emissions and at least 50% in emissions from livestock activities in the river basin are required.

Stability and tilting of regional water cycle over Tarim Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hongquan; Ma, Zhuguo

2018-06-01

The Tarim Basin is located upwind of the Gobi Desert where individual deserts have expanded significantly during the last 50 years. In recent history, stable runoff in the Tarim Basin has been observed despite the Lop Nur dry up and dramatic water consumption shift from east to west. This regional water cycle stability is conceptually explained based on the relationship between precipitation and evapotranspiration. The water consumption imbalance is caused by human activities near the river sources, which tilts the humidity profile over the basin. As a result, more water vapour spills from the western part of the basin and causes precipitation to increase in adjacent areas. At the same time, the Westerlies carry the low humidity air mass out of the eastern part of the basin to make the downwind Gobi Desert and surrounding areas drier. Therefore, the observed wetting on the west and drying on the east of northwest China are coupled.

Spatial and temporal variations of metal content and water quality in the Belaya River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fashchevskaia, T. B.; Motovilov, Y.

2016-12-01

The aim of this research is to identify the spatiotemporal regularities of iron, copper and zinc contents dynamics in the streams of the Belaya River basin. The Belaya River is situated in the South Ural region and is one of the biggest tributary in the Volga River basin with catchment area of 142 000 km2. More than sixty years the diverse economic activities are carried out in the Belaya River basin, the intensity of this activity is characterized by high temporal variability. The leading industries in the region are oil, mining, petroleum processing, chemistry and petro chemistry, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, power industry. The dynamics of human activities in the catchment and intra and inter-annual changes in the water quality are analyzed for the period 1969-2007 years. Inter-annual dynamics of the metal content in the river waters was identified on the basis of the long-term hydrological monitoring statistics at the 32 sites. It was found that the dynamics of intensity of economic activities in the Belaya River basin is the cause statistically significant changes in the metal content of the river network. Statistically homogeneous time intervals have been set for each monitoring site. Within these time intervals there were obtained averaged reliable quantitative estimations of water quality. Empirical probability distributions of iron, copper and zinc concentrations for various phases of the water regime in all investigated monitoring sites were approximated by Pearson type III curves and the averages of the concentration values, the coefficient of variation and asymmetry, as well as the values of the concentrations of metal in the range of 1-95% of frequency were estimated. It was found that by the end of the test period, the average long-term concentrations for iron and copper exceed MAC for fishery use, for zinc become smaller MAC in many streams of Belaya River basin. Acknowledgements. The work was financially supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Grant 15-05-09022)

Stratigraphy of the Caloris Basin, Mercury: Implications for Volcanic History and Basin Impact Melt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ernst, Carolyn M.; Denevi, Brett W.; Barnouin, Olivier S.; Klimczak, Christian; Chabot, Nancy L.; Head, James W.; Murchie, Scott L.; Neumann, Gregory A.; Prockter, Louis M.; Robinson, Mark S.;

Evoluton of the Tharsis Region of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, R. C.; Dohm, J. M.; Maruyama, S.

2015-12-01

The evolution of the Tharsis region includes at least five major stages of Tharsis-related activity, which includes the formation of igneous plateaus, canyon and fault systems, volcanoes, and centers of magmatic-driven tectonism. This activity drove major environmental changes that were recorded in the walls of Valles Marineris, the circum-Chryse outflow channel system, the northern plains, and impact basins such as Argyre, among many other Martian features and landscapes. Environmental change included flooding and associated formation of lakes and oceans in basins such as the prominent northern plains and impact basins such as Argyre. This Tharsis-driven activity also included the formation of glaciers in the southern hemisphere and other landscape features (e.g., alluvial fans, periglacial landforms, gelifluction features including mass wasting, fluvial channels) indicative of an active landscape. At this conference, we will present the details of the evolution of Tharsis, as well as discuss contributing factors to its origin, estimated beginning development, and explanations for its longevity.

Orogenic front propagation in the basement involved Malargüe fold and thrust belt, Neuquén Basin, (Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Branellec, Matthieu; Nivière, Bertrand; Callot, Jean-Paul; Ringenbach, Jean-Claude

2015-04-01

The Malargüe fold and thrust belt (MFTB) and the San Rafael Block (SRB) are located in the northern termination of the Neuquén basin in Argentina. This basin is a wide inverted intracratonic sag basin with polyphased evolution controlled at large scale by the dynamic of the Pacific subduction. By late Triassic times, narrow rift basins developed and evolved toward a sag basin from middle Jurassic to late Cretaceous. From that time on, compression at the trench resulted in various shortening pulses in the back-arc area. Here we aim to analyze the Andean system at 35°S by comparing the Miocene structuration in the MFTB and the current deformation along the oriental border or the San Rafael Block. The main structuration stage in the MFTB occurred by Miocene times (15 to 10 Ma) producing the principal uplift of the Andean Cordillera. As shown by new structural cross sections, Triassic-early Jurassic rift border faults localized the Miocene compressive tectonics. Deformation is compartmentalized and does not exhibit a classical propagation of homogeneous deformation sequence expected from the critical taper theory. Several intramontane basins in the hangingwall of the main thrusts progressively disconnected from the foreland. In addition, active tectonics has been described in the front of the MFTB attesting for the on-going compression in this area. 100 km farther to the east, The San Rafael Block, is separated from the MFTB by the Rio Grande basin. The SRB is mostly composed of Paleozoic terranes and Triassic rift-related rocks, overlain by late Miocene synorogenic deposits. The SRB is currently uplifted along its oriental border along several active faults. These faults have clear morphologic signatures in Quaternary alluvial terraces and folded Pleistocene lavas. As in the MFTB, the active deformation localization remains localized by structural inheritance. The Andean system is thus evolving as an atypical orogenic wedge partly by frontal accretion at the front of the belt and by migration and localization of strain far from the front leading to crustal block reactivation.

Adaptive Fusion of Information for Seeing into Ordos Basin, China: A China-Germany-US Joint Venture.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, T. C. J.; Yin, L.; Sauter, M.; Hu, R.; Ptak, T.; Hou, G. C.

2014-12-01

Adaptive fusion of information for seeing into geological basins is the theme of this joint venture. The objective of this venture is to initiate possible collaborations between scientists from China, Germany, and US to develop innovative technologies, which can be utilized to characterize geological and hydrological structures and processes as well as other natural resources in regional scale geological basins of hundreds of thousands of kilometers (i.e., the Ordos Basin, China). This adaptive fusion of information aims to assimilate active (manmade) and passive (natural) hydrologic and geophysical tomography surveys to enhance our ability of seeing into hydrogeological basins at the resolutions of our interests. The active hydrogeophysical tomography refers to recently developed hydraulic tomgoraphic surveys by Chinese and German scientists, as well as well-established geophysical tomography surveys (such as electrical resistivity tomography, cross-borehole radars, electrical magnetic surveys). These active hydrogeophysical tomgoraphic surveys have been proven to be useful high-resolution surveys for geological media of tens and hundreds of meters wide and deep. For basin-scale (i.e., tens and hundreds of kilometers) problems, their applicabilities are however rather limited. The passive hydrogeophysical tomography refers to unexplored technologies that exploit natural stimuli as energy sources for tomographic surveys, which include direct lightning strikes, groundwater level fluctuations due to earthquakes, river stage fluctuations, precipitation storms, barometric pressure variations, and long term climate changes. These natural stimuli are spatially varying, recurrent, and powerful, influencing geological media over great distances and depths (e.g., tens and hundreds of kilometers). Monitoring hydrological and geophysical responses of geological media to these stimuli at different locations is tantamount to collecting data of naturally occurring tomographic surveys. Exploiting natural stimuli as tomographic surveys is a novel concept for cost-effective characterization and monitor of subsurface processes in regional-scale basins at great depths.

Assessing surface water availability considering human water use and projected climate variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashraf, Batool; AghaKouchak, Amir; Mousavi-Baygi, Mohammd; Moftakhari, Hamed; Anjileli, Hassan

2017-04-01

Climate variability along with anthropogenic activities alter the hydrological cycle and local water availability. The overarching goal of this presentation is to demonstrate the compounding interactions between human water use/withdrawals and climate change and variability. We focus on Karkheh River basin and Urmia basin, in western Iran, that have high level of human activity and water use, and suffer from low water productivity. The future of these basins and their growth relies on sustainable water resources and hence, requires a holistic, basin-wide management to cope with water scarcity challenges. In this study, we investigate changes in the hydrology of the basin including human-induced alterations of the system, during the past three decades. Then, we investigate the individual and combined effects of climate variability and human water withdrawals on surface water storage in the 21st century. We use bias-corrected historical simulations and future projections from ensemble mean of eleven General Circulation Models (GCMs) under two climate change scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The results show that, hydrology of the studied basins are significantly dominated by human activities over the baseline period (1976 - 2005). Results show that the increased anthropogenic water demand resulting from substantial socio-economic growth in the past three decades have put significant stress on water resources. We evaluate a number of future water demand scenarios and their interactions with future climate projections. Our results show that by the end of the 21st century, the compounding effects of increased irrigation water demand and precipitation variability may lead to severe local water scarcity in these basins. Our study highlights the necessity for understanding and considering the compounding effects of human water use and future climate projections. Such studies would be useful for improving water management and developing adaption plans in water scarce regions.

Will building new reservoirs always help increase the water supply reliability? - insight from a modeling-based global study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuang, Y.; Tian, F.; Yigzaw, W.; Hejazi, M. I.; Li, H. Y.; Turner, S. W. D.; Vernon, C. R.

2017-12-01

More and more reservoirs are being build or planned in order to help meet the increasing water demand all over the world. However, is building new reservoirs always helpful to water supply? To address this question, the river routing module of Global Change Assessment Model (GCAM) has been extended with a simple yet physical-based reservoir scheme accounting for irrigation, flood control and hydropower operations at each individual reservoir. The new GCAM river routing model has been applied over the global domain with the runoff inputs from the Variable Infiltration Capacity Model. The simulated streamflow is validated at 150 global river basins where the observed streamflow data are available. The model performance has been significantly improved at 77 basins and worsened at 35 basins. To facilitate the analysis of additional reservoir storage impacts at the basin level, a lumped version of GCAM reservoir model has been developed, representing a single lumped reservoir at each river basin which has the regulation capacity of all reservoir combined. A Sequent Peak Analysis is used to estimate how much additional reservoir storage is required to satisfy the current water demand. For basins with water deficit, the water supply reliability can be improved with additional storage. However, there is a threshold storage value at each basin beyond which the reliability stops increasing, suggesting that building new reservoirs will not help better relieve the water stress. Findings in the research can be helpful to the future planning and management of new reservoirs.

Lymphoscintigraphy mapping of truncal malignant melanoma: A study of 212 patients at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust.

PubMed

El Muntasar, Ahmed; Oudit, Deems

2017-01-01

Malignant melanoma (MM) on the trunk, because of its anatomical location, has multiple potential lymphatic basins to which to drain. The aim of this study is to map the location of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) on the basis of the anatomical location of the primary malignant melanoma on the trunk. Patients diagnosed with MM on the trunk who had undergone a SLN biopsy from January 2006 to March 2015 were identified in the Christie NHS Foundation Trust through a computer database search. The anterior and posterior surfaces of the trunk were divided into four sections each. A total of 212 patients were evaluated. MM was more common on the posterior trunk, accounting for 73% of cases, and 57% of melanomas were on the right side of the trunk. The axillary basins were involved in drainage in 91.5% of all truncal melanomas. Drainage was to a single lymphatic basin in 68.3% of cases. The incidence of drainage to multiple lymphatic basins was not uniform for the anterior and posterior surfaces of the trunks. One-third of MM on the posterior surface of the trunk will drain to multiple basins. Around 50% of the melanomas of the upper back drain to a contralateral basin. Independent of the location of the MM, the axillary basins were the most common location of drainage, with a total of 91% of the cohort. Therefore, the location of the SLN could be predicted, depending on the location of the MM on the trunk. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sedimentary record of a fluctuating ice margin from the Pennsylvanian of western Gondwana: Paraná Basin, southern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vesely, Fernando F.; Trzaskos, Barbara; Kipper, Felipe; Assine, Mario Luis; Souza, Paulo A.

2015-08-01

The Paraná Basin is a key locality in the context of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age (LPIA) because of its location east of the Andean proto-margin of Gondwana and west of contiguous interior basins today found in western Africa. In this paper we document the sedimentary record associated with an ice margin that reached the eastern border of the Paraná Basin during the Pennsylvanian, with the aim of interpreting the depositional environments and discussing paleogeographic implications. The examined stratigraphic succession is divided in four stacked facies associations that record an upward transition from subglacial to glaciomarine environments. Deposition took place during deglaciation but was punctuated by minor readvances of the ice margin that deformed the sediment pile. Tillites, well-preserved landforms of subglacial erosion and glaciotectonic deformational structures indicate that the ice flowed to the north and northwest and that the ice margin did not advance far throughout the basin during the glacial maximum. Consequently, time-equivalent glacial deposits that crop out in other localities of eastern Paraná Basin are better explained by assuming multiple smaller ice lobes instead of one single large glacier. These ice lobes flowed from an ice cap covering uplifted lands now located in western Namibia, where glacial deposits are younger and occur confined within paleovalleys cut onto the Precambrian basement. This conclusion corroborates the idea of a topographically-controlled ice-spreading center in southwestern Africa and does not support the view of a large polar ice sheet controlling deposition in the Paraná Basin during the LPIA.

Statistical analysis of the magnetization signatures of impact basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabasova, L. R.; Wieczorek, M. A.

2017-09-01

We quantify the magnetic signatures of the largest lunar impact basins using recent mission data and robust statistical bounds, and obtain an early activity timeline for the lunar core dynamo which appears to peak earlier than indicated by Apollo paleointensity measurements.

Reflection Response of the Parnaíba Basin (NE Brazil) from Seismic Ambient Noise Autocorrelation Functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Julià, Jordi; Schimmel, Martin; Cedraz, Victória

2017-04-01

Reflected-wave interferometry relies on the recording of transient seismic signals from random wavefields located beneath recording stations. Under vertical incidence, the recordings contain the full transmission response, which includes the direct wave as well as multiple reverberations from seismic discontinuities located between the wavefields and the receiver. It has been shown that, under those assumptions, the reflection response of the medium can be recovered from the autocorrelation function (ACF) of the transmission response at a given receiver, as if the wavefields had originated themselves at the free surface. This passive approach to seismic reflection profiling has the obvious advantage of being low-cost and non-invasive when compared to its active-source counterpart, and it has been successfully utilized in other sedimentary basins worldwide. In this paper we evaluate the ability of the autocorrelation of ambient seismic noise recorded in the Parnaíba basin - a large Paleozoic basin in NE Brazil - to recover the reflection response of the basin. The dataset was acquired by the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte during 2015 and 2016 under the Parnaíba Basin Analysis Project (PBAP), a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional effort funded by BP Energy do Brasil aimed at improving our current understanding of the architecture of this cratonic basin. The dataset consists of about 1 year of continuous ground motion data from 10 short-period, 3-component stations located in the central portion of the basin. The stations were co-located with an existing (active-source) seismic reflection profile that was shot in 2012, making a linear array of about 100 km in aperture and about 10 km inter-station spacing. To develop the autocorrelation at a given station we considered the vertical component of ground motion only, which should result in the P-wave response. The vertical recordings were first split into 10 min-long windows, demeaned, de-trended, re-sampled, and band-pass filtered between 8 and 16 Hz before autocorrelation, and then stacked with phase-weighting to enhance coherency of the retrieved signal. The ACFs show coherent signal is recovered at lag times between 0.5 and 2 s, which we interpret as P- and S-wave energy reflected on top of an intra-sedimentary discontinuity. Our results are consistent, to first-order, with a previously developed active-source reflection response of the basin.

KSC Wildlife

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-02-09

White pelicans gather in the turn basin near the Vehicle Assembly Building of NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The turn basin was carved out of the Banana River when Kennedy Space Center was built. White pelicans winter from Florida and southern California to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons, and usually in colonies. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S.

Wildfire Activity Across the Triassic-Jurassic Boundary in the Polish Basin: Evidence from New Fossil Charcoal & Carbon-isotope Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pointer, R.; Belcher, C.; Hesselbo, S. P.; Hodbod, M.; Pieńkowski, G.

2017-12-01

New fossil charcoal abundance and carbon-isotope data from two sedimentary cores provide new evidence of extreme environmental conditions in the Polish Basin during the Latest Triassic to Earliest Jurassic. Sedimentary cores from the Polish Basin provide an excellent record of terrestrial environmental conditions across the Triassic-Jurassic Boundary, a time of climatic extremes. Previous work has shown that the marine realm was affected by a large perturbation to the carbon cycle across the Triassic-Jurassic Boundary (manifested by large negative and positive carbon-isotope excursions) and limited records of charcoal abundance and organic geochemistry have indicated important changes in fire regime in the coeval ecosystems. Here we present two new carbon-isotope records generated from fossil plant matter across the Triassic-Jurassic boundary, and present new charcoal records. The charcoal abundance data confirm that there was variation in wildfire activity during the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic in the Polish Basin. Peaks in the number of fossil charcoal fragments present occur in both sedimentary cores, and increases in fossil charcoal abundance are linked to wildfires, signalling a short-lived rise in wildfire activity. Fossil charcoal abundance does not appear to be fully controlled by total organic matter content, depositional environment or bioturbation. We argue that increased wildfire activity is likely caused by an increase in ignition of plant material as a result of an elevated number of lightning strikes. Global warming (caused by a massive input of carbon into the atmosphere, as indicated by carbon-isotope data) can increase storm activity, leading to increased numbers of lightning strikes. Previous Triassic-Jurassic Boundary wildfire studies have found fossil charcoal abundance peaks at other northern hemisphere sites (Denmark & Greenland), and concluded that they represent increases in wildfire activity in the earliest Jurassic. Our new charcoal and carbon-isotope data confirm that there was a peak in wildfire activity in the Polish Basin in the earliest Jurassic, and support previous suggestions of widespread increased wildfire activity at the Triassic-Jurassic Boundary.

Neotectonic deformation model of the Northern Algeria from Paleomagnetic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Derder, M. E. M.; Henry, B.; Maouche, S.; Amenna, M.; Bayou, B.; Djellit, H.; Ymel, H.; Gharbi, S.; Abtout, A.; Ayache, M.

2012-04-01

The seismic activity of the Western Mediterranean area is partly concentrated in northern Africa, particularly in northern Algeria, as it is shown by the strongest recent earthquakes of "Zemmouri" 21 May 2003 Mw=6.9 and the "El Asnam" 10 October 1980 Ms= 7.3. This seismicity is due to the tectonic activity related to the convergence between Africa and Eurasia plates since at least the Oligocene. The deformation is mostly compressional with associated folds, strike-slip faults and thrusts, and a direction of shortening between N-S and NNW-SSE. This convergence involves a tectonic transpression which is expressed by active deformation along the plate boundary. In northern Algeria, the seismicity is concentrated in a coastal E-W thin band zone (the Tell Atlas). Active structures define there NE-SW trending folds and NE-SW sinistral transpressive faults, which affect the intermountain and coastal Neogene to Quaternary sedimentary basins (e.g. " Cheliff "basin, " Mitidja "basin, …). These reverse faults are associated with NW-SE to E-W strike-slips deep faults. The active tectonics could be explained by a simple blocks rotation kinematics model. In order to test the validity of this kinematic model, three different paleomagnetic studies have been conducted. The first one concerned the "Cheliff" basin where sedimentary Neogene formations were extensively sampled (66 sites). The second study was carried out on Miocene andesite and dacite rocks cropping out along the northern coastal zone of the "Cheliff" basin ("Beni Haoua" area, 19 sites). The third study has been carried out on the Miocene magmatic rocks (rhyolites and basalts) cropping out north-eastern part of the "Mitidja" basin ("Cap Djinet" - "Boumerdes" area, 23 sites). The obtained results show existence of paleomagnetic clockwise rotations in all the studied areas and then validates the kinematics block rotation model. Accordingly, the deformation related to the convergence between the Africa and Eurasia plates, is partly accommodated in northern Algeria by blocks rotation movements. It seems that the Tellian Atlas (northern Algeria) domain is organized as tectonic blocks with relative clockwise blocks rotation movement as in a "bookshelf" model.

Reconnaissance study of water quality in the mining-affected Aries River Basin, Romania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friedel, Michael J.; Tindall, James A.; Sardan, Daniel; Fey, David L.; Poputa, G.L.

2008-01-01

The Aries River basin of western Romania has been subject to mining activities as far back as Roman times. Present mining activities are associated with the extraction and processing of various metals including Au, Cu, Pb, and Zn. To understand the effects of these mining activities on the environment, this study focused on three objectives: (1) establish a baseline set of physical parameters, and water- and sediment-associated concentrations of metals in river-valley floors and floodplains; (2) establish a baseline set of physical and chemical measurements of pore water and sediment in tailings; and (3) provide training in sediment and water sampling to personnel in the National Agency for Mineral Resources and the Rosia Poieni Mine. This report summarizes basin findings of physical parameters and chemistry (sediment and water), and ancillary data collected during the low-flow synoptic sampling of May 2006.

Holocene and latest Pleistocene oblique dextral faulting on the southern Inyo Mountains fault, Owens Lake basin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bacon, S.N.; Jayko, A.S.; McGeehin, J.P.

2005-01-01

The Inyo Mountains fault (IMF) is a more or less continuous range-front fault system, with discontinuous late Quaternary activity, at the western base of the Inyo Mountains in Owens Valley, California. The southern section of the IMF trends ???N20??-40?? W for at least 12 km at the base of and within the range front near Keeler in Owens Lake basin. The southern IMF cuts across a relict early Pliocene alluvial fan complex, which has formed shutter ridges and northeast-facing scarps, and which has dextrally offset, well-developed drainages indicating long-term activity. Numerous fault scarps along the mapped trace are northeast-facing, mountain-side down, and developed in both bedrock and younger alluvium, indicating latest Quaternary activity. Latest Quaternary multiple- and single-event scarps that cut alluvium range in height from 0.5 to 3.0 m. The penultimate event on the southern IMF is bracketed between 13,310 and 10,590 cal years B.P., based on radiocarbon dates from faulted alluvium and fissure-fill stratigraphy exposed in a natural wash cut. Evidence of the most recent event is found at many sites along the mapped fault, and, in particular, is seen in an ???0.5-m northeast-facing scarp and several right-stepping en echelon ???0.5-m-deep depressions that pond fine sediment on a younger than 13,310 cal years B.P. alluvial fan. A channel that crosses transverse to this scarp is dextrally offset 2.3 ?? 0.8 m, providing a poorly constrained oblique slip rate of 0.1-0. 3 m/ k.y. The identified tectonic geomorphology and sense of displacement demonstrate that the southern IMF accommodates predominately dextral slip and should be integrated into kinematic fault models of strain distribution in Owens Valley.

Evaluation of ecological instream flow considering hydrological alterations in the Yellow River basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qiang; Zhang, Zongjiao; Shi, Peijun; Singh, Vijay P.; Gu, Xihui

2018-01-01

The Yellow River is the second largest river in China and is the important source for water supply in the northwestern and northern China. It is often regarded as the mother river of China. Owing to climatic change and intensifying human activities, such as increasing withdrawal of water for meeting growing agricultural irrigation needs since 1986, the flow of Yellow River has decreased, with serious impacts on the ecological environment. Using multiple hydrological indicators and Flow Duration Curve (DFC)-based ecodeficit and ecosurplus, this study investigates the impact of hydrological alterations, such as the impact of water reservoirs or dams, on downstream ecological instream flow. Results indicate that: (1) due to the impoundment and hydrological regulations of water reservoirs, occurrence rates and magnitudes of high flow regimes have decreased and the decrease is also found in the magnitudes of low flow events. These changes tend to be more evident from the upper to the lower Yellow River basin; (2) human activities tend to enhance the instream flow variability, particularly after the 1980s;(3) the ecological environment in different parts of the Yellow River basin is under different degrees of ecological risk. In general, lower to higher ecological risk can be detected due to hydrological alterations from the upper to the lower Yellow River basin. This shows that conservation of ecological environment and river health is facing a serious challenge in the lower Yellow River basin; (4) ecological instream flow indices, such as ecodeficit and ecosurplus, and IHA32 hydrological indicators are in strong relationships, suggesting that ecodeficit and ecosurplus can be regarded as appropriate ecological indicators for developing measures for mitigating the adverse impact of human activities on the conservation of ecological environment in the Yellow River basin.

Ogaden Basin subsidence history: Another key to the Red Sea-Gulf of Aden tectonic puzzle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pigott, J.D.; Neese, D.; Carsten, G.

1995-08-01

Previous work has attempted to understand the tectonic evolution of the Red Sea-Gulf of Aden region through a focus upon plate kinematics and reconstruction of plate interactions in a two dimensional sense. A significant complement to the three dimensional puzzle can be derived from a critical examination of the vertical component, tectonic subsidence analysis. By removing the isostatic contributions of sediment loading and unloading, and fluctuations in sea level, the remaining thermal-mechanical contribution to a basin`s subsidence can be determined. Such an analysis of several Ogaden Basin wells reveals multiple pulses of tectonic subsidence and uplift which correspond to far-fieldmore » tectonic activities in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. One of the more dramatic is a Jurassic tectonic pulse circa 145-130 m.a., and a later extensional event which correlates to a major subsidence event ubiquitous through-out the Gulf of Aden, related to Gondwana Land breakup activities. Tectonic uplift during the Tertiary coincides with early Red Sea rifting episodes. Such activities suggest the Ogaden Basin has been a relatively stable East African cratonic basin, but with heating-extension events related to nearby plate interactions. In terms of hydrocarbon generation, the use of steady state present day geothermal gradients, coupled with subsidence analysis shows that potential Paleozoic and Mesozoic source rocks initiated generation as early as the Jurassic. The generating potential of Paleozoic source rocks would only be exacerbated by later heating events. Furthermore, cooling and tectonic uplift during the Tertiary would tend to arrest on-going hydrocarbon generation for Jurassic source rocks in the Ogaden area.« less

A study of tectonic activity in the Basin-Range Province and on the San Andreas Fault. No. 3: Kinematics of Great Basin intraplate extension from earthquake, geodetic and geologic information. Final Technical Report, 15 Apr. 1981 - 31 Jan. 1986 M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eddington, P. K.

1986-01-01

Strain rates assessed from brittle fracture, associated with earthquakes, and total brittle-ductile deformation measured from geodetic data were compared to paleostrain from Quaternary geology for the intraplate Great Basin of the western United States. These data provide an assessment of the kinematics and mode of lithospheric extension that the western U.S. Cordillera has experienced in the last 5 to 10 million years. Strain and deformation rates were determined by the seismic moment tensor method using historic seismicity and fault plane solutions. Contemporary deformation of the Great Basin occurs principally along the active seismic zones. The earthquake related strain shows that the Great Basin is characterized by regional E-W extension at 8.4 mm/a in the north that diminishes to NW-SE extension of 3.5 mm/a in the south. Zones of maximum extension correspond to belts of shallow crust, high heat flow, and Quaternary basaltic volcanism, suggesting that these parameters are related through an effect such as a stress relaxation allowing bouyant uplift and ascension of magmas.

Potential seismic hazards and tectonics of the upper Cook Inlet basin, Alaska, based on analysis of Pliocene and younger deformation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haeussler, Peter J.; Bruhn, Ronald L.; Pratt, Thomas L.

2000-01-01

The Cook Inlet basin is a northeast-trending forearc basin above the Aleutian subduction zone in southern Alaska. Folds in Cook Inlet are complex, discontinuous structures with variable shape and vergence that probably developed by right-transpressional deformation on oblique-slip faults extending downward into Mesozoic basement beneath the Tertiary basin. The most recent episode of deformation may have began as early as late Miocene time, but most of the deformation occurred after deposition of much of the Pliocene Sterling Formation. Deformation continued into Quaternary time, and many structures are probably still active. One structure, the Castle Mountain fault, has Holocene fault scarps, an adjacent anticline with flower structure, and historical seismicity. If other structures in Cook Inlet are active, blind faults coring fault-propagation folds may generate Mw 6–7+ earthquakes. Dextral transpression of Cook Inlet appears to have been driven by coupling between the North American and Pacific plates along the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone, and by lateral escape of the forearc to the southwest, due to collision and indentation of the Yakutat terrane 300 km to the east of the basin.

Temporal dynamics of suspended sediment transport in a glacierized Andean basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Luca; Carrillo, Ricardo

2017-06-01

Suspended sediment transport can affect water quality and aquatic ecosystems, and its quantification is of the highest importance for river and watershed management. Suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and discharge were measured at two locations in the Estero Morales, a Chilean Andean stream draining a small basin (27 km2) hosting glacierized areas of about 1.8 km2. Approximately half of the suspended sediment yield (470 t year- 1 km- 2) was transported during the snowmelt period and half during glacier melting. The hysteresis patterns between discharge and SSC were calculated for each daily hydrograph and were analysed to shed light on the location and activity of different sediment sources at the basin scale. During snowmelt, an unlimited supply of fine sediments is provided in the lower and middle part of the basin and hysteresis patterns tend to be clockwise as the peaks in SSC precede the peak of discharge in daily hydrographs. Instead, during glacier melting the source of fine sediments is the proglacial area, producing counterclockwise hysteresis. It is suggested that the analysis of hysteretic patterns over time provides a simple concept for interpreting variability of location and activity of sediment sources at the basin scale.

Seismic stratigraphy of the Mianwali and Bannu depressions, north-western Indus foreland basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farid, Asam; Khalid, Perveiz; Ali, Muhammad Y.; Iqbal, Muhammad Asim; Jadoon, Khan Zaib

2017-11-01

Regional seismic reflection profiles, deep exploratory wells, and outcrop data have been used to study the structure and stratigraphic architecture of the Mianwali and Bannu depressions, north-western Indus foreland basin. Synthetic seismograms have been used to identify and tie the seismic horizons to the well data. Nine mappable seismic sequences are identified within the passive and active margin sediments. In general, the Mianwali and Bannu depressions deepens towards north due to the flexure generated by the loading and southward shifting of the thrust sheets of the North-western Himalayan Fold and Thrust Belt. The seismic profiles show a classic wedge shaped foreland basin with a prominent angular unconformity which clearly differentiates the active and passive margin sediments. The onlap patterns in the Late Cretaceous sediments suggest the initial onset of foreland basin formation when the Indian Plate collided with Eurasian Plate. As the collision progressed, the lithospheric flexure caused an uplift along the flexural bulge which resulted in onlaps within the Paleocene and Eocene sequences. The tectonic activity reached to its maximum during Oligocene with the formation of a prominent unconformity, which caused extensive erosion that increases towards the flexural bulge.

Proceedings of the North Aleutian Basin information status and research planning meeting.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

LaGory, K. E.; Krummel, J. R.; Hayse, J. W.

