Hydrogeochemical investigations in the Osgood mountains, north-central Nevada. Chapter B.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wanty, Richard B.; Berger, Byron R.; Tuttle, Michele L.W.; Briggs, Paul H.; Meier, Allen L.; Crock, James G.; Stillings, Lisa L.

2006-01-01

Field investigations performed in the Osgood Mountains during the summers of 1999 and 2000 were designed to test methods of combining geologic, hydrologic, and geochemical investigations. The goals were to develop a more thorough understanding of the movement of water through the study area and to understand the water-rock reactions that may occur along flow paths. The Osgood Mountains were chosen for study because they represent a well-defined geologic system, based on existing and new field data. New work in the area focused on gathering more data about fractures, faults, and joints and on collecting water samples to evaluate the role of geologic structures on hydrologic and geochemical properties of the ground-water/surface-water system. Chemical methods employed in the study included measuring traditional field parameters (e.g., pH, temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen) as well as Fe2+ and collecting a variety of samples that were preserved for later laboratory analysis. Hydrologic methods included closely spaced evaluations of substream hydraulic head to define ground-water discharge and recharge zones as well as some measurements of stream discharge. Geologic investigations focused on the locations and orientations of fractures and kinematic indicators of slip observable in outcrops.

Reservoir Characterization using geostatistical and numerical modeling in GIS with noble gas geochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasquez, D. A.; Swift, J. N.; Tan, S.; Darrah, T. H.

2013-12-01

The integration of precise geochemical analyses with quantitative engineering modeling into an interactive GIS system allows for a sophisticated and efficient method of reservoir engineering and characterization. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is utilized as an advanced technique for oil field reservoir analysis by combining field engineering and geological/geochemical spatial datasets with the available systematic modeling and mapping methods to integrate the information into a spatially correlated first-hand approach in defining surface and subsurface characteristics. Three key methods of analysis include: 1) Geostatistical modeling to create a static and volumetric 3-dimensional representation of the geological body, 2) Numerical modeling to develop a dynamic and interactive 2-dimensional model of fluid flow across the reservoir and 3) Noble gas geochemistry to further define the physical conditions, components and history of the geologic system. Results thus far include using engineering algorithms for interpolating electrical well log properties across the field (spontaneous potential, resistivity) yielding a highly accurate and high-resolution 3D model of rock properties. Results so far also include using numerical finite difference methods (crank-nicholson) to solve for equations describing the distribution of pressure across field yielding a 2D simulation model of fluid flow across reservoir. Ongoing noble gas geochemistry results will also include determination of the source, thermal maturity and the extent/style of fluid migration (connectivity, continuity and directionality). Future work will include developing an inverse engineering algorithm to model for permeability, porosity and water saturation.This combination of new and efficient technological and analytical capabilities is geared to provide a better understanding of the field geology and hydrocarbon dynamics system with applications to determine the presence of hydrocarbon pay zones (or other reserves) and improve oil field management (e.g. perforating, drilling, EOR and reserves estimation)

Geological Survey research 1981

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1982-01-01

This U.S. Geological Survey activities report includes a summary of 1981 fiscal year scientific and economic results accompanied by a list of geologic, hydrologic, and cartographic investigations in progress. The summary of results includes: (1) Mineral, (2) Water resources, (3) Engineering geology and hydrology, (4) Regional geology, (5) Principles and processes, (6) Laboratory and field methods, (7) Topographic surveys and mapping, (8) Management of resources on public lands, (9) Land information and analysis, and (10) Investigations in other countries. Also included are lists of investigations in progress.

Geologic Interpretation of Data Sets Collected by Planetary Analog Geology Traverses and by Standard Geologic Field Mapping. Part 1; A Comparison Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eppler, Dean B.; Bleacher, Jacob F.; Evans, Cynthia A.; Feng, Wanda; Gruener, John; Hurwitz, Debra M.; Skinner, J. A., Jr.; Whitson, Peggy; Janoiko, Barbara

2013-01-01

Geologic maps integrate the distributions, contacts, and compositions of rock and sediment bodies as a means to interpret local to regional formative histories. Applying terrestrial mapping techniques to other planets is challenging because data is collected primarily by orbiting instruments, with infrequent, spatiallylimited in situ human and robotic exploration. Although geologic maps developed using remote data sets and limited "Apollo-style" field access likely contain inaccuracies, the magnitude, type, and occurrence of these are only marginally understood. This project evaluates the interpretative and cartographic accuracy of both field- and remote-based mapping approaches by comparing two 1:24,000 scale geologic maps of the San Francisco Volcanic Field (SFVF), north-central Arizona. The first map is based on traditional field mapping techniques, while the second is based on remote data sets, augmented with limited field observations collected during NASA Desert Research & Technology Studies (RATS) 2010 exercises. The RATS mission used Apollo-style methods not only for pre-mission traverse planning but also to conduct geologic sampling as part of science operation tests. Cross-comparison demonstrates that the Apollo-style map identifies many of the same rock units and determines a similar broad history as the field-based map. However, field mapping techniques allow markedly improved discrimination of map units, particularly unconsolidated surficial deposits, and recognize a more complex eruptive history than was possible using Apollo-style data. Further, the distribution of unconsolidated surface units was more obvious in the remote sensing data to the field team after conducting the fieldwork. The study raises questions about the most effective approach to balancing mission costs with the rate of knowledge capture, suggesting that there is an inflection point in the "knowledge capture curve" beyond which additional resource investment yields progressively smaller gains in geologic knowledge.

A Numerical and Theoretical Study of Seismic Wave Diffraction in Complex Geologic Structure

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-04-14

element methods for analyzing linear and nonlinear seismic effects in the surficial geologies relevant to several Air Force missions. The second...exact solution evaluated here indicates that edge-diffracted seismic wave fields calculated by discrete numerical methods probably exhibits significant...study is to demonstrate and validate some discrete numerical methods essential for analyzing linear and nonlinear seismic effects in the surficial

Construction of 3-D Earth Models for Station Specific Path Corrections by Dynamic Ray Tracing

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-10-01

the numerical eikonal solution method of Vidale (1988) being used by the MIT led consortium. The model construction described in this report relies...assembled. REFERENCES Barazangi, M., Fielding, E., Isacks, B. & Seber, D., (1996), Geophysical And Geological Databases And Ctbt...preprint download6). Fielding, E., Isacks, B.L., and Baragangi. M. (1992), A Network Accessible Geological and Geophysical Database for

A fully-coupled discontinuous Galerkin spectral element method for two-phase flow in petroleum reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taneja, Ankur; Higdon, Jonathan

2018-01-01

A high-order spectral element discontinuous Galerkin method is presented for simulating immiscible two-phase flow in petroleum reservoirs. The governing equations involve a coupled system of strongly nonlinear partial differential equations for the pressure and fluid saturation in the reservoir. A fully implicit method is used with a high-order accurate time integration using an implicit Rosenbrock method. Numerical tests give the first demonstration of high order hp spatial convergence results for multiphase flow in petroleum reservoirs with industry standard relative permeability models. High order convergence is shown formally for spectral elements with up to 8th order polynomials for both homogeneous and heterogeneous permeability fields. Numerical results are presented for multiphase fluid flow in heterogeneous reservoirs with complex geometric or geologic features using up to 11th order polynomials. Robust, stable simulations are presented for heterogeneous geologic features, including globally heterogeneous permeability fields, anisotropic permeability tensors, broad regions of low-permeability, high-permeability channels, thin shale barriers and thin high-permeability fractures. A major result of this paper is the demonstration that the resolution of the high order spectral element method may be exploited to achieve accurate results utilizing a simple cartesian mesh for non-conforming geological features. Eliminating the need to mesh to the boundaries of geological features greatly simplifies the workflow for petroleum engineers testing multiple scenarios in the face of uncertainty in the subsurface geology.

Geological Survey research 1976

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1976-01-01

This U.S. Geological Survey activities report includes a summary of recent (1976 fiscal year) scientific and economic results accompanied by a list of geologic and hydrologic investigations in progress and a report on the status of topographic mapping. The summary of results includes: (1) Mineral resources, Water resources, (2) Engineering geology and hydrology, (3) Regional geology, (4) Principles and processes, (5) Laboratory and field methods, (6) Topographic surveys and mapping, (7) Management of resources on public lands, (8) Land information and analysis, and (9) Investigations in other countries. Also included are lists of cooperating agencies and Geological Survey offices. (Woodard-USGS)

Geological Survey research 1978

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1978-01-01

This U.S. Geological Survey activities report includes a summary of 1978 fiscal year scientific and economic results accompanied by a list of geologic and hydrologic investigations in progress and a report on the status of topographic mapping. The summary of results includes: (1) Mineral and water resources, (2) Engineering geology and hydrology, (3) Regional geology, (4) Principles and processes, (5) Laboratory and field methods, (6) Topographic surveys and mapping, (7) Management of resources on public lands, (8) Land information and analysis, and (9) Investigations in other countries. Also included are lists of cooperating agencies and Geological Survey offices. (Woodard-USGS)

Text Content Pushing Technology Research Based on Location and Topic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Dongqi; Wei, Jianxin; Wumuti, Naheman; Jiang, Baode

2016-11-01

In the field, geological workers usually want to obtain related geological background information in the working area quickly and accurately. This information exists in the massive geological data, text data is described in natural language accounted for a large proportion. This paper studied location information extracting method in the mass text data; proposed a geographic location—geological content—geological content related algorithm based on Spark and Mapreduce2, finally classified content by using KNN, and built the content pushing system based on location and topic. It is running in the geological survey cloud, and we have gained a good effect in testing by using real geological data.

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

None

This case history discusses the exploration methods used at the Momotombo Geothermal Field in western Nicaragua, and evaluates their contributions to the development of the geothermal field models. Subsequent reservoir engineering has not been synthesized or evaluated. A geothermal exploration program was started in Nicaragua in 1966 to discover and delineate potential geothermal reservoirs in western Nicaragua. Exploration began at the Momotombo field in 1970 using geological, geochemical, and geophysical methods. A regional study of thermal manifestations was undertaken and the area on the southern flank of Volcan Momotombo was chosen for more detailed investigation. Subsequent exploration by various consultantsmore » produced a number of geotechnical reports on the geology, geophysics, and geochemistry of the field as well as describing production well drilling. Geological investigations at Momotombo included photogeology, field mapping, binocular microscope examination of cuttings, and drillhole correlations. Among the geophysical techniques used to investigate the field sub-structure were: Schlumberger and electromagnetic soundings, dipole mapping and audio-magnetotelluric surveys, gravity and magnetic measurements, frequency domain soundings, self-potential surveys, and subsurface temperature determinations. The geochemical program analyzed the thermal fluids of the surface and in the wells. This report presents the description and results of exploration methods used during the investigative stages of the Momotombo Geothermal Field. A conceptual model of the geothermal field was drawn from the information available at each exploration phase. The exploration methods have been evaluated with respect to their contributions to the understanding of the field and their utilization in planning further development. Our principal finding is that data developed at each stage were not sufficiently integrated to guide further work at the field, causing inefficient use of resources.« less

Beta Testing StraboSpot: Perspectives on mobile field mapping and data collection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bunse, E.; Graham, K. A.; Rufledt, C.; Walker, J. D.; Müller, A.; Tikoff, B.

2017-12-01

Geologic field mapping has recently transitioned away from traditional techniques (e.g. field notebooks, paper mapping, Brunton compasses) and towards mobile `app' mapping technology. The StraboSpot system (Strabo) is an open-source solution for collection and storage for geologic field, microstructural, and lab-based data. Strabo's mission is to "enable recording and sharing data within the geoscience community, encourage interdisciplinary research, and facilitate the investigation of scientific questions that cannot currently be addressed" (Walker et al., 2015). Several mobile application beta tests of the system, on both Android and Apple iOS platforms using smartphones and tablets, began in Summer 2016. Students at the 2016 and 2017 University of Kansas Field Camps used Strabo in place of ArcGIS for Desktop on Panasonic Toughbooks, to field map two study areas. Strabo was also field tested by students of graduate and undergraduate level for both geo/thermochronologic sample collection and reconnaissance mapping associated with regional tectonic analysis in California. Throughout this period of testing, the app was geared toward structural and tectonic geologic data collection, but is versatile enough for other communities to currently use and is expanding to accommodate the sedimentology and petrology communities. Overall, users in each of the beta tests acclimated quickly to using Strabo for field data collection. Some key advantages to using Strabo over traditional mapping methods are: (1) Strabo allows for consolidation of materials in the field; (2) helps students track their position in the field with integrated GPS; and (3) Strabo data is in a uniform format making it simple for geologists to collaborate. While traditional field methods are not likely to go out of style in the near future, Strabo acts as a bridge between professional and novice geologists by providing a tool that is intuitive on all levels of geological and technological experience and allows for more effective collaboration in the field. Walker, J. Douglas, et al. (2015), Development of Structural Geology and Tectonics Data System with Field and Lab Interface, Abstract IN21E-04 presented at 2015 Fall Meeting, AGU, San Francisco, Calif., 14-18 Dec.

[The application of spectral geological profile in the alteration mapping].

PubMed

Li, Qing-Ting; Lin, Qi-Zhong; Zhang, Bing; Lu, Lin-Lin

2012-07-01

Geological section can help validating and understanding of the alteration information which is extracted from remote sensing images. In the paper, the concept of spectral geological profile was introduced based on the principle of geological section and the method of spectral information extraction. The spectral profile can realize the storage and vision of spectra along the geological profile, but the spectral geological spectral profile includes more information besides the information of spectral profile. The main object of spectral geological spectral profile is to obtain the distribution of alteration types and content of minerals along the profile which can be extracted from spectra measured by field spectrometer, especially for the spatial distribution and mode of alteration association. Technical method and work flow of alteration information extraction was studied for the spectral geological profile. The spectral geological profile was set up using the ground reflectance spectra and the alteration information was extracted from the remote sensing image with the help of typical spectra geological profile. At last the meaning and effect of the spectral geological profile was discussed.

A Century of Geology-Curriculum Response to Society: A Case Study at Oregon State University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grunder, A.; Johnson, J. A.

2014-12-01

Over the past century, the geology curriculum at Oregon State University has remained constant in some areas and changed in others in response to internal (faculty and university) and external (economic, and intellectual) drivers. A decadal summary of 100 years of the geology curriculum at Oregon State University reveals socio-economic patterns. From 1913, when the School of Mines was established, to 1932, when it was dismembered, the geology curriculum was designed in support mining engineering. In that time, the geology department (est. 1914) moved from the School of Mines to the School of Science. Several decades of paleontology-intensive curriculum followed under the leadership of noted paleontologist Earl Packard, as dean and chair. The curriculum transitioned from support of the oil industry in the 60s and 70s, with a strong field emphasis engendered by "Doc" Wilkinson, to increased structure and tectonics emphasis in response to the tectonic revolution under the leadership of structural geologist Robert Yeats. In the last few decades the program has grown diverse in environmental and climatic interests. The early curriculum required a three-course series in determinative mineralogy plus petrography and 3 courses in petrology (igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic), making a core of seven; we require 3 courses today. Like all students in the School of Mines, those with the geology specialization were required to take a field course in surveying and to spend several summer months working in the mining industry. This strong field tradition persisted through time with an introductory field methods class coupled with a summer field camp. The total number of weeks dedicated to field classes, excluding the work experience requirement, has varied from as high as 12 credit-hours to the present 6 (quarters basis). On the other hand, increased short field experiences are reflected by incorporation of more field trips in nearly all courses since the 80's, fostered by accessible transportation. General education courses delivered by geology faculty have mimicked these changes, from early service courses in basic geology for engineering, mining and agriculture to a diverse slate of courses from basic geology to natural hazards and climate.

A geologic approach to field methods in fluvial geomorphology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fitzpatrick, Faith A.; Thornbush, Mary J; Allen, Casey D; Fitzpatrick, Faith A.

2014-01-01

A geologic approach to field methods in fluvial geomorphology is useful for understanding causes and consequences of past, present, and possible future perturbations in river behavior and floodplain dynamics. Field methods include characterizing river planform and morphology changes and floodplain sedimentary sequences over long periods of time along a longitudinal river continuum. Techniques include topographic and bathymetric surveying of fluvial landforms in valley bottoms and describing floodplain sedimentary sequences through coring, trenching, and examining pits and exposures. Historical sediment budgets that include floodplain sedimentary records can characterize past and present sources and sinks of sediment along a longitudinal river continuum. Describing paleochannels and floodplain vertical accretion deposits, estimating long-term sedimentation rates, and constructing historical sediment budgets can assist in management of aquatic resources, habitat, sedimentation, and flooding issues.

A Standard-Driven Data Dictionary for Data Harmonization of Heterogeneous Datasets in Urban Geological Information Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, G.; Wu, C.; Li, X.; Song, P.

2013-12-01

The 3D urban geological information system has been a major part of the national urban geological survey project of China Geological Survey in recent years. Large amount of multi-source and multi-subject data are to be stored in the urban geological databases. There are various models and vocabularies drafted and applied by industrial companies in urban geological data. The issues such as duplicate and ambiguous definition of terms and different coding structure increase the difficulty of information sharing and data integration. To solve this problem, we proposed a national standard-driven information classification and coding method to effectively store and integrate urban geological data, and we applied the data dictionary technology to achieve structural and standard data storage. The overall purpose of this work is to set up a common data platform to provide information sharing service. Research progresses are as follows: (1) A unified classification and coding method for multi-source data based on national standards. Underlying national standards include GB 9649-88 for geology and GB/T 13923-2006 for geography. Current industrial models are compared with national standards to build a mapping table. The attributes of various urban geological data entity models are reduced to several categories according to their application phases and domains. Then a logical data model is set up as a standard format to design data file structures for a relational database. (2) A multi-level data dictionary for data standardization constraint. Three levels of data dictionary are designed: model data dictionary is used to manage system database files and enhance maintenance of the whole database system; attribute dictionary organizes fields used in database tables; term and code dictionary is applied to provide a standard for urban information system by adopting appropriate classification and coding methods; comprehensive data dictionary manages system operation and security. (3) An extension to system data management function based on data dictionary. Data item constraint input function is making use of the standard term and code dictionary to get standard input result. Attribute dictionary organizes all the fields of an urban geological information database to ensure the consistency of term use for fields. Model dictionary is used to generate a database operation interface automatically with standard semantic content via term and code dictionary. The above method and technology have been applied to the construction of Fuzhou Urban Geological Information System, South-East China with satisfactory results.

Study on the interaction mechanism between the special geological environment and their extreme geo-microbes in Dagang Oilfield by combined methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Jun

2010-05-01

Geo-microbes and their function were widespread ever since life appeared on the earth. Geo-microbiological process has left a rich and colorful material record in the geological body of earth, the most critical record of which is all sorts of organic hieroglyph and various forms of organic matter derived from bio-organisms, and oil field is the most ideal geological location to preserve these organic matters. It have already produced or might produce petroleum and natural gas sedimentary rocks under natural conditions, also known as olefiant (gas) rock or the parent rock, which is the product of the interaction between the life-system and earth environmental system in the specific geological conditions and integrate the whole microbial ecosystem in the geological time. The microbial community under extreme geological environment of Dagang Oilfield is relatively simple, therefore it is quite easy to investigate the special relationship between geo-microbes and biogeochemistry. We have mastered a large number of information related with the geological condition and biological species of Dagang Oilfield; what's more we also have isolated a number of archimycetes strains with different extremophiles capacity from the core samples collected in the Dagang oil field. At present, we are to proceed with the cooperative research at Environment School of Yale University and Institute of the Earth's biosphere using these strains. In the future, we will work together to carry out geological surveys in the field using international first-class equipment and methods and study the geological environment of Dagang Oilfield utilizing isotope techniques and mineral phase analysis method. Meanwhile we are going to undertake the on-line monitoring of the overall microbial activity of these collected geological samples, the specific metabolic activity of these extreme strains of microorganisms and the biomarkers produced during their metabolic processes under laboratory conditions. According to these research work listed above, we can reveal the mechanism of interaction between the special geological environment of Dagang Oilfield and the extreme geo-microbes, so as to clarify the effects of oil field environment on the extreme geo-microbes and especially the adverse effect of these geo-microbes to the geological environment, which may provide a practical foundation of theoretical basis for the reasons why the Dagang Oilfield can produce oil. Acknowledgement This work was supported in part by grants from National Outstanding Youth Research Foundation of China (40925010), International Joint Key Project from National Natural Science Foundation of China (40920134003), National Natural Science Foundation of China (40873060), and International Joint Key Project from Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (2009DFA92830), and the 111 Project (08030).

Crosscutting Development- EVA Tools and Geology Sample Acquisition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2011-01-01

Exploration to all destinations has at one time or another involved the acquisition and return of samples and context data. Gathered at the summit of the highest mountain, the floor of the deepest sea, or the ice of a polar surface, samples and their value (both scientific and symbolic) have been a mainstay of Earthly exploration. In manned spaceflight exploration, the gathering of samples and their contextual information has continued. With the extension of collecting activities to spaceflight destinations comes the need for geology tools and equipment uniquely designed for use by suited crew members in radically different environments from conventional field geology. Beginning with the first Apollo Lunar Surface Extravehicular Activity (EVA), EVA Geology Tools were successfully used to enable the exploration and scientific sample gathering objectives of the lunar crew members. These early designs were a step in the evolution of Field Geology equipment, and the evolution continues today. Contemporary efforts seek to build upon and extend the knowledge gained in not only the Apollo program but a wealth of terrestrial field geology methods and hardware that have continued to evolve since the last lunar surface EVA. This paper is presented with intentional focus on documenting the continuing evolution and growing body of knowledge for both engineering and science team members seeking to further the development of EVA Geology. Recent engineering development and field testing efforts of EVA Geology equipment for surface EVA applications are presented, including the 2010 Desert Research and Technology Studies (Desert RATs) field trial. An executive summary of findings will also be presented, detailing efforts recommended for exotic sample acquisition and pre-return curation development regardless of planetary or microgravity destination.

Real Time Quality Control Methods for Cued EMI Data Collection

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-12

of magnetic geology creating false source locations;  out of the remaining 78 recollects that were due to legitimate sources (i.e., a metal...White River Technologies January 2016 The magnetic geology at the site presented the most significant challenge to the technology and...object, magnetic geology , etc.); however, many of the reacquires due to common errors such as inaccurate target picking could be replaced by in-field

Systems and methods for locating and imaging proppant in an induced fracture

DOEpatents

Aldridge, David F.; Bartel, Lewis C.

2016-02-02

Born Scattering Inversion (BSI) systems and methods are disclosed. A BSI system may be incorporated in a well system for accessing natural gas, oil and geothermal reserves in a geologic formation beneath the surface of the Earth. The BSI system may be used to generate a three-dimensional image of a proppant-filled hydraulically-induced fracture in the geologic formation. The BSI system may include computing equipment and sensors for measuring electromagnetic fields in the vicinity of the fracture before and after the fracture is generated, adjusting the parameters of a first Born approximation model of a scattered component of the surface electromagnetic fields using the measured electromagnetic fields, and generating the image of the proppant-filled fracture using the adjusted parameters.

Examination of a Model for Field Studies in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riban, David M.

1976-01-01

Discusses ways to increase the effectiveness of field studies as an instructional method. Describes a study in which high school students who completed a geological field study scored higher on an earth science test than students who had not participated in the field study. (MLH)

Enhancement of subsurface geologic structure model based on gravity, magnetotelluric, and well log data in Kamojang geothermal field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yustin Kamah, Muhammad; Armando, Adilla; Larasati Rahmani, Dinda; Paramitha, Shabrina

2017-12-01

Geophysical methods such as gravity and magnetotelluric methods commonly used in conventional and unconventional energy exploration, notably for exploring geothermal prospect. They used to identify the subsurface geology structures which is estimated as a path of fluid flow. This study was conducted in Kamojang Geothermal Field with the aim of highlighting the volcanic lineament in West Java, precisely in Guntur-Papandayan chain where there are three geothermal systems. Kendang Fault has predominant direction NE-SW, identified by magnetotelluric techniques and gravity data processing techniques. Gravity techniques such as spectral analysis, derivative solutions, and Euler deconvolution indicate the type and geometry of anomaly. Magnetotelluric techniques such as inverse modeling and polar diagram are required to know subsurface resistivity charactersitics and major orientation. Furthermore, the result from those methods will be compared to geology information and some section of well data, which is sufficiently suitable. This research is very useful to trace out another potential development area.

Direct-current arc and alternating-current spark emission spectrographic field methods for the semiquantitative analysis of geologic materials

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grimes, D.J.; Marranzino, A.P.

1968-01-01

Two spectrographic methods are used in mobile field laboratories of the U. S. Geological Survey. In the direct-current arc method, the ground sample is mixed with graphite powder, packed into an electrode crater, and burned to completion. Thirty elements are determined. In the spark method, the sample, ground to pass a 150-mesh screen, is digested in hydrofluoric acid followed by evaporation to dryness and dissolution in aqua regia. The solution is fed into the spark gap by means of a rotating-disk electrode arrangement and is excited with an alternating-current spark discharge. Fourteen elements are determined. In both techniques, light is recorded on Spectrum Analysis No. 1, 35-millimeter film, and the spectra are compared visually with those of standard films.

The Correlation between Radon Emission Concentration and Subsurface Geological Condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuntoro, Yudi; Setiawan, Herru L.; Wijayanti, Teni; Haerudin, Nandi

2018-03-01

Exploration activities with standard methods have already encountered many obstacles in the field. Geological survey is often difficult to find outcrop because they are covered by vegetation, alluvial layer or as a result of urban development and housing. Seismic method requires a large expense and licensing in the use of dynamite is complicated. Method of gravity requires the operator to go back (looping) to the starting point. Given some of these constraints, therefore it needs a solution in the form of new method that can work more efficiently with less cost. Several studies in various countries have shown a correlation between the presence of hydrocarbons and Radon gas concentration in the earth surface. By utilizing the properties of Radon that can migrate to the surface, the value of Radon concentration in the surface is suggested to provide information about the subsurface structure condition. Radon is the only radioactive substance that gas-phased at atmospheric temperature. It is very abundant in the earth mantle. The vast differences of temperatures and pressures between the mantle and the earth crust cause the convection flow toward earth surface. Radon in gas phase will be carried by convection flow to the surface. The quantity of convection currents depend on the porosity and permeability of rocks where Radon travels within, so that Radon concentration in the earth surface delineates the porosity and permeability of subsurface rock layers. Some measurements were carried out at several locations with various subsurface geological conditions, including proven oil fields, proven geothermal field, and frontier area as a comparison. These measurements show that the average and the background concentration threshold in the proven oil field (11,200 Bq/m3) and proven geothermal field (7,820 Bq/m3) is much higher than the quantity in frontier area (329 and 1,620 Bq/m3). Radon concentration in the earth surface is correlated with the presence of geological faults. Peak concentrations of Radon takes place along the fault.

Comparability of river suspended-sediment sampling and laboratory analysis methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Groten, Joel T.; Johnson, Gregory D.

2018-03-06

Accurate measurements of suspended sediment, a leading water-quality impairment in many Minnesota rivers, are important for managing and protecting water resources; however, water-quality standards for suspended sediment in Minnesota are based on grab field sampling and total suspended solids (TSS) laboratory analysis methods that have underrepresented concentrations of suspended sediment in rivers compared to U.S. Geological Survey equal-width-increment or equal-discharge-increment (EWDI) field sampling and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) laboratory analysis methods. Because of this underrepresentation, the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, collected concurrent grab and EWDI samples at eight sites to compare results obtained using different combinations of field sampling and laboratory analysis methods.Study results determined that grab field sampling and TSS laboratory analysis results were biased substantially low compared to EWDI sampling and SSC laboratory analysis results, respectively. Differences in both field sampling and laboratory analysis methods caused grab and TSS methods to be biased substantially low. The difference in laboratory analysis methods was slightly greater than field sampling methods.Sand-sized particles had a strong effect on the comparability of the field sampling and laboratory analysis methods. These results indicated that grab field sampling and TSS laboratory analysis methods fail to capture most of the sand being transported by the stream. The results indicate there is less of a difference among samples collected with grab field sampling and analyzed for TSS and concentration of fines in SSC. Even though differences are present, the presence of strong correlations between SSC and TSS concentrations provides the opportunity to develop site specific relations to address transport processes not captured by grab field sampling and TSS laboratory analysis methods.

Research in volcanic geology, petrology and planetary science at MIT, 1969 to 1974

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgetchin, T. R.

1974-01-01

The behavior of volcanoes was studied by geologic mapping, petrologic investigations of lava and xenoliths, physical measurements, and theoretical modelling. Field observations were conducted in Alaska (Nunivak Island), Iceland, Hawaii (Mauna Kea), Italy (Etna, Stromboli), and Arizona. The results are discussed and compared with known data for lunar and planetary gelogy. Field methods used for the volcano research are cited and a list is given of all participating scientists and students. Publications and abstracts resulting from the research are also listed.

A web-based 3D geological information visualization system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Renbo; Jiang, Nan

2013-03-01

Construction of 3D geological visualization system has attracted much more concern in GIS, computer modeling, simulation and visualization fields. It not only can effectively help geological interpretation and analysis work, but also can it can help leveling up geosciences professional education. In this paper, an applet-based method was introduced for developing a web-based 3D geological information visualization system. The main aims of this paper are to explore a rapid and low-cost development method for constructing a web-based 3D geological system. First, the borehole data stored in Excel spreadsheets was extracted and then stored in SQLSERVER database of a web server. Second, the JDBC data access component was utilized for providing the capability of access the database. Third, the user interface was implemented with applet component embedded in JSP page and the 3D viewing and querying functions were implemented with PickCanvas of Java3D. Last, the borehole data acquired from geological survey were used for test the system, and the test results has shown that related methods of this paper have a certain application values.

Interactive visualization to advance earthquake simulation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kellogg, L.H.; Bawden, G.W.; Bernardin, T.; Billen, M.; Cowgill, E.; Hamann, B.; Jadamec, M.; Kreylos, O.; Staadt, O.; Sumner, D.

2008-01-01

The geological sciences are challenged to manage and interpret increasing volumes of data as observations and simulations increase in size and complexity. For example, simulations of earthquake-related processes typically generate complex, time-varying data sets in two or more dimensions. To facilitate interpretation and analysis of these data sets, evaluate the underlying models, and to drive future calculations, we have developed methods of interactive visualization with a special focus on using immersive virtual reality (VR) environments to interact with models of Earth's surface and interior. Virtual mapping tools allow virtual "field studies" in inaccessible regions. Interactive tools allow us to manipulate shapes in order to construct models of geological features for geodynamic models, while feature extraction tools support quantitative measurement of structures that emerge from numerical simulation or field observations, thereby enabling us to improve our interpretation of the dynamical processes that drive earthquakes. VR has traditionally been used primarily as a presentation tool, albeit with active navigation through data. Reaping the full intellectual benefits of immersive VR as a tool for scientific analysis requires building on the method's strengths, that is, using both 3D perception and interaction with observed or simulated data. This approach also takes advantage of the specialized skills of geological scientists who are trained to interpret, the often limited, geological and geophysical data available from field observations. ?? Birkhaueser 2008.

Significant achievements in the Planetary Geology Program. [geologic processes, comparative planetology, and solar system evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Head, J. W. (Editor)

1978-01-01

Developments reported at a meeting of principal investigators for NASA's planetology geology program are summarized. Topics covered include: constraints on solar system formation; asteriods, comets, and satellites; constraints on planetary interiors; volatiles and regoliths; instrument development techniques; planetary cartography; geological and geochemical constraints on planetary evolution; fluvial processes and channel formation; volcanic processes; Eolian processes; radar studies of planetary surfaces; cratering as a process, landform, and dating method; and the Tharsis region of Mars. Activities at a planetary geology field conference on Eolian processes are reported and techniques recommended for the presentation and analysis of crater size-frequency data are included.

Use of geological mapping tools to improve the hydraulic performance of SuDS.

PubMed

Bockhorn, Britta; Klint, Knud Erik Strøyberg; Jensen, Marina Bergen; Møller, Ingelise

2015-01-01

Most cities in Denmark are situated on low permeable clay rich deposits. These sediments are of glacial origin and range among the most heterogeneous, with hydraulic conductivities spanning several orders of magnitude. This heterogeneity has obvious consequences for the sizing of sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS). We have tested methods to reveal geological heterogeneity at field scale to identify the most suitable sites for the placement of infiltration elements and to minimize their required size. We assessed the geological heterogeneity of a clay till plain in Eastern Jutland, Denmark measuring the shallow subsurface resistivity with a geoelectrical multi-electrode system. To confirm the resistivity data we conducted a spear auger mapping. The exposed sediments ranged from clay tills over sandy clay tills to sandy tills and correspond well to the geoelectrical data. To verify the value of geological information for placement of infiltration elements we carried out a number of infiltration tests on geologically different areas across the field, and we observed infiltration rates two times higher in the sandy till area than in the clay till area, thus demonstrating that the hydraulic performance of SuDS can be increased considerably and oversizing avoided if field geological heterogeneity is revealed before placing SuDS.

Application of geologic-mathematical 3D modeling for complex structure deposits by the example of Lower- Cretaceous period depositions in Western Ust - Balykh oil field (Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perevertailo, T.; Nedolivko, N.; Prisyazhnyuk, O.; Dolgaya, T.

2015-11-01

The complex structure of the Lower-Cretaceous formation by the example of the reservoir BC101 in Western Ust - Balykh Oil Field (Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District) has been studied. Reservoir range relationships have been identified. 3D geologic- mathematical modeling technique considering the heterogeneity and variability of a natural reservoir structure has been suggested. To improve the deposit geological structure integrity methods of mathematical statistics were applied, which, in its turn, made it possible to obtain equal probability models with similar input data and to consider the formation conditions of reservoir rocks and cap rocks.

Field manual for the collection of Navajo Nation streamflow-gage data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hart, Robert J.; Fisk, Gregory G.

2014-01-01

The Field Manual for the Collection of Navajo Nation Streamflow-Gage Data (Navajo Field Manual) is based on established (standard) U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging methods and provides guidelines specifically designed for the Navajo Department of Water Resources personnel who establish and maintain streamflow gages. The Navajo Field Manual addresses field visits, including essential field equipment and the selection of and routine visits to streamflow-gaging stations, examines surveying methods for determining peak flows (indirect measurements), discusses safety considerations, and defines basic terms.

The integrated analyses of digital field mapping techniques and traditional field methods: implications from the Burdur-Fethiye Shear Zone, SW Turkey as a case-study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elitez, İrem; Yaltırak, Cenk; Zabcı, Cengiz; Şahin, Murat

2015-04-01

The precise geological mapping is one of the most important issues in geological studies. Documenting the spatial distribution of geological bodies and their contacts play a crucial role on interpreting the tectonic evolution of any region. Although the traditional field techniques are still accepted to be the most fundamental tools in construction of geological maps, we suggest that the integration of digital technologies to the classical methods significantly increases the resolution and the quality of such products. We simply follow the following steps in integration of the digital data with the traditional field observations. First, we create the digital elevation model (DEM) of the region of interest by interpolating the digital contours of 1:25000 scale topographic maps to 10 m of ground pixel resolution. The non-commercial Google Earth satellite imagery and geological maps of previous studies are draped over the interpolated DEMs in the second stage. The integration of all spatial data is done by using the market leading GIS software, ESRI ArcGIS. We make the preliminary interpretation of major structures as tectonic lineaments and stratigraphic contacts. These preliminary maps are controlled and precisely coordinated during the field studies by using mobile tablets and/or phablets with GPS receivers. The same devices are also used in measuring and recording the geologic structures of the study region. Finally, all digitally collected measurements and observations are added to the GIS database and we finalise our geological map with all available information. We applied this integrated method to map the Burdur-Fethiye Shear Zone (BFSZ) in the southwest Turkey. The BFSZ is an active sinistral 60-to-90 km-wide shear zone, which prolongs about 300 km-long between Suhut-Cay in the northeast and Köyceğiz Lake-Kalkan in the southwest on land. The numerous studies suggest contradictory models not only about the evolution but also about the fault geometry of this wide deformation zone. In our study, we have mapped this complicated region since 2008 by using the data and the steps, which are described briefly above. After our joint-analyses, we show that there is no continuous single and narrow fault, the Burdur-Fethiye Fault, as it was previously suggested by many researches. Instead, the whole region is deformed under the oblique-sinistral shearing with considerable amount of extension, which causes a counterclockwise rotation within the zone.

Evaluation of selected methods for determining streamflow during periods of ice effect

USGS Publications Warehouse

Melcher, Norwood B.; Walker, J.F.

1992-01-01

Seventeen methods for estimating ice-affected streamflow are evaluated for potential use with the U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging station network. The methods evaluated were identified by written responses from U.S. Geological Survey field offices and by a comprehensive literature search. The methods selected and techniques used for applying the methods are described in this report. The methods are evaluated by comparing estimated results with data collected at three streamflow-gaging stations in Iowa during the winter of 1987-88. Discharge measurements were obtained at 1- to 5-day intervals during the ice-affected periods at the three stations to define an accurate baseline record. Discharge records were compiled for each method based on data available, assuming a 6-week field schedule. The methods are classified into two general categories-subjective and analytical--depending on whether individual judgment is necessary for method application. On the basis of results of the evaluation for the three Iowa stations, two of the subjective methods (discharge ratio and hydrographic-and-climatic comparison) were more accurate than the other subjective methods and approximately as accurate as the best analytical method. Three of the analytical methods (index velocity, adjusted rating curve, and uniform flow) could potentially be used at streamflow-gaging stations, where the need for accurate ice-affected discharge estimates justifies the expense of collecting additional field data. One analytical method (ice-adjustment factor) may be appropriate for use at stations with extremely stable stage-discharge ratings and measuring sections. Further research is needed to refine the analytical methods. The discharge-ratio and multiple-regression methods produce estimates of streamflow for varying ice conditions using information obtained from the existing U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging network.

An integrated approach to flood hazard assessment on alluvial fans using numerical modeling, field mapping, and remote sensing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pelletier, J.D.; Mayer, L.; Pearthree, P.A.; House, P.K.; Demsey, K.A.; Klawon, J.K.; Vincent, K.R.

2005-01-01

Millions of people in the western United States live near the dynamic, distributary channel networks of alluvial fans where flood behavior is complex and poorly constrained. Here we test a new comprehensive approach to alluvial-fan flood hazard assessment that uses four complementary methods: two-dimensional raster-based hydraulic modeling, satellite-image change detection, fieldbased mapping of recent flood inundation, and surficial geologic mapping. Each of these methods provides spatial detail lacking in the standard method and each provides critical information for a comprehensive assessment. Our numerical model simultaneously solves the continuity equation and Manning's equation (Chow, 1959) using an implicit numerical method. It provides a robust numerical tool for predicting flood flows using the large, high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) necessary to resolve the numerous small channels on the typical alluvial fan. Inundation extents and flow depths of historic floods can be reconstructed with the numerical model and validated against field- and satellite-based flood maps. A probabilistic flood hazard map can also be constructed by modeling multiple flood events with a range of specified discharges. This map can be used in conjunction with a surficial geologic map to further refine floodplain delineation on fans. To test the accuracy of the numerical model, we compared model predictions of flood inundation and flow depths against field- and satellite-based flood maps for two recent extreme events on the southern Tortolita and Harquahala piedmonts in Arizona. Model predictions match the field- and satellite-based maps closely. Probabilistic flood hazard maps based on the 10 yr, 100 yr, and maximum floods were also constructed for the study areas using stream gage records and paleoflood deposits. The resulting maps predict spatially complex flood hazards that strongly reflect small-scale topography and are consistent with surficial geology. In contrast, FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) based on the FAN model predict uniformly high flood risk across the study areas without regard for small-scale topography and surficial geology. ?? 2005 Geological Society of America.

Influence of the Roof Movement Control Method on the Stability of Remnant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adach-Pawelus, Karolina

2017-12-01

In the underground mines, there are geological and mining situations that necessitate leaving behind remnants in the mining field. Remnants, in the form of small, irregular parcels, are usually separated in the case of: significant problems with maintaining roof stability, high rockburst hazard, the occurrence of complex geological conditions and for random reasons (ore remnants), as well as for economic reasons (undisturbed rock remnants). Remnants left in the mining field become sites of high stress values concentration and may affect the rock in their vicinity. The values of stress inside the remnant and its vicinity, as well as the stability of the remnant, largely depend on the roof movement control method used in the mining field. The article presents the results of the numerical analysis of the influence of roof movement control method on remnant stability and the geomechanical situation in the mining field. The numerical analysis was conducted for the geological and mining conditions characteristic of Polish underground copper mines owned by KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. Numerical simulations were performed in a plane strain state by means of Phase 2 v. 8.0 software, based on the finite element method. The behaviour of remnant and rock mass in its vicinity was simulated in the subsequent steps of the room and pillar mining system for three types of roof movement control method: roof deflection, dry backfill and hydraulic backfill. The parameters of the rock mass accepted for numerical modelling were calculated by means of RocLab software on the basis of the Hoek-Brown classification. The Mohr-Coulomb strength criterion was applied.

Introducing students to digital geological mapping: A workflow based on cheap hardware and free software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vrabec, Marko; Dolžan, Erazem

2016-04-01

The undergraduate field course in Geological Mapping at the University of Ljubljana involves 20-40 students per year, which precludes the use of specialized rugged digital field equipment as the costs would be way beyond the capabilities of the Department. A different mapping area is selected each year with the aim to provide typical conditions that a professional geologist might encounter when doing fieldwork in Slovenia, which includes rugged relief, dense tree cover, and moderately-well- to poorly-exposed bedrock due to vegetation and urbanization. It is therefore mandatory that the digital tools and workflows are combined with classical methods of fieldwork, since, for example, full-time precise GNSS positioning is not viable under such circumstances. Additionally, due to the prevailing combination of complex geological structure with generally poor exposure, students cannot be expected to produce line (vector) maps of geological contacts on the go, so there is no need for such functionality in hardware and software that we use in the field. Our workflow therefore still relies on paper base maps, but is strongly complemented with digital tools to provide robust positioning, track recording, and acquisition of various point-based data. Primary field hardware are students' Android-based smartphones and optionally tablets. For our purposes, the built-in GNSS chips provide adequate positioning precision most of the time, particularly if they are GLONASS-capable. We use Oruxmaps, a powerful free offline map viewer for the Android platform, which facilitates the use of custom-made geopositioned maps. For digital base maps, which we prepare in free Windows QGIS software, we use scanned topographic maps provided by the National Geodetic Authority, but also other maps such as aerial imagery, processed Digital Elevation Models, scans of existing geological maps, etc. Point data, like important outcrop locations or structural measurements, are entered into Oruxmaps as waypoints. Students are also encouraged to directly measure structural data with specialized Android apps such as the MVE FieldMove Clino. Digital field data is exported from Oruxmaps to Windows computers primarily in the ubiquitous GPX data format and then integrated in the QGIS environment. Recorded GPX tracks are also used with the free Geosetter Windows software to geoposition and tag any digital photographs taken in the field. With minimal expenses, our workflow provides the students with basic familiarity and experience in using digital field tools and methods. The workflow is also practical enough for the prevailing field conditions of Slovenia that the faculty staff is using it in geological mapping for scientific research and consultancy work.

Getting Geology Students Into the Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nocerino, J.

2011-12-01

The importance of field schools to practicing geologists is unquestionable; yet, the opportunities to experience field geology are dwindling. The Geological Society of America (GSA), in cooperation with ExxonMobil, are currently offering three programs to support and encourage field geology. The GSA/ExxonMobil Bighorn Basin Field award is a field seminar in the Bighorn Basin of north-central Wyoming emphasizing multi-disciplinary integrated basin analysis. The GSA/ExxonMobil Field Camp Scholar Award provides undergraduate students 2,000 each to attend the field camp of their choice based on diversity, economic/financial need, and merit. Finally, the GSA/ExxonMobil Field Camp Excellence Award provides one geologic field camp leader an award of 10,000 to assist with their summer field camp season based on safety awareness, diversity, and technical excellence. This non-profit/industry collaboration has proven very successful and in 2011 over 300 geology students and professors have applied for these awards.

Study on the Integrated Geophysic Methods and Application of Advanced Geological Detection for Complicated Tunnel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, L.; Xiao, G.

2014-12-01

The engineering geological and hydrological conditions of current tunnels are more and more complicated, as the tunnels are elongated with deeper depth. In constructing these complicated tunnels, geological hazards prone to occur as induced by unfavorable geological bodies, such as fault zones, karst or hydrous structures, etc. The working emphasis and difficulty of the advanced geological exploration for complicated tunnels are mainly focused on the structure and water content of these unfavorable geological bodies. The technical aspects of my paper systematically studied the advanced geological exploration theory and application aspects for complicated tunnels, with discussion on the key technical points and useful conclusions. For the all-aroundness and accuracy of advanced geological exploration results, the objective of my paper is targeted on the comprehensive examination on the structure and hydrous characteristic of the unfavorable geological bodies in complicated tunnels. By the multi-component seismic modeling on a more real model containing the air medium, the wave field response characteristics of unfavorable geological bodies can be analyzed, thus providing theoretical foundation for the observation system layout, signal processing and interpretation of seismic methods. Based on the tomographic imaging theory of seismic and electromagnetic method, 2D integrated seismic and electromagnetic tomographic imaging and visualization software was designed and applied in the advanced drilling hole in the tunnel face, after validation of the forward and inverse modeling results on theoretical models. The transmission wave imaging technology introduced in my paper can be served as a new criterion for detection of unfavorable geological bodies. After careful study on the basic theory, data processing and interpretation, practical applications of TSP and ground penetrating radar (GPR) method, as well as serious examination on their application examples, my paper formulated a suite of comprehensive application system of seismic and electromagnetic methods for the advanced geological exploration of complicated tunnels. This research is funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41202223) .

Digital geologic map of the Coeur d'Alene 1:100,000 quadrangle, Idaho and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

digital compilation by Munts, Steven R.

2000-01-01

Between 1961 and 1969, Alan Griggs and others conducted fieldwork to prepare a geologic map of the Spokane 1:250,000 map (Griggs, 1973). Their field observations were posted on paper copies of 15-minute quadrangle maps. In 1999, the USGS contracted with the Idaho Geological Survey to prepare a digital version of the Coeur d’Alene 1:100,000 quadrangle. To facilitate this work, the USGS obtained the field maps prepared by Griggs and others from the USGS Field Records Library in Denver, Colorado. The Idaho Geological Survey (IGS) digitized these maps and used them in their mapping program. The mapping focused on field checks to resolve problems in poorly known areas and in areas of disagreement between adjoining maps. The IGS is currently in the process of preparing a final digital spatial database for the Coeur d’Alene 1:100,000 quadrangle. However, there was immediate need for a digital version of the geologic map of the Coeur d’Alene 1:100,000 quadrangle and the data from the field sheets along with several other sources were assembled to produce this interim product. This interim product is the digital geologic map of the Coeur d’Alene 1:100,000 quadrangle, Idaho and Montana. It was compiled from the preliminary digital files prepared by the Idaho Geological, and supplemented by data from Griggs (1973) and from digital databases by Bookstrom and others (1999) and Derkey and others (1996). The resulting digital geologic map (GIS) database can be queried in many ways to produce a variety of geologic maps. Digital base map data files (topography, roads, towns, rivers and lakes, etc.) are not included: they may be obtained from a variety of commercial and government sources. This database is not meant to be used or displayed at any scale larger than 1:100,000 (e.g., 1:62,500 or 1:24,000). The digital geologic map graphics (of00-135_map.pdf) that are provided are representations of the digital database. The map area is located in north Idaho. This open-file report describes the geologic map units, the methods used to convert the geologic map data into a digital format, the ArcInfo GIS file structures and relationships, and explains how to download the digital files from the U.S. Geological Survey public access World Wide Web site on the Internet.

Comparative study of Wenner and Schlumberger electrical resistivity method for groundwater investigation: a case study from Dhule district (M.S.), India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasantrao, Baride Mukund; Bhaskarrao, Patil Jitendra; Mukund, Baride Aarti; Baburao, Golekar Rushikesh; Narayan, Patil Sanjaykumar

2017-12-01

The area chosen for the present study is Dhule district, which belongs to the drought prone area of Maharashtra State, India. Dhule district suffers from water problem, and therefore, there is no extra water available to supply for the agricultural and industrial growth. To understand the lithological characters in terms of its hydro-geological conditions, it is necessary to understand the geology of the area. It is now established fact that the geophysical method gives a better information of subsurface geology. Geophysical electrical surveys with four electrodes configuration, i.e., Wenner and Schlumberger method, were carried out at the same selected sites to observe the similarity and compared both the applications in terms of its use and handling in the field. A total 54 VES soundings were carried out spread over the Dhule district and representing different lithological units. The VES curves are drawn using inverse slope method for Wenner configuration, IPI2 win Software, and curve matching techniques were used for Schlumberger configuration. Regionwise lithologs are prepared based on the obtained resistivity and thickness for Wenner method. Regionwise curves were prepared based on resistivity layers for Schlumberger method. Comparing the two methods, it is observed that Wenner and Schlumberger methods have merits or demerits. Considering merits and demerits from the field point of view, it is suggested that Wenner inverse slope method is more handy for calculation and interpretation, but requires lateral length which is a constrain. Similarly, Schlumberger method is easy in application but unwieldy for their interpretation. The work amply proves the applicability of geophysical techniques in the water resource evaluation procedure. This technique is found to be suitable for the areas with similar geological setup elsewhere.

Use of PRD1 bacteriophage in groundwater viral transport, inactivation, and attachment studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harvey, Ronald W.; Ryan, Joseph N.

2004-01-01

PRD1, an icosahedra-shaped, 62 nm (diameter), double-stranded DNA bacteriophage with an internal membrane, has emerged as an important model virus for studying the manner in which microorganisms are transported through a variety of groundwater environments. The popularity of this phage for use in transport studies involving geologic media is due, in part, to its relative stability over a range of temperatures and low degree of attachment in aquifer sediments. Laboratory and field investigations employing PRD1 are leading to a better understanding of viral attachment and transport behaviors in saturated geologic media and to improved methods for describing mathematically subsurface microbial transport at environmentally significant field scales. Radioisotopic labeling of PRD1 is facilitating additional information about the nature of viral interactions with solid surfaces in geologic media, the importance of iron oxide surfaces, and allowing differentiation between inactivation and attachment in field-scale tracer tests.

Application of Laser Scanning for Creating Geological Documentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buczek, Michał; Paszek, Martyna; Szafarczyk, Anna

2018-03-01

A geological documentation is based on the analyses obtained from boreholes, geological exposures, and geophysical methods. It consists of text and graphic documents, containing drilling sections, vertical crosssections through the deposit and various types of maps. The surveying methods (such as LIDAR) can be applied in measurements of exposed rock layers, presented in appendices to the geological documentation. The laser scanning allows obtaining a complete profile of exposed surfaces in a short time and with a millimeter accuracy. The possibility of verifying the existing geological cross-section with laser scanning was tested on the example of the AGH experimental mine. The test field is built of different lithological rocks. Scans were taken from a single station, under favorable measuring conditions. The analysis of the signal intensity allowed to divide point cloud into separate geological layers. The results were compared with the geological profiles of the measured object. The same approach was applied to the data from the Vietnamese hard coal open pit mine Coc Sau. The thickness of exposed coal bed deposits and gangue layers were determined from the obtained data (point cloud) in combination with the photographs. The results were compared with the geological cross-section.

Facilitating the exploitation of ERTS imagery using snow enhancement techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wobber, F. J. (Principal Investigator); Martin, K. R.; Sheffield, C.; Russell, O.; Amato, R. V.

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. EarthSat has established an effective mail-based method for obtaining timely ground truth (snow depth) information over an extensive area. The method is both efficient and inexpensive compared with the cost of a similarly scaled direct field checking effort. Additional geological information has been acquired which is not shown in geological maps in the area. Excellent quality snow-free ERTS-1 transparencies of the test areas have been received and are being analyzed.

How much can we trust a geological model underlying a subsurface hydrological investigation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wellmann, Florian; de la Varga, Miguel; Schaaf, Alexander; Burs, David

2017-04-01

Geological models often provide an important basis for subsequent hydrological investigations. As these models are generally built with a limited amount of information, they can contain significant uncertainties - and it is reasonable to assume that these uncertainties can potentially influence subsequent hydrological simulations. However, the investigation of uncertainties in geological models is not straightforward - and, even though recent advances have been made in the field, there is no out-of-the-box implementation to analyze uncertainties in a standard geological modeling package. We present here results of recent developments to address this problem with an efficient implementation of a geological modeling method for complex structural models, integrated in a Bayesian inference framework. The implemented geological modeling approach is based on a full 3-D implicit interpolation that directly respects interface positions and orientation measurements, as well as the influence of faults. In combination, the approach allows us to generate ensembles of geological model realizations, constrained by additional information in the form of likelihood functions to ensure consistency with additional geological aspects (e.g. sequence continuity, topology, fault network consistency), and we demonstrate the potential of the method in an exemplified case study. With this approach, we aim to contribute to a better understanding of the influence of geological uncertainties on subsurface hydrological investigations.

Conduct of Geologic Field Work During Planetary Exploration: Why Geology Matters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eppler, Dean B.

2010-01-01

The science of field geology is the investigative process of determining the distribution of rock units and structures on a planet fs surface, and it is the first-order data set that informs all subsequent studies of a planet, such as geochemistry, geochronology, geophysics, or remote sensing. For future missions to the Moon and Mars, the surface systems deployed must support the conduct of field geology if these endeavors are to be scientifically useful. This lecture discussed what field geology is all about.why it is important, how it is done, how conducting field geology informs many other sciences, and how it affects the design of surface systems and the implementation of operations in the future.

A Quantitative Method to Identify Lithology Beneath Cover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gettings, M. E.

2008-12-01

Geophysical terranes (map areas of similar potential field data response) can be used in the estimation of geological map units beneath cover (bedrock, alluvium, or tectonic block). Potential field data over nearby bedrock terranes defines "candidate terranes". Geophysical anomaly dimensions, shapes, amplitudes, trends/structural grain, and fractal measures yield a vector of measures characterizing the terrane. To compare candidate terranes fields with those for covered areas, the effect of depth of cover must be taken into account. Gravity anomaly data yields depth estimates by which the aeromagnetic data of candidate terranes are then upward continued. Comparison of characteristics of the upward continued fields from the candidate terranes to those of covered areas rank the candidates. Because of signal loss in upward continuation and overlap of physical properties, the vectors of measures for the candidate terranes are usually not unique. Possibility theory offers a relatively objective and robust method that can be used to rank terrane types that includes uncertainty. The strategy is to prepare membership functions for each measure of each candidate terrane and the covered area, based on observed values and degree of knowledge, and then form the fuzzy-logical combination of these to estimate the possibility and its uncertainty for each candidate terrane. Membership functions include uncertainty by the degree of membership for various possibility values. With no other information, uncertainty is based on information content from survey specifications and geologic features dimensions. Geologic data can also be included, such as structural trends, proximity, and tectonic history. Little knowledge implies wide membership functions; perfect knowledge, a delta function. This and the combination rules in fuzzy logic yield a robust estimation method. An uncertain membership function of a characteristic contributes much less to the possibility than a precise one. The final result for each covered area is a ranked possibility function for each candidate terrane as the underlying bedrock of the covered area that honors the aeromagnetic field and the geologic constraints that have been included. An example of the application of this method is presented for an area in south central Arizona.

Stochastic seismic inversion based on an improved local gradual deformation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiuwei; Zhu, Peimin

2017-12-01

A new stochastic seismic inversion method based on the local gradual deformation method is proposed, which can incorporate seismic data, well data, geology and their spatial correlations into the inversion process. Geological information, such as sedimentary facies and structures, could provide significant a priori information to constrain an inversion and arrive at reasonable solutions. The local a priori conditional cumulative distributions at each node of model to be inverted are first established by indicator cokriging, which integrates well data as hard data and geological information as soft data. Probability field simulation is used to simulate different realizations consistent with the spatial correlations and local conditional cumulative distributions. The corresponding probability field is generated by the fast Fourier transform moving average method. Then, optimization is performed to match the seismic data via an improved local gradual deformation method. Two improved strategies are proposed to be suitable for seismic inversion. The first strategy is that we select and update local areas of bad fitting between synthetic seismic data and real seismic data. The second one is that we divide each seismic trace into several parts and obtain the optimal parameters for each part individually. The applications to a synthetic example and a real case study demonstrate that our approach can effectively find fine-scale acoustic impedance models and provide uncertainty estimations.

Mathematical Geology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merriam, Daniel F.

1978-01-01

Geomathematics is a developing field that is being used in practical applications. Classification is an important element and the dynamic-cluster method (DCM), a nonhierarchial procedure, was introduced this past year. A method for testing the degree of cluster distinctness was developed also. (MA)

USC Undergraduate Team Research, Geological Field Experience and Outdoor Education in the Tuolumne Batholith and Kings Canyon, High Sierra Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Culbert, K. N.; Anderson, J. L.; Cao, W.; Chang, J.; Ehret, P.; Enriquez, M.; Gross, M. B.; Gelbach, L. B.; Hardy, J.; Paterson, S. R.; Ianno, A.; Iannone, M.; Memeti, V.; Morris, M.; Lodewyk, J.; Davis, J.; Stanley, R.; van Guilder, E.; Whitesides, A. S.; Zhang, T.

2009-12-01

Within four years, USC’s College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and Earth Science department have successfully launched the revolutionary undergraduate team research (UTR) program “Geologic Wonders of Yosemite at Two Miles High”. A diverse group of professors, graduate students and undergraduates spent two weeks mapping the Boyden Cave in Kings Canyon National Park, the Iron Mountain pendants south of Yosemite, the Western Metamorphic belt along the Merced River, and the Tuolumne Batholith (TB) in June and August 2009. During their experience in the field, the undergraduates learned geologic field techniques from their peers, professors, and experienced graduate students and developed ideas that will form the basis of the independent and group research projects. Apart from teaching undergraduates about the geology of the TB and Kings Canyon, the two weeks in the field were also rigorous exercise in critical thinking and communication. Every day spent in the field required complete cooperation between mentors and undergraduates in order to successfully gather and interpret the day’s data. Undergraduates were to execute the next day’s schedule and divide mapping duties among themselves. The two-week field experience was also the ideal setting in which to learn about the environmental impacts of their work and the actions of others. The UTR groups quickly adapted to the demanding conditions of the High Sierra—snow, grizzly bears, tourists, and all. For many of the undergraduates, the two weeks spent in the field was their first experience with field geology. The vast differences in geological experience among the undergraduates proved to be advantageous to the ‘team-teaching’ focus of the program: more experienced undergraduates were able to assist less experienced undergraduates while cementing their own previously gained knowledge about geology. Over the rest of the academic year, undergraduates will learn about the research process and scientific writing in a semester-long research methods class. Throughout the class, undergraduates will apply their skills as they write proposals, abstracts and develop their own research projects. Many undergraduates in the program have been awarded university-wide grants to cover program-related expenses, and will continue to submit proposals for competitive grants. Students are also encouraged to interact with other faculty, encouraging future inter-university interaction between the three universities. With the help of their mentors, the groups will construct a comprehensive geological map of the TB and Kings Canyon and contribute to a growing pool of data collected by past groups.

Evaluation of undergraduate geologists' problem solving and cognition during field exams using a mixed methods approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balliet, Russell N.

Understanding how geologists conduct fieldwork through analysis of problem solving has significant potential impact on field instruction methods. Recent progress has been made in this area but the problem solving behaviors displayed by geologists during fieldwork and the associated underlying cognition remains poorly understood. We present research showing how geology students initiate and develop geologic models as part of the problem solving process. We qualitatively analyzed field notes and interview data from 36 undergraduate geoscientists engaged in field exams while enrolled in a six-week advanced field camp. Eight cognitive frameworks grouped in two broad categories emerged from the data that show how students develop geologic models. Students employ both single and multiple model approaches with varying degrees of success and frequency. The success of any given approach is dependent on the level of students' geologic situational awareness. The development of multiple geologic models leads to a higher rate of success in general, because of the inherent flexibility to accommodate newly collected data. Instructors should continue to teach a multiple model approach until students have the proper geologic skills to ensure a high level of situational awareness and exhibit expert characteristics in the field. In addition, we collected GPS navigation data from students during these field exams in order to understand the relationship between navigation, cognition, and performance. From the analysis of this data we found that over half of all stops are 1-4 minutes long, while very few of students' stops are longer than 9 minutes as the frequency of stops decreases as the duration increases. Regardless of performance or framework, there is an increase in shorter stops and decrease in longer stops from exam one to three, indicating that students changed the way they investigated as the field course progressed. Temporal signatures categorized by performance only show slight differences, but do indicate that there is an increase in very short and longer stops with declining performance. In contrast, higher performance is linked to an increase in short and medium length stops, suggesting that stops 4-14 minutes long are a "sweet spot" for investigation. We speculate that a high percentage of very short stops involve basic field tasks such as locating or data collection and that the decreasing frequency of long stops indicates that there is a relationship between the length of the stop and the complexity of the activities performed during that stop. Students increased experience leads to more efficient stops as they become more competent with field tasks and more versed in the regional geology. The GPS data we collected from these students while they took these notes allowing us to connect the duration of a stop to the types of notes produced during that stop. Note taking species occurred in various frequencies with the most common type being those that focused on lithologic, or lithologic & structural data collection. Stops that produced geologic models, specifically structural models, were much less frequent. The more frequent data collection stops are very short in length (typically 1-4 minutes), while the more complex stops tend to be longer in duration as the note taking gets more complex. Poor performing students had a high proportion of stops where they only collect lithologic data or stops where they don't generate any hypotheses. In contrast, successful students have more structural data and hypothesis generation in their notes. From this analysis we conclude that too much effort spent on stops with only basic data collection leaves less time for the cognitive effort required for model development, eventually leading to poor exam performance. Specifically, a higher frequency of lithologic data stops and lack of structural data leads to the development of incomplete geologic models or lack of comprehensive models altogether. Field instructors often educate their students on good note taking practices and critique the content of their students' field notebooks, and these findings can inform the content of that critique. Students' utilize many different problem solving approaches in the field, but we suggest that instructors continue to advocate a multiple model approach until students are capable of using a single model approach. In this approach students should decrease the number of geologic models they are using as the day progresses to avoid overwhelming themselves with data and hypothesis. Furthermore, field instructors need to work with students on developing their geologic investigation skills further and improving their efficiency. Specifically students need to collect a higher proportion of structural data and develop complete geologic models earlier in the day. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

UAV, LiDAR & ground-based surveying from Stackpole Quay: best practice for accuracy of virtual outcrops and structural models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cawood, A.; Bond, C. E.; Howell, J.; Totake, Y.

2016-12-01

Virtual outcrops derived from techniques such as LiDAR and SfM (digital photogrammetry) provide a viable and potentially powerful addition or alternative to traditional field studies, given the large amounts of raw data that can be acquired rapidly and safely. The use of these digital representations of outcrops as a source of geological data has increased greatly in the past decade, and as such, the accuracy and precision of these new acquisition methods applied to geological problems has been addressed by a number of authors. Little work has been done, however, on the integration of virtual outcrops into fundamental structural geology workflows and to systematically studying the fidelity of the data derived from them. Here, we use the classic Stackpole Quay syncline outcrop in South Wales to quantitatively evaluate the accuracy of three virtual outcrop models (LiDAR, aerial and terrestrial digital photogrammetry) compared to data collected directly in the field. Using these structural data, we have built 2D and 3D geological models which make predictions of fold geometries. We examine the fidelity of virtual outcrops generated using different acquisition techniques to outcrop geology and how these affect model building and final outcomes. Finally, we utilize newly acquired data to deterministically test model validity. Based upon these results, we find that acquisition of digital imagery by UAS (Unmanned Autonomous Vehicle) yields highly accurate virtual outcrops when compared to terrestrial methods, allowing the construction of robust data-driven predictive models. Careful planning, survey design and choice of suitable acquisition method are, however, of key importance for best results.

Field Geology/Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Carlton; Jakes, Petr; Jaumann, Ralf; Marshall, John; Moses, Stewart; Ryder, Graham; Saunders, Stephen; Singer, Robert

1996-01-01

The field geology/process group examined the basic operations of a terrestrial field geologist and the manner in which these operations could be transferred to a planetary lander. Four basic requirements for robotic field geology were determined: geologic content; surface vision; mobility; and manipulation. Geologic content requires a combination of orbital and descent imaging. Surface vision requirements include range, resolution, stereo, and multispectral imaging. The minimum mobility for useful field geology depends on the scale of orbital imagery. Manipulation requirements include exposing unweathered surfaces, screening samples, and bringing samples in contact with analytical instruments. To support these requirements, several advanced capabilities for future development are recommended. Capabilities include near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy, hyper-spectral imaging, multispectral microscopy, artificial intelligence in support of imaging, x ray diffraction, x ray fluorescence, and rock chipping.

Electromagnetic forward modelling for realistic Earth models using unstructured tetrahedral meshes and a meshfree approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farquharson, C.; Long, J.; Lu, X.; Lelievre, P. G.

2017-12-01

Real-life geology is complex, and so, even when allowing for the diffusive, low resolution nature of geophysical electromagnetic methods, we need Earth models that can accurately represent this complexity when modelling and inverting electromagnetic data. This is particularly the case for the scales, detail and conductivity contrasts involved in mineral and hydrocarbon exploration and development, but also for the larger scale of lithospheric studies. Unstructured tetrahedral meshes provide a flexible means of discretizing a general, arbitrary Earth model. This is important when wanting to integrate a geophysical Earth model with a geological Earth model parameterized in terms of surfaces. Finite-element and finite-volume methods can be derived for computing the electric and magnetic fields in a model parameterized using an unstructured tetrahedral mesh. A number of such variants have been proposed and have proven successful. However, the efficiency and accuracy of these methods can be affected by the "quality" of the tetrahedral discretization, that is, how many of the tetrahedral cells in the mesh are long, narrow and pointy. This is particularly the case if one wants to use an iterative technique to solve the resulting linear system of equations. One approach to deal with this issue is to develop sophisticated model and mesh building and manipulation capabilities in order to ensure that any mesh built from geological information is of sufficient quality for the electromagnetic modelling. Another approach is to investigate other methods of synthesizing the electromagnetic fields. One such example is a "meshfree" approach in which the electromagnetic fields are synthesized using a mesh that is distinct from the mesh used to parameterized the Earth model. There are then two meshes, one describing the Earth model and one used for the numerical mathematics of computing the fields. This means that there are no longer any quality requirements on the model mesh, which makes the process of building a geophysical Earth model from a geological model much simpler. In this presentation we will explore the issues that arise when working with realistic Earth models and when synthesizing geophysical electromagnetic data for them. We briefly consider meshfree methods as a possible means of alleviating some of these issues.

Cognitive Factors that Impact Learning in the Field: Observations from an REU Project on Precambrian Rocks of Yellowstone National Park

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henry, D.; Mogk, D. W.; Goodwin, C.

2011-12-01

Field work requires cognitive processing on many different levels, and constitutes a powerful and important learning environment. To be effective and meaningful, the context of field work must be fully understood in terms of key research questions, earlier published work, regional geology, geologic history, and geologic processes. Scale(s) of observation and sample selection methods and strategies must be defined. Logistical decisions must be made about equipment needed, points of access, and navigation in the field. Professional skills such as field note-taking, measuring structural data, and rock descriptions must be employed, including appropriate use of field tools. Interpretations of geologic features in the field must be interpreted through recall of concepts from the geologic knowledge base (e.g. crystallization history of igneous rocks interpreted through phase diagrams). Field workers need to be able to self-monitor and self-regulate their actions (metacognitively), and make adjustments to daily plans as needed. The results of field work must be accurately and effectively communicated to other geoscientists. Personal and professional ethics and values are brought to bear as decisions are made about whether or not the work has been satisfactorily completed at a field site. And, all of this must be done against a back drop of environmental factors that affect the ability to do this work (e.g. inclement weather, bears, impassable landscapes). The simultaneous relevance of all these factors creates a challenging, but rewarding environment for learning on many different scales. During our REU project to study the Precambrian rocks in the back country of Yellowstone National Park (YNP), we considered these cognitive factors in designing our project curriculum. To reduce the "novelty space" of the project a website was developed that described the project goals and expected outcomes, introduced primary literature, and alerted students about the physical demands of working in YNP.. Daily field activities were designed to scaffold accrued knowledge by placing specific new experiences in the path of students to sequentially build their own understanding of local geology. Students gained increasing responsibility and autonomy for developing daily research objectives and plans, and for decision-making while in the field. Instructors demonstrated specific field skills, and used "talk-through" approaches to explain what, why, and how we conduct our own investigations. We were particularly interested in helping students make the first inscriptions of their interpretations of nature in field notes, sketches, and maps, and in using embodiment (positioning oneself in space to correctly make observations and collect data) to foster learning. In the course of this study we videotaped students in the field to document the evolution of their field skills. Observations, interviews and surveys of students indicate that students' confidence in their abilities to conduct geologic research in the field increased by 20-40% (Likert scale) in this project. By explicitly addressing cognitive demands, students working in the field can achieve significant learning gains.