2007-10-26

The North Aleutian Basin Planning Area of the Minerals Management Service (MMS) is a large geographic area with significant ecological and natural resources. The Basin includes most of the southeastern part of the Bering Sea continental shelf including all of Bristol Bay. The area supports important habitat for a wide variety of species and globally significant habitat for birds and marine mammals including federally listed species. Villages and communities of the Alaska Peninsula and other areas bordering or near the Basin rely on its natural resources (especially commercial and subsistence fishing) for much of their sustenance and livelihood. The offshoremore » area of the North Aleutian Basin is considered to have important hydrocarbon reserves, especially natural gas. In 2006, the MMS released a draft proposed program, Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, 2007-2012 and an accompanying draft programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS). The draft proposed program identified two lease sales proposed in the North Aleutian Basin in 2010 and 2012, subject to restrictions. The area proposed for leasing in the Basin was restricted to the Sale 92 Area in the southwestern portion. Additional EISs will be needed to evaluate the potential effects of specific lease actions, exploration activities, and development and production plans in the Basin. A full range of updated multidisciplinary scientific information will be needed to address oceanography, fate and effects of oil spills, marine ecosystems, fish, fisheries, birds, marine mammals, socioeconomics, and subsistence in the Basin. Scientific staff at Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) were contracted to assist the MMS Alaska Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Region in identifying and prioritizing information needs related to the North Aleutian Basin and potential future oil and gas leasing and development activities. The overall approach focused on three related but separate tasks: (1) identification and gathering of relevant literature; (2) synthesis and summary of the literature; and (3) identification and prioritization of information needs. To assist in gathering this information, MMS convened the North Aleutian Basin Information Status and Research Planning Meeting, held in Anchorage, Alaska, from November 28 through December 1, 2006; this report presents a summary of that meeting. The meeting was the primary method used to gather input from stakeholders and identify information needs and priorities for future inventory, monitoring, and research related to potential leasing and oil and gas developments in the North Aleutian Basin.« less

Seasonal Distribution, Biology, and Human Attraction Patterns of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in a Rural Village and Adjacent Forested Site Near Iquitos, Peru

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-01

and malarial activity in the Amazon Basin, Loreto Department, Peru , to determine the relative abundance, species diversity, and seasonal and vertical...populations. KEY WORDS Anopheles, bionomics, mosquito ecology, Amazon Basin, Peru Malaria and other arthropod-vectored diseases are on the increase...in the Amazon Basin region of Peru to date. The Puerto Almendra area was selected because human cases of dengue, malaria, Mayaro, Oropouche

Water-quality monitoring and process understanding in support of environmental policy and management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peters, N.E.

2008-01-01

The quantity and quality of freshwater at any point on the landscape reflect the combined effects of many processes operating along hydrological pathways within a drainage basin/watershed/catchment. Primary drivers for the availability of water are landscape changes and patterns, and the processes affecting the timing, magnitude, and intensity of precipitation, including global climate change. The degradation of air, land, and water in one part of a drainage basin can have negative effects on users downstream; the time and space scales of the effects are determined by the residence time along the various hydrological pathways. Hydrology affects transport, deposition, and recycling of inorganic materials and sediment. These components affect biota and associated ecosystem processes, which rely on sustainable flows throughout a drainage basin. Human activities on all spatial scales affect both water quantity and quality, and some human activities can have a disproportionate effect on an entire drainage basin. Aquatic systems have been continuously modified by agriculture, through land-use change, irrigation and navigation, disposal of urban, mining, and industrial wastes, and engineering modifications to the environment. Interdisciplinary integrated basin studies within the last several decades have provided a more comprehensive understanding of the linkages among air, land, and water resources. This understanding, coupled with environmental monitoring, has evolved a more multidisciplinary integrated approach to resource management, particularly within drainage basins.

Accretionary prism-forearc interactions as reflected in the sedimentary fill of southern Thrace Basin (Lemnos Island, NE Greece)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maravelis, A. G.; Pantopoulos, G.; Tserolas, P.; Zelilidis, A.

2015-06-01

Architecture of the well-exposed ancient forearc basin successions of northeast Aegean Sea, Greece, provides useful insights into the interplay between arc magmatism, accretionary prism exhumation, and sedimentary deposition in forearc basins. The upper Eocene-lower Oligocene basin fill of the southern Thrace forearc basin reflects the active influence of the uplifted accretionary prism. Deep-marine sediments predominate the basin fill that eventually shoals upwards into shallow-marine sediments. This trend is related to tectonically driven uplift and compression. Field, stratigraphic, sedimentological, petrographic, geochemical, and provenance data on the lower Oligocene shallow-marine deposits revealed the accretionary prism (i.e. Pindic Cordillera or Biga Peninsula) as the major contributor of sediments into the forearc region. Field investigations in these shallow-marine deposits revealed the occurrence of conglomerates with: (1) mafic and ultramafic igneous rock clasts, (2) low-grade metamorphic rock fragments, and (3) sedimentary rocks. The absence of felsic volcanic fragments rules out influence of a felsic source rock. Geochemical analysis indicates that the studied rocks were accumulated in an active tectonic setting with a sediment source of mainly mafic composition, and palaeodispersal analysis revealed a NE-NNE palaeocurrent trend, towards the Rhodopian magmatic arc. Thus, these combined provenance results make the accretionary prism the most suitable candidate for the detritus forming these shallow-marine deposits.

Evaporation from Lake Mead, Arizona and Nevada, 1997-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Westenburg, Craig L.; DeMeo, Guy A.; Tanko, Daron J.

2006-01-01

Lake Mead is one of a series of large Colorado River reservoirs operated and maintained by the Bureau of Reclamation. The Colorado River system of reservoirs and diversions is an important source of water for millions of people in seven Western States and Mexico. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, conducted a study from 1997 to 1999 to estimate evaporation from Lake Mead. For this study, micrometeorological and hydrologic data were collected continually from instrumented platforms deployed at four locations on the lake, open-water areas of Boulder Basin, Virgin Basin, and Overton Arm and a protected cove in Boulder Basin. Data collected at the platforms were used to estimate Lake Mead evaporation by solving an energy-budget equation. The average annual evaporation rate at open-water stations from January 1998 to December 1999 was 7.5 feet. Because the spatial variation of monthly and annual evaporation rates was minimal for the open-water stations, a single open-water station in Boulder Basin would provide data that are adequate to estimate evaporation from Lake Mead.

Controls on groundwater flow in the Bengal Basin of India and Bangladesh: Regional modeling analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Michael, H.A.; Voss, C.I.

2009-01-01

Groundwater for domestic and irrigation purposes is produced primarily from shallow parts of the Bengal Basin aquifer system (India and Bangladesh), which contains high concentrations of dissolved arsenic (exceeding worldwide drinking water standards), though deeper groundwater is generally low in arsenic. An essential first step for determining sustainable management of the deep groundwater resource is identification of hydrogeologic controls on flow and quantification of basin-scale groundwater flow patterns. Results from groundwater modeling, in which the Bengal Basin aquifer system is represented as a single aquifer with higher horizontal than vertical hydraulic conductivity, indicate that this anisotropy is the primary hydrogeologic control on the natural flowpath lengths. Despite extremely low hydraulic gradients due to minimal topographic relief, anisotropy implies large-scale (tens to hundreds of kilometers) flow at depth. Other hydrogeologic factors, including lateral and vertical changes in hydraulic conductivity, have minor effects on overall flow patterns. However, because natural hydraulic gradients are low, the impact of pumping on groundwater flow is overwhelming; modeling indicates that pumping has substantially changed the shallow groundwater budget and flowpaths from predevelopment conditions. ?? Springer-Verlag 2009.

Beyond basins: φ,ψ preferences of a residue depend heavily on the φ,ψ values of its neighbors.

PubMed

Hollingsworth, Scott A; Lewis, Matthew C; Karplus, P Andrew

2016-09-01

The Ramachandran plot distributions of nonglycine residues from experimentally determined structures are routinely described as grouping into one of six major basins: β, PII , α, αL , ξ and γ'. Recent work describing the most common conformations adopted by pairs of residues in folded proteins [i.e., (φ,ψ)2 -motifs] showed that commonly described major basins are not true single thermodynamic basins, but are composed of distinct subregions that are associated with various conformations of either the preceding or following neighbor residue. Here, as documentation of the extent to which the conformational preferences of a central residue are influenced by the conformations of its two neighbors, we present a set of φ,ψ-plots that are delimited simultaneously by the φ,ψ-angles of its neighboring residues on both sides. The level of influence seen here is typically greater than the influence associated with considering the identities of neighboring residues, implying that the use of this heretofore untapped information can improve the accuracy of structure prediction algorithms and low resolution protein structure refinement. © 2016 The Protein Society.

Hazardous materials in aquatic environments of the Mississippi River Basin. Annual technical report, 30 December 1992--29 December 1993

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-12-31

Tulane and Xavier Universities have singled out the environment as a major strategic focus for research and training for now and beyond the year 2000. In 1989, the Tulane/Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research (CBR) was established as the umbrella organization which coordinates environmental research at both universities. In December, 1992, the Tulane/Xavier DBR was awarded a five year grant to study pollution in the Mississippi River system. The ``Hazardous Materials in Aquatic Environments of the Mississippi River Basin`` project is a broad research and education program aimed at elucidating the nature and magnitude of toxic materials that contaminate aquatic environmentsmore » of the Mississippi River Basin. Studies include defining the complex interactions that occur during the transport of contaminants, the actual and potential impact on ecological systems and health, and the mechanisms through which these impacts might be remediated. The Mississippi River Basin represents a model system for analyzing and solving contamination problems that are found in aquatic systems world-wide. Individual papers have been processed separately for inclusion in the appropriate data bases.« less

Availability of ground water in the middle Merrimack River basin, central and southern New Hampshire

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cotton, J.E.

1976-01-01

Sufficient amounts of water to supply single family homes are available from the bedrock aquifer nearly everywhere in the middle Merrimack River basin in central and southern New Hampshire. Relatively this and narrow, unconsolidated aquifers of sand or sand and gravel commonly capable of yielding more than 200 gallons per minute to properly located and constructed wells are found only in major stream valleys. The map provides a preliminary assessment of the availability of ground water in the basin, as determined by estimating the capability of the aquifers to store and transmit water. On the map, aquifers are rated as having high, medium, or low potential to yield water. Ground water in the middle Merrimack River basin is generally of good chemical quality. Most of it is clear and colorless, contains no suspended matter and practically no bacteria, water may be affected by land-use practices. Degradation of water quality may occur in unsewered residential and village areas, near solid-waste-disposal sites, agricultural land, and major highways. (Woodard-USGS)

A review of the Quaternary Scelidotheriinae (Mammalia, Xenarthra, Tardigrada) from the Tarija-Padcaya basin, Bolivia.

PubMed

Miño-Boilini, Ángel R; Carlini, Alfredo A; Zurita, Alfredo E; Soibelzon, Esteban; Rodríguez-Bualó, Santiago M

2018-04-16

The Mylodontidae Scelidotheriinae (Mammalia, Xenarthra, Tardigrada) are a diversified clade of South American fossil ground sloths, with a wide geographic distribution, especially in high and middle latitudes. According to the last revision, the Quaternary diversity includes the genera Scelidotherium, Catonyx, and Valgipes. The clade Scelidotheriinae is well represented in the Pleistocene of the Tarija-Padcaya basin, and the first mention of these ground sloths correspond to the middle of the XIX Century. Since then, several species (i.e., Scelidotherium tarijensis, Scelidodon tarijensis, Scelidotherium capellini) have been reported as inhabiting the Tarija-Padcaya basin during the Pleistocene. Despite the abundance of fossil records of Scelidotheriinae in this area, no modern taxonomic revisions are available. In consequence, in this contribution a revision of the remains assigned to Scelidotheriinae from the Tarija-Padcaya basin is accomplished, and some biostratigraphic and geographic implications are discussed. Our results show that one single species (Catonyx tarijensis) can be recognized in the studied area, whereas a supposed smaller one (Scelidotherium patrium) actually corresponds to juvenile specimens of C. tarijensis.

Calibration and verification of a rainfall-runoff model and a runoff-quality model for several urban basins in the Denver metropolitan area, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindner-Lunsford, J. B.; Ellis, S.R.

1984-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey 's Distributed Routing Rainfall-Runoff Model--Version II was calibrated and verified for five urban basins in the Denver metropolitan area. Land-use types in the basins were light commerical, multifamily housing, single-family housing, and a shopping center. The overall accuracy of model predictions of peak flows and runoff volumes was about 15 percent for storms with rainfall intensities of less than 1 inch per hour and runoff volume of greater than 0.01 inch. Predictions generally were unsatisfactory for storm having a rainfall intensity of more than 1 inch per hour, or runoff of 0.01 inch or less. The Distributed Routing Rainfall-Runoff Model-Quality, a multievent runoff-quality model developed by the U.S. Geological Survey, was calibrated and verified on four basins. The model was found to be most useful in the prediction of seasonal loads of constituents in the runoff resulting from rainfall. The model was not very accurate in the prediction of runoff loads of individual constituents. (USGS)

Controls on groundwater flow in the Bengal Basin of India and Bangladesh: regional modeling analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michael, Holly A.; Voss, Clifford I.

2009-11-01

Groundwater for domestic and irrigation purposes is produced primarily from shallow parts of the Bengal Basin aquifer system (India and Bangladesh), which contains high concentrations of dissolved arsenic (exceeding worldwide drinking water standards), though deeper groundwater is generally low in arsenic. An essential first step for determining sustainable management of the deep groundwater resource is identification of hydrogeologic controls on flow and quantification of basin-scale groundwater flow patterns. Results from groundwater modeling, in which the Bengal Basin aquifer system is represented as a single aquifer with higher horizontal than vertical hydraulic conductivity, indicate that this anisotropy is the primary hydrogeologic control on the natural flowpath lengths. Despite extremely low hydraulic gradients due to minimal topographic relief, anisotropy implies large-scale (tens to hundreds of kilometers) flow at depth. Other hydrogeologic factors, including lateral and vertical changes in hydraulic conductivity, have minor effects on overall flow patterns. However, because natural hydraulic gradients are low, the impact of pumping on groundwater flow is overwhelming; modeling indicates that pumping has substantially changed the shallow groundwater budget and flowpaths from predevelopment conditions.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This article describes a unique rig designed by SEDCO FOREX operating in the Paris basin of France. Built to drill clusters of wells from a single pad, Rig 47 significantly reduces the time needed to move from well to well on a pad and from location to location.

Tectonic control on coarse-grained foreland-basin sequences: An example from the Cordilleran foreland basin, Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horton, Brian K.; Constenius, Kurt N.; Decelles, Peter G.

2004-07-01

Newly released reflection seismic and borehole data, combined with sedimentological, provenance, and biostratigraphic data from Upper Cretaceous Paleocene strata in the proximal part of the Cordilleran foreland-basin system in Utah, establish the nature of tectonic controls on stratigraphic sequences in the proximal to distal foreland basin. During Campanian time, coarse-grained sand and gravel were derived from the internally shortening Charleston-Nebo salient of the Sevier thrust belt. A rapid, regional Campanian progradational event in the distal foreland basin (>200 km from the thrust belt in <8 m.y.) can be tied directly to active thrust-generated growth structures and an influx of quartzose detritus derived from the Charleston-Nebo salient. Eustatic sea-level variation exerted a minimal role in sequence progradation.

Neotectonic Studies of the Lake Ohrid Basin (FYROM/Albania)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadine, H.; Liermann, A.; Glasmacher, U. A.; Reicherter, K. R.

2010-12-01

The Lake Ohrid Basin located on 693 m a.s.l. at the south-western border of Macedonia (FYROM) with Albania is a suitable location for neotectonic studies. The lake is set in an extensional basin-and-range-like situation, which is influenced by the roll-back and detachment of the subducted slab of the Northern Hellenic Trench. The seismicity record of the area lists frequent shallow earthquakes with magnitudes of up to 6.6, which classifies the region as one of the highest risk areas for Macedonia and Albania. A multidisciplinary approach was chosen to reveal the stress history of the region. Tectonic morphology, paleostress analysis, remote sensing and geophysical investigations have been taken out to trace the landscape evolution. Furthermore, apatite fission-track (A-FT) analysis and t-T-path modelling was performed to constrain the thermal history and the exhumation rates. The deformation history of the basin can be divided in three major phases. This idea is also supported by paleostress data collected around the lake: 1. NW-SE shortening from Late Cretaceous to Miocene with compression, thrusting and uplift; 2. Uplift and diminishing compression in Late Miocene causing strike-slip and normal faulting; 3. Vertical uplift and E-W extension from Pliocene to present associated with local subsidence and (half-) graben formation. The initiation of the Ohrid Basin can be dated to Late Miocene to Pliocene. The morphology of the basin itself shows features, which characterize the area as an active seismogenic landscape. The elongated NS-trending basin is limited by the steep flanks of Galicica and Mokra Mountains to the E and W, which are tectonically controlled by normal faulting. This is expressed in linear step-like fault scarps on land with heights between 2 and 35 m. The faults have lengths between 10 and 20 km and consist of several segments. Post-glacial bedrock fault scarps at Lake Ohrid are long-lived expressions of repeated surface faulting in tectonically active regions, where erosion cannot outpace the fault slip and are in general getting younger towards the center of the basin. Other characteristics are well preserved wineglass-shaped valleys and triangular facets. In contrast, the plains that stretch along the shore north and south of the lake are dominated by clastic input related to climate variations and uplift/erosion. Apatite fission track analysis shows a range of the apparent ages from 56.5±3.1 to 10.5±0.9 Ma, with a spatial distribution that gives evidence for the activation of separate blocks with differing exhumation and rock uplift history. Fission-track ages from molasses and flysch sediments of the basin fillings show distinctly younger ages than those from basement units. Generally, the Prespa Basin, which is located east of Ohrid Basin, reveals A-FT-ages around 10 Ma close to normal faults, whereas modelling results of the Ohrid Basin suggest a rapid uplift initiated around 1.4 Ma associated with uplift rates on the order of 1 mm/a. Therefore, we assume a westward migration of the extensional basin formation, as the initiation of the Prespa Basin can be placed well before the formation of the Ohrid Basin.

Petroleum geology and resources of the North Caspian Basin, Kazakhstan and Russia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ulmishek, Gregory F.

2001-01-01

The North Caspian basin is a petroleum-rich but lightly explored basin located in Kazakhstan and Russia. It occupies the shallow northern portion of the Caspian Sea and a large plain to the north of the sea between the Volga and Ural Rivers and farther east to the Mugodzhary Highland, which is the southern continuation of the Ural foldbelt. The basin is bounded by the Paleozoic carbonate platform of the Volga-Ural province to the north and west and by the Ural, South Emba, and Karpinsky Hercynian foldbelts to the east and south. The basin was originated by pre-Late Devonian rifting and subsequent spreading that opened the oceanic crust, but the precise time of these tectonic events is not known. The sedimentary succession of the basin is more than 20 km thick in the central areas. The drilled Upper Devonian to Tertiary part of this succession includes a prominent thick Kungurian (uppermost Lower Permian) salt formation that separates strata into the subsalt and suprasalt sequences and played an important role in the formation of oil and gas fields. Shallow-shelf carbonate formations that contain various reefs and alternate with clastic wedges compose the subsalt sequence on the 1 basin margins. Basinward, these rocks grade into deep-water anoxic black shales and turbidites. The Kungurian salt formation is strongly deformed into domes and intervening depressions. The most active halokinesis occurred during Late Permian?Triassic time, but growth of salt domes continued later and some of them are exposed on the present-day surface. The suprasalt sequence is mostly composed of clastic rocks that are several kilometers thick in depressions between salt domes. A single total petroleum system is defined in the North Caspian basin. Discovered reserves are about 19.7 billion barrels of oil and natural gas liquids and 157 trillion cubic feet of gas. Much of the reserves are concentrated in the supergiant Tengiz, Karachaganak, and Astrakhan fields. A recent new oil discovery on the Kashagan structure offshore in the Caspian Sea is probably also of the supergiant status. Major oil and gas reserves are located in carbonate reservoirs in reefs and structural traps of the subsalt sequence. Substantially smaller reserves are located in numerous fields in the suprasalt sequence. These suprasalt fields are largely in shallow Jurassic and Cretaceous clastic reservoirs in salt dome-related traps. Petroleum source rocks are poorly identified by geochemical methods. However, geologic data indicate that the principal source rocks are Upper Devonian to Lower Permian deep-water black-shale facies stratigraphically correlative to shallow-shelf carbonate platforms on the basin margins. The main stage of hydrocarbon generation was probably in Late Permian and Triassic time, during deposition of thick orogenic clastics. Generated hydrocarbons migrated laterally into adjacent subsalt reservoirs and vertically, through depressions between Kungurian salt domes where the salt is thin or absent, into suprasalt clastic reservoirs. Six assessment units have been identified in the North Caspian basin. Four of them include Paleozoic subsalt rocks of the basin margins, and a fifth unit, which encompasses the entire total petroleum system area, includes the suprasalt sequence. All five of these assessment units are underexplored and have significant potential for new discoveries. Most undiscovered petroleum resources are expected in Paleozoic subsalt carbonate rocks. The assessment unit in subsalt rocks with the greatest undiscovered potential occupies the south basin margin. Petroleum potential of suprasalt rocks is lower; however, discoveries of many small to medium size fields are expected. The sixth identified assessment unit embraces subsalt rocks of the central basin areas. The top of subsalt rocks in these areas occurs at depths ranging from 7 to 10 kilometers and has not been reached by wells. Undiscovered resources of this unit did not rec

Patterns of human occupation during the early Holocene in the Central Ebro Basin (NE Spain) in response to the 8.2 ka climatic event

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González-Sampériz, P.; Utrilla, P.; Mazo, C.; Valero-Garcés, B.; Sopena, MC.; Morellón, M.; Sebastián, M.; Moreno, A.; Martínez-Bea, M.

2009-03-01

The Central Ebro River Basin (NE Spain) is the most northern area of truly semi-arid Mediterranean climate in Europe and prehistoric human occupation there has been strongly influenced by this extreme environmental condition. Modern climate conditions single out this region due to the harsh environment, characterised by the highest absolute summer temperatures of the Ebro River Basin. The Bajo Aragón region (SE Ebro River Basin) was intensively populated during the Early Holocene (9400-8200 cal yr BP) but the settlements were abandoned abruptly at around 8200 cal yr BP. We propose that this "archaeological silence" was caused by the regional impact of the global abrupt 8.2 ka cold event. Available regional paleoclimate archives demonstrate the existence of an aridity crisis then that interrupted the humid Early Holocene. That environmental crisis would have forced hunter-gatherer groups from the Bajo Aragón to migrate to regions with more favourable conditions (i.e. more humid mountainous areas) and only return in the Neolithic. Coherently, archaeological sites persist during this crisis in the nearby Iberian Range (Maestrazgo) and the North Ebro River area (Pre-Pyrenean mountains and along the northwestern Ebro Basin).

Reservoir-development impacts on surface-water quantity and quality in the Yampa River basin, Colorado and Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, D. Briane; Bauer, Daniel P.; Dale, Robert H.; Steele, Timothy Doak

1983-01-01

Development of coal resources and associated economy is accelerating in the Yampa River basin in northwestern Colorado and south-central Wyoming. Increased use of the water resources of the area will have a direct impact on their quantity and quality. As part of 18 surface-water projects, 35 reservoirs have been proposed with a combined total storage of 2.18 million acre-feet, 41% greater than the mean annual outflow from the basin. Three computer models were used to demonstrate methods of evaluating future impacts of reservoir development in the Yampa River basin. Four different reservoir configurations were used to simulate the effects of different degrees of proposed reservoir development. A multireservoir-flow model included both within-basin and transmountain diversions. Simulations indicated that in many cases diversion amounts would not be available for either type of diversion. A corresponding frequency analysis of reservoir storage levels indicated that most reservoirs would be operating with small percentages of total capacities and generally with less than 20% of conservation-pool volumes. Simulations using a dissolved-solids model indicated that extensive reservoir development could increase average annual concentrations at most locations. Simulations using a single-reservoir model indicated no significant occurrence of water-temperature stratification in most reservoirs due to limited reservoir storage. (USGS)

Uinta Basin Pneumatic Controller Research Project: Industry meeting slides

EPA Science Inventory

Upstream oil and natural gas (ONG) production has increased significantly within Utah’s Uinta & Ouray (U&O) Basin and across the United States over the last decade. ONG extraction and production activities can co-emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a subset of which consists...

WILLAMETTE RIVER BASIN TRAJECTORIES OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHANGE: A PLANNING ATLAS

EPA Science Inventory

The Pacific Northwest Ecosystem Research Consortium, consisting of scientists at EPA-WED, Oregon State University, and the University of Oregon, completed a planning atlas for the Willamette River Basin in western Oregon. The atlas describes ecological conditions and human activ...

Measurements and modeling to quantify emissions of methane and VOCs from shale gas operations: Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Presto, Albert A

The objectives of the project were to determine the leakage rates of methane and ozone-forming Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and the emission rates of air toxics from Marcellus shale gas activities. Methane emissions in the Marcellus Shale region were differentiated between “newer” sources associated with shale gas development and “older” sources associated with coal or conventional natural gas exploration. This project conducted measurements of methane and VOC emissions from both shale and non-shale natural gas resources. The initial scope of the project was the Marcellus Shale basin, and measurements were conducted in both the western wet gas regions (southwest PAmore » and WV) and eastern dry gas region (northeast PA) of the basin. During this project, we obtained additional funding from other agencies to expand the scope of measurements to include additional basins. The data from both the Marcellus and other basins were combined to construct a national analysis of methane emissions from oil & gas production activities.« less

A new model for the initiation, crustal architecture, and extinction of pull-apart basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Wijk, J.; Axen, G. J.; Abera, R.

2015-12-01

We present a new model for the origin, crustal architecture, and evolution of pull-apart basins. The model is based on results of three-dimensional upper crustal numerical models of deformation, field observations, and fault theory, and answers many of the outstanding questions related to these rifts. In our model, geometric differences between pull-apart basins are inherited from the initial geometry of the strike-slip fault step which results from early geometry of the strike-slip fault system. As strike-slip motion accumulates, pull-apart basins are stationary with respect to underlying basement and the fault tips may propagate beyond the rift basin. Our model predicts that the sediment source areas may thus migrate over time. This implies that, although pull-apart basins lengthen over time, lengthening is accommodated by extension within the pull-apart basin, rather than formation of new faults outside of the rift zone. In this aspect pull-apart basins behave as narrow rifts: with increasing strike-slip the basins deepen but there is no significant younging outward. We explain why pull-apart basins do not go through previously proposed geometric evolutionary stages, which has not been documented in nature. Field studies predict that pull-apart basins become extinct when an active basin-crossing fault forms; this is the most likely fate of pull-apart basins, because strike-slip systems tend to straighten. The model predicts what the favorable step-dimensions are for the formation of such a fault system, and those for which a pull-apart basin may further develop into a short seafloor-spreading ridge. The model also shows that rift shoulder uplift is enhanced if the strike-slip rate is larger than the fault-propagation rate. Crustal compression then contributes to uplift of the rift flanks.

Use of cosmogenic 35S for comparing ages of water from three alpine-subalpine basins in the Colorado Front Range

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sueker, J.K.; Turk, J.T.; Michel, R.L.

1999-01-01

High-elevation basins in Colorado are a major source of water for the central and western United States; however, acidic deposition may affect the quality of this water. Water that is retained in a basin for a longer period of time may be less impacted by acidic deposition. Sulfur-35 (35S), a short-lived isotope of sulfur (t( 1/2 ) = 87 days), is useful for studying short-time scale hydrologic processes in basins where biological influences and water/rock interactions are minimal. When sulfate response in a basin is conservative, the age of water may be assumed to be that of the dissolved sulfate in it. Three alpine-subalpine basins on granitic terrain in Colorado were investigated to determine the influence of basin morphology on the residence time of water in the basins. Fern and Spruce Creek basins are glaciated and accumulate deep snowpacks during the winter. These basins have hydrologic and chemical characteristics typical of systems with rapid hydrologic response times. The age of sulfate leaving these basins, determined from the activity of 35S, averages around 200 days. In contrast, Boulder Brook basin has broad, gentle slopes and an extensive cover of surficial debris. Its area above treeline, about one-half of the basin, is blown free of snow during the winter. Variations in flow and solute concentrations in Boulder Brook are quite small compared to Fern and Spruce Creeks. After peak snowmelt, sulfate in Boulder Brook is about 200 days older than sulfate in Fern and Spruce Creeks. This indicates a substantial source of older sulfate (lacking 35S) that is probably provided from water stored in pore spaces of surficial debris in Boulder Brook basin.

Neoproterozoic rift basins and their control on the development of hydrocarbon source rocks in the Tarim Basin, NW China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Guang-You; Ren, Rong; Chen, Fei-Ran; Li, Ting-Ting; Chen, Yong-Quan

2017-12-01

The Proterozoic is demonstrated to be an important period for global petroleum systems. Few exploration breakthroughs, however, have been obtained on the system in the Tarim Basin, NW China. Outcrop, drilling, and seismic data are integrated in this paper to focus on the Neoproterozoic rift basins and related hydrocarbon source rocks in the Tarim Basin. The basin consists of Cryogenian to Ediacaran rifts showing a distribution of N-S differentiation. Compared to the Cryogenian basins, those of the Ediacaran are characterized by deposits in small thickness and wide distribution. Thus, the rifts have a typical dual structure, namely the Cryogenian rifting and Ediacaran depression phases that reveal distinct structural and sedimentary characteristics. The Cryogenian rifting basins are dominated by a series of grabens or half grabens, which have a wedge-shaped rapid filling structure. The basins evolved into Ediacaran depression when the rifting and magmatic activities diminished, and extensive overlapping sedimentation occurred. The distributions of the source rocks are controlled by the Neoproterozoic rifts as follows. The present outcrops lie mostly at the margins of the Cryogenian rifting basins where the rapid deposition dominates and the argillaceous rocks have low total organic carbon (TOC) contents; however, the source rocks with high TOC contents should develop in the center of the basins. The Ediacaran source rocks formed in deep water environment of the stable depressions evolving from the previous rifting basins, and are thus more widespread in the Tarim Basin. The confirmation of the Cryogenian to Ediacaran source rocks would open up a new field for the deep hydrocarbon exploration in the Tarim Basin.

Sediment provenance in contractional orogens: The detrital zircon record from modern rivers in the Andean fold-thrust belt and foreland basin of western Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capaldi, Tomas N.; Horton, Brian K.; McKenzie, N. Ryan; Stockli, Daniel F.; Odlum, Margaret L.

2017-12-01

This study analyzes detrital zircon U-Pb age populations from Andean rivers to assess whether active synorogenic sedimentation accurately records proportional contributions from varied bedrock source units across different drainage areas. Samples of modern river sand were collected from west-central Argentina (28-33°S), where the Andes are characterized by active uplift and deposition in diverse contractional provinces, including (1) hinterland, (2) wedge-top, (3) proximal foreland, and (4) distal broken foreland basin settings. Potential controls on sediment provenance were evaluated by comparing river U-Pb age distributions with predicted age spectra generated by a sediment mixing model weighted by relative catchment exposure (outcrop) areas for different source units. Several statistical measures (similarity, likeness, and cross-correlation) are employed to compare how well the area-weighted model predicts modern river age populations. (1) Hinterland basin provenance is influenced by local relief generated along thrust-bounded ranges and high zircon fertility of exposed crystalline basement. (2) Wedge-top (piggyback) basin provenance is controlled by variable lithologic durability among thrust-belt bedrock sources and recycled basin sediments. (3) Proximal foreland (foredeep) basin provenance of rivers and fluvial megafans accurately reflect regional bedrock distributions, with limited effects of zircon fertility and lithologic durability in large (>20,000 km2) second-order drainage systems. (4) In distal broken segments of the foreland basin, regional provenance signatures from thrust-belt and hinterland areas are diluted by local contributions from foreland basement-cored uplifts.

Tectonic and magmatic controls on hydrothermal activity in the Woodlark Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laurila, T. E.; Petersen, S.; Devey, C. W.; Baker, E. T.; Augustin, N.; Hannington, M. D.

2012-09-01

The Woodlark Basin is one of the rare places on earth where the transition from continental breakup to seafloor spreading can be observed. The potential juxtaposition of continental rocks, a large magmatic heat source, crustal-scale faulting, and hydrothermal circulation has made the Woodlark Basin a prime target for seafloor mineral exploration. However, over the past 20 years, only two locations of active hydrothermalism had been found. In 2009 we surveyed 435 km of the spreading axis for the presence of hydrothermal plumes. Only one additional plume was found, bringing the total number of plumes known over 520 km of ridge axis to only 3, much less than at ridges with similar spreading rates globally. Particularly the western half of the basin (280 km of axis) is apparently devoid of high temperature plumes despite having thick crust and a presumably high magmatic budget. This paucity of hydrothermal activity may be related to the peculiar tectonic setting at Woodlark, where repeated ridge jumps and a re-location of the rotation pole both lead to axial magmatism being more widely distributed than at many other, more mature and stable mid-ocean ridges. These factors could inhibit the development of both a stable magmatic heat source and the deeply penetrating faults needed to create long-lived hydrothermal systems. We conclude that large seafloor massive sulfide deposits, potential targets for seafloor mineral exploration, will probably not be present along the spreading axis of the Woodlark Basin, especially in its younger, western portion.

Track-pattern-based seasonal prediction model for intense tropical cyclone activities over the North Atlantic and the western North Pacific basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, W.; Ho, C. H.

2015-12-01

Intense tropical cyclones (TCs) accompanying heavy rainfall and destructive wind gusts sometimes cause incredible socio-economic damages in the regions near their landfall. This study aims to analyze intense TC activities in the North Atlantic (NA) and the western North Pacific (WNP) basins and develop their track propensity seasonal prediction model. Considering that the number of TCs in the NA basin is much smaller than that in the WNP basin, different intensity criteria are used; category 1 and above for NA and category 3 and above for WNP based on Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. By using a fuzzy clustering method, intense TC tracks in the NA and the WNP basins are classified into two and three representative patterns, respectively. Each pattern shows empirical relationships with climate variabilities such as sea surface temperature distribution associated with El Niño/La Niña or Atlantic Meridional Mode, Pacific decadal oscillation, upper and low level zonal wind, and strength of subtropical high. The hybrid statistical-dynamical method has been used to develop the seasonal prediction model for each pattern based on statistical relationships between the intense TC activity and seasonal averaged key predictors. The model performance is statistically assessed by cross validation for the training period (1982-2013) and has been applied for the 2014 and 2015 prediction. This study suggests applicability of this model to real prediction work and provide bridgehead of attempt for intense TC prediction.

Contrasting Permo - Carboniferous Evolution of Resita and Sirinia - Presacina Basins (South Carpathians, Romania); an overview.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tatu, M.; Seghedi, I.; Nutu, L. M.; Nicolae, I.

2009-04-01

Two important Permo-Carboniferous molasses basins Resita and Sirinia - Presacina occur in Romanian Banat (south-western part of Carpathian chain), unconformable overlie the Getic and Danubian domains with different pre-Variscan and Variscan geodynamic history. They show differences in their lithology reflecting various geotectonic settings and evolutions. In the Resita domain the Upper Carboniferous deposits (Westphalian - Stephanian in age, according to the previous paleobotanic and palynological data) are important in volume and they contain terrigeneous siliciclastic rocks represented by sandy - conglomerate and argillaceous - sandy rocks variable in thickness with siltstone, carbonaceous shale and coal beds interlayering. There are not volcanic rocks present in Upper Carboniferous of Resita domain. In contrast with Resita in the Sirinia - Presacina basins the Upper Carboniferous deposits are volumetrically more restrictive. These deposits transgresively overlie pre-Sudetian formations and consist of continental - lacustrine terrigeneous formations, rarely associated with limnic carbonatic rocks. In this association the alternating conglomerate, siliceous sandstone, siltstone and clay with lens - like coal inter-layers prevails. In two small areas Dragosela - Tulinecea - Camenita (in the western part) and Baia Noua - Cucuiova (in the eastern part) the terrigeneous deposits are associated with basaltic andesite and andesite rocks with alkaline affinity. In both of these basins the Lower Permian deposits (according to the paleobotanic data) unconformably overlie the Upper Carboniferous formations and/or pre-Sudetian basements. The Lower Permian deposits in the Resita basin occur in two superposed formations (Nastaseanu, 1987): (1) Walchia Beds dominated by black argillaceous shales, slightly bituminous with rare sandy-conglomerate interlayers and (2) Red Beds composed by sandy-conglomerate deposits with some argillaceous intercalations, all red in color, with rarely lens-like fresh water limestone. During the Permian in the Resita basin the volcanic activity was absent. In the Sirinia - Presacina basin the Lower Permian deposits are characterized by huge volcanic and volcano - sedimentary assemblages inter-fingering with red beds detritic formations. The Permian volcanism in the Sirinia - Presacina basin is dominant rhyolitic and started in subaqueous conditions. Early subaqueous domes (as isolated or as clusters) and lava flows led to the generation at their margins of huge volume of hyaloclastic breccias that turn unstable forming marginally turbiditic hyaloclastite aprons. In the Sirinia zone, where the magmas get to the shallower waters and/or to subaerial, the volcanic activity turned progressively to be explosive, generating phreatomagmatic eruptions. The result of this activity is up to several hundred meters of various deposits represented by pyroclastic flow (dominantly non-welded and welded ignimbrites), pyroclastic surge and fall out, all rich in accretionary lapilli. At the distal, marginal part of the volcanic environs the epiclastic, mostly lahar deposits are dominating, sometimes including layers of fallout deposits with accretionary lapilli that suggest their contemporaneous deposition. In the eastern part of Sirinia - Presacina basin (Cucuiova Hill) the presence of basalts as sills in the Permian sandstone deposits may be a sign of bimodal magmatic activity. As in the some of the Central Europe Permian basins the volcanic activity from Sirinia - Presacina basin is related to intra-basinal active faults and in particular with the intersection of fault systems having a pull-apart features (e.g. Stollhofen et al., 1999). The most important factor which was controlled the Permo - Carboniferous complex evolution of the Western and Central Europe was tectonic. The continue convergence between Laurasia and Gondwana during the Upper Carboniferous - Lower Permian (Ziegler, 1990) was generated a conjugate dextral - sinistral shear fault system adjacent to the Tornquist - Teisseyre Line, which induced the fragmentation of Variscan fold belt. With this process was associated the formation of many transtensional pull-apart continental - lacustrian sedimentary basins and intra-continental rifts in which or in adjacent areas the intrusive - extrusive magmatism was widespread and where the deep crustal fractures were active. From climatic point of view the main consequence of continue convergence between Laurasia and Gondwana is the transition from relatively wet regime during Stephanian to arid during the Permian induced by the elevation of the equatorial highlands Variscan fold belt was acted as a precipitation barrier for the whole territory located to the north. Tacking into account of all these aspects, the Resita domain presents the similarities in the lithological composition with Autun Basin and the Sirinia - Presacina zone displays many common features with Saar - Nahe and Thuringian Forest Basins and North German/Polish Depression. This work started during PALEOCLIM project (grant ANCS - PN2, 31-063/2007), which is gratefully acknowledged. References Nastaseanu S. 1987. In: Flügel E., Sassi F. & Grecula P. (eds): Pre-Variscan and Variscan events in the Alpine-Mediterranean mountain belts. - Mineralia Slovaca. Alfa Bratislava, 371-378. Stollhofen H., Frommherz B., Stanistreet I. G. 1999. J. Geol. Soc. London 156, 801-808. Ziegler P. A. 1990. Shell Int. Petrol. Mij. Dist. Geol. Soc. Publ. House, Bath, 1-239.

The Bowser and Sustut Basins, Northern British Columbia, Canada: Insights From Analysis of Magnetic Anomaly Data.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, J.; Lowe, C.

2005-12-01

The Bowser and Sustut basins occupy an area of more than 60,000 km2 in northern British Columbia, Canada. They comprise three, dominantly sedimentary, stratigraphic successions, in part overlapping in age: the Bowser Lake Group, the Skeena Group, and the Sustut Group. These three successions overlie arc volcanic and volcaniclastic strata of Stikinia, an allochtonous island arc terrane that accreted to the western margin of North America in the Early Jurassic to early Middle Jurassic. All three basin successions and underlying Stikinia were deformed during development of a thin-skinned fold and thrust belt (the Skeena Fold and Thrust Belt) in Cretaceous and possibly into earliest Tertiary time. Recently, the basins have been the focus of intense geological studies which have resulted in major revisions to the stratigraphic and structural framework of the basins and demonstrated that they have significantly higher petroleum potential than had been previously recognized. To advance these new findings further requires better imaging of the three-dimensional geometry and architecture of the basins. In this study we harness existing magnetic anomaly data to provide the first quantitative estimates of sedimentary thickness across the entire extents of both basins. Our results, which are in general in accord with geological interpretations, indicate that basin-fill is relatively thin and fairly uniform in the Sustut Basin (2.5-3 km), but highly variable in the Bowser Basin, ranging from less than 2 km to more than 6 km. Overall, sedimentary fill is thicker in the northern half of Bowser Basin compared to the south and is typically less than 2 km near the basins northern, western and southern margins. In addition, we demonstrate how a large, buried intrusion beneath the northeast part of Bowser Basin can account for an observed magnetic anomaly and explain the high coalification gradients and localized high maturation levels of the overlying sedimentary rocks. Neither of the latter can be adequately explained by the estimated burial depths. We delineate at least one regionally extensive fault that is more than 150 km long and that cuts basement of Bowser Basin. The fault may have facilitated migration of hydrocarbons sourced in the basement into Bowser Basin. We show how magnetic data can be used to refine isotopically-determined ages of the late Tertiary Maitland Volcanics that overlap the sedimentary fill and to demonstrate that the volcanism must have been episodic and not the result of a single eruptive event. Collectively, these findings provide new insights into the crustal architecture of northern British Columbia and important constraints for geodynamic models of the basins evolution and their resource potential.

Deactivation of the P, C, and R Reactor Disassembly Basins at the SRS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pickett, J.B.

The Facilities Disposition Division (FDD) at the Savannah River Site is engaged in planning the deactivation/closure of three of the site's five reactor disassembly basins. Activities are currently underway at 105-R Disassembly Basin and will continue with the 105-P and 105-C disassembly basins. The basins still contain the cooling and shielding water that was present when operations ceased. Low concentrations of radionuclides are present, with tritium, Cs-137, and Sr-90 being the major contributors. Although there is no evidence that any of the basins have leaked, the 50-year-old facilities will eventually contaminate the surrounding groundwaters. The FDD is pursuing a pro-activemore » solution to close the basins in-place and prevent a release to the groundwater. In-situ ion-exchange is currently underway at the R-Reactor Disassembly Basin to reduce the Cs and Sr concentrations to levels that would allow release of the treated water to previously used on-site cooling ponds. A NEPA Environm ental Assessment (EA) is being prepared to propose the preferred closure alternative for each of the three basins. The EA will be the primary mechanism to inform the public and gain stakeholder and regulatory approval.« less

Evaluation of nutrient retention in vegetated filter strips using the SWAT model.

PubMed

Elçi, Alper

2017-11-01

Nutrient fluxes in stream basins need to be controlled to achieve good water quality status. In stream basins with intensive agricultural activities, nutrients predominantly come from diffuse sources. Therefore, best management practices (BMPs) are increasingly implemented to reduce nutrient input to streams. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of vegetated filter strip (VFS) application as an agricultural BMP. For this purpose, SWAT is chosen, a semi-distributed water quality assessment model that works at the watershed scale, and applied on the Nif stream basin, a small-sized basin in Western Turkey. The model is calibrated with an automated procedure against measured monthly discharge data. Nutrient loads for each sub-basin are estimated considering basin-wide data on chemical fertilizer and manure usage, population data for septic tank effluents and information about the land cover. Nutrient loads for 19 sub-basins are predicted on an annual basis. Average total nitrogen and total phosphorus loads are estimated as 47.85 t/yr and 13.36 t/yr for the entire basin. Results show that VFS application in one sub-basin offers limited retention of nutrients and that a selection of 20-m filter width is most effective from a cost-benefit perspective.

The role of long-term strain history on the generation and amplification of inherited heterogeneities in continental lithosphere extensional settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morena Salerno, V.; Capitanio, Fabio A.

2017-04-01

The Earth's lithosphere is characters by various types of heterogeneities, at different scales and located at variable depth. They can be represented at crustal level by remnants of earlier tectonics evolution, such as previous orogenetic structures, remains of passive margins and magmatic bodies intrusion, or at deeper level by mantle anisotropies. These heterogeneities can severely affect the stress and strain localization in subsequent continental lithospheric extension and rift basins evolution, hence contributing to the formation of diverse and complex rift basin types and architectures. In order to explain the difference in rift basin and passive margin types, their subsidence patterns and melt production, previous studies have exanimated the role of initial heterogeneities, rheological layering, geothermal gradients, and extension rates during a single rifting event. However, this approach does not consider the previous strain history of many basins that are characterized by multiple rifting events. In this study we use numerical models of a pristine lithosphere undergoing two rifting events separated by cooling, to show the effect of early events on later evolution. The strain histories are controlled by the variation of velocity of boundary displacement during two rifting events. We use both fast and slow first rifting events, followed by a cooling period, producing diverse mechanical heterogeneities at Moho level that represent inherited initial conditions for the second rifting event. These inherited heterogeneities range from several small perturbations distributed along the numerical domain at the end of the slowest first rifting event, to a single large perturbation at the end of first fastest rifting event. In the second rifting event, the inherited heterogeneities are amplified at different degree and time, depending on the velocity of boundary displacement used. To highlight the role of previous strain history, we parametrize the inherited heterogeneities by calculating localization indexes for all the models at the onset of the second rifting event. This calculation embeds the inherited rheology from the previous rift event. We show that the lithosphere progressively localises along the inherited heterogeneities leading to the formation of various rift basin types, ranging from narrow to wide to hyperextended and with variation degrees of symmetry. Our result show that rift basin types and structural styles are strongly affected by inherited heterogeneities generated from previous rifting events, showing cases in which the previous strain history cannot be neglected. The subsidence patterns and melt production result to be very sensitive to the strain history, the type of inherited heterogeneities and their interplay with variation of boundary displacement velocity. Our numerical simulations replicate the first-order features of rift basins and provide a general framework to assess the inherited heterogeneities' role in the interpretation of extensional basins and their evolution.

Seasonal cycle of precipitation over major river basins in South and Southeast Asia: A review of the CMIP5 climate models data for present climate and future climate projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucarini, Valerio

2017-04-01

We review the skill of thirty coupled climate models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) in terms of reproducing properties of the seasonal cycle of precipitation over the major river basins of South and Southeast Asia (Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra and Mekong) for the historical period (1961-2000). We also present how these models represent the impact of climate change by the end of century (2061-2100) under the extreme scenario RCP8.5. First, we assess the models' ability to reproduce the observed timings of the monsoon onset and the rate of rapid fractional accumulation (RFA) slope — a measure of seasonality within the active monsoon period. Secondly, we apply a threshold-independent seasonality index (SI) — a multiplicative measure of precipitation (P) and extent of its concentration relative to uniform distribution (relative entropy — RE). We apply SI distinctly over the monsoonal precipitation regime (MPR), westerly precipitation regime (WPR) and annual precipitation. For the present climate, neither any single model nor the multi-model mean performs best in all chosen metrics. Models show overall a modest skill in suggesting right timings of the monsoon onset while the RFA slope is generally underestimated. One third of the models fail to capture the monsoon signal over the Indus basin. Mostly, the estimates for SI during WPR are higher than observed for all basins. When looking at MPR, the models typically simulate an SI higher (lower) than observed for the Ganges and Brahmaputra (Indus and Mekong) basins, following the pattern of overestimation (underestimation) of precipitation. Most of the models are biased negative (positive) for RE estimates over the Brahmaputra and Mekong (Indus and Ganges) basins, implying the extent of precipitation concentration for MPR and number of dry days within WPR lower (higher) than observed for these basins. Such skill of the CMIP5 models in representing the present-day monsoonal hydroclimatology poses some caveats on their ability to represent correctly the climate change signal. Nevertheless, considering the majority-model agreement as a measure of robustness for the qualitative scale projected future changes, we find a slightly delayed onset, and a general increase in the RFA slope and in the extent of precipitation concentration (RE) for MPR. Overall, a modest inter-model agreement suggests an increase in the seasonality of MPR and a less intermittent WPR for all basins and for most of the study domain. The SI-based indicator of change in the monsoonal domain suggests its extension westward over northwest India and Pakistan and northward over China. These findings have serious implications for the food and water security of the region in the future. Reference Ul Hasson, S., Pascale, S., Lucarini, V., & Böhner, J. (2016). Seasonal cycle of precipitation over major river basins in South and Southeast Asia: A review of the CMIP5 climate models data for present climate and future climate projections. Atmospheric Research, 180, 42-63. doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2016.05.008

Sedimentary response to halfgraben dipslope faults evolution -Billefjorden Trough, Svalbard.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smyrak-Sikora, Aleksandra; Kristensen, Jakob B.; Braathen, Alvar; Johannessen, Erik P.; Olaussen, Snorre; Sandal, Geir; Stemmerik, Lars

2017-04-01

Fault growth and linkage into larger segments has profound effect on the sedimentary architecture of rift basins. The uplifted Billefjorden Through located in central Spitsbergen is an excellent example of half-graben basin development. Detailed sedimentological and structural investigations supported by helicopter and ground base lidar scans along with photogrammetry analysis have been used to improve our understanding of the sedimentary response to faulting and along strike variations in footwall uplift and hanging wall subsidence. The early syn-rift basin fill, the Serpukhovian to Bashkirian Hultberget Formation and the Bashkirian Ebbaelven Member consists of fluvial to deltaic sandstones with minor marine incursions. During this early stage tens to hundred- meters-scale syn-tectonic faults disrupted the dipslope, and created local hanging wall depocentres where sediments were arrested. Changes in fluvial drainage pattern, development of small lacustrine basins along the faults, and the sharp based boundaries of some facies associations are interpreted as response to activity along these, mostly antithetic faults. The basin fill of the late syn-rift stage is composed of shallow marine to tidal mixed evaporite -carbonate facies in the hanging wall i.e. the Bashkirian Trikolorfjellet Member and the Moscovian Minkenfjellet Formation. These sediments interfinger with thick alluvial fan deposits outpouring from relay ramps on the master fault i.e. drainage from the footwall. The carbonate-evaporite cycles deposited on the hanging wall responded to both the eustatic sea level variations and tectonic movements in the rift basin. Intra-basinal footwall uplift of the dipslope controlled development of an internal unconformity and resulted in dissolution of the gypsum to produce stratiform breccia. In contrast thick gypsum-rich subbasins are preserved locally in hanging wall positions where they were protected from the erosion. The syn rift basin fill is capped by post rift carbonate ramp deposit of the Kasimovian to Asselian Wordiekammen Formation. This unit marks the final fill (and drowning) of the rift basin and covers both the hanging wall and footwall. In this presentation our focus will be on details of the sedimentary architecture related to internal and local dipslope activity within the rift basin, particularly thickness and facies variations, and transport directions.

Quaternary deformation in the central Neuquén basin (35°-37°S), Argentina: evidences for active strain partitioning.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niviere, B.; Backé, G.

2006-12-01

The tectonic evolution of the Central Andes is a consequence of the relative convergence between the Nazca and the South American plates. The Neuquén basin is located in the southernmost part of the Central Andes, between latitudes 32°S and 40°S. The present day geometry of the basin has been inherited from different compressive pulses, separated by times of relative tectonic quiescence since the late Cretaceous. The complex tectonic evolution of the area has often been explained by changes in the geometry of the subducted plate. The last broad scale tectonic event in the Neuquén basin is the Miocene compressive stage referred to as the Quechua phase. The tectonic evolution of the outer part of the Neuquén Basin from the late Miocene onwards is still a matter of debate. For instance, strain partitioning has been described in the inner part of the basin, which corresponds to the modern arc area close to the Chile Argentina border. The strain regime in the foreland between 35°S and 37°S is more uncertain. Extensional tectonic features have been described in different areas of the basin, leading to the formulation of a possible orogenic collapse in response to the steepening of the oceanic slab that followed a late Miocene shallow subduction. This model accounts for the occurrence of large Pleistocene to Quaternary back-arc volcanism in the Neuquén basin. However, field structural data and borehole breakout analysis strongly support on-going compression in the basin. Our study is based on the morphostructural analysis of remote sensing data (satellite and digital elevation model images) complemented by field work. Here we show that strike-slip faulting and localized extension in the outer zone of the basin is coeval with active thrusting and folding. This can be explained by strain partitioning or segmentation processes due to the oblique convergence between the Nazca and the South American plates.

Late-stage development of the Bryant Canyon turbidite pathway on the Louisiana continental slope

USGS Publications Warehouse

Twichell, David C.; Nelson, Hans; Damuth, John E.

2000-01-01

GLORIA sidescan imagery, multibeam bathymetry, seismic profiles, and piston cores (3–5 m penetration) reveal the near-surface geology of the Bryant Canyon turbidite pathway on the continental margin of Louisiana. This pathway extends from the continental shelf edge, across the continental slope, to a deep-sea fan on the continental rise. The pathway is narrow (<2 km) where it crosses shallow salt deposits. Turbidites have been sampled from these narrow segments, and radiocarbon dates indicate that some of them accumulated as recently as 10,150 yr B.P. The pathway broadens however, where it crosses mini-basins whose floors are covered largely by muddy mass-transport deposits and coarse silt turbidites. Mass-transport deposits in the upper 4.7 m of cores from the floors of mini-basins accumulated 18,140-3,400 yr. BP. Seismic profiles show that the mass-transport deposits in some of the mini-basins are as much as 225 milliseconds thick and that turbidites in the basin floor are buried by these deposits. Salt movement has had a major impact on this pathway, and its thalweg no longer has a continuous down-slope gradient. Some mini-basin floors along the pathway are now more than 500 m deeper than their basin’s spill point. We propose a 6-stage conceptual model to explain our observations for the evolution of a mini-basin along this turbidite pathway. In this model, an active channel feeds sand to a mini-basin (Stabe B). Once the mini-basin is filled, the sand deposit is entrenched by a bypass channel (Stage C). When the turbidite system shuts off, salt migration oversteepens the mini-basin walls (Stage D) which collapse and create a layer of mass-transport deposits on the mini-basin floor (Stage E). The depositional succession is capped by a layer of highstand hemipelagic drape (Stage F). The Bryant Canyon turbidite pathway provides a recent example of a large turbidite pathway in the Gulf of Mexico that crosses an area of active salt tectonics thus providing a conceptual model for older systems in similar settings. In Bryant Canyon, thick turbidite sands presumably are found in mini-basins however, they are sealed by thick, fine-grained, mass-transport deposits which terminate mini-basin turbidite deposition cycles. The importance of mass-transport deposits in basins along this turbidite pathway is in startling contrast to the Trinity-Brazos pathway whose shallow subsurface expression is virtually free of mass-transport deposits and has undergone minimal deformation by salt movement.

Nitrate Contamination in the groundwater of the Lake Acıgöl Basin, SW Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karaman, Muhittin; Budakoǧlu, Murat; Taşdelen, Suat

2017-04-01

The lacustrine Acıgöl basin, formed as an extensional half-graben, hosts various bodies of water, such as cold-hot springs, lakes, streams, and wells. The hydrologically closed basin contains a hypersaline lake (Lake Acıgöl) located in the southern part of the basin. The brackish springs and deep waters discharged along the Acıgöl fault zone in the southern part of the basin feed the hypersaline lake. Groundwater is used as drinking, irrigation, and domestic water in the closed Acıgöl Basin. Groundwater flows into the hypersaline lake from the highland. The Acıgöl basin hosts large plains (Hambat, Başmakçı, and Evciler). Waters in agricultural areas contain high amounts of nitrate; groundwater samples in agricultural areas contain nitrate levels higher than 10 mg/L. Nitrate concentrations in the groundwater samples varied from 0 to 487 mg/L (n=165); 25.4 % of the groundwater samples from the basin had nitrate concentrations above 10 mg/L (the WHO drinking guideline) and 52.2% of the groundwater samples from the basin had nitrate concentrations above 3.0 mg/L, and these high values were regarded as the result of human activity. The highest nitrate values were measured in the Hambat plain (480 and 100 mg/L) and Yirce Pinari spring (447 mg/L), which discharges along the Acıgöl fault zone in the southern part of the basin. The average multi-temporal nitrate concentration of the Yirce Pınarı spring was 3.3 mg/L. Extreme nitrate values were measured in the Yirce Pınarı spring during periods when sheep wool was washed (human activity). The lowest nitrate concentrations were observed in some springs that discharged along the Acıgöl fault zone in the southern part of the basin. Nitrate was not detected in deep groundwater discharged along the Acıgöl fault zone. Nitrate concentrations in deep groundwater and some springs discharged along the Acıgöl fault zone and those feeding the hypersaline lake were significantly affected by redox conditions. Nitrate in these reducing waters was transformed into ammonium. Nitrate concentrations in the Acıgöl Basin were enriched in groundwater beneath agricultural areas and this affected redox conditions. The main source of nitrate contamination was agricultural fertilizers. Elevated nitrate concentrations in groundwater, especially in agricultural areas of the Acigol Basin, can cause public health problems and environmental pollution.

Geographic, geologic, and hydrologic summaries of intermontane basins of the northern Rocky Mountains, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kendy, Eloise; Tresch, R.E.

1996-01-01

This report combines a literature review with new information to provide summaries of the geography, geology, and hydrology of each of 32 intermontane basins in western Montana. The summary of each intermontane basin includes concise descriptions of topography, areal extent, altitude, climate, 1990 population, land and water use, geology, surface water, aquifer hydraulic characteristics, ground-water flow, and ground-water quality. If present, geothermal features are described. Average annual and monthly temperature and precipitation are reported from one National Weather Service station in each basin. Streamflow data, including the drainage area, period of record, and average, minimum, and maximum historical streamflow, are reported for all active and discontinued USGS streamflow-gaging stations in each basin. Monitoring-well data, including the well depth, aquifer, period of record, and minimum and maximum historical water levels, are reported for all long-term USGS monitoring wells in each basin. Brief descriptions of geologic, geophysical, and potentiometric- surface maps available for each basin also are included. The summary for each basin also includes a bibliography of hydrogeologic literature. When used alone or in conjunction with regional RASA reports, this report provides a practical starting point for site-specific hydrogeologic investigations.

Mountain front migration and drainage captures related to fault segment linkage and growth: The Polopos transpressive fault zone (southeastern Betics, SE Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giaconia, Flavio; Booth-Rea, Guillermo; Martínez-Martínez, José Miguel; Azañón, José Miguel; Pérez-Romero, Joaquín; Villegas, Irene

2013-01-01

The Polopos E-W- to ESE-WNW-oriented dextral-reverse fault zone is formed by the North Alhamilla reverse fault and the North and South Gafarillos dextral faults. It is a conjugate fault system of the sinistral NNE-SSW Palomares fault zone, active from the late most Tortonian (≈7 Ma) up to the late Pleistocene (≥70 ky) in the southeastern Betics. The helicoidal geometry of the fault zone permits to shift SE-directed movement along the South Cabrera reverse fault to NW-directed shortening along the North Alhamilla reverse fault via vertical Gafarillos fault segments, in between. Since the Messinian, fault activity migrated southwards forming the South Gafarillos fault and displacing the active fault-related mountain-front from the north to the south of Sierra de Polopos; whilst recent activity of the North Alhamilla reverse fault migrated westwards. The Polopos fault zone determined the differential uplift between the Sierra Alhamilla and the Tabernas-Sorbas basin promoting the middle Pleistocene capture that occurred in the southern margin of the Sorbas basin. Continued tectonic uplift of the Sierra Alhamilla-Polopos and Cabrera anticlinoria and local subsidence associated to the Palomares fault zone in the Vera basin promoted the headward erosion of the Aguas river drainage that captured the Sorbas basin during the late Pleistocene.

Effectiveness of catch basins equipped with hoods in retaining gross solids and hydrocarbons in highway runoff, Southeast Expressway, Boston, Massachusetts, 2008-09

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Kirk P.

2011-01-01

Stormwater mobilizes litter and other debris along the roadway where it is transported to the highway drainage systems. Initial treatment for stormwater runoff typically is provided by catch basins in highway settings. Modification of catch basins to include hoods that cover the catch-basin outlet is intended to enhance catch-basin performance by retaining floatable debris and various hydrophobic organic compounds that tend to float on the water surface within the sump of the catch basin. The effectiveness of six deep-sump off-line catch basins equipped with hoods in reducing the mass of gross solids greater than 0.25 inches in diameter and concentrations of oil and grease (OG) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) was examined along the Southeast Expressway, in Boston, Massachusetts. Two deep-sump catch basins were equipped with cast-iron hoods. Three were equipped with molded plastic hoods, known as an Eliminator, and a single catch basin was equipped with a fiberglass anti-siphoning hood, known as a Snout. Samples of gross solids greater than 0.25 inches in diameter, excluding gravel and metallic materials, were routinely collected for a 6-month period from a collection structure mounted at the end of each catch-basin outlet pipe. After about 6 months, all floatable, saturated low-density and high-density solids were removed from each catch basin. In addition to the collection of samples of gross solids, samples of sump water from five catch basins and flow-weighted composite samples of stormwater from the outlet of one catch basin were collected and analyzed for concentrations of OG and TPH. A mass balance approach was used to assess the effectiveness of each catch basin equipped with a hood in retaining gross solids. The effectiveness of the deep-sump catch basins fitted with one of three types of hoods in retaining gross solids ranged from 27 to 52 percent. From 45 to 90 percent of the gross solids collected from the catch-basin sumps were composed of materials made of high-density plastics that did not float in water, and as a result, the effect that the catch-basin hoods had on these materials likely was marginal. The effectiveness for the deep-sump hooded catch basins, excluding the mass of high-density materials identified in the solids collected from the outlet pipe and the sump of the catch basins, ranged from 13 to 38 percent. The effectiveness for each catch basin, based solely on the material that remained floating at the end of the monitoring period, was less than 11 percent; however, these values likely underestimate the effectiveness of the hooded catch basins because much of the low-density material collected from the sumps may have been retained as floatable material before it was saturated and settled during non-storm conditions. The effectiveness of the catch basins equipped with hoods in reducing gross solids was not greatly different among the three types of hoods tested in this study. Concentrations of OG and TPH collected from the water surface of the catch-basins varied from catch basin to catch basin and were similar to concentrations of flow-weighted composite samples collected during storms. Comparisons indicate concentrations of OG and TPH in flow-weighted composite samples collected at the outlet of a catch basin equipped with an Eliminator hood were not substantially different from concentrations of the respective constituents in flow-weighted composite samples collected during a previous study from catch basins containing cast-iron hoods in the same study area. The similarity between these flow-weighted concentrations and the concentrations of the respective constituents in a vertical profile sample collected from the catch-basin sump indicates that OG and TPH are emulsified in the sump of each catch basin during storms and circumvent the hoods.