Utilizing Urban Environments for Effective Field Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacAvoy, S. E.; Knee, K.

2014-12-01

Research surveys suggest that students are demanding more applied field experiences from their undergraduate environmental science programs. For geoscience educators at liberal arts colleges without field camps, university vehicles, or even geology departments, getting students into the field is especially rewarding - and especially challenging. Here, we present strategies that we have used in courses ranging from introductory environmental science for non-majors, to upper level environmental methods and geology classes. Urban locations provide an opportunity for a different type of local "field-work" than would otherwise be available. In the upper-level undergraduate Environmental Methods class, we relied on a National Park area located a 10-minute walk from campus for most field exercises. Activities included soil analysis, measuring stream flow and water quality parameters, dendrochronology, and aquatic microbe metabolism. In the non-majors class, we make use of our urban location to contrast water quality in parks and highly channelized urban streams. Here we share detailed lesson plans and budgets for field activities that can be completed during a class period of 2.5 hours with a $75 course fee, show how these activities help students gain quantitative competency, and provide student feedback about the classes and activities.

Sub Surface Geoelectrical Imaging for Potential Geohazard in Infrastructure Construction in Sidoarjo, East Java

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumintadireja, Prihadi; Irawan, Diky

2017-06-01

Mud volcano remnants are identified in Surabaya and adjacent areas. The people in East Java based on historical report are custom and able to adjust with the natural phenomena within their areas. Sidoarjo mud volcano phenomena which coincident with drilling activity in 29 May 2006 is making people and government anxious for development a new infrastructure such as high rise building, toll road etc. An understanding of a geological hazard which can be single, sequential or combined events in their origin is the main key importance in subsurface imaging. Geological hazard can be identified by geophysical, geological, geotechnical method. The prompt selection of geophysical method to reveal subsurface condition is very important factor instead of survey design and field data acquisition. Revealing subsurface condition is very important information for site investigation consists of geological, geophysical and geotechnical data, whereas data analysis will help civil engineer design and calculate the construction safety.

Reconnaissance geologic map of part of the San Isidro Quadrangle, Baja California Sur, Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

McLean, Hugh; Hausback, B.P.; Knapp, J.H.

1985-01-01

Mapping was done on aerial photographs and transferred, where possible, to 1:50,000-scale topographic base maps. Areas with roads were field checked; however, in the northeast part of the map area, lack of roads prevented field checks. Previous geologic surveys of parts of the map area were made by horseback in the early 1920's; reports were published by Darton (1921), Heim (1922), and Beal (1948). Subsurface data from petroleum exploration and a geologic map were incorporated in a regional study by Mina (1957). The first radiometric ages of rocks from the map area were published by Gastil and others (1979). Recently determined radiometric ages and chemical analysis of volcanic rocks were reported by Hausback (1984) and by Sawlan and Smith (1984). Our study incorporates geologic mapping with age control based on new radiometric ages as well as paleontology, Flows and tuffs were dated by the K-Ar method. Fossil ages are based on diatom and mollusk assemblages.

Boom, Doom and Rocks - The Intersection of Physics, Video Games and Geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McBride, J. H.; Keach, R. W.

2008-12-01

Geophysics is a field that incorporates the rigor of physics with the field methods of geology. The onset and rapid development of the computer games that students play bring new hardware and software technologies that significantly improve our understanding and research capabilities. Together they provide unique insights to the subsurface of the earth in ways only imagined just a few short years ago. 3D geological visualization has become an integral part of many petroleum industry exploration efforts. This technology is now being extended to increasing numbers of universities through grants from software vendors. This talk will explore 3D visualization techniques and how they can be used for both teaching and research. Come see examples of 3D geophysical techniques used to: image the geology of ancient river systems off the coast of Brazil and in the Uinta Basin of Utah, guide archaeological excavations on the side of Mt. Vesuvius, Italy, and to study how volcanoes were formed off the coast of New Zealand.

Estimation of Lithological Classification in Taipei Basin: A Bayesian Maximum Entropy Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Meng-Ting; Lin, Yuan-Chien; Yu, Hwa-Lung

2015-04-01

In environmental or other scientific applications, we must have a certain understanding of geological lithological composition. Because of restrictions of real conditions, only limited amount of data can be acquired. To find out the lithological distribution in the study area, many spatial statistical methods used to estimate the lithological composition on unsampled points or grids. This study applied the Bayesian Maximum Entropy (BME method), which is an emerging method of the geological spatiotemporal statistics field. The BME method can identify the spatiotemporal correlation of the data, and combine not only the hard data but the soft data to improve estimation. The data of lithological classification is discrete categorical data. Therefore, this research applied Categorical BME to establish a complete three-dimensional Lithological estimation model. Apply the limited hard data from the cores and the soft data generated from the geological dating data and the virtual wells to estimate the three-dimensional lithological classification in Taipei Basin. Keywords: Categorical Bayesian Maximum Entropy method, Lithological Classification, Hydrogeological Setting

Geohazard and geological condition overview of Sekeloa-Bojongkoneng, Bandung, West Java-Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadian, Mohamad Sapari D.; Azzy, Fikri Noor; Sophian, R. Irvan

2016-05-01

Bandung is a densely populated and rapidly growing city, especially in the Northern Area, with many rivers flowing through it. Infrastructure development if not taken into account the geo hazard potential of the river can cause disaster to occur resulting in damages and casualties. The inundation named "Cileuncang Flood" periodically occurred in the rainy season. Landslide disaster also occurred in 2015 at Mekarsaluyu, Cimenyan and Bukit Dago Selatan. This study explores the phenomena that occurred in the region. The research objectives are to: identify geological conditions contributing to geo hazard, conduct geo hazard assessment in the area and recommend mitigation activities. Research area ranges from Sekeloa to Bojongkoneng, where there are three rivers: Cirapohan, Cidurian, and Cilimus. The research method used mixed method, field observation and desk study (secondary data). Geospatial data and geological field observation was conducted. Lithology layers coring well data was used to determine the detailed geological condition and characteristic. Research results show geological condition that can trigger disaster. There are some locations, which have disasters in the past, this occurrence is connected with geological conditions to determine the potential disaster that may occur in the future. The first site is located on the western part of the Cidurian river consisted of Cikidang Formation. Geo hazard that occurred in this zone is flood. Second site is located on the eastern part of the Cidurian river, has the presence of volcanic eruption product. Geo hazard that can potentially occur in this zone is a landslide. The city stakeholder needs to conduct structural and nonstructural mitigation activities to reduce the risks.

Ethnogeological Cultural Model of Karst Derived from Traditional Knowledge in Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, A.; Semken, S. C.; Brandt, E.

2017-12-01

Ethnogeology is the scientific study of human relationships with and knowledge of the Earth system, and is typically investigated within the context of a specific culture. Many indigenous and local systems of environmental and place knowledge incorporate empirical observations and culturally framed interpretations of geological features and processes. Ethnogeological interpretations may differ from those of conventional mainstream geoscience, but they are validated by their direct relevance to long-term cultural and environmental resilience and sustainability, typically in challenging environments. Ethnogeologic findings can enrich geoscientific knowledge bases for further research, and inform place-based geoscience education that has been shown to engage and enrich students from diverse underrepresented minority backgrounds. Ethnogeological research blends methods from field geology with methods from field ethnography: such as participant observation, free listing, participatory mapping, and cultural consensus analysis among other methods from rapid participatory assessment. We report here on an ongoing field study in Puerto Rico (PR) and the Dominican Republic (DR) on ethnogeological knowledge of karst topography, geology, and hydrogeology among local cultural indigenous communities such as the Boricua jíbaro and the Dominican campesino. Applied focused ethnographic fieldwork results suggest a good fit for the cultural consensus model about geological processes among culturally expert consultants in DR (4.604) and PR (4.669), as well as competence average with values of 0.552 and 0.628 respectively. This suggests the existence of a regional cultural model for the domain of karst that is shared between PR and DR populations that reside in or near karst terrain. Additional data in support of the cultural model include stories, analogies, and family history using participant observation, and participatory mapping.

Human History and Environmental Geology: A Match Made in Nature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selvans, M. M.

2014-12-01

I draw on my dual educational background in the geological sciences (PhD) and sociology (BA), with an emphasis on environmental justice, for the inspiration to approach issues in my geology courses that are directly connected to modern policy decisions with the goal of increasing students' self-awareness. I believe that giving students the opportunity for increased understanding of their own beliefs and values with respect to the environment will allow them to be more engaged in discussions and debates about environmental policies at the local, national, and global scales. I designed Environmental Geology of Prince William Forest Park (VA), a one-day Field Studies course offered through Northern Virginia Community College, to motivate students to articulate personal convictions about land use. To provide a social context for discussion of environmental issues, students first gave presentations on the demographics, economics, and methods of land use of the people that used the park over the last 400 years. At locations along Quantico Creek, students presented topics that covered geologic processes at work on the landscape, progressive farming methods promoted by some early Virginians, and agricultural methods to stabilize soil and its nutrients. Finally, at the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine (active 1889-1920) we discussed laborer work conditions and the environmental impact of tailings, as well as the process and effects of remediation. Students tested pH levels in the creek upstream and downstream of the mine as one concrete way to personally observe the results of recent remediation (since 1994), with neutral pH in both locations indicating success. Students wrapped up the course with written reflections, from their own perspectives with respect to socially and environmentally responsible land use, on the geologic processes and human impacts that shaped the park. Social justice and environmental stewardship are two lenses that allow students to find personal meaning and social relevance in geology coursework, as emphasized in this field course. Many students, in this and other courses, have provided feedback indicating that activities I have developed and used along these lines are some of the most engaging and inspiring in their geology coursework.

Use of PRD1 bacteriophage in groundwater viral transport, inactivation, and attachment studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harvey, R.W.; Ryan, J.N.

2004-01-01

PRD1, an icosahedra-shaped, 62 nm (diameter), double-stranded DNA bacteriophage with an internal membrane, has emerged as an important model virus for studying the manner in which microorganisms are transported through a variety of groundwater environments. The popularity of this phage for use in transport studies involving geologic media is due, in part, to its relative stability over a range of temperatures and low degree of attachment in aquifer sediments. Laboratory and field investigations employing PRD1 are leading to a better understanding of viral attachment and transport behaviors in saturated geologic media and to improved methods for describing mathematically subsurface microbial transport at environmentally significant field scales. Radioisotopic labeling of PRD1 is facilitating additional information about the nature of viral interactions with solid surfaces in geologic media, the importance of iron oxide surfaces, and allowing differentiation between inactivation and attachment in field-scale tracer tests. ?? 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Microbiological Societies.

Regional methods for mapping major faults in areas of uniform low relief, as used in the London Basin, UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haslam, Richard; Aldiss, Donald

2013-04-01

Most of the London Basin, south-eastern UK, is underlain by the Palaeogene London Clay Formation, comprising a succession of rather uniform marine clay deposits up to 150 m thick, with widespread cover of Quaternary deposits and urban development. Therefore, in this area faults are difficult to delineate (or to detect) by conventional geological surveying methods in the field, and few are shown on the geological maps of the area. However, boreholes and excavations, especially those for civil engineering works, indicate that faults are probably widespread and numerous in the London area. A representative map of fault distribution and patterns of displacement is a pre-requisite for understanding the tectonic development of a region. Moreover, faulting is an important influence on the design and execution of civil engineering works, and on the hydrogeological characteristics of the ground. This paper reviews methods currently being used to map faults in the London Basin area. These are: the interpretation of persistent scatterer interferometry (PSI) data from time-series satellite-borne radar measurements; the interpretation of regional geophysical fields (Bouguer gravity anomaly and aeromagnetic), especially in combination with a digital elevation model; and the construction and interpretation of 3D geological models. Although these methods are generally not as accurate as large-scale geological field surveys, due to the availability of appropriate data in the London Basin they provide the means to recognise and delineate more faults, and with more confidence, than was possible using traditional geological mapping techniques. Together they reveal regional structures arising during Palaeogene crustal extension and subsidence in the North Sea, followed by inversion of a Mesozoic sedimentary basin in the south of the region, probably modified by strike-slip fault motion associated with the relative northward movement of the African Plate and the Alpine orogeny. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License together with an NERC copyright. This license does not conflict with the regulations of the Crown Copyright.

Illustrated surface mining methods

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

Not Available

1979-01-01

This manual provides a visual synopsis of surface coal mining methods in the United States. The manual presents various surface mining methods and techniques through artist renderings and appropriate descriptions. The productive coal fields of the United States were divided into four regions according to geology and physiography. A glossay of terminology is included. (DP)

Virtual Field Reconnaissance to enable multi-site collaboration in geoscience fieldwork in Chile.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Leanne; Bateson, Luke; Ford, Jonathan; Napier, Bruce; Creixell, Christian; Contreras, Juan-Pablo; Vallette, Jane

2017-04-01

The unique challenges of geological mapping in remote terrains can make cross-organisation collaboration challenging. Cooperation between the British and Chilean Geological Surveys and the Chilean national mining company used the BGS digital Mapping Workflow and virtual field reconnaissance software (GeoVisionary) to undertake geological mapping in a complex area of Andean Geology. The international team undertook a pre-field evaluation using GeoVisionary to integrate massive volumes of data and interpret high resolution satellite imagery, terrain models and existing geological information to capture, manipulate and understand geological features and re-interpret existing maps. This digital interpretation was then taken into the field and verified using the BGS digital data capture system (SIGMA.mobile). This allowed the production of final geological interpretation and creation of a geological map. This presentation describes the digital mapping workflow used in Chile and highlights the key advantages of increased efficiency and communication to colleagues, stakeholders and funding bodies.

Investigation of geophysical fields in pyrite deposits under mountainous conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khesin, B. E.; Alexeyev, V. V.; Eppelbaum, L. V.

1993-05-01

Geophysical surveys under mountainous conditions are generally complicated by various noises, primarily by rugged topography effects. A rational integration of mobile geophysical methods (gravity prospecting, magnetic prospecting and VLF technique has been substantiated and effective methods of interpretation have been developed for copper pyrite deposits of a Kuroko type (an important source of non-ferrous and noble metals) not infrequently occurring in mountainous regions. A special scheme for obtaining the Bouguer anomalies has been employed to suppress the terrain relief effects dampening the anomaly effects from the objects of prospecting. The scheme is based on calculating the difference between the free-air anomaly ( Δg F.a) and the field determined from a 3-D model of a uniform medium with a real topography. This scheme almost doubled the accuracy of the Δg B chart. The further interpretation includes the following basic steps: (1) singling out the object of search using summation of the amounts of information obtained in various fields; (2) revision of the geological section using the methods specially devised for quantitative interpretation of anomalies under conditions of a rugged topography, inclined polarization and an unknown level of the normal field; and (3) physical-geological simulation realized as man-computer selection with the use of an effective algorithm for solving a direct 3-D problem of gravity and magnetic prospecting under the conditions of complex mediums and rugged observation surfaces. The method has been successfully tested at various stages of geophysical investigation under a variety of geological conditions, including saturated prospecting on the Kuroko-type Kyzylbulakh deposit (Lesser Caucasus) which has been thoroughly investigated by mining and drilling operations.

Geologic Map of the Central Marysvale Volcanic Field, Southwestern Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rowley, Peter D.; Cunningham, Charles G.; Steven, Thomas A.; Workman, Jeremiah B.; Anderson, John J.; Theissen, Kevin M.

2002-01-01

The geologic map of the central Marysvale volcanic field, southwestern Utah, shows the geology at 1:100,000 scale of the heart of one of the largest Cenozoic volcanic fields in the Western United States. The map shows the area of 38 degrees 15' to 38 degrees 42'30' N., and 112 degrees to 112 degrees 37'30' W. The Marysvale field occurs mostly in the High Plateaus, a subprovince of the Colorado Plateau and structurally a transition zone between the complexly deformed Great Basin to the west and the stable, little-deformed main part of the Colorado Plateau to the east. The western part of the field is in the Great Basin proper. The volcanic rocks and their source intrusions in the volcanic field range in age from about 31 Ma (Oligocene) to about 0.5 Ma (Pleistocene). These rocks overlie sedimentary rocks exposed in the mapped area that range in age from Ordovician to early Cenozoic. The area has been deformed by thrust faults and folds formed during the late Mesozoic to early Cenozoic Sevier deformational event, and later by mostly normal faults and folds of the Miocene to Quaternary basin-range episode. The map revises and updates knowledge gained during a long-term U.S. Geological Survey investigation of the volcanic field, done in part because of its extensive history of mining. The investigation also was done to provide framework geologic knowledge suitable for defining geologic and hydrologic hazards, for locating hydrologic and mineral resources, and for an understanding of geologic processes in the area. A previous geologic map (Cunningham and others, 1983, U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series I-1430-A) covered the same area as this map but was published at 1:50,000 scale and is obsolete due to new data. This new geologic map of the central Marysvale field, here published as U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Investigations Series I-2645-A, is accompanied by gravity and aeromagnetic maps of the same area and the same scale (Campbell and others, 1999, U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Investigations Series I-2645-B).

Bringing Grand Canyon to the College Campus: Assessment of Student Learning in the Geosciences Through Virtual Field Trip Games for Mobile Smart-Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bursztyn, N.; Walker, A.; Shelton, B.; Pederson, J. L.

2015-12-01

Geoscience educators have long considered field trips to be the most effective way of attracting students into the discipline. A solution for bringing student-driven, engaging, kinesthetic field experiences to a broader audience lies in ongoing advances in mobile-communication technology. This NSF-TUES funded project developed three virtual field trip experiences for smartphones and tablets (on geologic time, geologic structures, and hydrologic processes), and then tested their performance in terms of student interest in geoscience as well as gains in learning. The virtual field trips utilize the GPS capabilities of smartphones and tablets, requiring the students to navigate outdoors in the real world while following a map on their smart device. This research, involving 873 students at five different college campuses, used analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and multiple regression for statistical methods. Gains in learning across all participants are minor, and not statistically different between intervention and control groups. Predictors of gains in content comprehension for all three modules are the students' initial interest in the subject and their base level knowledge. For the Geologic Time and Structures modules, being a STEM major is an important predictor of student success. Most pertinent for this research, for Geologic Time and Hydrologic Processes, gains in student learning can be predicted by having completed those particular virtual field trips. Gender and race had no statistical impact, indicating that the virtual field trip modules have broad reach across student demographics. In related research, these modules have been shown to increase student interest in the geosciences more definitively than the learning gains here. Thus, future work should focus on improving the educational impact of mobile-device field trips, as their eventual incorporation into curricula is inevitable.

Geology of the Bopolu Quadrangle, Liberia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wallace, Roberts Manning

1974-01-01

As part of a program undertaken cooperatively by the Liberian Geological Survey (LGS) and the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS), under the sponsorship of the Government of Liberia and the Agency for International Development, U. S. Department of State, Liberia was mapped by geologic and geophysical methods during the period 1965 to 1972. The resulting:geologic and geophysical maps are published in ten folios, each covering one quadrangle (see index map). The Bopolu quadrangle was systematically mapped by the author in late 1970. Field data provided by private companies and other members of the LGS-USGS project were used in map compilation, and are hereby acknowledged. Limited gravity data (Behrendt and Wotorson, in press ), and total-intensity aeromagnetic and total-count gamma radiation surveys (Behrendt and Wotorson, 1974, a and b) were also used in compilation, as were other unpublished geophysical data (near-surface, regional magnetic component, and geologic correlations based on aeromagnetic and radiometric characteristics) furnished by Behrendt and Wotorson.

Digital Field Mapping with the British Geological Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leslie, Graham; Smith, Nichola; Jordan, Colm

2014-05-01

The BGS•SIGMA project was initiated in 2001 in response to a major stakeholder review of onshore mapping within the British Geological Survey (BGS). That review proposed a significant change for BGS with the recommendation that digital methods should be implemented for field mapping and data compilation. The BGS•SIGMA project (System for Integrated Geoscience MApping) is an integrated workflow for geoscientific surveying and visualisation using digital methods for geological data visualisation, recording and interpretation, in both 2D and 3D. The project has defined and documented an underpinning framework of best practice for survey and information management, best practice that has then informed the design brief and specification for a toolkit to support this new methodology. The project has now delivered BGS•SIGMA2012. BGS•SIGMA2012 is a integrated toolkit which enables assembly and interrogation/visualisation of existing geological information; capture of, and integration with, new data and geological interpretations; and delivery of 3D digital products and services. From its early days as a system which used PocketGIS run on Husky Fex21 hardware, to the present day system which runs on ruggedized tablet PCs with integrated GPS units, the system has evolved into a complete digital mapping and compilation system. BGS•SIGMA2012 uses a highly customised version of ESRI's ArcGIS 10 and 10.1 with a fully relational Access 2007/2010 geodatabase. BGS•SIGMA2012 is the third external release of our award-winning digital field mapping toolkit. The first free external release of the award-winning digital field mapping toolkit was in 2009, with the third version (BGS-SIGMAmobile2012 v1.01) released on our website (http://www.bgs.ac.uk/research/sigma/home.html) in 2013. The BGS•SIGMAmobile toolkit formed the major part of the first two releases but this new version integrates the BGS•SIGMAdesktop functionality that BGS routinely uses to transform our field data into corporate standard geological models and derivative map outputs. BGS•SIGMA2012 is the default toolkit within BGS for bedrock and superficial geological mapping and other data acquisition projects across the UK, both onshore and offshore. It is used in mapping projects in Africa, the Middle East and the USA, and has been taken to Japan as part of the Tohoku tsunami damage assessment project. It is also successfully being used worldwide by other geological surveys e.g. Norway and Tanzania; by universities including Leicester, Keele and Kyoto, and by organisations such as Vale Mining in Brazil and the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology. It is used globally, with over 2000 licenses downloaded worldwide to date and in use on all seven continents. Development of the system is still ongoing as a result of both user feedback and the changing face of technology. Investigations into the development of a BGS•SIGMA smartphone app are currently taking place alongside system developments such as a new and more streamlined data entry system.

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

Harben, P E; Harris, D; Myers, S

Seismic imaging and tracking methods have intelligence and monitoring applications. Current systems, however, do not adequately calibrate or model the unknown geological heterogeneity. Current systems are also not designed for rapid data acquisition and analysis in the field. This project seeks to build the core technological capabilities coupled with innovative deployment, processing, and analysis methodologies to allow seismic methods to be effectively utilized in the applications of seismic imaging and vehicle tracking where rapid (minutes to hours) and real-time analysis is required. The goal of this project is to build capabilities in acquisition system design, utilization and in full 3Dmore » finite difference modeling as well as statistical characterization of geological heterogeneity. Such capabilities coupled with a rapid field analysis methodology based on matched field processing are applied to problems associated with surveillance, battlefield management, finding hard and deeply buried targets, and portal monitoring. This project benefits the U.S. military and intelligence community in support of LLNL's national-security mission. FY03 was the final year of this project. In the 2.5 years this project has been active, numerous and varied developments and milestones have been accomplished. A wireless communication module for seismic data was developed to facilitate rapid seismic data acquisition and analysis. The E3D code was enhanced to include topographic effects. Codes were developed to implement the Karhunen-Loeve (K-L) statistical methodology for generating geological heterogeneity that can be utilized in E3D modeling. The matched field processing methodology applied to vehicle tracking and based on a field calibration to characterize geological heterogeneity was tested and successfully demonstrated in a tank tracking experiment at the Nevada Test Site. A 3-seismic-array vehicle tracking testbed was installed on-site at LLNL for testing real-time seismic tracking methods. A field experiment was conducted over a tunnel at the Nevada Site that quantified the tunnel reflection signal and, coupled with modeling, identified key needs and requirements in experimental layout of sensors. A large field experiment was conducted at the Lake Lynn Laboratory, a mine safety research facility in Pennsylvania, over a tunnel complex in realistic, difficult conditions. This experiment gathered the necessary data for a full 3D attempt to apply the methodology. The experiment also collected data to analyze the capabilities to detect and locate in-tunnel explosions for mine safety and other applications.« less

Geological Prediction Ahead of Tunnel Face in the Limestone Formation Tunnel using Multi-Modal Geophysical Surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaki, N. F. M.; Ismail, M. A. M.; Hazreek Zainal Abidin, Mohd; Madun, Aziman

2018-04-01

Tunnel construction in typical karst topography face the risk which unknown geological condition such as abundant rainwater, ground water and cavities. Construction of tunnel in karst limestone frequently lead to potentially over-break of rock formation and cause failure to affected area. Physical character of limestone which consists large cavity prone to sudden failure and become worsen due to misinterpretation of rock quality by engineer and geologists during analysis stage and improper method adopted in construction stage. Consideration for execution of laboratory and field testing in rock limestone should be well planned and arranged in tunnel construction project. Several tests including Ground Penetration Radar (GPR) and geological face mapping were studied in this research to investigate the performances of limestone rock in tunnel construction, measured in term of rock mass quality that used for risk assessment. The objective of this study is to focus on the prediction of geological condition ahead of tunnel face using short range method (GPR) and verified by geological face mapping method to determine the consistency of actual geological condition on site. Q-Value as the main indicator for rock mass classification was obtained from geological face mapping method. The scope of this study is covering for tunnelling construction along 756 meters in karst limestone area which located at Timah Tasoh Tunnel, Bukit Tebing Tinggi, Perlis. For this case study, 15% of GPR results was identified as inaccurate for rock mass classification in which certain chainage along this tunnel with 34 out of 224 data from GPR was identified as incompatible with actual face mapping.

High Precision Positioning at Field Camp: Using GNSS as the primary data source to answer geologic questions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crosby, B. T.; Lauer, I. H.; Pratt-Sitaula, B.

2017-12-01

Thanks to the availability and accessibility of GPS/GNSS enabled consumer grade positioning devices, GNSS are nearly ubiquitous in both geologic field research and education. Though the devices offer sufficient precision to geotag images, digital field book entries or measurements, positions themselves are not precise enough to accomplish independent geodetic analysis. As a consequence, most students learn about GNSS at a tool that aids other forms of geologic data acquisition rather serving as the primary source itself. To resolve this, we developed and tested a three-unit teaching module within the GETSI - SERC curriculum framework that reinforces high precision positioning as a primary source of geologic data. Units focus on three core topics: GNSS Fundamentals, Kinematic GNSS and Static GNSS Methods. Module goals enable students to (a) design and conduct a GNSS survey to answer a geologic question, (b) justify why their GNSS technique is appropriate to their question and (c) to articulate how answering their question benefits society. Skill building is via quantitative and qualitative analysis, concept sketches, and both field and office based data acquisition and interrogation. Exercises are site-independent and include example datasets for those unable to travel. In the summer of 2017, we tested the module with 20 undergraduate students over two days at the ISU field geology course. Located in the Lost River Range of Idaho, positioned among active normal faults, we not only explored the use of static GNSS data for active tectonics but visited a station in person. For a summative assessment, we focused on kinematic GNSS, using RTK rovers to reoccupy leveling monuments spanning the active Lost River fault that ruptured in 1983 (M 7.0). The data collected by our class quantified aseismic deformation occurring in the 30+ years since that event. Displacements were significantly larger than the instrumental uncertainty, confirming that RTK was an appropriate tool for the job and that interseismic deformation continues (50 cm at the fault), demanding consideration in the design of any infrastructure (e.g. utility lines, etc.) that spans the fault. The exercise integrated well with existing camp curriculum, giving a modern context to geologic structures students had already mapped.

The effects of conducting authentic field-geology research on high school students' understanding of the nature of science, and their views of themselves as research scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millette, Patricia M.

Authentic field geology research is a inquiry method that encourages students to interact more with their local environment, and by solving genuine puzzles, begin to increase their intuitive understanding of the nature and processes of science. The goal of the current study was to determine if conducting authentic field research and giving high school students the opportunity to present findings to adult audiences outside of the school setting 1) enhances students' understanding of the nature of science, and 2) affects students views of themselves as researchers. To accomplish this, ninth-grade students from a public school in northern New England engaged in a community-initiated glacial geology problem, completed a field research investigation, and presented their findings at several professional conferences. Following the completion of this student-centered field research, I investigated its effects by using a mixed methods approach consisting of qualitative and quantitative data from two sources. These included selected questions from an open-response survey (VNOS-c), and interviews that were conducted with fifteen of the students of different ages and genders. Findings show that conducting original field research seems to have a positive influence on these students' understanding of the NOS as well as the processes of science. Many of the students reported feelings of accomplishment, acceptance of responsibility for the investigation, a sense of their authentic contribution to the body of scientific knowledge in the world, and becoming scientists. This type of authentic field investigation is significant because recent reforms in earth-science education stress the importance of students learning about the nature and processes of scientific knowledge along with science content.

Three-Dimensional Geologic Map of the Hayward Fault Zone, San Francisco Bay Region, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phelps, G.A.; Graymer, R.W.; Jachens, R.C.; Ponce, D.A.; Simpson, R.W.; Wentworth, C.M.

2008-01-01

A three-dimensional (3D) geologic map of the Hayward Fault zone was created by integrating the results from geologic mapping, potential field geophysics, and seismology investigations. The map volume is 100 km long, 20 km wide, and extends to a depth of 12 km below sea level. The map volume is oriented northwest and is approximately bisected by the Hayward Fault. The complex geologic structure of the region makes it difficult to trace many geologic units into the subsurface. Therefore, the map units are generalized from 1:24,000-scale geologic maps. Descriptions of geologic units and structures are offered, along with a discussion of the methods used to map them and incorporate them into the 3D geologic map. The map spatial database and associated viewing software are provided. Elements of the map, such as individual fault surfaces, are also provided in a non-proprietary format so that the user can access the map via open-source software. The sheet accompanying this manuscript shows views taken from the 3D geologic map for the user to access. The 3D geologic map is designed as a multi-purpose resource for further geologic investigations and process modeling.

Utilizing an Artificial Outcrop to Scaffold Learning between Laboratory and Field Experiences in a College-Level Introductory Geology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Meredith

2012-01-01

Geologic field trips are among the most beneficial learning experiences for students as they engage the topic of geology, but they are also difficult environments to maximize learning. This action research study explored one facet of the problems associated with teaching geology in the field by attempting to improve the transition of undergraduate…

Geological evaluation and applications of ERTS-1 imagery over Georgia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pickering, S. M.; Jones, R. C.

1974-01-01

ERTS-1 70mm and 9 x 9 film negatives are being used by conventional and color enhancement methods as a tool for geologic investigation. Geologic mapping and mineral exploration by conventional methods is very difficult in Georgia. Thick soil cover and heavy vegetation cause outcrops of bed rock to be small, rare and obscure. ERTS imagery, and remote sensing in general have helped delineate: (1) major tectonic boundaries; (2) lithologic contacts; (3) foliation trends; (4) topographic lineaments; and (5) faults. The ERTS-1 MSS imagery yields the greatest amount of geologic information on the Piedomont, Blue Ridge, and Valley and Ridge Provinces of Georgia where topography is strongly controlled by the bedrock geology. ERTS imagery, and general remote sensing techniques, have provided us with a powerful tool to assist geologic research; have significantly increased the mapping efficiency of our field geologists; have shown new lineaments associated with known shear and fault zones; have delineated new structural features; have provided a tool to re-evaluate our tectonic history; have helped to locate potential ground water sources and areas of aquifer recharge; have defined areas of geologic hazards; have shown areas of heavy siltation in major reservoirs; and by its close interval repetition, have aided in monitoring surface mine reclamation activities and the environmental protection of our intricate marshland system.

Arizona Geology Trip - February 25-28, 2008

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Gretchen A.; Ross, Amy J.

2008-01-01

A variety of hardware developers, crew, mission planners, and headquarters personnel traveled to Gila Bend, Arizona, in February 2008 for a CxP Lunar Surface Systems Team geology experience. Participating in this field trip were the CxP Space Suit System (EC5) leads: Thomas (PLSS) and Ross (PGS), who presented the activities and findings learned from being in the field during this KC. As for the design of a new spacesuit system, this allowed the engineers to understand the demands this type of activity will have on NASA's hardware, systems, and planning efforts. The engineers also experienced the methods and tools required for lunar surface activity.

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics Marine Geology and Geophysics Field Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duncan, D.; Davis, M. B.; Goff, J. A.; Gulick, S. P. S.; McIntosh, K. D.; Saustrup, S., Sr.

2014-12-01

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, part of the Jackson School of Geosciences, annually offers a three-week marine geology and geophysics field course during the spring-summer intersession. The course provides hands-on instruction and training for graduate and upper-level undergraduate students in high-resolution seismic reflection, CHIRP sub-bottom profiling, multibeam bathymetry, sidescan sonar, several types of sediment coring, grab sampling, and the sedimentology of resulting seabed samples. Students participate in an initial three days of classroom instruction designed to communicate geological context of the field area along with theoretical and technical background on each field method. The class then travels to the Gulf Coast for a week of at-sea field work. Our field sites at Port Aransas, and Galveston, TX, and Grand Isle, LA, provide ideal locations for students to investigate coastal processes of the Gulf Coast and continental shelf through application of geophysical techniques in an exploratory mode. At sea, students assist with survey design and instrumentation set up while learning about acquisition parameters, data quality control, trouble-shooting, and safe instrument deployment and retrieval. In teams of four, students work in onshore field labs preparing sediment samples for particle size analysis and data processing. During the course's final week, teams return to the classroom where they integrate, interpret, and visualize data in a final project using industry-standard software such as Echos, Landmark, Caris, and Fledermaus. The course concludes with a series of final presentations and discussions in which students examine geologic history and/or sedimentary processes represented by the Gulf Coast continental shelf with academic and industry supporters. Students report a greater understanding of marine geology and geophysics through the course's intensive, hands-on, team approach and low instructor to student ratio (sixteen students, three faculty, and three teaching assistants). This course (to our knowledge) remains the only one of its kind, satisfies field experience requirements for some degree programs, and provides an alternative to land-based field courses. www.ig.utexas.edu/research/mgg/courses/geof348K/

Digital Mapping Techniques '07 - Workshop Proceedings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Soller, David R.

2008-01-01

The Digital Mapping Techniques '07 (DMT'07) workshop was attended by 85 technical experts from 49 agencies, universities, and private companies, including representatives from 27 state geological surveys. This year's meeting, the tenth in the annual series, was hosted by the South Carolina Geological Survey, from May 20-23, 2007, on the University of South Carolina campus in Columbia, South Carolina. Each DMT workshop has been coordinated by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Geologic Map Database Project and the Association of American State Geologists (AASG). As in previous year's meetings, the objective was to foster informal discussion and exchange of technical information, principally in order to develop more efficient methods for digital mapping, cartography, GIS analysis, and information management. At this meeting, oral and poster presentations and special discussion sessions emphasized: 1) methods for creating and publishing map products (here, 'publishing' includes Web-based release); 2) field data capture software and techniques, including the use of LIDAR; 3) digital cartographic techniques; 4) migration of digital maps into ArcGIS Geodatabase format; 5) analytical GIS techniques; and 6) continued development of the National Geologic Map Database.

Influence of Subjectivity in Geological Mapping on the Net Penetration Rate Prediction for a Hard Rock TBM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Yongbeom; Macias, Francisco Javier; Jakobsen, Pål Drevland; Bruland, Amund

2018-05-01

The net penetration rate of hard rock tunnel boring machines (TBM) is influenced by rock mass degree of fracturing. This influence is taken into account in the NTNU prediction model by the rock mass fracturing factor ( k s). k s is evaluated by geological mapping, the measurement of the orientation of fractures and the spacing of fractures and fracture type. Geological mapping is a subjective procedure. Mapping results can therefore contain considerable uncertainty. The mapping data of a tunnel mapped by three researchers were compared, and the influence of the variation in geological mapping was estimated to assess the influence of subjectivity in geological mapping. This study compares predicted net penetration rates and actual net penetration rates for TBM tunneling (from field data) and suggests mapping methods that can reduce the error related to subjectivity. The main findings of this paper are as follows: (1) variation of mapping data between individuals; (2) effect of observed variation on uncertainty in predicted net penetration rates; (3) influence of mapping methods on the difference between predicted and actual net penetration rate.

Methods for collection and analysis of aquatic biological and microbiological samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Britton, L.J.; Greeson, P.E.

1989-01-01

The series of chapters on techniques describes methods used by the U.S. Geological Survey for planning and conducting water-resources investigations. The material is arranged under major subject headings called books and is further subdivided into sections and chapters. Book 5 is on laboratory analysis. Section A is on water. The unit of publication, the chapter, is limited to a narrow field of subject matter. "Methods for Collection and Analysis of Aquatic Biological and Microbiological Samples" is the fourth chapter to be published under Section A of Book 5. The chapter number includes the letter of the section.This chapter was prepared by several aquatic biologists and microbiologists of the U.S. Geological Survey to provide accurate and precise methods for the collection and analysis of aquatic biological and microbiological samples.Use of brand, firm, and trade names in this chapter is for identification purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey.This chapter supersedes "Methods for Collection and Analysis of Aquatic Biological and Microbiological Samples" edited by P.E. Greeson, T.A. Ehlke, G.A. Irwin, B.W. Lium, and K.V. Slack (U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, Book 5, Chapter A4, 1977) and also supersedes "A Supplement to-Methods for Collection and Analysis of Aquatic Biological and Microbiological Samples" by P.E. Greeson (U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, Book 5, Chapter A4), Open-File Report 79-1279, 1979.

Possible Connection of Geological Composition With Geomagnetic Field Change In Kopaonik Thrust Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popeskov, Mirjana; Cukavac, Milena; Lazovic, Caslav

This paper should consider interpretation of geomagnetic field changes on the basis of possible connection with geological composition of deformation zone. Analysis of total magnetic field intensity data from 38 surveys, carried out in the period may 1980 ­ november 2001 in Kopaonik thrust region, central Serbia, reveals anomalous behaviour of local field changes in particular time intervals. These data give us possibility to observe geomagnetic changes in long period of time. This paper shall consider if and how different magnetizations of geological composition of array are in connection with anomalous geomagnetic field change. We shall consider how non-uniform geological structure or rocks with different magnetizations can effect geomagnetic observations and weather sharp contrast in rock magnetization between neighbour layers can give rise to larger changes in the geomagnetic total intensity than those for a uniform layer. For that purpose we are going to consider geological and tectonical map of Kopaonik region. We shall also consider map of vertical component of geomagnetic field because Kopaonik belongs to high magnetic anomaly zone. Corelation of geomagnetic and geological data is supposed to give us some answers to the question of origine of some anomalious geomagnetic changes in total intensity of geomagnetic field. It can also represent first step in corelationof geomagnetic field changes to other geophysical, seismological or geological data that can be couse of geomagnetic field change.

Prospects of oil field development in Tomsk region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Il'ina, M. N.; Il'ina, G. F.

2017-12-01

The article describes the geologic structure of the formation located not far from Strezhevoy, Tomsk Oblast. The formation has been poorly studied by seismic methods. The reserves categories C1 and C2 as well as hydrocarbon potential are presented. 4 exploratory and 39 production wells are designed to be drilled depending on geologic knowledge and formation conditions. The article deals with the investment plan including development, oil export expenditures and implementing cost calculation.

Modeling the hydrogeophysical response of lake talik evolution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Minsley, Burke J.; Wellman, Tristan; Walvoord, Michelle Ann; Revil, Andre

2014-01-01

Geophysical methods provide valuable information about subsurface permafrost and its relation to dynamic hydrologic systems. Airborne electromagnetic data from interior Alaska are used to map the distribution of permafrost, geological features, surface water, and groundwater. To validate and gain further insight into these field datasets, we also explore the geophysical response to hydrologic simulations of permafrost evolution by implementing a physical property relationship that connects geology, temperature, and ice saturation to changes in electrical properties.

Interpretation of long- and short-wavelength magnetic anomalies

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeNoyer, John M.; Barringer, Anthony R.

1980-01-01

Magset was launched on October 30, 1979. More than a decade of examining existing data, devising appropriate models of the global magnetic field, and extending methods for interpreting long-wavelength magnetic anomalies preceded this launch Magnetic data collected by satellite can be interrupted by using a method of analysis that quantitively describes the magnetic field resulting from three-dimensional geologic structures that are bounded by an arbitrary number of polygonal faces, Each face my have any orientation and three or more sides. At each point of the external field, the component normal to each face is obtained by using an expression for the solid angle subtended by a generalized polygon. The "cross" of tangential components are relatively easy to obtain for the same polygons. No approximations have been made related to orbit height that restrict the dimensions of the polygons relative to the distance from the external field points. This permits the method to be used to model shorter wavelength anomalies obtained from aircraft or ground surveys. The magnetic fields for all the structures considered are determine in the same rectangular coordinate system. The coordinate system is in depended from the orientation of geologic trends and permits multiple structures or bodies to be included in the same magnetic field calculations. This single reference system also simplified adjustments in position and direction to account for earth curvature in regional interpretation.

Preliminary geologic mapping of Cretaceous and Tertiary formations in the eastern part of the Little Snake River coal field, Carbon County, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haacke, Jon E.; Barclay, C. S. Venable; Hettinger, Robert D.

2016-09-30

In the 1970s and 1980s, C.S. Venable Barclay conducted geologic mapping of areas primarily underlain by Cretaceous coals in the eastern part of the Little Snake River coal field (LSR) in Carbon County, southwest Wyoming. With some exceptions, most of the mapping data were never published. Subsequently, after his retirement from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), his field maps and field notebooks were archived in the USGS Field Records. Due to a pending USGS coal assessment of the Little Snake River coal field area and planned geological mapping to be conducted by the Wyoming State Geological Survey, Barclay’s mapping data needed to be published to support these efforts. Subsequently, geologic maps were scanned and georeferenced into a geographic information system, and project and field notes were scanned into Portable Document Format (PDF) files. Data for seventeen 7½-minute quadrangles are presented in this report. This publication is solely intended to compile the mapping data as it was last worked on by Barclay and provides no interpretation or modification of his work.

National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data. U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, Book 9

USGS Publications Warehouse

2015-01-01

The mission of the Water Resources Discipline of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is to provide the information and understanding needed for wise management of the Nation's water resources. Inherent in this mission is the responsibility to collect data that accurately describe the physical, chemical, and biological attributes of water systems. These data are used for environmental and resource assessments by the USGS, other government agenices and scientific organizations, and the general public. Reliable and quality-assured data are essential to the credibility and impartiality of the water-resources appraisals carried out by the USGS. The development and use of a National Field Manual is necessary to achieve consistency in the scientific methods and procedures used, to document those methods and procedures, and to maintain technical expertise. USGS field personnel use this manual to ensure that the data collected are of the quality required to fulfill our mission.

Section-constrained local geological interface dynamic updating method based on the HRBF surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Jiateng; Wu, Lixin; Zhou, Wenhui; Li, Chaoling; Li, Fengdan

2018-02-01

Boundaries, attitudes and sections are the most common data acquired from regional field geological surveys, and they are used for three-dimensional (3D) geological modelling. However, constructing topologically consistent 3D geological models from rapid and automatic regional modelling with convenient local modifications remains unresolved. In previous works, the Hermite radial basis function (HRBF) surface was introduced for the simulation of geological interfaces from geological boundaries and attitudes, which allows 3D geological models to be automatically extracted from the modelling area by the interfaces. However, the reasonability and accuracy of non-supervised subsurface modelling is limited without further modifications generated through explanations and analyses performed by geology experts. In this paper, we provide flexible and convenient manual interactive manipulation tools for geologists to sketch constraint lines, and these tools may help geologists transform and apply their expert knowledge to the models. In the modified modelling workflow, the geological sections were treated as auxiliary constraints to construct more reasonable 3D geological models. The geometric characteristics of section lines were abstracted to coordinates and normal vectors, and along with the transformed coordinates and vectors from boundaries and attitudes, these characteristics were adopted to co-calculate the implicit geological surface function parameters of the HRBF equations and form constrained geological interfaces from topographic (boundaries and attitudes) and subsurface data (sketched sections). Based on this new modelling method, a prototype system was developed, in which the section lines could be imported from databases or interactively sketched, and the models could be immediately updated after the new constraints were added. Experimental comparisons showed that all boundary, attitude and section data are well represented in the constrained models, which are consistent with expert explanations and help improve the quality of the models.

Methods for collection and analysis of water samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rainwater, Frank Hays; Thatcher, Leland Lincoln

1960-01-01

This manual contains methods used by the U.S. Geological Survey to collect, preserve, and analyze water samples. Throughout, the emphasis is on obtaining analytical results that accurately describe the chemical composition of the water in situ. Among the topics discussed are selection of sampling sites, frequency of sampling, field equipment, preservatives and fixatives, analytical techniques of water analysis, and instruments. Seventy-seven laboratory and field procedures are given for determining fifty-three water properties.

Terrain Models in Field Geology Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whittecar, G. Richard

1984-01-01

Describes a terrain model for geologic mapping which, when combined with exercises in rock description, Brunton compass manipulation, orienteering, and geologic report writing, allows students to refine skills needed for summer field camp. Advantages and limitations of the model and its use in a field course are also discussed. (BC)

A Novel Method of Localization for Moving Objects with an Alternating Magnetic Field

PubMed Central

Gao, Xiang; Yan, Shenggang; Li, Bin

2017-01-01

Magnetic detection technology has wide applications in the fields of geological exploration, biomedical treatment, wreck removal and localization of unexploded ordinance. A large number of methods have been developed to locate targets with static magnetic fields, however, the relation between the problem of localization of moving objectives with alternating magnetic fields and the localization with a static magnetic field is rarely studied. A novel method of target localization based on coherent demodulation was proposed in this paper. The problem of localization of moving objects with an alternating magnetic field was transformed into the localization with a static magnetic field. The Levenberg-Marquardt (L-M) algorithm was applied to calculate the position of the target with magnetic field data measured by a single three-component magnetic sensor. Theoretical simulation and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. PMID:28430153

Further Interpretation of the Relationship between Faunal Community and Seafloor Geology at Southern Hydrate Ridge, Cascadia Margin: Exploring Machine Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bigham, K.; Kelley, D. S.; Marburg, A.; Delaney, J. R.

2017-12-01

In 2011, high-resolution, georeferenced photomoasiacs were taken of Einstein's Grotto, an active methane hydrate seep within the field at Southern Hydrate Ridge located 90 km west of Newport, Oregon at a water depth of 800 m. Methods used to analyze the relationships between the seep site, seafloor geology, and the spatial distribution and abundances of microbial and macrofaunal communities at Einstein's Grotto were expanded to three other sites over the 200 by 300 m active seep field. These seeps were documented in the same survey in 2011 conducted by the remotely operated vehicle ROPOS on board the R/V Thompson. Over 10,000 high definition images allowed for the further quantification and characterization of the diversity and structure of the faunal community at this seep field. The new results support the study's initial findings of high variability in the distribution and abundance of seep organisms across the field, with correlation to seafloor geology. The manual classification of organisms was also used to train a series of convolutional neural networks in Nvidia DIGITS and Google Tensorflow environments for automated identification. The developed networks proved highly accurate at background/non-background segmentation ( 96%) and slightly less reliable for fauna identification ( 89%). This study provides a baseline for the faunal community at the Southern Hydrate Ridge methane seeps and a more efficient computer assisted method for processing follow on studies.

Increasing Minority Participation and Matriculation in the Geosciences at El Paso Community College

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villalobos, J. I.

2011-12-01

Community colleges currently serve 44% of all undergraduate students and 45% of all of all first time freshmen in the US. Hispanics now constitute 15% of the general population and 19% of the college population in the US. This increase has led to more institutions emerging as HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) by the federal government. These facts illustrate the potential community colleges hold to encourage STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) majors to minorities as well as non-minorities. But the reality is the number of STEM degrees awarded at community colleges has not followed the same trends in enrollment. El Paso Community College (EPCC) currently enrolls 27,000 students with 85% of the student body being Hispanic. More than 130 programs of study are offered including an Associate of Science degree in Geological Sciences. Over the past three years we have implemented several initiatives in our effort to increase the number of Geological Science (GS) majors at EPCC. These efforts are aimed to decrease attrition rates of science majors by; streamlining the GS degree plan along with the process of course registration, introduce field-based research projects to students to allow hands on research, develop a work relationships with students and university faculty, increase the number of geology courses offered at EPCC including a field-based capstone course (GEOL 2407- Geological Field Methods), and strengthening the educational-bridge between the geological science departments of EPCC and University of Texas at El Paso.

3D Geological Model for "LUSI" - a Deep Geothermal System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sohrabi, Reza; Jansen, Gunnar; Mazzini, Adriano; Galvan, Boris; Miller, Stephen A.

2016-04-01

Geothermal applications require the correct simulation of flow and heat transport processes in porous media, and many of these media, like deep volcanic hydrothermal systems, host a certain degree of fracturing. This work aims to understand the heat and fluid transport within a new-born sedimentary hosted geothermal system, termed Lusi, that began erupting in 2006 in East Java, Indonesia. Our goal is to develop conceptual and numerical models capable of simulating multiphase flow within large-scale fractured reservoirs such as the Lusi region, with fractures of arbitrary size, orientation and shape. Additionally, these models can also address a number of other applications, including Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), CO2 sequestration (Carbon Capture and Storage CCS), and nuclear waste isolation. Fractured systems are ubiquitous, with a wide-range of lengths and scales, making difficult the development of a general model that can easily handle this complexity. We are developing a flexible continuum approach with an efficient, accurate numerical simulator based on an appropriate 3D geological model representing the structure of the deep geothermal reservoir. Using previous studies, borehole information and seismic data obtained in the framework of the Lusi Lab project (ERC grant n°308126), we present here the first 3D geological model of Lusi. This model is calculated using implicit 3D potential field or multi-potential fields, depending on the geological context and complexity. This method is based on geological pile containing the geological history of the area and relationship between geological bodies allowing automatic computation of intersections and volume reconstruction. Based on the 3D geological model, we developed a new mesh algorithm to create hexahedral octree meshes to transfer the structural geological information for 3D numerical simulations to quantify Thermal-Hydraulic-Mechanical-Chemical (THMC) physical processes.

Contribution of space platforms to a ground and airborne remote sensing programme over active Italian volcanoes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cassinis, R. (Principal Investigator); Lechi, G. M.; Marino, C. M.; Tonelli, A. M.

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. A method has been suggested for the forecasting of the lateral eruptions of Mount Etna, through the multispectral analysis of the vegetation behavior. Unknown geological lineaments which seem to be related to deep crustal movements have been discovered using the ERTS-1 imagery. Results in the geological field were obtained in the study of the general structure of the Alpine range. In the field of official vegetation classification, ERTS-1 images were used for a preliminary study of rice fields in northern Italy. Very good experimental results have been obtained using the Skylab multispectral photographs. In the field of hydrogeology and soil type discrimination discoveries of unknown paleoriver beds have been made in the northeastern part of the Po Valley using the multispectral imagery of SL3. The superior resolution of Skylab was a fundamental element for the success of this investigation.

Basic exploration geophysics

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

Robinson, E.S.

1988-01-01

An introduction to geophysical methods used to explore for natural resources and to survey earth's geology is presented in this volume. It is suitable for second-and third-year undergraduate students majoring in geology or engineering and for professional engineering and for professional engineers and earth scientists without formal instruction in geophysics. The author assumes the reader is familiar with geometry, algebra, and trigonometry. Geophysical exploration includes seismic refraction and reflection surveying, electrical resistivity and electromagnetic field surveying, and geophysical well logging. Surveying operations are described in step-by-step procedures and are illustrated by practical examples. Computer-based methods of processing and interpreting datamore » as well as geographical methods are introduced.« less

Simulation of geothermal water extraction in heterogeneous reservoirs using dynamic unstructured mesh optimisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salinas, P.; Pavlidis, D.; Jacquemyn, C.; Lei, Q.; Xie, Z.; Pain, C.; Jackson, M.

2017-12-01

It is well known that the pressure gradient into a production well increases with decreasing distance to the well. To properly capture the local pressure drawdown into the well a high grid or mesh resolution is required; moreover, the location of the well must be captured accurately. In conventional simulation models, the user must interact with the model to modify grid resolution around wells of interest, and the well location is approximated on a grid defined early in the modelling process.We report a new approach for improved simulation of near wellbore flow in reservoir scale models through the use of dynamic mesh optimisation and the recently presented double control volume finite element method. Time is discretized using an adaptive, implicit approach. Heterogeneous geologic features are represented as volumes bounded by surfaces. Within these volumes, termed geologic domains, the material properties are constant. Up-, cross- or down-scaling of material properties during dynamic mesh optimization is not required, as the properties are uniform within each geologic domain. A given model typically contains numerous such geologic domains. Wells are implicitly coupled with the domain, and the fluid flows is modelled inside the wells. The method is novel for two reasons. First, a fully unstructured tetrahedral mesh is used to discretize space, and the spatial location of the well is specified via a line vector, ensuring its location even if the mesh is modified during the simulation. The well location is therefore accurately captured, the approach allows complex well trajectories and wells with many laterals to be modelled. Second, computational efficiency is increased by use of dynamic mesh optimization, in which an unstructured mesh adapts in space and time to key solution fields (preserving the geometry of the geologic domains), such as pressure, velocity or temperature, this also increases the quality of the solutions by placing higher resolution where required to reduce an error metric based on the Hessian of the field. This allows the local pressure drawdown to be captured without user¬ driven modification of the mesh. We demonstrate that the method has wide application in reservoir ¬scale models of geothermal fields, and regional models of groundwater resources.

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics' Marine Geology and Geophysics Field Course: A Hand-On Education Approach to Applied Geophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, M. B.; Goff, J.; Gulick, S. P. S.; Fernandez, R.; Duncan, D.; Saustrup, S.

2016-12-01

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, Jackson School of Geosciences, offers a 3-week marine geology and geophysics field course. The course provides hands-on instruction and training for graduate and upper-level undergraduate students in high-resolution seismic reflection, CHIRP sub-bottom profiling, multibeam bathymetry, sidescan sonar, and sediment sampling and analysis. Students first participate in 3 days of classroom instruction designed to communicate geological context of the field area along with theoretical and technical background on each field method. The class then travels to the Gulf Coast for a week of at-sea field work at locations that provide an opportunity to investigate coastal and continental shelf processes. Teams of students rotate between UTIG's 26' R/V Scott Petty and NOAA's 82' R/V Manta. They assist with survey design, instrumentation set up, and learn about acquisition, quality control, and safe instrument deployment. Teams also process data and analyze samples in onshore field labs. During the final week teams integrate, interpret, and visualize data in a final project using industry-standard software. The course concludes with team presentations on their interpretations with academic and industry supporters. Students report a greater understanding of marine geology and geophysics through the course's intensive, hands-on, team approach and high instructor/student ratio (sixteen students, three faculty, and three teaching assistants). Post-class, students may incorporate course data in senior honors or graduate thesis and are encouraged to publish and present results at national meetings. This course (to our knowledge) remains the only one of its kind, satisfies field experience requirements for some degree programs, and provides an alternative to land-based field courses. Alumni note the course's applicability to energy, environmental, and geotechnical industries as well as coastal restoration/management fields.

Lithospheric magnetic field modelling of the African continent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemant, K.; Maus, S.

2003-04-01

New magnetic satellite missions in low-earth orbit are providing increasingly accurate maps of the lithospheric magnetic field. These maps can be used to infer the geological structure of regions hidden by Phanerozoic cover, taking into account our knowledge of crustal structure from surface geology and seismic methods. A GIS based modelling technique has been developed to model the various geological units of the continents using the UNESCO geological map of the world, supported by background geological information from various sources. Geological units of each region are assigned a susceptibility value based on laboratory values of the constituent rock types. Then, using the 3SMAC seismic crustal structure, a vertically integrated susceptibility (VIS) model is computed at each point of the region. Starting with this VIS model, the total field anomaly is computed at an altitude of 400 km and compared with the MF2 lithospheric magnetic field model derived from CHAMP data. The modelling results of the Precambrian units of the West African cratons agree well with MF2. The anomaly in the Central African cratonic region also correlates well, although part of it is unaccounted for as yet. Furthermore, the anomalies over the Tanzanian craton and surrounding region agree very well. Most of the regions around the South African cratons are hidden by Phanerozoic cover, yet the results above the Kaapvaal craton and the southern Zimbabwe craton around the Limpopo belt show good correspondence with the observed anomaly map. The results also suggest a probable extension of the Precambrian units below the sediments of younger age. In general, the lower crust is likely to be more mafic than presumed in our current understanding of Central Africa. Deviations in the magnitude of the anomalies in some regions are likely to be due to incomplete seismic information in those regions. Thus, the thickness of crustal layers derived from magnetic anomalies for these locations may help to constrain future geophysical models in the less explored regions of Africa.

Geologic map of the Monrovia Quadrangle, Liberia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thorman, Charles H.

1974-01-01

As part of a program undertaken cooperatively by the Liberian Geological Survey and the U. S. Geological Survey, under the sponsorship of the Government of Liberia and the Agency for International Development, U. S. Department of State, Liberia was mapped by geologic and geophysical methods during the period 1965 to 1972.- The resulting geologic and geophysical maps are published in ten folios, each covering one quadrangle (see index map). The Monrovia quadrangle was systematically mapped by the author from June 1971 to July 1972. Field data provided by private companies and other members of the LGS-USGS project were used in map compilation, and are hereby acknowledged. Interpretation of gravity data (Behrendt and Wotorson, 1974, c), and total-intensity aeromagnetic and total count gamma radiation surveys (Behrendt and Wotorson, 1974, a, and b) were also used in the compilation, as were other unpublished geophysical data furnished by Behrendt and Wotorson (near-surface, regional magnetic component, and geologic correlations based on aeromagnetic and radiometric characteristics).

Geological analysis of parts of the southern Arabian Shield based on Landsat imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qari, Mohammed Yousef Hedaytullah T.

This thesis examines the capability and applicability of Landsat multispectral remote sensing data for geological analysis in the arid southern Arabian Shield, which is the eastern segment of the Nubian-Arabian Shield surrounding the Red Sea. The major lithologies in the study area are Proterozoic metavolcanics, metasediments, gneisses and granites. Three test-sites within the study area, located within two tectonic assemblages, the Asir Terrane and the Nabitah Mobile Belt, were selected for detailed comparison of remote sensing methods and ground geological studies. Selected digital image processing techniques were applied to full-resolution Landsat TM imagery and the results are interpreted and discussed. Methods included: image contrast improvement, edge enhancement for detecting lineaments and spectral enhancement for geological mapping. The last method was based on two principles, statistical analysis of the data and the use of arithmetical operators. New and detailed lithological and structural maps were constructed and compared with previous maps of these sites. Examples of geological relations identified using TM imagery include: recognition and mapping of migmatites for the first time in the Arabian Shield; location of the contact between the Asir Terrane and the Nabitah Mobile Belt; and mapping of lithologies, some of which were not identified on previous geological maps. These and other geological features were confirmed by field checking. Methods of lineament enhancement implemented in this study revealed structural lineaments, mostly mapped for the first time, which can be related to regional tectonics. Structural analysis showed that the southern Arabian Shield has been affected by at least three successive phases of deformation. The third phase is the most dominant and widespread. A crustal evolutionary model in the vicinity of the study area is presented showing four stages, these are: arc stage, accretion stage, collision stage and post-collision stage. The results of this study demonstrate that Landsat TM data can be used reliably for geological investigations in the Arabian Shield and comparable areas, particularly to generate detailed geological maps over large areas by using quantitative remote sensing methods, providing there is prior knowledge of part of the area.

Selected Geochemical Data for Modeling Near-Surface Processes in Mineral Systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giles, Stuart A.; Granitto, Matthew; Eppinger, Robert G.

2009-01-01

The database herein was initiated, designed, and populated to collect and integrate geochemical, geologic, and mineral deposit data in an organized manner to facilitate geoenvironmental mineral deposit modeling. The Microsoft Access database contains data on a variety of mineral deposit types that have variable environmental effects when exposed at the ground surface by mining or natural processes. The data tables describe quantitative and qualitative geochemical analyses determined by 134 analytical laboratory and field methods for over 11,000 heavy-mineral concentrate, rock, sediment, soil, vegetation, and water samples. The database also provides geographic information on geology, climate, ecoregion, and site contamination levels for over 3,000 field sites in North America.

Novice to Expert Cognition During Geologic Bedrock Mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petcovic, H. L.; Libarkin, J.; Hambrick, D. Z.; Baker, K. M.; Elkins, J. T.; Callahan, C. N.; Turner, S.; Rench, T. A.; LaDue, N.

2011-12-01

Bedrock geologic mapping is a complex and cognitively demanding task. Successful mapping requires domain-specific content knowledge, visuospatial ability, navigation through the field area, creating a mental model of the geology that is consistent with field data, and metacognition. Most post-secondary geology students in the United States receive training in geologic mapping, however, not much is known about the cognitive processes that underlie successful bedrock mapping, or about how these processes change with education and experience. To better understand cognition during geologic mapping, we conducted a 2-year research study in which 67 volunteers representing a range from undergraduate sophomore to 20+ years professional experience completed a suite of cognitive measures plus a 1-day bedrock mapping task in the Rocky Mountains, Montana, USA. In addition to participants' geologic maps and field notes, the cognitive suite included tests and questionnaires designed to measure: (1) prior geologic experience, via a self-report survey; (2) geologic content knowledge, via a modified version of the Geoscience Concept Inventory; (3) visuospatial ability, working memory capacity, and perceptual speed, via paper-and-pencil and computerized tests; (4) use of space and time during mapping via GPS tracking; and (5) problem-solving in the field via think-aloud audio logs during mapping and post-mapping semi-structured interviews. Data were examined for correlations between performance on the mapping task and other measures. We found that both geological knowledge and spatial visualization ability correlated positively with accuracy in the field mapping task. More importantly, we found a Visuospatial Ability × Geological Knowledge interaction, such that visuospatial ability positively predicted mapping performance at low, but not high, levels of geological knowledge. In other words, we found evidence to suggest that visuospatial ability mattered for bedrock mapping for the novices in our sample, but not for the experts. For experienced mappers, we found a significant correlation between GCI scores and the thoroughness with which they covered the map area, plus a relationship between speed and map accuracy such that faster mappers produced better maps. However, fast novice mappers tended to produce the worst maps. Successful mappers formed a mental model of the underlying geologic structure immediately to early in the mapping task, then spent field time collecting observations to confirm, disconfirm, or modify their initial model. In contrast, the least successful mappers (all inexperienced) rarely generated explanations or models of the underlying geologic structure in the field.

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

Myers, S; Larsen, S; Wagoner, J

Seismic imaging and tracking methods have intelligence and monitoring applications. Current systems, however, do not adequately calibrate or model the unknown geological heterogeneity. Current systems are also not designed for rapid data acquisition and analysis in the field. This project seeks to build the core technological capabilities coupled with innovative deployment, processing, and analysis methodologies to allow seismic methods to be effectively utilized in the applications of seismic imaging and vehicle tracking where rapid (minutes to hours) and real-time analysis is required. The goal of this project is to build capabilities in acquisition system design, utilization of full three-dimensional (3D)more » finite difference modeling, as well as statistical characterization of geological heterogeneity. Such capabilities coupled with a rapid field analysis methodology based on matched field processing are applied to problems associated with surveillance, battlefield management, finding hard and deeply buried targets, and portal monitoring. This project, in support of LLNL's national-security mission, benefits the U.S. military and intelligence community. Fiscal year (FY) 2003 was the final year of this project. In the 2.5 years this project has been active, numerous and varied developments and milestones have been accomplished. A wireless communication module for seismic data was developed to facilitate rapid seismic data acquisition and analysis. The E3D code was enhanced to include topographic effects. Codes were developed to implement the Karhunen-Loeve (K-L) statistical methodology for generating geological heterogeneity that can be utilized in E3D modeling. The matched field processing methodology applied to vehicle tracking and based on a field calibration to characterize geological heterogeneity was tested and successfully demonstrated in a tank tracking experiment at the Nevada Test Site. A three-seismic-array vehicle tracking testbed was installed on site at LLNL for testing real-time seismic tracking methods. A field experiment was conducted over a tunnel at the Nevada Site that quantified the tunnel reflection signal and, coupled with modeling, identified key needs and requirements in experimental layout of sensors. A large field experiment was conducted at the Lake Lynn Laboratory, a mine safety research facility in Pennsylvania, over a tunnel complex in realistic, difficult conditions. This experiment gathered the necessary data for a full 3D attempt to apply the methodology. The experiment also collected data to analyze the capabilities to detect and locate in-tunnel explosions for mine safety and other applications. In FY03 specifically, a large and complex simulation experiment was conducted that tested the full modeling-based approach to geological characterization using E2D, the K-L statistical methodology, and matched field processing applied to tunnel detection with surface seismic sensors. The simulation validated the full methodology and the need for geological heterogeneity to be accounted for in the overall approach. The Lake Lynn site area was geologically modeled using the code Earthvision to produce a 32 million node 3D model grid for E3D. Model linking issues were resolved and a number of full 3D model runs were accomplished using shot locations that matched the data. E3D-generated wavefield movies showed the reflection signal would be too small to be observed in the data due to trapped and attenuated energy in the weathered layer. An analysis of the few sensors coupled to bedrock did not improve the reflection signal strength sufficiently because the shots, though buried, were within the surface layer and hence attenuated. Ability to model a complex 3D geological structure and calculate synthetic seismograms that are in good agreement with actual data (especially for surface waves and below the complex weathered layer) was demonstrated. We conclude that E3D is a powerful tool for assessing the conditions under which a tunnel could be detected in a specific geological setting. Finally, the Lake Lynn tunnel explosion data were analyzed using standard array processing techniques. The results showed that single detonations could be detected and located but simultaneous detonations would require a strategic placement of arrays.« less

D Geological Framework Models as a Teaching Aid for Geoscience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kessler, H.; Ward, E.; Geological ModelsTeaching Project Team

2010-12-01

3D geological models have great potential as a resource for universities when teaching foundation geological concepts as it allows the student to visualise and interrogate UK geology. They are especially useful when dealing with the conversion of 2D field, map and GIS outputs into three dimensional geological units, which is a common problem for all students of geology. Today’s earth science students use a variety of skills and processes during their learning experience including the application of schema’s, spatial thinking, image construction, detecting patterns, memorising figures, mental manipulation and interpretation, making predictions and deducing the orientation of themselves and the rocks. 3D geological models can reinforce spatial thinking strategies and encourage students to think about processes and properties, in turn helping the student to recognise pre-learnt geological principles in the field and to convert what they see at the surface into a picture of what is going on at depth. Learning issues faced by students may also be encountered by experts, policy managers, and stakeholders when dealing with environmental problems. Therefore educational research of student learning in earth science may also improve environmental decision making. 3D geological framework models enhance the learning of Geosciences because they: ● enable a student to observe, manipulate and interpret geology; in particular the models instantly convert two-dimensional geology (maps, boreholes and cross-sections) into three dimensions which is a notoriously difficult geospatial skill to acquire. ● can be orientated to whatever the user finds comfortable and most aids recognition and interpretation. ● can be used either to teach geosciences to complete beginners or add to experienced students body of knowledge (whatever point that may be at). Models could therefore be packaged as a complete educational journey or students and tutor can select certain areas of the model or educational material to incorporate it into an existing area of the syllabus such as a field trip, project work or a certain taxing geological concept such as dip and strike. ● can easily be utilised by students unable to attend university conventionally (illness or disability), distance learning students or for extra curricular activities and continuing professional development courses. ● can be used repeatedly and in such a way as to continually build on geoscience aspects - this practice will improve the student’s geospatial skills. ● can be compared with that seen directly in the field which aids the student in recognising particular patterns or sequences. It also demonstrates how different and complex geology looks in the field and thus how important it is not to rely on models alone. ● are interactive and the accompanying educational material is engaging, dealing with authentic, contemporary scientific problems meaning the student will have to ask questions, think critically and solve problems. ● can often be more practical and better financial alternatives to some teaching methods currently employed. ● incorporate strategies where students first explore, are then introduced to terminology and concepts, finally students apply their knowledge to different, but related problems. This can be further reinforced and explored with fellow students.