Analysis of Infrequent (Quasi-Decadal) Large Groundwater Recharge Events: A Case Study for Northern Utah, United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masbruch, M.; Rumsey, C.; Gangopadhyay, S.; Susong, D.; Pruitt, T.

2015-12-01

There has been a considerable amount of research linking climatic variability to hydrologic responses in arid and semi-arid regions such as the western United States. Although much effort has been spent to assess and predict changes in surface-water resources, little has been done to understand how climatic events and changes affect groundwater resources. This study focuses on quantifying the effects of large quasi-decadal groundwater recharge events on groundwater in the northern Utah portion of the Great Basin for the period 1960 to 2013. Groundwater-level monitoring data were analyzed with climatic data to characterize climatic conditions and frequency of these large recharge events. Using observed water-level changes and multivariate analysis, five large groundwater recharge events were identified within the study area and period, with a frequency of about 11 to 13 years. These events were generally characterized as having above-average annual precipitation and snow water equivalent and below-average seasonal temperatures, especially during the spring (April through June). Existing groundwater flow models for several basins within the study area were used to quantify changes in groundwater storage from these events. Simulated groundwater storage increases per basin from a single event ranged from about 115 Mm3 (93,000 acre-feet) to 205 Mm3 (166,000 acre-ft). Extrapolating these amounts over the entire northern Great Basin indicates that even a single large quasi-decadal recharge event could result in billions of cubic meters (millions of acre-feet) of groundwater recharge. Understanding the role of these large quasi-decadal recharge events in replenishing aquifers and sustaining water supplies is crucial for making informed water management decisions.

Application of digital mapping technology to the display of hydrologic information; a proof-of-concept test in the Fox-Wolf River Basin, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, G.K.; Baten, L.G.; Allord, G.J.; Robinove, C.J.

1983-01-01

The Fox-Wolf River basin in east-central Wisconsin was selected to test concepts for a water-resources information system using digital mapping technology. This basin of 16,800 sq km is typical of many areas in the country. Fifty digital data sets were included in the Fox-Wolf information system. Many data sets were digitized from 1:500,000 scale maps and overlays. Some thematic data were acquired from WATSTORE and other digital data files. All data were geometrically transformed into a Lambert Conformal Conic map projection and converted to a raster format with a 1-km resolution. The result of this preliminary processing was a group of spatially registered, digital data sets in map form. Parameter evaluation, areal stratification, data merging, and data integration were used to achieve the processing objectives and to obtain analysis results for the Fox-Wolf basin. Parameter evaluation includes the visual interpretation of single data sets and digital processing to obtain new derived data sets. In the areal stratification stage, masks were used to extract from one data set all features that are within a selected area on another data set. Most processing results were obtained by data merging. Merging is the combination of two or more data sets into a composite product, in which the contribution of each original data set is apparent and can be extracted from the composite. One processing result was also obtained by data integration. Integration is the combination of two or more data sets into a single new product, from which the original data cannot be separated or calculated. (USGS)

Understanding multiple stressors in a Mediterranean basin: Combined effects of land use, water scarcity and nutrient enrichment.

PubMed

Segurado, Pedro; Almeida, Carina; Neves, Ramiro; Ferreira, Maria Teresa; Branco, Paulo

2018-05-15

River basins are extremely complex hierarchical and directional systems that are affected by a multitude of interacting stressors. This complexity hampers effective management and conservation planning to be effectively implemented, especially under climate change. The objective of this work is to provide a wide scale approach to basin management by interpreting the effect of isolated and interacting factors in several biotic elements (fish, macroinvertebrates, phytobenthos and macrophytes). For that, a case study in the Sorraia basin (Central Portugal), a Mediterranean system mainly facing water scarcity and diffuse pollution problems, was chosen. To develop the proposed framework, a combination of process-based modelling to simulate hydrological and nutrient enrichment stressors and empirical modelling to relate these stressors - along with land use and natural background - with biotic indicators, was applied. Biotic indicators based on ecological quality ratios from WFD biomonitoring data were used as response variables. Temperature, river slope, % of agriculture in the upstream catchment and total N were the variables more frequently ranked as the most relevant. Both the two significant interactions found between single hydrological and nutrient enrichment stressors indicated antagonistic effects. This study demonstrates the potentialities of coupling process-based modelling with empirical modelling within a single framework, allowing relationships among different ecosystem states to be hierarchized, interpreted and predicted at multiple spatial and temporal scales. It also demonstrates how isolated and interacting stressors can have a different impact on biotic quality. When performing conservation or management plans, the stressor hierarchy should be considered as a way of prioritizing actions in a cost-effective perspective. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Historical and current forest and range landscapes in the interior Columbia River basin and portions of the Klamath and Great Basins. Part 1: Linking vegetation patterns and landscape vulnerability to potential insect and pathogen disturbances.

Treesearch

Paul F. Hessburg; Bradley G. Smith; Scott D. Kreiter; Craig A. Miller; R. Brion Salter; Cecilia H. McNicoll; Wendel J. Hann

1999-01-01

Management activities of the 20th century, especially fire exclusion, timber harvest, and domestic livestock grazing, have significantly modified vegetation spatial patterns of forests and ranges in the interior Columbia basin. Compositional patterns as well as patterns of living and dead structure have changed. Dramatic change in vital ecosystem processes such as fire...

Neogene deformation of thrust-top Rzeszów Basin (Outer Carpathians, Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uroda, Joanna

2015-04-01

The Rzeszów Basin is a 220 km2 basin located in the frontal part of Polish Outer Carpathians fold-and-thrust belt. Its sedimentary succession consist of ca. 600 m- thick Miocene evaporates, litoral and marine sediments. This basin developed between Babica-Kąkolówka anticline and frontal thrust of Carpathian Orogen. Rzeszów thrust-top basin is a part of Carpathian foreland basin system- wedge-top depozone. The sediments of wedge -top depozone were syntectonic deformed, what is valuable tool to understand kinematic history of the orogen. Analysis of field and 3D seismic reflection data showed the internal structure of the basin. Seismic data reveal the presence of fault-bend-folds in the basement of Rzeszów basin. The architecture of the basin - the presence of fault-releated folds - suggest that the sediments were deformed in last compressing phase of Carpathian Orogen deformation. Evolution of Rzeszów Basin is compared with Bonini et.al. (1999) model of thrust-top basin whose development is controlled by the kinematics of two competing thrust anticlines. Analysis of seismic and well data in Rzeszów basin suggest that growth sediments are thicker in south part of the basin. During the thrusting the passive rotation of the internal thrust had taken place, what influence the basin fill architecture and depocentre migration opposite to thrust propagation. Acknowledgments This study was supported by grant No 2012/07/N/ST10/03221 of the Polish National Centre of Science "Tectonic activity of the Skole Nappe based on analysis of changes in the vertical profile and depocentre migration of Neogene sediments in Rzeszów-Strzyżów area (Outer Carpathians)". Seismic data by courtesy of the Polish Gas and Oil Company. References Bonini M., Moratti G., Sani F., 1999, Evolution and depocentre migration in thrust-top basins: inferences from the Messinian Velona Basin (Northern Apennines, Italy), Tectonophysics 304, 95-108.

The Quagga mussel invades the Lake Superior basin - journal article

EPA Science Inventory

Prior studies recognized the presence of a single dreissenid species in Lake Superior--the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha. However, taxonomic keys based on traditional shell morphology are not always able to differentiate dreissenid species with confidence. We thus employed ge...

Geophysical characterization of transtensional fault systems in the Eastern California Shear Zone-Walker Lane Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGuire, M.; Keranen, K. M.; Stockli, D. F.; Feldman, J. D.; Keller, G. R.

2011-12-01

The Eastern California Shear Zone (ECSZ) and Walker Lane belt (WL) accommodate ~25% of plate motion between the North American and Pacific plates. Faults within the Mina deflection link the ECSZ and the WL, transferring strain from the Owens Valley and Death Valley-Fish Lake Valley fault systems to the transcurrent faults of the central Walker Lane. During the mid to late Miocene the majority of strain between these systems was transferred through the Silver Peak-Lone Mountain (SPLM) extensional complex via a shallowly dipping detachment. Strain transfer has since primarily migrated north to the Mina Deflection; however, high-angle faults bounding sedimentary basins and discrepancies between geodetic and geologic models indicate that the SPLM complex may still actively transfer a portion of the strain from the ECSZ to the WL on a younger set of faults. Establishing the pattern and amount of active strain transfer within the SPLM region is required for a full accounting of strain accommodation, and provides insight into strain partitioning at the basin scale within a broader transtensional zone. To map the active structures in and near Clayton Valley, within the SPLM region, we collected seismic reflection and refraction profiles and a dense grid of gravity readings that were merged with existing gravity data. The primary goals were to determine the geometry of the high-angle fault system, the amount and sense of offset along each fault set, connectivity of the faults, and the relationship of these faults to the Miocene detachment. Seismic reflection profiles imaged the high-angle basin-bounding normal faults and the detachment in both the footwall and hanging wall. The extensional basin is ~1 km deep, with a steep southeastern boundary, a gentle slope to the northwest, and a sharp boundary on the northwest side, suggestive of another fault system. Two subparallel dip-slip faults bound the southeast (deeper) basin margin with a large lateral velocity change (from ~2.0 km/sec in the basin fill to 4.5-5.5 km/sec in the footwall) across the basin-bounding normal fault system. Very fast (approaching 6.0 km/sec) basement underlies the basin fill. The residual gravity anomaly indicates that Clayton Valley is divided into a shallower northern basin, imaged by the seismic lines, and a deeper, more asymmetric southern basin. Faults within Clayton Valley are curvilinear in nature, similar to faults observed in other step-over systems (e.g., the Mina Deflection). Gravity profiles support the seismic reflection interpretation and indicate a high angle fault (>60 degrees) bounding the northern sub-basin on its southeast margin, with a shallower fault bounding it to the northwest. A basement high trends west-northwest and separates the northern and southern basins, and is likely bounded on its southern edge by a predominantly strike-slip fault crossing the valley. Much of the strain accommodated within the southern sub-basin appears to be transferred into southern Big Smoky Valley, northwest of Clayton Valley, via these dextral strike-slip faults that obliquely cross Clayton Valley.

Quaternary landscape evolution of tectonically active intermontane basins: the case of the Middle Aterno River Valley (Abruzzo, Central Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falcucci, Emanuela; Gori, Stefano; Della Seta, Marta; Fubelli, Giandomenico; Fredi, Paola

2014-05-01

The Middle Aterno River Valley is characterised by different Quaternary tectonic depressions localised along the present course of the Aterno River (Central Apennine) .This valley includes the L'Aquila and Paganica-Castelnuovo-San Demetrio tectonic basins, to the North, the Middle Aterno Valley and the Subequana tectonic basin, to the South. The aim of this contribution is to improve the knowledge about the Quaternary geomorphological and tectonic evolution of this portion of the Apennine chain. A synchronous lacustrine depositional phase is recognized in all these basins and attributed to the Early Pleistocene by Falcucci et al. (2012). At that time, this sector of the chain showed four distinct closed basins, hydrologically separated from each other and from the Sulmona depression. This depression, actually a tectonic basin too, was localized South of the Middle Aterno River Valley and it was drained by an endorheic hydrographic network. The formation of these basins was due to the activity of different fault systems, namely the Upper Aterno River Valley-Paganica system and San Pio delle Camere fault, to the North, and the Middle Aterno River Valley-Subequana Valley fault system to the South. These tectonic structures were responsible for the origin of local depocentres inside the depressions which hosted the lacustrine basins. Ongoing surveys in the uppermost sectors of the Middle Aterno River Valley revealed the presence of sub-horizontal erosional surfaces that are carved onto the carbonate bedrock and suspended several hundreds of metres over the present thalweg. Gently dipping slope breccias referred to the Early Pleistocene rest on these surfaces, thus suggesting the presence of an ancient low-gradient landscape adjusting to the local base level.. Subsequently, this ancient low relief landscape underwent a strong erosional phase during the Middle Pleistocene. This erosional phase is testified by the occurrence of valley entrenchment and of coeval fluvial deposition within the Middle Aterno River Valley. These fluvial deposits are deeply embedded into the lacustrine sequence, thus suggesting the happening of a hydrographic connection among the originally separated tectonic depressions. This was probably due to the headward erosion by streams draining the Sulmona depression that progressively captured the hydrological networks of the Subequana basin, the Middle Aterno Valley, the L'Aquila and Paganica-Castelnuovo-San Demetrio basins to the North. Stream piracy was probably helped by an increase of the regional uplift rate, occurred between the Lower and the Middle Pleistocene. To reconstruct the paleo-landscape that characterised the early stages of these basins formation we sampled the remnants of the Quaternary erosinal/depositional surfaces and reconstructed the ancient topographic surfaces using the Topo to Raster tool of ArcGIS 10.0 package. Finally we have cross-checked the geological and geomorphological data with the model of the Middle Aterno River paleo-drainage basin obtained through the GIS based method. References Falcucci E., Scardia G., Nomade S., Gori S., Giaccio B., Guillou H., Fredi P. (2012). Geomorphological and Quaternary tectonic evolution of the Subequana basin and the Middle Aterno Valley (central Apennines).16th Joint Geomorphological Meeting Morphoevolution of Tectonically Active Belts Rome, July 1-5, 2012

Influence of snowpack and melt energy heterogeneity on snow cover depletion and snowmelt runoff simulation in a cold mountain environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeBeer, Chris M.; Pomeroy, John W.

2017-10-01

The spatial heterogeneity of mountain snow cover and ablation is important in controlling patterns of snow cover depletion (SCD), meltwater production, and runoff, yet is not well-represented in most large-scale hydrological models and land surface schemes. Analyses were conducted in this study to examine the influence of various representations of snow cover and melt energy heterogeneity on both simulated SCD and stream discharge from a small alpine basin in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Simulations were performed using the Cold Regions Hydrological Model (CRHM), where point-scale snowmelt computations were made using a snowpack energy balance formulation and applied to spatial frequency distributions of snow water equivalent (SWE) on individual slope-, aspect-, and landcover-based hydrological response units (HRUs) in the basin. Hydrological routines were added to represent the vertical and lateral transfers of water through the basin and channel system. From previous studies it is understood that the heterogeneity of late winter SWE is a primary control on patterns of SCD. The analyses here showed that spatial variation in applied melt energy, mainly due to differences in net radiation, has an important influence on SCD at multiple scales and basin discharge, and cannot be neglected without serious error in the prediction of these variables. A single basin SWE distribution using the basin-wide mean SWE (SWE ‾) and coefficient of variation (CV; standard deviation/mean) was found to represent the fine-scale spatial heterogeneity of SWE sufficiently well. Simulations that accounted for differences in (SWE ‾) among HRUs but neglected the sub-HRU heterogeneity of SWE were found to yield similar discharge results as simulations that included this heterogeneity, while SCD was poorly represented, even at the basin level. Finally, applying point-scale snowmelt computations based on a single SWE depth for each HRU (thereby neglecting spatial differences in internal snowpack energetics over the distributions) was found to yield similar SCD and discharge results as simulations that resolved internal energy differences. Spatial/internal snowpack melt energy effects are more pronounced at times earlier in spring before the main period of snowmelt and SCD, as shown in previously published work. The paper discusses the importance of these findings as they apply to the warranted complexity of snowmelt process simulation in cold mountain environments, and shows how the end-of-winter SWE distribution represents an effective means of resolving snow cover heterogeneity at multiple scales for modelling, even in steep and complex terrain.

Regional view of a Trans-African Drainage System.

PubMed

Abdelkareem, Mohamed; El-Baz, Farouk

2015-05-01

Despite the arid to hyperarid climate of the Great Sahara of North Africa, pluvial climates dominated the region. Radar data shed some light on the postulated Trans-African Drainage System and its relationship to active and inactive tributaries of the Nile basin. Interpretations of recent elevation data confirm a source of the river water from the Red Sea highlands did not connect the Atlantic Ocean across Tushka basin, highlands of Uwinate and Darfur, and Chad basin, but northward to the ancestral Nile Delta. Elements of topography and climate were considered. They show that the former segments of the Nile closely mirror present-day tributaries of the Nile basin in drainage geometry, landscape, and climate. A rainfall data interpolation scenario revealed that this basin received concurrent runoff from both flanks such as Gabgaba-Allaqi to the east and Tushka basin to the west, similar to present-day Sobat and White Nile tributaries, respectively. Overall the western tributaries such as those of Tushka basin and Howar lead to the Nile, which was (and still is) the biggest river system in Africa.

Regional view of a Trans-African Drainage System

PubMed Central

Abdelkareem, Mohamed; El-Baz, Farouk

2014-01-01

Despite the arid to hyperarid climate of the Great Sahara of North Africa, pluvial climates dominated the region. Radar data shed some light on the postulated Trans-African Drainage System and its relationship to active and inactive tributaries of the Nile basin. Interpretations of recent elevation data confirm a source of the river water from the Red Sea highlands did not connect the Atlantic Ocean across Tushka basin, highlands of Uwinate and Darfur, and Chad basin, but northward to the ancestral Nile Delta. Elements of topography and climate were considered. They show that the former segments of the Nile closely mirror present-day tributaries of the Nile basin in drainage geometry, landscape, and climate. A rainfall data interpolation scenario revealed that this basin received concurrent runoff from both flanks such as Gabgaba-Allaqi to the east and Tushka basin to the west, similar to present-day Sobat and White Nile tributaries, respectively. Overall the western tributaries such as those of Tushka basin and Howar lead to the Nile, which was (and still is) the biggest river system in Africa. PMID:26257941

Geophysical Studies Based on Gravity and Seismic Data of Tule Desert, Meadow Valley Wash, and California Wash Basins, Southern Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scheirer, Daniel S.; Page, William R.; Miller, John J.

2006-01-01

Gravity and seismic data from Tule Desert, Meadow Valley Wash, and California Wash, Nevada, provide insight into the subsurface geometry of these three basins that lie adjacent to rapidly developing areas of Clark County, Nevada. Each of the basins is the product of Tertiary extension accommodated with the general form of north-south oriented, asymmetrically-faulted half-grabens. Geophysical inversion of gravity observations indicates that Tule Desert and Meadow Valley Wash basins are segmented into subbasins by shallow, buried basement highs. In this study, basement refers to pre-Cenozoic bedrock units that underlie basins filled with Cenozoic sedimentary and volcanic units. In Tule Desert, a small, buried basement high inferred from gravity data appears to be a horst whose placement is consistent with seismic reflection and magnetotelluric observations. Meadow Valley Wash consists of three subbasins separated by basement highs at structural zones that accommodated different styles of extension of the adjacent subbasins, an interpretation consistent with geologic mapping of fault traces oblique to the predominant north-south fault orientation of Tertiary extension in this area. California Wash is a single structural basin. The three seismic reflection lines analyzed in this study image the sedimentary basin fill, and they allow identification of faults that offset basin deposits and underlying basement. The degree of faulting and folding of the basin-fill deposits increases with depth. Pre-Cenozoic units are observed in some of the seismic reflection lines, but their reflections are generally of poor quality or are absent. Factors that degrade seismic reflector quality in this area are rough land topography due to erosion, deformed sedimentary units at the land surface, rock layers that dip out of the plane of the seismic profile, and the presence of volcanic units that obscure underlying reflectors. Geophysical methods illustrate that basin geometry is more complicated than would be inferred from extrapolation of surface topography and geology, and these methods aid in defining a three-dimensional framework to understand groundwater storage and flow in southern Nevada.

Exploring Unconventional Hydrocarbons in the Makó Trough, Pannonian basin, Hungary: Results and Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horvath, Anita; Bada, Gabor; Szafian, Peter; Sztano, Orsolya; Law, Ben; Wallis, Rod

2010-05-01

The latest phase exploration in the Makó Trough, which commenced a few years ago, has focused on the utilization of unconventional hydrocarbons. Accumulations are regarded as "unconventional" when they cannot be produced economically except by means of some sort of stimulation, usually hydraulic fracturing. The model we have developed for the evaluation of the hydrocarbon potential indicates a significant gas accumulation in the area of the Makó Trough. The tally of the distinctive attributes of the hydrocarbon system and the combined analysis of the available geological data led to the conclusion that the Makó Trough represents an area of active basin-centered gas accumulation (BCGA), with very significant perspective reserves. In a BCGA, hydrocarbons do not accumulate conventionally, in structural or stratigraphic traps, but rather in cells. Due to the geological setting of the Makó Trough, the hydrocarbon cell here forms a relatively continuous zone marked by considerable internal lithological and petrophysical variability. The most prolific parts, called sweet spots, possess a reservoir potential higher than the average. The identification of these sweet spots constitutes one of the most important, and quite possibly the most challenging task of the entire exploration project. The hemipelagic Endrőd Formation, which acts as the source rock, contains organic-rich marls in a depth delimited by the 170-230 °C isotherms. These marls constitute the still active hydrocarbon "kitchen" of the BCGA in the Makó Trough. The top and bottom boundaries of the cell essentially coincide with the turbidites of the Szolnok Formation and the top of the pre-Neogene basement, respectively. In light of the fact that pressure, temperature, and maturity tests have produced rather similar results in a number of wells in the area, we have reason to believe that the extension of the Makó Trough's BCGA is of regional dimensions (>1000 km2). The thickness and lateral extension of the potential reservoirs yield a cell volume as great as several hundred km3 - the largest single prospective gas occurrence in Hungary to date. Due to its novelty and complexity, the exploration of this unconventional resource demands the concurrent application of a wider range of geological and geophysical methods. In this presentation, we use selected examples to give an idea of where we stand on the way toward understanding the Makó Trough, particularly in terms of the geometric and structural features of the basin, the depositional (basin-fill) processes, and of the maturation history and accumulation properties of hydrocarbons. The geophysical surveys were purpose-designed to enable the mapping of the deep sedimentary trough and the sediments deposited in it. The data acquired to date suggest that the basin-centered gas accumulation occurred in the Lower Pannonian strata (11-6? Ma). Interpreting the 3D seismic data, the structural features and sedimentology of the basin can be studied in excellent resolution, while the integration of the seismic information with the geological data obtained from the wells allows us to interpret local well information extensively to gain a deeper, three-dimensional understanding of the basin. The sedimentary sequence filling up the Makó Trough displays distinct stratigraphic units separated by unconformities. Mapping the top of the pre-Neogene basement provides valuable insight into the nature of the paleo-geomorphological elements and the sedimentary environment at the onset of rifting. Paleontological information dates the syn-rift sediments of the trough to the Late Miocene (Early Pannonian), suggesting that the most intensive phase of basin evolution here was delayed by a few million years compared to adjacent areas. For the environmental reconstruction of the post-rift sedimentary sequence, we start with the assumption that initially a starved basin existed here, where sedimentation could not keep up with the rate of subsidence (Endrőd Formation). The basin was then almost completely filled by the turbidites of a prograding delta system (Szolnok Formation), followed by the sediments from the pro-delta (Algyő Formation) and the delta plain (Újfalu Formation). During the Plio- and Pleistocene, the area continued to subside at a decreased rate, providing a limited accumulation space filled by a thick sequence of alluvial deposits similar to the paleo-environment of the Tisza River and its tributaries prior to regulation. Our modeling of basin evolution in terms of subsidence, thermal and maturation history based on the results of geochemical, petrophysical, and paleontological investigations reveals that the organic matter accumulated in the trough underwent exceptionally rapid maturation during the last 5 to 7 million years. In fact, source rocks continue to mature at present time, and the hydrocarbons they generate continue to migrate and trap. The rather young age of the Pannonian Basin and its hydrocarbon system makes it quite different from the other examples of basin-centered gas accumulation, such as the classic Rocky Mountains in the U.S., or the Karoo Basin in South Africa, the Beetaloo Basin in Australia, making up the exploration portfolio of Falcon.

Tectonic controls on rift basin morphology: Evolution of the northern Malawi (Nyasa) rift

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ebinger, C. J.; Deino, A. L.; Tesha, A. L.; Becker, T.; Ring, U.

1993-01-01

Radiometric (K-Ar and Ar-40/Ar-39) age determinations of volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks, combined with structural, gravity, and seismic reflection data, are used to constrain the age of sedimentary strata contained within the seismically and volcanically active northern Malawi (Nyasa) rift and to characterize changes in basin and flank morphologies with time. Faulting and volcanism within the Tukuyu-Karonga basin began at approximately 8.6 Ma, when sediments were deposited in abroad, initially asymmetric lake basin bounded on its northeastern side by a border fault system with minor topographic relief. Extensions, primarily by a slip along the border fault, and subsequent regional isostatic compensation led to the development of a 5-km-deep basin bounded by broad uplifted flanks. Along the low-relief basin margin opposite border fault, younger stratigraphic sequences commonly onlap older wedge-shaped sequences, although their internal geometry is often progradational. Intrabasinal faulting, flankuplift, and basaltic and felsic volcanism from centers at the northern end of the basin became more important at about 2.5 Ma when cross-rift transfer faults developed to link the Tukuyu-Karonga basin to the Rukwa basin. Local uplift and volcanic construction at the northern end of the basin led to a southeastward shift in the basin's depocenter. Sequence boundaries are commonly erosional along this low-relief (hanging wall) margin and conformable in the deep lake basin. The geometry of stratigraphic sequences and the distribution of the erosion indicate that horizontal and vertical crustal movements both across and along the length of the rift basin led to changes in levels of the lake, irrespective of paleoclimatic fluctuations.

Escape tectonism in the Gulf of Thailand: Paleogene left-lateral pull-apart rifting in the Vietnamese part of the Malay Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fyhn, Michael B. W.; Boldreel, Lars O.; Nielsen, Lars H.

2010-03-01

The Malay Basin represents one of the largest rift basins of SE Asia. Based on a comprehensive 2-D seismic database tied to wells covering mainly Vietnamese acreage, the evolution of the Vietnamese part of the basin is outlined and a new tectonic model is proposed for the development of the basin. The Vietnamese part of the Malay Basin comprises a large and deep Paleogene pull-apart basin formed through Middle or Late Eocene to Oligocene left-lateral strike-slip along NNW-trending fault zones. The Tho Chu Fault Zone constitutes a significant Paleogene left-lateral strike-slip zone most likely associated with SE Asian extrusion tectonism. The fault zone outlines a deep rift that widens to the south and connects with the main Malay Basin. In the central northern part of the basin, a series of intra-basinal left-lateral fracture zones are interconnected by NW to WNW-trending extensional faults and worked to distribute sinistral shearing across the width of the basin. Extensive thermal sagging throughout the Neogene has led to the accommodation of a very thick sedimentary succession. Moderate rifting resumed during the Early Miocene following older structural fabric. The intensity of rifting increases towards the west and was probably related to coeval extension in the western part of the Gulf of Thailand. Neogene extension culminated before the Pliocene, although faults in places remains active. Late Neogene basin inversion has been attributed to c. 70 km of right-lateral movement across major c. N-S-trending faults in the central part of the basin. However, the lack of inversion in Vietnamese territory only seems to merit a few kilometers of dextral inversion.

Influence of a water regulation event on the age of Yellow River water in the Bohai

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhen; Wang, Haiyan; Guo, Xinyu; Liu, Zhe; Gao, Huiwang; Zhang, Guiling

2017-10-01

Abrupt changes in freshwater inputs from large rivers usually imply regime shifts in coastal water environments. The influence of a water regulation event on the age of the Yellow River water in the Bohai was modeled using constituent-oriented age and residence time theory to better understand the change in the environmental function of the hydrodynamic field owing to human activities. The water ages in Laizhou Bay, the central basin, and the Bohai strait are sensitive to water regulation. The surface ages in those areas can decrease by about 300 days, particularly in July, and the age stratification is also strengthened. A water regulation event can result in declines in the water age in early July ahead of declines in the water age under climatological conditions (without the regulation event) by about 1 and 5 months in the central basin and Laizhou Bay, respectively. The change in the coastal circulation due to the water regulation event is the primary reason for the change in the Yellow River water age. The high Yellow River flow rate can enhance the density flow and, therefore, reduce the age of the Yellow River water. The subsequent impact of a single water regulation event can last about 1.0 to 4.0 years in different subregions.

Oil production and subsidence trends from InSAR over the Powder River Basin, WY

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devlin, K. R.; Borsa, A. A.; Neely, W.

2017-12-01

Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has proven to be a viable tool to study subsidence from numerous causes, including anthropogenic sources such as mining and drilling. The Powder River Basin (PRB) of northeastern Wyoming has been a historical region of hydrocarbon extraction, producing much of the coal, oil, natural gas, and coalbed methane used in the United States. Although coal production in the PRB is stagnant, oil and gas production has increased over the last decade. Using data from ESA's Sentinel-1 mission, we create a suite of interferograms to study the surface deformation history of the PRB . We examined two and a half years of data from 11-07-2014 to 06-24-2017 along a single track (129) covering the coalbed and a region of high oil well concentration and production . We assess the ability of InSAR to detect subsidence over increasing temporal baselines, and use the resulting error estimates to guide our interferogram processing. We then produce a surface deformation time series for the PRB from the interferograms and use these data to model volumetric changes of the subsurface. Our results provide constraints on natural resource extraction in the PRB and information about the suitability of using InSAR to monitor human activity.

Identification of the hydrogeochemical processes and assessment of groundwater quality using classic integrated geochemical methods in the Southeastern part of Ordos basin, China.