Enhancement of a Virtual Geology Field Guide of Georgia Initiative Using Gigapan© and ArcGIS Online's Story Map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mobasher, K.; Turk, H. J.; Witherspoon, W.; Tate, L.; Hoynes, J.

2015-12-01

A GIS geology geodatabase of Georgia was developed using ArcGIS 10.2. The geodatabase for each physiographic provinces of Georgia contains fields designed to store information regarding geologic features. Using ArcGIS online, the virtual field guide is created which provides an interactive learning experience for students to allow in real time photography, description, mapping and sharing their observations with the instructor and peers. Gigapan© facilitates visualizing geologic features at different scales with high resolutions and in their larger surrounding context. The classroom applications of the Gigapan© are limitless when teaching students the entire range of geologic structures from showcasing crystalline structures of minerals to understanding the geological processes responsible for formation of an entire mountain range. The addition of the Story Map enhances the virtual experience when you want to present a geo-located story point narrative featuring images or videos. The virtual field component and supplementary Gigapan© imagery coupled with Story Map added significantly to the detailed realism of virtual field guide further allowing students to more fully understand geological concepts at various scales. These technologies peaked students interest and facilitated their learning and preparation to function more effectively in the geosciences by developing better observations and new skills. These technologies facilitated increased student engagement in the geosciences by sharing, enhancing and transferring lecture information to actual field knowledge and experiences. This enhanced interactive learning experience not only begins to allow students to understand and recognize geologic features in the field but also increased their collaboration, enthusiasm and interest in the discipline. The increased interest and collaboration occurred as students assisted in populating a geologic geodatabase of Georgia.

Multisource geological data mining and its utilization of uranium resources exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jie-lin

2009-10-01

Nuclear energy as one of clear energy sources takes important role in economic development in CHINA, and according to the national long term development strategy, many more nuclear powers will be built in next few years, so it is a great challenge for uranium resources exploration. Research and practice on mineral exploration demonstrates that utilizing the modern Earth Observe System (EOS) technology and developing new multi-source geological data mining methods are effective approaches to uranium deposits prospecting. Based on data mining and knowledge discovery technology, this paper uses multi-source geological data to character electromagnetic spectral, geophysical and spatial information of uranium mineralization factors, and provides the technical support for uranium prospecting integrating with field remote sensing geological survey. Multi-source geological data used in this paper include satellite hyperspectral image (Hyperion), high spatial resolution remote sensing data, uranium geological information, airborne radiometric data, aeromagnetic and gravity data, and related data mining methods have been developed, such as data fusion of optical data and Radarsat image, information integration of remote sensing and geophysical data, and so on. Based on above approaches, the multi-geoscience information of uranium mineralization factors including complex polystage rock mass, mineralization controlling faults and hydrothermal alterations have been identified, the metallogenic potential of uranium has been evaluated, and some predicting areas have been located.

Predicting Performance in an Advanced Undergraduate Geological Field Camp Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dykas, Matthew J.; Valentino, David W.

2016-01-01

This study examined the factors that contribute to students' success in conducting geological field work. Undergraduate students (n = 49; 51% female; mean age = 22 y) who were enrolled in the 5-wk State University of New York at Oswego (SUNY Oswego) geology field program volunteered to participate in this study. At the beginning of the field…

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics Marine Geology and Geophysics Field Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, M. B.; Gulick, S. P.; Allison, M. A.; Goff, J. A.; Duncan, D. D.; Saustrup, S.

2010-12-01

During the spring-summer intersession, we annually offer an intensive three-week field course designed to provide hands-on instruction and training for graduate and upper-level undergraduate students in the acquisition, processing, interpretation, and visualization of marine geological and geophysical data. Now in year four, the course covers high-resolution air gun and streamer seismic reflection, CHIRP sub-bottom profiling, multibeam bathymetry, sidescan sonar, several types of sediment coring, grab sampling, and the sedimentology of resulting seabed samples (e.g., core description, grain size analysis, x-radiography, etc.). Students first participate in three days of classroom instruction designed to provide theoretical and technical background on each field method and impart geologic context of the study area. Students then travel to the Gulf Coast for a week of at-sea field work. In the field, students rotate between two small research vessels: one vessel, the 22’ aluminum-hulled R/V Lake Itasca, owned and operated by UTIG, is used for multibeam bathymetry, sidescan sonar, and sediment sampling; the other, NOAA’s R/V Manta or the R/V Acadiana, operated by the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, is used for high-resolution seismic reflection, CHIRP sub-bottom profiling, gravity coring, and vibracoring. Students assist with survey design, learn systems setup and acquisition parameters, and safe instrument deployment and retrieval techniques. Students also perform on-shore sedimentology lab work, data quality control, data processing and visualization using industry-standard software such as Focus, Landmark, Caris, and Fledermaus. During the course’s final week, students return to the classroom where, collaborating in teams of three, they integrate and interpret data in a final project which examines the geologic history and/or sedimentary processes as typified by the Gulf Coast continental shelf. The course culminates in a series of professional-level final presentations and discussions. Following the course, students report a greater understanding of marine geology and geophysics via the course’s intensive, hands-on, team approach, and low instructor to student ratio. This course satisfies field experience requirements for some degree programs and thus provides a unique alternative to land-based field courses.

Publications - GMC 211 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Science.gov Websites

Arctic Margins 29 August - 1 September 1992 field trip about geology of the Brooks Range along the Dalton August - 1 September 1992 field trip about geology of the Brooks Range along the Dalton Highway samples

Oil, gas field growth projections: Wishful thinking or reality?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Attanasi, E.D.; Mast, R.F.; Root, D.H.

1999-01-01

The observed `field growth' for the period from 1992 through 1996 with the US Geological Survey's (USGS) predicted field growth for the same period are compared. Known field recovery of field size is defined as the sum of past cumulative field production and the field's proved reserves. Proved reserves are estimated quantities of hydrocarbons which geologic and engineering data demonstrate with reasonable certainty to recoverable from known fields under existing economic and operating conditions. Proved reserve estimates calculated with this definition are typically conservative. The modeling approach used by the USGS to characterize `field growth phenomena' is statistical rather that geologic in nature.

Teaching Basic Field Skills Using Screen-Based Virtual Reality Landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houghton, J.; Robinson, A.; Gordon, C.; Lloyd, G. E. E.; Morgan, D. J.

2016-12-01

We are using screen-based virtual reality landscapes, created using the Unity 3D game engine, to augment the training geoscience students receive in preparing for fieldwork. Students explore these landscapes as they would real ones, interacting with virtual outcrops to collect data, determine location, and map the geology. Skills for conducting field geological surveys - collecting, plotting and interpreting data; time management and decision making - are introduced interactively and intuitively. As with real landscapes, the virtual landscapes are open-ended terrains with embedded data. This means the game does not structure student interaction with the information as it is through experience the student learns the best methods to work successfully and efficiently. These virtual landscapes are not replacements for geological fieldwork rather virtual spaces between classroom and field in which to train and reinforcement essential skills. Importantly, these virtual landscapes offer accessible parallel provision for students unable to visit, or fully partake in visiting, the field. The project has received positive feedback from both staff and students. Results show students find it easier to focus on learning these basic field skills in a classroom, rather than field setting, and make the same mistakes as when learning in the field, validating the realistic nature of the virtual experience and providing opportunity to learn from these mistakes. The approach also saves time, and therefore resources, in the field as basic skills are already embedded. 70% of students report increased confidence with how to map boundaries and 80% have found the virtual training a useful experience. We are also developing landscapes based on real places with 3D photogrammetric outcrops, and a virtual urban landscape in which Engineering Geology students can conduct a site investigation. This project is a collaboration between the University of Leeds and Leeds College of Art, UK, and all our virtual landscapes are freely available online at www.see.leeds.ac.uk/virtual-landscapes/.

Digital Mapping Techniques '08—Workshop Proceedings, Moscow, Idaho, May 18–21, 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Soller, David R.

2009-01-01

The Digital Mapping Techniques '08 (DMT'08) workshop was attended by more than 100 technical experts from 40 agencies, universities, and private companies, including representatives from 24 State geological surveys. This year's meeting, the twelfth in the annual series, was hosted by the Idaho Geological Survey, from May 18-21, 2008, on the University of Idaho campus in Moscow, Idaho. Each DMT workshop has been coordinated by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Geologic Map Database Project and the Association of American State Geologists (AASG). As in previous years' meetings, the objective was to foster informal discussion and exchange of technical information, principally in order to develop more efficient methods for digital mapping, cartography, GIS analysis, and information management. At this meeting, oral and poster presentations and special discussion sessions emphasized (1) methods for creating and publishing map products (here, "publishing" includes Web-based release); (2) field data capture software and techniques, including the use of LiDAR; (3) digital cartographic techniques; (4) migration of digital maps into ArcGIS Geodatabase format; (5) analytical GIS techniques; and (6) continued development of the National Geologic Map Database.

Chapter A5. Processing of Water Samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilde, Franceska D.; Radtke, Dean B.; Gibs, Jacob; Iwatsubo, Rick T.

1999-01-01

The National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data (National Field Manual) describes protocols and provides guidelines for U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) personnel who collect data used to assess the quality of the Nation's surface-water and ground-water resources. This chapter addresses methods to be used in processing water samples to be analyzed for inorganic and organic chemical substances, including the bottling of composite, pumped, and bailed samples and subsamples; sample filtration; solid-phase extraction for pesticide analyses; sample preservation; and sample handling and shipping. Each chapter of the National Field Manual is published separately and revised periodically. Newly published and revised chapters will be announced on the USGS Home Page on the World Wide Web under 'New Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey.' The URL for this page is http:/ /water.usgs.gov/lookup/get?newpubs.

Full magnetic gradient tensor from triaxial aeromagnetic gradient measurements: Calculation and application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Yao; Wu, Mei-Ping; Wang, Ping; Duan, Shu-Ling; Liu, Hao-Jun; Wang, Jin-Long; An, Zhan-Feng

2015-09-01

The full magnetic gradient tensor (MGT) refers to the spatial change rate of the three field components of the geomagnetic field vector along three mutually orthogonal axes. The tensor is of use to geological mapping, resources exploration, magnetic navigation, and others. However, it is very difficult to measure the full magnetic tensor gradient using existing engineering technology. We present a method to use triaxial aeromagnetic gradient measurements for deriving the full MGT. The method uses the triaxial gradient data and makes full use of the variation of the magnetic anomaly modulus in three dimensions to obtain a self-consistent magnetic tensor gradient. Numerical simulations show that the full MGT data obtained with the proposed method are of high precision and satisfy the requirements of data processing. We selected triaxial aeromagnetic gradient data from the Hebei Province for calculating the full MGT. Data processing shows that using triaxial tensor gradient data allows to take advantage of the spatial rate of change of the total field in three dimensions and suppresses part of the independent noise in the aeromagnetic gradient. The calculated tensor components have improved resolution, and the transformed full tensor gradient satisfies the requirement of geological mapping and interpretation.

Assessment of planetary geologic mapping techniques for Mars using terrestrial analogs: The SP Mountain area of the San Francisco Volcanic Field, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tanaka, K.L.; Skinner, J.A.; Crumpler, L.S.; Dohm, J.M.

2009-01-01

We photogeologically mapped the SP Mountain region of the San Francisco Volcanic Field in northern Arizona, USA to evaluate and improve the fidelity of approaches used in geologic mapping of Mars. This test site, which was previously mapped in the field, is chiefly composed of Late Cenozoic cinder cones, lava flows, and alluvium perched on Permian limestone of the Kaibab Formation. Faulting and folding has deformed the older rocks and some of the volcanic materials, and fluvial erosion has carved drainage systems and deposited alluvium. These geologic materials and their formational and modificational histories are similar to those for regions of the Martian surface. We independently prepared four geologic maps using topographic and image data at resolutions that mimic those that are commonly used to map the geology of Mars (where consideration was included for the fact that Martian features such as lava flows are commonly much larger than their terrestrial counterparts). We primarily based our map units and stratigraphic relations on geomorphology, color contrasts, and cross-cutting relationships. Afterward, we compared our results with previously published field-based mapping results, including detailed analyses of the stratigraphy and of the spatial overlap and proximity of the field-based vs. remote-based (photogeologic) map units, contacts, and structures. Results of these analyses provide insights into how to optimize the photogeologic mapping of Mars (and, by extension, other remotely observed planetary surfaces). We recommend the following: (1) photogeologic mapping as an excellent approach to recovering the general geology of a region, along with examination of local, high-resolution datasets to gain insights into the complexity of the geology at outcrop scales; (2) delineating volcanic vents and lava-flow sequences conservatively and understanding that flow abutment and flow overlap are difficult to distinguish in remote data sets; (3) taking care to understand that surficial materials (such as alluvium and volcanic ash deposits) are likely to be under-mapped yet are important because they obscure underlying units and contacts; (4) where possible, mapping multiple contact and structure types based on their varying certainty and exposure that reflect the perceived accuracy of the linework; (5) reviewing the regional context and searching for evidence of geologic activity that may have affected the map area yet for which evidence within the map area may be absent; and (6) for multi-authored maps, collectively analyzing the mapping relations, approaches, and methods throughout the duration of the mapping project with the objective of achieving a solid, harmonious product.

Folding and Fracturing of Rocks: the background

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramsay, John G.

2017-04-01

This book was generated by structural geology teaching classes at Imperial College. I was appointed lecturer during 1957 and worked together with Dr Gilbert Wilson teaching basic structural geology at B.Sc level. I became convinced that the subject, being essentially based on geometric field observations, required a firm mathematical basis for its future development. In particular it seemed to me to require a very sound understanding of stress and strain. My field experience suggested that a knowledge of two- and three-demensional strain was critical in understanding natural tectonic processes. I found a rich confirmation for this in early publications of deformed fossils, oolitic limestones and spotted slates made by several geologists around the beginning of the 20th century (Sorby, Philips, Haughton, Harker) often using surprisingly sophisticated mathematical methods. These methods were discussed and elaborated in Folding and Fracturing of Rocks in a practical way. The geometric features of folds were related to folding mechanisms and the fold related small scale structures such as cleavage, schistosity and lineation explained in terms of rock strain. My work in the Scottish Highlands had shown just how repeated fold superposition could produce very complex geometric features, while further work in other localities suggested that such geometric complications are common in many orogenic zones. From the development of structural geological studies over the past decades it seems that the readers of this book have found many of the ideas set out are still of practical application. The mapping of these outcrop-scale structures should be emphasised in all field studies because they can be seen as ''fingerprints'' of regional scale tectonic processes. My own understanding of structural geology has been inspired by field work and I am of the opinion that future progress in understanding will be likewise based on careful observation and measurement of the features of naturally deformed rocks mathematically analysed using the concepts of three-dimensional continuum mechanics.

The application of the pilot points in groundwater numerical inversion model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Bin; Teng, Yanguo; Cheng, Lirong

2015-04-01

Numerical inversion simulation of groundwater has been widely applied in groundwater. Compared to traditional forward modeling, inversion model has more space to study. Zones and inversing modeling cell by cell are conventional methods. Pilot points is a method between them. The traditional inverse modeling method often uses software dividing the model into several zones with a few parameters needed to be inversed. However, distribution is usually too simple for modeler and result of simulation deviation. Inverse cell by cell will get the most actual parameter distribution in theory, but it need computational complexity greatly and quantity of survey data for geological statistical simulation areas. Compared to those methods, pilot points distribute a set of points throughout the different model domains for parameter estimation. Property values are assigned to model cells by Kriging to ensure geological units within the parameters of heterogeneity. It will reduce requirements of simulation area geological statistics and offset the gap between above methods. Pilot points can not only save calculation time, increase fitting degree, but also reduce instability of numerical model caused by numbers of parameters and other advantages. In this paper, we use pilot point in a field which structure formation heterogeneity and hydraulics parameter was unknown. We compare inversion modeling results of zones and pilot point methods. With the method of comparative analysis, we explore the characteristic of pilot point in groundwater inversion model. First, modeler generates an initial spatially correlated field given a geostatistical model by the description of the case site with the software named Groundwater Vistas 6. Defining Kriging to obtain the value of the field functions over the model domain on the basis of their values at measurement and pilot point locations (hydraulic conductivity), then we assign pilot points to the interpolated field which have been divided into 4 zones. And add range of disturbance values to inversion targets to calculate the value of hydraulic conductivity. Third, after inversion calculation (PEST), the interpolated field will minimize an objective function measuring the misfit between calculated and measured data. It's an optimization problem to find the optimum value of parameters. After the inversion modeling, the following major conclusion can be found out: (1) In a field structure formation is heterogeneity, the results of pilot point method is more real: better fitting result of parameters, more stable calculation of numerical simulation (stable residual distribution). Compared to zones, it is better of reflecting the heterogeneity of study field. (2) Pilot point method ensures that each parameter is sensitive and not entirely dependent on other parameters. Thus it guarantees the relative independence and authenticity of parameters evaluation results. However, it costs more time to calculate than zones. Key words: groundwater; pilot point; inverse model; heterogeneity; hydraulic conductivity

Semi-automatic mapping of geological Structures using UAV-based photogrammetric data: An image analysis approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasuki, Yathunanthan; Holden, Eun-Jung; Kovesi, Peter; Micklethwaite, Steven

2014-08-01

Recent advances in data acquisition technologies, such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), have led to a growing interest in capturing high-resolution rock surface images. However, due to the large volumes of data that can be captured in a short flight, efficient analysis of this data brings new challenges, especially the time it takes to digitise maps and extract orientation data. We outline a semi-automated method that allows efficient mapping of geological faults using photogrammetric data of rock surfaces, which was generated from aerial photographs collected by a UAV. Our method harnesses advanced automated image analysis techniques and human data interaction to rapidly map structures and then calculate their dip and dip directions. Geological structures (faults, joints and fractures) are first detected from the primary photographic dataset and the equivalent three dimensional (3D) structures are then identified within a 3D surface model generated by structure from motion (SfM). From this information the location, dip and dip direction of the geological structures are calculated. A structure map generated by our semi-automated method obtained a recall rate of 79.8% when compared against a fault map produced using expert manual digitising and interpretation methods. The semi-automated structure map was produced in 10 min whereas the manual method took approximately 7 h. In addition, the dip and dip direction calculation, using our automated method, shows a mean±standard error of 1.9°±2.2° and 4.4°±2.6° respectively with field measurements. This shows the potential of using our semi-automated method for accurate and efficient mapping of geological structures, particularly from remote, inaccessible or hazardous sites.

Comparing Outcomes from Field and Classroom Based Settings for Undergraduate Geoscience Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skinner, M. R.; Harris, R. A.; Flores, J.

2011-12-01

Field based learning can be found in nearly every course offered in Geology at Brigham Young University. For example, in our Structural Geology course field studies substitute for labs. Students collect data their own data from several different structural settings of the Wasatch Range. Our curriculum also includes a two-week, sophomore-level field course that introduces students to interpreting field relations themselves and sets the stage for much of what they learn in their upper-division courses. Our senior-level six-week field geology course includes classical field mapping with exercises in petroleum and mineral exploration, environmental geology and geological hazards. Experiments with substituting field-based general education courses for those in traditional classroom settings indicate that student cognition, course enjoyment and recruiting of majors significantly increase in a field-based course. We offer a field-based introductory geology course (Geo 102) that is taught in seven, six-hour field trips during which students travel to localities of geologic interest to investigate a variety of fundamental geological problems. We compare the outcomes of Geo 102 with a traditional classroom-based geology course (Geo 101). For the comparison both courses are taught by the same instructor, use the same text and supplementary materials and take the same exams. The results of 7 years of reporting indicate that test scores and final grades are one-half grade point higher for Geo 102 students versus those in traditional introductory courses. Student evaluations of the course are also 0.8-1.4 points higher on a scale of 1-8, and are consistently the highest in the Department and College. Other observations include increased attendance, attention and curiosity. The later two are measured by the number of students asking questions of other students as well as the instructors, and the total number of questions asked during class time in the field versus the classroom. Normal classroom involvement includes two or three students asking nearly all of the questions, while in Geo 102 it is closer to half the class, and not the same students each time. Not only do more individuals participate in asking questions in Geo 102, but each participant asks more questions as well. Questions asked in class are generally specific to the discussion, while field questions are commonly multidisciplinary in nature. Field-based courses also encourage more students to collaborate with each other and to integrate shared observations due to the many different aspects of the geosciences present at each site. One of the most important pay-offs is the 50% increase in the number of students changing their major to geology in the field-based versus classroom-based courses. Field-based learning increases the depth of student understanding of the subjects they investigate as well as student involvement and enthusiasm in the class. The tradeoff we make for realizing significant individual and group discovery in the field is that more responsibility is placed on the student to understand the broad based geologic concepts found in the text. The field based approach allows the students to immediately apply their learning in real world applications.

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

Grigg, Reid; McPherson, Brian; Lee, Rober

The Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration (SWP) one of seven regional partnerships sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) carried out five field pilot tests in its Phase II Carbon Sequestration Demonstration effort, to validate the most promising sequestration technologies and infrastructure concepts, including three geologic pilot tests and two terrestrial pilot programs. This field testing demonstrated the efficacy of proposed sequestration technologies to reduce or offset greenhouse gas emissions in the region. Risk mitigation, optimization of monitoring, verification, and accounting (MVA) protocols, and effective outreach and communication were additional critical goals of these field validation tests. Themore » program included geologic pilot tests located in Utah, New Mexico, Texas, and a region-wide terrestrial analysis. Each geologic sequestration test site was intended to include injection of a minimum of ~75,000 tons/year CO{sub 2}, with minimum injection duration of one year. These pilots represent medium- scale validation tests in sinks that host capacity for possible larger-scale sequestration operations in the future. These validation tests also demonstrated a broad variety of carbon sink targets and multiple value-added benefits, including testing of enhanced oil recovery and sequestration, enhanced coalbed methane production and a geologic sequestration test combined with a local terrestrial sequestration pilot. A regional terrestrial sequestration demonstration was also carried out, with a focus on improved terrestrial MVA methods and reporting approaches specific for the Southwest region.« less

Interactive Visualization to Advance Earthquake Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kellogg, Louise H.; Bawden, Gerald W.; Bernardin, Tony; Billen, Magali; Cowgill, Eric; Hamann, Bernd; Jadamec, Margarete; Kreylos, Oliver; Staadt, Oliver; Sumner, Dawn

2008-04-01

The geological sciences are challenged to manage and interpret increasing volumes of data as observations and simulations increase in size and complexity. For example, simulations of earthquake-related processes typically generate complex, time-varying data sets in two or more dimensions. To facilitate interpretation and analysis of these data sets, evaluate the underlying models, and to drive future calculations, we have developed methods of interactive visualization with a special focus on using immersive virtual reality (VR) environments to interact with models of Earth’s surface and interior. Virtual mapping tools allow virtual “field studies” in inaccessible regions. Interactive tools allow us to manipulate shapes in order to construct models of geological features for geodynamic models, while feature extraction tools support quantitative measurement of structures that emerge from numerical simulation or field observations, thereby enabling us to improve our interpretation of the dynamical processes that drive earthquakes. VR has traditionally been used primarily as a presentation tool, albeit with active navigation through data. Reaping the full intellectual benefits of immersive VR as a tool for scientific analysis requires building on the method’s strengths, that is, using both 3D perception and interaction with observed or simulated data. This approach also takes advantage of the specialized skills of geological scientists who are trained to interpret, the often limited, geological and geophysical data available from field observations.

Finite-difference time-domain modelling of through-the-Earth radio signal propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ralchenko, M.; Svilans, M.; Samson, C.; Roper, M.

2015-12-01

This research seeks to extend the knowledge of how a very low frequency (VLF) through-the-Earth (TTE) radio signal behaves as it propagates underground, by calculating and visualizing the strength of the electric and magnetic fields for an arbitrary geology through numeric modelling. To achieve this objective, a new software tool has been developed using the finite-difference time-domain method. This technique is particularly well suited to visualizing the distribution of electromagnetic fields in an arbitrary geology. The frequency range of TTE radio (400-9000 Hz) and geometrical scales involved (1 m resolution for domains a few hundred metres in size) involves processing a grid composed of millions of cells for thousands of time steps, which is computationally expensive. Graphics processing unit acceleration was used to reduce execution time from days and weeks, to minutes and hours. Results from the new modelling tool were compared to three cases for which an analytic solution is known. Two more case studies were done featuring complex geologic environments relevant to TTE communications that cannot be solved analytically. There was good agreement between numeric and analytic results. Deviations were likely caused by numeric artifacts from the model boundaries; however, in a TTE application in field conditions, the uncertainty in the conductivity of the various geologic formations will greatly outweigh these small numeric errors.

Geologic guide to the island of Hawaii: A field guide for comparative planetary geology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greeley, R. (Editor)

1974-01-01

With geological data available for all inner planets except Venus, we are entering an era of true comparative planetary geology, when knowledge of the differences and similarities for classes of structures (e.g., shield volcanoes) will lead to a better understanding of general geological processes, regardless of planet. Thus, it is imperative that planetologists, particularly those involved in geological mapping and surface feature analysis for terrestrial planets, be familiar with volcanic terrain in terms of its origin, structure, and morphology. One means of gaining this experience is through field trips in volcanic terrains - hence, the Planetology Conference in Hawaii. In addition, discussions with volcanologists at the conference provide an important basis for establishing communications between the two fields that will facilitate comparative studies as more data become available.

Comparing Geologic Data Sets Collected by Planetary Analog Traverses and by Standard Geologic Field Mapping: Desert Rats Data Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feng, Wanda; Evans, Cynthia; Gruener, John; Eppler, Dean

2014-01-01

Geologic mapping involves interpreting relationships between identifiable units and landforms to understand the formative history of a region. Traditional field techniques are used to accomplish this on Earth. Mapping proves more challenging for other planets, which are studied primarily by orbital remote sensing and, less frequently, by robotic and human surface exploration. Systematic comparative assessments of geologic maps created by traditional mapping versus photogeology together with data from planned traverses are limited. The objective of this project is to produce a geologic map from data collected on the Desert Research and Technology Studies (RATS) 2010 analog mission using Apollo-style traverses in conjunction with remote sensing data. This map is compared with a geologic map produced using standard field techniques.

Geological-structural interpretation using products of remote sensing in the region of Carrancas, Minas Gerais, Brazil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parada, N. D. J. (Principal Investigator); Dossantos, A. R.; Dosanjos, C. E.; Barbosa, M. P.; Veneziani, P.

1982-01-01

The efficiency of some criteria developed for the utilization of small scale and low resolution remote sensing products to map geological and structural features was demonstrated. Those criteria were adapted from the Logical Method of Photointerpretation which consists of textural qualitative analysis of landforms and drainage net patterns. LANDSAT images of channel 5 and 7, 4 LANDSAT-RBV scenes, and 1 radar mosiac were utilized. The region of study is characterized by supracrustal metassediments (quartzites and micaschist) folded according to a "zig-zag" pattern and gnaissic basement. Lithological-structural definition was considered outstanding when compared to data acquired during field work, bibliographic data and geologic maps acquired in larger scales.

Geology team

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Evaluating of the combined utility of narrowband and multispectral imaging in both the infrared and visible for the lithologic identification of geologic materials, and of the combined utility of multispectral imaging in the visible and infrared for lithologic mapping on a global bases are near term recommendations for future imaging capabilities. Long term recommendations include laboratory research into methods of field sampling and theoretical models of microscale mixing. The utility of improved spatial and spectral resolutions and radiometric sensitivity is also suggested for the long term. Geobotanical remote sensing research should be conducted to (1) separate geological and botanical spectral signatures in individual picture elements; (2) study geobotanical correlations that more fully simulate natural conditions; and use test sites designed to test specific geobotanical hypotheses.

A reconnaissance space sensing investigation of crustal structure for a strip from the eastern Sierra Nevada to the Colorado Plateau

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liggett, M. A.; Childs, J. F.

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Research progress in applications of ERTS-1 MSS imagery to study of Basin-Range tectonics is summarized. Field reconnaissance of ERTS-1 image anomalies has resulted in recognition of previously unreported fault zones and regional structural control of volcanic and plutonic activity. Nimbus, Apollo 9, X-15, U-2, and SIAR imagery are discussed with specific applications, and methods of image enhancement and analysis employed in the research are summarized. Field areas studied and methods employed in geologic field work are outlined.

A campus-based course in field geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richard, G. A.; Hanson, G. N.

2009-12-01

GEO 305: Field Geology offers students practical experience in the field and in the computer laboratory conducting geological field studies on the Stony Brook University campus. Computer laboratory exercises feature mapping techniques and field studies of glacial and environmental geology, and include geophysical and hydrological analysis, interpretation, and mapping. Participants learn to use direct measurement and mathematical techniques to compute the location and geometry of features and gain practical experience in representing raster imagery and vector geographic data as features on maps. Data collecting techniques in the field include the use of hand-held GPS devices, compasses, ground-penetrating radar, tape measures, pacing, and leveling devices. Assignments that utilize these skills and techniques include mapping campus geology with GPS, using Google Earth to explore our geologic context, data file management and ArcGIS, tape and compass mapping of woodland trails, pace and compass mapping of woodland trails, measuring elevation differences on a hillside, measuring geologic sections and cores, drilling through glacial deposits, using ground penetrating radar on glaciotectonic topography, mapping the local water table, and the identification and mapping of boulders. Two three-hour sessions are offered per week, apportioned as needed between lecture; discussion; guided hands-on instruction in geospatial and other software such as ArcGIS, Google Earth, spreadsheets, and custom modules such as an arc intersection calculator; outdoor data collection and mapping; and writing of illustrated reports.

Regolith-geology mapping with support vector machine: A case study over weathered Ni-bearing peridotites, New Caledonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Boissieu, Florian; Sevin, Brice; Cudahy, Thomas; Mangeas, Morgan; Chevrel, Stéphane; Ong, Cindy; Rodger, Andrew; Maurizot, Pierre; Laukamp, Carsten; Lau, Ian; Touraivane, Touraivane; Cluzel, Dominique; Despinoy, Marc

2018-02-01

Accurate maps of Earth's geology, especially its regolith, are required for managing the sustainable exploration and development of mineral resources. This paper shows how airborne imaging hyperspectral data collected over weathered peridotite rocks in vegetated, mountainous terrane in New Caledonia were processed using a combination of methods to generate a regolith-geology map that could be used for more efficiently targeting Ni exploration. The image processing combined two usual methods, which are spectral feature extraction and support vector machine (SVM). This rationale being the spectral features extraction can rapidly reduce data complexity by both targeting only the diagnostic mineral absorptions and masking those pixels complicated by vegetation, cloud and deep shade. SVM is a supervised classification method able to generate an optimal non-linear classifier with these features that generalises well even with limited training data. Key minerals targeted are serpentine, which is considered as an indicator for hydrolysed peridotitic rock, and iron oxy-hydroxides (hematite and goethite), which are considered as diagnostic of laterite development. The final classified regolith map was assessed against interpreted regolith field sites, which yielded approximately 70% similarity for all unit types, as well as against a regolith-geology map interpreted using traditional datasets (not hyperspectral imagery). Importantly, the hyperspectral derived mineral map provided much greater detail enabling a more precise understanding of the regolith-geological architecture where there are exposed soils and rocks.

Geology of the Harper Quadrangle, Liberia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brock, M.R.; Chidester, A.H.; Baker, M.G.W.

1974-01-01

As part of a program undertaken cooperatively by the Liberian Geological Survey (LGS) and the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS), under the sponsorship of the Government of Liberia and the Agency for International Development, U. S. Department of State, Liberia was mapped by geologic and geophysical methods during the period 1965 to 1972. The resulting geologic and geophysical maps are published in ten folios, each covering one quadrangle (see index map). The first systematic mapping in the Harper quadrangle was by Baker, S. P. Srivastava, and W. E. Stewart (LGS) at a scale of 1:500,000 in the vicinity of Harper in the southeastern, and of Karloke in the northeastern part of the quadrangle in 1960-61. Brock and Chidester carried out systematic mapping of the quadrangle at a scale of 1:250,000 in the period September 1971-May 1972; the geologic map was compiled from field data gathered by project geologists and private companies as indicated in the source diagram, photogeologic maps, interpretation of airborne magnetic and radiometric surveys, field mapping, and ground-based radiometric surveys in which hand-held scintillators were used. R. W. Bromery, C. S. Wotorson, and J. C. Behrendt contributed to the interpretation of geophysical data. Total-intensity aeromagnetic and total-count gamma radiation maps (Behrendt and Wotorson, in press a, b), and unpublished data derived from those maps, including the near-surface and the regional magnetic components and aeromagnetic/radiometric correlations, were used in the interpretation.

Geological Characterization of Remote Field Sites Using Visible and Infrared Spectroscopy: Results from the 1999 Marsokhod Field Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, J. R.; Ruff, S. W.; Moersch, J.; Roush, T.; Horton, K.; Bishop, J.; Cabrol, N. A.; Cockell, C.; Gazis, P.; Newsom, H. E.

2000-01-01

The 1999 Marsokhod Field Experiment (MFE) provided an opportunity to test the suitability of rover-borne visible/near-infrared and thermal infrared field spectrometers to contribute to the remote geological exploration of a Mars analog field site.

Integration of Field Geophysics and Geology in an International Setting: Multidisciplinary Geoscience Field Experience at the University of Western Ontario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brenders, A. J.; Banerjee, N.; Pratt, R. G.

2010-12-01

The pedagogical value of the field experience is unequaled: students, teaching assistants, and professors alike return with a renewed sense of purpose, community, and the context in which to place classroom education. It is widely regarded as valuable to personal development, and is required by the Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists for professional registration. As part of our ongoing International Geoscience Field Experience Initiative, Earth Sciences students at the University of Western Ontario have the opportunity to enhance their education through a study abroad program. The focus is on a residential field experience to world-class localities, offered with the collaboration of internationally recognized academic researchers, government survey personnel, and industry leaders. Recent trips have included the Sn-W mineralization in the Cornwall district of the U.K., the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB) in Portugal and Spain, and the metallogenic belts of Western Turkey. The integration of geological knowledge with geophysical data was one of the key organizing principles of our recent field trips to the IPB and Western Turkey. This integration is a foundation of modern Earth Sciences, and common practice in industry, it is relatively rare in classroom settings. Lectures before departure and evening exercises during the field trip supplemented the core undergraduate curriculum in geophysics, reviewing gravity, DC resistivity, induced polarization (IP), and magnetotelluric methods, focusing on application to mineral exploration. During our trip to the IPB, partnership with industry allowed students the opportunity to work with state of the art geophysical data, acquired on an exploration prospect visited during the field trip. Multi-parameter geophysical inversions of the IP and MT data produced cross-sections in depth - results interpretable by the students in the complex geological environment of the Iberian Pyrite Belt. Although the students gained valuable geological insight, the lack of practical experience in the acquisition and processing of geophysical data was identified in course evaluations. To address this, in Western Turkey, students had the opportunity to design and acquire total magnetic field surveys using a walking magnetometer, combining a GPS receiver and proton-precession magnetometer. Using this instrument, students identified the geophysical response of subsurface features, visible in both outcrop and during traverse through open pit mines. A transect across a buried basalt - limestone contact was made, and the strike of the contact identified during subsequent data processing. Students also had the opportunity to visit an active IP-resistivity survey, observing the acquisition of this data in the field, and learn how project geologists integrate this data with geological drill cores. Finally, students designed and acquired a total magnetic field survey over an archaeological site: the Acropolis at Pergamon. By integrating data acquisition, processing, and interpretation with field visits to sites of both geological and archaeological interest, students acquired field and technical skills that ideally prepared them for a future in research or industry.

GDA (Geologic Data Assistant), an ArcPad extension for geologic mapping: code, prerequisites, and instructions

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2006-01-01

GDA (Geologic Data Assistant) is an extension to ArcPad, a mobile mapping software program by Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) designed to run on personal digital assistant (PDA) computers. GDA and ArcPad allow a PDA to replace the paper notebook and field map traditionally used for geologic mapping. GDA allows easy collection of field data.

Monturaqui meteorite impact crater, Chile: A field test of the utility of satellite-based mapping of ejecta at small craters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rathbun, K.; Ukstins, I.; Drop, S.

2017-12-01

Monturaqui Crater is a small ( 350 m diameter), simple meteorite impact crater located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile that was emplaced in Ordovician granite overlain by discontinuous Pliocene ignimbrite. Ejecta deposits are granite and ignimbrite, with lesser amounts of dark impact melt and rare tektites and iron shale. The impact restructured existing drainage systems in the area that have subsequently eroded through the ejecta. Satellite-based mapping and modeling, including a synthesis of photographic satellite imagery and ASTER thermal infrared imagery in ArcGIS, were used to construct a basic geological interpretation of the site with special emphasis on understanding ejecta distribution patterns. This was combined with field-based mapping to construct a high-resolution geologic map of the crater and its ejecta blanket and field check the satellite-based geologic interpretation. The satellite- and modeling-based interpretation suggests a well-preserved crater with an intact, heterogeneous ejecta blanket that has been subjected to moderate erosion. In contrast, field mapping shows that the crater has a heavily-eroded rim and ejecta blanket, and the ejecta is more heterogeneous than previously thought. In addition, the erosion rate at Monturaqui is much higher than erosion rates reported elsewhere in the Atacama Desert. The bulk compositions of the target rocks at Monturaqui are similar and the ejecta deposits are highly heterogeneous, so distinguishing between them with remote sensing is less effective than with direct field observations. In particular, the resolution of available imagery for the site is too low to resolve critical details that are readily apparent in the field on the scale of 10s of cm, and which significantly alter the geologic interpretation. The limiting factors for effective remote interpretation at Monturaqui are its target composition and crater size relative to the resolution of the remote sensing methods employed. This suggests that satellite-based mapping of ejecta may have limited utility at small craters due to limitations in source resolution compared to the geology of the site in question.

Transitioning from Faculty-Led Lecture to Student-Centered Field Learning Facilitated by Near-Peer Mentors: Preliminary Findings from the GeoFORCE/ STEMFORCE Program.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berry, M.; Wright, V. D.; Ellins, K. K.; Browder, M. G. J.; Castillo, R.; Kotowski, A. J.; Libarkin, J. C.; Lu, J.; Maredia, N.; Butler, N.

2017-12-01

GeoFORCE Texas, a geology-based outreach program in the Jackson School of Geosciences, offers weeklong summer geology field based courses to secondary students from minority-serving high schools in Texas and the Bahamas. Students transitioning from eighth to ninth grade are recruited into the program and ideally remain in GeoFORCE for four years. The program aims to empower underrepresented students by exposing them to experiences intended to inspire them to pursue geoscience or other STEM careers. Since the program's inception in 2005, GeoFORCE Texas has relied on a mix of classroom lectures delivered by a geoscience faculty member and time in the field. Early research findings from a National Science Foundation-sponsored GeoPaths-IMPACT project are influencing the evolution of field instruction away from the faculty-led lecture model to student-centered learning that may improve students' grasp of key geological concepts. The eleventh and twelfth grade programs are shifting towards this strategy. Each trip is facilitated by a seven-person team comprised of a geoscience graduate student, master teachers, four undergraduate geology students, and preservice teachers. Members of the instructional team reflected the racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity that the geoscience strives to achieve; all are excellent role models for GeoFORCE students. The outcome of the most recent Central Texas twelfth grade trip, which used a student-centered, project-based approach, was especially noteworthy. Each group was given a topic to apply to what they saw in the field, such as fluvial systems, cultural significance, or geohazards, etc., and present in any manner in front of peers and a panel of geoscience experts. Students used the latest presentation technology available to them (e.g. Prezi, iMovies) and sketches and site notes from field stops. The final presentations were clear, informative, and entertaining. It can be concluded that the students were more engaged with the peer-teaching method than in prior years when they read the field manuals. Knowing they had to produce a presentation gave them motivation to focus and absorb information. They successfully took their new geological knowledge and applied existing skillsets that will be useful for college and, hopefully, a future career in geosciences or STEM field.

Manual hierarchical clustering of regional geochemical data using a Bayesian finite mixture model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellefsen, Karl J.; Smith, David

2016-01-01

Interpretation of regional scale, multivariate geochemical data is aided by a statistical technique called “clustering.” We investigate a particular clustering procedure by applying it to geochemical data collected in the State of Colorado, United States of America. The clustering procedure partitions the field samples for the entire survey area into two clusters. The field samples in each cluster are partitioned again to create two subclusters, and so on. This manual procedure generates a hierarchy of clusters, and the different levels of the hierarchy show geochemical and geological processes occurring at different spatial scales. Although there are many different clustering methods, we use Bayesian finite mixture modeling with two probability distributions, which yields two clusters. The model parameters are estimated with Hamiltonian Monte Carlo sampling of the posterior probability density function, which usually has multiple modes. Each mode has its own set of model parameters; each set is checked to ensure that it is consistent both with the data and with independent geologic knowledge. The set of model parameters that is most consistent with the independent geologic knowledge is selected for detailed interpretation and partitioning of the field samples.

An Online Social Networking Approach to Reinforce Learning of Rocks and Minerals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennelly, Patrick

2009-01-01

Numerous and varied methods are used in introductory Earth science and geology classes to help students learn about rocks and minerals, such as classroom lectures, laboratory specimen identification, and field trips. This paper reports on a method using online social networking. The choice of this forum was based on two criteria. First, many…

Revitalizing a mature oil play: Strategies for finding and producing oil in Frio Fluvial-Deltaic Sandstone reservoirs of South Texas

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

Knox, P.R.; Holtz, M.H.; McRae, L.E.

Domestic fluvial-dominated deltaic (FDD) reservoirs contain more than 30 Billion barrels (Bbbl) of remaining oil, more than any other type of reservoir, approximately one-third of which is in danger of permanent loss through premature field abandonments. The U.S. Department of Energy has placed its highest priority on increasing near-term recovery from FDD reservoirs in order to prevent abandonment of this important strategic resource. To aid in this effort, the Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin, began a 46-month project in October, 1992, to develop and demonstrate advanced methods of reservoir characterization that would more accurately locatemore » remaining volumes of mobile oil that could then be recovered by recompleting existing wells or drilling geologically targeted infill. wells. Reservoirs in two fields within the Frio Fluvial-Deltaic Sandstone (Vicksburg Fault Zone) oil play of South Texas, a mature play which still contains 1.6 Bbbl of mobile oil after producing 1 Bbbl over four decades, were selected as laboratories for developing and testing reservoir characterization techniques. Advanced methods in geology, geophysics, petrophysics, and engineering were integrated to (1) identify probable reservoir architecture and heterogeneity, (2) determine past fluid-flow history, (3) integrate fluid-flow history with reservoir architecture to identify untapped, incompletely drained, and new pool compartments, and (4) identify specific opportunities for near-term reserve growth. To facilitate the success of operators in applying these methods in the Frio play, geologic and reservoir engineering characteristics of all major reservoirs in the play were documented and statistically analyzed. A quantitative quick-look methodology was developed to prioritize reservoirs in terms of reserve-growth potential.« less

Next-generation Strategies for Human Lunar Sorties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, B. A.

2013-01-01

The science community has had success in remote field experiences using two distinctly different models for humans-in-the-loop: the Apollo Science Support team (science backroom), and the robotic exploration of Mars. In the Apollo experience, the science team helped train the crew, designed geologic traverses, and made real-time decisions by reviewing audio and video transmissions and providing recommendations for geologic sampling. In contrast, the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) and Mars Science Lab (MSL) missions have been conducted entirely robotically, with significant time delays between science- driven decisions and remote field activities. Distinctive operations methods and field methodologies were developed for MER/MSL [1,2] because of the reliance on the "backroom" science team (rather than astronaut crew members) to understand the surroundings. Additionally, data are relayed to the team once per day, giving the team many hours or even days to assimilate the data and decide on a plan of action.

Field Guide to the Geology of Parts of the Appalachian Highlands and Adjacent Interior Plains.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie, Garry D.; Utgard, Russell O.

This field guide is the basis for a five-day, 1000-mile trip through six states and six geomorphic provinces. The trip and the pre- and post-trip exercises included in the guide constitute a three credit course at The Ohio State University entitled "Field Geology for Science Teachers." The purpose of the trip is to study the regional geology,…

Immersive, hands-on, team-based geophysical education at the University of Texas Marine Geology and Geophysics Field Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saustrup, S.; Gulick, S. P.; Goff, J. A.; Davis, M. B.; Duncan, D.; Reece, R.

2013-12-01

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG), part of the Jackson School of Geosciences, annually offers a unique and intensive three-week marine geology and geophysics field course during the spring/summer semester intersession. Now entering its seventh year, the course transitions students from a classroom environment through real-world, hands-on field acquisition, on to team-oriented data interpretation, culminating in a professional presentation before academic and industry employer representatives. The course is available to graduate students and select upper-division undergraduates, preparing them for direct entry into the geoscience workforce or for further academic study. Geophysical techniques used include high-resolution multichannel seismic reflection, CHIRP sub-bottom profiling, multibeam bathymetry, sidescan sonar, sediment coring, grab sampling, data processing, and laboratory analysis of sediments. Industry-standard equipment, methods, software packages, and visualization techniques are used throughout the course, putting students ahead of many of their peers in this respect. The course begins with a 3-day classroom introduction to the field area geology, geophysical methods, and computing resources used. The class then travels to the Gulf Coast for a week of hands-on field and lab work aboard two research vessels: UTIG's 22-foot, aluminum hulled Lake Itasca; and NOAA's 82-foot high-speed catamaran R/V Manta. The smaller vessel handles primarily shallow, inshore targets using multibeam bathymetry, sidescan sonar, and grab sampling. The larger vessel is used both inshore and offshore for multichannel seismic, CHIRP profiling, multibeam bathymetry, gravity coring, and vibracoring. Field areas to date have included Galveston and Port Aransas, Texas, and Grand Isle, Louisiana, with further work in Grand Isle scheduled for 2014. In the field, students work in teams of three, participating in survey design, instrument set-up, field deployment, data acquisition optimization, quality control, data archival, log-keeping, real-time data processing, laboratory sediment analysis, and even boat-handling. Teams are rotated through the two vessels and the onshore field laboratory to ensure that each student has hands-on experience with each aspect of the process. Although all students work on all data areas in the field, after returning from the field each team is assigned a particular region or geologic problem to interpret. Each team prepares and presents a formal presentation to UTIG researchers and industry representatives, explaining and defending their interpretations. This unique approach to hands-on field training, real-world science, and project-based teamwork helps prepare students for direct entry into the workforce, giving them a leg up on competitors for positions. This course has an impressive success ratio to show, with many students receiving job offers directly as a result of their participation in the course.

Geologic map of Detrital, Hualapai, and Sacramento Valleys and surrounding areas, northwest Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beard, L. Sue; Kennedy, Jeffrey; Truini, Margot; Felger, Tracey

2011-01-01

A 1:250,000-scale geologic map and report covering the Detrital, Hualapai, and Sacramento valleys in northwest Arizona is presented for the purpose of improving understanding of the geology and geohydrology of the basins beneath those valleys. The map was compiled from existing geologic mapping, augmented by digital photogeologic reconnaissance mapping. The most recent geologic map for the area, and the only digital one, is the 1:1,000,000-scale Geologic Map of Arizona. The larger scale map presented here includes significantly more detailed geology than the Geologic Map of Arizona in terms of accuracy of geologic unit contacts, number of faults, fault type, fault location, and details of Neogene and Quaternary deposits. Many sources were used to compile the geology; the accompanying geodatabase includes a source field in the polygon feature class that lists source references for polygon features. The citations for the source field are included in the reference section.

Interpreting Urban Geology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannibal, Joseph Timothy; Schmidt, Mark Thomas

1991-01-01

Describes field trips to urban locations for geological instruction. The program was developed by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Authors claim these field trips have been an effective and enjoyable way of conveying a wide variety of geological information to participants at all levels and backgrounds and have created favorable publicity.…

Core Serial Titles in an Interdisciplinary Field: The Case of Environmental Geology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zipp, Louise S.

1999-01-01

Identifies core journals in environmental geology and explores facets of interdisciplinarity to consider the visibility of this field to collection-development librarians. Intercitation analysis of citing and cited patterns in 1995 articles revealed the journal network of environmental geology. Titles clustered into three categories:…

Spherical earth gravity and magnetic anomaly analysis by equivalent point source inversion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Von Frese, R. R. B.; Hinze, W. J.; Braile, L. W.

1981-01-01

To facilitate geologic interpretation of satellite elevation potential field data, analysis techniques are developed and verified in the spherical domain that are commensurate with conventional flat earth methods of potential field interpretation. A powerful approach to the spherical earth problem relates potential field anomalies to a distribution of equivalent point sources by least squares matrix inversion. Linear transformations of the equivalent source field lead to corresponding geoidal anomalies, pseudo-anomalies, vector anomaly components, spatial derivatives, continuations, and differential magnetic pole reductions. A number of examples using 1 deg-averaged surface free-air gravity anomalies of POGO satellite magnetometer data for the United States, Mexico, and Central America illustrate the capabilities of the method.

Hunting for Hydrothermal Vents at the Local-Scale Using AUV's and Machine-Learning Classification in the Earth's Oceans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, S. M.

2018-05-01

New AUV-based mapping technology coupled with machine-learning methods for detecting individual vents and vent fields at the local-scale raise the possibility of understanding the geologic controls on hydrothermal venting.

Exploring the Geological Structure of the Continental Crust.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, Jack

1983-01-01

Discusses exploration and mapping of the continental basement using the seismic reflection profiling technique as well as drilling methods. Also discusses computer analysis of gravity and magnetic fields. Points out the need for data that can be correlated to surface information. (JM)

GeoWall use in an Introductory Geology laboratory: Impacts in Student Understanding of Field Mapping Concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, L. E.; Kelly, M.; Springer, A. E.

2003-12-01

In the Fall semester of 2003, Northern Arizona University will introduce the GeoWall to its introductory geology courses. This presents an opportunity to assess the impact of this new technology on students' understanding of basic topographic concepts and the spatial relationships between geology, topography, and hydrology on a field trip. Introductory Geology fulfills the Lab Science component of the Liberal Studies Program at Northern Arizona University. The class is open to all Northern Arizona University students, and is most commonly taken by non-science majors. In this class students learn to: locate their position using maps, identify common minerals and rocks, recognize the relationship between geology and geomorphology, visualize how rocks exposed at the surface continue into the subsurface, and to draw conclusions about possible geologic hazards in different settings. In this study we will report how a GeoWall 3D visualization technology was used in a field study of a graben south of Flagstaff. The goal of the field exercise is to improve students' ability to synthesize data collected at field stops into a conceptual model of the graben, linking geology, geomorphology and hydrology. We plan to present a quantitative assessment of the GeoWall learning objectives from data collected from a paired test and control group of students. Teaching assistants (TAs) with two or more lab classes have been identified; these TAs will participate in both GeoWall and non-GeoWall lab exercises. The GeoWall use will occur outside of normal lab hours to avoid disrupting the lab schedule during the eighth week of lab. This field preparation exercise includes a 3D visualization of the Lake Mary graben rendered with the ROMA software. The following week, all students attend the graben field trip; immediately following the trip, students will interviewed about their gain in understanding of the geologic features illustrated during the field trip. The results of the post-fieldtrip interviews will also be presented to quantitatively assess how students perceive the use of the GeoWall in this introductory geology setting, and how it affected their understanding.

Estimation of Groundwater Recharge in a Japanese Headwater Area by Intensive Collaboration of Field Survey and Modelling Work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yano, S.; Kondo, H.; Tawara, Y.; Yamada, T.; Mori, K.; Yoshida, A.; Tada, K.; Tsujimura, M.; Tokunaga, T.

2017-12-01

It is important to understand groundwater systems, including their recharge, flow, storage, discharge, and withdrawal, so that we can use groundwater resources efficiently and sustainably. To examine groundwater recharge, several methods have been discussed based on water balance estimation, in situ experiments, and hydrological tracers. However, few studies have developed a concrete framework for quantifying groundwater recharge rates in an undefined area. In this study, we established a robust method to quantitatively determine water cycles and estimate the groundwater recharge rate by combining the advantages of field surveys and model simulations. We replicated in situ hydrogeological observations and three-dimensional modeling in a mountainous basin area in Japan. We adopted a general-purpose terrestrial fluid-flow simulator (GETFLOWS) to develop a geological model and simulate the local water cycle. Local data relating to topology, geology, vegetation, land use, climate, and water use were collected from the existing literature and observations to assess the spatiotemporal variations of the water balance from 2011 to 2013. The characteristic structures of geology and soils, as found through field surveys, were parameterized for incorporation into the model. The simulated results were validated using observed groundwater levels and resulted in a Nash-Sutcliffe Model Efficiency Coefficient of 0.92. The results suggested that local groundwater flows across the watershed boundary and that the groundwater recharge rate, defined as the flux of water reaching the local unconfined groundwater table, has values similar to the level estimated in the `the lower soil layers on a long-term basis. This innovative method enables us to quantify the groundwater recharge rate and its spatiotemporal variability with high accuracy, which contributes to establishing a foundation for sustainable groundwater management.

Mineral-Resource Assessment of Northern Nye County, Nevada - A Progress Report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ludington, Steve; John, David A.; Muntean, John L.; Hanson, Andrew D.; Castor, Stephen B.; Henry, Christopher D.; Wintzer, Niki; Cline, Jean S.; Simon, Adam C.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology (NBMG), which is a part of the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), have completed the first year of data collection and analysis in preparation for a new mineral- and energy-resource assessment of northern Nye County, Nevada. This report provides information about work completed before October 1, 2009. Existing data are being compiled, including geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and mineral-deposit information. Field studies are underway, which are primarily designed to address issues raised during the review of existing information. In addition, new geochemical studies are in progress, including reanalyzing existing stream-sediment samples with modern methods, and analyzing metalliferous black shales.

Web-based flood database for Colorado, water years 1867 through 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kohn, Michael S.; Jarrett, Robert D.; Krammes, Gary S.; Mommandi, Amanullah

2013-01-01

In order to provide a centralized repository of flood information for the State of Colorado, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Transportation, created a Web-based geodatabase for flood information from water years 1867 through 2011 and data for paleofloods occurring in the past 5,000 to 10,000 years. The geodatabase was created using the Environmental Systems Research Institute ArcGIS JavaScript Application Programing Interface 3.2. The database can be accessed at http://cwscpublic2.cr.usgs.gov/projects/coflood/COFloodMap.html. Data on 6,767 flood events at 1,597 individual sites throughout Colorado were compiled to generate the flood database. The data sources of flood information are indirect discharge measurements that were stored in U.S. Geological Survey offices (water years 1867–2011), flood data from indirect discharge measurements referenced in U.S. Geological Survey reports (water years 1884–2011), paleoflood studies from six peer-reviewed journal articles (data on events occurring in the past 5,000 to 10,000 years), and the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System peak-discharge database (water years 1883–2010). A number of tests were performed on the flood database to ensure the quality of the data. The Web interface was programmed using the Environmental Systems Research Institute ArcGIS JavaScript Application Programing Interface 3.2, which allows for display, query, georeference, and export of the data in the flood database. The data fields in the flood database used to search and filter the database include hydrologic unit code, U.S. Geological Survey station number, site name, county, drainage area, elevation, data source, date of flood, peak discharge, and field method used to determine discharge. Additional data fields can be viewed and exported, but the data fields described above are the only ones that can be used for queries.

Integration of Geophysical Data into Structural Geological Modelling through Bayesian Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de la Varga, Miguel; Wellmann, Florian; Murdie, Ruth

2016-04-01

Structural geological models are widely used to represent the spatial distribution of relevant geological features. Several techniques exist to construct these models on the basis of different assumptions and different types of geological observations (e.g. Jessell et al., 2014). However, two problems are prevalent when constructing models: (i) observations and assumptions, and therefore also the constructed model, are subject to uncertainties, and (ii) additional information, such as geophysical data, is often available, but cannot be considered directly in the geological modelling step. In our work, we propose the integration of all available data into a Bayesian network including the generation of the implicit geological method by means of interpolation functions (Mallet, 1992; Lajaunie et al., 1997; Mallet, 2004; Carr et al., 2001; Hillier et al., 2014). As a result, we are able to increase the certainty of the resultant models as well as potentially learn features of our regional geology through data mining and information theory techniques. MCMC methods are used in order to optimize computational time and assure the validity of the results. Here, we apply the aforementioned concepts in a 3-D model of the Sandstone Greenstone Belt in the Archean Yilgarn Craton in Western Australia. The example given, defines the uncertainty in the thickness of greenstone as limited by Bouguer anomaly and the internal structure of the greenstone as limited by the magnetic signature of a banded iron formation. The incorporation of the additional data and specially the gravity provides an important reduction of the possible outcomes and therefore the overall uncertainty. References Carr, C. J., K. R. Beatson, B. J. Cherrie, J. T. Mitchell, R. W. Fright, C. B. McCallum, and R. T. Evans, 2001, Reconstruction and representation of 3D objects with radial basis functions: Proceedings of the 28th annual conference on Computer graphics and interactive techniques, 67-76. Jessell, M., Aillères, L., de Kemp, E., Lindsay, M., Wellmann, F., Hillier, M., ... & Martin, R. (2014). Next Generation Three-Dimensional Geologic Modeling and Inversion. Lajaunie, C., G. Courrioux, and L. Manuel, 1997, Foliation fields and 3D cartography in geology: Principles of a method based on potential interpolation: Mathematical Geology, 29, 571-584. Mallet, J.-L., 1992, Discrete smooth interpolation in geometric modelling: Computer-Aided Design, 24, 178-191 Mallet, L. J., 2004, Space-time mathematical framework for sedimentary geology: Mathematical Geology, 36, 1-32.

Multi-hole seismic modeling in 3-D space and cross-hole seismic tomography analysis for boulder detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Fei; Liu, Jiangping; Wang, Jing; Zong, Yuquan; Yu, Mingyu

2016-11-01

A boulder stone, a common geological feature in south China, is referred to the remnant of a granite body which has been unevenly weathered. Undetected boulders could adversely impact the schedule and safety of subway construction when using tunnel boring machine (TBM) method. Therefore, boulder detection has always been a key issue demanded to be solved before the construction. Nowadays, cross-hole seismic tomography is a high resolution technique capable of boulder detection, however, the method can only solve for velocity in a 2-D slice between two wells, and the size and central position of the boulder are generally difficult to be accurately obtained. In this paper, the authors conduct a multi-hole wave field simulation and characteristic analysis of a boulder model based on the 3-D elastic wave staggered-grid finite difference theory, and also a 2-D imaging analysis based on first arrival travel time. The results indicate that (1) full wave field records could be obtained from multi-hole seismic wave simulations. Simulation results describe that the seismic wave propagation pattern in cross-hole high-velocity spherical geological bodies is more detailed and can serve as a basis for the wave field analysis. (2) When a cross-hole seismic section cuts through the boulder, the proposed method provides satisfactory cross-hole tomography results; however, when the section is closely positioned to the boulder, such high-velocity object in the 3-D space would impact on the surrounding wave field. The received diffracted wave interferes with the primary wave and in consequence the picked first arrival travel time is not derived from the profile, which results in a false appearance of high-velocity geology features. Finally, the results of 2-D analysis in 3-D modeling space are comparatively analyzed with the physical model test vis-a-vis the effect of high velocity body on the seismic tomographic measurements.

Searching for Life with Rovers: Exploration Methods & Science Results from the 2004 Field Campaign of the "Life in the Atacama" Project and Applications to Future Mars Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cabrol, N. A.a; Wettergreen, D. S.; Whittaker, R.; Grin, E. A.; Moersch, J.; Diaz, G. Chong; Cockell, C.; Coppin, P.; Dohm, J. M.; Fisher, G.

2005-01-01

The Life In The Atacama (LITA) project develops and field tests a long-range, solarpowered, automated rover platform (Zo ) and a science payload assembled to search for microbial life in the Atacama desert. Life is barely detectable over most of the driest desert on Earth. Its unique geological, climatic, and biological evolution have created a unique training site for designing and testing exploration strategies and life detection methods for the robotic search for life on Mars.

Field guide to geologic excursions in southwestern Utah and adjacent areas of Arizona and Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lund, William R.; Lund, William R.

2002-01-01

This field guide contains road logs for field trips planned in conjunction with the 2002 Rocky Mountain Section meeting of the Geological Society of America held at Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah. There are a total of eight field trips, covering various locations and topics in southwestern Utah and adjacent areas of Arizona and Nevada. In addition, the field guide contains a road log for a set of Geological Engineering Field Camp Exercises run annually by the University of Missouri at Rolla in and around Cedar City. Two of the field trips address structural aspects of the geology in southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona; two trips deal with ground water in the region; and along with the Field Camp Exercises, one trip, to the Grand Staircase, is designed specifically for educators. The remaining trips examine the volcanology and mineral resources of a large area in and around the Tusher Mountains in Utah; marine and brackish water strata in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument; and the Pine Valley Mountains, which are cored by what may be the largest known laccolith in the world. The "Three Corners" area of Utah, Arizona, and Nevada is home to truly world-class geology, and I am confident that all of the 2002 Rocky Mountain Section meeting attendees will find a field trip suited to their interests.

Tools and technologies needed for conducting planetary field geology while on EVA: Insights from the 2010 Desert RATS geologist crewmembers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, Kelsey; Hurtado, José M.; Bleacher, Jacob E.; Brent Garry, W.; Bleisath, Scott; Buffington, Jesse; Rice, James W.

2013-10-01

The tools used by crews while on extravehicular activity during future missions to other bodies in the Solar System will be a combination of traditional geologic field tools (e.g. hammers, rakes, sample bags) and state-of-the-art technologies (e.g. high definition cameras, digital situational awareness devices, and new geologic tools). In the 2010 Desert Research and Technology Studies (RATS) field test, four crews, each consisting of an astronaut/engineer and field geologist, tested and evaluated various technologies during two weeks of simulated spacewalks in the San Francisco volcanic field, Arizona. These tools consisted of both Apollo-style field geology tools and modern technological equipment not used during the six Apollo lunar landings. The underlying exploration driver for this field test was to establish the protocols and technology needed for an eventual manned mission to an asteroid, the Moon, or Mars. The authors of this paper represent Desert RATS geologist crewmembers as well as two engineers who worked on technology development. Here we present an evaluation and assessment of these tools and technologies based on our first-hand experience of using them during the analog field test. We intend this to serve as a basis for continued development of technologies and protocols used for conducting planetary field geology as the Solar System exploration community moves forward into the next generation of planetary surface exploration.

A Review of the Handheld X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer as a Tool for Field Geologic Investigations on Earth and in Planetary Surface Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Kelsey E.; Evans, Cynthia A.; Hodges, Kip V.; Bleacher, Jacob E.; Graff, Trevor G.

2016-01-01

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy is a well-established and commonly used technique in obtaining diagnostic compositional data on geological samples. Recently, developments in X-ray tube and detector technologies have resulted in miniaturized, field-portable instruments that enable new applications both in and out of standard laboratory settings. These applications, however, have not been extensively applied to geologic field campaigns. This study investigates the feasibility of using developing handheld XRF (hXRF) technology to enhance terrestrial field geology, with potential applications in planetary surface exploration missions. We demonstrate that the hXRF is quite stable, providing reliable and accurate data continuously over a several year period. Additionally, sample preparation is proved to have a marked effect on the strategy for collecting and assimilating hXRF data. While the hXRF is capable of obtaining data that are comparable to laboratory XRF analysis for several geologically-important elements (such as Si, Ca, Ti, and K), the instrument is unable to detect other elements (such as Mg and Na) reliably. While this limits the use of the hXRF, especially when compared to laboratory XRF techniques, the hXRF is still capable of providing the field user with significantly improved contextual awareness of a field site, and more work is needed to fully evaluate the potential of this instrument in more complex geologic environments.

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics Marine Geology and Geophysics Field Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, M. B.; Gulick, S. P.; Allison, M. A.; Goff, J. A.; Duncan, D. D.; Saustrup, S.

2011-12-01

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, part of the Jackson School of Geosciences, annually offers an intensive three-week marine geology and geophysics field course during the spring-summer intersession. Now in year five, the course provides hands-on instruction and training for graduate and upper-level undergraduate students in data acquisition, processing, interpretation, and visualization. Techniques covered include high-resolution seismic reflection, CHIRP sub-bottom profiling, multibeam bathymetry, sidescan sonar, several types of sediment coring, grab sampling, and the sedimentology of resulting seabed samples (e.g., core description, grain size analysis, x-radiography, etc.). Students seek to understand coastal and sedimentary processes of the Gulf Coast and continental shelf through application of these techniques in an exploratory mode. Students participate in an initial three days of classroom instruction designed to communicate geological context of the field area (which changes each year) along with theoretical and technical background on each field method. The class then travels to the Gulf Coast for a week of at-sea field work. In the field, students rotate between two small research vessels: one vessel, the 22' aluminum-hulled R/V Lake Itasca, owned and operated by UTIG, is used principally for multibeam bathymetry, sidescan sonar, and sediment sampling; the other, NOAA's R/V Manta or the R/V Acadiana, operated by the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, is used primarily for high-resolution seismic reflection, CHIRP sub-bottom profiling, multibeam bathymetry, gravity coring, and vibracoring. While at sea, students assist with survey design, learn instrumentation set up, acquisition parameters, data quality control, and safe instrument deployment and retrieval. In teams of three, students work in onshore field labs preparing sediment samples for particle size analysis and initial data processing. During the course's final week, teams return to the classroom where they integrate, interpret, and visualize data in a final project using industry-standard software such as Focus, Landmark, Caris, and Fledermaus. The course concludes with a series of professional-level final presentations and discussions in which students examine geologic history and/or sedimentary processes represented by the Gulf Coast continental shelf. With course completion, students report a greater understanding of marine geology and geophysics via the course's intensive, hands-on, team approach and low instructor to student ratio. This course satisfies field experience requirements for some degree programs and thus provides a unique alternative to land-based field courses.

GeoPad: Innovative Applications of Information Technology in Field Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knoop, P. A.; van der Pluijm, B.

2003-12-01

A core requirement for most undergraduate degrees in the Earth sciences is a course in field geology, which provides students with training in field science methodologies, including geologic mapping. The University of Michigan Geological Sciences' curriculum includes a seven-week, summer field course, GS-440, based out of the university's Camp Davis Geologic Field Station, near Jackson, WY. Such field-based courses stand to benefit tremendously from recent innovations in Information Technology \\(IT\\), especially in the form of increasing portability, new haptic interfaces for personal computers, and advancements in Geographic Information System \\(GIS\\) software. Such innovations are enabling in-the-field, real-time access to powerful data collection, analysis, visualization, and interpretation tools. The benefits of these innovations, however, can only be realized on a broad basis when the IT reaches a level of maturity at which users can easily employ it to enhance their learning experience and scientific activities, rather than the IT itself being a primary focus of the curriculum or a constraint on field activities. The GeoPad represents a combination of these novel technologies that achieves that goal. The GeoPad concept integrates a ruggedized Windows XP TabletPC equipped with wireless networking, a portable GPS receiver, digital camera, microphone-headset, voice-recognition software, GIS, and supporting, digital, geo-referenced data-sets. A key advantage of the GeoPad is enabling field-based usage of visualization software and data focusing on \\(3D\\) geospatial relationships \\(developed as part of the complementary GeoWall initiative\\), which provides a powerful new tool for enhancing and facilitating undergraduate field geology education, as demonstrated during the summer 2003 session of GS-440. In addition to an education in field methodologies, students also gain practical experience using IT that they will encounter during their continued educational, research, or professional careers. This approach is immediately applicable to field geology courses elsewhere and indeed to other field-oriented programs \\(e.g., in biology, archeology, ecology\\), given similar needs.

Comparison of CO 2 Detection Methods Tested in Shallow Groundwater Monitoring Wells at a Geological Sequestration Site

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

Edenborn, Harry M.; Jain, Jinesh N.