PubMed

Yang, Qingchun; Li, Zijun; Ma, Hongyun; Wang, Luchen; Martín, Jordi Delgado

2016-11-01

Insufficient understanding of the hydrogeochemistry of aquifers makes it necessary to conduct a preliminary water quality assessment in the southern region of Ordos Basin, an arid area in the world. In this paper, the major ions of groundwater have been studied aiming at evaluating the hydrogeochemical processes that probably affect the groundwater quality using 150 samples collected in 2015. The two prevalent hydrochemical facies, HCO 3 Mg·Na·Ca and HCO 3 Mg·Ca·Na type water, have been identified based on the hydrochemical analysis from Piper trilinear diagram. Compositional relations have been used to assess the origin of solutes and confirm the predominant hydrogeochemical processes responsible for the various ions in the groundwater. The results show that the ions are derived from leaching effect, evaporation and condensation, cation exchange, mixing effect and human activities. Finally groundwater quality was assessed with single factor and set pair methods, the results indicate that groundwater quality in the study region is generally poor in terms of standard of national groundwater quality. The results obtained in this study will be useful to understand the groundwater quality status for effective management and utilization of the groundwater resource. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial Habitability and Pleistocene Aridification of the Asian Interior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jiuyi; Lowenstein, Tim K.; Fang, Xiaomin

2016-06-01

Fluid inclusions trapped in ancient halite can contain a community of halophilic prokaryotes and eukaryotes that inhabited the surface brines from which the halite formed. Long-term survival of bacteria and archaea and preservation of DNA have been reported from halite, but little is known about the distribution of microbes in buried evaporites. Here we report the discovery of prokaryotes and single-celled algae in fluid inclusions in Pleistocene halite, up to 2.26 Ma in age, from the Qaidam Basin, China. We show that water activity (aw), a measure of water availability and an environmental control on biological habitability in surface brines, is also related to microbe entrapment in fluid inclusions. The aw of Qaidam Basin brines progressively decreased over the last ˜1 million years, driven by aridification of the Asian interior, which led to decreased precipitation and water inflow and heightened evaporation rates. These changes in water balance produced highly concentrated brines, which reduced the habitability of surface lakes and decreased the number of microbes trapped in halite. By 0.13 Ma, the aw of surface brines approached the limits tolerated by halophilic prokaryotes and algae. These results show the response of microbial ecosystems to climate change in an extreme environment, which will guide future studies exploring deep life on Earth and elsewhere in the Solar System.

Depositional environment of near-surface sediments, King George Basin, Bransfield Strait, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, H. I.; Park, B. K.; Chang, S. K.; Han, M. W.; Oh, J. K.

1994-03-01

Four sediment cores were collected to determine the depositional environments of the King George Basin northeast of Bransfield Strait, Antarctica. The cored section revealed three distinct lithofacies: laminated siliceous ooze derived from an increased paleoproductivity near the receding sea-ice edges, massive muds that resulted from hemipelagic sedimentation in open water, and graded sediments that originated from nearby local seamounts by turbidity currents. Clay mineral data of the cores indicate a decreasing importance of volcanic activity through time. Active volcanism and hydrothermal activity appear to be responsible for the enrichment of smectite near the Penguin and Bridgeman Islands.

A topological system for delineation and codification of the Earth's river basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Verdin, K.L.; Verdin, J.P.

1999-01-01

A comprehensive reference system for the Earth's river basins is proposed as a support to fiver basin management, global change research, and the pursuit of sustainable development. A natural system for delineation and codification of basins is presented which is based upon topographic control and the topology of the fiver network. These characteristics make the system well suited for implementation and use with digital elevation models (DEMs) and geographic information systems. A demonstration of these traits is made with the 30-arcsecond GTOPO30 DEM for North America. The system has additional appeal owing to its economy of digits and the topological information that they carry. This is illustrated through presentation of comparisons with USGS hydrologic unit codes and demonstration of the use of code numbers to reveal dependence or independence of water use activities within a basin.

The origin of gas seeps and shallow gas in northern part of South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, M.; Jin, X.

2003-04-01

The northern part of South China Sea is of passive continental margin, which geologic units include shelf, slope and deep sea basin. There are rifting basins forming during Paleogene (or Cretaceous ?) to Quaternary developed on shelf and slope, which sediments are dominated by fluvial and lake clastic rock of Paleogene, and marine clastic rock and carbonate of Neogene - Quaternary. The main basins include the Pearl River Mouth Basin, Beibu Gulf basin, Qiongdongnan Basin and Yinggehai basin. They contain rich oil and gas resources, and have become important industrial oil and gas producing region in South China Sea. With the increasing of petroleum exploration actives and marine petroleum engineering, it has been paid more attention to the investigation and research of gas seeps and shallow gas, for they become a potential threaten to the marine engineering while they are regarded as the indicators of industrial oil and gas. By study the distribution and geochemical characteristics of gas seeps in northeast part of Yinggehai basin and shallow gas in sediments on slope, combined with their regional geologic background, this paper deals with the origin, migration pathway and emission mechanism of gas seeps and shallow gas in northern part of South China Sea, for providing a base knowledge for the evaluation of marine engineering geology. In northeast part of Yinggehai basin gas seeps have been found and recorded for near 100 years. During 1990s, as a part of petroleum exploration, the gas seeps in the basin have been investigated and research by oil companies (Baojia Huang et al., 1992; Jiaqiong He et al., 2000). Gas seeps were found in shallow water area along southwest coast of Hainan Island, water depth usually less than 50 m. The occurrence of gas seeps can be divided into two types: (1) gas continuously emission, continuous gas bubbles groups can be detected by sonar underwater and observed on water surface. (2) gas intermittently emission, the time intervals vary in different places. Gas chimneys can be found on seafloor, which show blank zone on seismic profiles, locally with pit holes. The geochemical analyses of gas samples from gas seeps indicate its composition is dominated by hydrocarbon gas, the other include CO_2, N_2 and O_2. The gas has high dry index, and heavier δ13C_1.This shows that the gas is of matured- over matured thermogenic gas. The geochemical characteristics of extracts from sediments in the area are similar to those of penetrated source rock of Neogene in the basin, indicating the gas is from the matured source rock in the basin, the diapric zone and fault act as the migration pathway. The gas samples on slope were obtained through degasification of sediments collected by SONNE. Geochemical analyses show that the gas composition is dominated by methane, with high dry index and heavier δ13C_1, belonging to typical thermogenic gas. On maturity chart, the gas samples on upper slope fall in the area near the boundary of condensate, indicating higher maturity, while those on lower slope has lower maturity and fall in the area near oil window. The gas samples from deep sea basin is mixed gas of thermogenic gas and biogas. Therefore, it is reasonable to consider the deep buried source rock as the origin of the gas, and the active faults are the migration pathway. As stated above, the gas seeps and shallow gas in northern part of South China Sea were mainly originated from deep buried source rock, migrated through diapric zone or active faults. Their distribution and occurrence have directly relation with the source rock type and maturity, and the tectonic active of the underlying basins. The petroleum exploration has proved that Yinggehai basin and Qiongdongnan basin on the western part are favored for gas generation, while the Pearl River Mouth Basin and Beibu Gulf basin on the eastern part are favored for oil generation. This may account for the distribution of gas seeps which concentrated in the Yinggehai basin. Therefore, an effective and practical evaluation of the potential dangers of gas for marine engineering need to consider the regional geologic background. This study is financially supported by the National Major Fundamental Research and Development Project (No. G20000467). Reference Baojia Huang et al. 1992 Investigation and Origin of Oil-Gas Seepages in the Yinggehai Sea, China Offshore Oil and Gas (Geology), 1992,6(4): 1-7. Jiaxiong He et al. 2000 The Distribution of Oil-Gas Seeps in northern slope of Yinggehai Basin and the Analyses of Petroleum exploration prospect in the Basin, Natural Gas Geoscience Vol. 11, No.2, 1-9. Xianglong Jin et al. 1989 Research Report on Geoscience of South China Sea, Donghai Marine Science Vol. 7, No.4, 1-92.

Increasing Native Forb Seed Supplies for the Great Basin

Treesearch

Nancy L. Shaw; Scott M. Lambert; Ann M. DeBolt; Mike Pellant

2005-01-01

Over the last 150 years, excessive grazing, annual weed invasions, increased wildfire frequency, and other human disturbances have negatively impacted native plant communities of the Great Basin. Native plant materials and appropriate planting strategies are needed to recreate diverse communities in areas requiring active restoration. Although native forbs are critical...

Effects of forest-management activities on runoff components and ground-water recharge to Quabbin Reservoir, central Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bent, G.C.

2001-01-01

The effects of forest-management activities (timber cutting and herbicide application) on runoff components (total streamflow, direct runoff, and base flow) and on ground-water recharge per unit area were evaluated for two separate paired drainage basins of Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts. The Cadwell Creek study area, studied from 1962-1973, included an experimental basin (Upper Cadwell Creek) and a control basin (Lower Cadwell Creek). In the experimental basin, herbicide was applied to mixed oaks, northern hardwoods, and understory vegetation in different riparian zones during the summers of 1967 and 1968, and some pine plantations were thinned or clear-cut during the winter of 1967-1968. These forest-management activities decreased the total basal area by about 34%. The decrease in total basal area resulted in an increase in total streamflow, direct runoff (total streamflow minus base flow), and ground-water recharge for six dormant seasons (October-April) and six growing seasons (May-September) during 1968-1973. Base flow increased for three dormant seasons and two growing seasons during 1968-1970 and the dormant seasons of 1971 and 1973. Base flow accounted for 34% and direct runoff accounted for 66% of the 94 mm (15%) increase in total streamflow during water years 1968-1973. Sixty-one percent of this increase in total streamflow occurred in the dormant seasons. The Dickey Brook study area, studied from 1985-1989, included an experimental basin (Dickey Brook) and a control basin (Dickey Brook Tributary). Some pine plantations were thinned or clear-cut in the headwaters of the experimental basin from October 1986 to March 1987 and October to December 1988. These forest-management activities decreased the total basal area by 24% during 1986-1987 and an additional 8% during 1988. The decrease in total basal area resulted in an increase in total streamflow, base flow, and ground-water recharge for only one dormant season and one growing season in 1987. Direct runoff only increased slightly during the 1987 dormant season. Base flow accounted for 91% and direct runoff accounted for 9% of the 92 mm (21%) increase in total streamflow during water year 1987. Seventy-seven percent of this increase in total streamflow occurred in the dormant season.

Crustal structure and relocated earthquakes in the Puget Lowland, Washington, from high-resolution seismic tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Wagoner, T. M.; Crosson, R. S.; Creager, K. C.; Medema, G.; Preston, L.; Symons, N. P.; Brocher, T. M.

2002-12-01

The availability of regional earthquake data from the Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network (PNSN), together with active source data from the Seismic Hazards Investigation in Puget Sound (SHIPS) seismic experiments, has allowed us to construct a new high-resolution 3-D, P wave velocity model of the crust to a depth of about 30 km in the central Puget Lowland. In our method, earthquake hypocenters and velocity model are jointly coupled in a fully nonlinear tomographic inversion. Active source data constrain the upper 10-15 km of the model, and earthquakes constrain the deepest portion of the model. A number of sedimentary basins are imaged, including the previously unrecognized Muckleshoot basin, and the previously incompletely defined Possession and Sequim basins. Various features of the shallow crust are imaged in detail and their structural transitions to the mid and lower crust are revealed. These include the Tacoma basin and fault zone, the Seattle basin and fault zone, the Seattle and Port Ludlow velocity highs, the Port Townsend basin, the Kingston Arch, and the Crescent basement, which is arched beneath the Lowland from its surface exposure in the eastern Olympics. Strong lateral velocity gradients, consistent with the existence of previously inferred faults, are observed, bounding the southern Port Townsend basin, the western edge of the Seattle basin beneath Dabob Bay, and portions of the Port Ludlow velocity high and the Tacoma basin. Significant velocity gradients are not observed across the southern Whidbey Island fault, the Lofall fault, or along most of the inferred location of the Hood Canal fault. Using improved earthquake locations resulting from our inversion, we determined focal mechanisms for a number of the best recorded earthquakes in the data set, revealing a complex pattern of deformation dominated by general arc-parallel regional tectonic compression. Most earthquakes occur in the basement rocks inferred to be the lower Tertiary Crescent formation. The sedimentary basins and the eastern part of the Olympic subduction complex are largely devoid of earthquakes. Clear association of hypocenters and focal mechanisms with previously mapped or proposed faults is difficult; however, seismicity, structure, and focal mechanisms associated with the Seattle fault zone suggest a possible high-angle mode of deformation with the north side up. We suggest that this deformation may be driven by isostatic readjustment of the Seattle basin.

Crustal structure and relocated earthquakes in the Puget Lowland, Washington, from high-resolution seismic tomography

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Wagoner, T. M.; Crosson, R.S.; Creager, K.C.; Medema, G.; Preston, L.; Symons, N.P.; Brocher, T.M.

2002-01-01

The availability of regional earthquake data from the Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network (PNSN), together with active source data from the Seismic Hazards Investigation in Puget Sound (SHIPS) seismic experiments, has allowed us to construct a new high-resolution 3-D, P wave velocity model of the crust to a depth of about 30 km in the central Puget Lowland. In our method, earthquake hypocenters and velocity model are jointly coupled in a fully nonlinear tomographic inversion. Active source data constrain the upper 10-15 km of the model, and earthquakes constrain the deepest portion of the model. A number of sedimentary basins are imaged, including the previously unrecognized Muckleshoot basin, and the previously incompletely defined Possession and Sequim basins. Various features of the shallow crust are imaged in detail and their structural transitions to the mid and lower crust are revealed. These include the Tacoma basin and fault zone, the Seattle basin and fault zone, the Seattle and Port Ludlow velocity highs, the Port Townsend basin, the Kingston Arch, and the Crescent basement, which is arched beneath the Lowland from its surface exposure in the eastern Olympics. Strong lateral velocity gradients, consistent with the existence of previously inferred faults, are observed, bounding the southern Port Townsend basin, the western edge of the Seattle basin beneath Dabob Bay, and portions of the Port Ludlow velocity high and the Tacoma basin. Significant velocity gradients are not observed across the southern Whidbey Island fault, the Lofall fault, or along most of the inferred location of the Hood Canal fault. Using improved earthquake locations resulting from our inversion, we determined focal mechanisms for a number of the best recorded earthquakes in the data set, revealing a complex pattern of deformation dominated by general arc-parallel regional tectonic compression. Most earthquakes occur in the basement rocks inferred to be the lower Tertiary Crescent formation. The sedimentary basins and the eastern part of the Olympic subduction complex are largely devoid of earthquakes. Clear association of hypocenters and focal mechanisms with previously mapped or proposed faults is difficult; however, seismicity, structure, and focal mechanisms associated with the Seattle fault zone suggest a possible high-angle mode of deformation with the north side up. We suggest that this deformation may be driven by isostatic readjustment of the Seattle basin.

Crustal investigations of the earthquake-prone Vrancea region in Romania - Part 2: Novel deep seismic reflection experiment in the southeastern Carpathian belt and its foreland basin - survey target, design, and first results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mocanu, V. I.; Stephenson, R. A.; Diaconescu, C. C.; Knapp, J. H.; Matenco, L.; Dinu, C.; Harder, S.; Prodehl, C.; Hauser, F.; Raileanu, V.; Cloetingh, S. A.; Leever, K.

2001-12-01

Seismic studies of the outer Carpathian Orogen and its foreland (Focsani Basin) in the vicinity of the Vrancea Zone and Danube Delta (Romania) forms one component of a new multidisciplinary initiative of ISES (Netherlands Centre for Integrated Solid Earth Sciences) called DACIA PLAN ("Danube and Carpathian Integrated Action on Processes in the Lithosphere and Neotectonics"). The study area, at the margin of the European craton, constitutes one of the most active seismic zones in Europe, yet has remained a geological and geodynamic enigma within the Alpine-Himalayan orogenic system. Intermediate depth (50-220 km) mantle earthquakes of significant magnitude occur in a geographically restricted area in the south-east Carpathians bend. The adjacent, foreland Focsani Basin appears to exhibit recent extensional deformation in what is otherwise understood to be a zone of convergence. The deep seismic reflection component of DACIA PLAN comprises a ~140-km near-vertical profile across the Vrancea Zone and Focsani Basin. Data acquisition took place in August-September 2001, as part of the integrated refraction/reflection seismic field programme "Vrancea-2001" co-ordinated at Karlsruhe University (cf. Abstract, Part 1), utilising 640 independently deployed recorders provided by UTEP and IRIS/PASSCAL ("Texans"). Station spacing was every 100-m with shots every 1-km. These data are to be integrated with industry seismic as well as planned new medium-high resolution seismic reflection profiling across key neotectonically active structures in the Focsani Basin. Particular goals of DACIA PLAN include: (1) the architecture of the Tertiary/Quaternary basins developed within and adjacent to this zone, including the foreland Focsani Basin; (2) the presence and geometry of structural detachment(s) in relation with foreland basin development, including constraints for balanced cross-sections and geodynamic modelling of basin origin and evolution; (3) the relationship between crustal structures related to basin evolution, especially neotectonic structures, with deep (mantle) structure and seismicity; and, (4) integratration with complementary studies in the Carpathian-Transylvanian region for evaluation and validation of competing geodynamic models for the present-day development and neotectonic character of the Vrancea Zone-Focsani Basin-Danube Delta-Black Sea corridor.

Along-Strike Variation in Geometry and Kinematics of a Major, Active Intracontinental Thrust System: the Pred-Terskey Fault Zone, Kyrgyz Tien Shan, Central Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgette, R. J.; Weldon, R. J.; Abdrakhmatov, K. Y.; Ormukov, C.

2004-12-01

The Pred-Terskey fault zone defines the southern margin of the Issyk-Kul basin, extending eastward over 250 km from at least the Chu River to the Kazakhstan border, and appears to be one of the most active zones in the Kyrgyz Tien Shan. Despite a diversity of structural styles and changes of vergence at the surface, the lateral continuity and overall geometry of the zone is consistent with a single north vergent thrust at depth, which uplifts the Terskey Range and generally tilts the south margin of the basin to the north. This northward tilting of the margin is probably due to a flattening of the fault as it approaches the surface. In spite of historical quiescence, it is likely capable of producing great earthquakes. We have conducted detailed field mapping coupled with terrace profiling and dating at seven representative, well-exposed areas of the fault zone. Based on these field observations and satellite image and air photo interpretation along the entire zone, we identify three major divisions in structural style expressed at the surface. The western segment is typified by the Tura-Su, Ak-Terek and Ton areas. A series of left-stepping, south-vergent, basement-involved reverse faults and folds are uplifting the southern margin of the Issyk-Kul basin in this area. The resulting uphill-facing scarps have trapped and diverted many of the rivers flowing north from the Terskey Range. Tertiary strata and Quaternary geomorphic surfaces show consistent, progressive northward tilting across the entire zone. The west-central segment is represented by the Kajy-Say area. South-vergent reverse faults and a north-vergent backthrust have uplifted an arcuate granite block. Offshore of this area, the lake floor descends to a sharp break in slope with a low relief area at a depth of about 650 m. Late Quaternary geomorphic features do not show evidence of tilting. In contrast to the areas east and west, the major north-dipping thrust is likely planar over this segment and daylights at the lake floor break in slope. The east-central segment is exemplified by the Barskaun and Jety Oguz areas. A high angle reverse fault juxtaposes Paleozoic rock against Tertiary sediments. To the north, a thrust fault with a sinuous trace places north-dipping Tertiary rock over the nearly horizontal basin floor. Quaternary terraces in the hanging wall of this fault record progressive northward tilting. North of the thrust fault a series of anticlines are growing out of the basin sediments. The eastern segment, which includes the Jergalan River valley, lacks a low angle thrust fault at the basin margin. Along this segment, the basement reverse fault uplifts Paleozoic rock against Quaternary basin sediment. To the north of this range-bounding structure, late Quaternary terraces are offset by south-vergent scarps. We are calculating geologic slip rates for each of the seven sites along the Pred-Terskey zone by dating terraces and constructing structural models consistent with both the rock and terrace records. Based on preliminary radiocarbon dates, a prominent Jety Oguz River terrace is 50 +/- 10 ka. The terrace is tilted 0.5° relative to the modern river, and with the low angle fault branching off of the basement reverse fault at dips ranging between 45° and 90° , the slip rate of this fault is 6 +/- 4 mm/yr. This is consistent with the GPS shortening rate across the Pred-Terskey zone at this longitude.

Syn-extensional lithogenetic sequences of the Soledad basin, central Transverse Ranges: Implications for detachment-fault models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hendrix, E.D.

1993-04-01

The Soledad Basin (central Transverse Ranges, CA) contains the first recognized example of mid-Tertiary detachment-faulting west of the San Andreas fault. Displacements along the Pelona detachment fault and syn-extensional upper-plate sedimentation occurred between [approximately] 26--18 Ma, resulting in deposition of at least 4 separate lithogenetic sequences (LS) which record distinct phases of crustal response to extension. The 1st LS (lower Vasquez Fm.) predates syn-extensional volcanism and records initial basin subsidence along small, discontinuous faults. The 2nd LS (middle Vasquez Fm.) consists of both volcanic and sedimentary strata and signals simultaneous onset of magmatism and initial development of a well-defined networkmore » of high-angle, upper-plate normal faults, creating 2 separate sub-basins. Resulting alluvial fans were non-entrenched, implying that subsidence rates, and thus vertical displacement rates on high-angle faults, equaled or exceeded an estimated average sedimentation rate of 1.4 mm/yr. The 3rd LS (upper Vasquez Fm.) reflects transition to a single, well-integrated depositional basin characterized by streamflood sedimentation. This suggests an enlarged drainage basin and a decrease in subsidence rate relative to sedimentation rate, triggered possibly by uplift of the detachment lower-plate. The 4th LS (Tick Canyon Fm.) lies with angular unconformity above the 3rd LS and contains the 1st clasts eroded from the detachment lower plate. Detachment faulting in the Soledad basin appears to involve, in part, reactivation of structural zones of weakness along the Vincent thrust. Preliminary reconstructions of Soledad extension imply 25--30 km of displacement along the Pelona detachment fault system at an averaged slip rate of 3.6--4.3 mm/yr.« less

Lithofacies control in detrital zircon provenance studies: Insights from the Cretaceous Methow basin, southern Canadian Cordillera

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeGraaff-Surpless, K.; Mahoney, J.B.; Wooden, J.L.; McWilliams, M.O.

2003-01-01

High-frequency sampling for detrital zircon analysis can provide a detailed record of fine-scale basin evolution by revealing the temporal and spatial variability of detrital zircon ages within clastic sedimentary successions. This investigation employed detailed sampling of two sedimentary successions in the Methow/Methow-Tyaughton basin of the southern Canadian Cordillera to characterize the heterogeneity of detrital zircon signatures within single lithofacies and assess the applicability of detrital zircon analysis in distinguishing fine-scale provenance changes not apparent in lithologic analysis of the strata. The Methow/Methow-Tyaughton basin contains two distinct stratigraphic sequences of middle Albian to Santonian clastic sedimentary rocks: submarine-fan deposits of the Harts Pass Formation/Jackass Mountain Group and fluvial deposits of the Winthrop Formation. Although both stratigraphic sequences displayed consistent ranges in detrital zircon ages on a broad scale, detailed sampling within each succession revealed heterogeneity in the detrital zircon age distributions that was systematic and predictable in the turbidite succession but unpredictable in the fluvial succession. These results suggest that a high-density sampling approach permits interpretation of finescale changes within a lithologically uniform turbiditic sedimentary succession, but heterogeneity within fluvial systems may be too large and unpredictable to permit accurate fine-scale characterization of the evolution of source regions. The robust composite detrital zircon age signature developed for these two successions permits comparison of the Methow/Methow-Tyaughton basin age signature with known plutonic source-rock ages from major plutonic belts throughout the Cretaceous North American margin. The Methow/Methow-Tyaughton basin detrital zircon age signature matches best with source regions in the southern Canadian Cordillera, requiring that the basin developed in close proximity to the southern Canadian Cordillera and providing evidence against large-scale dextral translation of the Methow terrane.

The influence of conservation tillage methods on soil water regimes in semi-arid southern Zimbabwe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mupangwa, W.; Twomlow, S.; Walker, S.

Planting basins and ripper tillage practices are major components of the recently introduced conservation agriculture package that is being extensively promoted for smallholder farming in Zimbabwe. Besides preparing land for crop planting, these two technologies also help in collecting and using rainwater more efficiently in semi-arid areas. The basin tillage is being targeted for households with limited or no access to draught animals while ripping is meant for smallholder farmers with some draught animal power. Trials were established at four farms in Gwanda and Insiza in southern Zimbabwe to determine soil water contributions and runoff water losses from plots under four different tillage treatments. The tillage treatments were hand-dug planting basins, ripping, conventional spring and double ploughing using animal-drawn implements. The initial intention was to measure soil water changes and runoff losses from cropped plots under the four tillage practices. However, due to total crop failure, only soil water and runoff were measured from bare plots between December 2006 and April 2007. Runoff losses were highest under conventional ploughing. Planting basins retained most of the rainwater that fell during each rainfall event. The amount of rainfall received at each farm significantly influenced the volume of runoff water measured. Runoff water volume increased with increase in the amount of rainfall received at each farm. Soil water content was consistently higher under basin tillage than the other three tillage treatments. Significant differences in soil water content were observed across the farms according to soil types from sand to loamy sand. The basin tillage method gives a better control of water losses from the farmers’ fields. The planting basin tillage method has a greater potential for providing soil water to crops than ripper, double and single conventional ploughing practices.

Possible Tuff Cones In Isidis Planitia, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seabrook, A. M.; Rothery, D. A.; Bridges, J. C.; Wright, I. P.

The Beagle 2 lander of the ESA Mars Express mission will touch down on the martian surface in December 2003 to conduct a primarily exobiological mission. The landing site will be within Isidis Planitia, an 1100 km diameter impact basin. Isidis contains many sub-kilometre-sized cones. These can be found singly, in clusters, and in straight or arcuate chains extending many kilometres. In some areas of the basin these cones can occupy over 10% of the surface, with the most densely populated areas being in the older western half of the basin. There are few cones around the basin rim. There is also variation in the erosional state of the cones both across the basin, and within smaller areas, implying a range in time of formation for the cones. We currently favour a tuff cone origin as an explanation for these features. Tuff cones on Earth are rooted volcanic features formed at vents by the interaction between magma or magmatic heat and surface or near-surface water. Lava flows likely to be associated with at least some of the cones if they had a cinder cone (rooted eruptions at vents in a dry environment) origin are absent. This suggests the involvement of suffi- cient volatiles both to explosively fragment the erupting magma, and to cool the ejecta enough to prevent the formation of clastogenic flows. If our tuff cone interpretation is correct, this has implications for the presence, abundance and long-term persistence of sub-surface volatiles (water or carbon dioxide) on Mars. An understanding of the mechanism of formation of the Isidis cones will assist the characterisation of the basin in preparation for the landing of Beagle 2, by providing information about the history of volatiles and volcanism in the basin, and the processes that resulted in the surface we see today.

Carboniferous Proto-type Basin Evolution of Junggar Basin in Northwest China: Implications for the Growth Models of Central Asia Orogenic Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, D.

2016-12-01

The Junggar Basin locates in the central part of Paleo-Asian Ocean tectonic domain, and records the dynamic processes of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt from subduction-accretion-collision to later intracontinental deformations. Carboniferous is the key period from subduction to closure in the tectonic evolution of Paleo-Asian Ocean. Based on the borehole, outcrop, seismic and gravity and magnetic anomaly data, the paper made analysis of the Carboniferous basin evolution.Geo-chronological results for the borehole volcanic rocks suggest that the Junggar Basin and adjacent area had five periods of volcanic activities, including two periods in the Early Carboniferous (359-347Ma 347-331Ma and 331-324Ma) and three periods in the Late Carboniferous (323-307Ma and 307-300Ma). Regional unconformities divided the Carboniferous into two tectono-stratigraphic sequences: Lower Carboniferous and Upper Carboniferous. The former is characterized by compressional structures and involves massive calc-alkaline basalts, andesites, dacites and rhyolites, whereas the later is mainly controlled by extensional faults and dominated by intermediate-mafic volcanic rocks, with bimodal volcanic rocks in parts. The paper determined four Carboniferous arc-basin belts in the Junggar Basin and adjacent area from north to south: the Saur-Fuhai-Dulate, Heshituoluogai-Wulungu-Yemaquan, Darbut-Luliang-Karamaili, and Zhongguai-Mosuowan-Baijiahai-Qitai, and identified multi-type basins, such as fore-arc basin, retro-arc basin, intra-arc rift basin, foreland basin and passive continental margin basin,etc.. The Carboniferous proto-type basin evolution of the Junggar Basin can be divided into three phases such as, the early to middle Early Carboniferous subduction-related compressional phase, the late Early Carboniferous to middle Late Carboniferous subduction-related extensional phase and the late Late Carboniferous intra-continental fault-sag phase. The study discloses that the Junggar Basin is likely underlain by juvenile continental crust rather than unified Precambrian basement, and also implies that the Junggar Basin and adjacent area, even the entire CAOB, were built by successively northward amalgamation of multiple linear arc-basin systems characterized by southward accretion.

Beyond Colorado's Front Range - A new look at Laramide basin subsidence, sedimentation, and deformation in north-central Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cole, James C.; Trexler, James H.; Cashman, Patricia H.; Miller, Ian M.; Shroba, Ralph R.; Cosca, Michael A.; Workman, Jeremiah B.

2010-01-01

This field trip highlights recent research into the Laramide uplift, erosion, and sedimentation on the western side of the northern Colorado Front Range. The Laramide history of the North Park?Middle Park basin (designated the Colorado Headwaters Basin in this paper) is distinctly different from that of the Denver basin on the eastern flank of the range. The Denver basin stratigraphy records the transition from Late Cretaceous marine shale to recessional shoreline sandstones to continental, fluvial, marsh, and coal mires environments, followed by orogenic sediments that span the K-T boundary. Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene strata in the Denver basin consist of two mega-fan complexes that are separated by a 9 million-year interval of erosion/non-deposition between about 63 and 54 Ma. In contrast, the marine shale unit on the western flank of the Front Range was deeply eroded over most of the area of the Colorado Headwaters Basin (approximately one km removed) prior to any orogenic sediment accumulation. New 40Ar-39Ar ages indicate the oldest sediments on the western flank of the Front Range were as young as about 61 Ma. They comprise the Windy Gap Volcanic Member of the Middle Park Formation, which consists of coarse, immature volcanic conglomerates derived from nearby alkalic-mafic volcanic edifices that were forming at about 65?61 Ma. Clasts of Proterozoic granite, pegmatite, and gneiss (eroded from the uplifted core of the Front Range) seem to arrive in the Colorado Headwaters Basin at different times in different places, but they become dominant in arkosic sandstones and conglomerates about one km above the base of the Colorado Headwaters Basin section. Paleocurrent trends suggest the southern end of the Colorado Headwaters Basin was structurally closed because all fluvial deposits show a northward component of transport. Lacustrine depositional environments are indicated by various sedimentological features in several sections within the >3 km of sediment preserved in the Colorado Headwaters Basin, suggesting this basin may have remained closed throughout the Paleocene and early Eocene. The field trip also addresses middle Eocene(?) folding of the late Laramide basin-fill strata, related to steep reverse faults that offset the Proterozoic crystalline basement. Late Oligocene magmatic activity is indicated by dikes, plugs, and eruptive volcanic rocks in the Rabbit Ears Range and the Never Summer Mountains that span and flank the Colorado Headwaters Basin. These intrusions and eruptions were accompanied by extensional faulting along predominantly northwesterly trends. Erosion accompanied the late Oligocene igneous activity and faulting, leading to deposition of boulder conglomerates and sandstones of the North Park Formation and high-level conglomerates across the landscape that preserve evidence of a paleo-drainage network that drained the volcanic landscape.