The geological storage of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO 2) is one method of reducing the amount of CO 2 released into the atmosphere. Monitoring programs typically determine baseline conditions in surface and near-surface environments before, during, and after CO 2 injection to evaluate if impacts related to injection have occurred. Because CO 2 concentrations in groundwater fluctuate naturally due to complex geochemical and geomicrobiologicalinteractions, a clear understanding of the baseline behavior of CO 2 in groundwater near injection sites is important. Numerous ways of measuring aqueous CO 2 in the field and lab are currently used, but most methods havemore » significant shortcomings (e.g., are tedious, lengthy, have interferences, or have significant lag time before a result is determined). In this study, we examined the effectiveness of two novel CO 2 detection methods and their ability to rapidly detect CO2in shallow groundwater monitoring wells associated with the Illinois Basin –Decatur Project geological sequestration site. The CarboQC beverage carbonation meter was used to measure the concentration of CO 2 in water by monitoring temperature and pressure changes and calculating the PCO 2 from the ideal gas law. Additionally, a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) CO< sub>2sensor enclosed in a gas-permeable, water-impermeable membrane measured CO2by determining an equilibrium concentration. Results showed that the CarboQC method provided rapid (< 3 min) and repeatable results under field conditions within a measured concentration range of 15 –125 mg/L CO 2. The NDIR sensor results correlated well (r 2= 0.93) with the CarboQC data, but CO 2 equilibration required at least 15 minutes, making the method somewhat less desirable under field conditions. In contrast, NDIR-based sensors have a greater potential for long-term deployment. Both systems are adaptable to in-line groundwater sampling methods. Other specific advantages and disadvantages associated with the two approaches, and anomalies associated with specific samples, are discussed in greater detail in this poster.« less

Coastal Studies in a Comprehensive Summer Field Geology Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cameron, Barry; Jones, Richard J.

1979-01-01

Describes a college geology course that incorporates a coastal segment. Field studies are done on Plum Island and include examining beaches, dune fields, and an adjacent marsh and spit. Topics include sedimentation, coastal geomorphology, botanical effects, and coastal studies methodology. (MA)

Interpretation of the 'Trans European Suture Zone' by a multiscale aeromagnetic dataset

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milano, Maurizio; Fedi, Maurizio

2015-04-01

One of the main goals in crustal geomagnetic prospecting is to obtain information about the sources of magnetic anomalies in order to model the geological structure of the Earth's crust. A "multiscale approach" is very useful to analyze, concurrently, the effects of sources placed at different depths, observing the potential field at various altitudes from the Earth's surface. The aim of this work is the study of the main geological structure of Central Europe, the "Trans European Suture Zone", using high-resolution aeromagnetic data. The 'TESZ' is the most prominent geological boundary in Europe, oriented NW-SE from the North Sea to the Black Sea and separating The Paleozoic platform in the south and west from the Precambrian East European craton. At high altitudes the European magnetic field is characterized by a large and extended magnetic low, which is related to the deep TESZ structure. The study of this anomaly field began by detecting the position of the anomaly sources using the properties of the Analytical Signal modulus (AS). The AS map presents anomalies in which the dipolar behavior of the magnetic anomaly field is substantially removed and the maxima are placed directly above the anomaly sources. The multiridge method has been applied to the Analytical Signal modulus in order to have information about the sources' depths in the TESZ region. Many profiles were tracked transversely to the fault line in order to map at depth the main magnetic discontinuities. Cause of the low heat flow of the Central Europe, we were able to get information also in the lower crust and to map the deep Moho discontinuity. Available geological sections based on seismic data show consistent results with our interpretation.

Geologic Problem Solving in the Field: Analysis of Field Navigation and Mapping by Advanced Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riggs, Eric M.; Lieder, Christopher C.; Ballliet, Russell

2009-01-01

Field instruction is a critical piece of undergraduate geoscience majors' education, and fieldwork remains a major part of the work of professional geologists. Despite the central importance of field education, there exists relatively little educational research exploring how students learn to solve problems in geological fieldwork. This study…

Integrating aeromagnetic and Landsat™ 8 data into subsurface structural mapping of Precambrian basement complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kayode, John Stephen; Nawawi, M. N. M.; Abdullah, Khiruddin B.; Khalil, Amin E.

2017-01-01

The integration of Aeromagnetic data and remotely sensed imagery with the intents of mapping the subsurface geological structures in part of the South-western basement complex of Nigeria was developed using the PCI Geomatica Software. 2013. The data obtained from the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency; was corrected using Regional Residual Separation of the Total Magnetic field anomalies enhanced, and International Geomagnetic Reference Field removed. The principal objective of this study is, therefore, to introduce a rapid and efficient method of subsurface structural depth estimate and structural index evaluation through the incorporation of the Euler Deconvolution technique into PCI Geomatica 2013 to prospect for subsurface geological structures. The shape and depth of burial helped to define these structures from the regional aeromagnetic map. The method enabled various structural indices to be automatically delineated for an index of between 0.5 SI and 3.0 SI at a maximum depth of 1.1 km that clearly showed the best depths estimate for all the structural indices. The results delineate two major magnetic belts in the area; the first belt shows an elongated ridge-like structure trending mostly along the NorthNortheast-SouthSouthwest and the other anomalies trends primarily in the Northeast, Northwest, Northeast-Southwest parts of the study area that could be attributed to basement complex granitic intrusions from the tectonic history of the area. The majority of the second structures showed various linear structures different from the first structure. Basically, a significant offset was delineated at the core segment of the study area, suggesting a major subsurface geological feature that controls mineralisation in this area.

Geologic Field Notes, Geochemical Analyses, and Field Photographs of Outcrops and Rock Samples from the Big Delta B-1 Quadrangle, East-Central Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Day, Warren C.; O'Neill, J. Michael

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Mining, Land, and Water, has released a geologic map of the Big Delta B-1 quadrangle of east-central Alaska (Day and others, 2007). This companion report presents the major element oxide and trace element geochemical analyses, including those for gold, silver, and base metals, for representative rock units and for grab samples from quartz veins and mineralized zones within the quadrangle. Also included are field station locations, field notes, structural data, and field photographs based primarily on observations by W.C. Day with additions by J.M. O'Neill and B.M. Gamble, all of the U.S. Geological Survey. The data are provided in both Microsoft Excel spread sheet format and as a Microsoft Access database.

Geologic mapping of Kentucky; a history and evaluation of the Kentucky Geological Survey--U.S. Geological Survey Mapping Program, 1960-1978

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cressman, Earle Rupert; Noger, Martin C.

1981-01-01

In 1960, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Kentucky Geological Survey began a program to map the State geologically at a scale of 1:24,000 and to publish the maps as 707 U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Maps. Fieldwork was completed by the spring of 1977, and all maps were published by December 1978. Geologic mapping of the State was proposed by the Kentucky Society of Professional Engineers in 1959. Wallace W. Hagan, Director and State Geologist of the Kentucky Geological Survey, and Preston McGrain, Assistant State Geologist, promoted support for the proposal among organizations such as Chambers of Commerce, industrial associations, professional societies, and among members of the State government. It was also arranged for the U.S. Geological Survey to supply mapping personnel and to publish the maps; the cost would be shared equally by the two organizations. Members of the U.S. Geological Survey assigned to the program were organized as the Branch of Kentucky Geology. Branch headquarters, including an editorial staff, was at Lexington, Ky., but actual mapping was conducted from 18 field offices distributed throughout the State. The Publications Division of the U.S. Geological Survey established a cartographic office at Lexington to prepare the maps for publication. About 260 people, including more than 200 professionals, were assigned to the Branch of Kentucky Geology by the U.S. Geological Survey at one time or another. The most geologists assigned any one year was 61. To complete the mapping and ancillary studies, 661 professional man-years were required, compared with an original estimate of 600 man-years. A wide variety of field methods were used, but most geologists relied on the surveying altimeter to obtain elevations. Surface data were supplemented by drill-hole records, and several dozen shallow diamond-drill holes were drilled to aid the mapping. Geologists generally scribed their own maps, with a consequent saving of publication costs. Paleontologists and stratigraphers of the U.S. Geological Survey cooperated closely with the program. Paleontologic studies were concentrated in the Ordovician of central Kentucky, the Pennsylvanian of eastern and western Kentucky, and the Mesozoic and Cenozoic of westernmost Kentucky. In addition to financial support, the Kentucky Geological Survey provided economic data, stratigraphic support, and drillhole records to the field offices. Geologists of the State Survey made subsurface structural interpretations, constructed bedrock topography maps, and mapped several quadrangles. Some of the problems encountered were the inadequacy of much of the existing stratigraphic nomenclature, the uneven quality of some of the mapping, and the effects of relative isolation on the professional development of some of the geologists. The program cost a total of $20,927,500. In terms of 1960 dollars, it cost $16,035,000; this compares with an original estimate of $12,000,000. Although it is difficult to place a monetary value on the geologic mapping, the program has contributed to newly discovered mineral wealth, jobs, and money saved by government and industry. The maps are used widely in the exploration for coal, oil and gas, fluorspar, limestone, and clay. The maps are also used in planning highways and locations of dams, in evaluating foundation and excavation conditions, in preparing environmental impact statements, and in land-use planning.

Digital Geologic Map of the Wallace 1:100,000 Quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewis, Reed S.; Burmester, Russell F.; McFaddan, Mark D.; Derkey, Pamela D.; Oblad, Jon R.

1999-01-01

The geology of the Wallace 1:100,000 quadrangle, Idaho was compiled by Reed S. Lewis in 1997 primarily from published materials including 1983 data from Foster, Harrison's unpublished mapping done from 1975 to 1985, Hietenan's 1963, 1967, 1968, and 1984 mapping, Hobbs and others 1965 mapping, and Vance's 1981 mapping, supplemented by eight weeks of field mapping by Reed S. Lewis, Russell F. Burmester, and Mark D. McFaddan in 1997 and 1998. This geologic map information was inked onto a 1:100,000-scale greenline mylar of the topographic base map for input into a geographic information system (GIS). The resulting digital geologic map GIS can be queried in many ways to produce a variety of geologic maps. Digital base map data files (topography, roads, towns, rivers and lakes, etc.) are not included: they may be obtained from a variety of commercial and government sources. This database is not meant to be used or displayed at any scale larger than 1:100,000 (e.g., 1:62,500 or 1:24,000). The map area is located in north Idaho. The primary sources of map data are shown in figure 2 and additional sources are shown in figure 3. This open-file report describes the geologic map units, the methods used to convert the geologic map data into a digital format, the Arc/Info GIS file structures and relationships, and explains how to download the digital files from the U.S. Geological Survey public access World Wide Web site on the Internet. Mapping and compilation was completed by the Idaho Geological Survey under contract with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) office in Spokane, Washington. The authors would like to acknowledge the help of the following field assistants: Josh Goodman, Yvonne Issak, Jeremy Johnson and Kevin Myer. Don Winston provided help with our ongoing study of Belt stratigraphy, and Tom Frost assisted with logistical problems and sample collection. Manuscript reviews by Steve Box, Tom Frost, and Brian White are greatly appreciated. We wish to thank Karen S. Bolm of the USGS for reviewing the digital files.

Assessing correlations between geological hazards and health outcomes: Addressing complexity in medical geology.

PubMed

Wardrop, Nicola Ann; Le Blond, Jennifer Susan

2015-11-01

The field of medical geology addresses the relationships between exposure to specific geological characteristics and the development of a range of health problems: for example, long-term exposure to arsenic in drinking water can result in the development of skin conditions and cancers. While these relationships are well characterised for some examples, in others there is a lack of understanding of the specific geological component(s) triggering disease onset, necessitating further research. This paper aims to highlight several important complexities in geological exposures and the development of related diseases that can create difficulties in the linkage of exposure and health outcome data. Several suggested approaches to deal with these complexities are also suggested. Long-term exposure and lengthy latent periods are common characteristics of many diseases related to geological hazards. In combination with long- or short-distance migrations over an individual's life, daily or weekly movement patterns and small-scale spatial heterogeneity in geological characteristics, it becomes problematic to appropriately assign exposure measurements to individuals. The inclusion of supplementary methods, such as questionnaires, movement diaries or Global Positioning System (GPS) trackers can support medical geology studies by providing evidence for the most appropriate exposure measurement locations. The complex and lengthy exposure-response pathways involved, small-distance spatial heterogeneity in environmental components and a range of other issues mean that interdisciplinary approaches to medical geology studies are necessary to provide robust evidence. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Synthetic Sediments and Stochastic Groundwater Hydrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, J. L.

2002-12-01

For over twenty years the groundwater community has pursued the somewhat elusive goal of describing the effects of aquifer heterogeneity on subsurface flow and chemical transport. While small perturbation stochastic moment methods have significantly advanced theoretical understanding, why is it that stochastic applications use instead simulations of flow and transport through multiple realizations of synthetic geology? Allan Gutjahr was a principle proponent of the Fast Fourier Transform method for the synthetic generation of aquifer properties and recently explored new, more geologically sound, synthetic methods based on multi-scale Markov random fields. Focusing on sedimentary aquifers, how has the state-of-the-art of synthetic generation changed and what new developments can be expected, for example, to deal with issues like conceptual model uncertainty, the differences between measurement and modeling scales, and subgrid scale variability? What will it take to get stochastic methods, whether based on moments, multiple realizations, or some other approach, into widespread application?

Efficiency Evaluation of Handling of Geologic-Geophysical Information by Means of Computer Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuriyahmetova, S. M.; Demyanova, O. V.; Zabirova, L. M.; Gataullin, I. I.; Fathutdinova, O. A.; Kaptelinina, E. A.

2018-05-01

Development of oil and gas resources, considering difficult geological, geographical and economic conditions, requires considerable finance costs; therefore their careful reasons, application of the most perspective directions and modern technologies from the point of view of cost efficiency of planned activities are necessary. For ensuring high precision of regional and local forecasts and modeling of reservoirs of fields of hydrocarbonic raw materials, it is necessary to analyze huge arrays of the distributed information which is constantly changing spatial. The solution of this task requires application of modern remote methods of a research of the perspective oil-and-gas territories, complex use of materials remote, nondestructive the environment of geologic-geophysical and space methods of sounding of Earth and the most perfect technologies of their handling. In the article, the authors considered experience of handling of geologic-geophysical information by means of computer systems by the Russian and foreign companies. Conclusions that the multidimensional analysis of geologicgeophysical information space, effective planning and monitoring of exploration works requires broad use of geoinformation technologies as one of the most perspective directions in achievement of high profitability of an oil and gas industry are drawn.

Geologic field-trip guide to Lassen Volcanic National Park and vicinity, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muffler, L. J. Patrick; Clynne, Michael A.

2015-07-22

This geologic field-trip guide provides an overview of Quaternary volcanism in and around Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California. The guide begins with a comprehensive overview of the geologic framework and the stratigraphic terminology of the Lassen region, based primarily on the “Geologic map of Lassen Volcanic National Park and vicinity” (Clynne and Muffler, 2010). The geologic overview is then followed by detailed road logs describing the volcanic features that can readily be seen in the park and its periphery. Twenty-one designated stops provide detailed explanations of important volcanic features. The guide also includes mileage logs along the highways leading into the park from the major nearby communities. The field-trip guide is intended to be a flexible document that can be adapted to the needs of a visitor approaching the park from any direction.

Geoscientific Characterization of the Bruce Site, Tiverton, Ontario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raven, K.; Jackson, R.; Avis, J.; Clark, I.; Jensen, M.

2009-05-01

Ontario Power Generation is proposing a Deep Geologic Repository (DGR) for the long-term management of its Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste (L&ILW) within a Paleozoic-age sedimentary sequence beneath the Bruce site near Tiverton, Ontario, Canada. The concept envisions that the DGR would be excavated at a depth of approximately 680 m within the Ordovician Cobourg Formation, a massive, dense, low- permeability, argillaceous limestone. Characterization of the Bruce site for waste disposal is being conducted in accordance with a four year multi-phase Geoscientific Site Characterization Plan (GSCP). The GSCP, initially developed in 2006 and later revised in 2008 to account for acquired site knowledge based on successful completion of Phase I investigations, describes the tools and methods selected for geological, hydrogeological and geomechanical site characterization. The GSCP was developed, in part, on an assessment of geoscience data needs and collection methods, review of the results of detailed geoscientific studies completed in the same bedrock formations found off the Bruce site, and recent international experience in geoscientific characterization of similar sedimentary rocks for long-term radioactive waste management purposes. Field and laboratory work related to Phase 1 and Phase 2A are nearing completion and have focused on the drilling, testing and monitoring of four continuously cored vertical boreholes through Devonian, Silurian, Ordovician and Cambrian bedrock to depths of about 860 mBGS. Work in 2009 will focus on drilling and testing of inclined boreholes to assess presence of vertical structure. The available geological, hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical data indicate the presence of remarkably uniform and predictable geology, physical hydrogeologic and geochemical properties over well separation distances exceeding 1 km. The current data set including 2-D seismic reflection surveys, field and lab hydraulic testing, lab petrophysical and diffusion testing, lab porewater and field groundwater characterization, and field head monitoring confirm the anticipated favourable characteristics of the Bruce site for long-term waste management. These favourable characteristics include a tight geomechanically stable host formation that is overlain and underlain by thick, massive, very low permeability shale and argillaceous limestone formations where radionuclide transport appears to be very limited and dominated by diffusion.

Geology-based method of assessing sensitivity of streams to acidic deposition in Charles and Anne Arundel Counties, Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rice, Karen C.; Bricker, Owen P.

1991-01-01

The report describes the results of a study to assess the sensitivity of streams to acidic deposition in Charles and Anne Arundel Counties, Maryland using a geology-based method. Water samples were collected from streams in July and August 1988 when streams were at base-flow conditions. Eighteen water samples collected from streams in Charles County, and 17 water samples from streams in Anne Arundel County were analyzed in the field for pH, specific conductance, and acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC); 8 water samples from streams in Charles County were analyzed in the laboratory for chloride and sulfate concentrations. The assessment revealed that streams in these counties are sensitive to acidification by acidic deposition.

Teachers doing science: An authentic geology research experience for teachers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hemler, D.; Repine, T.

2006-01-01

Fairmont State University (FSU) and the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES) provided a small pilot group of West Virginia science teachers with a professional development session designed to mimic experiences obtained by geology majors during a typical summer field camp. Called GEOTECH, the program served as a research capstone event complimenting the participants' multi-year association with the RockCamp professional development program. GEOTECH was funded through a Improving Teacher Quality Grant administered by West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. Over the course of three weeks, eight GEOTEACH participants learned field measurement and field data collection techniques which they then applied to the construction of a surficial geologic map. The program exposed participants to authentic scientific processes by emphasizing the authentic scientific application of content knowledge. As a secondary product, it also enhanced their appreciation of the true nature of science in general and geology particular. After the session, a new appreciation of the effort involved in making a geologic map emerged as tacit knowledge ready to be transferred to their students. The program was assessed using pre/post instruments, cup interviews, journals, artifacts (including geologic maps, field books, and described sections), performance assessments, and constructed response items. Evaluation of the accumulated data revealed an increase in participants demonstrated use of science content knowledge, an enhanced awareness and understanding of the processes and nature of geologic mapping, positive dispositions toward geologic research and a high satisfaction rating for the program. These findings support the efficacy of the experience and document future programmatic enhancements.

Expression of terrain and surface geology in high-resolution helicopter-borne gravity gradient (AGG) data: examples from Great Sand Dunes National Park, Rio Grande Rift, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drenth, Benjamin J.

2013-01-01

Airborne gravity gradient (AGG) data are rapidly becoming standard components of geophysical mapping programs, due to their advantages in cost, access, and resolution advantages over measurements of the gravity field on the ground. Unlike conventional techniques that measure the gravity field, AGG methods measure derivatives of the gravity field. This means that effects of terrain and near-surface geology are amplified in AGG data, and that proper terrain corrections are critically important for AGG data processing. However, terrain corrections require reasonable estimates of density for the rocks and sediments that make up the terrain. A recommended philosophical approach is to use the terrain and surface geology, with their strong expression in AGG data, to the interpreter’s advantage. An example of such an approach is presented here for an area with very difficult ground access and little ground gravity data. Nettleton-style profiling is used with AGG data to estimate the densities of the sand dunefield and adjacent Precambrian rocks from the area of Great Sand Dunes National Park in southern Colorado. Processing of the AGG data using the density estimate for the dunefield allows buried structures, including a hypothesized buried basement bench, to be mapped beneath the sand dunes.

Development of new mapping standards for geological surveys in Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mätzler, Eva; langley, Kirsty; Hollis, Julie; Heide-Jørgensen, Helene

2017-04-01

The current official topographic and geological maps of Greenland are in scale of 1:250:000 and 1:500.000 respectively, allowing only very limited amount of detail. The maps are outdated, and periglacial landscapes have changed significantly since the acquisition date. Hence, new affordable mapping products of high quality are in demand that can be available within a restricted time frame. In order to fulfill those demands a new mapping standard based on satellite imagery was developed, where classifications are mainly carried out with algorithms suitable for automatization. A Digital Elevation Model (ArcticDEM) was applied allowing examination of topographic and geological structures and 3D visualizing. Information on topographic features and lithology was extracted based on analysis of spectral characteristics from different multispectral data sources (Landsat 8, ASTER, WorldView-3) partly combined with the DEM. A first product is completed, and validation was carried out by field surveys. Field and remotely sensed data were integrated into a GIS database, and derived data will be freely available providing a valuable tool for planning and carrying out mineral exploration and other field activities. This study offers a method for generating up-to-date, low-cost and high quality mapping products suitable for Arctic regions, where accessibility is restricted due to remoteness and lack of infrastructure.

Abstracts for the Planetary Geology Field Conference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greeley, R. (Editor); Black, D.

1977-01-01

The conference was to foster a better understanding of the volcanic history of the planets through the presentation of papers and through field trips to areas on the basalt plains of Idaho that appear to be analogous to some planetary surfaces. Papers include discussions of the volcanic geology of the Snake River Plain, general volcanic geology, and aspects of volcanism on the terrestrial planets.

An Annotated List of Marine Stations Suitable for Field Courses in Carbonate Geology and Tropical Marine Sciences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, Eugene H.

1980-01-01

Listed are field stations in the Caribbean and Florida-Bahamas which are suitable for classes in field geology and tropical marine science. Each field station is described by listing the name of the institution, description of accommodations, library facilities, laboratory facilities, boats, classrooms, motor vehicles, study areas, scuba, and…

Testing the Impact of a Multi-year, Curriculum-based Undergraduate Research Experience (MY-CURE) in the Geosciences: Baseline Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, J. L.; Creamer, E. G.; Kuehn, S. C.

2016-12-01

Short-term undergraduate research experiences (URE's) provide skill and confidence enhancement to students, but it is unclear how effective they are in comparison to a dedicated, longer-term URE. This study examines the impact of a long-term URE embedded in a sequence of five courses in the geology curriculum. It begins with a sophomore course in environmental geology, and continues through mineralogy, structural geology, and petrology, before concluding at our summer geology field camp. In this sequence, they build upon individual URE's related to the structure and petrology of fault rocks from a mid-crustal shear zone. Rather than have students engage in one or more short-term URE's, they retain the same project for two calendar years so that we can assess when and how different gains, including a more sophisticated understanding of the nature of science, begin to emerge and mature. As each student progresses, we document the longitudinal development of a diverse suite of gains including: (1) Technical and higher-order research skills, (2) personal gains such as self-identity as a scientist, and (3) communication skills. In this presentation, we describe the framework of the study and baseline observations recorded during the first year of a 2-year cohort. Using a Q-sort method, students were given a deck of 16 index cards with an educational outcome listed on each. They sorted the cards into three piles: Those that encouraged an interest in geology, those that deterred an interest, and those with no impact. Participants discussed the top cards from the negative and positive piles. The top attractors to geology are collegial relationships with faculty, the opportunity to use scientific equipment, field work, the concreteness of geology, and the availability of jobs. Factors that deter interest include hours of tedious homework, math courses, and time invested in wrong answers or failed experiments/sample preparation. Factors not yet evident include confidence in ability to be a scientist, interest in graduate school, and higher-order research skills. These are expected to rise in prominence as the cohort progresses. Early observations underscore the importance of hands-on experience, the concreteness of geology as compared to more person-oriented fields of study, and opportunities for internships and jobs.

Application of backpack Lidar to geological cross-section measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Jingyu; Wang, Ran; Xiao, Zhouxuan; Li, Lu; Yao, Weihua; Han, Wei; Zhao, Baolin

2017-11-01

As the traditional geological cross section measurement, the artificial traverse method was recently substituted by using point coordinates data. However, it is still the crux of the matter that how to acquire the high-precision point coordinates data quickly and economically. Thereby, the backpack Lidar is presented on the premise of the principle of using point coordinates in this issue. Undoubtedly, Lidar technique, one of booming and international active remote sensing techniques, is a powerful tool in obtaining precise topographic information, high-precision 3-D coordinates and building a real 3-D model. With field practice and date processing indoors, it is essentially accomplished that geological sections maps could be generated simply, accurately and automatically in the support of relevant software such as ArcGIS and LiDAR360.

Integrating Field-Centered, Project Based Activities with Academic Year Coursework: A Curriculum Wide Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelso, P. R.; Brown, L. M.

2015-12-01

Based upon constructivist principles and the recognition that many students are motivated by hands-on activities and field experiences, we designed a new undergraduate curriculum at Lake Superior State University. One of our major goals was to develop stand-alone field projects in most of the academic year courses. Examples of courses impacted include structural geology, geophysics, and geotectonics, Students learn geophysical concepts in the context of near surface field-based geophysical studies while students in structural geology learn about structural processes through outcrop study of fractures, folds and faults. In geotectonics students learn about collisional and rifting processes through on-site field studies of specific geologic provinces. Another goal was to integrate data and samples collected by students in our sophomore level introductory field course along with stand-alone field projects in our clastic systems and sequence stratigraphy courses. Our emphasis on active learning helps students develop a meaningful geoscience knowledge base and complex reasoning skills in authentic contexts. We simulate the activities of practicing geoscientists by engaging students in all aspects of a project, for example: field-oriented project planning and design; acquiring, analyzing, and interpreting data; incorporating supplemental material and background data; and preparing oral and written project reports. We find through anecdotal evidence including student comments and personal observation that the projects stimulate interest, provide motivation for learning new concepts, integrate skill and concept acquisition vertically through the curriculum, apply concepts from multiple geoscience subdisiplines, and develop soft skills such as team work, problem solving, critical thinking and communication skills. Through this projected-centered Lake Superior State University geology curriculum students practice our motto of "learn geology by doing geology."

Drone photogrammetry for geological research: field digital stratigraphic logs for turbiditic reservoir analog studies in Calabria, Southern Italy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guillois, Maxime; Brocheray, Sandra; Paron, Paolo

2017-04-01

Drone technology combined with new algorithms like Structure from Motion (SfM) has revived and expanded the uses of photogrammetry bringing new flexibility and the capacity to carry on close range photogrammetry to inaccessible areas. This characteristics are particularly appealing in field geology offering the option to reconstruct continuous digital outcrop models of vertical or difficult to reach outcrops. In this light we present the results of a digital outcrop modelling of a Miocene turbiditic system (mainly sandstone) in Calabria (Southern Italy) generated through field data collected by means of a light-weight commercial drone, a detailed geological field survey and cloud point photogrammetric analyses comparing different software for this purpose (Agisoft Photoscan, Drone deploy, Arc3D). The geological model has been used as an input for preliminary reservoir modelling. We generated digital geological sections (stratigraphic logs) of 1,200 m of sections using expert digital image and terrain model interprepation from the DTM generated with drone data, with the goal to reconstruct the real thickness of each layer. We then compared the results with previously created detailed field geological cross sections. The comparison between drone-derived sections and field-survey sections shows a global accuracy of the thickness ranging between 1% to 10%. Although this new methodology still has to be validated in other morpho-lithological context it already demonstrating its usefulness for preliminary geological outcrop investigation and modelling in remote areas. We also compared the different softwares used and we made recommendations for future deployment. This research has been made possible thanks to a collaboration between UNESCO-IHE, The Netherlands, and UniLaSalle Beauvais, France.

Geologic Map of the Mount Trumbull 30' X 60' Quadrangle, Mohave and Coconino Counties, Northwestern Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Billingsley, George H.; Wellmeyer, Jessica L.

2003-01-01

The geologic map of the Mount Trumbull 30' x 60' quadrangle is a cooperative product of the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management that provides geologic map coverage and regional geologic information for visitor services and resource management of Grand Canyon National Park, Lake Mead Recreational Area, and Grand Canyon Parashant National Monument, Arizona. This map is a compilation of previous and new geologic mapping that encompasses the Mount Trumbull 30' x 60' quadrangle of Arizona. This digital database, a compilation of previous and new geologic mapping, contains geologic data used to produce the 100,000-scale Geologic Map of the Mount Trumbull 30' x 60' Quadrangle, Mohave and Coconino Counties, Northwestern Arizona. The geologic features that were mapped as part of this project include: geologic contacts and faults, bedrock and surficial geologic units, structural data, fold axes, karst features, mines, and volcanic features. This map was produced using 1:24,000-scale 1976 infrared aerial photographs followed by extensive field checking. Volcanic rocks were mapped as separate units when identified on aerial photographs as mappable and distinctly separate units associated with one or more pyroclastic cones and flows. Many of the Quaternary alluvial deposits that have similar lithology but different geomorphic characteristics were mapped almost entirely by photogeologic methods. Stratigraphic position and amount of erosional degradation were used to determine relative ages of alluvial deposits having similar lithologies. Each map unit and structure was investigated in detail in the field to ensure accuracy of description. Punch-registered mylar sheets were scanned at the Flagstaff Field Center using an Optronics 5040 raster scanner at a resolution of 50 microns (508 dpi). The scans were output in .rle format, converted to .rlc, and then converted to ARC/INFO grids. A tic file was created in geographic coordinates and projected into the base map projection (Polyconic) using a central meridian of -113.500. The tic file was used to transform the grid into Universal Transverse Mercator projection. The linework was vectorized using gridline. Scanned lines were edited interactively in ArcEdit. Polygons were attributed in ArcEdit and all artifacts and scanning errors visible at 1:100,000 were removed. Point data were digitized onscreen. Due to the discovery of digital and geologic errors on the original files, the ARC/INFO coverages were converted to a personal geodatabase and corrected in ArcMap. The feature classes which define the geologic units, lines and polygons, are topologically related and maintained in the geodatabase by a set of validation rules. The internal database structure and feature attributes were then modified to match other geologic map databases being created for the Grand Canyon region. Faults were edited with the downthrown block, if known, on the 'right side' of the line. The 'right' and 'left' sides of a line are determined from 'starting' at the line's 'from node' and moving to the line's end or 'to node'.

Tethered acoustic doppler current profiler platforms for measuring streamflow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rehmel, Michael S.; Stewart, James A.; Morlock, Scott E.

2003-01-01

A tethered-platform design with a trimaran hull and 900-megahertz radio modems is now commercially available. Continued field use has resulted in U.S. Geological Survey procedures for making tethered-platform discharge measurements, including methods for tethered-boat deployment, moving-bed tests, and measurement of edge distances.

Uncertainty in structural interpretation: Lessons to be learnt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bond, Clare E.

2015-05-01

Uncertainty in the interpretation of geological data is an inherent element of geology. Datasets from different sources: remotely sensed seismic imagery, field data and borehole data, are often combined and interpreted to create a geological model of the sub-surface. The data have limited resolution and spatial distribution that results in uncertainty in the interpretation of the data and in the subsequent geological model(s) created. Methods to determine the extent of interpretational uncertainty of a dataset, how to capture and express that uncertainty, and consideration of uncertainties in terms of risk have been investigated. Here I review the work that has taken place and discuss best practice in accounting for uncertainties in structural interpretation workflows. Barriers to best practice are reflected on, including the use of software packages for interpretation. Experimental evidence suggests that minimising interpretation error through the use of geological reasoning and rules can help decrease interpretation uncertainty; through identification of inadmissible interpretations and in highlighting areas of uncertainty. Understanding expert thought processes and reasoning, including the use of visuospatial skills, during interpretation may aid in the identification of uncertainties, and in the education of new geoscientists.

A Hybrid Seismic Inversion Method for V P/V S Ratio and Its Application to Gas Identification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Qiang; Zhang, Hongbing; Han, Feilong; Xiao, Wei; Shang, Zuoping

2018-03-01

The ratio of compressional wave velocity to shear wave velocity (V P/V S ratio) has established itself as one of the most important parameters in identifying gas reservoirs. However, considering that seismic inversion process is highly non-linear and geological conditions encountered may be complex, a direct estimation of V P/V S ratio from pre-stack seismic data remains a challenging task. In this paper, we propose a hybrid seismic inversion method to estimate V P/V S ratio directly. In this method, post- and pre-stack inversions are combined in which the pre-stack inversion for V P/V S ratio is driven by the post-stack inversion results (i.e., V P and density). In particular, the V P/V S ratio is considered as a model parameter and is directly inverted from the pre-stack inversion based on the exact Zoeppritz equation. Moreover, anisotropic Markov random field is employed in order to regularise the inversion process as well as taking care of geological structures (boundaries) information. Aided by the proposed hybrid inversion strategy, the directional weighting coefficients incorporated in the anisotropic Markov random field neighbourhoods are quantitatively calculated by the anisotropic diffusion method. The synthetic test demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed inversion method. In particular, given low quality of the pre-stack data and high heterogeneity of the target layers in the field data, the proposed inversion method reveals the detailed model of V P/V S ratio that can successfully identify the gas-bearing zones.

Marine Geology and Geophysics Field Course Offered by The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duncan, D.; Davis, M. B.; Allison, M. A.; Gulick, S. P.; Goff, J. A.; Saustrup, S.

2012-12-01

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, part of the Jackson School of Geosciences, annually offers an intensive three-week marine geology and geophysics field course during the spring-summer intersession. Now in year six, the course provides hands-on instruction and training for graduate and upper-level undergraduate students in data acquisition, processing, interpretation, and visualization. Techniques covered include high-resolution seismic reflection, CHIRP sub-bottom profiling, multibeam bathymetry, sidescan sonar, several types of sediment coring, grab sampling, and the sedimentology of resulting seabed samples (e.g., core description, grain size analysis, x-radiography, etc.). Students participate in an initial period of classroom instruction designed to communicate geological context of the field area (which changes each year) along with theoretical and technical background on each field method. The class then travels to the Gulf Coast for a week of at-sea field work. Our field sites at Port Aransas and Galveston, Texas, and Grand Isle, Louisiana, have provided ideal locations for students to investigate coastal and sedimentary processes of the Gulf Coast and continental shelf through application of geophysical techniques. In the field, students rotate between two research vessels: one vessel, the 22' aluminum-hulled R/V Lake Itasca, owned and operated by UTIG, is used principally for multibeam bathymetry, sidescan sonar, and sediment sampling; the other, NOAA's R/V Manta or the R/V Acadiana, operated by the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, and is used primarily for high-resolution seismic reflection, CHIRP sub-bottom profiling, multibeam bathymetry, gravity coring, and vibrocoring. While at sea, students assist with survey design, learn instrumentation set up, acquisition parameters, data quality control, and safe instrument deployment and retrieval. In teams of three, students work in onshore field labs preparing sediment samples for particle size analysis and initial post-processing of geophysical data. During the course's final week, teams return to the classroom where they integrate, interpret, and visualize data in a final project using industry-standard software such as Focus, Landmark, Caris, and Fledermaus. The course concludes with a series of professional-level final presentations and discussions with academic and industry supporters in which students examine the geologic history and sedimentary processes of the studied area of the Gulf Coast continental shelf. After completion, students report a greater understanding of marine geology and geophysics through the course's intensive, hands-on, team approach and low instructor to student ratio (12 students, three faculty, and three teaching assistants). This course satisfies field experience requirements for some degree programs and thus provides a unique alternative to land-based field courses.

A field study of selected U.S. Geological Survey analytical methods for measuring pesticides in filtered stream water, June - September 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Martin, Jeffrey D.; Norman, Julia E.; Sandstrom, Mark W.; Rose, Claire E.

2017-09-06

U.S. Geological Survey monitoring programs extensively used two analytical methods, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, to measure pesticides in filtered water samples during 1992–2012. In October 2012, the monitoring programs began using direct aqueous-injection liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry as a new analytical method for pesticides. The change in analytical methods, however, has the potential to inadvertently introduce bias in analysis of datasets that span the change.A field study was designed to document performance of the new method in a variety of stream-water matrices and to quantify any potential changes in measurement bias or variability that could be attributed to changes in analytical methods. The goals of the field study were to (1) summarize performance (bias and variability of pesticide recovery) of the new method in a variety of stream-water matrices; (2) compare performance of the new method in laboratory blank water (laboratory reagent spikes) to that in a variety of stream-water matrices; (3) compare performance (analytical recovery) of the new method to that of the old methods in a variety of stream-water matrices; (4) compare pesticide detections and concentrations measured by the new method to those of the old methods in a variety of stream-water matrices; (5) compare contamination measured by field blank water samples in old and new methods; (6) summarize the variability of pesticide detections and concentrations measured by the new method in field duplicate water samples; and (7) identify matrix characteristics of environmental water samples that adversely influence the performance of the new method. Stream-water samples and a variety of field quality-control samples were collected at 48 sites in the U.S. Geological Survey monitoring networks during June–September 2012. Stream sites were located across the United States and included sites in agricultural and urban land-use settings, as well as sites on major rivers.The results of the field study identified several challenges for the analysis and interpretation of data analyzed by both old and new methods, particularly when data span the change in methods and are combined for analysis of temporal trends in water quality. The main challenges identified are large (greater than 30 percent), statistically significant differences in analytical recovery, detection capability, and (or) measured concentrations for selected pesticides. These challenges are documented and discussed, but specific guidance or statistical methods to resolve these differences in methods are beyond the scope of the report. The results of the field study indicate that the implications of the change in analytical methods must be assessed individually for each pesticide and method.Understanding the possible causes of the systematic differences in concentrations between methods that remain after recovery adjustment might be necessary to determine how to account for the differences in data analysis. Because recoveries for each method are independently determined from separate reference standards and spiking solutions, the differences might be due to an error in one of the reference standards or solutions or some other basic aspect of standard procedure in the analytical process. Further investigation of the possible causes is needed, which will lead to specific decisions on how to compensate for these differences in concentrations in data analysis. In the event that further investigations do not provide insight into the causes of systematic differences in concentrations between methods, the authors recommend continuing to collect and analyze paired environmental water samples by both old and new methods. This effort should be targeted to seasons, sites, and expected concentrations to supplement those concentrations already assessed and to compare the ongoing analytical recovery of old and new methods to those observed in the summer and fall of 2012.

Evaluation and design of a rain gauge network using a statistical optimization method in a severe hydro-geological hazard prone area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fattoruso, Grazia; Longobardi, Antonia; Pizzuti, Alfredo; Molinara, Mario; Marocco, Claudio; De Vito, Saverio; Tortorella, Francesco; Di Francia, Girolamo

2017-06-01

Rainfall data collection gathered in continuous by a distributed rain gauge network is instrumental to more effective hydro-geological risk forecasting and management services though the input estimated rainfall fields suffer from prediction uncertainty. Optimal rain gauge networks can generate accurate estimated rainfall fields. In this research work, a methodology has been investigated for evaluating an optimal rain gauges network aimed at robust hydrogeological hazard investigations. The rain gauges of the Sarno River basin (Southern Italy) has been evaluated by optimizing a two-objective function that maximizes the estimated accuracy and minimizes the total metering cost through the variance reduction algorithm along with the climatological variogram (time-invariant). This problem has been solved by using an enumerative search algorithm, evaluating the exact Pareto-front by an efficient computational time.

The roles of humans and robots as field geologists on the Moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spudis, Paul D.; Taylor, G. Jeffrey

1992-01-01

The geologic exploration of the Moon will be one of the primary scientific functions of any lunar base program. Geologic reconnaissance, the broad-scale characterization of processes and regions, is an ongoing effort that has already started and will continue after base establishment. Such reconnaissance is best done by remote sensing from lunar orbit and simple, automated, sample return missions of the Soviet Luna class. Field study, in contrast, requires intensive work capabilities and the guiding influence of human intelligence. We suggest that the most effective way to accomplish the goals of geologic field study on the Moon is through the use of teleoperated robots, under the direct control of a human geologists who remains at the lunar base, or possibly on Earth. These robots would have a global traverse range, could possess sensory abilities optimized for geologic field work, and would accomplish surface exploration goals without the safety and life support concerns attendance with the use of human geologists on the Moon. By developing the capability to explore any point on the Moon immediately after base establishment, the use of such teleoperated, robotic field geologists makes the single-site lunar base into a 'global' base from the viewpoint of geologic exploration.

Debates—Stochastic subsurface hydrology from theory to practice: A geologic perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fogg, Graham E.; Zhang, Yong

2016-12-01

A geologic perspective on stochastic subsurface hydrology offers insights on representativeness of prominent field experiments and their general relevance to other hydrogeologic settings. Although the gains in understanding afforded by some 30 years of research in stochastic hydrogeology have been important and even essential, adoption of the technologies and insights by practitioners has been limited, due in part to a lack of geologic context in both the field and theoretical studies. In general, unintentional, biased sampling of hydraulic conductivity (K) using mainly hydrologic, well-based methods has resulted in the tacit assumption by many in the community that the subsurface is much less heterogeneous than in reality. Origins of the bias range from perspectives that are limited by scale and the separation of disciplines (geology, soils, aquifer hydrology, groundwater hydraulics, etc.). Consequences include a misfit between stochastic hydrogeology research results and the needs of, for example, practitioners who are dealing with local plume site cleanup that is often severely hampered by very low velocities in the very aquitard facies that are commonly overlooked or missing from low-variance stochastic models or theories. We suggest that answers to many of the problems exposed by stochastic hydrogeology research can be found through greater geologic integration into the analyses, including the recognition of not only the nearly ubiquitously high variances of K but also the strong tendency for the good connectivity of the high-K facies when spatially persistent geologic unconformities are absent. We further suggest that although such integration may appear to make the contaminant transport problem more complex, expensive and intractable, it may in fact lead to greater simplification and more reliable, less expensive site characterizations and models.

Association between mapped vegetation and Quaternary geology on Santa Rosa Island, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cronkite-Ratcliff, C.; Corbett, S.; Schmidt, K. M.

2017-12-01

Vegetation and surficial geology are closely connected through the interface generally referred to as the critical zone. Not only do they influence each other, but they also provide clues into the effects of climate, topography, and hydrology on the earth's surface. This presentation describes quantitative analyses of the association between the recently compiled, independently generated vegetation and geologic map units on Santa Rosa Island, part of the Channel Islands National Park in Southern California. Santa Rosa Island was heavily grazed by sheep and cattle ranching for over one hundred years prior to its acquisition by the National Park Service. During this period, the island experienced significant erosion and spatial reduction and diversity of native plant species. Understanding the relationship between geology and vegetation is necessary for monitoring the recovery of native plant species, enhancing the viability of restoration sites, and understanding hydrologic conditions favorable for plant growth. Differences in grain size distribution and soil depth between geologic units support different plant communities through their influence on soil moisture, while differences in unit age reflect different degrees of pedogenic maturity. We find that unsupervised machine learning methods provide more informative insight into vegetation-geology associations than traditional measures such as Cramer's V and Goodman and Kruskal's lambda. Correspondence analysis shows that unique vegetation-geology patterns associated with beach/dune, grassland, hillslope/colluvial, and fluvial/wetland environments can be discerned from the data. By combining geology and vegetation with topographic variables, mixture models can be used to partition the landscape into multiple representative types, which then be compared with conceptual models of plant growth and succession over different landforms. Using this collection of methods, we show various ways that that Quaternary geology provides valuable information on the distribution of vegetation species in recovering ecosystems. Going forward, these analyses provide insights on favorable areas for natural and managed recovery of native vegetation species as well as criteria for future field sampling and monitoring.

Field Geophysics at SAGE: Strategies for Effective Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braile, L. W.; Baldridge, W. S.; Jiracek, G. R.; Biehler, S.; Ferguson, J. F.; Pellerin, L.; McPhee, D. K.; Bedrosian, P. A.; Snelson, C. M.; Hasterok, D. P.

2011-12-01

SAGE (Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience) is a unique program of education and research in geophysical field methods for undergraduate and graduate students from any university and for professionals. The core program is held for 4 weeks each summer in New Mexico and for an additional week in the following academic year in San Diego for U.S. undergraduates supported by the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. Since SAGE was initiated in 1983, 730 students have participated in the program. NSF REU funding for SAGE began in 1990 and 319 REU students have completed SAGE through 2011. The primary objectives of SAGE are to teach the major geophysical exploration methods (seismic, gravity, magnetics, electromagnetics); apply these methods to the solution of specific problems (environmental, archaeological, hydrologic, geologic structure and stratigraphy); gain experience in processing, modeling and interpretation of geophysical data; and integrate the geophysical models and interpretations with geology. Additional objectives of SAGE include conducting research on the Rio Grande rift of northern New Mexico, and providing information on geophysics careers and professional development experiences to SAGE participants. Successful education, field and research strategies that we have implemented over the years include: 1. learn by doing; 2. mix lecture/discussion, field work, data processing and analysis, modeling and interpretation, and presentation of results; 3. a two-tier team approach - method/technique oriented teams and interpretation/integration teams (where each team includes persons representing different methods), provides focus, in-depth study, opportunity for innovation, and promotes teamwork and a multi-disciplinary approach; 4. emphasis on presentations/reports - each team (and all team members) make presentation, each student completes a written report; 5. experiment design discussion - students help design field program and consider issues - safety, constraints, data quality/quantity, research objective, educational experience, survey parameters, why multidisciplinary?, etc.; 6. knowledge of multiple geophysical field methods (each student works with all methods); 7. information on geophysics careers and networking provided by industry visitors; 8. measures of success of the program include high rate of continuation to graduate school and careers in geophysics, support and feedback from industry participants and visitors, student evaluations at end of program, presentations at professional meetings, publications, and faculty evaluation of student work.

SEG and AAPG: common background, common problems, common future

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

Larner, K.

1989-03-01

Today, products of the geophysical method are considered indispensable for geologic interpretation in petroleum exploration. Few exploration case histories today lack the evidence of seismic data upon which structural and stratigraphic interpretations have been constrained. Likewise, during the deep recession that exploration has been experiencing, exploration geophysicists are increasingly realizing that their tools have value only to the extent that they can yield geological and reservoir information that is more directly relevant to oil finding and field development than in the past. Geophysicists are now preoccupied with more than just their wavelets, static correction, and migration. As the papers inmore » this session indicate, geophysicists are extending their technology to estimate lithology, fluid content, monitoring of EOR efforts, and characterization and development of reservoirs. The three-dimensional seismic method, for example, is being brought right to the borehole with the use of the drill bit as the energy source. The futures of their two societies and their members are fully intertwined. Geologists and petroleum engineers who wish to gain considerably more information, cost-effectively, about their prospects, fields, and reservoirs must stay in touch with the exciting new developments from the geophysical community. Equally, geophysicists can maintain their relevance to oil finding only by staying closely in touch with developments in understanding of geology and the reservoir, and with the working interests and needs of geologists and petroleum engineers.« less

Cavity detection and delineation research. Part 1: Microgravimetric and magnetic surveys: Medford Cave Site, Florida

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, D. K.

1982-03-01

This report reviews the scope of a research effort initiated in 1974 at the U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station with the objectives of (a) assessing the state of the art in geophysical cavity detection and delineation methodology and (b) developing new methods and improving or adapting old methods for application to cavity detection and delineation. Two field test sites were selected: (a) the Medford Cave site with a relatively shallow (10- to 50-ft-deep) air-filled cavity system and (b) the Manatee Springs site with a deeper (approximately 100-ft-deep) water-filled cavity system. Results of field studies at the Medford Cave site are presented in this report: (a) the site geology, (b) the site topographic survey, (c) the site drilling program (boreholes for geophysical tests, for determination of a detailed geological cross section, and for verification of geophysical anomalies), (d) details of magnetic and microgravimetric surveys, and (e) correlation of geophysical results with known site geology. Qualitative interpretation guidelines using complementary geophysical techniques for site investigations in karst regions are presented. Including the results of electrical resistivity surveys conducted at the Medford Cave site, the qualitative guidelines are applied to four profile lines, and drilling locations are indicated on the profile plots of gravity, magnetic, and electrical resistivity data. Borehole logs are then presented for comparison with the predictions of the qualitative interpretation guidelines.

Field trip to Nevada test site

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1976-01-01

Two road logs guide the reader through the geologic scene from Las Vegas to Mercury and from Mercury through eight stops on the Nevada Test Site. Maps and cross sections depict the geology and hydrology of the area. Included among the tables is one showing the stratigraphic units in the southwestern Nevada volcanic field and another that lists the geologic maps covering the Nevada Test Site and vicinity. The relation of the geologic environment to nuclear-explosion effects is alluded to in brief discussions of collapse, surface subsidence, and cratering resulting from underground nuclear explosions.

Electromagnetic geophysical observation with controlled source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hachay, Olga; Khachay, Oleg

2016-04-01

In the paper the new theoretical and methodical approaches are examined for detailed investigations of the structure and state of the geological medium, and its behavior as a dynamic system in reaction to external man-made influences. To solve this problem it is necessary to use geophysical methods that have sufficient resolution and that are built on more complicated models than layered or layered-block models. One of these methods is the electromagnetic induction frequency-geometrical method with controlled sources. Here we consider new approaches using this method for monitoring rock shock media by means of natural experiments and interpretation of the practical results. That method can be used by oil production in mines, where the same events of non stability can occur. The key ideas of twenty first century geophysics from the point of view of geologist academician A.N. Dmitrievskiy [Dmitrievskiy, 2009] are as follows. "The geophysics of the twenty first century is an understanding that the Earth is a self-developing, self-supporting geo-cybernetic system, in which the role of the driving mechanism is played by the field gradients; the evolution of geological processes is a continuous chain of transformations and the interaction of geophysical fields in the litho- hydro- and atmosphere. The use of geophysical principles of a hierarchical quantum of geophysical space, non-linear effects, and the effects of reradiating geophysical fields will allow the creation of a new geophysics. The research, in which earlier only pure geophysical processes and technologies were considered, nowadays tends to include into consideration geophysical-chemical processes and technologies. This transformation will allow us to solve the problems of forecasting geo-objects and geo-processes in previously unavailable geological-technological conditions." The results obtained allow us to make the following conclusions, according to the key ideas of academician A.N. Dmitrievskiy: the rock massif is a multi-ranked hierarchical structure. Research of the massif state dynamics, its structure and the effects of self-organization in it can be provided by geophysical methods, which are built upon the model of such medium. The use of the planshet multi-level induction electromagnetic method with a controlled source of excitation and a corresponding method of processing and interpretation has allowed us to reveal the disintegration zones which are indicators of massif stability and understand the causes of low productivity of oil recovery from boreholes.

A reconnaissance space sensing investigation of crustal structure for a strip from the eastern Sierra Nevada to the Colorado Plateau

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bechtold, I. C. (Principal Investigator); Liggett, M. L.; Childs, J. F.

1973-01-01

There are no author-identified significant results in this report. Research progress in applications of ERTS-1 MSS imagery in study of Basin-Range tectonics is summarized. Field reconnaissance of ERTS-1 image anomalies has resulted in recognition of previously unreported fault zones and regional structural control of volcanic and plutonic activity. NIMBUS, Apollo 9, X-15, U-2, and SLAR imagery are discussed with specific applications, and methods of image enhancement and analysis employed in the research are summarized. Areas studied and methods employed in geologic field work are outlined.

For geological investigations with airborne thermal infrared multispectral images: Transfer of calibration from laboratory spectrometer to TIMS as alternative for removing atmospheric effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edgett, Kenneth S.; Anderson, Donald L.

1995-01-01

This paper describes an empirical method to correct TIMS (Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner) data for atmospheric effects by transferring calibration from a laboratory thermal emission spectrometer to the TIMS multispectral image. The method does so by comparing the laboratory spectra of samples gathered in the field with TIMS 6-point spectra for pixels at the location of field sampling sites. The transference of calibration also makes it possible to use spectra from the laboratory as endmembers in unmixing studies of TIMS data.

Digital Geological Mapping for Earth Science Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

England, Richard; Smith, Sally; Tate, Nick; Jordan, Colm

2010-05-01

This SPLINT (SPatial Literacy IN Teaching) supported project is developing pedagogies for the introduction of teaching of digital geological mapping to Earth Science students. Traditionally students are taught to make geological maps on a paper basemap with a notebook to record their observations. Learning to use a tablet pc with GIS based software for mapping and data recording requires emphasis on training staff and students in specific GIS and IT skills and beneficial adjustments to the way in which geological data is recorded in the field. A set of learning and teaching materials are under development to support this learning process. Following the release of the British Geological Survey's Sigma software we have been developing generic methodologies for the introduction of digital geological mapping to students that already have experience of mapping by traditional means. The teaching materials introduce the software to the students through a series of structured exercises. The students learn the operation of the software in the laboratory by entering existing observations, preferably data that they have collected. Through this the students benefit from being able to reflect on their previous work, consider how it might be improved and plan new work. Following this they begin fieldwork in small groups using both methods simultaneously. They are able to practise what they have learnt in the classroom and review the differences, advantages and disadvantages of the two methods, while adding to the work that has already been completed. Once the field exercises are completed students use the data that they have collected in the production of high quality map products and are introduced to the use of integrated digital databases which they learn to search and extract information from. The relatively recent development of the technologies which underpin digital mapping also means that many academic staff also require training before they are able to deliver the course materials. Consequently, a set of staff training materials are being developed in parallel to those for the students. These focus on the operation of the software and an introduction to the structure of the exercises. The presentation will review the teaching exercises and student and staff responses to their introduction.

3-D reservoir characterization of the House Creek oil field, Powder River Basin, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Higley, Debra K.; Pantea, Michael P.; Slatt, Roger M.

1997-01-01

This CD-ROM is intended to serve a broad audience. An important purpose is to explain geologic and geochemical factors that control petroleum production from the House Creek Field. This information may serve as an analog for other marine-ridge sandstone reservoirs. The 3-D slide and movie images are tied to explanations and 2-D geologic and geochemical images to visualize geologic structures in three dimensions, explain the geologic significance of porosity/permeability distribution across the sandstone bodies, and tie this to petroleum production characteristics in the oil field. Movies, text, images including scanning electron photomicrographs (SEM), thin-section photomicrographs, and data files can be copied from the CD-ROM for use in external mapping, statistical, and other applications.

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

Ernest A. Mancini

The University of Alabama in cooperation with Texas A&M University, McGill University, Longleaf Energy Group, Strago Petroleum Corporation, and Paramount Petroleum Company are undertaking an integrated, interdisciplinary geoscientific and engineering research project. The project is designed to characterize and model reservoir architecture, pore systems and rock-fluid interactions at the pore to field scale in Upper Jurassic Smackover reef and carbonate shoal reservoirs associated with varying degrees of relief on pre-Mesozoic basement paleohighs in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. The project effort includes the prediction of fluid flow in carbonate reservoirs through reservoir simulation modeling that utilizes geologic reservoir characterization andmore » modeling and the prediction of carbonate reservoir architecture, heterogeneity and quality through seismic imaging. The primary objective of the project is to increase the profitability, producibility and efficiency of recovery of oil from existing and undiscovered Upper Jurassic fields characterized by reef and carbonate shoals associated with pre-Mesozoic basement paleohighs. The principal research effort for Year 3 of the project has been reservoir characterization, 3-D modeling, testing of the geologic-engineering model, and technology transfer. This effort has included six tasks: (1) the study of seismic attributes, (2) petrophysical characterization, (3) data integration, (4) the building of the geologic-engineering model, (5) the testing of the geologic-engineering model and (6) technology transfer. This work was scheduled for completion in Year 3. Progress on the project is as follows: geoscientific reservoir characterization is completed. The architecture, porosity types and heterogeneity of the reef and shoal reservoirs at Appleton and Vocation Fields have been characterized using geological and geophysical data. The study of rock-fluid interactions has been completed. Observations regarding the diagenetic processes influencing pore system development and heterogeneity in these reef and shoal reservoirs have been made. Petrophysical and engineering property characterization has been completed. Porosity and permeability data at Appleton and Vocation Fields have been analyzed, and well performance analysis has been conducted. Data integration is up to date, in that, the geological, geophysical, petrophysical and engineering data collected to date for Appleton and Vocation Fields have been compiled into a fieldwide digital database. 3-D geologic modeling of the structures and reservoirs at Appleton and Vocation Fields has been completed. The models represent an integration of geological, petrophysical and seismic data. 3-D reservoir simulation of the reservoirs at Appleton and Vocation Fields has been completed. The 3-D geologic models served as the framework for the simulations. The geologic-engineering models of the Appleton and Vocation Field reservoirs have been developed. These models are being tested. The geophysical interpretation for the paleotopographic feature being tested has been made, and the study of the data resulting from drilling of a well on this paleohigh is in progress. Numerous presentations on reservoir characterization and modeling at Appleton and Vocation Fields have been made at professional meetings and conferences and a short course on microbial reservoir characterization and modeling based on these fields has been prepared.« less

Automatic fault tracing of active faults in the Sutlej valley (NW-Himalayas, India)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janda, C.; Faber, R.; Hager, C.; Grasemann, B.

2003-04-01

In the Sutlej Valley the Lesser Himalayan Crystalline Sequence (LHCS) is actively extruding between the Munsiari Thrust (MT) at the base, and the Karcham Normal Fault (KNF) at the top. The clear evidences for ongoing deformation are brittle faults in Holocene lake deposits, hot springs activity near the faults and dramatically younger cooling ages within the LHCS (Vannay and Grasemann, 2001). Because these brittle fault zones obviously influence the morphology in the field we developed a new method for automatically tracing the intersections of planar fault geometries with digital elevation models (Faber, 2002). Traditional mapping techniques use structure contours (i.e. lines or curves connecting points of equal elevation on a geological structure) in order to construct intersections of geological structures with topographic maps. However, even if the geological structure is approximated by a plane and therefore structure contours are equally spaced lines, this technique is rather time consuming and inaccurate, because errors are cumulative. Drawing structure contours by hand makes it also impossible to slightly change the azimuth and dip direction of the favoured plane without redrawing everything from the beginning on. However, small variations of the fault position which are easily possible by either inaccuracies of measurement in the field or small local variations in the trend and/or dip of the fault planes can have big effects on the intersection with topography. The developed method allows to interactively view intersections in a 2D and 3D mode. Unlimited numbers of planes can be moved separately in 3 dimensions (translation and rotation) and intersections with the topography probably following morphological features can be mapped. Besides the increase of efficiency this method underlines the shortcoming of classical lineament extraction ignoring the dip of planar structures. Using this method, areas of active faulting influencing the morphology, can be mapped near the MT and the KNF suggesting that the most active zones are restricted to the Sutlej Valley. Faber R., 2002: WinGeol - Software for Analyzing and Visualization of Geological data, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Vienna. Vannay, J.-C., Grasemann, B., 2001. Himalayan inverted metamorphism and syn-convergence extension as a consequence of a general shear extrusion. Geol. Mag. 138 (3), 253-276.

Real-time specific surface area measurements via laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Washburn, Kathryn E.; Birdwell, Justin E.; Howard, James E.

2017-01-01

From healthcare to cosmetics to environmental science, the specific surface area (SSA) of micro- and mesoporous materials or products can greatly affect their chemical and physical properties. SSA results are also widely used to examine source rocks in conventional and unconventional petroleum resource plays. Despite its importance, current methods to measure SSA are often cumbersome, time-consuming, or require cryogenic consumables (e.g., liquid nitrogen). These methods are not amenable to high-throughput environments, have stringent sample preparation requirements, and are not practical for use in the field. We present a new application of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for rapid measurement of SSA. This study evaluates geological samples, specifically organic-rich oil shales, but the approach is expected to be applicable to many other types of materials. The method uses optical emission spectroscopy to examine laser-generated plasma and quantify the amount of argon adsorbed to a sample during an inert gas purge. The technique can accommodate a wide range of sample sizes and geometries and has the potential for field use. These advantages for SSA measurement combined with the simultaneous acquisition of composition information make this a promising new approach for characterizing geologic samples and other materials.

Annotated bibliography of selected publications, through 1996, Cheyenne municipal well field areas, Cheyenne, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ogle, K.M.; Jordan, B.J.

1997-01-01

Annotated bibliographies for 55 hydrology and geology manuscripts pertaining to the Cheyenne municipal wells fields are listed in this report. For each manuscript, a citation is provided, a summaryparagraph is presented, key words are listed, and a location of the report is given. The report lists manuscripts, conference proceedings, and guidebooks published by the U. S. Geological Survey, State of Wyoming, Geological Society of America, Wyoming State Geological Survey,private consultants, and University of Wyoming.Information on geological formations, structural geology, aquifer characteristics, water levels, well- field production, water-demand projections, and water quality is included in the manuscripts. The Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities, the University of Wyoming, and the U. S. Geological Surveycooperatively produced this annotated bibliography to allow easy access and efficient utilization of existing data. The manuscripts were authored between 1910 and 1996, reflecting work completed over a long period of development in the Cheyenne, Wyoming area. Some manuscripts did not receive broad distribution and indexing, thus they have been difficult to locate in the past. By having the references and summaries within one report, time and effort to gather previous study results will be minimized.

Integrated characterization of the geologic framework of a contaminated site in West Trenton, New Jersey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellefsen, Karl J.; Burton, William C.; Lacombe, Pierre J.

2012-01-01

Fractured sedimentary bedrock and groundwater at the former Naval Air Warfare Center in West Trenton, New Jersey (United States of America) are contaminated with chlorinated solvents. Predicting contaminant migration or removing the contaminants requires an understanding of the geology. Consequently, the geologic framework near the site was characterized with four different methods having different spatial scales: geologic field mapping, analyses of bedrock drill core, analyses of soil and regolith, and S-wave refraction surveys. A fault zone is in the southeast corner of the site and separates two distinct sedimentary formations; the fault zone dips (steeply) southeasterly, strikes northeasterly, and extends at least 550 m along its strike direction. Drill core from the fault zone is extensively brecciated and includes evidence of tectonic contraction. Approximately 300 m east of this fault zone is another fault zone, which offsets the contact between the two sedimentary formations. The S-wave refraction surveys identified both fault zones beneath soil and regolith and thereby provided constraints on their lateral extent and location.

Correlation Between Geological Stuctures and Gas Hydrate amount Offshore the South Shetland Island — Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loreto, M. F.; Tinivella, U.; Accaino, F.; Giustiniani, M.

2010-05-01

Sediments of the accretionary prism, present along the continental margin of the Peninsula Antarctica SW of Elephant Island, are filled by gas hydrates as evidenced by a strong BSR. A multidisciplinary geophysical dataset, represented by seismic data, multibeam, chirp profiles, CTD and core samples, was acquired during three oceanographic cruises. The estimation of gas hydrate and free gas concentrations is based on the P-wave velocity analysis. In order to extract a detailed and reliable velocity field, we have developed and optimized a procedure that includes the pre-stack depth migration to determine, iteratively and with a layer stripping approach method, the velocity field and the depth-migrated seismic section. The final velocity field is then translated in terms of gas hydrate and free gas amounts by using theoretical approaches. Several seismic sections have been processed in the investigated area. The final 2D velocity sections have been translated in gas-phase concentration sections, considering the gas distribution within sediments both uniformly and patchly distributed. The free gas layer is locally present and, consequently, the base of the free gas reflector was identified only in some lines or part of them. The hydrate layer shows important lateral variations of hydrate concentration in correspondence of geological features, such as faults and folds. The intense fluid migration along faults and different fluid accumulation in correspondence of geological structures can control the gas hydrate concentration and modify the geothermal field in the surrounding area.

Introducing Field-Based Geologic Research Using Soil Geomorphology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eppes, Martha Cary

2009-01-01

A field-based study of soils and the factors that influence their development is a strong, broad introduction to geologic concepts and research. A course blueprint is detailed where students design and complete a semester-long field-based soil geomorphology project. Students are first taught basic soil concepts and to describe soil, sediment and…

The intellectual information system for management of geological and technical arrangements during oil field exploitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markov, N. G.; E Vasilyeva, E.; Evsyutkin, I. V.

2017-01-01

The intellectual information system for management of geological and technical arrangements during oil fields exploitation is developed. Service-oriented architecture of its software is a distinctive feature of the system. The results of the cluster analysis of real field data received by means of this system are shown.

Field Geologic Observation and Sample Collection Strategies for Planetary Surface Exploration: Insights from the 2010 Desert RATS Geologist Crewmembers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurtado, Jose M., Jr.; Young, Kelsey; Bleacher, Jacob E.; Garry, W. Brent; Rice, James W., Jr.

2012-01-01

Observation is the primary role of all field geologists, and geologic observations put into an evolving conceptual context will be the most important data stream that will be relayed to Earth during a planetary exploration mission. Sample collection is also an important planetary field activity, and its success is closely tied to the quality of contextual observations. To test protocols for doing effective planetary geologic field- work, the Desert RATS(Research and Technology Studies) project deployed two prototype rovers for two weeks of simulated exploratory traverses in the San Francisco volcanic field of northern Arizona. The authors of this paper represent the geologist crew members who participated in the 2010 field test.We document the procedures adopted for Desert RATS 2010 and report on our experiences regarding these protocols. Careful consideration must be made of various issues that impact the interplay between field geologic observations and sample collection, including time management; strategies relatedtoduplicationofsamplesandobservations;logisticalconstraintson the volume and mass of samples and the volume/transfer of data collected; and paradigms for evaluation of mission success. We find that the 2010 field protocols brought to light important aspects of each of these issues, and we recommend best practices and modifications to training and operational protocols to address them. Underlying our recommendations is the recognition that the capacity of the crew to flexibly execute their activities is paramount. Careful design of mission parameters, especially field geologic protocols, is critical for enabling the crews to successfully meet their science objectives.

Geology Field Trips as Performance Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bentley, Callan

2009-01-01

One of the most important goals the author has for students in his introductory-level physical geology course is to give them the conceptual skills for solving geologic problems on their own. He wants students to leave his course as individuals who can use their knowledge of geologic processes and logic to figure out the extended geologic history…

Apollo 16 prime and backup crewmen during geological field trip in New Mexico

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-09-09

Dr. Lee Silver (pointing foregroung), California Institute of Technology, calls a geological feature near Taos, New Mexico, to the attention of Apollo 16 prime and backup crewmen during a geological field trip. The crewmen, from left to right, are Astronauts Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; Fred W. Haise Jr., backup commander; Edgar D. Mitchell, backup Lunar Module pilot; and John W. Young, commander.

Probabilistic inversion with graph cuts: Application to the Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pirot, Guillaume; Linde, Niklas; Mariethoz, Grégoire; Bradford, John H.

2017-02-01

Inversion methods that build on multiple-point statistics tools offer the possibility to obtain model realizations that are not only in agreement with field data, but also with conceptual geological models that are represented by training images. A recent inversion approach based on patch-based geostatistical resimulation using graph cuts outperforms state-of-the-art multiple-point statistics methods when applied to synthetic inversion examples featuring continuous and discontinuous property fields. Applications of multiple-point statistics tools to field data are challenging due to inevitable discrepancies between actual subsurface structure and the assumptions made in deriving the training image. We introduce several amendments to the original graph cut inversion algorithm and present a first-ever field application by addressing porosity estimation at the Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site, Boise, Idaho. We consider both a classical multi-Gaussian and an outcrop-based prior model (training image) that are in agreement with available porosity data. When conditioning to available crosshole ground-penetrating radar data using Markov chain Monte Carlo, we find that the posterior realizations honor overall both the characteristics of the prior models and the geophysical data. The porosity field is inverted jointly with the measurement error and the petrophysical parameters that link dielectric permittivity to porosity. Even though the multi-Gaussian prior model leads to posterior realizations with higher likelihoods, the outcrop-based prior model shows better convergence. In addition, it offers geologically more realistic posterior realizations and it better preserves the full porosity range of the prior.

Standard procedures and quality-control practices for the U.S. Geological Survey National Field Quality Assurance Program from 1982 through 1993

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanley, D.L.

1995-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey operates the National Field Quality Assurance Program to provide quality- assurance reference samples to field personnel who make water-quality field measurements. The program monitors the accuracy and precision of pH, specific conductance, and alkalinity field measurements. This report documents the operational procedures and quality-control techniques used in operating the quality-assurance program.

Improving Thin Bed Identification in Sarawak Basin Field using Short Time Fourier Transform Half Cepstrum (STFTHC) method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nizarul, O.; Hermana, M.; Bashir, Y.; Ghosh, D. P.

2016-02-01

In delineating complex subsurface geological feature, broad band of frequencies are needed to unveil the often hidden features of hydrocarbon basin such as thin bedding. The ability to resolve thin geological horizon on seismic data is recognized to be a fundamental importance for hydrocarbon exploration, seismic interpretation and reserve prediction. For thin bedding, high frequency content is needed to enable tuning, which can be done by applying the band width extension technique. This paper shows an application of Short Time Fourier Transform Half Cepstrum (STFTHC) method, a frequency bandwidth expansion technique for non-stationary seismic signal in increasing the temporal resolution to uncover thin beds and improve characterization of the basin. A wedge model and synthetic seismic data is used to quantify the algorithm as well as real data from Sarawak basin were used to show the effectiveness of this method in enhancing the resolution.

Measuring resistivity changes from within a first cased well to monitor fluids injected into oil bearing geological formations from a second cased well while passing electrical current between the two cased wells

DOEpatents

Vail, III, William B.

1993-01-01

A.C. current is conducted through geological formations separating two cased wells in an oil field undergoing enhanced oil recovery operations such as water flooding operations. Methods and apparatus are disclosed to measure the current leakage conducted into a geological formation from within a first cased well that is responsive to fluids injected into formation from a second cased well during the enhanced oil production activities. The current leakage and apparent resistivity measured within the first cased well are responsive to fluids injected into formation from the second cased well provided the distance of separation between the two cased wells is less than, or on the order of, a Characteristic Length appropriate for the problem.

Measuring resistivity changes from within a first cased well to monitor fluids injected into oil bearing geological formations from a second cased well while passing electrical current between the two cased wells

DOEpatents

Vail, W.B. III.

1993-02-16

A.C. current is conducted through geological formations separating two cased wells in an oil field undergoing enhanced oil recovery operations such as water flooding operations. Methods and apparatus are disclosed to measure the current leakage conducted into a geological formation from within a first cased well that is responsive to fluids injected into formation from a second cased well during the enhanced oil production activities. The current leakage and apparent resistivity measured within the first cased well are responsive to fluids injected into formation from the second cased well provided the distance of separation between the two cased wells is less than, or on the order of, a Characteristic Length appropriate for the problem.

Potassium-argon (argon-argon), structural fabrics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cosca, Michael A.; Rink, W. Jack; Thompson, Jereon

2014-01-01

Definition: 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of structural fabrics: The application of 40Ar/39Ar methods to date development of structural fabrics in geologic samples. Introduction: Structural fabrics develop during rock deformation at variable pressures (P), temperatures (T), fluid compositions (X), and time (t). Structural fabrics are represented in rocks by features such as foliations and shear zones developed at the mm to km scale. In ideal cases, the P-T-X history of a given structural fabric can be constrained using stable isotope, cation exchange, and/or mineral equilibria thermobarometry (Essene 1989). The timing of structural fabric development can be assessed qualitatively using geologic field observations or quantitatively using isotope-based geochronology. High-precision geochronology of the thermal and fluid flow histories associated with structural fabric development can answer fundamental geologic questions including (1) when hydrothermal fluids transported and deposited ore minerals, ...

Use of the Fracture Continuum Model for Numerical Modeling of Flow and Transport of Deep Geologic Disposal of Nuclear Waste in Crystalline Rock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadgu, T.; Kalinina, E.; Klise, K. A.; Wang, Y.

2015-12-01

Numerical modeling of disposal of nuclear waste in a deep geologic repository in fractured crystalline rock requires robust characterization of fractures. Various methods for fracture representation in granitic rocks exist. In this study we used the fracture continuum model (FCM) to characterize fractured rock for use in the simulation of flow and transport in the far field of a generic nuclear waste repository located at 500 m depth. The FCM approach is a stochastic method that maps the permeability of discrete fractures onto a regular grid. The method generates permeability fields using field observations of fracture sets. The original method described in McKenna and Reeves (2005) was designed for vertical fractures. The method has since then been extended to incorporate fully three-dimensional representations of anisotropic permeability, multiple independent fracture sets, and arbitrary fracture dips and orientations, and spatial correlation (Kalinina et al. 20012, 2014). For this study the numerical code PFLOTRAN (Lichtner et al., 2015) has been used to model flow and transport. PFLOTRAN solves a system of generally nonlinear partial differential equations describing multiphase, multicomponent and multiscale reactive flow and transport in porous materials. The code is designed to run on massively parallel computing architectures as well as workstations and laptops (e.g. Hammond et al., 2011). Benchmark tests were conducted to simulate flow and transport in a specified model domain. Distributions of fracture parameters were used to generate a selected number of realizations. For each realization, the FCM method was used to generate a permeability field of the fractured rock. The PFLOTRAN code was then used to simulate flow and transport in the domain. Simulation results and analysis are presented. The results indicate that the FCM approach is a viable method to model fractured crystalline rocks. The FCM is a computationally efficient way to generate realistic representation of complex fracture systems. This approach is of interest for nuclear waste disposal models applied over large domains.

What Motivates Introductory Geology Students to Study for an Exam?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lukes, Laura A.; McConnell, David A.

2014-01-01

There is a need to understand why some students succeed and persist in STEM fields and others do not. While numerous studies have focused on the positive results of using empirically validated teaching methods in introductory science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses, little data has been collected about the student experience in…

Field-Scale Modeling of Local Capillary Trapping During CO2 Injection into a Saline Aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, B.; Lake, L. W.; Bryant, S. L.

2015-12-01

Local capillary trapping is the small-scale (10-2 to 10+1 m) CO2 trapping that is caused by the capillary pressure heterogeneity. The benefit of LCT, applied specially to CO2 sequestration, is that saturation of stored CO2 is larger than the residual gas, yet these CO2 are not susceptible to leakage through failed seals. Thus quantifying the extent of local capillary trapping is valuable in design and risk assessment of geologic storage projects. Modeling local capillary trapping is computationally expensive and may even be intractable using a conventional reservoir simulator. In this paper, we propose a novel method to model local capillary trapping by combining geologic criteria and connectivity analysis. The connectivity analysis originally developed for characterizing well-to-reservoir connectivity is adapted to this problem by means of a newly defined edge weight property between neighboring grid blocks, which accounts for the multiphase flow properties, injection rate, and gravity effect. Then the connectivity is estimated from shortest path algorithm to predict the CO2 migration behavior and plume shape during injection. A geologic criteria algorithm is developed to estimate the potential local capillary traps based only on the entry capillary pressure field. The latter is correlated to a geostatistical realization of permeability field. The extended connectivity analysis shows a good match of CO2 plume computed by the full-physics simulation. We then incorporate it into the geologic algorithm to quantify the amount of LCT structures identified within the entry capillary pressure field that can be filled during CO2 injection. Several simulations are conducted in the reservoirs with different level of heterogeneity (measured by the Dykstra-Parsons coefficient) under various injection scenarios. We find that there exists a threshold Dykstra-Parsons coefficient, below which low injection rate gives rise to more LCT; whereas higher injection rate increases LCT in heterogeneous reservoirs. Both the geologic algorithm and connectivity analysis are very fast; therefore, the integrated methodology can be used as a quick tool to estimate local capillary trapping. It can also be used as a potential complement to the full-physics simulation to evaluate safe storage capacity.

Teaching Geology in Situ: Modern Approaches and Perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakhmenkulova, I. F.

2014-12-01

Geology and Geophysics Department of Novosibirsk State University (GGD NSU) is famous not only because of its specific location in Academgorodok (Novosibirsk, Russia) but because of its unique traditions: - conception of permanent geology education (starting from school to scientific research for postgraduate programs) - flexible curricula allowing students to be involved in research from the second year of study - field trips covering not only famous geologic objects in Siberia (Baikal, Siberian Traps, Altay, etc.), but places all over the world. GGD students traditionally participate in the following field trips: Altay (after the first year of study), Shira (Krasnoyarsk Krai) (after the second year of study). Further field trips are real research projects and cover various places in Siberia, Russia and other countries (China, Africa, USA, Mongolia, etc.). Shira field camp is of specific interest not only because of its various geology and interesting location (it is located in the resort area surrounded by beautiful landscapes, fresh and salt lakes of various salinity) but infrastructure. This year the Top 100 Project allows the department to upgrade the camp and therefore use it not only for field trips, but for other various purposes including international conferences, research projects, geo- and ecotourism. GGD NSU is ready to be involved into research, exchange educational programs and other projects (both domestically and internationally) based on the renewed Shira field camp.

Applying TM-polarization geoelectric exploration for study of low-contrast three-dimensional targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zlobinskiy, Arkadiy; Mogilatov, Vladimir; Shishmarev, Roman

2018-03-01

With using new field and theoretical data, it has been shown that applying the electromagnetic field of transverse magnetic (TM) polarization will give new opportunities for electrical prospecting by the method of transient processes. Only applying a pure field of the TM polarization permits poor three-dimensional objects (required metalliferous deposits) to be revealed in a host horizontally-layered medium. This position has good theoretical grounds. There is given the description of the transient electromagnetic method, that uses only the TM polarization field. The pure TM mode is excited by a special source, which is termed as a circular electric dipole (CED). The results of three-dimensional simulation (by the method of finite elements) are discussed for three real geological situations for which applying electromagnetic fields of transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarizations are compared. It has been shown that applying the TE mode gives no positive results, while applying the TM polarization field permits the problem to be tackled. Finally, the results of field works are offered, which showed inefficiency of application of the classical TEM method, whereas in contrast, applying the field of TM polarization makes it easy to identify the target.

Alaska and Yukon magnetic compilation, residual total magnetic field

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miles, W.; Saltus, Richard W.; Hayward, N.; Oneschuk, D.

2017-01-01

This map is a compilation of aeromagnetic surveys over Yukon and eastern Alaska. Aeromagnetic surveys measure the total intensity of the earth's magnetic field. The field was measured by a magnetometer aboard an aircraft flown in parallel lines spaced at 200 m to 10000 m across the map area. The magnetic field reflects magnetic properties of bedrock and provides qualitative and quantitative information used in geological mapping. Understanding the geology will help geologists map the area, assist mineral/hydrocarbon exploration activities, and provide useful information necessary for communities, aboriginal associations, and government to make land use decisions. This survey was flown to improve our knowledge of the area. It will support ongoing geological mapping and resource assessment.

The efieldbook program: A teaching resource for geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vacas Peña, José Manuel; Chamoso, José M.; Urones, Carmen

2011-04-01

The eFieldBook program is a geology teaching tool with high didactic potential that guides a student's work in the field using multimedia and other resources. This program allows the collection of geo-referenced geological information as well as its storage and transmission, if necessary, as soon as it is collected. The data can be collected as in traditional field notebooks or on maps and photographs. The information can be used as soon as it is collected and can be exported to other programs such as Word, Excel, Georient or statistical packages. eFieldBook safely stores and backs up user information by sending any data collected to a selected Internet target at regular time intervals.

Comparison of four approaches to a rock facies classification problem

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dubois, M.K.; Bohling, Geoffrey C.; Chakrabarti, S.

2007-01-01

In this study, seven classifiers based on four different approaches were tested in a rock facies classification problem: classical parametric methods using Bayes' rule, and non-parametric methods using fuzzy logic, k-nearest neighbor, and feed forward-back propagating artificial neural network. Determining the most effective classifier for geologic facies prediction in wells without cores in the Panoma gas field, in Southwest Kansas, was the objective. Study data include 3600 samples with known rock facies class (from core) with each sample having either four or five measured properties (wire-line log curves), and two derived geologic properties (geologic constraining variables). The sample set was divided into two subsets, one for training and one for testing the ability of the trained classifier to correctly assign classes. Artificial neural networks clearly outperformed all other classifiers and are effective tools for this particular classification problem. Classical parametric models were inadequate due to the nature of the predictor variables (high dimensional and not linearly correlated), and feature space of the classes (overlapping). The other non-parametric methods tested, k-nearest neighbor and fuzzy logic, would need considerable improvement to match the neural network effectiveness, but further work, possibly combining certain aspects of the three non-parametric methods, may be justified. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous Analyses and Applications of Multiple Fluorobenzoate and Halide Tracers in Hydrologic Studies

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

Hu, Q; Moran, J E

2004-01-22

An analytical method that employs ion chromatography has been developed to more fully exploit the use of fluorobenzoic acids (FBAs) and halides as hydrologic tracers. In a single run, this reliable, sensitive, and robust method can simultaneously separate and quantify halides (fluoride, chloride, bromide, and iodide) and up to seven FBAs from other common groundwater constituents (e.g., nitrate and sulfate). The usefulness of this ion chromatographic (IC) analytical method is demonstrated in both field and laboratory tracer experiments. Field experiments in unsaturated tuff featuring fractures or a fault show that this efficient and cost-effective method helps achieve the objectives ofmore » tracer studies that use multiple FBAs and/or diffusivity tracers (simultaneous use of one or more FBA and halide). The field study examines the hydrologic response of fractures and the matrix to different flow rates and the contribution of matrix diffusion in chemical transport. Laboratory tracer experiments with eight geologic media from across the United States--mostly from Department of Energy facilities where groundwater contamination is prevalent and where subsurface characterization employing tracers has been ongoing or is in need--reveal several insights about tracer transport behavior: (1) Bromide and FBAs are not always transported conservatively. (2) The delayed transport of these anionic tracers is likely related to geologic media characteristics, such as organic matter, pH, iron oxide content, and clay mineralogy. (3) Any use of iodine as a hydrologic tracer should take into account the different sorption behaviors of iodide and iodate and the possible conversion of iodine's initial chemical form. (4) The transport behavior of potential FBA and halide tracers under relevant geochemical conditions should be evaluated before beginning ambitious, large-scale field tracer experiments.« less

Traditional Geology Field Camp: A capstone course at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (BHNSFS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uzunlar, N.; Lisenbee, A. L.

2012-12-01

The Black Hills Natural Sciences Field Station (BHNSFS) has provided field training in geology and geological engineering for more than 40 years, and since the 1980's as a consortium serving five schools with South Dakota School of Mines and Technology as the coordinator. The traditional summer geology field camp is a five week long, intense program aimed to prepare students for subsequent professional geologic experiences. It is delivered from two separate facilities, one in the Black Hills (South Dakota) from a beautiful log lodge along Sand Creek, in eastern Wyoming, and a second from the town of Taskesti along the North Anatolian fault approximately 200 km east of Istanbul, Turkey. At both locations, the courses maintain a strong emphasis on basic field applications, including the use of GPS as a mapping tool in most exercises. The preparation of well-written reports, based on field descriptions supplemented by research on the web or through published documents, is strongly emphasized. Projects at the Black Hills field camp includes mapping of Precambrian basement, Paleozoic stratigraphy, and Laramide Tertiary plutons and structural features as welll as post-Laramide,, faulted continental strata. The popular Taskesti field camp utilizes the diverse geology of the Tethyan realm, as well as the culture and history, of central Turkey (Anatolia). The course is based at a Turkish Government Earthquake Research Center facility along the North Anatolian fault. Students examine and map selected locations across the Izmir-Ankara suture including: 1) Deformed Cretaceous and Tertiary carbonate and clastic strata of the Sakarya micro-continent in a fore-arc basin; 2) Marble and skarn surrounding Eocene, subduction-related granite intruded into a passive margin sequence in the Sivrihisar region of central Anatolia; 3) Faulted and folded Neogene strata in the northern flank of the post-Tethyan, Haymana Basin and the contrasting terrains across the North Anatolian fault (J/K carbonate and clastic strata juxtaposed against amphibolite grade metamorphic and ophiolitic complexes) Student comments during and after field camp support full immersion into a traditional summer geology field camp as an unforgettable experience (life changing in some cases) -- everyone who dreams to be a geologist should have a chance to taste it.

An Annotated List of Marine Stations Suitable for Field Courses in Carbonate Geology and Tropical Marine Sciences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, Eugene H.

1980-01-01

This is an annotated list of marine field stations suitable for summer study or research in carbonate geology and tropical marine sciences. Thirteen are listed and described in detail. Equipment is discussed and reference is made to research-oriented Caribbean facilities for graduate study or field courses. (Author/SA)

GigaPan Technology to Enhance In-Class and In-Field Learning in Community College Settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villalobos, J. I.; Bentley, C.

2014-12-01

Community college students account for over 40% of all undergraduates in the United States as well as the majority of minority and non-traditional students attending undergraduate courses. Implementing innovative, cost effective, and formative pedagogies to the diverse backgrounds of students that typically enroll at a community is often a challenge. Interactive pedagogies in geology pose a unique challenge considering that students gain the most long-term knowledge when topics covered in a course are exposed to them in outdoor settings where they are allowed to explore and make connections. The ability to expose students to real world examples is challenging to many community college faculty considering that that many; lack funds or means for transportation of students, do not have administrative support on such endeavors, teach evening or night classes, or have a high percentage of students who are physically limited or have obligations to work and family. A joint collaborative between El Paso Community College (EPCC) and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) has explored the usage of GigaPan technology to create multi-layered online material to minimize these issues faced by many community college faculty and students. The primary layer of the online material is GigaPans of local geological sites that highlight large-scale structures in the El Paso, Texas region that are commonly used in local field trips and lab book material. The second layer is of Macro-GigaPans of hand samples of key outcrops from the primarily GigaPans which facilitate student learning, exploration, and ability to make connections by exploring smaller scale features of the primary layer. A third layer of online material, GigaPans of thin sections of hand samples (from secondary layers), and curriculum based on the GigaPans was then created to assist students in evaluating proposed hypotheses on the primary layers' geological origin. GigaPan cirriculum was utilized in introductory geology courses as well as a capstone Geological Field Methods course at El Paso Community College.

Astronaut Neil Armstrong - Rock Sample Study - Geological Field Trip - TX

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-03-03

S69-25198 (25 Feb. 1969) --- Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, commander of the Apollo 11 prime crew, studies rock sample during a geological field trip to the Quitman Mountains area near the Fort Quitman ruins in far west Texas.

Tools and Technologies Needed for Conducting Planetary Field Geology While On EVA: Insights from the 2010 Desert RATS Geologist Crewmembers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Kelsey; Hurtado, Jose M., Jr.; Bleacher, Jacob E.; Garry, W. Brent; Bleisath, Scott; Buffington, Jesse; Rice, James W., Jr.

2011-01-01

Observation is the primary role of all field geologists, and geologic observations put into an evolving conceptual context will be the most important data stream that will be relayed to Earth during a planetary exploration mission. Sample collection is also an important planetary field activity, and its success is closely tied to the quality of contextual observations. To test protocols for doing effective planetary geologic fieldwork, the Desert RATS (Research and Technology Studies) project deployed two prototype rovers for two weeks of simulated exploratory traverses in the San Francisco volcanic field of northern Arizona. The authors of this paper represent the geologist crewmembers who participated in the 2010 field test. We document the procedures adopted for Desert RATS 2010 and report on our experiences regarding these protocols. Careful consideration must be made of various issues that impact the interplay between field geologic observations and sample collection, including time management; strategies related to duplication of samples and observations; logistical constraints on the volume and mass of samples and the volume/transfer of data collected; and paradigms for evaluation of mission success. We find that the 2010 field protocols brought to light important aspects of each of these issues, and we recommend best practices and modifications to training and operational protocols to address them. Underlying our recommendations is the recognition that the capacity of the crew to "flexibly execute" their activities is paramount. Careful design of mission parameters, especially field geologic protocols, is critical for enabling the crews to successfully meet their science objectives.

Geophysical investigation using gravity data in Kinigi geothermal field, northwest Rwanda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uwiduhaye, Jean d.'Amour; Mizunaga, Hideki; Saibi, Hakim

2018-03-01

A land gravity survey was carried out in the Kinigi geothermal field, Northwest Rwanda using 184 gravity stations during August and September, 2015. The aim of the gravity survey was to understand the subsurface structure and its relation to the observed surface manifestations in the study area. The complete Bouguer Gravity anomaly was produced with a reduction density of 2.4 g/cm3. Bouguer anomalies ranging from -52 to -35 mGals were observed in the study area with relatively high anomalies in the east and northwest zones while low anomalies are observed in the southwest side of the studied area. A decrease of 17 mGals is observed in the southwestern part of the study area and caused by the low-density of the Tertiary rocks. Horizontal gradient, tilt angle and analytical signal methods were applied to the observed gravity data and showed that Mubona, Mpenge and Cyabararika surface springs are structurally controlled while Rubindi spring is not. The integrated results of gravity gradient interpretation methods delineated a dominant geological structure trending in the NW-SE, which is in agreement with the regional geological trend. The results of this gravity study will help aid future geothermal exploration and development in the Kinigi geothermal field.

PDEPTH—A computer program for the geophysical interpretation of magnetic and gravity profiles through Fourier filtering, source-depth analysis, and forward modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, Jeffrey D.

2018-01-10

PDEPTH is an interactive, graphical computer program used to construct interpreted geological source models for observed potential-field geophysical profile data. The current version of PDEPTH has been adapted to the Windows platform from an earlier DOS-based version. The input total-field magnetic anomaly and vertical gravity anomaly profiles can be filtered to produce derivative products such as reduced-to-pole magnetic profiles, pseudogravity profiles, pseudomagnetic profiles, and upward-or-downward-continued profiles. A variety of source-location methods can be applied to the original and filtered profiles to estimate (and display on a cross section) the locations and physical properties of contacts, sheet edges, horizontal line sources, point sources, and interface surfaces. Two-and-a-half-dimensional source bodies having polygonal cross sections can be constructed using a mouse and keyboard. These bodies can then be adjusted until the calculated gravity and magnetic fields of the source bodies are close to the observed profiles. Auxiliary information such as the topographic surface, bathymetric surface, seismic basement, and geologic contact locations can be displayed on the cross section using optional input files. Test data files, used to demonstrate the source location methods in the report, and several utility programs are included.

An overview on current fluid-inclusion research and applications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chi, G.; Chou, I.-Ming; Lu, H.-Z.

2003-01-01

This paper provides an overview of some of the more important developments in fluid-inclusion research and applications in recent years, including fluid-inclusion petrography, PVTX studies, and analytical techniques. In fluid-inclusion petrography, the introduction of the concept of 'fluid-inclusion assemblage' has been a major advance. In PVTX studies, the use of synthetic fluid inclusions and hydrothermal diamond-anvil cells has greatly contributed to the characterization of the phase behaviour of geologically relevant fluid systems. Various analytical methods are being developed and refined rapidly, with the Laser-Raman and LA-ICP-MS techniques being particularly useful for volatile and solute analyses, respectively. Ore deposit research has been and will continue to be the main field of application of fluid inclusions. However, fluid inclusions have been increasingly applied to other fields of earth science, especially in petroleum geology and the study of magmatic and earth interior processes.

Sines and Cosines. Part 2 of 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Apostol, Tom M. (Editor)

1993-01-01

The Law of Sines and the Law of Cosines are introduced and demonstrated in this 'Project Mathematics' series video using both film footage and computer animation. This video deals primarily with the mathematical field of Trigonometry and explains how these laws were developed and their applications. One significant use is geographical and geological surveying. This includes both the triangulation method and the spirit leveling method. With these methods, it is shown how the height of the tallest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest, was determined.

The pragmatic roots of American Quaternary geology and geomorphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Victor R.

1996-07-01

H.L. Fairchild's words from the 1904 Geological Society of America Bulletin remain appropriate today: "Geologists have been too generous in allowing other people to make their philosophy for them". Geologists have quietly followed a methodological trinity involving (1) inspiration by analogy, (2) impartial and critical assessment of hypotheses, and (3) skepticism of authority (prevailing theoretical constraints or paradigms). These methods are described in classical papers by Quaternary geologists and geomorphologists, mostly written a century ago. In recent years these papers have all been criticized in modern philosophical terms with little appreciation for the late 19th century American philosophical tradition from which they arose. Recent scholarly research, however, has revealed some important aspects of that tradition, giving it a coherence that has largely been underappreciated as 20th century philosophy of science pursued its successive fads of logical positivism, critical rationalism, relativism, and deconstructivism — for all of which "science" is synonymous with "physics". Nearly all this ideology is geologically irrelevant. As philosophy of science in the late 20th century has come to be identical with philosophy of analytical physics, focused on explanations via ideal truths, much of geology has remained true to its classical doctrines of commonsensism, fallibilism, and realism. In contrast to the conceptualism and the reductionism of the analytical sciences, geology has emphasized synthetic thinking: the continuous activity of comparing, connecting, and putting together thoughts and perceptions. The classical methodological studies of geological reasoning all concern the formulation and testing of hypotheses. Analysis does not serve to provide the ultimate answers for intellectual puzzles predefined by limiting assumptions imposed on the real world. Rather, analysis in geology allows the investigator to consider the consequential effects of hypotheses, the latter having been suggested by experience with nature itself rather than by our theories of nature. These distinctions and methods were described in G.K. Gilbert's papers on "The Inculcation of Scientific Method by Example" (1886) and "the Origin of Hypotheses" (1896). Portions were elaborated in T.C. Chamberlin's "Method of Multiple Working Hypotheses" (1890) and his "method of the Earth Sciences" (1904); in W.M. Davis's "Value of Outrageous Geological Hypotheses" (1926); and in D. Johnson's "Role of Analysis in Scientific Investigation" (1933). American Quaternary geology and geomorphology have their philosophical roots in the pragmatic tradition, enunciated most clearly by C.S. Peirce, now recognized as the greatest American philosopher and considered by Sir Karl Popper to be one of the greatest philosophers of all time. Quaternary geology and geomorphology afford numerous examples of Peirce's "method" of science, which might be termed "the critical philosophy of common sense". The most obvious influence of pragmatism in geology, however, has largely been conveyed by the tradition of its scientific community. The elements of this tradition include a reverence for field work, a humility before the "facts" of nature, a continuing effort "to discriminate the phenomena observed from the observer's inference in regard to them", a propensity to pose hypotheses, and a willingness to abandon them when their consequences are contradicted by reality.

Field-based Information Technology in Geology Education: GeoPads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knoop, P. A.; van der Pluijm, B.

2004-12-01

During the past two summers, we have successfully incorporated a field-based information technology component into our senior-level, field geology course (GS-440) at the University of Michigan's Camp Davis Geology Field Station, near Jackson, WY. Using GeoPads -- rugged TabletPCs equipped with electronic notebook software, GIS, GPS, and wireless networking -- we have significantly enhanced our field mapping exercises and field trips. While fully retaining the traditional approaches and advantages of field instruction, GeoPads offer important benefits in the development of students' spatial reasoning skills. GeoPads enable students to record observations and directly create geologic maps in the field, using a combination of an electronic field notebook (Microsoft OneNote) tightly integrated with pen-enabled GIS software (ArcGIS-ArcMap). Specifically, this arrangement permits students to analyze and manipulate their data in multiple contexts and representations -- while still in the field -- using both traditional 2-D map views, as well as richer 3-D contexts. Such enhancements provide students with powerful exploratory tools that aid the development of spatial reasoning skills, allowing more intuitive interactions with 2-D representations of our 3-D world. Additionally, field-based GIS mapping enables better error-detection, through immediate interaction with current observations in the context of both supporting data (e.g., topographic maps, aerial photos, magnetic surveys) and students' ongoing observations. The overall field-based IT approach also provides students with experience using tools that are increasingly relevant to their future academic or professional careers.

High spatial resolution and high brightness ion beam probe for in-situ elemental and isotopic analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Tao; Clement, Stephen W. J.; Bao, Zemin; Wang, Peizhi; Tian, Di; Liu, Dunyi

2018-03-01

A high spatial resolution and high brightness ion beam from a cold cathode duoplasmatron source and primary ion optics are presented and applied to in-situ analysis of micro-scale geological material with complex structural and chemical features. The magnetic field in the source as well as the influence of relative permeability of magnetic materials on source performance was simulated using COMSOL to confirm the magnetic field strength of the source. Based on SIMION simulation, a high brightness and high spatial resolution negative ion optical system has been developed to achieve Critical (Gaussian) illumination mode. The ion source and primary column are installed on a new Time-of-Flight secondary ion mass spectrometer for analysis of geological samples. The diameter of the ion beam was measured by the knife-edge method and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results show that an O2- beam of ca. 5 μm diameter with a beam intensity of ∼5 nA and an O- beam of ca. 5 μm diameter with a beam intensity of ∼50 nA were obtained, respectively. This design will open new possibilities for in-situ elemental and isotopic analysis in geological studies.

Planetary Geologic Mapping Handbook - 2010. Appendix

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanaka, K. L.; Skinner, J. A., Jr.; Hare, T. M.

2010-01-01

Geologic maps present, in an historical context, fundamental syntheses of interpretations of the materials, landforms, structures, and processes that characterize planetary surfaces and shallow subsurfaces. Such maps also provide a contextual framework for summarizing and evaluating thematic research for a given region or body. In planetary exploration, for example, geologic maps are used for specialized investigations such as targeting regions of interest for data collection and for characterizing sites for landed missions. Whereas most modern terrestrial geologic maps are constructed from regional views provided by remote sensing data and supplemented in detail by field-based observations and measurements, planetary maps have been largely based on analyses of orbital photography. For planetary bodies in particular, geologic maps commonly represent a snapshot of a surface, because they are based on available information at a time when new data are still being acquired. Thus the field of planetary geologic mapping has been evolving rapidly to embrace the use of new data and modern technology and to accommodate the growing needs of planetary exploration. Planetary geologic maps have been published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) since 1962. Over this time, numerous maps of several planetary bodies have been prepared at a variety of scales and projections using the best available image and topographic bases. Early geologic map bases commonly consisted of hand-mosaicked photographs or airbrushed shaded-relief views and geologic linework was manually drafted using mylar bases and ink drafting pens. Map publishing required a tedious process of scribing, color peel-coat preparation, typesetting, and photo-laboratory work. Beginning in the 1990s, inexpensive computing, display capability and user-friendly illustration software allowed maps to be drawn using digital tools rather than pen and ink, and mylar bases became obsolete. Terrestrial geologic maps published by the USGS now are primarily digital products using geographic information system (GIS) software and file formats. GIS mapping tools permit easy spatial comparison, generation, importation, manipulation, and analysis of multiple raster image, gridded, and vector data sets. GIS software has also permitted the development of projectspecific tools and the sharing of geospatial products among researchers. GIS approaches are now being used in planetary geologic mapping as well. Guidelines or handbooks on techniques in planetary geologic mapping have been developed periodically. As records of the heritage of mapping methods and data, these remain extremely useful guides. However, many of the fundamental aspects of earlier mapping handbooks have evolved significantly, and a comprehensive review of currently accepted mapping methodologies is now warranted. As documented in this handbook, such a review incorporates additional guidelines developed in recent years for planetary geologic mapping by the NASA Planetary Geology and Geophysics (PGG) Program's Planetary Cartography and Geologic Mapping Working Group's (PCGMWG) Geologic Mapping Subcommittee (GEMS) on the selection and use of map bases as well as map preparation, review, publication, and distribution. In light of the current boom in planetary exploration and the ongoing rapid evolution of available data for planetary mapping, this handbook is especially timely.

The Use of Information Technology To Enhance Learning in Geological Field Trips.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hesthammer, Jonny; Fossen, Haakon; Sautter, Michael; Saether, Bjorn; Johansen, Stale Emile

2002-01-01

Reports on the testing of two approaches to enhance learning in geological field trips through the use of technology. One approach used an advanced flight simulator and the other used digital cameras and computers. (Contains 18 references.) (DDR)

Determination of the Geometric Form of a Plane of a Tectonic Gap as the Inverse III-posed Problem of Mathematical Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirota, Dmitry; Ivanov, Vadim

2017-11-01

Any mining operations influence stability of natural and technogenic massifs are the reason of emergence of the sources of differences of mechanical tension. These sources generate a quasistationary electric field with a Newtonian potential. The paper reviews the method of determining the shape and size of a flat source field with this kind of potential. This common problem meets in many fields of mining: geological exploration mineral resources, ore deposits, control of mining by underground method, determining coal self-heating source, localization of the rock crack's sources and other applied problems of practical physics. This problems are ill-posed and inverse and solved by converting to Fredholm-Uryson integral equation of the first kind. This equation will be solved by A.N. Tikhonov regularization method.

Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory; in-bottle acid digestion of whole-water samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoffman, G.L.; Fishman, M. J.; Garbarino, J.R.

1996-01-01

Water samples for trace-metal determinations routinely have been prepared in open laboratories. For example, the U.S. Geological Survey method I-3485-85 (Extraction Procedure, for Water- Suspended Sediment) is performed in a laboratory hood on a laboratory bench without any special precautions to control airborne contamination. This method tends to be contamination prone for several trace metals primarily because the samples are transferred, acidified, digested, and filtered in an open laboratory environment. To reduce trace-metal contamination of digested water samples, procedures were established that rely on minimizing sample-transfer steps and using a class-100 clean bench during sample filtration. This new procedure involves the following steps: 1. The sample is acidified with HCl directly in the original water-sample bottle. 2. The water-sample bottle with the cap secured is heated in a laboratory oven. 3. The digestate is filtered in a class-100 laminar-flow clean bench. The exact conditions used (that is, oven temperature, time of heating, and filtration methods) for this digestion procedure are described. Comparisons between the previous U.S Geological Survey open-beaker method I-3485-85 and the new in-bottle procedure for synthetic and field-collected water samples are given. When the new procedure is used, blank concentrations for most trace metals determined are reduced significantly.

Locating scatterers while drilling using seismic noise due to tunnel boring machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harmankaya, U.; Kaslilar, A.; Wapenaar, K.; Draganov, D.

2018-05-01

Unexpected geological structures can cause safety and economic risks during underground excavation. Therefore, predicting possible geological threats while drilling a tunnel is important for operational safety and for preventing expensive standstills. Subsurface information for tunneling is provided by exploratory wells and by surface geological and geophysical investigations, which are limited by location and resolution, respectively. For detailed information about the structures ahead of the tunnel face, geophysical methods are applied during the tunnel-drilling activity. We present a method inspired by seismic interferometry and ambient-noise correlation that can be used for detecting scatterers, such as boulders and cavities, ahead of a tunnel while drilling. A similar method has been proposed for active-source seismic data and validated using laboratory and field data. Here, we propose to utilize the seismic noise generated by a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), and recorded at the surface. We explain our method at the hand of data from finite-difference modelling of noise-source wave propagation in a medium where scatterers are present. Using the modelled noise records, we apply cross-correlation to obtain correlation gathers. After isolating the scattered arrivals in these gathers, we cross-correlate again and invert for the correlated traveltime to locate scatterers. We show the potential of the method for locating the scatterers while drilling using noise records due to TBM.

Albedo Neutron Dosimetry in a Deep Geological Disposal Repository for High-Level Nuclear Waste.

PubMed

Pang, Bo; Becker, Frank

2017-04-28

Albedo neutron dosemeter is the German official personal neutron dosemeter in mixed radiation fields where neutrons contribute to personal dose. In deep geological repositories for high-level nuclear waste, where neutrons can dominate the radiation field, it is of interest to investigate the performance of albedo neutron dosemeter in such facilities. In this study, the deep geological repository is represented by a shielding cask loaded with spent nuclear fuel placed inside a rock salt emplacement drift. Due to the backscattering of neutrons in the drift, issues concerning calibration of the dosemeter arise. Field-specific calibration of the albedo neutron dosemeter was hence performed with Monte Carlo simulations. In order to assess the applicability of the albedo neutron dosemeter in a deep geological repository over a long time scale, spent nuclear fuel with different ages of 50, 100 and 500 years were investigated. It was found out, that the neutron radiation field in a deep geological repository can be assigned to the application area 'N1' of the albedo neutron dosemeter, which is typical in reactors and accelerators with heavy shielding. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Digital Mapping Techniques '10-Workshop Proceedings, Sacramento, California, May 16-19, 2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Soller, David R.; Soller, David R.

2012-01-01

The Digital Mapping Techniques '10 (DMT'10) workshop was attended by 110 technical experts from 40 agencies, universities, and private companies, including representatives from 19 State geological surveys (see Appendix A). This workshop, hosted by the California Geological Survey, May 16-19, 2010, in Sacramento, California, was similar in nature to the previous 13 meetings (see Appendix B). The meeting was coordinated by the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Geologic Map Database project. As in the previous meetings, the objective was to foster informal discussion and exchange of technical information. It is with great pleasure that I note that the objective was again successfully met, as attendees continued to share and exchange knowledge and information, and renew friendships and collegial work begun at past DMT workshops. At this meeting, oral and poster presentations and special discussion sessions emphasized (1) methods for creating and publishing map products ("publishing" includes Web-based release); (2) field data capture software and techniques, including the use of LiDAR; (3) digital cartographic techniques; (4) migration of digital maps into ArcGIS Geodatabase format; (5) analytical GIS techniques; and (6) continued development of the National Geologic Map Database.

Hyperspectral Imaging and Related Field Methods: Building the Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goetz, Alexander F. H.; Steffen, Konrad; Wessman, Carol

1999-01-01

The proposal requested funds for the computing power to bring hyperspectral image processing into undergraduate and graduate remote sensing courses. This upgrade made it possible to handle more students in these oversubscribed courses and to enhance CSES' summer short course entitled "Hyperspectral Imaging and Data Analysis" provided for government, industry, university and military. Funds were also requested to build field measurement capabilities through the purchase of spectroradiometers, canopy radiation sensors and a differential GPS system. These instruments provided systematic and complete sets of field data for the analysis of hyperspectral data with the appropriate radiometric and wavelength calibration as well as atmospheric data needed for application of radiative transfer models. The proposed field equipment made it possible to team-teach a new field methods course, unique in the country, that took advantage of the expertise of the investigators rostered in three different departments, Geology, Geography and Biology.

Discussion of comparison study of hydraulic fracturing models -- Test case: GRI Staged Field Experiment No. 3

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

Cleary, M.P.

This paper provides comments to a companion journal paper on predictive modeling of hydraulic fracturing patterns (N.R. Warpinski et. al., 1994). The former paper was designed to compare various modeling methods to demonstrate the most accurate methods under various geologic constraints. The comments of this paper are centered around potential deficiencies in the former authors paper which include: limited actual comparisons offered between models, the issues of matching predictive data with that from related field operations was lacking or undocumented, and the relevance/impact of accurate modeling on the overall hydraulic fracturing cost and production.

Planetary geology and terrestrial analogs in Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komatsu, Goro; Namiki, Noriyuki

2012-04-01

2011 PERC Planetary Geology Field Symposium;Kitakyushu City, Japan, 5-6 November 2011 In spite of the extremely diverse geological settings that exist in Asia, relatively little attention has previously been paid to this region in terms of terrestrial analog studies for planetary application. Asia is emerging as a major center of studies in planetary geology, but no attempt had been made in the past to organize a broadly based meeting that would allow planetary geologists in Asia to meet with ones from more advanced centers, such as the United States and Europe, and that would include the participation of many geologists working primarily on terrestrial research. The Planetary Exploration Research Center (PERC) of the Chiba Institute of Technology hosted the first planetary geology field symposium in Asia to present results from recent planetary geology studies and to exchange ideas regarding terrestrial analogs (http://www.perc.it-chiba.ac.jp/meetings/pgfs2011/index.html).

Zoning method for environmental engineering geological patterns in underground coal mining areas.

PubMed

Liu, Shiliang; Li, Wenping; Wang, Qiqing

2018-09-01

Environmental engineering geological patterns (EEGPs) are used to express the trend and intensity of eco-geological environment caused by mining in underground coal mining areas, a complex process controlled by multiple factors. A new zoning method for EEGPs was developed based on the variable-weight theory (VWT), where the weights of factors vary with their value. The method was applied to the Yushenfu mining area, Shaanxi, China. First, the mechanism of the EEGPs caused by mining was elucidated, and four types of EEGPs were proposed. Subsequently, 13 key control factors were selected from mining conditions, lithosphere, hydrosphere, ecosphere, and climatic conditions; their thematic maps were constructed using ArcGIS software and remote-sensing technologies. Then, a stimulation-punishment variable-weight model derived from the partition of basic evaluation unit of study area, construction of partition state-variable-weight vector, and determination of variable-weight interval was built to calculate the variable weights of each factor. On this basis, a zoning mathematical model of EEGPs was established, and the zoning results were analyzed. For comparison, the traditional constant-weight theory (CWT) was also applied to divide the EEGPs. Finally, the zoning results obtained using VWT and CWT were compared. The verification of field investigation indicates that VWT is more accurate and reliable than CWT. The zoning results are consistent with the actual situations and the key of planning design for the rational development of coal resources and protection of eco-geological environment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Execution of deep dipole geoelectrical soundings in areas of geothermal interest. Final report

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

Patella, D.

It is suggested that deep geoelectrical problems may be resolved by carrying out dipole soundings in the field and applying a quantitative interpretation in the Schlumberger domain. The 'transformation' of original field dipole sounding curves into equivalent Schlumberger curves is outlined for the cases of layered structures and arbitrary underground structures. Theoretical apparent resistivity curves are derived for soundings over bidimensional structures. Following a summary of the geological features of the Travale-Radicondoli geothermal area of Italy, the dipole sounding method employed for this field study and the means of collecting and analyzing the data, are outlined.

Petroleum geology of Choctaw County, Alabama

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

Myers, J.D.

The first commercial oil production in the State of Alabama was established in Choctaw County in 1944 when H.L. Hunt discovered Gilbertown field. Gilbertown produces oil from the Selma and Eutaw formations of Upper Cretaceous Age. During 1967, Toxey field was discovered by E.L. Erickson and Choctaw Ridge was discovered by C. Pruet and D. Hughes. These 2 discoveries initiated the successful Smackover oil exploration in Choctaw County which is continuing today. This study deals primarily with the petroleum geology of the Smackover Formation of Jurassic Age. The detailed stratigraphic and structural geology of several Smackover oil fields in Choctawmore » County is examined to illustrate geological concepts developed while exploring the Smackover. Factors influencing porosity development are emphasized and suggestions are made for future exploration in the Choctaw trend of Alabama.« less

Application of ERTS-1 imagery in the fields of geology, agriculture, forestry, and hydrology to selected test sites in Iran

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ebtehadj, K.

1973-01-01

The preliminary study of the ERTS-1 imagery coverage of Iran, commenced on October 26, 1972. All of the images were carefully examined, and a photomosaic covering approximately ninety-five per cent of the country was prepared. A number of images of selected areas were studied in detail. In the field of geology, a number of large scale faults were identified, which do not figure on geological maps. Furthermore, a preliminary study was carried out on the recent sediments, their possible sources, and origin. A limited number of geological work maps were prepared as well. In the fields of agriculture and forestry, studies based on color composite prints of certain areas were undertaken, with a purpose of identifying potential arable areas. Investigations in the field of water resources resulted in the discovery of a number of small lakes, and streams. Furthermore, fluctuations of the water level in some lakes were observed.

Evidence for Enhanced Matrix Diffusion in Geological Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Kiminori; Fujimoto, Koichiro; Nakata, Masataka; Shikazono, Naotatsu

2013-01-01

Molecular diffusion in rock matrix, called as matrix diffusion, has been appreciated as a static process for elemental migration in geological environment that has been acknowledged in the context of geological disposal of radioactive waste. However, incomprehensible enhancement of matrix diffusion has been reported at a number of field test sites. Here, the matrix diffusion of saline water at Horonobe, Hokkaido, Japan is highlighted directly probing angstrom-scale pores on a field scale up to 1 km by positron--positronium annihilation spectroscopy. The first application of positron--positronium annihilation spectroscopy to field-scale geophysical research reveals the slight variation of angstrom-scale pores influenced by saline water diffusion with complete accuracy. We found widely interconnected 3 Å pores, which offer the pathway of saline water diffusion with the highly enhanced effective matrix diffusion coefficient of 4× 10-6 cm2 s-1. The present findings provide unambiguous evidence that the angstrom-scale pores enhance effective matrix diffusion on a field scale in geological environment.

Recent archaeomagnetic studies in Slovakia: Comparison of methodological approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubišová, Lenka

2016-03-01

We review the recent archaeomagnetic studies carried out on the territory of Slovakia, focusing on the comparison of methodological approaches, discussing pros and cons of the individual applied methods from the perspective of our experience. The most widely used methods for the determination of intensity and direction of the archaeomegnetic field by demagnetisation of the sample material are the alternating field (AF) demagnetisation and the Thellier double heating method. These methods are used not only for archaeomagnetic studies but also help to solve some geological problems. The two methods were applied to samples collected recently at several sites of Slovakia, where archaeological prospection invoked by earthwork or reconstruction work of developing projects demanded archaeomagnetic dating. Then we discuss advantages and weaknesses of the investigated methods from different perspectives based on several examples and our recent experience.

Assessment of electrical resistivity imaging for pre-tunneling geological characterization - A case study of the Qingdao R3 metro line tunnel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shucai; Xu, Shan; Nie, Lichao; Liu, Bin; Liu, Rentai; Zhang, Qingsong; Zhao, Yan; Liu, Quanwei; Wang, Houtong; Liu, Haidong; Guo, Qin

2018-06-01

Water inrush during tunneling is a significant problem in the underground infrastructure construction. Electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) is a technique that can detect and characterize a water body in an open fracture or fault by exploiting the resistivity contrast that exists between the water body and the surrounding materials. ERI is an efficient method for pre-tunneling geological characterization. In this study, a case study is presented in which tunnel-face and borehole ERI (TBERI) is performed by using the probe hole to detect a water body during tunnel construction. The construction site is a metro line site, situated in the city of Qingdao, China. Unlike the traditional cross-hole observation mode, TBERI only use a single borehole. The installation of injection electrodes inside the probe hole and the installation of measuring electrodes on the tunnel face is proposed as the observation mode. Furthermore, a numerical simulation is carried out before the real field experiment, and the simulation results show that the TBERI is capable of detecting a deeply buried water body. In addition, the water body in the field case is also identified by TBERI. The water body appears as a strongly conductive anomaly relative to the background materials. This study highlights the respective strengths and weaknesses of the TBERI for pre-tunneling geological characterization. This method is a relatively rapid means of investigating the studied area. This study clearly demonstrates the suitability of TBERI in a tunneling scenario.

SIR-A imagery in geologic studies of the Sierra Madre Oriental, northeastern Mexico. Part 1 (Regional stratigraphy): The use of morphostratigraphic units in remote sensing mapping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Longoria, J. F.; Jimenez, O. H.

1985-01-01

SIR-A imaging was used in geological studies of sedimentary terrains in the Sierra Madre Oriental, northeastern Mexico. Geological features such as regional strike and dip, bedding, folding and faulting were readily detected on the image. The recognition of morphostructural units in the imagery, coupled with field verification, enabled geological mapping of the region at the scale of 1:250 000. Structural profiling lead to the elaboration of a morphostructural map allowing the recognition of an echelon folds and field trends which were used to postulate the ectonic setting of the region.

Integration of potential-field and digital geologic data for two North American geoscience transects

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, J.D.

1990-01-01

Two North American contributions to the Global Geoscience Transects Program, the Quebec-Maine-Gulf of Maine transect and the Great Lakes portion of the United States-Canadian Border transect, are among the first to produce digital geology in a form that can be combined with gridded gravity and aeromagnetic data. Maps of shaded relief and color-composite bandpass-filtered potential-field data combined with overlays of digitized geologic contacts and faults reveal significant new geologic information, including the relative thickness of plutons, the structure of poorly exposed or concealed magnetic units, and possible evidence for mineralized ground. -from Author

Field Guide to Fossils. Earth Science Curriculum Project Pamphlet Series PS-4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beerbower, James R.

This guide introduces the study of fossils and means through which this study may provide clues to ancient environments and geology. Presented are discussions about the origin of many types of organisms, origin of organic communities, evolution, and extinction of species. Suggestions are provided for likely collection sites, methods of collection,…

Geological trainings for analogue astronauts: Lessons learned from MARS2013 expedition, Morocco

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orgel, C.; Achorner, I.; Losiak, A.; Gołębiowska, I.; Rampey, M.; Groemer, G.

2013-09-01

The Austrian Space Forum (OeWF) is a national organisation for space professionals and space enthusiasts. In collaboration with internal partner organisations, the OeWF focuses on Mars analogue research with their space volunteers and organises space-related outreach/education activities and conducts field tests with the Aouda.X and Aouda.S spacesuit simulators in Mars analogue environment. The main project of OeWF is called "PolAres" [1]. As the result of lessons learned from the Río Tinto 2011 expedition [4], we started to organise geological training sessions for the analogue astronauts. The idea was to give them basic geological background to perform more efficiently in the field. This was done in close imitation of the Apollo astronaut trainings that included theoretical lectures (between Jan. 1963-Nov. 1972) about impact geology, igneous petrology of the Moon, geophysics and geochemistry as well as several field trips to make them capable to collect useful samples for the geoscientists on Earth [3] [5]. In the last year the OeWF has organised three geoscience workshops for analogue astronauts as the part of their "astronaut" training. The aim was to educate the participants to make them understand the fundamentals in geology in theory and in the field (Fig. 1.). We proposed the "Geological Experiment Sampling Usefulness" (GESU) experiment for the MARS2013 simulation to improve the efficiency of the geological trainings. This simulation was conducted during February 2013, a one month Mars analogue research was conducted in the desert of Morocco [2] (Fig. 2.).

Abstracts for the Planetary Geology Field Conference on Aeolian Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greeley, R. (Editor); Black, D. (Editor)

1978-01-01

The Planetary Geology Field Conference on Aeolian Processes was organized at the request of the Planetary Geology Program office of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to bring together geologists working on aeolian problems on earth and planetologists concerned with similar problems on the planets. Abstracts of papers presented at the conference are arranged herein by alphabetical order of the senior author. Papers fall into three broad categories: (1) Viking Orbiter and Viking Lander results on aeolian processes and/or landforms on Mars, (2) laboratory results on studies of aeolian processes, and (3) photogeology and field studies of aeolian processes on Earth.

Improving Lunar Exploration with Robotic Follow-up

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fong, T.; Bualat, M.; Deans, M.; Heggy E.; Helper, M.; Hodges, K.; Lee, P.

2011-01-01

We are investigating how augmenting human field work with subsequent robot activity can improve lunar exploration. Robotic "follow-up" might involve: completing geology observations; making tedious or long-duration measurements of a target site or feature; curating samples in-situ; and performing unskilled, labor-intensive work. To study this technique, we have begun conducting a series of lunar analog field tests at Haughton Crater (Canada). Motivation: In most field geology studies on Earth, explorers often find themselves left with a set of observations they would have liked to make, or samples they would have liked to take, if only they had been able to stay longer in the field. For planetary field geology, we can imagine mobile robots - perhaps teleoperated vehicles previously used for manned exploration or dedicated planetary rovers - being deployed to perform such follow-up activities [1].

Collaborative Research: Bringing Problem Solving in the Field into the Classroom: Developing and Assessing Virtual Field Trips for Teaching Sedimentary and Introductory Geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, P.; Caldwell, M.

2012-12-01

Coastal Florida offers a unique setting for the facilitation of learning about a variety of modern sedimentary environments. Despite the conflicting concept of "virtual" and "actual" field trip, and the uncertainties associated with the implementation and effectiveness, virtual trips provide likely the only way to reach a large diversified student population and eliminate travel time and expenses. In addition, with rapidly improving web and visualization technology, field trips can be simulated virtually. It is therefore essential to systematically develop and assess the educational effectiveness of virtual field trips. This project is developing, implementing, and assessing a series of virtual field trips for teaching undergraduate sedimentary geology at a large four-year research university and introductory geology at a large two-year community college. The virtual field trip is based on a four-day actual field trip for a senior level sedimentary geology class. Two versions of the virtual field trip, one for advanced class and one for introductory class, are being produced. The educational outcome of the virtual field trip will be compared to that from actual field trip. This presentation summarizes Year 1 achievements of the three-year project. The filming, editing, and initial production of the virtual field trip have been completed. Formative assessments were conducted by the Coalition for Science Literacy at the University of South Florida. Once tested and refined, the virtual field trips will be disseminated through broadly used web portals and workshops at regional and national meetings.

Maps showing geology, oil and gas fields, and geological provinces of South America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schenk, C. J.; Viger, R.J.; Anderson, C.P.

1999-01-01

This digitally compiled map includes geology, geologic provinces, and oil and gas fields of South America. The map is part of a worldwide series on CD-ROM by World Energy Project released of the U.S. Geological Survey . The goal of the project is to assess the undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources of the world and report these results by the year 2000. For data management purposes the world is divided into eight energy regions corresponding approximately to the economic regions of the world as defined by the U.S. Department of State. South America (Region 6) includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, Guyuna, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Using Digital Computer Field Mapping of Outcrops to Examine the Preservation of High-P Rocks During Pervasive, Retrograde Greenschist Fluid Infiltration, Tinos, Cyclades Archipelago, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breeding, C. M.; Ague, J. J.; Broecker, M.

2001-12-01

Digital field mapping of outcrops on the island of Tinos, Greece, was undertaken to investigate the nature of retrograde fluid infiltration during exhumation of high-P metamorphic rocks of the Attic-Cycladic blueschist belt. High-resolution digital photographs of outcrops were taken and loaded into graphics editing software on a portable, belt-mounted computer in the field. Geologic features from outcrops were drawn and labeled on the digital images using the software in real-time. The ability to simultaneously identify geologic features in outcrops and digitize those features onto digital photographs in the field allows the creation of detailed, field-verified, outcrop-scale maps that aid in geologic interpretation. During Cretaceous-Eocene subduction in the Cyclades, downgoing crustal material was metamorphosed to eclogite and blueschist facies. Subsequent Oligocene-Miocene exhumation of the high-P rocks was accompanied by pervasive, retrograde fluid infiltration resulting in nearly complete greenschist facies overprinting. On Tinos, most high-P rocks have undergone intense retrogression; however, adjacent to thick marble horizons with completely retrograded contact zones, small (sub km-scale) enclaves of high-P rocks (blueschist and minor eclogite facies) were preserved. Field observations suggest that the remnant high-P zones consist mostly of massive metabasic rocks and minor adjacent metasediments. Within the enclaves, detailed digital outcrop maps reveal that greenschist retrogression increases in intensity outward from the center, implying interaction with a fluid flowing along enclave perimeters. Permeability contrasts could not have been solely responsible for preservation of the high-P rocks, as similar rock suites distal to marble contacts were completely overprinted. We conclude that the retrograded contacts of the marble units served as high-permeability conduits for regional retrograde fluid flow. Pervasive, layer-parallel flow through metasediments would have been drawn into these more permeable flow channels. Deflections in fluid flow paths toward the high flux contacts likely caused retrograde fluids to flow around the enclaves, preserving the zones of "dry," unretrograded high-P rocks near marble horizons. Digital mapping of outcrops is a unique method for direct examination of the relationships between geologic structure, lithology, and mineral assemblage variation in the field. Outcrop mapping in the Attic-Cycladic blueschist belt has revealed that regional fluid flow along contacts can have important implications for the large-scale distribution of mineral assemblages in metamorphic terranes.

The application of moment methods to the analysis of fluid electrical conductivity logs in boreholes

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

Loew, S.; Tsang, Chin-Fu; Hale, F.V.

1990-08-01

This report is one of a series documenting the results of the Nagra-DOE Cooperative (NDC-I) research program in which the cooperating scientists explore the geological, geophysical, hydrological, geochemical, and structural effects anticipated from the use of a rock mass as a geologic repository for nuclear waste. Previous reports have presented a procedure for analyzing a time sequence of wellbore electric conductivity logs in order to obtain outflow parameters of fractures intercepted by the borehole, and a code, called BORE, used to simulate borehole fluid conductivity profiles given these parameters. The present report describes three new direct (not iterative) methods formore » analyzing a short time series of electric conductivity logs based on moment quantities of the individual outflow peaks and applies them to synthetic as well as to field data. The results of the methods discussed show promising results and are discussed in terms of their respective advantages and limitations. In particular it is shown that one of these methods, the so-called Partial Moment Method,'' is capable of reproducing packer test results from field experiments in the Leuggern deep well within a factor of three, which is below the range of what is recognized as the precision of packer tests themselves. Furthermore the new method is much quicker than the previously used iterative fitting procedure and is even capable of handling transient fracture outflow conditions. 20 refs., 11 figs., 10 tabs.« less

Fundamentals of Structural Geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pollard, David D.; Fletcher, Raymond C.

2005-09-01

Fundamentals of Structural Geology provides a new framework for the investigation of geological structures by integrating field mapping and mechanical analysis. Assuming a basic knowledge of physical geology, introductory calculus and physics, it emphasizes the observational data, modern mapping technology, principles of continuum mechanics, and the mathematical and computational skills, necessary to quantitatively map, describe, model, and explain deformation in Earth's lithosphere. By starting from the fundamental conservation laws of mass and momentum, the constitutive laws of material behavior, and the kinematic relationships for strain and rate of deformation, the authors demonstrate the relevance of solid and fluid mechanics to structural geology. This book offers a modern quantitative approach to structural geology for advanced students and researchers in structural geology and tectonics. It is supported by a website hosting images from the book, additional colour images, student exercises and MATLAB scripts. Solutions to the exercises are available to instructors. The book integrates field mapping using modern technology with the analysis of structures based on a complete mechanics MATLAB is used to visualize physical fields and analytical results and MATLAB scripts can be downloaded from the website to recreate textbook graphics and enable students to explore their choice of parameters and boundary conditions The supplementary website hosts color images of outcrop photographs used in the text, supplementary color images, and images of textbook figures for classroom presentations The textbook website also includes student exercises designed to instill the fundamental relationships, and to encourage the visualization of the evolution of geological structures; solutions are available to instructors

Audiomagnetotelluric data, Taos Plateau Volcanic Field, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ailes, Chad E.; Rodriguez, Brian D.

2011-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey is conducting a series of multidisciplinary studies of the San Luis Basin as part of the Geologic framework of the Rio Grande Basins project. Detailed geologic mapping, high-resolution airborne magnetic surveys, gravity surveys, audiomagnetotelluric surveys, and hydrologic and lithologic data are being used to better understand the aquifers. This report describes a regional east-west audiomagnetotelluric sounding profile acquired in late July 2009 across the Taos Plateau Volcanic Field. No interpretation of the data is included.

Guidelines and standard procedures for continuous water-quality monitors: Station operation, record computation, and data reporting

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, Richard J.; Boulger, Robert W.; Oblinger, Carolyn J.; Smith, Brett A.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey uses continuous water-quality monitors to assess the quality of the Nation's surface water. A common monitoring-system configuration for water-quality data collection is the four-parameter monitoring system, which collects temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and pH data. Such systems also can be configured to measure other properties, such as turbidity or fluorescence. Data from sensors can be used in conjunction with chemical analyses of samples to estimate chemical loads. The sensors that are used to measure water-quality field parameters require careful field observation, cleaning, and calibration procedures, as well as thorough procedures for the computation and publication of final records. This report provides guidelines for site- and monitor-selection considerations; sensor inspection and calibration methods; field procedures; data evaluation, correction, and computation; and record-review and data-reporting processes, which supersede the guidelines presented previously in U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report WRIR 00-4252. These procedures have evolved over the past three decades, and the process continues to evolve with newer technologies.

Designing and Using Virtual Field Environments to Enhance and Extend Field Experience in Professional Development Programs in Geology for K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Granshaw, Frank Douglas

2011-01-01

Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly used to acquaint geoscience novices with some of the observation, data gathering, and problem solving done in actual field situations by geoscientists. VR environments in a variety of forms are used to prepare students for doing geologic fieldwork, as well as to provide proxies for such experience when…

Evaluating Experience-Based Geologic Field Instruction: Lessons Learned from A Large-Scale Eye-Tracking Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarduno, J. A.; Walders, K.; Bono, R. K.; Pelz, J.; Jacobs, R.

2015-12-01

A course centered on experience-based learning in field geology has been offered ten times at the University of Rochester. The centerpiece of the course is a 10-day field excursion to California featuring a broad cross-section of the geology of the state, from the San Andreas Fault to Death Valley. Here we describe results from a large-scale eye-tracking experiment aimed at understanding how experts and novices acquire visual geologic information. One ultimate goal of the project is to determine whether expert gaze patterns can be quantified to improve the instruction of beginning geology students. Another goal is to determine if aspects of the field experience can be transferred to the classroom/laboratory. Accordingly, ultra-high resolution segmented panoramic images have been collected at key sites visited during the field excursion. We have found that strict controls are needed in the field to obtain meaningful data; this often involves behavior atypical of geologists (e.g. limiting the field of view prior to data collection and placing time limits on scene viewing). Nevertheless some general conclusions can be made from a select data set. After an initial quick search, experts tend to exhibit scanning behavior that appears to support hypothesis testing. Novice fixations appear to define a scattered search pattern and/or one distracted by geologic noise in a scene. Noise sources include modern erosion features and vegetation. One way to quantify noise is through the use of saliency maps. With the caveat that our expert data set is small, our preliminary analysis suggests that experts tend to exhibit top-down behavior (indicating hypothesis driven responses) whereas novices show bottom-up gaze patterns, influenced by more salient features in a scene. We will present examples and discuss how these observations might be used to improve instruction.

Precambrian Field Camp at the University of Minnesota Duluth - Teaching Skills Applicable to Mapping Glaciated Terranes of the Canadian Shield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, J. D.; Hudak, G. J.; Peterson, D.

2011-12-01

Since 2007, the central program of the Precambrian Research Center (PRC) at the University of Minnesota Duluth has been a six-week geology field camp focused on the Precambrian geology of the Canadian Shield. This field camp has two main purposes. First and foremost is to teach students specialized field skills and field mapping techniques that can be utilized to map and interpret Precambrian shield terranes characterized by sparse outcrop and abundant glacial cover. In addition to teaching basic outcrop mapping technique , students are introduced to geophysical surveying (gravity, magnetics), glacial drift prospecting, and drill core logging techniques in several of our geological mapping exercises. These mapping methodologies are particularly applicable to minerals exploration in shield terranes. The second and equally important goal of the PRC field camp is to teach students modern map-making and map production skills. During the fifth and sixth weeks of field camp, students conduct "capstone" mapping projects. These projects encompass one week of detailed bedrock mapping in remote regions of northern Minnesota that have not been mapped in detail (e.g. scales greater than 1:24,000) and a second week of map-making and map generation utilizing geographic information systems (currently ArcGIS10), graphics software packages (Adobe Illustrator CS4), and various imaging software for geophysical and topographic data. Over the past five years, PRC students and faculty have collaboratively published 21 geologic maps through the Precambrian Research Center Map Series. These maps are currently being utilized in a variety of ways by industry, academia, and government for mineral exploration programs, development of undergraduate, graduate, and faculty research projects, and for planning, archeological studies, and public education programs in Minnesota's state parks. Acquisition of specialized Precambrian geological mapping skills and geologic map-making proficiencies has enabled our students to be highly sought after for employment and/or subsequent graduate studies.

The 3D geological model of the 1963 Vajont rockslide, reconstructed with implicit surface methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bistacchi, Andrea; Massironi, Matteo; Francese, Roberto; Giorgi, Massimo; Taller, Claudio

2015-04-01

The Vajont rockslide has been the object of several studies because of its catastrophic consequences and of its particular evolution. Several qualitative or quantitative models have been presented in the last 50 years, but a complete explanation of all the relevant geological and mechanical processes remains elusive. In order to better understand the mechanics and dynamics of the 1963 event, we have reconstructed the first 3D geological model of the rockslide, which allowed us to accurately investigate the rockslide structure and kinematics. The input data for the model consisted in: pre- and post-rockslide geological maps, pre- and post-rockslide orthophotos, pre- and post-rockslide digital elevation models, structural data, boreholes, and geophysical data (2D and 3D seismics and resistivity). All these data have been integrated in a 3D geological model implemented in Gocad®, using the implicit surface modelling method. Results of the 3D geological model include the depth and geometry of the sliding surface, the volume of the two lobes of the rockslide accumulation, kinematics of the rockslide in terms of the vector field of finite displacement, and high quality meshes useful for mechanical and hydrogeological simulations. The latter can include information about the stratigraphy and internal structure of the rock masses and allow tracing the displacement of different material points in the rockslide from the pre-1963-failure to the post-rockslide state. As a general geological conclusion, we may say that the 3D model allowed us to recognize very effectively a sliding surface, whose non-planar geometry is affected by the interference pattern of two regional-scale fold systems. The rockslide is partitioned into two distinct and internally continuous rock masses with a distinct kinematics, which were characterised by a very limited internal deformation during the slide. The continuity of these two large blocks points to a very localized deformation, occurring along a thin, continuous and weak cataclastic horizon. Finally, the chosen modelling strategy, based on both traditional "explicit" and implicit techniques, was found to be very effective for reconstructing complex folded and faulted geological structures, and could be applied also to other geological environments.

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

Christopher Liner

The objective of our work is graduate and undergraduate student training related to improved 3D seismic technology that addresses key challenges related to monitoring movement and containment of CO{sub 2}, specifically better quantification and sensitivity for mapping of caprock integrity, fractures, and other potential leakage pathways. We utilize data and results developed through previous DOE-funded CO{sub 2} characterization project (DE-FG26-06NT42734) at the Dickman Field of Ness County, KS. Dickman is a type locality for the geology that will be encountered for CO{sub 2} sequestration projects from northern Oklahoma across the U.S. midcontinent to Indiana and Illinois. Since its discovery inmore » 1962, the Dickman Field has produced about 1.7 million barrels of oil from porous Mississippian carbonates with a small structural closure at about 4400 ft drilling depth. Project data includes 3.3 square miles of 3D seismic data, 142 wells, with log, some core, and oil/water production data available. Only two wells penetrate the deep saline aquifer. In a previous DOE-funded project, geological and seismic data were integrated to create a geological property model and a flow simulation grid. We believe that sequestration of CO{sub 2} will largely occur in areas of relatively flat geology and simple near surface, similar to Dickman. The challenge is not complex geology, but development of improved, lower-cost methods for detecting natural fractures and subtle faults. Our project used numerical simulation to test methods of gathering multicomponent, full azimuth data ideal for this purpose. Our specific objectives were to apply advanced seismic methods to aide in quantifying reservoir properties and lateral continuity of CO{sub 2} sequestration targets. The purpose of the current project is graduate and undergraduate student training related to improved 3D seismic technology that addresses key challenges related to monitoring movement and containment of CO{sub 2}, specifically better quantification and sensitivity for mapping of caprock integrity, fractures, and other potential leakage pathways. Specifically, our focus is fundamental research on (1) innovative narrow-band seismic data decomposition and interpretation, and (2) numerical simulation of advanced seismic data (multi-component, high density, full azimuth data) ideal for mapping of cap rock integrity and potential leakage pathways.« less

Measuring discharge with acoustic Doppler current profilers from a moving boat

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mueller, David S.; Wagner, Chad R.; Rehmel, Michael S.; Oberg, Kevin A.; Rainville, Francois

2013-01-01

The use of acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) from a moving boat is now a commonly used method for measuring streamflow. The technology and methods for making ADCP-based discharge measurements are different from the technology and methods used to make traditional discharge measurements with mechanical meters. Although the ADCP is a valuable tool for measuring streamflow, it is only accurate when used with appropriate techniques. This report presents guidance on the use of ADCPs for measuring streamflow; this guidance is based on the experience of U.S. Geological Survey employees and published reports, papers, and memorandums of the U.S. Geological Survey. The guidance is presented in a logical progression, from predeployment planning, to field data collection, and finally to post processing of the collected data. Acoustic Doppler technology and the instruments currently (2013) available also are discussed to highlight the advantages and limitations of the technology. More in-depth, technical explanations of how an ADCP measures streamflow and what to do when measuring in moving-bed conditions are presented in the appendixes. ADCP users need to know the proper procedures for measuring discharge from a moving boat and why those procedures are required, so that when the user encounters unusual field conditions, the procedures can be adapted without sacrificing the accuracy of the streamflow-measurement data.

Teaching Structure from Motion to Undergraduates: New Learning Module for Field Geoscience Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratt-Sitaula, B. A.; Shervais, K.; Crosby, C. J.; Douglas, B. J.; Crosby, B. T.; Charlevoix, D. J.