Deformation History of the Haymana Basin: Structural Records of Closure-Collision and Subsequent Convergence (Indentation) Events at the North-Central Neotethys (Central Anatolia, Turkey)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gülyüz, Erhan; Özkaptan, Murat; Kaymakcı, Nuretdin

2016-04-01

Gondwana- (Tauride Platfrom and Kırşehir Block) and Eurasia (Pontides) - derived continental blocks bound the Haymana basin, in the south and north, respectively. Boundaries between these blocks are signed by İzmir-Ankara-Erzincan and debatable Intra-Tauride Suture zones which are straddled by the Haymana Basin in the region. In this regard, deformation recorded in the upper Cretaceous to middle Eocene deposits of the basin is mainly controlled by the relative movements of these blocks. Therefore, understanding the structural evolution of the Haymana Basin in a spatio-temporal concept is crucial to shed some light on some debatable issues such as ; (1) timing of late stage subduction histories of various branches of Neotethys and subsequent collision events, (2) effects of post-collisional tectonic activity in the Haymana region. Fault kinematic analyses (based on 623 fault-slip data from 73 stations) indicate that the basin was subjected to initially N-S to NNE-SSW extension until middle Paleocene and then N-S- to NNE-SSW- directed continuous compression and coeval E-W to ESE-WNW extension up to middle Miocene. These different deformation phases correspond to the fore-arc (closure) and foreland (collision and further convergence) stages of the basin. Additionally, fold analyses (based on 1017 bedding attitudes) and structural mapping studies show that development of folds and major faults are coeval and they can be explained by principle stress orientations of the second deformation phase. The Haymana basin is, based on the trends of E-W- and WNW-ESE- directed structures at the south-eastern and the north-western parts of the basin, respectively, divided into two structural segments. The balanced cross-sections also indicate ~4% and ~25% shortening at the north-western and south-eastern segments, respectively. The differences in amounts of shortenings are explained by reduce in effectiveness zone of basin-bounding thrust faults towards west. On the other hand, the boundary of the segments is defined as an intra-basinal strike-slip system which is thought to be developed together with late stage activities of the basin bounding thrust (or reverse) faults (Dereköy and İnler faults) in response to the north-westward movement of the northern segment of the Kırşehir block. It is proposed that the Haymana basin was initially evolved under the influences of subduction related extensional setting until middle Paleocene, and latterly foreland settings in front of a south-vergent fold and thrust belt developed during collision and post-collisional convergence until middle Miocene. Additionally, the north-westward movement and indentation of the Kırşehir Block caused structural segmentation and rotation events in the basin.

Water - Essential Resource of the Southern Flint River Basin, Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Warner, Debbie; Norton, Virgil

2004-01-01

Introduction Abundant water resources of the Flint River Basin have played a major role in the history and development of southwestern Georgia. The Flint River-along with its tributaries, wetlands, and swamps-and the productive aquifers of the river basin are essential components of the area's diverse ecosystems. These resources also are necessary for sustained agricultural, industrial, and municipal activities. Increasing, and in some cases conflicting, demand for water makes careful monitoring and wise planning and management of southwestern Georgia's water resources critical to the ecological and economic future of the area. This poster presents the major issues associated with increasing competition for water resources in the southern Flint River Basin.

Utility of aeromagnetic studies for mapping of potentially active faults in two forearc basins: Puget Sound, Washington, and Cook Inlet, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saltus, R.W.; Blakely, R.J.; Haeussler, Peter J.; Wells, R.E.

2005-01-01

High-resolution aeromagnetic surveys over forearc basins can detect faults and folds in weakly magnetized sediments, thus providing geologic constraints on tectonic evolution and improved understanding of seismic hazards in convergent-margin settings. Puget Sound, Washington, and Cook Inlet, Alaska, provide two case histories. In each lowland region, shallow-source magnetic anomalies are related to active folds and/or faults. Mapping these structures is critical for understanding seismic hazards that face the urban regions of Seattle, Washington, and Anchorage, Alaska. Similarities in aeromagnetic anomaly patterns and magnetic stratigraphy between the two regions suggest that we can expect the aeromagnetic method to yield useful structural information that may contribute to earth-hazard and energy resource investigations in other forearc basins.

Selenium in Reservoir Sediment from the Republican River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Juracek, Kyle E.; Ziegler, Andrew C.

1998-01-01

Reservoir sediment quality is an important environmental concern because sediment may act as both a sink and a source of water-quality constituents to the overlying water column and biota. Once in the food chain, sediment-derived constituents may pose an even greater concern due to bioaccumulation. An analysis of reservoir bottom sediment can provide historical information on sediment deposition as well as magnitudes and trends in constituents that may be related to changes in human activity in the basin. The assessment described in this fact sheet was initiated in 1997 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), U.S. Department of the Interior, to determine if irrigation activities have affected selenium concentrations in reservoir sediment of the Republican River Basin of Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska.

Paleogeography, Paleo-drainage Systems, and Tectonic Reconstructions of Eocene Northern South America Constrained by U-Pb Detrital Zircon Geochronology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, X.; Mann, P.; Escalona, A.

2008-12-01

Thick, Eocene to Miocene clastic sedimentary basins are widespread across on- and offshore northern South America and have been identified using seismic reflection data in offshore basins of the Leeward Antilles, the Lesser Antilles arc and forearc, and the Barbados accretionary prism. Several 3 to12-km-thick Paleogene depocenters occur in shelf to deep basinal settings along the offshore margins of Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados. Previous studies proposed that the proto-Orinoco River has been the single fluvial source for these distal, continentally-derived sandstone units along northern Venezuela as part of the early Eocene to Miocene, proto-Maracaibo fluvial-deltaic system that emanated from the northern Andes of western Venezuela and Colombia. Those distal sandstones were displaced eastward with the movement of the Caribbean plate by several hundred kilometers and are now found in basins and islands of the southeastern Caribbean region. We collected nine Eocene age sandstone samples from well cores and outcrops along the northern South America margin, including Lake Maracaibo, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados Island. In total, 945 single detrital zircon grains were analyzed using LA-ICP-MS. The objective is to reconstruct the paleogeography, paleo-drainage system, and tectonic history during Eocene time. New data show that the Eocene Misoa Formation of Lake Maracaibo was characterized by a mixture of Precambrian, Paleozoic, and Mesozoic ages matching age provinces from eastern Cordillera and the Guayana Shield, which is consistent with previous proto-Orinoco River model flowing from the western Amazonian region of Colombia and Brazil through the Maracaibo basin into the area of western Falcon basin. However, coeval Eocene samples from Barbados and Trinidad show a much different age population dominated by Precambrian matching the eastern part of the Guyana shield to the south, which suggests that the western onland system and eastern offshore units belong to different systems. We postulate that a series of smaller, north-flowing drainages provided a line of sediment source dispersal of Eocene sandstone from the north central and eastern edge of the Guyana shield onto the Eocene passive margin that extended from central Venezuela to Trinidad instead of being tectonically transported to their present locations suggested by earlier studies.

A Comparison of Runoff Quantity and Quality from Two Small Basins Undergoing Implementation of Conventional and Low-Impact-Development (LID) Strategies: Cross Plains, Wisconsin, Water Years 1999-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Selbig, William R.; Bannerman, Roger T.

2008-01-01

Environmental managers are often faced with the task of designing strategies to accommodate development while minimizing adverse environmental impacts. Low-impact development (LID) is one such strategy that attempts to mitigate environmental degradation commonly associated with impervious surfaces. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, studied two residential basins in Cross Plains, Wis., during water years 1999?2005. A paired-basin study design was used to compare runoff quantity and quality from the two basins, one of which was developed in a conventional way and the other was developed with LID. The conventional-developed basin (herein called ?conventional basin?) consisted of curb and gutter, 40-foot street widths, and a fully connected stormwater-conveyance system. The LID basin consisted of grassed swales, reduced impervious area (32-foot street widths), street inlets draining to grass swales, a detention pond, and an infiltration basin. Data collected in the LID basin represented predevelopment through near-complete build-out conditions. Smaller, more frequent precipitation events that produced stormwater discharge from the conventional basin were retained in the LID basin. Only six events with precipitation depths less than or equal to 0.4 inch produced measurable discharge from the LID basin. Of these six events, five occurred during winter months when underlying soils are commonly frozen, and one was likely a result of saturated soil from a preceding storm. In the conventional basin, the number of discharge events, using the same threshold of precipitation depth, was 180, with nearly one-half of those resulting from precipitation depths less than 0.2 inch. Precipitation events capable of producing appreciable discharge in the LID basin were typically those of high intensity or precipitation depth or those that occurred after soils were already saturated. Total annual discharge volume measured from the conventional basin ranged from 1.3 to 9.2 times that from the LID basin. Development of the LID basin did not appreciably alter the hydrologic response to precipitation characterized during predevelopment conditions. Ninety-five percent or more of precipitation in the LID basin was retained during each year of construction from predevelopment through near-complete build-out, surpassing the 90-percent benchmark established for new development by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The amount of precipitation retained in the conventional basin did not exceed 94 percent and fell below the 90-percent standard 2 of the 6 years monitored. Much of the runoff in the LID basin was retained by an infiltration basin, the largest control structure used to mitigate storm-runoff quantity and quality. The infiltration basin also was the last best-management practice (BMP) used to treat runoff before it left the LID basin as discharge. From May 25, 2002, to September 30, 2005, only 24 of 155 precipitation events exceeded the retention/ infiltrative capacity of the infiltration basin. The overall reduction in runoff volume from these few events was 51 percent. The effectiveness of the infiltration basin decreased as precipitation intensities exceeded 0.5 inch per hour. Annual loads were estimated to characterize the overall effectiveness of low-impact design practices for mitigating delivery of total solids, total suspended solids, and total phosphorus. Annual loads of these three constituents were greater in the LID basin than in the conventional basin in 2000 and 2004. Seventy percent or more of all constituent annual loads were associated with two discharge events in 2000, and a single discharge event produced 50 percent or more of constituent annual loads in 2004. Each of these discharge events was associated with considerable precipitation depths and (or) intensities, ranging from 4.89 to 6.21 inches and from 1.13 to 1.2 inches per hour, respectively

Sedimentary structure and tectonic setting of the abyssal basins adjoining the southeast part of the Ontong Java Plateau, western Pacific Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimizu, S.; Masato, N.; Miura, S.; Suetsugu, D.

2017-12-01

Ontong Java Plateau(OJP) in the western Pacific Ocean is one of the largest oceanic plateau in the world. Radioactive ages of drilling samples indicate that the most part of the OJP was emplaced about 122 Ma (Mahoney et al., 1993). Taylor (2006) proposed that the OJP formed as a single large volcanic province together with the Manihiki and Hikurangi plateaus. OJP is surrounding by East Mariana, Pigafetta, Nauru, Ellice, Stewart, and Lyra basins. The East Mariana and Pigafetta basins were formed at the Pacific-Izanagi ridge and the Nauru basin was formed at Pacific-Phoenix ridges (Nakanishi et al., 1992). The tectonic history of the Ellice, Stewart, and Lyra basins is still unknown because of lack of magnetic anomaly lineations. Tectonic setting during the OJP formation is thus a matter of controversy. To expose the tectonic setting of the Ellice, Stewart, and Lyra basins, we conducted the Multi-Channel Seismic (MCS) survey in the basins during the research cruise by R/V Mirai of JAMSTEC in 2014. We present our preliminary results of the MCS survey in the Stewart basin(SB) and Ellice Basin(EB). After the regular data processing, we compared the seismic facies of MCS profile with DSDP Site 288 and ODP Site 1184 to assign ages to seismic reflectors. Our processing exposed several remarkable structures in the basins. The graben structures deformed only the igneous basement in the northwestern and northeastern and southwestern margins of the SB. This suggests the graben structures were formed before sedimentary layer deposited. Taylor (2006) proposed that the basin was formed by the NW-SE rifting during the separation of OJP and Manihiki Plateau around 120 Ma. Neal (1997) proposed that the NE-SW rifting formed the basin around 80 Ma. Our study supports the rifting model proposed by Neal et al. (1997) because the displacement of graben in northeastern and southwestern margins of the SB is larger than that in northwestern of the SB. We found several igneous diapirs in the SB and EB. Several diapirs intrude into Oligocene sediments, implying that the volcanism occurred after the formation of the basins. On the southern edge of SB is the outer rise called Stewart Arch (Phinney et al., 1999). We identified normal faults near the Stewart Arch. Those faults caused by the plate bending owing to the subduction of the Pacific plate.

Validating Carbon Dioxide Measurements from NASA OCO-2 Over Los Angeles

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-10-01

This image shows NASA OCO-2 measurements of carbon dioxide levels over Pasadena and the northern Los Angeles basin on Sept. 5, 2014. Each colored dot represents a single measurement of the greenhouse gas made during an overflight of the area.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Winn, R.D. Jr.; Steinmetz, J.C.; Kerekgyarto, W.L.

Lithological and compositional relationships, thicknesses, and palynological data from drilling cuttings from five wells in the Anza rift, Kenya, indicate active rifting during the Late Cretaceous and Eocene-Oligocene. The earlier rifting possibly started in the Santonian-Coniacian, primarily occurred in the Campanian, and probably extended into the Maastrichtian. Anza rift sedimentation was in lacustrine, lacustrine-deltaic, fluvial, and flood-basin environments. Inferred synrift intervals in wells are shalier, thicker, more compositionally immature, and more poorly sorted than Lower Cretaceous ( )-lower Upper Cretaceous and upper Oligocene( )-Miocene interrift deposits. Synrift sandstone is mostly feldspathic or arkosic wacke. Sandstone deposited in the Anza basinmore » during nonrift periods is mostly quartz arenite, and is coarser and has a high proportion of probable fluvial deposits relative to other facies. Volcanic debris is absent in sedimentary strata older than Pliocene-Holocene, although small Cretaceous intrusions are present in the basin. Cretaceous sandstone is cemented in places by laumontite, possibly recording Campanian extension. Early Cretaceous history of the Anza basin is poorly known because of the limited strata sampled; Jurassic units were not reached. Cretaceous rifting in the Anza basin was synchronous with rifting in Sudan and with the breakup and separation of South America and Africa; these events likely were related. Eocene-Oligocene extension in the Anza basin reflects different stresses. The transition from active rifting to passive subsidence in the Anza basin at the end of the Neogene, in turn, records a reconfigured response of east African plates to stresses and is correlated with formation of the East Africa rift.« less

Exploration and development offshore southern Vietnam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferguson, A.M.

1996-01-01

In Vietnam, the major focus of the oil and gas industry is on the Nam Con Son and Cuu Long Basins in the southern offshore area. Major licensing first occurred here in the early 1970s. Some exploration was also undertaken by foreign companies in the early 1980s. In 1981, the Soviet Union undertook to assist Vietnam with the development of oil and gas. Vietsovpetro, a joint venture between the then Soviet Oil and Gas Ministry and the Vietnam Oil and Gas Corporation was formed. Most of Vietsovpetro's efforts have been to develop the Bach Ho field in the Cuu Longmore » Basin. This now produces [approximately]130000 bopd. The most recent large scale licensing round occurred in 1992, and, at present, there are over thirty foreign companies active in these Basins' blocks . The first phase of exploration is ending and successes in the Nam Con Son Basin include the BP-led Lan Tay/Lan Do gas discoveries and Pedco's gas discoveries. Mitsubishi's and Petronas' oil discoveries in the Cuu Long Basin have attracted much attention also. The Dai Hung oil field (BHP-operated) has been producing since late 1994. Certain blocks are being appraised, and exploration work is also continuing. Areas of the Cuu Long Basin that were part of Vietsovpetro's acreage, but which may soon be re-licensed, have generated keen interest. The presence of an active upstream industry - exploring, appraising, developing and producing - indicates the emergence of Vietnam as an important East Asian oil and gas player.« less

Gathering pipeline methane emissions in Fayetteville shale pipelines and scoping guidelines for future pipeline measurement campaigns

DOE PAGES

Zimmerle, Daniel J.; Pickering, Cody K.; Bell, Clay S.; ...

2017-11-24

Gathering pipelines, which transport gas from well pads to downstream processing, are a sector of the natural gas supply chain for which little measured methane emissions data are available. This study performed leak detection and measurement on 96 km of gathering pipeline and the associated 56 pigging facilities and 39 block valves. The study found one underground leak accounting for 83% (4.0 kg CH 4/hr) of total measured emissions. Methane emissions for the 4684 km of gathering pipeline in the study area were estimated at 402 kg CH 4/hr [95 to 1065 kg CH 4/hr, 95% CI], or 1% [0.2%more » to 2.6%] of all methane emissions measured during a prior aircraft study of the same area. Emissions estimated by this study fall within the uncertainty range of emissions estimated using emission factors from EPA's 2015 Greenhouse Inventory and study activity estimates. While EPA's current inventory is based upon emission factors from distribution mains measured in the 1990s, this study indicates that using emission factors from more recent distribution studies could significantly underestimate emissions from gathering pipelines. To guide broader studies of pipeline emissions, we also estimate the fraction of the pipeline length within a basin that must be measured to constrain uncertainty of pipeline emissions estimates to within 1% of total basin emissions. The study provides both substantial insight into the mix of emission sources and guidance for future gathering pipeline studies, but since measurements were made in a single basin, the results are not sufficiently representative to provide methane emission factors at the regional or national level.« less

Gathering pipeline methane emissions in Fayetteville shale pipelines and scoping guidelines for future pipeline measurement campaigns

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zimmerle, Daniel J.; Pickering, Cody K.; Bell, Clay S.

Gathering pipelines, which transport gas from well pads to downstream processing, are a sector of the natural gas supply chain for which little measured methane emissions data are available. This study performed leak detection and measurement on 96 km of gathering pipeline and the associated 56 pigging facilities and 39 block valves. The study found one underground leak accounting for 83% (4.0 kg CH 4/hr) of total measured emissions. Methane emissions for the 4684 km of gathering pipeline in the study area were estimated at 402 kg CH 4/hr [95 to 1065 kg CH 4/hr, 95% CI], or 1% [0.2%more » to 2.6%] of all methane emissions measured during a prior aircraft study of the same area. Emissions estimated by this study fall within the uncertainty range of emissions estimated using emission factors from EPA's 2015 Greenhouse Inventory and study activity estimates. While EPA's current inventory is based upon emission factors from distribution mains measured in the 1990s, this study indicates that using emission factors from more recent distribution studies could significantly underestimate emissions from gathering pipelines. To guide broader studies of pipeline emissions, we also estimate the fraction of the pipeline length within a basin that must be measured to constrain uncertainty of pipeline emissions estimates to within 1% of total basin emissions. The study provides both substantial insight into the mix of emission sources and guidance for future gathering pipeline studies, but since measurements were made in a single basin, the results are not sufficiently representative to provide methane emission factors at the regional or national level.« less

Post-disturbance sediment recovery: Implications for watershed resilience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rathburn, Sara L.; Shahverdian, Scott M.; Ryan, Sandra E.

2018-03-01

Sediment recovery following disturbances is a measure of the time required to attain pre-disturbance sediment fluxes. Insight into the controls on recovery processes and pathways builds understanding of geomorphic resilience. We assess post-disturbance sediment recovery in three small (1.5-100 km2), largely unaltered watersheds within the northern Colorado Rocky Mountains affected by wildfires, floods, and debris flows. Disturbance regimes span 102 (floods, debris flows) to 103 years (wildfires). For all case studies, event sediment recovery followed a nonlinear pattern: initial high sediment flux during single precipitation events or high annual snowmelt runoff followed by decreasing sediment fluxes over time. Disturbance interactions were evaluated after a high-severity fire within the South Fork Cache la Poudre basin was followed by an extreme flood one year post-fire. This compound disturbance hastened suspended sediment recovery to pre-fire concentrations 3 years after the fire. Wildfires over the last 1900 YBP in the South Fork basin indicate fire recurrence intervals of 600 years. Debris flows within the upper Colorado River basin over the last two centuries have shifted the baseline of sediment recovery caused by anthropogenic activities that increased debris flow frequency. An extreme flood on North St. Vrain Creek with an impounding reservoir resulted in extreme sedimentation that led to a physical state change. We introduce an index of resilience as sediment recovery/disturbance recurrence interval, providing a relative comparison between sites. Sediment recovery and channel form resilience may be inversely related because of high or low physical complexity in streams. We propose management guidelines to enhance geomorphic resilience by promoting natural processes that maintain physical complexity. Finally, sediment connectivity within watersheds is an additional factor to consider when establishing restoration treatment priorities.

Carbon-Water-Energy Relations for Selected River Basins

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choudhury, B. J.

1998-01-01

A biophysical process-based model was run using satellite, assimilated and ancillary data for four years (1987-1990) to calculate components of total evaporation (transpiration, interception, soil and snow evaporation), net radiation, absorbed photosynthetically active radiation and net primary productivity over the global land surface. Satellite observations provided fractional vegetation cover, solar and photosynthetically active radiation incident of the surface, surface albedo, fractional cloud cover, air temperature and vapor pressure. The friction velocity and surface air pressure are obtained from a four dimensional data assimilation results, while precipitation is either only surface observations or a blended product of surface and satellite observations. All surface and satellite data are monthly mean values; precipitation has been disaggregated into daily values. All biophysical parameters of the model are prescribed according to published records. From these global land surface calculations results for river basins are derived using digital templates of basin boundaries. Comparisons with field observations (micrometeorologic, catchment water balance, biomass production) and atmospheric water budget analysis for monthly evaporation from six river basins have been done to assess errors in the calculations. Comparisons are also made with previous estimates of zonal variations of evaporation and net primary productivity. Efficiencies of transpiration, total evaporation and radiation use, and evaporative fraction for selected river basins will be presented.

KSC Wildlife

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-02-09

White pelicans form a line while swimming in the turn basin near the Vehicle Assembly Building of NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The turn basin was carved out of the Banana River when Kennedy Space Center was built. White pelicans winter from Florida and southern California to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons, and usually in colonies. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S.

KSC Wildlife

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-02-09

A pair of brown pelicans rest on a wall near the turn basin at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The turn basin was carved out of the Banana River when KSC was built. The birds' habitat is sandy coastal beaches and lagoons, ranging along the Atlantic Coast from North Carolina south to Venezuela. It nests in colonies. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S.

Optimization of Water Output by Experimental Analysis on Passive Solar Still

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parekh, Winners; Patel, Mrugen; Patel, Nikunj; Prajapati, Jaimin; Patel, Maitrik

2018-02-01

This paper presents experimental analysis obtained using the single slope passive solar still. The experiments were conducted in Ahmedabad (23°03’ N, 72°40’ E) using a passive solar still with different water depths and basin materials. Salt was added to study the effect of salinity of water on solar distillation. An extra clear glass is used as cover plate as it transmits 91% light into solar still. Rubber plate and Styrofoam were used as insulating material. So, the productivity of solar still was determined by increasing the temperature of water in the basin and glass temperature.

Grande Ronde Basin Supplementation Program; Lostine River, 2000 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Onjukka, Sam T.; Harbeck, Jim

2003-03-01

The Northwest Power Planning Council (NPPC) identified supplementation as a high priority to achieve its goal of increasing runs of anadromous fish in the Columbia Basin. Supplementation activities in the Lostine River and associated monitoring and evaluation conducted by the Nez Perce Tribe relate directly to the needs addressed in the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (NPPC 1994). Measure 7.4L.1 of the Program mandates that appropriate research accompany any proposed supplementation. In addition, measure 7.3B.2 of the Program stresses the need for evaluating supplementation projects to assess their ability to increase production. Finally, Section 7.4D.3 encourages the studymore » of hatchery rearing and release strategies to improve survival and adaptation of cultured fish. In 1997, Oregon Department of Fisheries and Wildlife (ODFW) requested a modification of Permit 1011 to allow the take of adult spring chinook salmon. In 1998, the Nez Perce Tribe also requested a permit specific to activities on Lostine River. The permit was issued in 2000. A special condition in the permits required the development of a long term management plan for the spring chinook salmon of the Grande Ronde Basin. The Nez Perce Tribe, ODFW, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) completed a formal long range plan entitled ''Grande Ronde Basin Endemic Spring Chinook Salmon Supplementation Program''. The program proposes to increase the survival of spring chinook salmon in the Grand Ronde Basin through hatchery intervention. Adult salmon from the Lostine River, Catherine Creek, and the Upper Grande Ronde River are used for a conventional supplementation program in the basin. The Nez Perce program currently operates under the ESA Section 10 Permit 1149.« less

Grande Ronde Basin Supplementation Program; Lostine River, 2001 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Onjukka, Sam T.; Harbeck, Jim

2003-03-01

The Northwest Power Planning Council (NPPC) identified supplementation as a high priority to achieve its goal of increasing runs of anadromous fish in the Columbia Basin. Supplementation activities in the Lostine River and associated monitoring and evaluation conducted by the Nez Perce Tribe relate directly to the needs addressed in the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (NPPC 1994). Measure 7.4L.1 of the Program mandates that appropriate research accompany any proposed supplementation. In addition, measure 7.3B.2 of the Program stresses the need for evaluating supplementation projects to assess their ability to increase production. Finally, Section 7.4D.3 encourages the studymore » of hatchery rearing and release strategies to improve survival and adaptation of cultured fish. In 1997, Oregon Department of Fisheries and Wildlife (ODFW) requested a modification of Permit 1011 to allow the take of adult spring chinook salmon. In 1998, the Nez Perce Tribe also requested a permit specific to activities on Lostine River. The permit was issued in 2000. A special condition in the permits required the development of a long term management plan for the spring chinook salmon of the Grande Ronde Basin. The Nez Perce Tribe, ODFW, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) completed a formal long range plan entitled ''Grande Ronde Basin Endemic Spring Chinook Salmon Supplementation Program''. The program proposes to increase the survival of spring chinook salmon in the Grand Ronde Basin through hatchery intervention. Adult salmon from the Lostine River, Catherine Creek, and the Upper Grande Ronde River are used for a conventional supplementation program in the basin. The Nez Perce program currently operates under the ESA Section 10 Permit 1149.« less

Hydrologic reconnaissance of the Noatak River basin, Alaska, 1978

USGS Publications Warehouse

Childers, Joseph M.; Kernodle, Donald R.

1981-01-01

Hydrologic data were collected in 1978 described water resources of the Noatak River basin, Alaska. Streamflow varies seasonally. No flow was observed from the upper part of the basin in late winter (April). In the lower part of the basin springs support perennial flow in the Kugururok River and downstream along the Noatak. The discharge of the Noatak was 150 cubic feet per second in April 1978. During the summer, rainstorms are common, and runoff produces high flow. During August 1978, flow was normal in the basin; unit runoff averaged about 1 cubic foot per second per square mile. The Noatak is a gravel-bed stream of moderate slope. It drops about 1,800 feet in elevation from a point near the head waters to the mouth, a distance of 400 miles. Streambed material in most places is gravel, cobbles, and boulders, maximum riffle depths and pool widths increase in a downstream direction. Stream velocity in August 1978 increased from about 1 foot per second in the upper basin to about 4 feet per second in the lower reaches. High-water marks of the maximum evident flood were found at elevations from bankfull to 5 feet above bankfull. Maximum evident flood unit runoff rates were estimated to be less than 50 cubic feet per second per square mile. Scars produced by ice jams were seldom seen above bankfull. Bank erosion appears to be most active in the lowlands. Water in the Noatak River basin is virtually unaffected by man 's activity. Water quality varies with location, weather, season, and source; the water is normally clear, cool, and hard. During late winter sea water intrudes into the Lower Noatak Canyon. Benthic invertebrate community composition and variability suggest the river 's undiminished natural quality. (USGS)

Identification of hydrogeochemical processes and pollution sources of groundwater nitrate in Leiming Basin of Hainan island, Southern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaowen, Y.; Zhan, Y., , Dr; Li, Q.

2017-12-01

Identifying the evolution of groundwater quality is important for the control and management of groundwater resources. The main aims of the present study are to identify the major factors affecting hydrogeochemistry of groundwater resources and to evaluate the potential sources of groundwater nitrate in Leiming basin using chemical and isotopic methods. The majority of samples belong to Na-Cl water type and are followed by Ca-HCO3 and mixed Ca-Na-HCO3. The δ18O and δ2H values in groundwater indicate that the shallow fissure groundwater is mainly recharged by rainfall. The evaporated surface water is another significant origin of groundwater. The weathering and dissolution of different rocks and minerals, input of precipitation, evaporation, ion exchange and anthropogenic activities, especially agricultural activities, influence the hydrogeochemistry of the study area. NO- 3 concentration in the groundwater varies from 0.7 to 51.7 mg/L and high values are mainly occurred in the densely populated area. The combined use of isotopic values and hydrochemical data suggests that the NO- 3 load in Leiming basin is not only derived from agricultural activities but also from other sources such as waste water and atmospheric deposition. Fertilizer is considered as the major source of NO- 3 in the groundwater in Leiming basin.

Neotectonic Activity from Karewa Sediments, Kashmir Himalaya, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, K. K.; Shah, R. A.; Achyuthan, H.; Singh, D. S.; Srivastava, S.; Khan, I.

2018-01-01

Intermontane basin sedimentation occurred during Pliocene-Pleistocene in the Karewa Basin which formed after the continent-continent collision resulting in the formation of Himalayan orogenic belt around Eocene. These are elongated, narrow, thrust bounded basins which have formed during the late stages of orogeny. Situated at a height of 1700-1800 m above sea level, the Karewa basin received sediments because of ponding of a pre-existing river system and the tectonic movements along the Great Himalayan Ranges in the north and the Pir-Panjal ranges in the south along active faults. About 1300 m thick sediments of largely fluvio-lacustrine, glacio-fluvio-lacustrine and eolian origin are exposed having evidences of neotectonically formed structural features such as folds and faults. Folds are more prominent in the Lower Karewa formation (Hirpur Formation) while faults (mostly normal faults) are abundant in the Upper Karewas (Nagum Formation). Drainage in the area varies from dendritic to anastomosing to parallel. Anastomosing drainage suggests sudden decrease in gradient while presence of linear features such as faults and ridges is evident by parallel drainage. Study of morphometric parameters such as stream length (Lsm) and stream length ratios (RL), bifurcation ratio (Rb), drainage density (D), form factor (Rf), circularity ratio (Rc), and elongation ratio (Re) also indicate intense tectonic activity in the recent past.

Cadmium mobility in sediments and soils from a coal mining area on Tibagi River watershed: environmental risk assessment.

PubMed

Galunin, Evgeny; Ferreti, Jeferson; Zapelini, Iago; Vieira, Isadora; Ricardo Teixeira Tarley, César; Abrão, Taufik; Santos, Maria Josefa

2014-01-30

The risk of cadmium contamination in the Tibagi River watershed (Parana State, Brazil) affected by past coal mining activities was assessed through sorption-desorption modeling for sediment and soil samples. The acidic character of the samples resulted in more competition between the cadmium ions and protons, thereby influencing the cadmium sorption-desorption. The sorption isotherms were fitted to the Langmuir and Freundlich single models and to the dual-site Langmuir-Freundlich (or Sips) model. The single-site models indicated a low-energy character of sorption sites on the sample sorption sites, whereas the dual-site model explained the availability of higher-affinity and lower-affinity non-specific sites. The correlation of the sorption and desorption constants with the physicochemical and mineralogical characteristics of the samples showed that the cadmium sorption behavior was significantly affected by the pH, point of zero charge, and also by the magnesium, aluminum, calcium and manganese amounts. Besides, the desorption rate and hysteresis index suggested a high risk of cadmium mobilization along the Tibagi River basin. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolution of the east-central San Jose del Cabo basin, Baja California Sur, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McTeague, M. S.; Umhoefer, P. J.; Schwennicke, T.; Ingle, J. C.; Cortes Martinez, M.

2006-12-01

The San Jose del Cabo basin at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula records the early tectonic evolution of the west side of the Gulf of California. This study focused on the east central margin of the basin. The basal La Calera Formation unconformably overlies Cretaceous granite and consists of conglomerate, pebbly sandstone and conglomerate, and sandstone deposited in alluvial fans and fan-deltas. Deposition of the La Calera Formation was from ca. 9-14 Ma. The lower member of the Trinidad Formation was deposited beginning ca. 9-13 Ma and consists of sandstone, mudstone, and shelly mudstone deposited in nearshore and estuarine environments. These age estimates are based on sedimentation rates and foraminifera and coccoliths from the NN 11A nannozone (7.4 8.6 Ma, GTS 2004). The middle member of the Trinidad Formation consists of deeper water mudstones deposited by turbidity currents and suspension settling in a shelf to slope and conglomerates deposited by submarine debris flows on the shelf. The basin began earlier than previously thought. The oldest marine rocks are ca.9-13 Ma, while sedimentation on the east side began at ca. 9-14 Ma, synchronous with estimates of initiation of offset on the San Jose del Cabo fault. The Zapote fault is a down-to-the-east normal and sinistral-oblique fault that exposes a wedge of granite and older strata in the footwall to the west. The fault was active during sedimentation in the late Miocene and possibly later. The fault divides the study area into an eastern hanging wall subbasin and western footwall subbasin. The eastern subbasin formed an embayment in the eastern margin of the Cabo basin. A regional flooding surface (ca. 8 Ma) can be correlated across the fault that marks a major marine incursion. Depositional systems evolved rapidly from coarse-grained terrestrial systems to fine-grained marine and estuarine systems. The Cabo basin provides an excellent analogue for comparison with offshore basins, which are broadly similar with more faulting in lower strata and fewer or no faulting in upper strata. Offshore seismic data show older, deformed syn-rift strata in half graben overlain by younger, undeformed post-rift strata. The normal faults with 1-5 km spacing cut the basement rock and oldest sedimentary units. The eastern margin of the Cabo basin has older, growth strata cut by the Zapote fault that are overlain by simpler strata. Smaller scale normal faults in the Cabo basin are no longer active while the Cabo fault remains active.

Walled Sedimentary Basins of China: Perpetrators or Victims of Plateau Growth?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carroll, A. R.; Graham, S. A.; Smith, M. E.

2004-12-01

Western China and adjacent areas of central Asia are characterized by low relief, internally drained sedimentary basins that are divided by actively uplifting mountain ranges. The margins of these basins often show evidence for extensive contractional deformation, yet their interiors are surprisingly stable. Basins such as the Tarim and Junggar also exhibit long and apparently continuous histories of closed drainage in the same approximate location (over 250 my in the case of Junggar). In contrast to traditional foreland basins, these basins are not uniquely associated with a specific thrust belt, nor do they show evidence for underlying decollements. We therefore propose the new term "walled basin", in recognition of the essential role of peripheral orogenic walls in creating and maintaining closed drainage and impounding sediments. Walled basins in Asia currently are restricted to areas that receive less than 40 cm/yr precipitation, suggesting that aridity plays a role in preventing fluvial breach of the basin walls (cf., Sobel et al., 2003). Entrapment of sediment within the closed Qaidam basin in the northeast Tibetan plateau has been implicated as a potential mechanism of plateau growth, based on the observations that the basin retains mass within the orogen and creates level topography. However, we propose that the Qaidam instead represents a walled basin that has been elevated due to underplating of the plateau, and is fated to eventual destruction as deformation continues. Several lines of reasoning support this conclusion. First, DEM analysis shows that modern drainage divides for the Qaidam and other walled basins never rise more than 1-2 km above the basin floors, limiting the amount of possible topgraphic infill. Second, the Tarim and Junggar basins presently remain well below 2000 m and probably have never been higher, despite receiving large influxes of detritus from adjacent ranges. Third, the Qaidam basin, like the Tarim and Junggar basins, has an older history of nonmarine fill that dates back at least to the Jurassic, and therefore its existence predates the Himalayan orogeny. Fourth, mid-Tertiary and older fill of the Qaidam basin has already been deformed, indicating an ongoing history of structural shortening. Finally, closed geomorphic basins within the southern Tibetan plateau are all much smaller than the Qaidam. This suggests that brittle deformation associated with progressive south to north underplating has disrupted preexisting sedimentary basins that were originally more prominent than they are now.

The South China - Indochina collision: a perspective from sedimentary basins analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossignol, Camille; Bourquin, Sylvie; Hallot, Erwan; Poujol, Marc; Roger, Françoise; Dabard, Marie-Pierre; Martini, Rossana; Villeneuve, Michel; Cornée, Jean-Jacques; Peyrotty, Giovan

2017-04-01

Sedimentary basins, through the sedimentary successions and the nature of the deposits, reflect the geology of the area from which the sediments were derived and thus provide valuable record of hinterland tectonism. As the collision between the South China and the Indochina blocks (i.e., the Indosinian orogeny) is still the object of a number of controversies regarding, for instance, its timing and the polarity of the subduction, the sedimentary basins associated with this mountain belt are likely to provide clues to reconstruct its geodynamic evolution. However, both the Sam Nua Basin (located to the south of the inner zones of the Indosinian orogeny and the Song Ma ophiolites) and the Song Da Basin (located to the north of the inner zones), northern Vietnam, are still lacking important information regarding the depositional environments and the ages of the main formations that they contain. Using sedimentological and dating analyses (foraminifers biostratigraphy and U-Pb dating on detrital zircon), we provide a new stratigraphic framework for these basins and propose a geodynamic evolution of the present-day northern Vietnam. During the Early Triassic, the Sam Nua Basin was mainly supplied by volcaniclastic sediments originating from an active volcanic activity. Geochemical investigations, combined with sedimentological and structural analyses, support an arc-related setting for this magmatism. This magmatic arc resulted from the subduction of a south dipping oceanic slab that once separated the South China from the Indochina blocks. During the Middle to the Late Triassic, the Sam Nua Basin underwent erosion that lead to the formation of a major unconformity, termed the Indosinian unconformity. This unconformity is interpreted to result from the erosion of the Indosinian mountain belt, built after the continental collision between the South China and the Indochina blocks. Later, during the Late Triassic, the Sam Nua Basin experienced the deposition of very coarse material, emplaced under continental setting and representing the product of the erosion of the Indosinian mountain belt. To the North, the Song Da Basin is characterized by strongly diachronous deposits over a basal unconformity developed at the expense of volcanic and volcaniclastic deposits related to the Emeishan Large Igneous Province. The sedimentary succession indicates a foreland setting during the Early to the Middle Triassic, which contrasts with the commonly assumed rift setting for these sediments. Thus, the Song Da Basin documents the formation of the Indosinian thrust belt, located immediately to the South of the basin.

Cenozoic evolution of the Pamir plateau recorded in surrounding basins, implications on Asian climate and land-sea distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dupont-Nivet, Guillaume; Yang, Wei; Blayney, Tamsin; Proust, Jean-Noel; Guo, Zhaojie; Grothe, Arjen; Mandic, Oleg; Fionori, Chiara; Bougeois, Laurie; Najman, Yanina

2015-04-01

The Cenozoic Pamir orogen formed in response to the India-Asia collision. Existing datasets shows that the range grew since ca. 25 Ma, however the early Cenozoic history remains particularly enigmatic. In that peculiar period, global climate changed from greenhouse to icehouse, the proto-Paratethys sea retreated out of Asia and continental aridification as well as monsoons established over Asia. These environmental changes are held responsible for major floral and faunal crises including the emergence of plant communities and the dispersion of key mammal groups from Asia onto other continents. However, the causal relationships between these events remains to be established because of the lack of accurate age constraints on their geological records. Here, we provide well-dated stratigraphic records using magneto- and bio-stratigraphy from the basins surrounding the Pamir. Southeast of the Pamir, along the Kunlun Shan into the southwestern Tarim Basin, Eocene marine deposits are continuously overlain by 41 to 15 Ma continental redbeds themselves overlain by conglomerates in a classic foreland sequence with upward increasing grain-size, accumulation rates and provenance proximity. However, North of the Pamir along the southwestern Tian Shan and West of the Pamir into the Afghan-Tadjik Basin, the entire Oligocene period appears to be missing from the record between the last marine and the first continental sediments dated to the Early Miocene. This supports a simple basin evolution model in response to initial Pamir indentation with Eocene foreland basin activation in the Southeast related to the Kunlun Shan northward thrusting, followed much later by early Miocene activation of the northern foreland basin related to the southwestern Tian Shan overthrusting. The coeval activation of a lithospheric right-lateral strike-slip system along the Pamir/Tarim boundary may have enabled to transfer deformation from the India-Asia collision zone to the Tian Shan and possibly the Talas Fergana fault. This simple model suggests the following two-stage paleoenvironmental evolution: (1) Late Eocene sea retreat linked to the onset of Pamir indentation in conjunction with global sea-level drop, decreasing CO2 levels and ice-cap formation and (2) Early Miocene closure of the Tarim Basin by northward indentation of the Pamir plateau. This two stage evolution is consistent with the Eocene occurrence of continental aridity and Asian Monsoons and their Early Miocene intensification.

Tectonically controlled sedimentation: impact on sediment supply and basin evolution of the Kashafrud Formation (Middle Jurassic, Kopeh-Dagh Basin, northeast Iran)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sardar Abadi, Mehrdad; Da Silva, Anne-Christine; Amini, Abdolhossein; Aliabadi, Ali Akbar; Boulvain, Frédéric; Sardar Abadi, Mohammad Hossein

2014-11-01

The Kashafrud Formation was deposited in the extensional Kopeh-Dagh Basin during the Late Bajocian to Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) and is potentially the most important siliciclastic unit from NE Iran for petroleum geology. This extensional setting allowed the accumulation of about 1,700 m of siliciclastic sediments during a limited period of time (Upper Bajocian-Bathonian). Here, we present a detailed facies analysis combined with magnetic susceptibility (MS) results focusing on the exceptional record of the Pol-e-Gazi section in the southeastern part of the basin. MS is classically interpreted as related to the amount of detrital input. The amount of these detrital inputs and then the MS being classically influenced by sea-level changes, climate changes and tectonic activity. Facies analysis reveals that the studied rocks were deposited in shallow marine, slope to pro-delta settings. A major transgressive-regressive cycle is recorded in this formation, including fluvial-dominated delta to turbiditic pro-delta settings (transgressive phase), followed by siliciclastic to mixed siliciclastic and carbonate shoreface rocks (regressive phase). During the transgressive phase, hyperpycnal currents were feeding the basin. These hyperpycnal currents are interpreted as related to important tectonic variations, in relation to significant uplift of the hinterland during opening of the basin. This tectonic activity was responsible for stronger erosion, providing a higher amount of siliciclastic input into the basin, leading to a high MS signal. During the regressive phase, the tectonic activity strongly decreased. Furthermore, the depositional setting changed to a wave- to tide-dominated, mixed carbonate-siliciclastic setting. Because of the absence of strong tectonic variations, bulk MS was controlled by other factors such as sea-level and climatic changes. Fluctuations in carbonate production, possibly related to sea-level variations, influenced the MS of the siliciclastic/carbonate cycles. Carbonate intervals are characterized by a strong decrease of MS values indicates a gradual reduction of detrital influx. Therefore, the intensity of tectonic movement is thought to be the dominant factor in controlling sediment supply, changes in accommodation space and modes of deposition throughout the Middle Jurassic sedimentary succession in the Pol-e-Gazi section and possibly in the Kopeh-Dagh Basin in general.

Impact of land-use and climatic changes on hydrology of the Himalayan Basin: A case study of the Kosi Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Keshav Prasad

1997-10-01

Land-use and climatic changes are of major concern in the Himalayan region because of their potential impacts on a predominantly agriculture-based economy and a regional hydrology dominated by strong seasonality. Such concerns are not limited to any particular basin but exist throughout the region including the downstream plain areas. As a representative basin of the Himalayas, we studied the Kosi basin (54,000 km2) located in the mountainous area of the central Himalayan region. We analyzed climatic and hydrologic information to assess the impacts of existing and potential future land-use and climatic changes over the basin. The assessment of anthropogenic inputs showed that the population grew at a compound growth rate of about one percent per annum over the basin during the last four decades. The comparison of land-use data based on the surveys made in the 1960s, and the surveys of 1978-79 did not reveal noticeable trends in land-use change. Analysis of meteorological and hydrological trends using parametric and nonparametric statistics for monthly data from 1947 to 1993 showed some increasing tendency for temperature and precipitation. Statistical tests of hydrological trends indicated an overall decrease of discharge along mainstem Kosi River and its major tributaries. The decreasing trends of streamflow were more significant during low-flow months. Statistical analysis of homogeneity showed that the climatological as well as the hydrological trends were more localized in nature lacking distinct basinwide significance. Statistical analysis of annual sediment time series, available for a single station on the Kosi River did not reveal a significant trend. We used water balance, statistical correlation, and distributed deterministic modeling approaches to analyze the hydrological sensitivity of the basin to possible land-use and climatic changes. The results indicated a stronger influence of basin characteristics compared to climatic characteristics on flow regime. Among the climatic variables, hydrologic response was much more sensitive to changes in precipitation, and the response was more significant in the drier areas of the basin. Rapid retreat of glaciers due to potential global warming was shown to be as important as projected deforestation scenarios in regulating sediment flux over the basin.

Initiation, evolution and extinction of pull-apart basins: Implications for opening of the Gulf of California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Wijk, J.; Axen, G.; Abera, R.

2017-11-01

We present a model for the origin, crustal architecture, and evolution of pull-apart basins. The model is based on results of three-dimensional upper crustal elastic models of deformation, field observations, and fault theory, and is generally applicable to basin-scale features, but predicts some intra-basin structural features. Geometric differences between pull-apart basins are inherited from the initial geometry of the strike-slip fault step-over, which results from the forming phase of the strike-slip fault system. As strike-slip motion accumulates, pull-apart basins are stationary with respect to underlying basement, and the fault tips propagate beyond the rift basin, increasing the distance between the fault tips and pull-apart basin center. Because uplift is concentrated near the fault tips, the sediment source areas may rejuvenate and migrate over time. Rift flank uplift results from compression along the flank of the basin. With increasing strike-slip movement the basins deepen and lengthen. Field studies predict that pull-apart basins become extinct when an active basin-crossing fault forms; this is the most likely fate of pull-apart basins, because basin-bounding strike-slip systems tend to straighten and connect as they evolve. The models show that larger length-to-width ratios with overlapping faults are least likely to form basin-crossing faults, and pull-apart basins with this geometry are thus most likely to progress to continental rupture. In the Gulf of California, larger length-to-width ratios are found in the southern Gulf, which is the region where continental breakup occurred rapidly. The initial geometry in the northern Gulf of California and Salton Trough at 6 Ma may have been one of widely-spaced master strike-slip faults (lower length-to-width ratios), which our models suggest inhibits continental breakup and favors straightening of the strike-slip system by formation of basin-crossing faults within the step-over, as began 1.2 Ma when the San Jacinto and Elsinore - Cerro Prieto fault systems formed.

Tectono-sedimentary analysis using the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility: a study of the terrestrial and freshwater Neogene of the Orava Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Łoziński, Maciej; Ziółkowski, Piotr; Wysocka, Anna

2017-10-01

The Orava Basin is an intramontane depression filled with presumably fine-grained sediments deposited in river, floodplain, swamp and lake settings. The basin infilling constitutes a crucial record of the neoalpine evolution of the Inner/Outer Carpathian boundary area since the Neogene, when the Jurassic-Paleogene basement became consolidated, uplifted and eroded. The combination of sedimentological and structural studies with anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) measurements provided an effective tool for recognition of terrestrial environments and deformations of the basin infilling. The lithofacies-oriented sampling and statistical approach to the large dataset of AMS specimens were utilized to define 12 AMS facies based on anisotropy degree (P) and shape (T). The AMS facies allowed a distinction of sedimentary facies ambiguous for classical methods, especially floodplain and lacustrine sediments, as well as revealing their various vulnerabilities to tectonic modification of AMS. A spatial analysis of facies showed that tuffites along with lacustrine and swamp deposits were generally restricted to marginal and southern parts of the basin. Significant deformations were noticed at basin margins and within two intrabasinal tectonic zones, which indicated the tectonic activity of the Pieniny Klippen Belt after the Middle Miocene. The large southern area of the basin recorded consistent N-NE trending compression during basin inversion. This regional tectonic rearrangement resulted in a partial removal of the southernmost basin deposits and shaped the basin's present-day extent.

Comprehensive Characterization of Droughts to Assess the Effectiveness of a Basin-Wide Integrated Water Management in the Yakima River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demissie, Y.; Mortuza, M. R.; Li, H. Y.

2017-12-01

Better characterization and understanding of droughts and their potential links to climate and hydrologic factors are essential for water resources planning and management in drought-sensitive but agriculturally productive regions like the Yakima River Basin (YKB) in Washington State. The basin is semi-arid and heavily relies on a fully appropriated irrigation water for fruit and crop productions that worth more than 3 billion annually. The basin experienced three major droughts since 2000 with estimated 670 million losses in farm revenue. In response to these and expected worsening drought conditions in the future, there is an ongoing multi-agency effort to adopt a basin-wide integrated water management to ensure water security during severe droughts. In this study, the effectiveness of the proposed water management plan to reduce the frequency and severity of droughts was assessed using a new drought index developed based on the seasonal variations of precipitation, temperature, snow accumulation, streamflow, and reservoir storages. In order to uncover the underlying causes of the various types of droughts observed during the 1961-2016, explanatory data analysis using deep learning was conducted for the local climate and hydrologic data including total water supply available, as well as global climatic phenomenon (El Niño/Southern Oscillation, Pacific Decadal Oscillation and North Atlantic Oscillation). The preliminary results showed that besides shortage in annual precipitation, various combinations of climate and hydrologic factors are responsible for the different drought conditions in the basin. Particularly, the winter snowpack, which provides about 2/3 of the surface water in the basin along with the carryover storage from the reservoirs play an important role during both single- and multiple-year drought events. Besides providing the much-needed insights about characteristics of droughts and their contributing factors, the outcome of the study is expected to have a direct contribution to the ongoing discussion of the effectiveness of the water management plan in the YRB.

Assessment of the water supply:demand ratios in a Mediterranean basin under different global change scenarios and mitigation alternatives.

PubMed

Boithias, Laurie; Acuña, Vicenç; Vergoñós, Laura; Ziv, Guy; Marcé, Rafael; Sabater, Sergi

2014-02-01

Spatial differences in the supply and demand of ecosystem services such as water provisioning often imply that the demand for ecosystem services cannot be fulfilled at the local scale, but it can be fulfilled at larger scales (regional, continental). Differences in the supply:demand (S:D) ratio for a given service result in different values, and these differences might be assessed with monetary or non-monetary metrics. Water scarcity occurs where and when water resources are not enough to meet all the demands, and this affects equally the service of water provisioning and the ecosystem needs. In this study we assess the value of water in a Mediterranean basin under different global change (i.e. both climate and anthropogenic changes) and mitigation scenarios, with a non-monetary metric: the S:D ratio. We computed water balances across the Ebro basin (North-East Spain) with the spatially explicit InVEST model. We highlight the spatial and temporal mismatches existing across a single hydrological basin regarding water provisioning and its consumption, considering or not, the environmental demand (environmental flow). The study shows that water scarcity is commonly a local issue (sub-basin to region), but that all demands are met at the largest considered spatial scale (basin). This was not the case in the worst-case scenario (increasing demands and decreasing supply), as the S:D ratio at the basin scale was near 1, indicating that serious problems of water scarcity might occur in the near future even at the basin scale. The analysis of possible mitigation scenarios reveals that the impact of global change may be counteracted by the decrease of irrigated areas. Furthermore, the comparison between a non-monetary (S:D ratio) and a monetary (water price) valuation metrics reveals that the S:D ratio provides similar values and might be therefore used as a spatially explicit metric to valuate the ecosystem service water provisioning. © 2013.

Time reversal seismic imaging using laterally reflected surface waves in southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tape, C.; Liu, Q.; Tromp, J.; Plesch, A.; Shaw, J. H.

2010-12-01

We use observed post-surface-wave seismic waveforms to image shallow (upper 10 km) lateral reflectors in southern California. Our imaging technique employs the 3D crustal model m16 of Tape et al. (2009), which is accurate for most local earthquakes over the period range 2-30 s. Model m16 captures the resonance of the major sedimentary basins in southern California, as well as some lateral surface wave reflections associated with these basins. We apply a 3D Gaussian smoothing function (12 km horizontal, 2 km vertical) to model m16. This smoothing has the effect of suppressing synthetic waveforms within the period range of interest (3-10 s) that are associated with reflections (single and multiple) from these basins. The smoothed 3D model serves as the background model within which we propagate an ``adjoint wavefield'' comprised of time-reversed windows of post-surface-wave coda waveforms that are initiated at the respective station locations. This adjoint wavefield constructively interferes with the regular wavefield in the locations of potential reflectors. The potential reflectors are revealed in an ``event kernel,'' which is the time-integrated volumetric field for each earthquake. By summing (or ``stacking'') the event kernels from 28 well-recorded earthquakes, we identify several reflectors using this imaging procedure. The most prominent lateral reflectors occur in proximity to: the southernmost San Joaquin basin, the Los Angeles basin, the San Pedro basin, the Ventura basin, the Manix basin, the San Clemente--Santa Cruz--Santa Barbara ridge, and isolated segments of the San Jacinto and San Andreas faults. The correspondence between observed coherent coda waveforms and the imaged reflectors provides a solid basis for interpreting the kernel features as material contrasts. The 3D spatial extent and amplitude of the kernel features provide constraints on the geometry and material contrast of the imaged reflectors.

Integrating facies and structural analyses with subsidence history in a Jurassic-Cretaceous intraplatform basin: Outcome for paleogeography of the Panormide Southern Tethyan margin (NW Sicily, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basilone, Luca; Sulli, Attilio; Gasparo Morticelli, Maurizio

2016-06-01

We illustrate the tectono-sedimentary evolution of a Jurassic-Cretaceous intraplatform basin in a fold and thrust belt present setting (Cala Rossa basin). Detailed stratigraphy and facies analysis of Upper Triassic-Eocene successions outcropping in the Palermo Mts (NW Sicily), integrated with structural analysis, restoration and basin analysis, led to recognize and describe into the intraplatform basin the proximal and distal depositional areas respect to the bordered carbonate platform sectors. Carbonate platform was characterized by a rimmed reef growing with progradational trends towards the basin, as suggested by the several reworked shallow-water materials interlayered into the deep-water succession. More, the occurrence of thick resedimented breccia levels into the deep-water succession suggests the time and the characters of synsedimentary tectonics occurred during the Late Jurassic. The study sections, involved in the building processes of the Sicilian fold and thrust belt, were restored in order to obtain the original width of the Cala Rossa basin, useful to reconstruct the original geometries and opening mechanisms of the basin. Basin analysis allowed reconstructing the subsidence history of three sectors with different paleobathymetry, evidencing the role exerted by tectonics in the evolution of the narrow Cala Rossa basin. In our interpretation, a transtensional dextral Lower Jurassic fault system, WNW-ESE (present-day) oriented, has activated a wedge shaped pull-apart basin. In the frame of the geodynamic evolution of the Southern Tethyan rifted continental margin, the Cala Rossa basin could have been affected by Jurassic transtensional faults related to the lateral westward motion of Africa relative to Europe.

Stratigraphic Signatures of Forearc Basin Formation Mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mannu, U.; Ueda, K.; Gerya, T.; Willett, S.; Strasser, M.

2014-12-01

Forearc basins are loci of active sedimentation above the landward portion of accretionary prisms. Although these basins typically remain separated from the frontal prism by a forearc high, their evolution has a significant impact on the structure and deformation of the entire wedge. Formation of forearc basins has been proposed as a consequence of changes in wedge stability due to an increase of slab dip in subduction zones. Another hypothesis attributes this to higher hinterland sedimentation, which causes the rear of the wedge to stabilize and eventually develop a forearc basin. Basin stratigraphic architecture, revealed by high-resolution reflection seismic data and borehole data allows interpretation of structural development of the accretionary prism and associated basins with the goal of determining the underlying driving mechanism(s) of basin formation. In this study we supplement data interpretation with thermo-mechanical numerical models including high-resolution isochronal surface tracking to visualize the developing stratigraphy of basins that develop in subduction zone and wedge dynamic models. We use a dynamic 2D thermo mechanical model incorporating surface processes, strain weakening and sediment subduction. The model is a modification of I2VIS model, which is based on conservative, fully staggered finite differences and a non-diffusive marker- in-cell technique capable of modelling mantle convection. In the model different driving mechanisms for basin formation can be explored. Stratigraphic simulations obtained by isochronal surface tracking are compared to reflection pattern and stratigraphy of seismic and borehole data, respectively. Initial results from a model roughly representing the Nankai Trough Subduction Zone offshore Japan are compared to available seismic and Integrated Ocean Drilling (IODP) data. A calibrated model predicting forearc basin stratigraphy will be used to discern the underlying process of basins formation and wedge dynamics.

Estimation of daily mean streamflow for ungaged stream locations in the Delaware River Basin, water years 1960–2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stuckey, Marla H.

2016-06-09

The ability to characterize baseline streamflow conditions, compare them with current conditions, and assess effects of human activities on streamflow is fundamental to water-management programs addressing water allocation, human-health issues, recreation needs, and establishment of ecological flow criteria. The U.S. Geological Survey, through the National Water Census, has developed the Delaware River Basin Streamflow Estimator Tool (DRB-SET) to estimate baseline (minimally altered) and altered (affected by regulation, diversion, mining, or other anthropogenic activities) and altered streamflow at a daily time step for ungaged stream locations in the Delaware River Basin for water years 1960–2010. Daily mean baseline streamflow is estimated by using the QPPQ method to equate streamflow expressed as a percentile from the flow-duration curve (FDC) for a particular day at an ungaged stream location with the percentile from a FDC for the same day at a hydrologically similar gaged location where streamflow is measured. Parameter-based regression equations were developed for 22 exceedance probabilities from the FDC for ungaged stream locations in the Delaware River Basin. Water use data from 2010 is used to adjust the baseline daily mean streamflow generated from the QPPQ method at ungaged stream locations in the Delaware River Basin to reflect current, or altered, conditions. To evaluate the effectiveness of the overall QPPQ method contained within DRB-SET, a comparison of observed and estimated daily mean streamflows was performed for 109 reference streamgages in and near the Delaware River Basin. The Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) values were computed as a measure of goodness of fit. The NSE values (using log10 streamflow values) ranged from 0.22 to 0.98 (median of 0.90) for 45 streamgages in the Upper Delaware River Basin and from -0.37 to 0.98 (median of 0.79) for 41 streamgages in the Lower Delaware River Basin.

The main sources of pollution of the aquatic environment in Hellas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koumantakis, J.; Dimitrakopoulos, D.; Markantonis, K.; Grigorakou, E.; Vassiliou, E.

2003-04-01

The research team of the laboratory of Engineering Geology &Hydrogeology of NTUA and P.P.C. have carried out several research projects since 1990. The conclusions of these projects for the main sources of pollution of the aquatic environment in Hellas are the following: Human activities : a) Urban and industrial wastes (solid and liquids) are disposed or discharged to the surface or groundwater bodies causing degradation of their quality (case studies of Athens Basin, Lavrio region, Atalanti plain), b) intensive use of pesticides and fertilizers for agriculture, through the process of percolation or leaching causes the deterioration of aquifers and surface water (case studies of Plolemais Basin, Korinth region, Elassona Basin, Atalanti plain, Thrapsana Basin Iraklio), c) current exploitations and old or abandoned mining sites, disturb the aquatic environment and create new hydraulic connections between clean and polluted aquifers or the sea (case studies of Lavrio region, Ptolemais Basin, Megalopoli Basin), d) over-pumping of aquifers mainly for irrigation but also in some cases for dewatering of mines, results in continues drawdown of the groundwater level and intrusion of sea (case studies of Korinth region, Athens basin, Naxos island, Nea Peramos Kavala, Marathon, Argolida Field, Atalanti plain, Achaia region, Stratoni area Chalkidiki, Gouves Iraklio). Geological Environment: a) extensive karstification of limestones that spread up all over the Greek region (33%) causes the intrusion of the sea far into the land (case studies of Lavrio region, Kefalonia island, Hymettus mountain), b) the chemical composition of the geological formations through the process of ion exchange and solubility pollute the groundwater resources (case studies of Vegoritis Basin, Katsika Chalkidiki, Florina region). The proposed measures to face these problems are : - the orthological management of the water resources - the artificial recharge of the aquifers, - proper waste management, of wastes generated by human activities, - systematic study of the karstic saline springs of Greece for their exploitation.