2016-12-01

With photogrammetry use expanding rapidly, it is essential to integrate these methods into undergraduate geosciences courses. The NSF-funded "GEodetic Tools for Societal Issues" (GETSI) project has recently published a module for field geoscience courses called "Analyzing High Resolution Topography with TLS and SfM" (serc.carleton.edu/getsi/teaching_materials/high-rez-topo/index.html). Structure from motion (SfM) and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) are two valuable methods for generating high-resolution topographic landscape models. In addition to teaching the basic surveying methods, the module includes several specific applications that are tied to societally important geoscience research questions. The module goals are that students will be able to: 1) design and conduct a complex TLS and/or SfM survey to address a geologic research question; 2) articulate the societal impetus for answering a given research question; and 3) justify why TLS and/or SfM is the appropriate method in some circumstances. The module includes 6 units: Unit 1-TLS Introduction, Unit 1-SfM Introduction, Unit 2 Stratigraphic Section Survey, Unit 3 Fault Scarp Survey, Unit 4 Geomorphic Change Detection Survey, and Unit 5 Summative Assessment. One or both survey methods can be taught. Instructors choose which application/s to use from Units 2-4. Unit 5 Summative Assessment is flexibly written and can be used to assess any of the learned applications or others such as dinosaur tracks or seismic trench photomosaics. Prepared data sets are also provided for courses unable to visit the field. The included SfM learning manuals may also be of interest to researchers seeking to start with SfM; these are "SfM Guide of Instructors and Investigators" and "SfM Data Exploration and Processing Manual (Agisoft)". The module is appropriate for geoscience courses with field components such as field methods, geomorphology, geophysics, tectonics, and structural geology. All GETSI modules are designed and developed by teams of faculty and content experts and undergo rigorous review and classroom testing. GETSI is a collaborative project by UNAVCO (which runs NSF's Geodetic Facility), Indiana University, and Idaho State University. The Science Education Resource Center (SERC) provides assessment and evaluation expertise and webhosting.

Geologic survey in the south-central region of Mato Grosso

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parada, N. D. J. (Principal Investigator); Balieiro, M. G.

1983-01-01

The field observations made in the Cuiaba Project area are described. Many geologic cross-sections were done in which the stratigraphic units and the geologic structures defined in the literature and observed in the LANDSAT MSS imagery were recognized.

A Kinesthetic Learning Approach to Earth Science for 3rd and 4th Grade Students on the Pajarito Plateau, Los Alamos, NM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wershow, H. N.; Green, M.; Stocker, A.; Staires, D.

2010-12-01

Current efforts towards Earth Science literacy in New Mexico are guided by the New Mexico Science Benchmarks [1]. We are geoscience professionals in Los Alamos, NM who believe there is an important role for non-traditional educators utilizing innovative teaching methods. We propose to further Earth Science literacy for local 3rd and 4th grade students using a kinesthetic learning approach, with the goal of fostering an interactive relationship between the students and their geologic environment. We will be working in partnership with the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC), which teaches the natural heritage of the Pajarito Plateau to 3rd and 4th grade students from the surrounding area, as well as the Family YMCA’s Adventure Programs Director. The Pajarito Plateau provides a remarkable geologic classroom because minimal structural features complicate the stratigraphy and dramatic volcanic and erosional processes are plainly on display and easily accessible. Our methodology consists of two approaches. First, we will build an interpretive display of the local geology at PEEC that will highlight prominent rock formations and geologic processes seen on a daily basis. It will include a simplified stratigraphic section with field specimens and a map linked to each specimen’s location to encourage further exploration. Second, we will develop and implement a kinesthetic curriculum for an exploratory field class. Active engagement with geologic phenomena will take place in many forms, such as a scavenger hunt for precipitated crystals in the vesicles of basalt flows and a search for progressively smaller rhyodacite clasts scattered along an actively eroding canyon. We believe students will be more receptive to origin explanations when they possess a piece of the story. Students will be provided with field books to make drawings of geologic features. This will encourage independent assessment of phenomena and introduce the skill of scientific observation. We expect students to develop comprehension of basic geologic concepts and processes such as erosion and sediment transport, caldera formation, ash flows, crystallization and volcanic cooling features. More importantly, we hope students will become excited about their geologic environment and pursue further engagement. We will attempt to quantify student comprehension and engagement by administering simple questionnaires before and after exposure to both the PEEC display and the field class. ____________________________________________________________ [1] New Mexico Science Content Standards, Benchmarks, and Performance Standards. Approved 2003, New Mexico State Department of Education. 3rd Grade Benchmark: “Know that Earth’s features are constantly changed by a combination of slow and rapid processes that include the action of volcanoes, earthquakes, mountain building, biological changes, erosion, and weathering” 4th Grade Benchmark: “Know that the properties of rocks and minerals reflect the processes that shaped them (i.e., igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks)”

Digital structural interpretation of mountain-scale photogrammetric 3D models (Kamnik Alps, Slovenia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dolžan, Erazem; Vrabec, Marko

2015-04-01

From the earliest days of geological science, mountainous terrains with their extreme topographic relief and sparse to non-existent vegetation were utilized to a great advantage for gaining 3D insight into geological structure. But whereas Alpine vistas may offer perfect panoramic views of geology, the steep mountain slopes and vertical cliffs make it very time-consuming and difficult (if not impossible) to acquire quantitative mapping data such as precisely georeferenced traces of geological boundaries and attitudes of structural planes. We faced this problem in mapping the central Kamnik Alps of northern Slovenia, which are built up from Mid to Late Triassic succession of carbonate rocks. Polyphase brittle tectonic evolution, monotonous lithology and the presence of temporally and spatially irregular facies boundary between bedded platform carbonates and massive reef limestones considerably complicate the structural interpretation of otherwise perfectly exposed, but hardly accessible massif. We used Agisoft Photoscan Structure-from-Motion photogrammetric software to process a series of overlapping high-resolution (~0.25 m ground resolution) vertical aerial photographs originally acquired by the Geodetic Authority of the Republic of Slovenia for surveying purposes, to derive very detailed 3D triangular mesh models of terrain and associated photographic textures. Phototextures are crucial for geological interpretation of the models as they provide additional levels of detail and lithological information which is not resolvable from geometrical mesh models alone. We then exported the models to Paradigm Gocad software to refine and optimize the meshing. Structural interpretation of the models, including mapping of traces and surfaces of faults and stratigraphic boundaries and determining dips of structural planes, was performed in MVE Move suite which offers a range of useful tools for digital mapping and interpretation. Photogrammetric model was complemented by georeferenced geological field data acquired along mountain trail transects, mainly using the MVE Field Move software application. In our experience, vertical aerophotos were sufficient to generate precise surface models in all but the steepest mountain cliffs. Therefore, using existing vertical photoimagery (where available) is a very cost-effective alternative to organizing shooting campaigns with rented aircraft. For handling reasonably large models (cca 3 x 3 km, up to 10 million triangles), a low-end computer workstation with mid-range professional 3D graphic card is sufficient. The biggest bottleneck is the photogrammetric processing step which is time-consuming (10s of hrs) and has large RAM requirements, although those can be offset by dividing models into smaller parts. The major problem with geological modeling software like Gocad or Move is that it at present does not handle well projecting of phototextures. Whereas Photoscan-generated orthophotos can be vertically projected onto mesh models, this results in unacceptable distortions and gaps in subvertical or overhanging parts of the mountain cliff models. A real 3D UV texture mapping method, such as implemented in Photoscan, would be required to realistically model such areas. This limitations notwithstanding, digital geological mapping of photogrammetric models of mountains is a very promising, cost- and time-effective method for rapid structural interpretation and mapping of barren mountainous terrains, particularly when it is complemented by field measurements and observations.

Application of remote sensing techniques to the geology of the bonanza volcanic center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marrs, R. W.

1973-01-01

A program is reported for evaluating remote sensing as an aid to geologic mapping for the past four years. Data tested in this evaluation include color and color infrared photography, multiband photography, low sun-angle photography, thermal infrared scanner imagery, and side-looking airborne radar. The relative utility of color and color infrared photography was tested as it was used to refine geologic maps in previously mapped areas, as field photos while mapping in the field, and in making photogeologic maps prior to field mapping. The latter technique served as a test of the maximum utility of the photography. In this application the photography was used successfully to locate 75% of all faults in a portion of the geologically complex Bonanza volcanic center and to map and correctly identify 93% of all Quaternary deposits and 62% of all areas of Tertiary volcanic outcrop in the area.

Basalt models for the Mars penetrator mission: Geology of the Amboy Lava Field, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greeley, R.; Bunch, T. E.

1976-01-01

Amboy lava field (San Bernardino County, California) is a Holocene basalt flow selected as a test site for potential Mars Penetrators. A discussion is presented of (1) the general relations of basalt flow features and textures to styles of eruptions on earth, (2) the types of basalt flows likely to be encountered on Mars and the rationale for selection of the Amboy lava field as a test site, (3) the general geology of the Amboy lava field, and (4) detailed descriptions of the target sites at Amboy lava field.

Integrated hierarchical geo-environmental survey strategy applied to the detection and investigation of an illegal landfill: A case study in the Campania Region (Southern Italy).

PubMed

Di Fiore, Vincenzo; Cavuoto, Giuseppe; Punzo, Michele; Tarallo, Daniela; Casazza, Marco; Guarriello, Silvio Marco; Lega, Massimiliano

2017-10-01

This paper describes an approach to detect and investigate the main characteristics of a solid waste landfill through the integration of geological, geographical and geophysical methods. In particular, a multi-temporal analysis of the landfill morphological evolution was carried out using aerial and satellite photos, since there were no geological and geophysical data referring to the study area. Subsequently, a surface geophysical prospection was performed through geoelectric and geomagnetic methods. In particular, the combination of electrical resistivity, induced polarization and magnetic measurements removed some of the uncertainties, generally associated with a separate utilization of these techniques. This approach was successfully tested to support the Prosecutor Office of Salerno (S Italy) during a specific investigation about an illegal landfill. All the collected field data supported the reconstruction of the site-specific history, while the real quarry geometry and site geology were defined. Key elements of novelty of this method are the combination and the integration of different methodological approaches, as the parallel and combined use of satellite, aerial and in-situ collected data, that were validated in a real investigation and that revealed the effectiveness of this strategy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A new high-resolution electromagnetic method for subsurface imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Wanjie

For most electromagnetic (EM) geophysical systems, the contamination of primary fields on secondary fields ultimately limits the capability of the controlled-source EM methods. Null coupling techniques were proposed to solve this problem. However, the small orientation errors in the null coupling systems greatly restrict the applications of these systems. Another problem encountered by most EM systems is the surface interference and geologic noise, which sometimes make the geophysical survey impossible to carry out. In order to solve these problems, the alternating target antenna coupling (ATAC) method was introduced, which greatly removed the influence of the primary field and reduced the surface interference. But this system has limitations on the maximum transmitter moment that can be used. The differential target antenna coupling (DTAC) method was proposed to allow much larger transmitter moments and at the same time maintain the advantages of the ATAC method. In this dissertation, first, the theoretical DTAC calculations were derived mathematically using Born and Wolf's complex magnetic vector. 1D layered and 2D blocked earth models were used to demonstrate that the DTAC method has no responses for 1D and 2D structures. Analytical studies of the plate model influenced by conductive and resistive backgrounds were presented to explain the physical phenomenology behind the DTAC method, which is the magnetic fields of the subsurface targets are required to be frequency dependent. Then, the advantages of the DTAC method, e.g., high-resolution, reducing the geologic noise and insensitive to surface interference, were analyzed using surface and subsurface numerical examples in the EMGIMA software. Next, the theoretical advantages, such as high resolution and insensitive to surface interference, were verified by designing and developing a low-power (moment of 50 Am 2) vertical-array DTAC system and testing it on controlled targets and scaled target coils. At last, a high-power (moment of about 6800 Am2) vertical-array DTAC system was designed, developed and tested on controlled buried targets and surface interference to illustrate that the DTAC system was insensitive to surface interference even with a high-power transmitter and having higher resolution by using the large-moment transmitter. From the theoretical and practical analysis and tests, several characteristics of the DTAC method were found: (1) The DTAC method can null out the effect of 1D layered and 2D structures, because magnetic fields are orientation independent which lead to no difference among the null vector directions. This characteristic allows for the measurements of smaller subsurface targets; (2) The DTAC method is insensitive to the orientation errors. It is a robust EM null coupling method. Even large orientation errors do not affect the measured target responses, when a reference frequency and one or more data frequencies are used; (3) The vertical-array DTAC method is effective in reducing the geologic noise and insensitive to the surface interference, e.g., fences, vehicles, power line and buildings; (4) The DTAC method is a high-resolution EM sounding method. It can distinguish the depth and orientation of subsurface targets; (5) The vertical-array DTAC method can be adapted to a variety of rapidly moving survey applications. The transmitter moment can be scaled for effective study of near-surface targets (civil engineering, water resource, and environmental restoration) as well as deep targets (mining and other natural-resource exploration).

Geologic field-trip guide to Long Valley Caldera, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hildreth, Wes; Fierstein, Judy

2017-07-26

This guide to the geology of Long Valley Caldera is presented in four parts: (1) An overview of the volcanic geology; (2) a chronological summary of the principal geologic events; (3) a road log with directions and descriptions for 38 field-trip stops; and (4) a summary of the geophysical unrest since 1978 and discussion of its causes. The sequence of stops is arranged as a four-day excursion for the quadrennial General Assembly of the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI), centered in Portland, Oregon, in August 2017. Most stops, however, are written freestanding, with directions that allow each one to be visited independently, in any order selected.

Extension of the Cerro Prieto field and zones in the Mexicali Valley with geothermal possibilities in the future

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

Fonseca L, H.L.; de la Pena L, A.; Puente C, I.

This study concerns the possible extension of the Cerro Prieto field and identification of other zones in the Mexicali Valley with geothermal development potential by assessing the structural geologic conditions in relation to the regional tectonic framework and the integration of geologic and geophysical surveys carried out at Cerro Prieto. This study is based on data obtained from the wells drilled to date and the available geological and geophysical information. With this information, a geologic model of the field is developed as a general description of the geometry of what might be the geothermal reservoir of the Cerro Prieto field.more » In areas with geothermal potential within the Mexicali Valley, the location of irrigation wells with anomalous temperatures was taken as a point of departure for subsequent studies. Based on this initial information, gravity and magnetic surveys were made, followed by seismic reflection and refraction surveys and the drilling of 1200-m-deep multiple-use wells. Based on the results of the final integration of these studies with the geology of the region, it is suggested that the following areas should be explored further: east of Cerro Prieto, Tulecheck, Riito, Aeropuerto-Algodones, and San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora.« less

Database compilation for the geologic map of the San Francisco volcanic field, north-central Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bard, Joseph A.; Ramsey, David W.; Wolfe, Edward W.; Ulrich, George E.; Newhall, Christopher G.; Moore, Richard B.; Bailey, Norman G.; Holm, Richard F.

2016-01-08

The orignial geologic maps were prepared under the Geothermal Research Program of the U.S. Geological Survey as a basis for interpreting the history of magmatic activity in the volcanic field. The San Francisco field, which is largely Pleistocene in age, is in northern Arizona, just north of the broad transition zone between the Colorado Plateau and the Basin and Range province. It is one of several dominantly basaltic volcanic fields of the late Cenozoic age situated near the margin of the Colorado Plateau. The volcanic field contains rocks ranging in composition from basalt to rhyolite—the products of eruption through Precambrian basement rocks and approximately a kilometer of overlying, nearly horizontal, Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. About 500 km3 of erupted rocks cover about 5,000 km2 of predominantly Permian and locally preserved Triassic sedimentary rocks that form the erosionally stripped surface of the Colorado Plateau in Northern Arizona.

Hands-on Marine Geology and Geophysics Field Instruction at the University of Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saustrup, S.; Gulick, S. P. S.; Goff, J. A.; Fernandez, R.; Davis, M. B.; Duncan, D.

2015-12-01

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, part of the Jackson School of Geosciences, annually offers an intensive three-week marine geology and geophysics field course during the spring-summer intersession. Now in its ninth year, the course provides instruction in survey design, data acquisition, processing, interpretation, and visualization. Methods covered include seismic reflection, multibeam bathymetry, sidescan sonar, and sediment sampling. The emphasis of the course is team-oriented, hands-on, field training in real-world situations. The course begins with classroom instruction covering the field area and field methods, followed by a week of at-sea field work in 4-student teams. The students then return to the classroom where they integrate, interpret, and visualize data using industry-standard software. The teams present results in a series of professional-level final presentations before academic and industry supporters. Our rotating field areas provide ideal locations for students to investigate coastal and sedimentary processes of the Gulf Coast and continental shelf . In the field, student teams rotate between two research vessels: the smaller vessel, the Jackson School's newly-commissioned R/V Scott Petty (26 feet LOA), is used principally for multibeam bathymetry, sidescan sonar, and sediment sampling; the other, NOAA's R/V Manta (82 feet LOA) is used for high-resolution seismic reflection, CHIRP sub-bottom profiling, multibeam bathymetry, gravity coring, and vibracoring. Teams also rotate through a field laboratory performing processing of geophysical data and sediment samples. This past year's course in Freeport, Texas proceeded unabated despite concurrent record-breaking rainfall and flooding, which offered students a unique opportunity to observe and image, in real time, flood-related bedform migration on a time scale of hours. The data also allowed an in-class opportunity to examine natural and anthropogenic processes recorded in the river and coastal morphology and stratigraphy. http://www.ig.utexas.edu/research/mgg/courses/geof348K/

Planetary Geologic Mapping Handbook - 2009

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanaka, K. L.; Skinner, J. A.; Hare, T. M.

2009-01-01

Geologic maps present, in an historical context, fundamental syntheses of interpretations of the materials, landforms, structures, and processes that characterize planetary surfaces and shallow subsurfaces (e.g., Varnes, 1974). Such maps also provide a contextual framework for summarizing and evaluating thematic research for a given region or body. In planetary exploration, for example, geologic maps are used for specialized investigations such as targeting regions of interest for data collection and for characterizing sites for landed missions. Whereas most modern terrestrial geologic maps are constructed from regional views provided by remote sensing data and supplemented in detail by field-based observations and measurements, planetary maps have been largely based on analyses of orbital photography. For planetary bodies in particular, geologic maps commonly represent a snapshot of a surface, because they are based on available information at a time when new data are still being acquired. Thus the field of planetary geologic mapping has been evolving rapidly to embrace the use of new data and modern technology and to accommodate the growing needs of planetary exploration. Planetary geologic maps have been published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) since 1962 (Hackman, 1962). Over this time, numerous maps of several planetary bodies have been prepared at a variety of scales and projections using the best available image and topographic bases. Early geologic map bases commonly consisted of hand-mosaicked photographs or airbrushed shaded-relief views and geologic linework was manually drafted using mylar bases and ink drafting pens. Map publishing required a tedious process of scribing, color peel-coat preparation, typesetting, and photo-laboratory work. Beginning in the 1990s, inexpensive computing, display capability and user-friendly illustration software allowed maps to be drawn using digital tools rather than pen and ink, and mylar bases became obsolete. Terrestrial geologic maps published by the USGS now are primarily digital products using geographic information system (GIS) software and file formats. GIS mapping tools permit easy spatial comparison, generation, importation, manipulation, and analysis of multiple raster image, gridded, and vector data sets. GIS software has also permitted the development of project-specific tools and the sharing of geospatial products among researchers. GIS approaches are now being used in planetary geologic mapping as well (e.g., Hare and others, 2009). Guidelines or handbooks on techniques in planetary geologic mapping have been developed periodically (e.g., Wilhelms, 1972, 1990; Tanaka and others, 1994). As records of the heritage of mapping methods and data, these remain extremely useful guides. However, many of the fundamental aspects of earlier mapping handbooks have evolved significantly, and a comprehensive review of currently accepted mapping methodologies is now warranted. As documented in this handbook, such a review incorporates additional guidelines developed in recent years for planetary geologic mapping by the NASA Planetary Geology and Geophysics (PGG) Program s Planetary Cartography and Geologic Mapping Working Group s (PCGMWG) Geologic Mapping Subcommittee (GEMS) on the selection and use of map bases as well as map preparation, review, publication, and distribution. In light of the current boom in planetary exploration and the ongoing rapid evolution of available data for planetary mapping, this handbook is especially timely.

Detection of anomalous crop condition and soil variability mapping using a 26 year Landsat record and the Palmer crop moisture index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venteris, E. R.; Tagestad, J. D.; Downs, J. L.; Murray, C. J.

2015-07-01

Cost-effective and reliable vegetation monitoring methods are needed for applications ranging from traditional agronomic mapping, to verifying the safety of geologic injection activities. A particular challenge is defining baseline crop conditions and subsequent anomalies from long term imagery records (Landsat) in the face of large spatiotemporal variability. We develop a new method for defining baseline crop response (near peak growth) using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from 26 years (1986-2011) of Landsat data for 400 km2 surrounding a planned geologic carbon sequestration site near Jacksonville, Illinois. The normal score transform (yNDVI) was applied on a field by field basis to accentuate spatial patterns and level differences due to planting times. We tested crop type and soil moisture (Palmer crop moisture index (CMI)) as predictors of expected crop condition. Spatial patterns in yNDVI were similar between corn and soybeans - the two major crops. Linear regressions between yNDVI and the cumulative CMI (CCMI) exposed complex interactions between crop condition, field location (topography and soils), and annual moisture. Wet toposequence positions (depressions) were negatively correlated to CCMI and dry positions (crests) positively correlated. However, only 21% of the landscape showed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) linear relationship. To map anomalous crop conditions, we defined a tolerance interval based on yNDVI statistics. Tested on an independent image (2013), 63 of 1483 possible fields showed unusual crop condition. While the method is not directly suitable for crop health assessment, the spatial patterns in correlation between yNDVI and CCMI have potential applications for pest damage detection and edaphological soil mapping, especially in the developing world.

3D magnetization vector inversion based on fuzzy clustering: inversion algorithm, uncertainty analysis, and application to geology differentiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, J.; Li, Y.

2017-12-01

Magnetic data contain important information about the subsurface rocks that were magnetized in the geological history, which provides an important avenue to the study of the crustal heterogeneities associated with magmatic and hydrothermal activities. Interpretation of magnetic data has been widely used in mineral exploration, basement characterization and large scale crustal studies for several decades. However, interpreting magnetic data has been often complicated by the presence of remanent magnetizations with unknown magnetization directions. Researchers have developed different methods to deal with the challenges posed by remanence. We have developed a new and effective approach to inverting magnetic data for magnetization vector distributions characterized by region-wise consistency in the magnetization directions. This approach combines the classical Tikhonov inversion scheme with fuzzy C-means clustering algorithm, and constrains the estimated magnetization vectors to a specified small number of possible directions while fitting the observed magnetic data to within noise level. Our magnetization vector inversion recovers both the magnitudes and the directions of the magnetizations in the subsurface. Magnetization directions reflect the unique geological or hydrothermal processes applied to each geological unit, and therefore, can potentially be used for the purpose of differentiating various geological units. We have developed a practically convenient and effective way of assessing the uncertainty associated with the inverted magnetization directions (Figure 1), and investigated how geological differentiation results might be affected (Figure 2). The algorithm and procedures we have developed for magnetization vector inversion and uncertainty analysis open up new possibilities of extracting useful information from magnetic data affected by remanence. We will use a field data example from exploration of an iron-oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposit in Brazil to illustrate how to solve the inverse problem, assess uncertainty, and perform geology differentiation in practice. We will also discuss the potential applications of this new method to large scale crustal studies.

Natural analogue study of CO2 storage monitoring using probability statistics of CO2-rich groundwater chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, K. K.; Hamm, S. Y.; Kim, S. O.; Yun, S. T.

2016-12-01

For confronting global climate change, carbon capture and storage (CCS) is one of several very useful strategies as using capture of greenhouse gases like CO2 spewed from stacks and then isolation of the gases in underground geologic storage. CO2-rich groundwater could be produced by CO2 dissolution into fresh groundwater around a CO2 storage site. As consequence, natural analogue studies related to geologic storage provide insights into future geologic CO2 storage sites as well as can provide crucial information on the safety and security of geologic sequestration, the long-term impact of CO2 storage on the environment, and field operation and monitoring that could be implemented for geologic sequestration. In this study, we developed CO2 leakage monitoring method using probability density function (PDF) by characterizing naturally occurring CO2-rich groundwater. For the study, we used existing data of CO2-rich groundwaters in different geological regions (Gangwondo, Gyeongsangdo, and Choongchungdo provinces) in South Korea. Using PDF method and QI (quantitative index), we executed qualitative and quantitative comparisons among local areas and chemical constituents. Geochemical properties of groundwater with/without CO2 as the PDF forms proved that pH, EC, TDS, HCO3-, Ca2+, Mg2+, and SiO2 were effective monitoring parameters for carbonated groundwater in the case of CO2leakage from an underground storage site. KEY WORDS: CO2-rich groundwater, CO2 storage site, monitoring parameter, natural analogue, probability density function (PDF), QI_quantitative index Acknowledgement This study was supported by the "Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), which is funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2013R1A1A2058186)" and the "R&D Project on Environmental Management of Geologic CO2 Storage" from KEITI (Project number: 2014001810003).

Field reconnaissance geologic mapping of the Columbia Hills, Mars, based on Mars Exploration Rover Spirit and MRO HiRISE observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crumpler, L. S.; Arvidson, R. E.; Squyres, S. W.; McCoy, T.; Yingst, A.; Ruff, S.; Farrand, W.; McSween, Y.; Powell, M.; Ming, D. W.; Morris, R. V.; Bell, J. F., III; Grant, J.; Greeley, R.; DesMarais, D.; Schmidt, M.; Cabrol, N. A.; Haldemann, A.; Lewis, Kevin W.; Wang, A. E.; Schröder, C.; Blaney, D.; Cohen, B.; Yen, A.; Farmer, J.; Gellert, R.; Guinness, E. A.; Herkenhoff, K. E.; Johnson, J. R.; Klingelhöfer, G.; McEwen, A.; Rice, J. W., Jr.; Rice, M.; deSouza, P.; Hurowitz, J.

2011-07-01

Chemical, mineralogic, and lithologic ground truth was acquired for the first time on Mars in terrain units mapped using orbital Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (MRO HiRISE) image data. Examination of several dozen outcrops shows that Mars is geologically complex at meter length scales, the record of its geologic history is well exposed, stratigraphic units may be identified and correlated across significant areas on the ground, and outcrops and geologic relationships between materials may be analyzed with techniques commonly employed in terrestrial field geology. Despite their burial during the course of Martian geologic time by widespread epiclastic materials, mobile fines, and fall deposits, the selective exhumation of deep and well-preserved geologic units has exposed undisturbed outcrops, stratigraphic sections, and structural information much as they are preserved and exposed on Earth. A rich geologic record awaits skilled future field investigators on Mars. The correlation of ground observations and orbital images enables construction of a corresponding geologic reconnaissance map. Most of the outcrops visited are interpreted to be pyroclastic, impactite, and epiclastic deposits overlying an unexposed substrate, probably related to a modified Gusev crater central peak. Fluids have altered chemistry and mineralogy of these protoliths in degrees that vary substantially within the same map unit. Examination of the rocks exposed above and below the major unconformity between the plains lavas and the Columbia Hills directly confirms the general conclusion from remote sensing in previous studies over past years that the early history of Mars was a time of more intense deposition and modification of the surface. Although the availability of fluids and the chemical and mineral activity declined from this early period, significant later volcanism and fluid convection enabled additional, if localized, chemical activity.

Field Reconnaissance Geologic Mapping of the Columbia Hills, Mars: Results from MER Spirit and MRO HiRISE Observations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crumpler, L.S.; Arvidson, R. E.; Squyres, S. W.; McCoy, T.; Yingst, A.; Ruff, S.; Farrand, W.; McSween, Y.; Powell, M.; Ming, D. W.; Morris, R.V.; Bell, J.F.; Grant, J.; Greeley, R.; DesMarais, D.; Schmidt, M.; Cabrol, N.A.; Haldemann, A.; Lewis, Kevin W.; Wang, A.E.; Schroder, C.; Blaney, D.; Cohen, B.; Yen, A.; Farmer, J.; Gellert, Ralf; Guinness, E.A.; Herkenhoff, K. E.; Johnson, J. R.; Klingelhofer, G.; McEwen, A.; Rice, J. W.; Rice, M.; deSouza, P.; Hurowitz, J.

2011-01-01

Chemical, mineralogic, and lithologic ground truth was acquired for the first time on Mars in terrain units mapped using orbital Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (MRO HiRISE) image data. Examination of several dozen outcrops shows that Mars is geologically complex at meter length scales, the record of its geologic history is well exposed, stratigraphic units may be identified and correlated across significant areas on the ground, and outcrops and geologic relationships between materials may be analyzed with techniques commonly employed in terrestrial field geology. Despite their burial during the course of Martian geologic time by widespread epiclastic materials, mobile fines, and fall deposits, the selective exhumation of deep and well-preserved geologic units has exposed undisturbed outcrops, stratigraphic sections, and structural information much as they are preserved and exposed on Earth. A rich geologic record awaits skilled future field investigators on Mars. The correlation of ground observations and orbital images enables construction of a corresponding geologic reconnaissance map. Most of the outcrops visited are interpreted to be pyroclastic, impactite, and epiclastic deposits overlying an unexposed substrate, probably related to a modified Gusev crater central peak. Fluids have altered chemistry and mineralogy of these protoliths in degrees that vary substantially within the same map unit. Examination of the rocks exposed above and below the major unconformity between the plains lavas and the Columbia Hills directly confirms the general conclusion from remote sensing in previous studies over past years that the early history of Mars was a time of more intense deposition and modification of the surface. Although the availability of fluids and the chemical and mineral activity declined from this early period, significant later volcanism and fluid convection enabled additional, if localized, chemical activity.

Quantitative Determination of Iron in Limonite Using Spectroscopic Methods with Senior and General Chemistry Students: Geology-Inspired Chemistry Lab Explorations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bopegedera, A. M. R. P.; Coughenour, Christopher L.; Oswalt, Andrew J.

2016-01-01

Limonite is the field term for a mixed assemblage of ferric oxyhydroxides, often containing nonferric silicate impurities. It is abundant on Earth's surface, possesses variable iron content, and is easily recognized by distinctive yellow and ochre hues. Limonite is a unique centerpiece for undergraduate chemistry laboratories because each sample…

Fundamental Study of the Delivery of Nanoiron to DNAPL Source Zones in Naturally Heterogeneous Field Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

121 Published text books , book chapters, and theses.........................................................................125...optimize the rate and method of injection (e.g. direct push, hydraulic fracture ), or to optimize the nanoiron properties for specific site geology...expected that higher injection rates will increase the radius of influence by decreasing the efficiency of all three attachment mechanisms (diffusion

Development of a definition, classification system, and model for cultural geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, Lloyd W., III

The concept for this study is based upon a personal interest by the author, an American Indian, in promoting cultural perspectives in undergraduate college teaching and learning environments. Most academicians recognize that merged fields can enhance undergraduate curricula. However, conflict may occur when instructors attempt to merge social science fields such as history or philosophy with geoscience fields such as mining and geomorphology. For example, ideologies of Earth structures derived from scientific methodologies may conflict with historical and spiritual understandings of Earth structures held by American Indians. Specifically, this study addresses the problem of how to combine cultural studies with the geosciences into a new merged academic discipline called cultural geology. This study further attempts to develop the merged field of cultural geology using an approach consisting of three research foci: a definition, a classification system, and a model. Literature reviews were conducted for all three foci. Additionally, to better understand merged fields, a literature review was conducted specifically for academic fields that merged social and physical sciences. Methodologies concentrated on the three research foci: definition, classification system, and model. The definition was derived via a two-step process. The first step, developing keyword hierarchical ranking structures, was followed by creating and analyzing semantic word meaning lists. The classification system was developed by reviewing 102 classification systems and incorporating selected components into a system framework. The cultural geology model was created also utilizing a two-step process. A literature review of scientific models was conducted. Then, the definition and classification system were incorporated into a model felt to reflect the realm of cultural geology. A course syllabus was then developed that incorporated the resulting definition, classification system, and model. This study concludes that cultural geology can be introduced as a merged discipline by using a three-foci framework consisting of a definition, classification system, and model. Additionally, this study reveals that cultural beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors, can be incorporated into a geology course during the curriculum development process, using an approach known as 'learner-centered'. This study further concludes that cultural beliefs, derived from class members, are an important source of curriculum materials.

Simulation of Asymmetric Destabilization of Mine-void Rock Masses Using a Large 3D Physical Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, X. P.; Shan, P. F.; Cao, J. T.; Cui, F.; Sun, H.

2016-02-01

When mechanized sub-horizontal section top coal caving (SSTCC) is used as an underground mining method for exploiting extremely steep and thick coal seams (ESTCS), a large-scale surrounding rock caving may be violently created and have the potential to induce asymmetric destabilization from mine voids. In this study, a methodology for assessing the destabilization was developed to simulate the Weihuliang coal mine in the Urumchi coal field, China. Coal-rock mass and geological structure characterization were integrated with rock mechanics testing for assessment of the methodology and factors influencing asymmetric destabilization. The porous rock-like composite material ensured accuracy for building a 3D geological physical model of mechanized SSTCC by combining multi-mean timely track monitoring including acoustic emission, crack optical acquirement, roof separation observation, and close-field photogrammetry. An asymmetric 3D modeling analysis for destabilization characteristics was completed. Data from the simulated hydraulic support and buried pressure sensor provided effective information that was linked with stress-strain relationship of the working face in ESTCS. The results of the 3D physical model experiments combined with hybrid statistical methods were effective for predicting dynamic hazards in ESTCS.

Genetic approach to reconstruct complex regional geological setting of the Baltic basin in 3D geological model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popovs, K.; Saks, T.; Ukass, J.; Jatnieks, J.

2012-04-01

Interpretation of geological structures in 3D geological models is a relatively new research topic that is already standardized in many geological branches. Due to its wide practical application, these models are indispensable and become one of the dominant interpretation methods in reducing geological uncertainties in many geology fields. Traditionally, geological concepts complement quantitative as much as qualitative data to obtain a model deemed acceptable, however, available data very often is insufficient and modeling methods primarily focus on spatial data but geological history usually is mostly neglected for the modeling of large sedimentary basins. A need to better integrate the long and often complex geological history and geological knowledge into modeling procedure is very acute to gain geological insight and improve the quality of geological models. During this research, 3D geological model of the Baltic basin (BB) was created. Because of its complex regional geological setting - wide range of the data sources with multiple scales, resolution and density as well as its various source formats, the study area provides a challenge for the 3D geological modeling. In order to create 3D regional geometrical model for the study area algorithmic genetic approach for model geometry reconstruction was applied. The genetic approach is based on the assumption that post-depositional deformation produce no significant change in sedimentary strata volume, assuming that the strata thickness and its length in a cross sectional plane remains unchanged except as a result of erosion. Assuming that the tectonic deformation occurred in sequential cycles and subsequent tectonic stage strata is separated by regional unconformity as is the case of the BB, there is an opportunity for algorithmic approach in reconstructing these conditions by sequentially reconstructing the layer original thickness. Layer thicknesses were sliced along fault lines, where applicable layer thickness was adjusted by taking into account amount of erosion by the presence of the regional unconformities. Borehole data and structural maps of some surfaces were used in creating geological model of the BB. Used approach allowed creating geologically sound geometric model. At first borehole logs were used to reconstruct initial thicknesses of different strata in every tectonic stage, where topography of each strata was obtained sequentially summing thickness to the initial reference surface from structural maps. Thereby each layer reflects the topography and amount of slip along the fault of the overlying layer. Overlying tectonic cycle sequence is implemented into the model structure by using unconformity surface as an initial reference surface. Applied techniques made possible reliably reconstructing and predicting in areas of sparse data layer surface geometry, its thickness distribution and evaluating displacements along the fault planes. Overall results indicate that the used approach has a good potential in development of regional geological models for the sedimentary basins and is valid for spatial interpretation of geological structures, subordinating this process to geological evolution prerequisites. This study is supported by the European Social Fund project No. 2009/0212/1DP/1.1.1.2.0/09/APIA/VIAA/060.

Conceptual Understanding of Geological Concepts by Students with Visual Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wild, Tiffany A.; Hilson, Margilee P.; Farrand, Kathleen M.

2013-01-01

Eighteen middle and high school students with visual impairments participated in a weeklong field-based geology summer camp. This paper reports the curriculum, strategies, and what the students learned about Earth science by climbing in and out of caves, collecting fossils, exploring a bog, and interacting with experts in the field. Students were…

Guidebook for Field Trips in Virginia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Exline, Joseph D., Ed.

Presented is geological information and site descriptions for teachers to use in planning and conducting earth science field trips in Virginia. Among the topics included are: (1) Geology, Soils and Land Use in Central Virginia; (2) Using Coastal Plain Stratigraphy Near Fredericksburg, Virginia as a Teaching Tool; and (3) The Culpepper Basin of the…

Data to Support Development of Geologic Framework Models for the Deep Borehole Field Test

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

Perry, Frank Vinton; Kelley, Richard E.

This report summarizes work conducted in FY2017 to identify and document publically available data for developing a Geologic Framework Model (GFM) for the Deep Borehole Field Test (DBFT). Data was collected for all four of the sites being considered in 2017 for a DBFT site.

Evaluation of field sampling and preservation methods for strontium-90 in ground water at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho

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

Cecil, L.D.; Knobel, L.L.; Wegner, S.J.

1989-09-01

From 1952 to 1988, about 140 curies of strontium-90 have been discharged in liquid waste to disposal ponds and wells at the INEL (Idaho National Engineering Laboratory). The US Geological Survey routinely samples ground water from the Snake River Plain aquifer and from discontinuous perched-water zones for selected radionuclides, major and minor ions, and chemical and physical characteristics. Water samples for strontium-90 analyses collected in the field are unfiltered and preserved to an approximate 2-percent solution with reagent-grade hydrochloric acid. Water from four wells completed in the Snake River Plain aquifer was sampled as part of the US Geological Survey'smore » quality-assurance program to evaluate the effect of filtration and preservation methods on strontium-90 concentrations in ground water at the INEL. The wells were selected for sampling on the basis of historical concentrations of strontium-90 in ground water. Water from each well was filtered through either a 0.45- or a 0.1-micrometer membrane filter; unfiltered samples also were collected. Two sets of filtered and two sets of unfiltered water samples were collected at each well. One set of water samples was preserved in the field to an approximate 2-percent solution with reagent-grade hydrochloric acid and the other set of samples was not acidified. 13 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs.« less

Stress estimation in reservoirs using an integrated inverse method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazuyer, Antoine; Cupillard, Paul; Giot, Richard; Conin, Marianne; Leroy, Yves; Thore, Pierre

2018-05-01

Estimating the stress in reservoirs and their surroundings prior to the production is a key issue for reservoir management planning. In this study, we propose an integrated inverse method to estimate such initial stress state. The 3D stress state is constructed with the displacement-based finite element method assuming linear isotropic elasticity and small perturbations in the current geometry of the geological structures. The Neumann boundary conditions are defined as piecewise linear functions of depth. The discontinuous functions are determined with the CMA-ES (Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy) optimization algorithm to fit wellbore stress data deduced from leak-off tests and breakouts. The disregard of the geological history and the simplified rheological assumptions mean that only the stress field, statically admissible and matching the wellbore data should be exploited. The spatial domain of validity of this statement is assessed by comparing the stress estimations for a synthetic folded structure of finite amplitude with a history constructed assuming a viscous response.

A Review of Methods Applied by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Assessment of Identified Geothermal Resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, Colin F.; Reed, Marshall J.; Mariner, Robert H.

2008-01-01

The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting an updated assessment of geothermal resources in the United States. The primary method applied in assessments of identified geothermal systems by the USGS and other organizations is the volume method, in which the recoverable heat is estimated from the thermal energy available in a reservoir. An important focus in the assessment project is on the development of geothermal resource models consistent with the production histories and observed characteristics of exploited geothermal fields. The new assessment will incorporate some changes in the models for temperature and depth ranges for electric power production, preferred chemical geothermometers for estimates of reservoir temperatures, estimates of reservoir volumes, and geothermal energy recovery factors. Monte Carlo simulations are used to characterize uncertainties in the estimates of electric power generation. These new models for the recovery of heat from heterogeneous, fractured reservoirs provide a physically realistic basis for evaluating the production potential of natural geothermal reservoirs.

United States Geological Survey Alaska Program, 1975

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yount, M.E.

1975-01-01

This report on the Alaskan activities of the U.S. Geological Survey contains up-to-date accounts of recent results and summaries of plans for the summer of 1975. It is organized in six parts: (1} responsibilities and services of the Geological Survey; (2} organization of the U.S. Geological Survey; (3) U.S. Geological Survey Alaskan field activities for 1975; (4) cooperative projects with State and Federal agencies; (5) summary of important results of geological, hydrological, and geophysical research in 1974; and (6) reports published by Survey authors in 1974.

Preservation Benefits Geoscientific Investigations Across the Nation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powers, L. A.; Latysh, N.

2017-12-01

Since 2005, the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program (NGGDPP) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has distributed financial grants to state geological surveys to preserve, archive, and make available valuable geoscientific samples and data to researchers and the public. States have cataloged and preserved materials that include geophysical logs, geotechnical reports, fragile historical documents, maps, geologic samples, and legacy aerial and field-investigation photographs. Approximately 3 million metadata records describing preserved data and artifacts are cataloged in the National Digital Catalog, a component of the USGS ScienceBase data management infrastructure. Providing a centralized domain in the National Digital Catalog for uniformly described records has enabled discovery of important geoscientific assets across the Nation. Scientific investigations continue to be informed by preserved materials and data. Tennessee Geological Survey's preserved collection of historical documents describing coal mining activities in the State was used to identify vulnerable areas overlying abandoned underground coal mines, which caused surface collapses and sinkholes in populated areas. Missouri Geological Survey's preserved collection of legacy field notebooks was used to identify thousands of abandoned mines, many of which have significant soil or groundwater lead contamination and are located in areas that now have residential development. The information enabled the evaluation of risk to human health, environment, and infrastructure and identification of needed remedial actions. Information in the field notebooks also assisted the Missouri Department of Transportation responding to highway collapses and assessing collapse potential in abandoned coal mining lands. Digitization of natural gamma ray logs allowed Minnesota Geological Survey staff to directly access well data in the field, accelerating the ability to address geoscientific questions related to aquifer studies, contaminant transport, and geologic mapping and characterization. Digitization and preservation of materials and data, which would otherwise be prohibitively expensive or impossible to reproduce, are a nominal cost compared to the return in societal value that they provide.

Economic geology of the Bingham mining district, Utah, with a section on areal geology, and an introduction on general geology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boutwell, J.M.; Keith, Arthur; Emmons, S.F.

1905-01-01

The field work of which this report represents the final results was first undertaken in the summer of the year 1900. This district had long been selected by the writer as worthy of special economic investigation, as well on account of the importance of its products as because of its geological structure and the peculiar relations of its ore deposits. It was not, however, until the summer mentioned above that the means at the disposal of the Survey, both pecuniary and scientific, justified its undertaking. As originally planned, the areal or surface geology was to have been worked out by Mr. Keith, who had already spent many years in unraveling the complicated geological structure of the Appalachian province, while Mr. Boutwell, who had more recently become attached to the Survey, was to have charge of the underground geology, or a study of the ore deposits, under the immediate supervision of the writer. When the time came for actually taking the field, it was found that the pressure of other work would not permit Mr. Keith to carry out fully the part allotted to him, and in consequence a part of his field work has fallen to Mr. Boutwell. Field work was commenced by the writer and Mr. Boutwell early in July, 1900. Mr. Keith joined the party on August 10, but was obliged to leave for other duties early in September. Mr. Boutwell carried on his field work continuously from July until December, taking up underground work after the snowfall had rendered work on the surface geology impracticable. The geological structure had proved to be unexpectedly intricate and complicated, so that, on the opening of the field season of 1901, it was found necessary to make further study in the light of results already worked out, and Mr. Boutwell spent some weeks in the district in the early summer of 1901. His field work that year, partly in California and partly in Arizona, as assistant to Mr. Waldemar Lindgren, lasted through the summer and winter and well into the spring of 1902, so that but little time , was left before he was obliged to take the field again in his study of the Park City district of Utah. Mr. Keith had been too closely occupied with his Appalachian work to complete his part,' and thus the publication of this report has been unusually delayed. While the delay is a cause for regret, this regret is much tempered by the consideration that had the report been published earlier many facts brought to light during the vigorous development of the region in late years, which have an important bearing upon the structure and genesis of the ore deposits, could not have been used in its preparation.

The role of geostatistics in medical geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goovaerts, Pierre

2014-05-01

Since its development in the mining industry, geostatistics has emerged as the primary tool for spatial data analysis in various fields, ranging from earth and atmospheric sciences, to agriculture, soil science, remote sensing, and more recently environmental exposure assessment. In the last few years, these tools have been tailored to the field of medical geography or spatial epidemiology, which is concerned with the study of spatial patterns of disease incidence and mortality and the identification of potential 'causes' of disease, such as environmental exposure, diet and unhealthy behaviors, economic or socio-demographic factors. On the other hand, medical geology is an emerging interdisciplinary scientific field studying the relationship between natural geological factors and their effects on human and animal health. This paper provides an introduction to the field of medical geology with an overview of geostatistical methods available for the analysis of geological and health data. Key concepts are illustrated using the mapping of groundwater arsenic concentrations across eleven Michigan counties and the exploration of its relationship to the incidence of prostate cancer at the township level. Arsenic in drinking-water is a major problem and has received much attention because of the large human population exposed and the extremely high concentrations (e.g. 600 to 700 μg/L) recorded in many instances. Few studies have however assessed the risks associated with exposure to low levels of arsenic (say < 50 μg/L) most commonly found in drinking water in the United States. In the Michigan thumb region, arsenopyrite (up to 7% As by weight) has been identified in the bedrock of the Marshall Sandstone aquifer, one of the region's most productive aquifers. Epidemiologic studies have suggested a possible associationbetween exposure to inorganic arsenic and prostate cancer mortality, including a study of populations residing in Utah. The information available for the present ecological study (i.e. analysis of aggregated health outcomes) consist of: 1) 9,188 arsenic concentrations measured at 8,212 different private wells that were sampled between 1993 and 2002, 2) prostate cancer incidence recorded at the township level over the period 1985-2002, and 3) block-group population density that served as proxy for urbanization and use of regulated public water supply versus use of potentially contaminated private wells in rural areas.

An overview of field-specific designs of microbial EOR

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

Robertson, E.P.; Bala, G.A.; Fox, S.L.

1995-12-31

The selection and design of an MEOR process for application in a specific field involves geological, reservoir, and biological characterization. Microbially mediated oil recovery mechanisms (bigenic gas, biopolymers, and biosurfactants) are defined by the types of microorganisms used. The engineering and biological character of a given reservoir must be understood to correctly select a microbial system to enhance oil recovery. This paper discusses the methods used to evaluate three fields with distinct characteristics and production problems for the applicability of MEOR would not be applicable in two of the three fields considered. The development of a microbial oil recovery processmore » for the third field appeared promising. Development of a bacterial consortium capable of producing the desired metabolites was initiated, and field isolates were characterized.« less

Constructing a Geology Ontology Using a Relational Database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, W.; Yang, L.; Yin, S.; Ye, J.; Clarke, K.

2013-12-01

In geology community, the creation of a common geology ontology has become a useful means to solve problems of data integration, knowledge transformation and the interoperation of multi-source, heterogeneous and multiple scale geological data. Currently, human-computer interaction methods and relational database-based methods are the primary ontology construction methods. Some human-computer interaction methods such as the Geo-rule based method, the ontology life cycle method and the module design method have been proposed for applied geological ontologies. Essentially, the relational database-based method is a reverse engineering of abstracted semantic information from an existing database. The key is to construct rules for the transformation of database entities into the ontology. Relative to the human-computer interaction method, relational database-based methods can use existing resources and the stated semantic relationships among geological entities. However, two problems challenge the development and application. One is the transformation of multiple inheritances and nested relationships and their representation in an ontology. The other is that most of these methods do not measure the semantic retention of the transformation process. In this study, we focused on constructing a rule set to convert the semantics in a geological database into a geological ontology. According to the relational schema of a geological database, a conversion approach is presented to convert a geological spatial database to an OWL-based geological ontology, which is based on identifying semantics such as entities, relationships, inheritance relationships, nested relationships and cluster relationships. The semantic integrity of the transformation was verified using an inverse mapping process. In a geological ontology, an inheritance and union operations between superclass and subclass were used to present the nested relationship in a geochronology and the multiple inheritances relationship. Based on a Quaternary database of downtown of Foshan city, Guangdong Province, in Southern China, a geological ontology was constructed using the proposed method. To measure the maintenance of semantics in the conversation process and the results, an inverse mapping from the ontology to a relational database was tested based on a proposed conversation rule. The comparison of schema and entities and the reduction of tables between the inverse database and the original database illustrated that the proposed method retains the semantic information well during the conversation process. An application for abstracting sandstone information showed that semantic relationships among concepts in the geological database were successfully reorganized in the constructed ontology. Key words: geological ontology; geological spatial database; multiple inheritance; OWL Acknowledgement: This research is jointly funded by the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (RFDP) (20100171120001), NSFC (41102207) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (12lgpy19).

Digital field mapping for stimulating Secondary School students in the recognition of geological features and landforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giardino, Marco; Magagna, Alessandra; Ferrero, Elena; Perrone, Gianluigi

2015-04-01

Digital field mapping has certainly provided geoscientists with the opportunity to map and gather data in the field directly using digital tools and software rather than using paper maps, notebooks and analogue devices and then subsequently transferring the data to a digital format for subsequent analysis. But, the same opportunity has to be recognized for Geoscience education, as well as for stimulating and helping students in the recognition of landforms and interpretation of the geological and geomorphological components of a landscape. More, an early exposure to mapping during school and prior to university can optimise the ability to "read" and identify uncertainty in 3d models. During 2014, about 200 Secondary School students (aged 12-15) of the Piedmont region (NW Italy) participated in a research program involving the use of mobile devices (smartphone and tablet) in the field. Students, divided in groups, used the application Trimble Outdoors Navigators for tracking a geological trail in the Sangone Valley and for taking georeferenced pictures and notes. Back to school, students downloaded the digital data in a .kml file for the visualization on Google Earth. This allowed them: to compare the hand tracked trail on a paper map with the digital trail, and to discuss about the functioning and the precision of the tools; to overlap a digital/semitransparent version of the 2D paper map (a Regional Technical Map) used during the field trip on the 2.5D landscape of Google Earth, as to help them in the interpretation of conventional symbols such as contour lines; to perceive the landforms seen during the field trip as a part of a more complex Pleistocene glacial landscape; to understand the classical and innovative contributions from different geoscientific disciplines to the generation of a 3D structural geological model of the Rivoli-Avigliana Morainic Amphitheatre. In 2013 and 2014, some other pilot projects have been carried out in different areas of the Piedmont region, and in the Sesia Val Grande Geopark, for testing the utility of digital field mapping in Geoscience education. Feedback from students are positive: they are stimulated and involved by the use of ICT for learning Geoscience, and they voluntary choose to work with their personal mobile device (more than 90% of them own a smartphone); they are interested in knowing the features of GPS, and of software for the visualization of satellite and aerial images, but they recognize the importance of integrating and comparing traditional and innovative methods in the field.

Digital Core Modelling for Clastic Oil and Gas Reservoir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belozerov, I.; Berezovsky, V.; Gubaydullin, M.; Yur’ev, A.

2018-05-01

"Digital core" is a multi-purpose tool for solving a variety of tasks in the field of geological exploration and production of hydrocarbons at various stages, designed to improve the accuracy of geological study of subsurface resources, the efficiency of reproduction and use of mineral resources, as well as applying the results obtained in production practice. The actuality of the development of the "Digital core" software is that even a partial replacement of natural laboratory experiments with mathematical modelling can be used in the operative calculation of reserves in exploratory drilling, as well as in the absence of core material from wells. Or impossibility of its research by existing laboratory methods (weakly cemented, loose, etc. rocks). 3D-reconstruction of the core microstructure can be considered as a cheap and least time-consuming method for obtaining petrophysical information about the main filtration-capacitive properties and fluid motion in reservoir rocks.

Exploitation of ERTS-1 imagery utilizing snow enhancement techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wobber, F. J.; Martin, K. R.

1973-01-01

Photogeological analysis of ERTS-simulation and ERTS-1 imagery of snowcovered terrain within the ERAP Feather River site and within the New England (ERTS) test area provided new fracture detail which does not appear on available geological maps. Comparative analysis of snowfree ERTS-1 images has demonstrated that MSS Bands 5 and 7 supply the greatest amount of geological fracture detail. Interpretation of the first snow-covered ERTS-1 images in correlation with ground snow depth data indicates that a heavy blanket of snow (more than 9 inches) accentuates major structural features while a light "dusting", (less than 1 inch) accentuates more subtle topographic expressions. An effective mail-based method for acquiring timely ground-truth (snowdepth) information was established and provides a ready correlation of fracture detail with snow depth so as to establish the working limits of the technique. The method is both efficient and inexpensive compared with the cost of similarly scaled direct field observations.

Learning outcomes of in-person and virtual field-based geoscience instruction at Grand Canyon National Park: complementary mixed-methods analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semken, S. C.; Ruberto, T.; Mead, C.; Bruce, G.; Buxner, S.; Anbar, A. D.

2017-12-01

Students with limited access to field-based geoscience learning can benefit from immersive, student-centered virtual-reality and augmented-reality field experiences. While no digital modalities currently envisioned can truly supplant field-based learning, they afford students access to geologically illustrative but inaccessible places on Earth and beyond. As leading producers of immersive virtual field trips (iVFTs), we investigate complementary advantages and disadvantages of iVFTs and in-person field trips (ipFTs). Settings for our mixed-methods study were an intro historical-geology class (n = 84) populated mostly by non-majors and an advanced Southwest geology class (n = 39) serving mostly majors. Both represent the diversity of our urban Southwestern research university. For the same credit, students chose either an ipFT to the Trail of Time (ToT) Exhibition at Grand Canyon National Park (control group) or an online Grand Canyon iVFT (experimental group), in the same time interval. Learning outcomes for each group were identically drawn from elements of the ToT and assessed using pre/post concept sketching and inquiry exercises. Student attitudes and cognitive-load factors for both groups were assessed pre/post using the PANAS instrument (Watson et al., 1998) and with affective surveys. Analysis of pre/post concept sketches indicated improved knowledge in both groups and classes, but more so in the iVFT group. PANAS scores from the intro class showed the ipFT students having significantly stronger (p = .004) positive affect immediately prior to the experience than the iVFT students, possibly reflecting their excitement about the trip to come. Post-experience, the two groups were no longer significantly different, possibly due to the fatigue associated with a full-day ipFT. Two lines of evidence suggest that the modalities were comparable in expected effectiveness. First, the information relevant for the concept sketch was specifically covered in both modalities. Second, coding using the ICAP Framework (Chi & Wylie, 2014) suggests that the modalities are qualitatively similar, with each being predominantly active or passive and rarely reaching the constructive or interactive levels. This leaves other factors such as cognitive load to explain the differential learning outcomes by modality.

Remote sensing science for the Nineties; Proceedings of IGARSS '90 - 10th Annual International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, University of Maryland, College Park, May 20-24, 1990. Vols. 1, 2, & 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Various papers on remote sensing (RS) for the nineties are presented. The general topics addressed include: subsurface methods, radar scattering, oceanography, microwave models, atmospheric correction, passive microwave systems, RS in tropical forests, moderate resolution land analysis, SAR geometry and SNR improvement, image analysis, inversion and signal processing for geoscience, surface scattering, rain measurements, sensor calibration, wind measurements, terrestrial ecology, agriculture, geometric registration, subsurface sediment geology, radar modulation mechanisms, radar ocean scattering, SAR calibration, airborne radar systems, water vapor retrieval, forest ecosystem dynamics, land analysis, multisensor data fusion. Also considered are: geologic RS, RS sensor optical measurements, RS of snow, temperature retrieval, vegetation structure, global change, artificial intelligence, SAR processing techniques, geologic RS field experiment, stochastic modeling, topography and Digital Elevation model, SAR ocean waves, spaceborne lidar and optical, sea ice field measurements, millimeter waves, advanced spectroscopy, spatial analysis and data compression, SAR polarimetry techniques. Also discussed are: plant canopy modeling, optical RS techniques, optical and IR oceanography, soil moisture, sea ice back scattering, lightning cloud measurements, spatial textural analysis, SAR systems and techniques, active microwave sensing, lidar and optical, radar scatterometry, RS of estuaries, vegetation modeling, RS systems, EOS/SAR Alaska, applications for developing countries, SAR speckle and texture.

Integrated evaluation of the geology, aerogammaspectrometry and aeromagnetometry of the Sul-Riograndense Shield, southernmost Brazil.

PubMed

Hartmann, Léo A; Lopes, William R; Savian, Jairo F

2016-03-01

An integrated evaluation of geology, aerogammaspectrometry and aeromagnetometry of the Sul-Riogran-dense Shield is permitted by the advanced stage of understanding of the geology and geochronology of the southern Brazilian Shield and a 2010 airborne geophysical survey. Gamma rays are registered from the rocks near the surface and thus describe the distribution of major units in the shield, such as the Pelotas batholith, the juvenile São Gabriel terrane, the granulite-amphibolite facies Taquarembó terrane and the numerous granite intrusions in the foreland. Major structures are also observed, e.g., the Dorsal de Canguçu shear. Magnetic signals register near surface crustal compositions (analytic signal) and total crust composition (total magnetic signal), so their variation as measured indicates either shallow or whole crustal structures. The Caçapava shear is outstanding on the images as is the magnetic low along the N-S central portion of the shield. These integrated observations lead to the deepening of the understanding of the largest and even detailed structures of the Sul-Riograndense Shield, some to be correlated to field geology in future studies. Most significant is the presence of different provinces and their limits depending on the method used for data acquisition - geology, aerogammaspectrometry or aeromagnetometry.

The Geophysical Revolution in Geology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Peter J.

1980-01-01

Discussed is the physicists' impact on the revolution in the earth sciences particularly involving the overthrow of the fixist notions in geology. Topics discussed include the mobile earth, the route to plate tectonics, radiometric dating, the earth's magnetic field, ocean floor spreading plate boundaries, infiltration of physics into geology and…

Publications - GMC 233 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Science.gov Websites

Tidal Datum Portal Climate and Cryosphere Hazards Coastal Hazards Program Guide to Geologic Hazards in geologic field program in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska Authors: Roberts, Chuck, Coastal Science Laboratories publication sales page for more information. Bibliographic Reference Roberts, Chuck, Coastal Science

S-wave refraction survey of alluvial aggregate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellefsen, Karl J.; Tuttle, Gary J.; Williams, Jackie M.; Lucius, Jeffrey E.

2005-01-01

An S-wave refraction survey was conducted in the Yampa River valley near Steamboat Springs, Colo., to determine how well this method could map alluvium, a major source of construction aggregate. At the field site, about 1 m of soil overlaid 8 m of alluvium that, in turn, overlaid sedimentary bedrock. The traveltimes of the direct and refracted S-waves were used to construct velocity cross sections whose various regions were directly related to the soil, alluvium, and bed-rock. The cross sections were constrained to match geologic logs that were developed from drill-hole data. This constraint minimized the ambiguity in estimates of the thickness and the velocity of the alluvium, an ambiguity that is inherent to the S-wave refraction method. In the cross sections, the estimated S-wave velocity of the alluvium changed in the horizontal direction, and these changes were attributed to changes in composition of the alluvium. The estimated S-wave velocity of the alluvium was practically constant in the vertical direc-tion, indicating that the fine layering observed in the geologic logs could not be detected. The S-wave refraction survey, in conjunction with independent information such as geologic logs, was found to be suitable for mapping the thickness of the alluvium.

An embodied perspective on expertise in solving the problem of making a geologic map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Callahan, Caitlin Norah

The task of constructing a geologic map is a cognitively and physically demanding field-based problem. The map produced is understood to be an individual's two-dimensional interpretation or mental model of the three-dimensional underlying geology. A popular view within the geoscience community is that teaching students how to make a geologic map is valuable for preparing them to deal with disparate and incomplete data sets, for helping them develop problem-solving skills, and for acquiring expertise in geology. Few previous studies have focused specifically on expertise in geologic mapping. Drawing from literature related to expertise, to problem solving, and to mental models, two overarching research questions were identified: How do geologists of different levels of expertise constrain and solve an ill-structured problem such as making a geologic map? How do geologists address the uncertainties inherent to the processes and interpretations involved in solving a geologic mapping problem? These questions were answered using a methodology that captured the physical actions, expressed thoughts, and navigation paths of geologists as they made a geologic map. Eight geologists, from novice to expert, wore a head-mounted video camera with an attached microphone to record those actions and thoughts, creating "video logs" while in the field. The video logs were also time-stamped, which allowed the visual and audio data to be synchronized with the GPS data that tracked participants' movements in the field. Analysis of the video logs yielded evidence that all eight participants expressed thoughts that reflected the process of becoming mentally situated in the mapping task (e.g. relating between distance on a map and distance in three-dimensional space); the prominence of several of these early thoughts waned in the expressed thoughts later in the day. All participants collected several types of data while in the field; novices, however, did so more continuously throughout the day whereas the experts collected more of their data earlier in the day. Experts and novices also differed in that experts focused more on evaluating certainty in their interpretations; the novices focused more on evaluating the certainty of their observations and sense of location.

Two-step web-mining approach to study geology/geophysics-related open-source software projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behrends, Knut; Conze, Ronald

2013-04-01

Geology/geophysics is a highly interdisciplinary science, overlapping with, for instance, physics, biology and chemistry. In today's software-intensive work environments, geoscientists often encounter new open-source software from scientific fields that are only remotely related to the own field of expertise. We show how web-mining techniques can help to carry out systematic discovery and evaluation of such software. In a first step, we downloaded ~500 abstracts (each consisting of ~1 kb UTF-8 text) from agu-fm12.abstractcentral.com. This web site hosts the abstracts of all publications presented at AGU Fall Meeting 2012, the world's largest annual geology/geophysics conference. All abstracts belonged to the category "Earth and Space Science Informatics", an interdisciplinary label cross-cutting many disciplines such as "deep biosphere", "atmospheric research", and "mineral physics". Each publication was represented by a highly structured record with ~20 short data attributes, the largest authorship-record being the unstructured "abstract" field. We processed texts of the abstracts with the statistics software "R" to calculate a corpus and a term-document matrix. Using R package "tm", we applied text-mining techniques to filter data and develop hypotheses about software-development activities happening in various geology/geophysics fields. Analyzing the term-document matrix with basic techniques (e.g., word frequencies, co-occurences, weighting) as well as more complex methods (clustering, classification) several key pieces of information were extracted. For example, text-mining can be used to identify scientists who are also developers of open-source scientific software, and the names of their programming projects and codes can also be identified. In a second step, based on the intermediate results found by processing the conference-abstracts, any new hypotheses can be tested in another webmining subproject: by merging the dataset with open data from github.com and stackoverflow.com. These popular, developer-centric websites have powerful application-programmer interfaces, and follow an open-data policy. In this regard, these sites offer a web-accessible reservoir of information that can be tapped to study questions such as: which open source software projects are eminent in the various geoscience fields? What are the most popular programming languages? How are they trending? Are there any interesting temporal patterns in committer activities? How large are programming teams and how do they change over time? What free software packages exist in the vast realms of related fields? Does the software from these fields have capabilities that might still be useful to me as a researcher, or can help me perform my work better? Are there any open-source projects that might be commercially interesting? This evaluation strategy reveals programming projects that tend to be new. As many important legacy codes are not hosted on open-source code-repositories, the presented search method might overlook some older projects.

Lessons Learned for Geologic Data Collection and Sampling: Insights from the Desert RATS 2010 Geologist Crewmembers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurtado, J. M., Jr.; Bleacher, J. E.; Rice, J.; Young, K.; Garry, W. B.; Eppler, D.

2011-01-01

Since 1997, Desert Research and Technology Studies (D-RATS) has conducted hardware and operations tests in the Arizona desert that advance human and robotic planetary exploration capabilities. D-RATS 2010 (8/31-9/13) simulated geologic traverses through a terrain of cinder cones, lava flows, and underlying sedimentary units using a pair of crewed rovers and extravehicular activities (EVAs) for geologic fieldwork. There were two sets of crews, each consisting of an engineer/commander and an experienced field geologist drawn from the academic community. A major objective of D-RATS was to examine the functions of a science support team, the roles of geologist crewmembers, and protocols, tools, and technologies needed for effective data collection and sample documentation. Solutions to these problems must consider how terrestrial field geology must be adapted to geologic fieldwork during EVAs

The Sea-Floor Mapping Facility at the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Field Center, Woods Hole, Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Deusser, Rebecca E.; Schwab, William C.; Denny, Jane F.

2002-01-01

Researchers of the sea-floor mapping facility at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Woods Hole Field Center in Woods Hole, Mass., use state-of-the-art technology to produce accurate geologic maps of the sea floor. In addition to basic bathymetry and morphology, sea-floor maps may contain information about the distribution of sand resources, patterns of coastal erosion, pathways of pollutant transport, and geologic controls on marine biological habitats. The maps may also show areas of human impacts, such as disturbance by bottom fishing and pollution caused by offshore waste disposal. The maps provide a framework for scientific research and provide critical information to decisionmakers who oversee resources in the coastal ocean.

Reserve growth of oil and gas fields—Investigations and applications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cook, Troy A.

2013-01-01

The reserve growth of fields has been a topic for ongoing discussion for over half a century and will continue to be studied well into the future. This is due to the expected size of the volumetric contribution of reserve growth to the future supply of oil and natural gas. Understanding past methods of estimating future volumes based on the data assembly methods that have been used can lead to a better understanding of their applicability. The statistical nature of past methods and the (1) possible high level of dependency on a limited number of fields, (2) assumption of an age-based correlation with effective reserve growth, and (3) assumption of long-lived and more common than not reserve growth, may be improved by employing a more geologically based approach.

United States Geological Survey Alaska program, 1973

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1973-01-01

This report on the Alaskan activities of the U.S. Geological Survey contains up-to-date accounts of recent results and summaries of plans for the summer of 1973. It is organized in six parts: (1) responsibilities and services of the Geological Survey; (2) organization of the U.S. Geological Survey; (3) Alaskan field activities for 1973; (4) cooperative programs with the State of Alaska; (5) summary of important results of geological and geophysical research in 1972, and (6) reports published by Survey authors in 1972.

United States Geological Survey Alaska program, 1974

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carter, Claire

1974-01-01

This report on the Alaskan activities of the U.S. Geological Survey contains up-to-date accounts of recent results and summaries of plans for the summer of 1974. It is organized in six parts: (1) responsibilities and services of the Geological Survey; (2) organization of the U.S. Geological Survey; (3} Alaskan field activities for 1974; (4) cooperative programs with state and federal agencies; (5) summary of important results of geological and geophysical research in 1973, and (6) reports published by Survey authors in 1973.

Folding Digital Mapping into a Traditional Field Camp Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelley, D. F.

2011-12-01

Louisiana State University runs a field camp with a permanent fixed-base which has continually operated since 1928 in the Front Range just to the south of Colorado Springs, CO. The field camp program which offers a 6-credit hour course in Field Geology follows a very traditional structure. The first week is spent collecting data for the construction of a detailed stratigraphic column of the local geology. The second week is spent learning the skills of geologic mapping, while the third applies these skills to a more geologically complicated mapping area. The final three weeks of the field camp program are spent studying and mapping igneous and metamorphic rocks as well as conducting a regional stratigraphic correlation exercise. Historically there has been a lack of technology involved in this program. All mapping has been done in the field without the use of any digital equipment and all products have been made in the office without the use of computers. In the summer of 2011 the use of GPS units, and GIS software were introduced to the program. The exercise that was chosen for this incorporation of technology was one in which metamorphic rocks are mapped within Golden Gate Canyon State Park in Colorado. This same mapping exercise was carried out during the 2010 field camp session with no GPS or GIS use. The students in both groups had the similar geologic backgrounds, similar grade point averages, and similar overall performances at field camp. However, the group that used digital mapping techniques mapped the field area more quickly and reportedly with greater ease. Additionally, the students who used GPS and GIS included more detailed rock descriptions with their final maps indicating that they spent less time in the field focusing on mapping contacts between units. The outcome was a better overall product. The use of GPS units also indirectly caused the students to produce better field maps. In addition to greater ease in mapping, the use of GIS software to create maps was rewarding to the students and gave them mapping experience that is in line with industry standards.