Evolution of fore-arc and back-arc sedimentary basins with focus on the Japan subduction system and its analogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Hiroshi; Ishiyama, Tatsuya; Matenco, Liviu; Nader, Fadi Henri

2017-07-01

The International Lithosphere Program (ILP) seeks to elucidate the nature, dynamics, origin and evolution of the lithosphere through international, multidisciplinary geoscience research projects and coordinating committees (Cloetingh and Negendank, 2010). The focus of the Task Force VI Sedimentary Basins activities is to foster collaborations between academia, research institutes and industry in all domains relevant for the understanding of sedimentary basins, from regional to nano-scale, from the deep earth to near surface processes (e.g., Roure et al., 2010, 2013). In this activity, it is important to develop and validate novel concepts of sedimentary basin evolution and topography building by incorporating geological/geophysical datasets and methodologies applied to worldwide natural laboratories (Cloetingh et al., 2011; Cloetingh and Willett, 2013; Matenco and Andriessen, 2013). The Task Force aims to understand and predict the processes that control the formation and evolution of the coupled orogens and sedimentary basins system through integration of field studies, analytical techniques and numerical/analogue modelling. At the same time, the Task Force aims to promote research in the domain of sedimentary basins evolution and quantitative tectonics for the study of mountain building and the subsequent extensional collapse, and their quantitative implications for vertical motions on different temporal and spatial scales (Gibson et al., 2015; Matenco et al., 2016; Roure, 2008; Seranne et al., 2015). The implications of tectonics on basin fluids (fluid-flow and rock-fluid interactions) are important to understand and predict geo-resources (e.g., Nader, 2016). Important is to initiate innovative research lines in linking the evolution of sedimentary systems by integrating cross-disciplinary expertise with a focus on integrated sedimentary basins and orogenic evolution. The key is to strengthen the synergy between academic research and applied industry in large (inter)national interdisciplinary research networks able to tackle complex problems at integrated system level.

Naturally fractured tight gas reservoir detection optimization. Quarterly report, April--June 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1994-07-01

Geologic assessment of the basin during the third quarter possessed several major objectives. The first task was to test the validity of the gas-centered basin model for the Piceance Basin. The second objective was to define the location and variability of gas-saturated zones within the Williams Fork and Iles Formation reservoir horizons. A third objective was to prepare an updated structure map of the Piceance Basin on the top of the Iles Formation (Rollins Sandstone) to take advantage of new data provided by ten years of drilling activity throughout the basin. The first two objectives formed the core of themore » ARI poster session presented at the AAPG annual meeting in Denver. The delineation of the gas and water-saturated zone geometries for the Williams Fork and Iles Formations in the basin was presented in the form of a poster session at the AAPG Annual meeting held in Denver in mid-June. The poster session outlined the nature of the gas-centered basin geometry and demonstrated the gas and water-saturated conditions for the Williams Fork, Cozzette and Corcoran reservoir horizons throughout the basin. Initial and cumulative production data indicate that these reservoir horizons are gas-saturated in most of the south-central and eastern basin. The attached report summarizes the data and conclusions of the poster session.« less

Hydrological inferences through morphometric analysis of lower Kosi river basin of India for water resource management based on remote sensing data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rai, Praveen Kumar; Chandel, Rajeev Singh; Mishra, Varun Narayan; Singh, Prafull

2018-03-01

Satellite based remote sensing technology has proven to be an effectual tool in analysis of drainage networks, study of surface morphological features and their correlation with groundwater management prospect at basin level. The present study highlights the effectiveness and advantage of remote sensing and GIS-based analysis for quantitative and qualitative assessment of flood plain region of lower Kosi river basin based on morphometric analysis. In this study, ASTER DEM is used to extract the vital hydrological parameters of lower Kosi river basin in ARC GIS software. Morphometric parameters, e.g., stream order, stream length, bifurcation ratio, drainage density, drainage frequency, drainage texture, form factor, circularity ratio, elongation ratio, etc., have been calculated for the Kosi basin and their hydrological inferences were discussed. Most of the morphometric parameters such as bifurcation ratio, drainage density, drainage frequency, drainage texture concluded that basin has good prospect for water management program for various purposes and also generated data base that can provide scientific information for site selection of water-harvesting structures and flood management activities in the basin. Land use land cover (LULC) of the basin were also prepared from Landsat data of 2005, 2010 and 2015 to assess the change in dynamic of the basin and these layers are very noteworthy for further watershed prioritization.

Studies of geology and hydrology in the Basin and Range Province, Southwestern United States, for isolation of high-level radioactive waste - Characterization of the Bonneville region, Utah and Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bedinger, M.S.; Sargent, K.A.; Langer, William H.

1990-01-01

The Bonneville region of the Basin and Range province in westcentral Utah and adjacent Nevada includes several basins lying south of the Great Salt Lake Desert. Physiographically, the region consists of linear, north-trending mountain ranges separated by valleys, many of which are closed basins underlain by thick sequences of fill. Surface drainage of open basins and ground-water flow is to the Great Salt Lake Desert. In structure and composition the ranges are faulted Paleozoic rocks, locally intruded by Mesozoic and Tertiary plugs and stocks. In the southern and northeastern parts of the region, volcanic rocks are widespread and form large parts of some mountain ranges. The Paleozoic sedimentary rocks include great thicknesses of carbonate rocks which compose a significant aquifer in the regionMedia considered to have potential for isolation of high-level radioactive waste in the region include intrusive rocks, such as granite; ash-flow tuff; and basalt and basaltic andesite lava flows. These rock types, basin fill, and possibly other rock types, may have potential as host media in the unsaturated zone. Quaternary tectonism in the region is evidenced by seismic activity, local areas of above-normal geothermal heat flow, Quaternary faulting, late Cenozoic volcanic activity, and active vertical crustal movement. The Bonneville region is part of a large ground-water flow system that is integrated partly through basin-fill deposits, but largely through an underlying carbonate-rock sequence. The region includes: (1) several topographically closed basins with virtually no local surface discharge that are drained by the underlying carbonate-rock aquifer; (2) closed basins with local surface discharge by evapotranspiration; and (3) basins open to the Great Salt Lake Desert that discharge by groundwater underflow and evapotranspiration. The carbonate-rock aquifer discharges to large springs in the Desert and in basins tributary to the Desert. The climate is arid to semiarid with the greatest precipitation in the mountain ranges. Most recharge probably occurs by infiltration of runoff as it leaves the mountains, although some recharge probably occurs directly to the carbonate rocks in the mountain areas. The concentration of dissolved solids in ground water is generally less than 500 milligrams per liter. Dissolved-solids concentrations increase in the Great Salt Lake Desert and in major valleys adjoining the Desert. The predominant chemical constituents in ground water are calcium, magnesium, and sodium bicarbonate. Chloride-type water is associated with the higher dissolved-solids content of water in and near the Great Salt Lake Desert. The majority of the mineral occurrences containing base- and precious-metal deposits in the Bonneville region are of Tertiary age. Fluorspar is the primary industrial mineral. Coal, oil, and gas have not been produced in significant amounts.

Along strike behavior of the Tizi n' Firest fault during the Lower Jurassic rifting (Central High Atlas Carbonate basin, Morocco)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarih, S.; Quiquerez, A.; Allemand, P.; Garcia, J. P.; El Hariri, K.

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study is to document the along-strike early syn-rift history of the Lower Jurassic Carbonate basin of the Central High Atlas (Morocco) by combining sedimentological observations and high-resolution biostratigraphy. Six sections, each from the Sinemurian to the Upper Pliensbachian, were investigated along a 75 km-long transect at the hanging wall of a major fault of the Lower Jurassic Basin (i.e. the Tizi n' Firest fault). Depositional geometries of the early syn-rift deposits were reconstructed from the correlation between eight main timelines dated by biochronological markers for a time span covering about 6 Ma. Depocentre migration was examined and accommodation rates were calculated at the sub-zone timescale to discuss the along-strike-fault behavior of the Lower Jurassic basin formation. The early stages of extension are marked by contrasted along-strike variations in depositional geometry thickness, depocentre migration and accommodation rates, leading to the growth of three independent sub-basins (i.e. western, central, and eastern), ranging in size from 30 to 50 km, and displaying three contrasted tectono-sedimentary histories. Our results suggest that, during the early rifting phase, tectonic activity was not a continuous and progressive process evolving towards a rift climax stage, but rather a series of acceleration periods that alternated with periods of much reduced activity. The length of active fault segments is estimated at about 15-20 km, with a lifespan of a few ammonite sub-zones (> 2-3 Ma).

Temporal evolution of fault systems in the Upper Jurassic of the Central German Molasse Basin: case study Unterhaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budach, Ingmar; Moeck, Inga; Lüschen, Ewald; Wolfgramm, Markus

2018-03-01

The structural evolution of faults in foreland basins is linked to a complex basin history ranging from extension to contraction and inversion tectonics. Faults in the Upper Jurassic of the German Molasse Basin, a Cenozoic Alpine foreland basin, play a significant role for geothermal exploration and are therefore imaged, interpreted and studied by 3D seismic reflection data. Beyond this applied aspect, the analysis of these seismic data help to better understand the temporal evolution of faults and respective stress fields. In 2009, a 27 km2 3D seismic reflection survey was conducted around the Unterhaching Gt 2 well, south of Munich. The main focus of this study is an in-depth analysis of a prominent v-shaped fault block structure located at the center of the 3D seismic survey. Two methods were used to study the periodic fault activity and its relative age of the detected faults: (1) horizon flattening and (2) analysis of incremental fault throws. Slip and dilation tendency analyses were conducted afterwards to determine the stresses resolved on the faults in the current stress field. Two possible kinematic models explain the structural evolution: One model assumes a left-lateral strike slip fault in a transpressional regime resulting in a positive flower structure. The other model incorporates crossing conjugate normal faults within a transtensional regime. The interpreted successive fault formation prefers the latter model. The episodic fault activity may enhance fault zone permeability hence reservoir productivity implying that the analysis of periodically active faults represents an important part in successfully targeting geothermal wells.

Role of colloidal material in the removal of 234Th in the Canada basin of the Arctic Ocean

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baskaran, M.; Swarzenski, P.W.; Porcelli, D.

2003-01-01

The phase partitioning of 234Th between dissolved ( 200m, general equilibrium existed between total 234Th and 238U. The inventory of SPM and the specific activity of particulate 234Th in the Canada Basin was about an order of magnitude higher than the profile reported for the Alpha Ridge ice camp station. This higher concentration of SPM in the southwestern Canada Basin is likely derived from ice-rafted sedimentary particles. Inventories of nutrients, and dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen in the upper 100 m of the Canada Basin are comparable to the other estimates for the central Arctic Ocean. Comparison of the mass concentrations of colloidal and filter-retained particulate matter as well as the activity of 234Th in these phases indicates that only a very small component of the colloidal material is actively involved in Th scavenging. Lower values of the conditional partition coefficient between the colloidal and dissolved phase indicate that the Arctic colloids are less reactive than colloidal material from other regions. The conditional partition coefficient between the filter-retained and dissolved phases (Kf) is generally higher than that for other regions, which is attributed to the higher complexation capacity of glacio-marine sedimentary particles in these waters. The 234Th-derived export of POC for the shelf and deep Canada Basin ranges between 5.6 and 6.5 mmol m-2 d-1, and is in agreement with other estimates reported for the central Arctic Ocean and Beaufort Sea. ?? 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental setting of the San Joaquin-Tulare basins, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gronberg, JoAnn A.; Dubrovsky, Neil M.; Kratzer, Charles R.; Domagalski, Joseph L.; Brown, Larry R.; Burow, Karen R.

1998-01-01

The National Water-Quality Assessment Program for the San Joaquin- Tulare Basins began in 1991 to study the effects of natural and anthropogenic influences on the quality of ground water, surface water, biology, and ecology. The San Joaquin-Tulare Basins study unit, which covers approximately 31,200 square miles in central California, is made up of the San Joaquin Valley, the eastern slope of the Coast Ranges to the west, and the western slope of the Sierra Nevada to the east. The sediments of the San Joaquin Valley can be divided into alluvial fans and basin deposits. The San Joaquin River receives water from tributaries draining the Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges, and except for streams discharging directly to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, is the only surface- water outlet from the study unit. The surface-water hydrology of the San Joaquin-Tulare Basins study unit has been significantly modified by development of water resources. Almost every major river entering the valley from the Sierra Nevada has one or more reservoirs. Almost every tributary and drainage into the San Joaquin River has been altered by a network of canals, drains, and wasteways. The Sierra Nevada is predominantly forested, and the Coast Ranges and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada are predominately rangeland. The San Joaquin Valley is dominated by agriculture, which utilized approximately 14.7 million acre-feet of water and 597 million pounds active ingredient of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers in 1990, and 88 million pounds active ingredient of pesticides in 1991. In addition, the livestock industry contributed 318 million pounds active ingredient of nitrogen and phosphorus from manure in 1987. This report provides the background information to assess the influence of these and other factors on water quality and to provide the foundation for the design and interpretation of all spatial data. These characterizations provide a basis for comparing the influences of human activities among basins and specific land use settings, as well as within and among study units at the national level.

Investigation of the /sup 234/U//sup 238/U disequilibrium in the natural waters of the Santa Fe River basin north-central Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Briel, L.I.

1976-01-01

Typical surface water masses in the Santa Fe basin are characterized by a /sup 238/U concentration of 0.224 +- .014 ppB and a /sup 234/U//sup 238/U activity ratio of 1.081 +- .038. The Floridan aquifer in this area is represented by at least two distinct regimes of ground water. The effluent from the Poe Springs group has a nominal uranium concentration of 0.938 +- .014 ppB and an activity ratio of 0.900 +- .012, while the effluent from the Ichetucknee Springs group has a nominal uranium concentration of 0.558 +- .018 ppB and an activity ratio of 0.707 +- .022.more » The effluent from ten additional springs in the Santa Fe system can be represented by hypothetical mixtures of these two ground water regimes and a hypothetical surface water component, which may reflect the extent of local recharge to the aquifer in different parts of the basin.« less

Cenozoic evolution of the Pamir plateau recorded in surrounding basins, implications on Asian climate, land-sea distribution and biotic crises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dupont Nivet, G.; Yang, W.; Blayney, T.; Bougeois, L.; Manceau, C.; Najman, Y.; Proust, J. N.; Guo, Z.; Grothe, A.; Mandic, O.; Fioroni, C.

2014-12-01

The Cenozoic Pamir orogen formed in response to the India-Asia collision. Existing datasets shows that the range grew since ca. 25 Ma, however the early Cenozoic history remains unconstrained. In that period, global climate changed from greenhouse to icehouse, the proto-Paratethys sea retreated out of Asia and continental aridification as well as monsoons established over Asia. These environmental changes are held responsible for major floral and faunal crises. However, the causal relationships between these events remains to be established because of the lack of accurate age constraints on their geological records. Here, we provide well-dated stratigraphic records using magneto- and bio-stratigraphy from the basins surrounding the Pamir. Southeast of the Pamir, along the Kunlun Shan into the southwestern Tarim Basin, Eocene marine deposits are continuously overlain by 41 to 15 Ma continental redbeds themselves overlain by conglomerates in a classic foreland sequence with upward increasing grain-size, accumulation rates and provenance proximity. However, North of the Pamir along the southwestern Tian Shan and West of the Pamir into the Afghan-Tadjik Basin, the entire Oligocene period appears to be missing from the record between the last marine and the first continental sediments dated to the Early Miocene. This supports a simple model in response to initial Eocene Pamir indentation with foreland basin activation in the Southeast related to the Kunlun Shan northward thrusting, followed much later by early Miocene activation of the northern foreland basin related to the southwestern Tian Shan overthrusting. The coeval activation of a lithospheric right-lateral strike-slip system along the Pamir/Tarim boundary may have enabled to transfer deformation from the India-Asia collision to the Tian Shan and possibly the Talas Fergana fault. This simple model suggests the following two-stage paleoenvironmental evolution: (1) Late Eocene sea retreat linked to the onset of Pamir indentation in conjunction with global sea-level drop, decreasing CO2 levels and ice-cap formation and (2) Early Miocene Tarim Basin closure by northward indentation of the Pamir plateau. This two-stage evolution is consistent with the Eocene occurrence of continental aridity and Asian Monsoons and their Early Miocene intensification.

Characteristics of tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic and East Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrett, Bradford Scott

In this dissertation, I present a series of investigations to expand our understanding of TCs in the East Pacific and North Atlantic basins. First, I developed and applied a climatological tool that quickly and succinctly displays the spread of historical TC tracks for any point in the North Atlantic basin. This tool is useful in all parts of a basin because it is derived from prior storm motion trajectories and summarily captures the historical synoptic and mesoscale steering patterns. It displays the strength of the climatological signal and allow for rapid qualitative comparison between historical TC tracks and NWP models. Second, I have used a robust statistical technique to quantify the relationships between fifteen different metrics of TC activity in nine ocean basins and twelve climate indices of the leading modes of atmospheric and oceanic variability. In a thorough, encyclopedic manner, over 12,000 Spearman rank correlation coefficients were calculated and examined to identify relationships between TCs and their environment. This investigation was not limited to the East Pacific or North Atlantic, and new climatic associations were found between seasonal levels of TC activity and the major climate indices across the nine basins. This information is critical to forecasters, economists, actuaries, energy traders, and societal planners who apply knowledge of levels of TC activity on intraseasonal to interdecadal timescales. The statistics are also valuable to climatologists seeking to understand how regional TC frequency will change as the global climate warms. Third, I have examined the leading intraseasonal mode of atmospheric and oceanic variability, the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), and discovered statistically significant relationships with the frequency of TC genesis, intensification, and landfall over the nine basins. Like the significance of the longer-period oscillations to the frequency of TC activity on intraseasonal and longer timescales, these results are highly relevant to the problem of short-term (one- to two-week) predictability of TC activity. These three investigations demonstrate the utility of historical datasets across a wide range of applications, from short-term forecasting to climate studies. In this way, the results highlighted in this dissertation represent a significant and positive contribution to meteorology. Collectively, they reveal multiple characteristics of TCs in the East Pacific and North Atlantic and provide greater understanding of the complex interactions between TCs and their surrounding larger-scale environment.

Late movement of basin-edge lobate scarps on Mercury

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fegan, E. R.; Rothery, D. A.; Marchi, S.; Massironi, M.; Conway, S. J.; Anand, M.

2017-05-01

Basin-edge lobate scarps are a sub-type of tectonic shortening structure on the surface of Mercury that have formed at the edge of volcanic units that fill or partly fill impact basins. We have performed a global survey of these features and find that they are widespread in basins across the planet. We obtained model ages from crater size-frequency distribution analysis for a subset of our surveyed basins, for both the smooth plains infill and for the last resolvable tectonic activity on the associated basin-edge scarps. Our results indicate that some of these lobate scarps were still accumulating strain in the late Mansurian (approximately 1 Ga). From a photogeological assessment, we find that the orientations of these basin-edge lobate scarps are similar to those reported for the global population of lobate scarps in earlier studies, appearing to align ∼north-south at low latitudes and ∼east-west at higher latitudes. However, reassessing these landforms' orientation with artificially illuminated topographic data does not allow us to rule out the effect of illumination bias. We propose that these landforms, the result of crustal shortening in response to global contraction, formed along the interface between the basin floor and the smooth plains unit, which acted as a mechanical discontinuity along which shortening strains were concentrated.

Quaternary base-level drops and trigger mechanisms in a closed basin: Geomorphic and sedimentological studies of the Gastre Basin, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilmes, Andrés; Veiga, Gonzalo D.; Ariztegui, Daniel; Castelltort, Sébastien; D'Elia, Leandro; Franzese, Juan R.

2017-04-01

Evaluating the role of tectonics and climate as possible triggering mechanisms of landscape reconfigurations is essential for paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic reconstructions. In this study an exceptional receptive closed Quaternary system of Patagonia (the Gastre Basin) is described, and examined in order to analyze factors triggering base-level drops. Based on a geomorphological approach, which includes new tectonic geomorphology investigations combined with sedimentological and stratigraphic analysis, three large-scale geomorphological systems were identified, described and linked to two major lake-level highstands preserved in the basin. The results indicate magnitudes of base-level drops that are several orders of magnitude greater than present-day water-level fluctuations, suggesting a triggering mechanism not observed in recent times. Direct observations indicating the occurrence of Quaternary faults were not recorded in the region. In addition, morphometric analyses that included mountain front sinuosity, valley width-height ratio, and fan apex position dismiss tectonic fault activity in the Gastre Basin during the middle Pleistocene-Holocene. Therefore, we suggest here that upper Pleistocene climate changes may have been the main triggering mechanism of base-level falls in the Gastre Basin as it is observed in other closed basins of central Patagonia (i.e., Carri Laufquen Basin).

Holocene aeolian activity in the Gonghe Basin, north-eastern Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stauch, Georg; Lai, Zhongping; Lehmkuhl, Frank; Schulte, Philipp

2016-04-01

The Gonghe Basin is located on the north-eastern edge of Tibetan Plateau and has a mean altitude of 3000 m asl. With a size of 20.000 km² it is the largest intramontane Basin on the north-eastern Plateau. The well-studied Qinghai Basin is situated north of the Basin, while the drier central Plateau is further south-west. Previous research indicated an early onset of the aeolian accumulation in the Qinghai Basin at around 18 ka while in the areas further to the south-west aeolian archives date back only to the beginning of the Holocene. First new OSL ages from aeolian sand and loess indicate a intermediate timing of the aeolian accumulation in the Gonghe Basin at the transition from the late glacial to the Holocene. Late glacial and early Holocene ages of aeolian sediments were hitherto associated with wetter climate conditions caused by the strengthening of the Asian summer monsoon. Higher moisture availability resulted in an increased vegetation cover, leading to the permanent stabilization of the aeolian sediments. Under glacial climate conditions a constant remobilization of the sediments can be assumed. The new OSL ages from the Gonghe Basin indicate a progressive shift of the monsoonal strength in westward directions during the late glacial until the early Holocene.

New insights into the North Taranaki Basin from New Zealand's first broadband 3D survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uzcategui, Marjosbet; Francis, Malcolm; Kong, Wai Tin Vincent; Patenall, Richard; Fell, Dominic; Paxton, Andrea; Allen, Tristan

2016-06-01

The Taranaki Basin is the only hydrocarbon producing basin in New Zealand. The North Taranaki Basin has widespread two-dimensional (2D) seismic coverage and numerous wells that have not encountered commercial accumulations. This is attributed to the structural complexity in the central graben and the absence of necessary information to help understand the basin's evolution. An active petroleum system has been confirmed by hydrocarbon shows and non-commercial oil and gas discoveries (Karewa-1 and Kora-1). A broadband long offset three-dimensional (3D) seismic survey was acquired and processed by Schlumberger in 2013 to evaluate the hydrocarbon potential of the North Taranaki Basin. Innovative acquisition techniques were combined with advanced processing and imaging methods. Raypath distortions and depth uncertainty were significantly reduced by processing through tilted transverse isotropy (TTI) anisotropic Kirchhoff prestack depth migration with a geologically constrained velocity model. The survey provided the necessary information to understand the petroleum system and provide evidence for material hydrocarbon accumulations. In this investigation, we assessed the hydrocarbon potential of the North Taranaki Basin using the newly acquired data. 3D seismic interpretation and amplitude-versus-offset (AVO) analysis support the renewed potential of the basin and demonstrate effectiveness of these technologies that together can achieve encouraging results for hydrocarbon exploration.

A comparison of single- and multi-site calibration and validation: a case study of SWAT in the Miyun Reservoir watershed, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Jianwen; Shen, Zhenyao; Yan, Tiezhu

2017-09-01

An essential task in evaluating global water resource and pollution problems is to obtain the optimum set of parameters in hydrological models through calibration and validation. For a large-scale watershed, single-site calibration and validation may ignore spatial heterogeneity and may not meet the needs of the entire watershed. The goal of this study is to apply a multi-site calibration and validation of the Soil andWater Assessment Tool (SWAT), using the observed flow data at three monitoring sites within the Baihe watershed of the Miyun Reservoir watershed, China. Our results indicate that the multi-site calibration parameter values are more reasonable than those obtained from single-site calibrations. These results are mainly due to significant differences in the topographic factors over the large-scale area, human activities and climate variability. The multi-site method involves the division of the large watershed into smaller watersheds, and applying the calibrated parameters of the multi-site calibration to the entire watershed. It was anticipated that this case study could provide experience of multi-site calibration in a large-scale basin, and provide a good foundation for the simulation of other pollutants in followup work in the Miyun Reservoir watershed and other similar large areas.

Hand-Hewn Granite Basins at Native American Saltworks, Sierra Nevada, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, James G.; Diggles, Michael F.

2009-01-01

This site in the northern Sierra Nevada contains about 369 circular basins carved in fresh, glaciated granodioritic bedrock, with 325 basins crowded together in an area of 2,700 m2 on the main terrace. These terrace basins have a median average diameter of 125 cm (80 percent between 100 and 160 cm) and a median depth of 75-80 cm. They show a strong congruity to similar granitic basins in the southern Sierra Nevada apparently of Native American origin that are generally shallower. The basins are not of natural origin, as indicated by uniformity in size and nonoverlapping character of the basins; their common arrangement in lineaments; details of the shape of the basins; features in common with granite basins in the Southern Sierra Nevada; and, most compelling, the clustering of all the basins adjacent to (within 20 m of) two saline streams fed from a nearby salt spring. Native Americans apparently excavated them for the purpose of collecting saline water to evaporate and make salt for their use, and also as an animal attractant and a trade commodity. The flow of the salty streams delivers about 2.9 metric tons of salt per summer season to the basin area, and evaporation rates and the holding capacity of the basins indicate that about 2.5 tons of salt could be produced per season. This correspondence shows that the Indians made enough basins to exploit the resource. The site is the most impressive prehistoric saltworks yet discovered in North America and represents a unique departure from traditional hunter-gatherer activities to that of manufacturing. The actual grinding of so many basins in granite could not have been done without the labor of a concentrated population. It is believed that the work was accomplished over a long time by many people and with the use of fire to help disaggregate the bedrock.

Water quality in select regions of Cauvery Delta River basin, southern India, with emphasis on monsoonal variation.

PubMed

Solaraj, Govindaraj; Dhanakumar, Selvaraj; Murthy, Kuppuraj Rutharvel; Mohanraj, Rangaswamy

2010-07-01

Delta regions of the Cauvery River basin are one of the significant areas of rice production in India. In spite of large-scale utilization of the river basin for irrigation and drinking purposes, the lack of appropriate water management has seemingly deteriorated the water quality due to increasing anthropogenic activities. To assess the extent of deterioration, physicochemical characteristics of surface water were analyzed monthly in select regions of Cauvery Delta River basin, India, during July 2007 to December 2007. Total dissolved solids, chemical oxygen demand, and phosphate recorded maximum levels of 1,638, 96, and 0.43 mg/l, respectively, exceeding the permissible levels at certain sampling stations. Monsoonal rains in Cauvery River basin and the subsequent increase in river flow rate influences certain parameters like dissolved solids, phosphate, and dissolved oxygen. Agricultural runoff from watershed, sewage, and industrial effluents are suspected as probable factors of water pollution.

Pacific Basin Deaf-Blind Project. State & Multi State Projects for Children with Deaf-Blindness. Final Report, 1992-1995.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Dotty; Guerrero, Vincent Leon

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of the Pacific Basin Deaf-Blind Project, a 3-year federally funded project to provide technical assistance to public and private agencies, institutions, and organizations providing early intervention, educational, transitional, vocational, early identification, and related services to…

Columbia Basin College Assessment & Effectiveness: Report to the College Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Columbia Basin Coll., Pasco, WA.

This report furnishes examples of assessment and effectiveness activities at Columbia Basin College (Washington). In 1997, the college's Board of Trustees began using the Carver Model of policy governance and created a new college mission statement and related end states, which directly answer the question, "What good will be produced for…

RELATION OF LANDSCAPE-SCALE ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS TO FISH ASSEMBLAGES IN THE UPPER FRENCH BROAD RIVER BASIN, NORTH CAROLINA

EPA Science Inventory

Fish assemblages at 16 sites in the upper French Broad river basin in North Carolina were related to environmental characteristics at the landscape scale, the scale at which management activities and decisions are most likely to occur. Indirect gradient analysis and subsequent re...

LAND COVER MAPPING IN AN AGRICULTURAL SETTING USING MULTISEASONAL THEMATIC MAPPER DATA

EPA Science Inventory

A multiseasonal Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data set consisting of five image dates from a single year was used to characterize agricultural and related land cover in the Willamette River Basin (WRB) of western Oregon. Image registration was accomplished using an automated grou...

The Spatial Distributions and Variations of Water Environmental Risk in Yinma River Basin, China.

PubMed

Di, Hui; Liu, Xingpeng; Zhang, Jiquan; Tong, Zhijun; Ji, Meichen

2018-03-15

Water environmental risk is the probability of the occurrence of events caused by human activities or the interaction of human activities and natural processes that will damage a water environment. This study proposed a water environmental risk index (WERI) model to assess the water environmental risk in the Yinma River Basin based on hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and regional management ability indicators in a water environment. The data for each indicator were gathered from 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015 to assess the spatial and temporal variations in water environmental risk using particle swarm optimization and the analytic hierarchy process (PSO-AHP) method. The results showed that the water environmental risk in the Yinma River Basin decreased from 2000 to 2015. The risk level of the water environment was high in Changchun, while the risk levels in Yitong and Yongji were low. The research methods provide information to support future decision making by the risk managers in the Yinma River Basin, which is in a high-risk water environment. Moreover, water environment managers could reduce the risks by adjusting the indicators that affect water environmental risks.

Changes in agricultural cropland areas between a water-surplus year and a water-deficit year impacting food security, determined using MODIS 250 m time-series data and spectral matching techniques, in the Krishna river basin (India)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gumma, Murali Krishna; Thenkabail, Prasad S.; Muralikrishna, I.V.; Velpuri, Naga Manohar; Gangadhararao, P.T.; Dheeravath, V.; Biradar, C.M.; Nalan, S.A.; Gaur, A.

2011-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the changes in cropland areas as a result of water availability using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 250 m time-series data and spectral matching techniques (SMTs). The study was conducted in the Krishna River basin in India, a very large river basin with an area of 265 752 km2 (26 575 200 ha), comparing a water-surplus year (2000–2001) and a water-deficit year (2002–2003). The MODIS 250 m time-series data and SMTs were found ideal for agricultural cropland change detection over large areas and provided fuzzy classification accuracies of 61–100% for various land‐use classes and 61–81% for the rain-fed and irrigated classes. The most mixing change occurred between rain-fed cropland areas and informally irrigated (e.g. groundwater and small reservoir) areas. Hence separation of these two classes was the most difficult. The MODIS 250 m-derived irrigated cropland areas for the districts were highly correlated with the Indian Bureau of Statistics data, with R 2-values between 0.82 and 0.86.The change in the net area irrigated was modest, with an irrigated area of 8 669 881 ha during the water-surplus year, as compared with 7 718 900 ha during the water-deficit year. However, this is quite misleading as most of the major changes occurred in cropping intensity, such as changing from higher intensity to lower intensity (e.g. from double crop to single crop). The changes in cropping intensity of the agricultural cropland areas that took place in the water-deficit year (2002–2003) when compared with the water-surplus year (2000–2001) in the Krishna basin were: (a) 1 078 564 ha changed from double crop to single crop, (b) 1 461 177 ha changed from continuous crop to single crop, (c) 704 172 ha changed from irrigated single crop to fallow and (d) 1 314 522 ha changed from minor irrigation (e.g. tanks, small reservoirs) to rain-fed. These are highly significant changes that will have strong impact on food security. Such changes may be expected all over the world in a changing climate.