Geological reasons for change in intensity of linear magnetic anomalies of the Kursk magnetic anomaly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhavoronkin, I. A.; Kopayev, V. V.

1985-01-01

The geological reasons for fluctuations in the anomalous field intensity along the polar axes were examined. The Kursk magnetic anomaly is used as the basis for the study. A geological-geophysical section was constructed which used the results of the interpretation of gravimagnetic anomalies.

Using Portable Media Players (iPod) to Support Electronic Course Materials during a Field-Based Introductory Geology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elkins, Joe T.

2009-01-01

Electronic course materials, such a videos, PowerPoint presentations, and animations, have become essential educational tools in classroom-based geoscience courses to enhance students' introduction to basic geological concepts. However, during field trips, the ability to offer students these electronic conceptual supports is lacking where students…

Geologic field-trip guide to the Lassen segment of the Cascades Arc, northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clynne, Michael A.; Muffler, L. J. Patrick

2017-08-17

This field-trip guide provides an overview of Quaternary volcanism in and around Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, emphasizing the stratigraphy of the Lassen Volcanic Center. The guide is designed to be self-guided and to focus on geologic features and stratigraphy that can be seen easily from the road network.

GeoJourney: A Field-Based, Interdisciplinary Approach to Teaching Geology, Native American Cultures, and Environmental Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elkins, Joe; Elkins, Nichole M. L.; Hemmings, Sarah N. J.

2008-01-01

GeoJourney is an interdisciplinary field trip in geology, Native American studies, and environmental studies designed for introductory-level undergraduates. The program travels 23,345 kilometers by van to national parks, industrial sites, museums, and Indian reservations in 24 of the United States. During the day, students carry out hands-on…

Staff - Marwan A. Wartes | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Science.gov Websites

programs, offering expertise in sedimentary geology and tectonics. My background is primarily in outcrop : Archives of coupled structural and sedimentary processes (GSA/AAPG) FIELD TRIP LEADERSHIP 2017, Field trip China: Journal of Sedimentary Research, v. 75, no. 2, p. 268-279. Carroll, A.R., and Wartes, M.A., 2003

Staff - Jennifer E. Athey | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Science.gov Websites

multiple data management projects from digital field data collection to data compilation projects to Surveys Digital Data Series 14, http://doi.org/10.14509/photodb. http://doi.org/10.14509/29735 Athey, J.E increasing communication about digital geologic field mapping, in Soller, D.R., ed. Digital Mapping

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

Ernest A. Mancini

The University of Alabama in cooperation with Texas A&M University, McGill University, Longleaf Energy Group, Strago Petroleum Corporation, and Paramount Petroleum Company are undertaking an integrated, interdisciplinary geoscientific and engineering research project. The project is designed to characterize and model reservoir architecture, pore systems and rock-fluid interactions at the pore to field scale in Upper Jurassic Smackover reef and carbonate shoal reservoirs associated with varying degrees of relief on pre-Mesozoic basement paleohighs in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. The project effort includes the prediction of fluid flow in carbonate reservoirs through reservoir simulation modeling which utilizes geologic reservoir characterization andmore » modeling and the prediction of carbonate reservoir architecture, heterogeneity and quality through seismic imaging. The primary objective of the project is to increase the profitability, producibility and efficiency of recovery of oil from existing and undiscovered Upper Jurassic fields characterized by reef and carbonate shoals associated with pre-Mesozoic basement paleohighs. The principal research effort for Year 2 of the project has been reservoir characterization, 3-D modeling and technology transfer. This effort has included six tasks: (1) the study of rockfluid interactions, (2) petrophysical and engineering characterization, (3) data integration, (4) 3-D geologic modeling, (5) 3-D reservoir simulation and (6) technology transfer. This work was scheduled for completion in Year 2. Overall, the project work is on schedule. Geoscientific reservoir characterization is essentially completed. The architecture, porosity types and heterogeneity of the reef and shoal reservoirs at Appleton and Vocation Fields have been characterized using geological and geophysical data. The study of rock-fluid interactions is near completion. Observations regarding the diagenetic processes influencing pore system development and heterogeneity in these reef and shoal reservoirs have been made. Petrophysical and engineering property characterization has been essentially completed. Porosity and permeability data at Appleton and Vocation Fields have been analyzed, and well performance analysis has been conducted. Data integration is up to date, in that, the geological, geophysical, petrophysical and engineering data collected to date for Appleton and Vocation Fields have been compiled into a fieldwide digital database. 3-D geologic modeling of the structures and reservoirs at Appleton and Vocation Fields has been completed. The model represents an integration of geological, petrophysical and seismic data. 3-D reservoir simulation of the reservoirs at Appleton and Vocation Fields has been completed. The 3-D geologic model served as the framework for the simulations. A technology workshop on reservoir characterization and modeling at Appleton and Vocation Fields was conducted to transfer the results of the project to the petroleum industry.« less

Map showing general availability of ground water in the Alton-Kolob coal-fields area, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Price, Don

1982-01-01

This is one of a series of maps that describes the geology and related natural resources of the Alton-Kolob coal-fields area, Utah. Shown on this map is the general availability of ground water as indicated by potential yields of individual wells and expected depth to water in wells. Most data used to compile this map were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources Division of Water Rights. Other sources of data included the U.S. Geological Survey 7½- and 15-minute topographic quadrangle maps, unpublished reports of field evaluations of potential shock-watering sites by U.S. Geological Survey personnel, and the geologic map of Utah (Stokes, 1964).This map is very generalized and is intended chiefly for planning purposes. It should be used with discretion. For more detailed information about the availability of ground water in various parts of the map area the reader is referred to the following reports: Thomas and Taylor (1946); Marine (1963); Sandberg (1963, 1966); Carpenter, Robinson, and Bjorklund (1964, 1967); Feltis (1966); Goode (1964, 1966); Cordova, Sandberg, and McConkie (1972); Cordova (1978, 1981); and Bjorklund, Sumison, and Sandberg (1977, 1978). For a general description of the chemical quality of ground water in the Alton-Kolob coal-fields area the reader is referred to Price (1981).

Geothermal system boundary at the northern edge of Patuha Geothermal Field based on integrated study of volcanostratigraphy, geological field mapping, and cool springs contamination by thermal fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suryantini; Rachmawati, C.; Abdurrahman, M.

2017-12-01

Patuha Geothermal System is a volcanic hydrothermal system. In this type of system, the boundary of the system is often determined by low resistivity (10 ohm.m) anomaly from Magnetotelluric (MT) or DC-Resistivity survey. On the contrary, during geothermal exploration, the system boundary often need to be determined as early as possible even prior of resistivity data available. Thus, a method that use early stage survey data must be developed properly to reduce the uncertainty of the geothermal area extent delineation at the time the geophysical data unavailable. Geological field mapping, volcanostratigraphy analysis and fluid chemistry of thermal water and cold water are the data available at the early stage of exploration. This study integrates this data to delineate the geothermal system boundary. The geological mapping and volcanostratigraphy are constructed to limit the extent of thermal and cold springs. It results that springs in the study area are controlled hydrologically by topography of Patuha Volcanic Crown (complex) or so called PVC, the current geothermal field and Masigit Volcanic Crown (complex) or so called MVC, the dormant volcano not associated with active geothermal system. Some of the cold springs at PVC are contaminated by subsurface steam heated outflow while others are not contaminated. The contaminated cold springs have several characteristics such as higher water temperature than ambient temperature at the time it was measured, higher total disolved solid (TDS), and lower pH. The soluble elements analysis support the early contamination indication by showing higher cation and anion, and positive oxygen shifting of stable isotope of these cool springs. Where as the uncontaminated spring shows similar characteristic with cool springs occur at MVC. The boundary of the system is delineated by an arbitrary line drawn between distal thermal springs from the upflow or contaminated cool springs with the cool uncontaminated springs. This boundary is more or less in agreement with low resisitivity boundary derived from MT and DC resistivity survey. The area defined as part of geothermal area from this method is also validate with drilling data that give high temperature gradient. It suggests that the method use in this study is applicable and reliable.

Rational Exploitation and Utilizing of Groundwater in Jiangsu Coastal Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, B.; Lin, X.

2017-12-01

Jiangsu coastal area is located in the southeast coast of China, where is a new industrial base and an important coastal and Land Resources Development Zone of China. In the areas with strong human exploitation activities, regional groundwater evolution is obviously affected by human activities. In order to solve the environmental geological problems caused by groundwater exploitation fundamentally, we must find out the forming conditions of regional groundwater hydrodynamic field, and the impact of human activities on groundwater hydrodynamic field evolution and hydrogeochemical evolition. Based on these results, scientific management and reasonable exploitation of the regional groundwater resources can be provided for the utilization. Taking the coastal area of Jiangsu as the research area, we investigate and analyze of the regional hydrogeological conditions. The numerical simulation model of groundwater flow was established according to the water power, chemical and isotopic methods, the conditions of water flow and the influence of hydrodynamic field on the water chemical field. We predict the evolution of regional groundwater dynamics under the influence of human activities and climate change and evaluate the influence of groundwater dynamic field evolution on the environmental geological problems caused by groundwater exploitation under various conditions. We get the following conclusions: Three groundwater exploitation optimal schemes were established. The groundwater salinization was taken as the primary control condition. The substitution model was proposed to model groundwater exploitation and water level changes by BP network method.Then genetic algorithm was used to solve the optimization solution. Three groundwater exploitation optimal schemes were submit to local water resource management. The first sheme was used to solve the groundwater salinization problem. The second sheme focused on dual water supply. The third sheme concerned on emergency water supppy. This is the first time environment problem taken as water management objectinve in this coastal area.

Numerical analysis of multicomponent responses of surface-hole transient electromagnetic method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Qing-Xin; Hu, Xiang-Yun; Pan, He-Ping; Zhou, Feng

2017-03-01

We calculate the multicomponent responses of surface-hole transient electromagnetic method. The methods and models are unsuitable as geoelectric models of conductive surrounding rocks because they are based on regular local targets. We also propose a calculation and analysis scheme based on numerical simulations of the subsurface transient electromagnetic fields. In the modeling of the electromagnetic fields, the forward modeling simulations are performed by using the finite-difference time-domain method and the discrete image method, which combines the Gaver-Stehfest inverse Laplace transform with the Prony method to solve the initial electromagnetic fields. The precision in the iterative computations is ensured by using the transmission boundary conditions. For the response analysis, we customize geoelectric models consisting of near-borehole targets and conductive wall rocks and implement forward modeling simulations. The observed electric fields are converted into induced electromotive force responses using multicomponent observation devices. By comparing the transient electric fields and multicomponent responses under different conditions, we suggest that the multicomponent-induced electromotive force responses are related to the horizontal and vertical gradient variations of the transient electric field at different times. The characteristics of the response are determined by the varying the subsurface transient electromagnetic fields, i.e., diffusion, attenuation and distortion, under different conditions as well as the electromagnetic fields at the observation positions. The calculation and analysis scheme of the response consider the surrounding rocks and the anomalous field of the local targets. It therefore can account for the geological data better than conventional transient field response analysis of local targets.

Acoustic paramagnetic logging tool

DOEpatents

Vail, III, William B.

1988-01-01

New methods and apparatus are disclosed which allow measurement of the presence of oil and water in geological formations using a new physical effect called the Acoustic Paramagnetic Logging Effect (APLE). The presence of petroleum in formation causes a slight increase in the earth's magnetic field in the vicinity of the reservoir. This is the phenomena of paramagnetism. Application of an acoustic source to a geological formation at the Larmor frequency of the nucleons present causes the paramagnetism of the formation to disappear. This results in a decrease in the earth3 s magnetic field in the vicinity of the oil bearing formation. Repetitively frequency sweeping the acoustic source through the Larmor frequency of the nucleons present (approx. 2 kHz) causes an amplitude modulation of the earth's magnetic field which is a consequence of the APLE. The amplitude modulation of the earth's magnetic field is measured with an induction coil gradiometer and provides a direct measure of the amount of oil and water in the excitation zone of the formation . The phase of the signal is used to infer the longitudinal relaxation times of the fluids present, which results in the ability in general to separate oil and water and to measure the viscosity of the oil present. Such measurements may be preformed in open boreholes and in cased well bores.

Solubility trapping in formation water as dominant CO(2) sink in natural gas fields.

PubMed

Gilfillan, Stuart M V; Lollar, Barbara Sherwood; Holland, Greg; Blagburn, Dave; Stevens, Scott; Schoell, Martin; Cassidy, Martin; Ding, Zhenju; Zhou, Zheng; Lacrampe-Couloume, Georges; Ballentine, Chris J

2009-04-02

Injecting CO(2) into deep geological strata is proposed as a safe and economically favourable means of storing CO(2) captured from industrial point sources. It is difficult, however, to assess the long-term consequences of CO(2) flooding in the subsurface from decadal observations of existing disposal sites. Both the site design and long-term safety modelling critically depend on how and where CO(2) will be stored in the site over its lifetime. Within a geological storage site, the injected CO(2) can dissolve in solution or precipitate as carbonate minerals. Here we identify and quantify the principal mechanism of CO(2) fluid phase removal in nine natural gas fields in North America, China and Europe, using noble gas and carbon isotope tracers. The natural gas fields investigated in our study are dominated by a CO(2) phase and provide a natural analogue for assessing the geological storage of anthropogenic CO(2) over millennial timescales. We find that in seven gas fields with siliciclastic or carbonate-dominated reservoir lithologies, dissolution in formation water at a pH of 5-5.8 is the sole major sink for CO(2). In two fields with siliciclastic reservoir lithologies, some CO(2) loss through precipitation as carbonate minerals cannot be ruled out, but can account for a maximum of 18 per cent of the loss of emplaced CO(2). In view of our findings that geological mineral fixation is a minor CO(2) trapping mechanism in natural gas fields, we suggest that long-term anthropogenic CO(2) storage models in similar geological systems should focus on the potential mobility of CO(2) dissolved in water.

Geology of the Right Stepover region between the Rodgers Creek, Healdsburg, and Maacama faults, northern San Francisco Bay region: a contribution to Northern California Geological Society Field Trip Guide, June 6-8, 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

McLaughlin, Robert J.; Sarna-Wojcicki, Andrei

2003-01-01

This Open file report was written as part of a two-day field trip on June 7 and 8, 2003, conducted for the Northern California Geological Society. The first day of this field trip (June 7) was led by McLaughlin and Sarna-Wojcicki in the area of the right- step between the Rodgers Creek- Healdsburg fault zone and the Maacama fault. The second day of the trip (June 8), was led by David Wagner of the California Geological Survey and students having recently completed MS theses at San Jose State University (James Allen) and San Francisco State University (Carrie Randolph-Loar), as well as a student from San Francisco State University whose MS thesis was in progress in June 2003 (Eric Ford). The second day covered the Rodgers Creek fault zone and related faults of the Petaluma Valley area (the Tolay and Petaluma Valley fault zones).

U.S. Geological Survey Field Leach Test for Assessing Water Reactivity and Leaching Potential of Mine Wastes, Soils, and Other Geologic and Environmental Materials

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hageman, Philip L.

2007-01-01

The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed a fast (5-minute), effective, simple, and cost-effective leach test that can be used to simulate the reactions that occur when materials are leached by water. The USGS Field Leach Test has been used to predict, assess, and characterize the geochemical interactions between water and a broad variety of geologic and environmental matrices. Examples of some of the samples leached include metal mine wastes, various types of dusts, biosolids (processed sewage sludge), flood and wetland sediments, volcanic ash, forest-fire burned soils, and many other diverse matrices. The Field Leach Test has been an integral part of these investigations and has demonstrated its value as a geochemical characterization tool. It has enabled investigators to identify which constituents are water reactive, soluble, mobilized, and made bioaccessible because of leaching by water, and to understand potential impacts of these interactions on the surrounding environment.

Unique geologic insights from "non-unique" gravity and magnetic interpretation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saltus, R.W.; Blakely, R.J.

2011-01-01

Interpretation of gravity and magnetic anomalies is mathematically non-unique because multiple theoretical solutions are always possible. The rigorous mathematical label of "nonuniqueness" can lead to the erroneous impression that no single interpretation is better in a geologic sense than any other. The purpose of this article is to present a practical perspective on the theoretical non-uniqueness of potential-field interpretation in geology. There are multiple ways to approach and constrain potential-field studies to produce significant, robust, and definitive results. The "non-uniqueness" of potential-field studies is closely related to the more general topic of scientific uncertainty in the Earth sciences and beyond. Nearly all results in the Earth sciences are subject to significant uncertainty because problems are generally addressed with incomplete and imprecise data. The increasing need to combine results from multiple disciplines into integrated solutions in order to address complex global issues requires special attention to the appreciation and communication of uncertainty in geologic interpretation.

Joint document concerning geological studies from 1971 - 1975

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

In 1971, a joint Soviet-Americam Working Group on Remote Sensing of the Natural Environment was established. It was organized into a number of discipline panels, one of which was on geology. Membership on this panel came from the Geological Survey of the United States and from the Institute of Geology of the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences and Ministry Geology of the U.S.S.R.. During the period 1971-1975, this panel conducted coordinated research in the use of space remote sensing data in the field of geology. A summary of that coordinated research effort is presented.

The Use of Handheld X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Technology in Unraveling the Eruptive History of the San Francisco Volcanic Field, Arizona

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Kelsey E.; Evans, C. A.; Hodges, K. V.

2012-01-01

While traditional geologic mapping includes the examination of structural relationships between rock units in the field, more advanced technology now enables us to simultaneously collect and combine analytical datasets with field observations. Information about tectonomagmatic processes can be gleaned from these combined data products. Historically, construction of multi-layered field maps that include sample data has been accomplished serially (first map and collect samples, analyze samples, combine data, and finally, readjust maps and conclusions about geologic history based on combined data sets). New instruments that can be used in the field, such as a handheld xray fluorescence (XRF) unit, are now available. Targeted use of such instruments enables geologists to collect preliminary geochemical data while in the field so that they can optimize scientific data return from each field traverse. Our study tests the application of this technology and projects the benefits gained by real-time geochemical data in the field. The integrated data set produces a richer geologic map and facilitates a stronger contextual picture for field geologists when collecting field observations and samples for future laboratory work. Real-time geochemical data on samples also provide valuable insight regarding sampling decisions by the field geologist

Digital Mapping Techniques '11–12 workshop proceedings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Soller, David R.

2014-01-01

At these meetings, oral and poster presentations and special discussion sessions emphasized: (1) methods for creating and publishing map products (here, "publishing" includes Web-based release); (2) field data capture software and techniques, including the use of LiDAR; (3) digital cartographic techniques; (4) migration of digital maps into ArcGIS Geodatabase formats; (5) analytical GIS techniques; and (6) continued development of the National Geologic Map Database.

Alaska Geochemical Database - Mineral Exploration Tool for the 21st Century - PDF of presentation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Granitto, Matthew; Schmidt, Jeanine M.; Labay, Keith A.; Shew, Nora B.; Gamble, Bruce M.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has created a geochemical database of geologic material samples collected in Alaska. This database is readily accessible to anyone with access to the Internet. Designed as a tool for mineral or environmental assessment, land management, or mineral exploration, the initial version of the Alaska Geochemical Database - U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 637 - contains geochemical, geologic, and geospatial data for 264,158 samples collected from 1962-2009: 108,909 rock samples; 92,701 sediment samples; 48,209 heavy-mineral-concentrate samples; 6,869 soil samples; and 7,470 mineral samples. In addition, the Alaska Geochemical Database contains mineralogic data for 18,138 nonmagnetic-fraction heavy mineral concentrates, making it the first U.S. Geological Survey database of this scope that contains both geochemical and mineralogic data. Examples from the Alaska Range will illustrate potential uses of the Alaska Geochemical Database in mineral exploration. Data from the Alaska Geochemical Database have been extensively checked for accuracy of sample media description, sample site location, and analytical method using U.S. Geological Survey sample-submittal archives and U.S. Geological Survey publications (plus field notebooks and sample site compilation base maps from the Alaska Technical Data Unit in Anchorage, Alaska). The database is also the repository for nearly all previously released U.S. Geological Survey Alaska geochemical datasets. Although the Alaska Geochemical Database is a fully relational database in Microsoft® Access 2003 and 2010 formats, these same data are also provided as a series of spreadsheet files in Microsoft® Excel 2003 and 2010 formats, and as ASCII text files. A DVD version of the Alaska Geochemical Database was released in October 2011, as U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 637, and data downloads are available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/637/. Also, all Alaska Geochemical Database data have been incorporated into the interactive U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Resource Data web portal, available at http://mrdata.usgs.gov/.

Micrometer-scale magnetic imaging of geological samples using a quantum diamond microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glenn, D. R.; Fu, R. R.; Kehayias, P.; Le Sage, D.; Lima, E. A.; Weiss, B. P.; Walsworth, R. L.

2017-08-01

Remanent magnetization in geological samples may record the past intensity and direction of planetary magnetic fields. Traditionally, this magnetization is analyzed through measurements of the net magnetic moment of bulk millimeter to centimeter sized samples. However, geological samples are often mineralogically and texturally heterogeneous at submillimeter scales, with only a fraction of the ferromagnetic grains carrying the remanent magnetization of interest. Therefore, characterizing this magnetization in such cases requires a technique capable of imaging magnetic fields at fine spatial scales and with high sensitivity. To address this challenge, we developed a new instrument, based on nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond, which enables direct imaging of magnetic fields due to both remanent and induced magnetization, as well as optical imaging, of room-temperature geological samples with spatial resolution approaching the optical diffraction limit. We describe the operating principles of this device, which we call the quantum diamond microscope (QDM), and report its optimized image-area-normalized magnetic field sensitivity (20 µTṡµm/Hz1/2), spatial resolution (5 µm), and field of view (4 mm), as well as trade-offs between these parameters. We also perform an absolute magnetic field calibration for the device in different modes of operation, including three-axis (vector) and single-axis (projective) magnetic field imaging. Finally, we use the QDM to obtain magnetic images of several terrestrial and meteoritic rock samples, demonstrating its ability to resolve spatially distinct populations of ferromagnetic carriers.

Distribution and characteristics of gravelly soil liquefaction in the Wenchuan M s 8.0 earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Zhenzhong; Hou, Longqing; Xu, Hongmei; Yuan, Xiaoming

2010-06-01

In this paper, a distribution map of gravelly soil liquefaction that was caused by the Wenchuan M s 8.0 earthquake in China is proposed based on a detailed field investigation and an analysis of geological soil profiles. The geological background of the earthquake disaster region is summarized by compiling geological cross sections and borehole logs. Meanwhile, four typical liquefied sites were selected to conduct sample drillings, dynamic penetration tests (DPT), and shear wave velocity tests, to understand the features of liquefied gravelly soil. One hundred and eighteen (118) liquefied sites were investigated shortly after the earthquake. The field investigation showed: (1) sandboils and waterspouts occurred extensively, involving thousands of miles of farmland, 120 villages, eight schools and five factories, which caused damage to some rural houses, schools, manufacturing facilities and wells, etc.; (2) the Chengdu plain is covered by a gravelly soil layer with a thickness of 0 m to 541 m according to the geological cross sections; (3) there were 80 gravelly soil liquefied sites in the Chengdu plain, shaped as five belt areas that varied from 20 km to 40 km in length, and about ten gravelly soil liquefied sites distributed within Mianyang area; and (4) the grain sizes of the sampled soil were relative larger than the ejected soil on the ground, thus the type of liquefied soil cannot be determined by the ejected soil. The gravelly soil liquefied sites are helpful in enriching the global database of gravelly soil liquefaction and developing a corresponding evaluation method in further research efforts.

Geological field study for science education on Elementary and Junior high school student, in Shimane prefecture, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsumoto, I.

2011-12-01

The importance of learning at field has been increasing in the elementary and the junior high school in Japan. And, an environmental education is one of the important subjects even in the school education, too. It was important, as for science education, understanding with actual feeling and learning were specified as for the Teaching outlines (the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) of the new science textbook of the elementary and the junior high school as well. However, It is a little actual situation that there is in an opportunity for the field learning enforced in the school lesson by the investigation of JST (Japan Science and Tecnology Agency). This tendency is strong as much as school of the city and that circumference. I have this cause think that there are a few suitable places for learning to observe geological and biological field near school. In addition, below two is pointed out as a big problem to obstruct the execution of field learning. 1) A natural experience isn't being done sufficient as much as a teacher can teach to the student. 2) It doesn't have the confidence that a teacher teaches a student geology and biology at the field. I introduce the practical example of geological field learning at the public elementary school of the Shimane prefecture by this research. Though it is the place where nature is comparatively rich even in Japan, it can't be said that field learning is popular in Shimane prefecture. A school teacher has to learning experience at field, and he must settle confidence to guide a student at the field. A specialist in the university and the museum must support continuous learning for that to the school teacher.

Use of high-resolution satellite images for detection of geological structures related to Calerias geothermal field, Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arellano-Baeza, A. A.; Urzua, L.

2011-12-01

Chile has enormous potential to use the geothermal resources for electric energy generation. The main geothermal fields are located in the Central Andean Volcanic Chain in the North, between the Central valley and the border with Argentina in the center, and in the fault system Liquiñe-Ofqui in the South of the country. High resolution images from the LANDSAT and ASTER satellites have been used to delineate the geological structures related to the Calerias geothermal field located at the northern end of the Southern Volcanic Zone of Chile. It was done by applying the lineament extraction technique developed by authors. These structures have been compared with the distribution of main geological structures obtained in the field. It was found that the lineament density increases in the areas of the major heat flux indicating that the lineament analysis could be a power tool for the detection of faults and joint zones associated to the geothermal fields.

Overcoming the momentum of anachronism: American geologic mapping in a twenty-first-century world

USGS Publications Warehouse

House, P. Kyle; Clark, Ryan; Kopera, Joe

2013-01-01

The practice of geologic mapping is undergoing conceptual and methodological transformation. Profound changes in digital technology in the past 10 yr have potential to impact all aspects of geologic mapping. The future of geologic mapping as a relevant scientific enterprise depends on widespread adoption of new technology and ideas about the collection, meaning, and utility of geologic map data. It is critical that the geologic community redefine the primary elements of the traditional paper geologic map and improve the integration of the practice of making maps in the field and office with the new ways to record, manage, share, and visualize their underlying data. A modern digital geologic mapping model will enhance scientific discovery, meet elevated expectations of modern geologic map users, and accommodate inevitable future changes in technology.

Spectral and Geological Characterization of Beach Components in Northern Puerto Rico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caraballo Álvarez, I. O.; Torres-Perez, J. L.; Barreto, M.

2015-12-01

Understanding how changes in beach components may reflect beach processes is essential since variations along beach profiles can shed light on river and ocean processes influencing beach sedimentation and beachrock formation. It is likely these influences are related to beach proximity within the Río Grande de Manatí river mouth. Therefore, this study focuses on characterizing beach components at two sites in Manatí, Puerto Rico. Playa Machuca and Playa Tombolo, which are separated by eolianites, differ greatly in sediment size, mineralogy, and beachrock morphology. Several approaches were taken to geologically and spectrally characterize main beach components at each site. These approaches included field and microscopic laboratory identification, granulometry, and a comparison between remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) obtained with a field spectroradiometer and pre-existing spectral library signatures. Preliminary results indicate a positive correlation between each method. This study may help explore the possibility of using only Rrs to characterize beach and shallow submarine components for detailed image analysis and management of coastal features.This study focuses on characterizing beach components at two sites in Manatí, Puerto Rico. Playa Machuca and Playa Tombolo, two beaches that are separated by eolianites, differ greatly in sediment size and mineralogy, as well as in beachrock morphology. Understanding how changes in beach components may reflect beach processes is essential, since it is likely that differences are mostly related to each beaches' proximity to the Río Grande de Manatí river mouth. Hence, changes in components along beach profiles can shed light on the river's and the ocean's influence on beach sedimentation and beachrock formation. Several approaches were taken to properly geologically and spectrally characterize the main beach components at each site. These approaches included field and microscopic laboratory identification, granulometry, and a comparison between remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) obtained with a field spectroradiometer and the ENVI spectral library. Preliminary results show a positive correlation between each method. This study may help explore the possibility of using only Rrs to characterize beach and shallow submarine components for detailed image analysis and management of coastal features.

Teaching the geological subsurface with 3D models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorpe, Steve; Ward, Emma

2014-05-01

3D geological models have great potential as a resource when teaching geological concepts as it allows the student to visualise and interrogate UK geology. They are especially useful when dealing with the conversion of 2D field, map and GIS outputs into three dimensional geological units, which is a common problem for many students. Today's earth science students use a variety of skills and processes during their learning experience including spatial thinking, image construction, detecting patterns, making predictions and deducing the orientation of themselves. 3D geological models can reinforce spatial thinking strategies and encourage students to think about processes and properties, in turn helping the student to recognise pre-learnt geological principles in the field and to convert what they see at the surface into a picture of what is going on at depth. The British Geological Survey (BGS) has been producing digital 3D geological models for over 10 years. The models produced are revolutionising the working practices, data standards and products of the BGS. Sharing our geoscience information with academia is highlighted throughout the BGS strategy as is instilling practical skills in future geoscience professionals, such as model building and interpretation. In 2009 a project was launched to investigate the potential of the models as a teaching resource. The study included justifying if and how the models help students to learn, how models have been used historically, and how other forms of modelling are being used today. BGS now produce 3D geological models for use by anyone teaching or learning geoscience. They incorporate educational strategies that will develop geospatial skills and alleviate potential problems that some students experience. They are contained within contemporary case studies and show standard geological concepts, structures, sedimentary rocks, cross sections and field techniques. 3D geological models of the Isle of Wight and Ingleborough along with accompanying education material and a video tutorial guide are currently available to the public on our website www.bgs.ac.uk. 2014 will see the launch of a further 5-6 models, each illustrating different geological locations, rock types and complexities. This poster aims to show the methodology and techniques for generating a 3D geological model. It will provide background information on the project and how these models can be used as a teaching resource, either in a formal classroom setting or as a distance learning tool. The model allows the student to take part in virtual fieldwork, by viewing the landscape in association with the geological structures and processes that have shaped it.

Digital Geology from field to 3D modelling and Google Earth virtual environment: methods and goals from the Furlo Gorge (Northern Apennines - Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Donatis, Mauro; Susini, Sara

2014-05-01

A new map of the Furlo Gorge was surveyed and elaborated in a digital way. In every step of work we used digital tools as mobile GIS and 3D modelling software. Phase 1st Starting in the lab, planning the field project development, base cartography, forms and data base were designed in the way we thought was the best for collecting and store data in order of producing a digital n­-dimensional map. Bedding attitudes, outcrops sketches and description, stratigraphic logs, structural features and other informations were collected and organised in a structured database using rugged tablet PC, GPS receiver, digital cameras and later also an Android smartphone with some survey apps in-­house developed. A new mobile GIS (BeeGIS) was developed starting from an open source GIS (uDig): a number of tools like GPS connection, pen drawing annotations, geonotes, fieldbook, photo synchronization and geotagging were originally designed. Phase 2nd After some month of digital field work, all the informations were elaborated for drawing a geologic map in GIS environment. For that we use both commercial (ArcGIS) and open source (gvSig, QGIS, uDig) without big technical problems. Phase 3rd When we get to the step of building a 3D model (using 3DMove), passing trough the assisted drawing of cross-­sections (2DMove), we discovered a number of problems in the interpretation of geological structures (thrusts, normal faults) and more in the interpretation of stratigraphic thickness and boundaries and their relationships with topography. Phase 4th Before an "on­-armchair" redrawing of map, we decide to go back to the field and check directly what was wrong. Two main vantages came from this: (1) the mistakes we found could be reinterpreted and corrected directly in the field having all digital tools we need; (2) previous interpretations could be stored in GIS layers keeping memory of the previous work (also mistakes). Phase 5th A 3D model built with 3D Move is already almost self­-consistent in showing the structural features of the study area. The work was not so straightforward, but the result is more then satisfying, even if some limitations were not solved (i.e. visualisation of bedding attitudes). Geological maps are fundamental for knowledge transfer among experts but, if combined with the innovative digital methods from survey to 3D model, this knowledges could reach a much larger number of people, allowing a cultural growth and the establishment of a larger awareness of the Earth and Environment.

Field data observed during the geological excursion in the west-central region of the Sul-Riogrande Shield

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parada, N. D. J. (Principal Investigator); Ohara, T.

1984-01-01

Outcrops are studied in the Copper Project test area of the Rio Grande do Sul State of Brazil. The accuracy of LANDSAT-MSS data is checked against field data. A preliminary geological map is included on a scale of 1:500,000 that describes 820 outcrop over an area of 1,700 kilometers.

Quantitative Assessment of a Field-Based Course on Integrative Geology, Ecology and Cultural History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheppard, Paul R.; Donaldson, Brad A.; Huckleberry, Gary

2010-01-01

A field-based course at the University of Arizona called Sense of Place (SOP) covers the geology, ecology and cultural history of the Tucson area. SOP was quantitatively assessed for pedagogical effectiveness. Students of the Spring 2008 course were given pre- and post-course word association surveys in order to assess awareness and comprehension…

How Students and Field Geologists Reason in Integrating Spatial Observations from Outcrops to Visualize a 3-D Geological Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kastens, Kim A.; Agrawal, Shruti; Liben, Lynn S.

2009-01-01

Geologists and undergraduate students observed eight artificial "rock outcrops" in a realistically scaled field area, and then tried to envision a geological structure that might plausibly be formed by the layered rocks in the set of outcrops. Students were videotaped as they selected which of fourteen 3-D models they thought best…

ESTCP Pilot Program. Classification Approaches in Munitions Response, San Luis Obispo, California

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-01

geology. Electromagnetic induction sensors detect ferrous and nonferrous metallic objects and can be effective in geology that challenges...34  5.3  Metal Mapper...correspond to munitions, but rather to other harmless metallic objects or geology: field experience indicates that often in excess of 90% of objects

Using geologic structures to constrain constitutive laws not accessible in the laboratory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nevitt, Johanna; Warren, Jessica M.; Kumamoto, Kathryn M.; Pollard, David D.

2018-01-01

In this essay, we explore a central problem of structural geology today, and in the foreseeable future, which is the determination of constitutive laws governing rock deformation to produce geologic structures. Although laboratory experiments provide much needed data and insights about constitutive laws, these experiments cannot cover the range of conditions and compositions relevant to the formation of geologic structures. We advocate that structural geologists address this limitation by interpreting natural experiments, documented with field and microstructural data, using continuum mechanical models that enable the deduction of constitutive laws. To put this procedure into a historical context, we review the founding of structural geology by James Hutton in the late 18th century, and the seminal contributions to continuum mechanics from Newton to Cauchy that provide the tools to model geologic structures. The procedure is illustrated with two examples drawn from recent and on-going field investigations of crustal and mantle lithologies. We conclude by pointing to future research opportunities that will engage structural geologists in the pursuit of constitutive laws during the 21st century.

Transfer of New Earth Science Understandings to Classroom Teaching: Lessons Learned From Teachers on the Leading Edge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, R.; Ault, C.; Bishop, E.; Southworth-Neumeyer, T.; Magura, B.; Hedeen, C.; Groom, R.; Shay, K.; Wagner, R.

2006-05-01

Teachers on the Leading Edge (TOTLE) provided a field-based teacher professional development program that explored the active continental margin geology of the Pacific Northwest during a two-week field workshop that traversed Oregon from the Pacific Coast to the Snake River. The seventeen teachers on this journey of geological discovery experienced regional examples of subduction-margin geology and examined the critical role of geophysics in connecting geologic features with plate tectonic processes. Two examples of successful transfer of science content learning to classroom teaching are: (1) Great Earthquakes and Tsunamis. This topic was addressed through instruction on earthquake seismology; field observations of tsunami geology; examination of tsunami preparedness of a coastal community; and interactive learning activities for children at an Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) Science Camp. Teachers at Sunnyside Environmental School in Portland developed a story line for middle school students called "The Tsunami Hotline" in which inquiries from citizens serve as launch points for studies of tsunamis, earthquakes, and active continental margin geology. OMSI Science Camps is currently developing a new summer science camp program entitled "Tsunami Field Study" for students ages 12-14, based largely on TOTLE's Great Earthquakes and Tsunamis Day. (2) The Grand Cross Section. Connecting regional geologic features with plate tectonic processes was addressed many times during the field workshop. This culminated with teachers drawing cross sections from the Juan de Fuca Ridge across the active continental margin to the accreted terranes of northeast Oregon. Several TOTLE teachers have successfully transferred this activity to their classrooms by having student teams relate earthquakes and volcanoes to plate tectonics through artistic renderings of The Grand Cross Section. Analysis of program learning transfer to classroom teaching (or lack thereof) clearly indicates the importance of pedagogical content knowledge and having teachers share their wisdom in crafting new earth science content knowledge into learning activities. These lessons and adjustments to TOTLE program goals and strategies may be valuable to other Geoscience educators seeking to prepare K-12 teachers to convey the discoveries of EarthScope's USArray and Plate Boundary Observatory experiments to their students.

Remote Sensor Application Studies Progress Report, July L, 1968 to June 30, 1969. Controlled Field Experiments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rowan, L.C.; Offield, T.W.; Watson, R.D.; Cannon, P.J.; Grolier, H.J.; Pohn, H.A.; Watson, Kenneth

1970-01-01

Field Sites have been selected for controlled experiments to analyze physical and chemical parameters affecting the response of electromagnetic radiation to geological materials. Considerations in the selection of the sites are the availability of good exposures of nearly monomineralic rocks, level of geologic understanding, and ease of access. Seven sites, where work is underway or planned, contain extensive outcrops of the following rocks: stanstone, limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. Field measurement of quartz have been conducted at four sites.

U. S. Geolgogical Survey Flagstaff Field Center

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1998-01-01

The United States Geological Survey Flagstaff Field Center was founded by the late Eugene Shoemaker in 1963 as a research site for the new science of planetary geology. Flagstaffs clear air and high elevation made it a desirable location for telescope observations of the Moon and planets and nearby Meteor Crater was a superb training ground for the Apollo astronauts. There, and in the volcanic fields surrounding Flagstaff, astronauts tested equipment and were taught to look at the Moon through the eyes of a geologist.

Geology Field Camp at Southern Illinois University: Six weeks exploring four tectonic regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedman, S. A.; Conder, J. A.; Ferre, E. C.; Heij, G.

2013-12-01

Field Geology is typically the capstone course for an undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in Geology. This type of course brings together the varied sub-disciplines and course topics students encounter in their undergraduate experience, and puts these in context of active Earth processes. At the same time, a significant fraction of Geology departments have dropped field geology from their offerings and students must choose from those programs still offering the course. Southern Illinois University has offered field geology for over 40 years, stationed in and around southwestern Montana. This field camp offers experiences with four distinct tectonic settings: thick-skin contractional, thin-skin contractional, extensional, and anorogenic. The most challenging projects of the course involve mapping and interpreting Laramide and Sevier compressionally deformed areas. The major difference between the two types of deformation is that Laramide ('thick-skinned') tectonics encompasses the mid-crust in deformation while Sevier ('thin-skinned') deformation is limited to the uppermost portion of the crust. This difference results in markedly different fold styles and other deformational structures encountered, requiring different approaches to understanding and constructing the deformational histories of the regions. Extensional tectonics are explored with a paleoseismology project at Hebgen Lake, in Grand Teton National Park where the students typically spend two days, and at the Bitterroot Shear Zone - the edge of a metamorphic core complex along the eastern boundary of the Idaho batholith. While recent work from EarthScope and elsewhere casts doubt on Yellowstone as a mantle plume, Yellowstone remains the classic example of a continental hotspot. During visits through the park, students distinguish between the recent volcanics and hydrothermal activity of Yellowstone and the nearby Eocene Absaroka volcanics. Expanding on the story of the Yellowstone hotspot, a visit is made to Craters of the Moon National Monument in the Snake River Plain to examine some of the youngest volcanics in North America. Not only does field camp give students an occasion to put their knowledge-base developed during their undergraduate years into action, but it is also an ideal opportunity to expose students to the varied approaches applicable to distinct tectonic problems and situations. At SIU, we are proud to offer a wide range of experiences drawing from several important tectonic provinces giving students a strong foundation for their future geological careers and continuing scientific development.

Best Practices for In-Situ Sediment-Water Incubations with Benthic Landers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tengberg, Anders; Kononets, Mikhail; Hall, Per; Nilsson, Madeleine; Ekeroth, Nils

2017-04-01

Biological, chemical, physical and geological processes that take place at the seafloor are crucial in influencing and regulating many aquatic environments. One method to estimate exchange rates, fluxes, between the sediment and the overlying water is in-situ sediment-water incubations using autonomous chamber landers. As for all field sampling and measurements best practices methods are needed to obtain high quality data. With experiences form many years usage of the Gothenburg autonomous bottom lander systems this presentation will describe some of the experimental work that has been done with focus on quality control and data evaluation methods.

Geologic constraints on the upper limits of reserve growth

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanley, Richard G.

2001-01-01

For many oil and gas fields, estimates of ultimate recovery (the sum of cumulative production plus estimated reserves) tend to increase from one year to the next, and the gain is called reserve growth. Forecasts of reserve growth by the U.S. Geological Survey rely on statistical analyses of historical records of oil and gas production and estimated reserves. The preproposal in this Open-File Report suggests that this traditional petroleum–engineering approach to reserve growth might be supplemented, or at least better understood, by using geological data from individual oil and gas fields, 3–D modeling software, and standard volumetric techniques to estimate in–place volumes of oil and gas. Such estimates, in turn, can be used to constrain the upper limits of reserve growth and ultimate recovery from those fields.

The Year in Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geotimes, 1982

1982-01-01

An overview is presented of major research studies, scientific events, and issues of concern during 1981 in the field of geology. Thirty-four areas are reviewed ranging from archeological geology to volcanology. (DC)

Economic Geology (Oil & Gas)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geotimes, 1972

1972-01-01

Briefly reviews the worldwide developments in petroleum geology in 1971, including exploration, new fields, and oil production. This report is condensed from the October Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. (PR)

Field reconnaissance geologic mapping of the Columbia Hills, Mars, based on Mars Exploration Rover Spirit and MRO HiRISE observations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crumpler, L.S.; Arvidson, R. E.; Squyres, S. W.; McCoy, T.; Yingst, A.; Ruff, S.; Farrand, W.; McSween, Y.; Powell, M.; Ming, D. W.; Morris, R.V.; Bell, J.F.; Grant, J.; Greeley, R.; DesMarais, D.; Schmidt, M.; Cabrol, N.A.; Haldemann, A.; Lewis, K.W.; Wang, A.E.; Schroder, C.; Blaney, D.; Cohen, B.; Yen, A.; Farmer, J.; Gellert, Ralf; Guinness, E.A.; Herkenhoff, K. E.; Johnson, J. R.; Klingelhfer, G.; McEwen, A.; Rice, J.W.; Rice, M.; deSouza, P.; Hurowitz, J.

2011-01-01

Chemical, mineralogic, and lithologic ground truth was acquired for the first time on Mars in terrain units mapped using orbital Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (MRO HiRISE) image data. Examination of several dozen outcrops shows that Mars is geologically complex at meter length scales, the record of its geologic history is well exposed, stratigraphic units may be identified and correlated across significant areas on the ground, and outcrops and geologic relationships between materials may be analyzed with techniques commonly employed in terrestrial field geology. Despite their burial during the course of Martian geologic time by widespread epiclastic materials, mobile fines, and fall deposits, the selective exhumation of deep and well-preserved geologic units has exposed undisturbed outcrops, stratigraphic sections, and structural information much as they are preserved and exposed on Earth. A rich geologic record awaits skilled future field investigators on Mars. The correlation of ground observations and orbital images enables construction of a corresponding geologic reconnaissance map. Most of the outcrops visited are interpreted to be pyroclastic, impactite, and epiclastic deposits overlying an unexposed substrate, probably related to a modified Gusev crater central peak. Fluids have altered chemistry and mineralogy of these protoliths in degrees that vary substantially within the same map unit. Examination of the rocks exposed above and below the major unconformity between the plains lavas and the Columbia Hills directly confirms the general conclusion from remote sensing in previous studies over past years that the early history of Mars was a time of more intense deposition and modification of the surface. Although the availability of fluids and the chemical and mineral activity declined from this early period, significant later volcanism and fluid convection enabled additional, if localized, chemical activity. Copyright ?? 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.

A Multispectral Micro-Imager for Lunar Field Geology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nunez, Jorge; Farmer, Jack; Sellar, Glenn; Allen, Carlton

2009-01-01

Field geologists routinely assign rocks to one of three basic petrogenetic categories (igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic) based on microtextural and mineralogical information acquired with a simple magnifying lens. Indeed, such observations often comprise the core of interpretations of geological processes and history. The Multispectral Microscopic Imager (MMI) uses multi-wavelength, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a substrate-removed InGaAs focal-plane array to create multispectral, microscale reflectance images of geological samples (FOV 32 X 40 mm). Each pixel (62.5 microns) of an image is comprised of 21 spectral bands that extend from 470 to 1750 nm, enabling the discrimination of a wide variety of rock-forming minerals, especially Fe-bearing phases. MMI images provide crucial context information for in situ robotic analyses using other onboard analytical instruments (e.g. XRD), or for the selection of return samples for analysis in terrestrial labs. To further assess the value of the MMI as a tool for lunar exploration, we used a field-portable, tripod-mounted version of the MMI to image a variety of Apollo samples housed at the Lunar Experiment Laboratory, NASA s Johnson Space Center. MMI images faithfully resolved the microtextural features of samples, while the application of ENVI-based spectral end member mapping methods revealed the distribution of Fe-bearing mineral phases (olivine, pyroxene and magnetite), along with plagioclase feldspars within samples. Samples included a broad range of lithologies and grain sizes. Our MMI-based petrogenetic interpretations compared favorably with thin section-based descriptions published in the Lunar Sample Compendium, revealing the value of MMI images for astronaut and rover-mediated lunar exploration.

Poza Rica: 29 years of secondary recovery (in Spanish)

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

Ortega, H.G.

1981-03-01

One of the main objectives of the Mexican Goverment is the suitable exploitation of its hydrocarbon reservoirs. Therefore, the application of secondary recovery methods in those reservoirs sensitive to this method was increased. Petroleos Mexicanos has 27 systems of waterflooding in operation; 30% more than in 1976. The main objective is the continuous analysis of the optimum conditions, in order to optimize the efficiency of the waterflooding process, such as in the Tamabra formation in the Poza Rica field. A history is presented of the waterflooding process utilized in the Poza Rica field to increase the oil production from themore » Tamabra formation. Geology and reservoir characteristics, antecedents, producing well requirements, project development, future programs, and economic analyses are presented.« less

Evaluation of Maryland abutment scour equation through selected threshold velocity methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benedict, S.T.

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Maryland State Highway Administration, used field measurements of scour to evaluate the sensitivity of the Maryland abutment scour equation to the critical (or threshold) velocity variable. Four selected methods for estimating threshold velocity were applied to the Maryland abutment scour equation, and the predicted scour to the field measurements were compared. Results indicated that performance of the Maryland abutment scour equation was sensitive to the threshold velocity with some threshold velocity methods producing better estimates of predicted scour than did others. In addition, results indicated that regional stream characteristics can affect the performance of the Maryland abutment scour equation with moderate-gradient streams performing differently from low-gradient streams. On the basis of the findings of the investigation, guidance for selecting threshold velocity methods for application to the Maryland abutment scour equation are provided, and limitations are noted.

The long-term strength of Europe and its implications for plate-forming processes.

PubMed

Pérez-Gussinyé, M; Watts, A B

2005-07-21

Field-based geological studies show that continental deformation preferentially occurs in young tectonic provinces rather than in old cratons. This partitioning of deformation suggests that the cratons are stronger than surrounding younger Phanerozoic provinces. However, although Archaean and Phanerozoic lithosphere differ in their thickness and composition, their relative strength is a matter of much debate. One proxy of strength is the effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere, Te. Unfortunately, spatial variations in Te are not well understood, as different methods yield different results. The differences are most apparent in cratons, where the 'Bouguer coherence' method yields large Te values (> 60 km) whereas the 'free-air admittance' method yields low values (< 25 km). Here we present estimates of the variability of Te in Europe using both methods. We show that when they are consistently formulated, both methods yield comparable Te values that correlate with geology, and that the strength of old lithosphere (> or = 1.5 Gyr old) is much larger (mean Te > 60 km) than that of younger lithosphere (mean Te < 30 km). We propose that this strength difference reflects changes in lithospheric plate structure (thickness, geothermal gradient and composition) that result from mantle temperature and volatile content decrease through Earth's history.

Landsat and SPOT data for oil exploration in North-Western China

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

Nishidai, Takashi

1996-07-01

Satellite remote sensing technology has been employed by Japex to provide information related to oil exploration programs for many years. Since the beginning of the 1980`s, regional geological interpretation through to advanced studies using satellite imagery with high spectral and spatial resolutions (such as Landsat TM and SPOT HRV), have been carried out, for both exploration programs and for scientific research. Advanced techniques (including analysis of airborne hyper-multispectral imaging sensor data) as well as conventional photogeological techniques were used throughout these programs. The first program using remote sensing technology in China focused on the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,more » and was carried out using Landsat MSS data. Landsat MSS imagery allows us to gain useful preliminary geological information about an area of interest, prior to field studies. About 90 Landsat scenes cover the entire Xinjiang Uygru Autonomous Region, this allowed us to give comprehensive overviews of 3 hydrocarbon-bearing basins (Tarim, Junggar, and Turpan-Hami) in NW China. The overviews were based on the interpretations and assessments of the satellite imagery and on a synthesis of the most up-to-date accessible geological and geophysical data as well as some field works. Pairs of stereoscopic SPOT HRV images were used to generate digital elevation data with a 40 in grid cover for part of the Tarim Basin. Topographic contour maps, created from this digital elevation data, at scales of 1:250,000 and 1:100,000 with contour intervals of 100 m and 50 m, allowed us to make precise geological interpretation, and to carry out swift and efficient geological field work. Satellite imagery was also utilized to make medium scale to large scale image maps, not only to interpret geological features but also to support field workers and seismic survey field operations.« less

Comparison of chemiluminescence methods for analysis of hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pehrman, R.; Amme, M.; Cachoir, C.

2006-01-01

Assessment of alpha radiolysis influence on the chemistry of geologically disposed spent fuel demands analytical methods for radiolytic product determination at trace levels. Several chemiluminescence methods for the detection of radiolytic oxidants hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals are tested. Two of hydrogen peroxide methods use luminol, catalyzed by either μ-peroxidase or hemin, one uses 10-methyl-9-(p-formylphenyl)-acridinium carboxylate trifluoromethanesulfonate and one potassium periodate. All recipes are tested as batch systems in basic conditions. For hydroxyl radical detection luminophores selected are 3-hydroxyphthalic hydrazide and rutin. Both methods are tested as batch systems. The results are compared and the applicability of the methods for near-field dissolution studies is discussed.

Modeling of Karachaganak field development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadvakasov, A. A.; Shamsutdinova, G. F.; Almukhametova, E. M.; Gabdrakhmanov, N. Kh

2018-05-01

Management of a geological deposit includes the study and analysis of oil recovery, identification of factors influencing production performance and oil-bearing rock flooding, reserve recovery and other indicators characterizing field development in general. Regulation of oil deposits exploitation is a mere control over the fluid flow within a reservoir, which is ensured through the designed system of development via continuous improvement of production and injection wells placement, optimum performance modes, service conditions of downhole and surface oil-field equipment taking into account various changes and physical-geological properties of a field when using modern equipment to obtain the best performance indicators.

Geology and coastal hazards in the northern Monterey Bay, California: field trip guidebook, November 4, 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hapke, Cheryl

2000-01-01

The purpose of this field trip is to explore the relationships between local geology, coastal hazards, and human influences in the northern Monterey Bay, which is a tectonically active high wave energy coastal environment. Seacliffs, shore platforms, pocket beaches and a headland/embayment morphology characterize this rocky coastline. Many studies of the onshore and offshore geology and geophysics, the local wave climate, and the effects of large storm events and earthquakes on the coastline have been conducted in this region (see Related Reading section). This field trip summarizes many of the findings of these research investigations, and also considers the relationship between the rates and styles of seacliff erosion and the variations in the local geology. The field trip stops allow the participant to examine seacliff sites of different geological lithologies, geographic orientations, and varying protection from wave attack, and consider how these variables affect not only the rate or magnitude of seacliff retreat but also the styles of retreat. In general the two primary forcing factors in the retreat of seacliffs are marine and terrestrial processes. At the various field trip stops, the relative importance of these processes in shaping the coastline at that particular location will be explored. Where beaches have developed, whether naturally or by emplacement of man-made structures, field trip stops are designed to look at the occurrence of the beaches (why they exist where they do) and to understand the response of the beaches to large storm events. Finally, this trip focuses on the various coastline protection structures that have been built in the area, and their effectiveness in protecting development on the beaches or at the tops of the seacliffs. The first stop of the trip is the Long Marine Lab facility where the seacliffs are composed of the most resistant geological unit in the area, the Miocene Santa Cruz Mudstone. This stop also includes discussion of some of the interesting geological features associated with this part of the Bay, including the arches at Natural Bridges State Beach. The field trip stops are progressively east and south, moving into the inner Monterey Bay, as well as into the less resistant lithologies of the late Miocene to Pliocene Purisima Formation, and finally the Pleistocene Aromas Sand. The route will follow the coast wherever possible so participants can get a full perspective of the northern Monterey Bay coastline, even where stops have not been planned.

Induced electric currents in the Alaska oil pipeline measured by gradient, fluxgate, and SQUID magnetometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, W. H.; Zimmerman, J. E.

1979-01-01

The field gradient method for observing the electric currents in the Alaska pipeline provided consistent values for both the fluxgate and SQUID method of observation. These currents were linearly related to the regularly measured electric and magnetic field changes. Determinations of pipeline current were consistent with values obtained by a direct connection, current shunt technique at a pipeline site about 9.6 km away. The gradient method has the distinct advantage of portability and buried- pipe capability. Field gradients due to the pipe magnetization, geological features, or ionospheric source currents do not seem to contribute a measurable error to such pipe current determination. The SQUID gradiometer is inherently sensitive enough to detect very small currents in a linear conductor at 10 meters, or conversely, to detect small currents of one amphere or more at relatively great distances. It is fairly straightforward to achieve imbalance less than one part in ten thousand, and with extreme care, one part in one million or better.

A 3D geological and geomechanical model of the 1963 Vajont landslide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bistacchi, Andrea; Massironi, Matteo; Francese, Roberto; Giorgi, Massimo; Chistolini, Filippo; Battista Crosta, Giovanni; Castellanza, Riccardo; Frattini, Paolo; Agliardi, Federico; Frigerio, Gabriele

2014-05-01

The Vajont rockslide has been the object of several studies because of its catastrophic consequences and particular evolution. Several qualitative or quantitative models have been presented in the last 50 years, but a complete explanation of all relevant geological and mechanical processes remains elusive. In order to better understand the mechanics and dynamics of the 1963 event, we have reconstructed the first 3D geological model of the rockslide, which allowed us to accurately investigate the rockslide structure and kinematics. The input data for the model consisted in: pre- and post-rockslide geological maps, pre- and post-rockslide orthophotos, pre- and post-rockslide digital elevation models, structural data, boreholes, and geophysical data (2D and 3D seismics and resistivity). All these data have been integrated in a 3D geological model implemented in Gocad®, using the implicit surface modelling method. Results of the 3D geological model include the depth and geometry of the sliding surface, the volume of the two lobes of the rockslide accumulation, kinematics of the rockslide in terms of the vector field of finite displacement, and high quality meshes useful for mechanical and hydrogeological simulations. The latter can include information about the stratigraphy and internal structure of the rock masses and allow tracing the displacement of different material points in the rockslide from the pre-1963-failure to the post-rockslide state. As a general geological conclusion, we may say that the 3D model allowed us to recognize very effectively a sliding surface, whose non-planar geometry is affected by the interference pattern of two regional-scale fold systems. The rockslide is partitioned into two distinct and internally continuous rock masses with a distinct kinematics, which were characterised by a very limited internal deformation during the slide. The continuity of these two large blocks points to a very localized deformation, occurring along a thin, continuous and weak cataclastic horizon. The chosen modelling strategy, based on both traditional "explicit" and implicit techniques, was found to be very effective for reconstructing complex folded and faulted geological structures, and could be applied also to other geological environments. Finally 3D FEM analyses using the code MidasGTS have been performed adopting the 3D geological model. A c-phi reduction procedure was employed along the pre-defined failure surface until the onset of the landslide occurred. The initiation of the rock mass movements is properly described by considering the evolution of plastic shear strain in the failure surface. The stress, strain and displacement fields of the rock mass were analysed in detail and compared with the monitored data.

Scaling the Geologic Past

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerritts, Mary

1975-01-01

Describes construction of a Geologic Time Scale on a 100 foot roll of paper and suggests activities concerning its use. Includes information about fossils and suggestions for conducting a fossil field trip with students. (BR)

Numerical modeling of Gaussian beam propagation and diffraction in inhomogeneous media based on the complex eikonal equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xingguo; Sun, Hui

2018-05-01

Gaussian beam is an important complex geometrical optical technology for modeling seismic wave propagation and diffraction in the subsurface with complex geological structure. Current methods for Gaussian beam modeling rely on the dynamic ray tracing and the evanescent wave tracking. However, the dynamic ray tracing method is based on the paraxial ray approximation and the evanescent wave tracking method cannot describe strongly evanescent fields. This leads to inaccuracy of the computed wave fields in the region with a strong inhomogeneous medium. To address this problem, we compute Gaussian beam wave fields using the complex phase by directly solving the complex eikonal equation. In this method, the fast marching method, which is widely used for phase calculation, is combined with Gauss-Newton optimization algorithm to obtain the complex phase at the regular grid points. The main theoretical challenge in combination of this method with Gaussian beam modeling is to address the irregular boundary near the curved central ray. To cope with this challenge, we present the non-uniform finite difference operator and a modified fast marching method. The numerical results confirm the proposed approach.

Digital geologic and geophysical data of Bangladesh

USGS Publications Warehouse

Persits, Feliks M.; Wandrey, C.J.; Milici, R.C.; Manwar, Abdullah

1997-01-01

The data set for these maps includes arcs, polygons, and labels that outline and describe the general geologic age and geophysical fields of Bangladesh. Political boundaries are provided to show the general location of administrative regions and state boundaries. Major base topographic data like cities, rivers, etc. were derived from the same paper map source as the geology.

Selective Guide to Literature on Engineering Geology. Engineering Literature Guides, Number 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullen, Cecilia P., Comp.

This guide has been prepared for use by the undergraduate or graduate student in engineering geology. Because of the broad scope of the field, the major disciplines of soil mechanics, rock mechanics, and foundations are primarily emphasized. This document is a survey of information sources in engineering geology and is intended to identify those…

Field Trip to the Moon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowman, Paul D., Jr.

2004-01-01

This article focuses on the geology of a single area of the Moon, the Imbrium Basin, and shows how geologists have combined basic geologic principles with evidence collected by the Apollo missions to learn more about the history of the Moon as a whole. In this article, the author discusses lunar geology teaching tips and mapping the Imbrium Basin…

Geologic map and structure sections of the Clear Lake Volcanics, Northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hearn, B.C.; Donnelly-Nolan, J. M.; Goff, F.E.

1995-01-01

The Clear Lake Volcanics are located in the California Coast Ranges about 150 km north of San Francisco. This Quaternary volcanic field has erupted intermittently since 2.1 million years ago. This volcanic field is considered a high-threat volcanic system (Ewert and others, 2005) The adjacent Geysers geothermal field, largest power-producing geothermal field in the world, is powered by the magmatic heat source for the volcanic field. This report consists of three sheets that include the geologic map, one table, two figures, three cross sections, description of map units, charts of standard and diagrammatic correlation of map units, and references. This map supersedes U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-751. Descriptions of map units are grouped by geographic area. Summaries of the evolution, chemistry, structure, and tectonic setting of the Clear Lake Volcanics are given in Hearn and others (1981) and Donnelly-Nolan and others (1981). The geology of parts of the area underlain by the Cache Formation is based on mapping by Rymer (1981); the geology of parts of the areas underlain by the Sonoma Volcanics, Franciscan assemblage, and Great Valley sequence is based on mapping by McLaughlin (1978). Volcanic compositional map units are basalt, basaltic andesite, andesite, dacite, rhyodacite, and rhyolite, based on SiO2 content. Included in this report are maps showing the distribution of volcanic rocks through time and a chart showing erupted volumes of different lava types through time. A table gives petrographic data for each map unit by mineral type, abundance, and size. Most ages are potassium-argon (K/Ar) ages determined for whole-rock samples and mineral separates by Donnelly-Nolan and others (1981), unless otherwise noted. A few ages are carbon-14 ages or were estimated from geologic relationships. Magnetic polarities are from Mankinen and others (1978; 1981) or were determined in the field by B.C. Hearn, Jr., using a portable fluxgate magnetometer. Thickness for most units is estimated from topographic relief except where drill-hole data were available.

Immersive Virtual Reality Field Trips in the Geosciences: Integrating Geodetic Data in Undergraduate Geoscience Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Femina, P. C.; Klippel, A.; Zhao, J.; Walgruen, J. O.; Stubbs, C.; Jackson, K. L.; Wetzel, R.

2017-12-01

High-quality geodetic data and data products, including GPS-GNSS, InSAR, LiDAR, and Structure from Motion (SfM) are opening the doors to visualizing, quantifying, and modeling geologic, tectonic, geomorphic, and geodynamic processes. The integration of these data sets with other geophysical, geochemical and geologic data is providing opportunities for the development of immersive Virtual Reality (iVR) field trips in the geosciences. iVR fieldtrips increase accessibility in the geosciences, by providing experiences that allow for: 1) exploration of field locations that might not be tenable for introductory or majors courses; 2) accessibility to outcrops for students with physical disabilities; and 3) the development of online geosciences courses. We have developed a workflow for producing iVR fieldtrips and tools to make quantitative observations (e.g., distance, area, and volume) within the iVR environment. We use a combination of terrestrial LiDAR and SfM data, 360° photos and videos, and other geophysical, geochemical and geologic data to develop realistic experiences for students to be exposed to the geosciences from sedimentary geology to physical volcanology. We present two of our iVR field trips: 1) Inside the Volcano: Exploring monogenetic volcanism at Thrihnukagigar Iceland; and 2) Changes in Depositional Environment in a Sedimentary Sequence: The Reedsville and Bald Eagle Formations, Pennsylvania. The Thrihnukagigar experience provides the opportunity to investigate monogenetic volcanism through the exploration of the upper 125 m of a fissure-cinder cone eruptive system. Students start at the plate boundary scale, then zoom into a single volcano where they can view the 3D geometry from either terrestrial LiDAR or SfM point clouds, view geochemical data and petrologic thins sections of rock samples, and a presentation of data collection and analysis, results and interpretation. Our sedimentary geology experience is based on a field lab from our introductory Physical Geology course for majors in Geoscience and Engineering. The lab explores formation of a turbidite sequence, and the transition to a shallower marine environment using the tools described above and data from SfM and 360° photos. We are evaluating the effectiveness of both iVR field trips on student learning.

BASALT A: Basaltic Terrains in Idaho and Hawaii as Planetary Analogs for Mars Geology and Astrobiology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, Scott S.; Haberle, Christopher W.; Nawotniak, Shannon E. Kobs; Sehlke, Alexander; Garry, W. Brent; Elphic, Richard C.; Payler, Sam J.; Stevens, Adam H.; Cockell, Charles S.; Brady, Allyson L.;

Merging information in geophysics: the triumvirat of geology, geophysics, and petrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Revil, A.

2016-12-01

We know that geophysical inversion is non-unique and that many classical regularization techniques are unphysical. Despite this, we like to use them because of their simplicity and because geophysicists are often afraid to bias the inverse problem by introducing too much prior information (in a broad sense). It is also clear that geophysics is done on geological objects that are not random structures. Spending some time with a geologist in the field, before organizing a field geophysical campaign, is always an instructive experience. Finally, the measured properties are connected to physicochemical and textural parameters of the porous media and the interfaces between the various phases of a porous body. .Some fundamental parameters may control the geophysical observtions or their time variations. If we want to improve our geophysical tomograms, we need to be risk-takers and acknowledge, or rather embrqce, the cross-fertilization arising by coupling geology, geophysics, and ptrophysics. In this presentation, I will discuss various techniques to do so. They will include non-stationary geostatistical descriptors, facies deformation, cross-coupled petrophysical properties using petrophysical clustering, and image-guided inversion. I will show various applications to a number of relevant cases in hydrogeophysics. From these applications, it may become clear that there are many ways to address inverse or time-lapse inverse problems and geophysicists have to be pragmatic regarding the methods used depending on the degree of available prior information.

An Analysis of the Published Mineral Resource Estimates of the Haji-Gak Iron Deposit, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sutphin, D.M.; Renaud, K.M.; Drew, L.J.

2011-01-01

The Haji-Gak iron deposit of eastern Bamyan Province, eastern Afghanistan, was studied extensively and resource calculations were made in the 1960s by Afghan and Russian geologists. Recalculation of the resource estimates verifies the original estimates for categories A (in-place resources known in detail), B (in-place resources known in moderate detail), and C 1 (in-place resources estimated on sparse data), totaling 110. 8 Mt, or about 6% of the resources as being supportable for the methods used in the 1960s. C 2 (based on a loose exploration grid with little data) resources are based on one ore grade from one drill hole, and P 2 (prognosis) resources are based on field observations, field measurements, and an ore grade derived from averaging grades from three better sampled ore bodies. C 2 and P 2 resources are 1,659. 1 Mt or about 94% of the total resources in the deposit. The vast P 2 resources have not been drilled or sampled to confirm their extent or quality. The purpose of this article is to independently evaluate the resources of the Haji-Gak iron deposit by using the available geologic and mineral resource information including geologic maps and cross sections, sampling data, and the analog-estimating techniques of the 1960s to determine the size and tenor of the deposit. ?? 2011 International Association for Mathematical Geology (outside the USA).

Yet Another Lunar Surface Geologic Exploration Architecture Concept (What, Again?): A Senior Field Geologist's Integrated View

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eppler, D. B.

2015-01-01

Lunar surface geological exploration should be founded on a number of key elements that are seemingly disparate, but which can form an integrated operational concept when properly conceived and deployed. If lunar surface geological exploration is to be useful, this integration of key elements needs to be undertaken throughout the development of both mission hardware, training and operational concepts. These elements include the concept of mission class, crew makeup and training, surface mobility assets that are matched with mission class, and field tools and IT assets that make data collection, sharing and archiving transparent to the surface crew.

A Directory of Societies in Earth Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geotimes, 1981

1981-01-01

Lists the titles and addresses of approximately 450 domestic and foreign organizations which deal with earth science fields, including geology, paleontology, mining, and geophysics. Also listed are U.S. state geological surveys. (WB)

State geological surveys: Their growing national role in policy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gerhard, L.C.

2000-01-01

State geological surveys vary in organizational structure, but are political powers in the field of geology by virtue of their intimate knowledge of and involvement in legislative and political processes. Origins of state geological surveys lie in the recognition of society that settlement and prosperity depended on access to a variety of natural resources, resources that are most familiar to geologists. As the surveys adapt to modern societal pressures, making geology serve the public has become the new mission for many state geological surveys. Geologic mapping was the foundation of most early surveys, and the state surveys have brought mapping back into the public realm to meet today's challenges of growing population density, living environment desires, and resource access.

Implicit Three-Dimensional Geo-Modelling Based on HRBF Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gou, J.; Zhou, W.; Wu, L.

2016-10-01

Three-dimensional (3D) geological models are important representations of the results of regional geological surveys. However, the process of constructing 3D geological models from two-dimensional (2D) geological elements remains difficult and time-consuming. This paper proposes a method of migrating from 2D elements to 3D models. First, the geological interfaces were constructed using the Hermite Radial Basis Function (HRBF) to interpolate the boundaries and attitude data. Then, the subsurface geological bodies were extracted from the spatial map area using the Boolean method between the HRBF surface and the fundamental body. Finally, the top surfaces of the geological bodies were constructed by coupling the geological boundaries to digital elevation models. Based on this workflow, a prototype system was developed, and typical geological structures (e.g., folds, faults, and strata) were simulated. Geological modes were constructed through this workflow based on realistic regional geological survey data. For extended applications in 3D modelling of other kinds of geo-objects, mining ore body models and urban geotechnical engineering stratum models were constructed by this method from drill-hole data. The model construction process was rapid, and the resulting models accorded with the constraints of the original data.

A three-dimensional model of the Pyrenees and their foreland basins from geological and gravimetric data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wehr, H.; Chevrot, S.; Courrioux, G.; Guillen, A.

2018-06-01

We construct a three-dimensional geological model of the Pyrenees and their foreland basins with the Geomodeller. This model, which accounts for different sources of geological and geophysical informations, covers the whole Pyrenees, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the Iberian range to the Massif Central, down to 70 km depth. We model the geological structure with a stratigraphic column composed of a superposition of layers representing the mantle, lower, middle, and upper crusts. The sedimentary basins are described by two layers which allow us to make the distinction between Mesozoic and Cenozoic sediments, which are characterized by markedly different densities and seismic velocities. Since the Pyrenees result from the convergence between the Iberian and European plates, we ascribe to each plate its own stratigraphic column in order to be able to model the imbrication of Iberian and European crusts along this fossile plate boundary. We also introduce two additional units which describe the orogenic prism and the water column in the Bay of Biscay and in the Mediterranean Sea. The last ingredient is a unit that represents bodies of shallow exhumed and partly serpentinized lithospheric mantle, which are assumed to produce the positive Bouguer gravity anomalies in the North Pyrenean Zone. A first 3D model is built using only the geological information coming from geological maps, drill-holes, and seismic sections. We use the potential field method implemented in Geomodeller to interpolate these geological data. This model is then refined in order to better explain the observed Bouguer anomalies by adding new constraints on the main crustal interfaces. The final model explains the observed Bouguer anomalies with a standard deviation less than 3.4 mGal, and reveals anomalous deep structures beneath the eastern Pyrenees.

The presence of field geologists in Mars-like terrain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgreevy, Michael W.

1992-01-01

Methods of ethnographic observation and analysis have been coupled with object-oriented analysis and design concepts to begin the development of a clear path from observations in the field to the design of virtual presence systems. The existence of redundancies in field geology and presence allowed for the application of methods for understanding complex systems. As a result of this study, some of these redundancies have been characterized. Those described are all classes of continuity relations, including the continuities of continuous existence, context-constituent continuities, and state-process continuities. The discussion of each includes statements of general relationships, logical consequences of these, and hypothetical situations in which the relationships would apply. These are meant to aid in the development of a theory of presence. The discussion also includes design considerations, providing guidance for the design of virtual planetary exploration systems and other virtual presence systems. Converging evidence regarding continuity in presence is found in the nature of psychological dissociation. Specific methodological refinements should enhance ecological validity in subsequent field studies, which are in progress.

Methods and apparatus for measurement of the resistivity of geological formations from within cased wells in presence of acoustic and magnetic energy sources

DOEpatents

Vail, W.B. III.

1991-08-27

Methods and apparatus are provided for measuring the acoustically modulated electronic properties of geological formations and cement layers adjacent to cased boreholes. Current is passed from an electrode in electrical contact with the interior of the borehole casing to an electrode on the surface of the earth. Voltage measuring electrodes in electrical contact with the interior of the casing measure the voltage at various points thereon. The voltage differences between discrete pairs of the voltage measuring electrodes provide a measurement of the leakage current conducted into formation in the vicinity of those electrodes. Simultaneously subjecting the casing and formation to an acoustic source acoustically modulates the leakage current measured thereby providing a measure of the acoustically modulated electronic properties of the adjacent formation. Similarly, methods and apparatus are also described which measure the leakage current into formation while simultaneously subjecting the casing to an applied magnetic field which therefore allows measurement of the magnetically modulated electronic properties of the casing and the adjacent formation. 9 figures.

Methods and apparatus for measurement of the resistivity of geological formations from within cased wells in presence of acoustic and magnetic energy sources

DOEpatents

Vail, III, William B.

1991-01-01

Methods and apparatus are provided for measuring the acoustically modulated electronic properties of geological formations and cement layers adjacent to cased boreholes. Current is passed from an electrode in electrical contact with the interior of the borehole casing to an electrode on the surface of the earth. Voltage measuring electrodes in electrical contact with the interior of the casing measure the voltage at various points thereon. The voltage differences between discrete pairs of the voltage measuring electrodes provide a measurement of the leakage current conducted into formation in the vicinity of those electrodes. Simultaneously subjecting the casing and formation to an acoustic source acoustically modulates the leakage current measured thereby providing a measure of the acoustically modulated electronic properties of the adjacent formation. Similarly, methods and apparatus are also described which measure the leakage current into formation while simultaneously subjecting the casing to an applied magnetic field which therefore allows measurement of the magnetically modulated electronic properties of the casing and the adjacent formation.

Seismic stability of the survey areas of potential sites for the deep geological repository of the spent nuclear fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaláb, Zdeněk; Šílený, Jan; Lednická, Markéta

2017-07-01

This paper deals with the seismic stability of the survey areas of potential sites for the deep geological repository of the spent nuclear fuel in the Czech Republic. The basic source of data for historical earthquakes up to 1990 was the seismic website [1-]. The most intense earthquake described occurred on September 15, 1590 in the Niederroesterreich region (Austria) in the historical period; its reported intensity is Io = 8-9. The source of the contemporary seismic data for the period since 1991 to the end of 2014 was the website [11]. It may be stated based on the databases and literature review that in the period from 1900, no earthquake exceeding magnitude 5.1 originated in the territory of the Czech Republic. In order to evaluate seismicity and to assess the impact of seismic effects at depths of hypothetical deep geological repository for the next time period, the neo-deterministic method was selected as an extension of the probabilistic method. Each one out of the seven survey areas were assessed by the neo-deterministic evaluation of the seismic wave-field excited by selected individual events and determining the maximum loading. Results of seismological databases studies and neo-deterministic analysis of Čihadlo locality are presented.

A seismic reflection velocity study of a Mississippian mud-mound in the Illinois basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranaweera, Chamila Kumari

Two mud-mounds have been reported in the Ullin limestone near, but not in, the Aden oil field in Hamilton County, Illinois. One mud-mound is in the Broughton oil field of Hamilton County 25 miles to the south of Aden. The second mud-mound is in the Johnsonville oil field in Wayne County 20 miles to the north of Aden. Seismic reflection profiles were shot in 2012 adjacent to the Aden oil field to evaluate the oil prospects and to investigate the possibility of detecting Mississippian mud-mounds near the Aden field. A feature on one of the seismic profiles was interpreted to be a mud-mound or carbonate buildup. A well drilled at the location of this interpreted structure provided digital geophysical logs and geological logs used to refine the interpretation of the seismic profiles. Geological data from the new well at Aden, in the form of drill cuttings, have been used to essentially confirm the existence of a mud-mound in the Ullin limestone at a depth of 4300 feet. Geophysical well logs from the new well near Aden were used to create 1-D computer models and synthetic seismograms for comparison to the seismic data. The reflection seismic method is widely used to aid interpreting subsurface geology. Processing seismic data is an important step in the method as a properly processed seismic section can give a better image of the subsurface geology whereas a poorly processed section could mislead the interpretation. Seismic reflections will be more accurately depicted with careful determination of seismic velocities and by carefully choosing the processing steps and parameters. Various data processing steps have been applied and parameters refined to produce improved stacked seismic records. The resulting seismic records from the Aden field area indicate a seismic response similar to what is expected from a carbonate mud-mound. One-dimensional synthetic seismograms were created using the available sonic and density logs from the well drilled near the Aden seismic lines. The 1-D synthetics were used by Cory Cantrell of Royal Drilling and Producing Company to identify various reflections on the seismic records. Seismic data was compared with the modeled synthetic seismograms to identify what appears to be a carbonate mud-mound within the Aden study area. No mud-mounds have been previously found in the Aden oil field. Average and interval velocities obtained from the geophysical logs from the wells drilled in the Aden area was compared with the same type of well velocities from the Broughton known mud-mound area to observe the significance of velocity variation related to the un-known mud-mound in the Aden study area. The results of the velocity study shows a similar trends in the wells from both areas and are higher at the bottom of the wells. Another approach was used to observe the variation of root mean square velocities calculated from the sonic log from the well velocity from the Aden area and the stacking velocities obtained from the seismic data adjacent to the well.

An optimized workflow for building 3D models from balanced sections and potential field geophysics: a study case in NE Spain.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayala, Conxi; Izquierdo-Llavall, Esther; Pueyo, Emilio Luis; Rubio, Félix; Rodríguez-Pintó, Adriana; María Casas, Antonio; Oliva-Urcía, Belén; Rey-Moral, Carmen

2015-04-01

Obtaining an accurate 3D image of the geometry and physical properties of geological structures in depth is a challenge regardless the scale and the aim of the investigation. In this framework, assessing the origin of the uncertainties and reducing them is a key issue when building a 3D reconstruction of a target area. Usually, this process involves an interdisciplinary approach and also the use of different software whose inputs and outputs have to be interoperable. We have designed a new workflow for 2.5D and 3D geological and potential field modelling, especially useful in areas where no seismic data is available. The final aim is to obtain a 3D geological model, at a regional or local scale, with the smaller uncertainty as possible. Once the study area and the working scale are is decided, the first obvious step is to compile all preexisting data and to determine its uncertainties. If necessary, a survey will be carried out to acquire additional data (e.g., gravity, magnetic or petrophysical data) to have an appropriated coverage of information and rock samples. A thorough study of the petrophysical properties is made to determine the density, magnetic susceptibility and remanence that will be assigned to each lithology, together with its corresponding uncertainty. Finally, the modelling process is started, and it includes a feedback between geology and potential fields in order to progressively refine the model until it fits all the existing data. The procedure starts with the construction of balanced geological cross sections from field work, available geological maps as well as data from stratigraphic columns, boreholes, etc. These geological cross sections are exported and imported in GMSYS software to carry out the 2.5D potential field modelling. The model improves and its uncertainty is reduced through the feedback between the geologists and the geophysicists. Once the potential field anomalies are well adjusted, the cross sections are exported into 3DMove (Midland Valley) to construct a preliminary balanced 3D model. Inversion of the potential field data in GeoModeller is the final step to obtain a 3D model consistent with the input data and with the minimum possible uncertainty. Our case study is a 3D model from the Linking Zone between the Iberian Range and the Catalonian Costal ones (NE Spain, an extension of 11,325 km2). No seismic data was available, so we carried out several surveys to acquire new gravity data and rock samples to complete the data from IGME petrophysical databases. A total of 1470 samples have been used to define the physical properties for the modelled lithologies. The gravity data consists of 2902 stations. The initial model is based on the surface geology, eleven boreholes and 8 balanced geological cross sections built in the frame of this research. The final model resulted from gravimetric inversion has allowed us to define the geometry of the top of the basement as well as to identify two structures (anticlines) as potential CO2 reservoirs.

QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION AND IMPROVED RECOVERY: APPLICATION TO HEAVY OIL SANDS

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

James W. Castle; Fred J. Molz; Ronald W. Falta

2002-10-30

Improved prediction of interwell reservoir heterogeneity has the potential to increase productivity and to reduce recovery cost for California's heavy oil sands, which contain approximately 2.3 billion barrels of remaining reserves in the Temblor Formation and in other formations of the San Joaquin Valley. This investigation involves application of advanced analytical property-distribution methods conditioned to continuous outcrop control for improved reservoir characterization and simulation, particularly in heavy oil sands. The investigation was performed in collaboration with Chevron Production Company U.S.A. as an industrial partner, and incorporates data from the Temblor Formation in Chevron's West Coalinga Field. Observations of lateral variabilitymore » and vertical sequences observed in Temblor Formation outcrops has led to a better understanding of reservoir geology in West Coalinga Field. Based on the characteristics of stratigraphic bounding surfaces in the outcrops, these surfaces were identified in the subsurface using cores and logs. The bounding surfaces were mapped and then used as reference horizons in the reservoir modeling. Facies groups and facies tracts were recognized from outcrops and cores of the Temblor Formation and were applied to defining the stratigraphic framework and facies architecture for building 3D geological models. The following facies tracts were recognized: incised valley, estuarine, tide- to wave-dominated shoreline, diatomite, and subtidal. A new minipermeameter probe, which has important advantages over previous methods of measuring outcrop permeability, was developed during this project. The device, which measures permeability at the distal end of a small drillhole, avoids surface weathering effects and provides a superior seal compared with previous methods for measuring outcrop permeability. The new probe was used successfully for obtaining a high-quality permeability data set from an outcrop in southern Utah. Results obtained from analyzing the fractal structure of permeability data collected from the southern Utah outcrop and from core permeability data provided by Chevron from West Coalinga Field were used in distributing permeability values in 3D reservoir models. Spectral analyses and the Double Trace Moment method (Lavallee et al., 1991) were used to analyze the scaling and multifractality of permeability data from cores from West Coalinga Field. T2VOC, which is a numerical flow simulator capable of modeling multiphase, multi-component, nonisothermal flow, was used to model steam injection and oil production for a portion of section 36D in West Coalinga Field. The layer structure and permeability distributions of different models, including facies group, facies tract, and fractal permeability models, were incorporated into the numerical flow simulator. The injection and production histories of wells in the study area were modeled, including shutdowns and the occasional conversion of production wells to steam injection wells. The framework provided by facies groups provides a more realistic representation of the reservoir conditions than facies tracts, which is revealed by a comparison of the history-matching for the oil production. Permeability distributions obtained using the fractal results predict the high degree of heterogeneity within the reservoir sands of West Coalinga Field. The modeling results indicate that predictions of oil production are strongly influenced by the geologic framework and by the boundary conditions. The permeability data collected from the southern Utah outcrop, support a new concept for representing natural heterogeneity, which is called the fractal/facies concept. This hypothesis is one of the few potentially simplifying concepts to emerge from recent studies of geological heterogeneity. Further investigation of this concept should be done to more fully apply fractal analysis to reservoir modeling and simulation. Additional outcrop permeability data sets and further analysis of the data from distinct facies will be needed in order to fully develop this new concept.« less

Regional United States electric field and GIC hazard impacts (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gannon, J. L.; Balch, C. C.; Trichtchenko, L.

2013-12-01

Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GICs) are primarily driven by impulsive geomagnetic disturbances created by the interaction between the Earth's magnetosphere and sharp velocity, density, and magnetic field enhancements in the solar wind. However, the magnitude of the induced electric field response at the ground level, and therefore the resulting hazard to the bulk power system, is determined not only by magnetic drivers, but also by the underlying geology. Convolution techniques are used to calculate surface electric fields beginning from the spectral characteristics of magnetic field drivers and the frequency response of the local geology. Using these techniques, we describe historical scenarios for regions across the United States, and the potential impact of large events on electric power infrastructure.

Stress field modelling from digital geological map data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albert, Gáspár; Barancsuk, Ádám; Szentpéteri, Krisztián

2016-04-01

To create a model for the lithospheric stress a functional geodatabase is required which contains spatial and geodynamic parameters. A digital structural-geological map is a geodatabase, which usually contains enough attributes to create a stress field model. Such a model is not accurate enough for engineering-geological purposes because simplifications are always present in a map, but in many cases maps are the only sources for a tectonic analysis. The here presented method is designed for field geologist, who are interested to see the possible realization of the stress field over the area, on which they are working. This study presents an application which can produce a map of 3D stress vectors from a kml-file. The core application logic is implemented on top of a spatially aware relational database management system. This allows rapid and geographically accurate analysis of the imported geological features, taking advantage of standardized spatial algorithms and indexing. After pre-processing the map features in a GIS, according to the Type-Property-Orientation naming system, which was described in a previous study (Albert et al. 2014), the first stage of the algorithm generates an irregularly spaced point cloud by emitting a pattern of points within a user-defined buffer zone around each feature. For each point generated, a component-wise approximation of the tensor field at the point's position is computed, derived from the original feature's geodynamic properties. In a second stage a weighted moving average method calculates the stress vectors in a regular grid. Results can be exported as geospatial data for further analysis or cartographic visualization. Computation of the tensor field's components is based on the implementation of the Mohr diagram of a compressional model, which uses a Coulomb fracture criterion. Using a general assumption that the main principal stress must be greater than the stress from the overburden, the differential stress is calculated from the fracture criterion. The calculation includes the gravitational acceleration, the average density of rocks and the experimental 60 degree of the fracture angle from the normal of the fault plane. This way, the stress tensors are calculated as absolute pressure values per square meters on both sides of the faults. If the stress from the overburden is greater than 1 bar (i.e. the faults are buried), a confined compression would be present. Modelling this state of stress may result a confusing pattern of vectors, because in a confined position the horizontal stress vectors may point towards structures primarily associated with extension. To step over this, and to highlight the variability in the stress-field, the model calculates the vectors directly from the differential stress (practically subtracting the minimum principal stress from the critical stress). The result of the modelling is a vector map, which theoretically represents the minimum tectonic pressure in the moment, when the rock body breaks from an initial state. This map - together with the original fault-map - is suitable for determining those areas where unrevealed tectonic, sedimentary and lithological structures are possibly present (e.g. faults, sub-basins and intrusions). With modelling different deformational phases on the same area, change of the stress vectors can be detected which reveals not only the varying directions of the principal stresses, but the tectonic-driven sedimentation patterns too. The decrease of necessary critical stress in the case of a possible reactivation of a fault in subsequent deformation phase can be managed with the down-ranking of the concerning structural elements. Reference: Albert G., Ungvári ZS., Szentpéteri K. 2014: Modeling the present day stress field of the Pannonian Basin from neotectonic maps - In: Beqiraj A, Ionescu C, Christofides G, Uta A, Beqiraj Goga E, Marku S (eds.) Proceedings XX Congress of the Carpathian-Balkan Geological Association. Tirana: p. 2.

Life in the Atacama - Year 2: Geologic Reconnaissance Through Long-Range Roving and Implications on the Search for Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dohm, J. M.; Cabrol, N. A.; Grin, E. A.; Moersch, J.; Diaz, G. Chong; Cockell, C.; Coppin, P.; Fisher, G.; Hock, A. N.; Ori, G. G.

2005-01-01

The "Life in the Atacama" (LITA) project included two field trials during the 2004 field season, each of which lasted about a week. The remote science team had no prior knowledge of the local geology, and relied entirely on orbital images and rover-acquired data to make interpretations. The sites for these trials were in different locations, and are designated "Site B" and "Site C" respectively. The primary objective of the experiment is to develop and test the means to locate, characterize, and identify habitats and life remotely through long-range roving, which included field testing the rover, named Zoe. Zoe has onboard autonomous navigation for long-range roving, a plow to overturn rocks and expose near-surface rock materials, and high-resolution imaging, spectral, and fluorescence sampling capabilities. Highlights from the experiment included characterizing the geology in and near the landing ellipse, assessing pre-mission, satellite-based hypotheses, and improving the approach and procedures used by the remote and field teams for upcoming experiments through combined satellite, field-based, and microscopic perspectives and long-range roving.

Water-quality sampling by the U.S. Geological Survey-Standard protocols and procedures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilde, Franceska D.

2010-01-01

Thumbnail of and link to report PDF (1.0 MB) The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) develops the sampling procedures and collects the data necessary for the accurate assessment and wise management of our Nation's surface-water and groundwater resources. Federal and State agencies, water-resource regulators and managers, and many organizations and interested parties in the public and private sectors depend on the reliability, timeliness, and integrity of the data we collect and the scientific soundness and impartiality of our data assessments and analysis. The standard data-collection methods uniformly used by USGS water-quality personnel are peer reviewed, kept up-to-date, and published in the National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data (http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/twri9A/).

A coastal and marine digital library at USGS

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lightsom, Fran

2003-01-01

The Marine Realms Information Bank (MRIB) is a distributed geolibrary [NRC, 1999] from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), whose purpose is to classify, integrate, and facilitate access to Earth systems science information about ocean, lake, and coastal environments. Core MRIB services are: (1) the search and display of information holdings by place and subject, and (2) linking of information assets that exist in remote physical locations. The design of the MRIB features a classification system to integrate information from remotely maintained sources. This centralized catalogue organizes information using 12 criteria: locations, geologic time, physiographic features, biota, disciplines, research methods, hot topics, project names, agency names, authors, content type, and file type. For many of these fields, MRIB has developed classification hierarchies.

Deep-sea geohazards in the South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Shiguo; Wang, Dawei; Völker, David

2018-02-01

Various geological processes and features that might inflict hazards identified in the South China Sea by using new technologies and methods. These features include submarine landslides, pockmark fields, shallow free gas, gas hydrates, mud diapirs and earthquake tsunami, which are widely distributed in the continental slope and reefal islands of the South China Sea. Although the study and assessment of geohazards in the South China Sea came into operation only recently, advances in various aspects are evolving at full speed to comply with National Marine Strategy and `the Belt and Road' Policy. The characteristics of geohazards in deep-water seafloor of the South China Sea are summarized based on new scientific advances. This progress is aimed to aid ongoing deep-water drilling activities and decrease geological risks in ocean development.

Performance and applications of GaAs:Cr-based Medipix detector in X-ray CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozhevnikov, D.; Chelkov, G.; Demichev, M.; Gridin, A.; Smolyanskiy, P.; Zhemchugov, A.

2017-01-01

In the recent years, the method of single photon counting X-ray μ-CT is being actively developed and applied in various fields. Results of our studies carried out using the MARS μ-CT scanner equipped with GaAs Medipix-based camera are presented. The procedure of mechanical alignment of the scanner is described, including direct and indirect measurements of the spatial resolution. The software chain for data processing and reconstruction has been developed and reported. We demonstrate the possibility to apply the scanner for research in geology and medicine and provide demo images of geological samples (chrome spinellids, titanium magnetite ore) and medical samples (atherosclerotic plaque, abdominal aortic aneurysm). The first results of multi-energy scans using GaAs:Cr-based camera are shown.

Applying satellite technology to energy and mineral exploration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carter, William D.; Rowan, Lawrence C.

1978-01-01

IGCP Project 143 ("Remote Sensing and Mineral Exploration"), is a worldwide research project designed to make satellite data an operational geological tool along with the geologic pick, hand lens, topographic map, aerial photo and geophysical instruments and data that comprise the exploration package. While remote sensing data will not replace field exploration and mapping, careful study of such data prior to field work should make the effort more efficient.

Conservation and promotion of the geological heritage in the «Ile-de-France» region (France): Establishment of a decision support-tool based on inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auberger, Elise; Gély, Jean-Pierre; De Wever, Patrick; Merle, Didier

2017-04-01

Based on an initiative by the "Regional Commission of Geological Patrimony" (CRPG), the French state and the regional government of Ile-de-France co-financed the setting up of an inventory with the aim of safeguarding geological sites of patrimonial interest. This project forms part of larger scale policies, at the national and European level. Geological studies in the Paris region began as early as the 18th century, in the fields of cartography and paleontology. Later on, prominent scientists like G. Cuvier, A. Brongniart and A. d'Orbigny established the first concepts in sedimentology and stratigraphy through the description of Cenozoic fossil sites that rank amongst the richest in the world and geological formations in the Paris Basin. Eventually, later on, five historical stratotypes were established in the Ile-de-France region. Yet, at present, this geological heritage is constantly threatened by expanding urbanisation. To conserve this diverse geological patrimony, we have set up a protocol composed of 4 main actions: i) The exhaustive and objective referencing of geological sites in Ile-de-France. This information is centralised in a database, which currently comprises 639 sites (mainly of anthropic nature such as quarries) ii) The pre-selection of sites (298 out of the initial 639) based on sufficient accessibility and potential geological interest. iii) The use of a method of description and hierarchisation - following the guidelines of the National Geological Heritage Inventory Program (INPG) - on the pre-selected sites. iv) Establishment of a schedule specifying actions of geo-conservation which will take into account the patrimonial value of the sites, but also their threats, their juridical status and the socio-economic context of the region. The purpose of this program is to conserve a collection of geological sites that reflect the totality of the regional geology in Ile-de-France. The results of this study will be released to the general public and thus serving as a decision support-tool for government members, territorial administrations and non-profit organisations in the creation of projects of protection and promotion of the geoheritage. This methodology will represent a reference for the management of the geological heritage in urban and peri-urban contexts.

Fluvial sediment fingerprinting: literature review and annotated bibliography

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williamson, Joyce E.; Haj, Adel E.; Stamm, John F.; Valder, Joshua F.; Prautzch, Vicki L.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has evaluated and adopted various field methods for collecting real-time sediment and nutrient data. These methods have proven to be valuable representations of sediment and nutrient concentrations and loads but are not able to accurately identify specific source areas. Recently, more advanced data collection and analysis techniques have been evaluated that show promise in identifying specific source areas. Application of field methods could include studies of sources of fluvial sediment, otherwise referred to as sediment “fingerprinting.” The identification of sediment is important, in part, because knowing the primary sediment source areas in watersheds ensures that best management practices are incorporated in areas that maximize reductions in sediment loadings. This report provides a literature review and annotated bibliography of existing methodologies applied in the field of fluvial sediment fingerprinting. This literature review provides a bibliography of publications where sediment fingerprinting methods have been used; however, this report is not assumed to provide an exhaustive listing. Selected publications were categorized by methodology with some additional summary information. The information contained in the summary may help researchers select methods better suited to their particular study or study area, and identify methods in need of more testing and application.

Aerial radiometric and magnetic survey: Aztec National Topographic Map, New Mexico

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

Not Available

1979-01-01

The results of analyses of the airborne gamma radiation and total magnetic field survey flown for the region identified as the Aztec National Topographic Map NJ13-10 are presented. The airborne data gathered are reduced by ground computer facilities to yield profile plots of the basic uranium, thorium and potassium equivalent gamma radiation intensities, ratios of these intensities, aircraft altitude above the earth's surface, total gamma ray and earth's magnetic field intensity, correlated as a function of geologic units. The distribution of data within each geologic unit, for all surveyed map lines and tie lines, has been calculated and is included.more » Two sets of profiled data for each line are included, with one set displaying the above-cited data. The second set includes only flight line magnetic field, temperature, pressure, altitude data plus magnetic field data as measured at a base station. A general description of the area, including descriptions of the various geologic units and the corresponding airborne data, is included also.« less

Aerial radiometric and magnetic survey: Lander National Topographic Map, Wyoming

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

Not Available

1979-01-01

The results of analyses of the airborne gamma radiation and total magnetic field survey flown for the region identified as the Lander National Topographic Map NK12-6 are presented. The airborne data gathered are reduced by ground computer facilities to yield profile plots of the basic uranium, thorium and potassium equivalent gamma radiation intensities, ratios of these intensities, aircraft altitude above the earth's surface, total gamma ray and earth's magnetic field intensity, correlated as a function of geologic units. The distribution of data within each geologic unit, for all surveyed map lines and tie lines, has been calculated and is included.more » Two sets of profiled data for each line are included, with one set displaying the above-cited data. The second set includes only flight line magnetic field, temperature, pressure, altitude data plus magnetic field data as measured at a base station. A general description of the area, including descriptions of the various geologic units and the corresponding airborne data, is included also.« less

Geologic Map of the Umiat Quadrangle, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mull, Charles G.; Houseknecht, David W.; Pessel, G.H.; Garrity, Christopher P.

2004-01-01

This geologic map of the Umiat quadrangle is a compilation of previously published USGS geologic maps and unpublished mapping done for the Richfield Oil Corporation. Geologic mapping from these three primary sources was augmented with additional unpublished map data from British Petroleum Company. This report incorporates recent revisions in stratigraphic nomenclature. Stratigraphic and structural interpretations were revised with the aid of modern high-resolution color infrared aerial photographs. The revised geologic map was checked in the field during the summers of 2001 and 2002. The geologic unit descriptions on this map give detailed information on thicknesses, regional distributions, age determinations, and depositional environments. The paper version of this map is available for purchase from the USGS Store.

Geologic Map of the Utukok River Quadrangle, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mull, Charles G.; Houseknecht, David W.; Pessel, G.H.; Garrity, Christopher P.

2006-01-01

This map is a product of the USGS Digital Geologic Maps of Northern Alaska project, which captures in digital format quadrangles across the entire width of northern Alaska. Sources include geologic maps previously published in hardcopy format and recent updates and revisions based on field mapping by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys and Division of Oil and Gas, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Individual quadrangles are digitized at either 1:125,000 or 1:250,000 depending on the resolution of source maps. The project objective is to produce a set of digital geologic maps with uniform stratigraphic nomenclature and structural annotation, and publish those maps electronically.

Regional models of the gravity field from terrestrial gravity data of heterogeneous quality and density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talvik, Silja; Oja, Tõnis; Ellmann, Artu; Jürgenson, Harli

2014-05-01

Gravity field models in a regional scale are needed for a number of applications, for example national geoid computation, processing of precise levelling data and geological modelling. Thus the methods applied for modelling the gravity field from surveyed gravimetric information need to be considered carefully. The influence of using different gridding methods, the inclusion of unit or realistic weights and indirect gridding of free air anomalies (FAA) are investigated in the study. Known gridding methods such as kriging (KRIG), least squares collocation (LSCO), continuous curvature (CCUR) and optimal Delaunay triangulation (ODET) are used for production of gridded gravity field surfaces. As the quality of data collected varies considerably depending on the methods and instruments available or used in surveying it is important to somehow weigh the input data. This puts additional demands on data maintenance as accuracy information needs to be available for each data point participating in the modelling which is complicated by older gravity datasets where the uncertainties of not only gravity values but also supplementary information such as survey point position are not always known very accurately. A number of gravity field applications (e.g. geoid computation) demand foran FAA model, the acquisition of which is also investigated. Instead of direct gridding it could be more appropriate to proceed with indirect FAA modelling using a Bouguer anomaly grid to reduce the effect of topography on the resulting FAA model (e.g. near terraced landforms). The inclusion of different gridding methods, weights and indirect FAA modelling helps to improve gravity field modelling methods. It becomes possible to estimate the impact of varying methodical approaches on the gravity field modelling as statistical output is compared. Such knowledge helps assess the accuracy of gravity field models and their effect on the aforementioned applications.

Dual excitation acoustic paramagnetic logging tool

DOEpatents

Vail, W.B. III.

1989-02-14

New methods and apparatus are disclosed which allow measurement of the presence of oil and water in geological formations using a new physical effect called the Acoustic Paramagnetic Logging Effect (APLE). The presence of petroleum in formation causes a slight increase in the earth's magnetic field in the vicinity of the reservoir. This is the phenomena of paramagnetism. Application of an acoustic source to a geological formation at the Larmor frequency of the nucleons present causes the paramagnetism of the formation to disappear. This results in a decrease in the earth's magnetic field in the vicinity of the oil bearing formation. Repetitively frequency sweeping the acoustic source through the Larmor frequency of the nucleons present (approx. 2 kHz) causes an amplitude modulation of the earth's magnetic field which is a consequence of the APLE. The amplitude modulation of the earth's magnetic field is measured with an induction coil gradiometer and provides a direct measure of the amount of oil and water in the excitation zone of the formation. The phase of the signal is used to infer the longitudinal relaxation times of the fluids present, which results in the ability in general to separate oil and water and to measure the viscosity of the oil present. Such measurements may be performed in open boreholes and in cased well bores. The Dual Excitation Acoustic Paramagnetic Logging Tool employing two acoustic sources is also described. 6 figs.

Helicopter electromagnetic and magnetic survey maps and data, East Poplar Oil Field area, August 2004, Fort Peck Indian Reservation, northeastern Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Bruce D.; Thamke, Joanna N.; Cain, Michael J.; Tyrrell, Christa; Hill, Patricia L.

2006-01-01

This report is a data release for a helicopter electromagnetic and magnetic survey that was conducted during August 2004 in a 275-square-kilometer area that includes the East Poplar oil field on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. The electromagnetic equipment consisted of six different coil-pair orientations that measured resistivity at separate frequencies from about 400 hertz to about 140,000 hertz. The electromagnetic resistivity data were converted to six electrical conductivity grids, each representing different approximate depths of investigation. The range of subsurface investigation is comparable to the depth of shallow aquifers. Areas of high conductivity in shallow aquifers in the East Poplar oil field area are being delineated by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, in order to map areas of saline-water plumes. Ground electromagnetic methods were first used during the early 1990s to delineate more than 31 square kilometers of high conductivity saline-water plumes in a portion of the East Poplar oil field area. In the 10 years since the first delineation, the quality of water from some wells completed in the shallow aquifers in the East Poplar oil field changed markedly. The extent of saline-water plumes in 2004 likely differs from that delineated in the early 1990s. The geophysical and hydrologic information from U.S. Geological Survey studies is being used by resource managers to develop ground-water resource plans for the area.

High Connectivity of Animal Populations in Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Fields in the Central Indian Ridge Relevant to Its Geological Setting

PubMed Central

Beedessee, Girish; Watanabe, Hiromi; Ogura, Tomomi; Nemoto, Suguru; Yahagi, Takuya; Nakagawa, Satoshi; Nakamura, Kentaro; Takai, Ken; Koonjul, Meera; Marie, Daniel E. P.

2013-01-01

Dispersal ability plays a key role in the maintenance of species in spatially and temporally discrete niches of deep-sea hydrothermal vent environments. On the basis of population genetic analyses in the eastern Pacific vent fields, dispersal of animals in the mid-oceanic ridge systems generally appears to be constrained by geographical barriers such as trenches, transform faults, and microplates. Four hydrothermal vent fields (the Kairei and Edmond fields near the Rodriguez Triple Junction, and the Dodo and Solitaire fields in the Central Indian Ridge) have been discovered in the mid-oceanic ridge system of the Indian Ocean. In the present study, we monitored the dispersal of four representative animals, Austinograea rodriguezensis, Rimicaris kairei, Alviniconcha and the scaly-foot gastropods, among these vent fields by using indirect methods, i.e., phylogenetic and population genetic analyses. For all four investigated species, we estimated potentially high connectivity, i.e., no genetic difference among the populations present in vent fields located several thousands of kilometers apart; however, the direction of migration appeared to differ among the species, probably because of different dispersal strategies. Comparison of the intermediate-spreading Central Indian Ridge with the fast-spreading East Pacific Rise and slow-spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge revealed the presence of relatively high connectivity in the intermediate- and slow-spreading ridge systems. We propose that geological background, such as spreading rate which determines distance among vent fields, is related to the larval dispersal and population establishment of vent-endemic animal species, and may play an important role in controlling connectivity among populations within a biogeographical province. PMID:24358117

A data base of geologic field spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kahle, A. B.; Goetz, A. F. H.; Paley, H. N.; Alley, R. E.; Abbott, E. A.

1981-01-01

It is noted that field samples measured in the laboratory do not always present an accurate picture of the ground surface sensed by airborne or spaceborne instruments because of the heterogeneous nature of most surfaces and because samples are disturbed and surface characteristics changed by collection and handling. The development of new remote sensing instruments relies on the analysis of surface materials in their natural state. The existence of thousands of Portable Field Reflectance Spectrometer (PFRS) spectra has necessitated a single, all-inclusive data base that permits greatly simplified searching and sorting procedures and facilitates further statistical analyses. The data base developed at JPL for cataloging geologic field spectra is discussed.

Stratigraphic traps 3

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

Foster, N.H.; Beaumont, E.A.

1992-01-01

This book reports on the Treatise of Petroleum Geology was conceived during a discussion held at the annual AAPG meeting in 1984 in San Antonio, Texas. With input form the Advisory Board of the Treatise of Petroleum Geology, the authors designed this set of publications to represent, to the degree possible, the cutting edge in petroleum exploration knowledge and application: the Reprint Series to provide useful and important published literature; the Atlas to comprise a collection of detailed field studies that illustrate the many ways oil and gas are trapped and to serve as a guide to the petroleum geologymore » of basins where these fields are found; and the Handbook as a professional explorationist's guide to the latest knowledge in the various areas of petroleum geology and related disciplines. The treatise Atlas is part of AAPG's long tradition of publishing field studies. Notable AAPG field study complications include Structure of Typical American Fields, published in 1929 and edited by Sidney Powers; and Memoir 30, Giant Fields of 1968-1978, published in 1981 and edited by Michel T. Halbouty. The Treatise Atlas continues that tradition but introduces a format designed for easier access to data.« less

An ethnographic object-oriented analysis of explorer presence in a volcanic terrain environment: Claims and evidence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgreevy, Michael W.

1994-01-01

An ethnographic field study was conducted to investigate the nature of presence in field geology, and to develop specifications for domain-based planetary exploration systems utilizing virtual presence. Two planetary geologists were accompanied on a multi-day geologic field trip that they had arranged for their own scientific purposes, which centered on an investigation of the extraordinary xenolith/nodule deposits in the Kaupulehu lava flow of Hualalai Volcano, on the island of Hawaii. The geologists were observed during the course of their field investigations and interviewed regarding their activities and ideas. Analysis of the interview resulted in the identification of key domain entities and their attributes, relations among the entities, and explorer interactions with the environment. The results support and extend the author's previously reported continuity theory of presence, indicating that presence in field geology is characterized by persistent engagement with objects associated by metonymic relations. The results also provide design specifications for virtual planetary exploration systems, including an integrating structure for disparate data integration. Finally, the results suggest that unobtrusive participant observation coupled with field interviews is an effective research methodology for engineering ethnography.

Studying Geology of Central Texas through Web-Based Virtual Field Trips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, C.; Khan, S. D.; Wellner, J. S.

2007-12-01

Each year over 2500 students, mainly non-science majors, take introductory geology classes at the University of Houston. Optional field trips to Central Texas for these classes provide a unique learning opportunity for students to experience geologic concepts in a real world context. The field trips visit Enchanted Rock, Inks Lake, Bee Cave Road, Lion Mountain, and Slaughter Gap. Unfortunately, only around 10% of our students participate in these field trips. We are developing a web-based virtual field trip for Central Texas to provide an additional effective learning experience for students in these classes. The module for Enchanted Rock is complete and consists of linked geological maps, satellite imagery, digital elevation models, 3-D photography, digital video, and 3-D virtual reality visualizations. The ten virtual stops focus on different geologic process and are accompanied by questions and answers. To test the efficacy of the virtual field trip, we developed a quiz to measure student learning and a survey to evaluate the website. The quiz consists of 10 questions paralleling each stop and information on student attendance on the Central Texas field trip and/or the virtual field trip. From the survey, the average time spent on the website was 26 minutes, and overall the ratings of the virtual field trip were positive. Most noticeably students responded that the information on the website was relevant to their class and that the pictures, figures, and animations were essential to the website. Although high correlation coefficients between responses were expected for some questions (i.e., 0.89 for "The content or text of the website was clear" and "The information on the website was easy to read"), some correlations were less expected: 0.77 for "The number of test questions was appropriate" and "The information on the website was easy to read," and 0.70 for "The test questions reinforced the material presented on the website" and "The information on the website is relevant to my class." These virtual field trips provide an alternative for students who cannot attend the actual field trips. They also allow transfer students to experience these sites before attending upper level field trips, which often return to study these sites in more detail. These modules provide a valuable supplementary experience for all students, as they emphasize skills for which we are presently unable to provide sufficient practice in lecture, fieldtrips, or laboratory. Public access to the field trips is available at: http://geoinfo.geosc.uh.edu/VR/

Stitching the western Piedmont of Virginia: Early Paleozoic tectonic history of the Ellisville Pluton and the Potomac and Chopawamsic Terranes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hughes, K. S.; Hibbard, J. P.; Sauer, R.T.; Burton, William C.

2014-01-01

The theme of the 2014 Virginia Geological Field Conference is the tectonic development, economic geology, and seismicity of the western Piedmont of Louisa County, Virginia. It is timely for the conference to turn its attention here, for during the past decade these aspects of western Piedmont geology have garnered the renewed attention of researchers. In terms of regional tectonics, it has been hypothesized that the major structure in the region, the Chopawamsic fault system, represents the most significant boundary in the Appalachian orogen, the main Iapetan suture (Hibbard et al., 2014). Economically, recent elevated market values of metals— particularly that of gold—has spurred reconsideration of the economic geology of the western Piedmont. Finally, the August 23, 2011, M5.8 earthquake, with its epicenter in our field area, startled the North American east coast and has revived awareness of the seismic potential of the region. This renewed interest in the geology of the western Piedmont of north-central Virginia has led to new detailed bedrock mapping, detailed surficial mapping, high-resolution UPb TIMS zircon geochronology, U-Pb LA-ICPMS detrital zircon geochronology, radiogenic isotope geochemistry, major/minor/REE geochemistry, and geophysical studies (e.g. Bailey et al., 2005, 2008; Bailey and Owens, 2012: Berti et al., 2012; Burton et al., 2014; Burton, in progress; Harrison, 2012; Horton et al., 2010, in press; Hughes, 2010, 2014; Hughes et al., 2013a, 2013b, 2014, in press a, in press b; Malenda, in progress; Owens et al., 2013; Spears and Gilmer 2012; Spears et al. 2013, Terblanche, 2013; Terblanche and Nance, 2012). A host of institutions have taken part in the research, including North Carolina State University, the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy, the U.S. Geological Survey, Virginia Tech, Lehigh University, and the College of William and Mary. Many of these investigations remain active. The majority of the data presented herein is the product of research conducted from 2010 to 2014 by geologists at North Carolina State University. This field trip guide is intended to complement a Geological Society of America field guide (Hughes et al., 2014) that covers the western Piedmont geology along strike to the northeast in the vicinity of Fredericksburg. Geologic mapping and geochronologic and geochemical sampling were coordinated between these two areas as part of a study funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the USGS EDMAP program. Some of the stops in this guide have previously been written up in past field guides (Hughes, 2010; Burton et al., 2014) and are reused here because of their ease of access for large groups and because of new data that update the context and our understanding of the outcrops.

Alaska Geochemical Database, Version 2.0 (AGDB2)--including “best value” data compilations for rock, sediment, soil, mineral, and concentrate sample media

USGS Publications Warehouse

Granitto, Matthew; Schmidt, Jeanine M.; Shew, Nora B.; Gamble, Bruce M.; Labay, Keith A.

2013-01-01

The Alaska Geochemical Database Version 2.0 (AGDB2) contains new geochemical data compilations in which each geologic material sample has one “best value” determination for each analyzed species, greatly improving speed and efficiency of use. Like the Alaska Geochemical Database (AGDB, http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/637/) before it, the AGDB2 was created and designed to compile and integrate geochemical data from Alaska in order to facilitate geologic mapping, petrologic studies, mineral resource assessments, definition of geochemical baseline values and statistics, environmental impact assessments, and studies in medical geology. This relational database, created from the Alaska Geochemical Database (AGDB) that was released in 2011, serves as a data archive in support of present and future Alaskan geologic and geochemical projects, and contains data tables in several different formats describing historical and new quantitative and qualitative geochemical analyses. The analytical results were determined by 85 laboratory and field analytical methods on 264,095 rock, sediment, soil, mineral and heavy-mineral concentrate samples. Most samples were collected by U.S. Geological Survey personnel and analyzed in U.S. Geological Survey laboratories or, under contracts, in commercial analytical laboratories. These data represent analyses of samples collected as part of various U.S. Geological Survey programs and projects from 1962 through 2009. In addition, mineralogical data from 18,138 nonmagnetic heavy-mineral concentrate samples are included in this database. The AGDB2 includes historical geochemical data originally archived in the U.S. Geological Survey Rock Analysis Storage System (RASS) database, used from the mid-1960s through the late 1980s and the U.S. Geological Survey PLUTO database used from the mid-1970s through the mid-1990s. All of these data are currently maintained in the National Geochemical Database (NGDB). Retrievals from the NGDB were used to generate most of the AGDB data set. These data were checked for accuracy regarding sample location, sample media type, and analytical methods used. This arduous process of reviewing, verifying and, where necessary, editing all U.S. Geological Survey geochemical data resulted in a significantly improved Alaska geochemical dataset. USGS data that were not previously in the NGDB because the data predate the earliest U.S. Geological Survey geochemical databases, or were once excluded for programmatic reasons, are included here in the AGDB2 and will be added to the NGDB. The AGDB2 data provided here are the most accurate and complete to date, and should be useful for a wide variety of geochemical studies. The AGDB2 data provided in the linked database may be updated or changed periodically.

3D anisotropic modeling and identification for airborne EM systems based on the spectral-element method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xin; Yin, Chang-Chun; Cao, Xiao-Yue; Liu, Yun-He; Zhang, Bo; Cai, Jing

2017-09-01

The airborne electromagnetic (AEM) method has a high sampling rate and survey flexibility. However, traditional numerical modeling approaches must use high-resolution physical grids to guarantee modeling accuracy, especially for complex geological structures such as anisotropic earth. This can lead to huge computational costs. To solve this problem, we propose a spectral-element (SE) method for 3D AEM anisotropic modeling, which combines the advantages of spectral and finite-element methods. Thus, the SE method has accuracy as high as that of the spectral method and the ability to model complex geology inherited from the finite-element method. The SE method can improve the modeling accuracy within discrete grids and reduce the dependence of modeling results on the grids. This helps achieve high-accuracy anisotropic AEM modeling. We first introduced a rotating tensor of anisotropic conductivity to Maxwell's equations and described the electrical field via SE basis functions based on GLL interpolation polynomials. We used the Galerkin weighted residual method to establish the linear equation system for the SE method, and we took a vertical magnetic dipole as the transmission source for our AEM modeling. We then applied fourth-order SE calculations with coarse physical grids to check the accuracy of our modeling results against a 1D semi-analytical solution for an anisotropic half-space model and verified the high accuracy of the SE. Moreover, we conducted AEM modeling for different anisotropic 3D abnormal bodies using two physical grid scales and three orders of SE to obtain the convergence conditions for different anisotropic abnormal bodies. Finally, we studied the identification of anisotropy for single anisotropic abnormal bodies, anisotropic surrounding rock, and single anisotropic abnormal body embedded in an anisotropic surrounding rock. This approach will play a key role in the inversion and interpretation of AEM data collected in regions with anisotropic geology.

Slicken 1.0: Program for calculating the orientation of shear on reactivated faults

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Hong; Xu, Shunshan; Nieto-Samaniego, Ángel F.; Alaniz-Álvarez, Susana A.

2017-07-01

The slip vector on a fault is an important parameter in the study of the movement history of a fault and its faulting mechanism. Although there exist many graphical programs to represent the shear stress (or slickenline) orientations on faults, programs to quantitatively calculate the orientation of fault slip based on a given stress field are scarce. In consequence, we develop Slicken 1.0, a software to rapidly calculate the orientation of maximum shear stress on any fault plane. For this direct method of calculating the resolved shear stress on a planar surface, the input data are the unit vector normal to the involved plane, the unit vectors of the three principal stress axes, and the stress ratio. The advantage of this program is that the vertical or horizontal principal stresses are not necessarily required. Due to its nimble design using Java SE 8.0, it runs on most operating systems with the corresponding Java VM. The software program will be practical for geoscience students, geologists and engineers and will help resolve a deficiency in field geology, and structural and engineering geology.

Modeling and analysis of CSAMT field source effect and its characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Da, Lei; Xiaoping, Wu; Qingyun, Di; Gang, Wang; Xiangrong, Lv; Ruo, Wang; Jun, Yang; Mingxin, Yue

2016-02-01

Controlled-source audio-frequency magnetotellurics (CSAMT) has been a highly successful geophysical tool used in a variety of geological exploration studies for many years. However, due to the artificial source used in the CSAMT technique, two important factors are considered during interpretation: non-plane-wave or geometric effects and source overprint effects. Hence, in this paper we simulate the source overprint effects and analyzed the rule and characteristics of its influence on CSAMT applications. Two-dimensional modeling was carried out using an adaptive unstructured finite element method to simulate several typical models. Also, we summarized the characteristics and rule of the source overprint effects and analyzed its influence on the data taken over several mining areas. The results obtained from the study shows that the occurrence and strength of the source overprint effect is dependent on the location of the source dipole, in relation to the receiver and the subsurface geology. In order to avoid source overprint effects, three principle were suggested to determine the best location for the grounded dipole source in the field.

Test research of Surface Electromagnetic Prospecting (SEP) System in Yang-jia-zhang-zi of Liao Ning province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di, Q.

2013-12-01

In recent years, deep prospecting method such as magnetotelluric and controlled source audio-frequency magnetotelluric develop rapidly, but the instruments almost monopolized by several big geophysical companies from the United States, Canada and Germany. From prospecting practice, foreign equipment adaptation on complicated geological conditions in China is unsatisfactory. As increasing of national strength, electromagnetic exploration system development independently is on the agenda. In the year of 2010, the institute of geology and geophysics, Chinese academy of sciences, took on one subject of the SinoProbe project, the research of surface Electromagnetic Prospecting (SEP) System, and has achieved some achievements. SEP is an independent research instrumentation system, which is available for MT, AMT and CSAMT soundings. After laboratory testing, in order to test SEP's performance in field, the yang-jia-zhang-zi molybdenum deposit area is selected for SEP experiment. All modules and components of SEP system have been tested, and the field ability of the whole system also has been tested. The experimental results show that SEP performance has reached the level of commercial instruments.

Dartmouth College Earth Sciences Mobile Field Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, E. E.; Osterberg, E. C.; Dade, W. B.; Sonder, L. J.; Renshaw, C. E.; Kelly, M. A.; Hawley, R. L.; Chipman, J. W.; Mikucki, J.; Posmentier, E. S.; Moore, J. R.

2011-12-01

For the last 50 years the Department of Earth Sciences at Dartmouth College has offered a term-long, undergraduate field program, informally called "the Stretch". A student typically enrolls during fall quarter of his or her junior year soon after choosing a major or minor. The program thus provides valuable field context for courses that a student will take during the remainder of his or her undergraduate career. Unlike many traditional field camps that focus on one particular region, the Stretch is a mobile program that currently travels through Western North America, from the Canadian Rockies to the Grand Canyon. The program spans two and a half months, during which time undergraduates, graduate TAs, and faculty live, work, and learn collaboratively. Dartmouth College faculty members sequentially teach individual 1- to 2-week segments that focus on their interests and expertise; currently, there are a total of eight segments led by eleven faculty members. Consequently, topics are diverse and include economic geology, geobiology, geomorphology, glaciology, glacial geology, geophysics, hydrogeology, paleontology, stratigraphy, structure and tectonics, and volcanology. The field localities are equally varied, including the alpine glaciers of western Alberta, the national parks of Montana, Wyoming and Utah, the eastern Sierra Nevada, the southern Great Basin, and highlight such classic geological field locales as Sheep Mountain in Wyoming's Bighorn Basin, Death Valley, and the Grand Canyon. Overall, the program aims to: 1) give students a broad perspective on the timing and nature of the processes that resulted in the landscape and underlying geology of western North America; and 2) introduce students to a wide variety of geological environments, field techniques, and research equipment. Students emerge from the program with wide-ranging exposure to active research questions as well as a working knowledge of core field skills in the earth sciences. Stretch students spend several weeks conducting traditional multiday mapping of complexly-deformed sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks, and also collect and interpret geobiological, geochemical, geophysical, paleoclimatological, paleontological, and remote-sensing data outside the context of traditional mapping. During the Mono Lake segment, for example, students examine the interaction of ecology and chemistry in alkaline lakes. During the Canadian Rockies segment, students reconstruct Holocene paleoclimate using tree stumps and fossil wood detritus marking former positions of an alpine glacier. While a mobile, wide-ranging field program requires complicated logistics and potentially high per-student costs, the diversity of research topics, geological environments, and field techniques have made it a successful cornerstone of the Dartmouth Earth Sciences major. After the Stretch experience, significant fractions of our students become involved in ongoing faculty research, pursue senior theses, and go on to pursue Earth Sciences graduate degrees.

Managing geological uncertainty in CO2-EOR reservoir assessments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welkenhuysen, Kris; Piessens, Kris

2014-05-01

Recently the European Parliament has agreed that an atlas for the storage potential of CO2 is of high importance to have a successful commercial introduction of CCS (CO2 capture and geological storage) technology in Europe. CO2-enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) is often proposed as a promising business case for CCS, and likely has a high potential in the North Sea region. Traditional economic assessments for CO2-EOR largely neglect the geological reality of reservoir uncertainties because these are difficult to introduce realistically in such calculations. There is indeed a gap between the outcome of a reservoir simulation and the input values for e.g. cost-benefit evaluations, especially where it concerns uncertainty. The approach outlined here is to turn the procedure around, and to start from which geological data is typically (or minimally) requested for an economic assessment. Thereafter it is evaluated how this data can realistically be provided by geologists and reservoir engineers. For the storage of CO2 these parameters are total and yearly CO2 injection capacity, and containment or potential on leakage. Specifically for the EOR operation, two additional parameters can be defined: the EOR ratio, or the ratio of recovered oil over injected CO2, and the CO2 recycling ratio of CO2 that is reproduced after breakthrough at the production well. A critical but typically estimated parameter for CO2-EOR projects is the EOR ratio, taken in this brief outline as an example. The EOR ratio depends mainly on local geology (e.g. injection per well), field design (e.g. number of wells), and time. Costs related to engineering can be estimated fairly good, given some uncertainty range. The problem is usually to reliably estimate the geological parameters that define the EOR ratio. Reliable data is only available from (onshore) CO2-EOR projects in the US. Published studies for the North Sea generally refer to these data in a simplified form, without uncertainty ranges, and are therefore not suited for cost-benefit analysis. They likely result in too optimistic results because onshore configurations are cheaper and different. We propose to translate the detailed US data to the North Sea, retaining their uncertainty ranges. In a first step, a general cost correction can be applied to account for costs specific to the EU and the offshore setting. In a second step site-specific data, including laboratory tests and reservoir modelling, are used to further adapt the EOR ratio values taking into account all available geological reservoir-specific knowledge. And lastly, an evaluation of the field configuration will have an influence on both the cost and local geology dimension, because e.g. horizontal drilling is needed (cost) to improve injectivity (geology). As such, a dataset of the EOR field is obtained which contains all aspects and their uncertainty ranges. With these, a geologically realistic basis is obtained for further cost-benefit analysis of a specific field, where the uncertainties are accounted for using a stochastic evaluation. Such ad-hoc evaluation of geological parameters will provide a better assessment of the CO2-EOR potential of the North Sea oil fields.

Sudbury project (University of Muenster-Ontario Geological Survey): Field studies 1984-1989 - summary of results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bischoff, L.; Dressler, B. O.; Avermann, M. E.; Brockmeyer, P.; Lakomy, R.; Mueller-Mohr, V.

1992-01-01

In cooperation between the Ontario Geological Survey and the Institute of Geology and Institute of Planetology, geological, petrological, and geochemical studies were carried out on impact-related phenomena of the Sudbury structure during the last decade. The main results of the field studies are briefly reviewed. Footwall rocks, sublayer, and lower sections of the Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC) were mainly mapped and sampled in the northern (Levack Township) and western (Trillabelle and Sultana Properties) parts of the north range. Within these mapping areas Sudbury Breccias (SB) and Footwall Breccias (FB) were studied; SB were also investigated along extended profiles beyond the north and south ranges up to 55 km from the SIC. The Onaping Formation (OF) and the upper section of the SIC were studied both in the north range (Morgan and Dowling Townships) and in the southern east range (Capreol and McLennan Townships).

Geoscience techniques for engineering assessment of Oman to India pipeline route

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

Baerenwald, P.D.; Mullee, J.E.; Campbell, K.J.

1996-12-31

A variety of geoscience techniques were used to define soil conditions and evaluate geologic processes in order to develop design criteria for complex segments of the proposed Oman to Indian pipeline route. Geophysical survey data, seafloor cores, ROV observation of the seafloor, and oceanographic measurements were the principal field data collected. Geotechnical soil testing, and X-ray radiography, detailed geologic logging, and C-14 age dating of cores were carried out. The diverse sets of field data and lab test results were integrated by a multi-disciplined team of geoscientists and engineers to develop geologic and soil models, soil design criteria, a turbidmore » flow model, and seafloor stability models. The integrated approach used here is applicable to other complex areas where seafloor stability needs to be assessed or design criteria need to be developed for active geologic processes.« less

Research for Key Techniques of Geophysical Recognition System of Hydrocarbon-induced Magnetic Anomalies Based on Hydrocarbon Seepage Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; Hao, T.; Zhao, B.

2009-12-01

Hydrocarbon seepage effects can cause magnetic alteration zones in near surface, and the magnetic anomalies induced by the alteration zones can thus be used to locate oil-gas potential regions. In order to reduce the inaccuracy and multi-resolution of the hydrocarbon anomalies recognized only by magnetic data, and to meet the requirement of integrated management and sythetic analysis of multi-source geoscientfic data, it is necessary to construct a recognition system that integrates the functions of data management, real-time processing, synthetic evaluation, and geologic mapping. In this paper research for the key techniques of the system is discussed. Image processing methods can be applied to potential field images so as to make it easier for visual interpretation and geological understanding. For gravity or magnetic images, the anomalies with identical frequency-domain characteristics but different spatial distribution will reflect differently in texture and relevant textural statistics. Texture is a description of structural arrangements and spatial variation of a dataset or an image, and has been applied in many research fields. Textural analysis is a procedure that extracts textural features by image processing methods and thus obtains a quantitative or qualitative description of texture. When the two kinds of anomalies have no distinct difference in amplitude or overlap in frequency spectrum, they may be distinguishable due to their texture, which can be considered as textural contrast. Therefore, for the recognition system we propose a new “magnetic spots” recognition method based on image processing techniques. The method can be divided into 3 major steps: firstly, separate local anomalies caused by shallow, relatively small sources from the total magnetic field, and then pre-process the local magnetic anomaly data by image processing methods such that magnetic anomalies can be expressed as points, lines and polygons with spatial correlation, which includes histogram-equalization based image display, object recognition and extraction; then, mine the spatial characteristics and correlations of the magnetic anomalies using textural statistics and analysis, and study the features of known anomalous objects (closures, hydrocarbon-bearing structures, igneous rocks, etc.) in the same research area; finally, classify the anomalies, cluster them according to their similarity, and predict hydrocarbon induced “magnetic spots” combined with geologic, drilling and rock core data. The system uses the ArcGIS as the secondary development platform, inherits the basic functions of the ArcGIS, and develops two main sepecial functional modules, the module for conventional potential-field data processing methods and the module for feature extraction and enhancement based on image processing and analysis techniques. The system can be applied to realize the geophysical detection and recognition of near-surface hydrocarbon seepage anomalies, provide technical support for locating oil-gas potential regions, and promote geophysical data processing and interpretation to advance more efficiently.

Seismic triggering of landslides, Part A: Field evidence from the Northern Tien Shan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Havenith, H.-B.; Strom, A.; Jongmans, D.; Abdrakhmatov, A.; Delvaux, D.; Tréfois, P.

Landslides triggered by strong earthquakes often caused most of the global damage and most of all casualties related to the events, such as shown by the M = 7.7 Peru earthquake in 1970, by the M = 7.6 El Salvador earthquake in 2001 or by the M = 7.4 Khait (Tajikistan) earthquake in 1949. The obvious impact of a landslide on the population is directly related to its movement. Yet, prediction of future failure potential and hence future risk to population is necessary in order to avoid further catastrophes and involves the analyses of the origin of seismic instability. The seismic landslide potential is mainly determined by the interaction between the regional seismic hazard and local geological conditions. At a local scale, seismic factors interfering with geological conditions can produce site-specific ground motions. The influence of such Site Effects on instability is the principal topic of this paper, which is divided into two parts, A and B. The present Part A is concerned with the correlation of field data with observed instability phenomena. Field data were obtained on mainly three landslide sites in the Northern Tien Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia. Geophysical prospecting, earthquake recordings, geological observation, trenching and geotechnical tests were the main investigation tools. The collected information gives an insight in the geological background of the slope failure and allows us to roughly infer failure mechanisms from field evidence. A detailed analysis of the susceptibility of a mechanism to specific geological conditions will be shown in Part B.

Exploring uncertainty in the Earth Sciences - the potential field perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saltus, R. W.; Blakely, R. J.

2013-12-01

Interpretation of gravity and magnetic anomalies is mathematically non-unique because multiple theoretical solutions are possible. The mathematical label of 'non-uniqueness' can lead to the erroneous impression that no single interpretation is better in a geologic sense than any other. The purpose of this talk is to present a practical perspective on the theoretical non-uniqueness of potential field interpretation in geology. There are multiple ways to approach and constrain potential field studies to produce significant, robust, and definitive results. For example, a smooth, bell-shaped gravity profile, in theory, could be caused by an infinite set of physical density bodies, ranging from a deep, compact, circular source to a shallow, smoothly varying, inverted bell-shaped source. In practice, however, we can use independent geologic or geophysical information to limit the range of possible source densities and rule out many of the theoretical solutions. We can further reduce the theoretical uncertainty by careful attention to subtle anomaly details. For example, short-wavelength anomalies are a well-known and theoretically established characteristic of shallow geologic sources. The 'non-uniqueness' of potential field studies is closely related to the more general topic of scientific uncertainty in the Earth sciences and beyond. Nearly all results in the Earth sciences are subject to significant uncertainty because problems are generally addressed with incomplete and imprecise data. The increasing need to combine results from multiple disciplines into integrated solutions in order to address complex global issues requires special attention to the appreciation and communication of uncertainty in geologic interpretation.

Digital geologic map and Landsat image map of parts of Loralai, Sibi, Quetta, and Khuzar Divisions, Balochistan Province, west-central Pakistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maldonado, Florian; Menga, Jan Mohammad; Khan, Shabid Hasan; Thomas, Jean-Claude

2011-01-01

This generalized digital geologic map of west-central Pakistan is a product of the Balochistan Coal-Basin Synthesis Study, which was part of a cooperative program of the Geological Survey of Pakistan and the United States Geological Survey. The original nondigital map was published by Maldonado and others (1998). Funding was provided by the Government of Pakistan and the United States Agency for International Development. The sources of geologic map data are primarily 1:253,440-scale geologic maps obtained from Hunting Survey Corporation (1961) and the geologic map of the Muslim Bagh Ophiolite Complex and Bagh Complex area. The geology was modified based on reconnaissance field work and photo interpretation of 1:250,000-scale Landsat Thematic Mapper photo image. The descriptions and thicknesses of map units were based on published and unpublished reports and converted to U.S. Geological Survey format. In the nomenclature of the Geological Survey of Pakistan, there is both an Urak Group and an Urak Formation.

Building The Bigger Picture - Using a field study geology programme to link and contextualise classroom topics.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Lesley

2013-04-01

Cornwall, UK, has been designated a World Heritage Site for industrial heritage, based on the extensive mining history built around hydrothermal deposits of tin and copper suite deposits. These deposits are found in a very varied and complex geological setting. The tectonic activity which emplaced the deposits also produced intense folding and faulting of Carboniferous and Devonian marine sediments, major and minor igneous intrusions, regional and contact metamorphism, and the emplacement of an ophiolite sequence on the Lizard peninsula. The region is targeted by college and university geology student groups from across the UK. It is also the home of the world famous Camborne School of Mines, part of the University of Exeter. We have developed a comprehensive series of field visits to cover all these geological aspects. We also use the history of mining as a context within which to teach the social, environmental and economic aspects of the geology curriculum at A Level. By this means we can reveal how disparate geological topics link together through 3 physical dimensions plus time. Field visits motivate students; they enthuse and excite them and help them to understand the large-scale and 3D visualisation aspects of geology, the timescales involved, and also assist students in developing observational and practical field and mapping skills. The series of visits also helps to bring many aspects of the curriculum together into a more complete picture. Site 1 - Bude. Intense folding of marine sediments with tectonic and sedimentary structures in cyclical sands and shales and some turbidites. Competent and incompetent rocks, axial planar cleavage, etc. Site 2 - Praa Sands. Minor porphyritic intrusion with baked & chilled margins and flow aligned feldspars. (Also incidental raised beach due to post-glacial isostatic rebound.) Site 3 - Rinsey Cove. Contact zone where 'roof' of major granitic intrusion intrudes slates. Pegmatites, classic marginal features, xenoliths, stoping and faulting visible. Site 4 - Polurrian Cove. Western end of boundary thrust fault between metamorphosed subterranean lava flows (hornblende schists)above and crustal Devonian slates below can be observed. Site 5 - Coverack Cove to Godrevy Cove. The beach rocks change from olivine rich serpentinised peridotite to gabbro as you move across the Moho boundary zone. Further along the coast at Dean Point, dolerite dykes are quarried and basalt dykes are found at neighbouring Godrevy Cove - the complete ophiolite sequence in a few miles! Site 6 - Holmans Mine. Camborne School of Mines' training mine where students can experience blasting and see methods of rock stabilisation. They can also see mineral veins in situ underground and investigate mining techniques. Site 7 - Carnon Valley. Once known as the 'richest square mile in the World' due to the amount of tin and copper being produced. The Wheal Jane pollution incident (1992) caused widespread alarm and was dealt with by chemical and biological treatment systems still in operation. Historical and current tailings dams can be seen and compared, and the ecology of environmentally damaged ground observed. Mine dumps still yield mineral specimens and the streams are still acidic after heavy rain.

Geological mapping of the Schuppen belt of north-east India using geospatial technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Tanaya; Basu, Surajit; Hazra, Sugata

2014-01-01

A revised geologic map of the Schuppen belt of northeast India has been prepared based on interpretation of digitally enhanced satellite images. The satellite image interpretation is supported by limited field work and existing geologic maps. Available geological maps of this fold thrust belt are discontinuous and multi-scaled. The authors are of multiple opinions regarding the trajectory of formation boundaries and fault contacts. Digital image processing of satellite images and limited field surveys have been used to reinterpret and modify the existing geological maps of this fold thrust belt. Optical data of Landsat Thematic Mapper, Enhanced Thematic Mapper and elevation data of ASTER have been used to prepare this revised geological map. The study area extends from Hajadisa in south to Digboi oilfield in north, bounded by Naga thrust in the west and Disang thrust in the east. PCA, Image fusion, Linear Contrast stretch, Histogram Equalization and Painted relief algorithms have been used for the delineation of major geological lineaments like lithological boundary, thrust and strike slip faults. Digital elevation maps have enabled in the discrimination between thrust contacts and lithological boundaries, with the former being located mostly in the valleys. Textural enhancements of PCA, colour composites and Painted relief algorithm have been used to discriminate between different rock types. Few geological concepts about the terrain have been revisited and modified. It is assumed that this revised map should be of practical use as this terrain promises unexploited hydrocarbon reserves.

Geologic Map of the Yukon-Koyukuk Basin, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Patton, William W.; Wilson, Frederic H.; Labay, Keith A.; Shew, Nora B.

2009-01-01

This map and accompanying digital files represent part of a systematic effort to release geologic data for the United States in a uniform manner. All the geologic data in this series will be published as parts of the U.S. Geological Survey Data Series. The geologic data in this series have been compiled from a wide variety of sources, ranging from state and regional geologic maps to large-scale field mapping. The data are presented for use at a nominal scale of 1:500,000, although individual datasets may contain data suitable for use at larger scales. The metadata associated with each release will provide more detailed information on sources and appropriate scales for use. Associated attribute databases accompany the spatial database of the geology and are uniformly structured for ease in developing regional- and national-scale maps. The 1:500,000-scale geologic map of the Yukon-Koyukuk Basin, Alaska, covers more than 200,000 square kilometers of western Alaska or nearly 15 percent of the total land area of the state. It stretches from the Brooks Range on the north to the Kuskokwim River and lower reaches of the Yukon River on the south and from Kotzebue Sound, Seward Peninsula, and Norton Sound on the west to the Yukon-Tanana Uplands and Tanana-Kuskokwim Lowlands on the east. It includes not only the northern and central part of the basin, but also the lands that border the basin. The area is characterized by isolated clusters of hills and low mountain ranges separated by broad alluviated interior and coastal lowlands. Most of the lowlands, except those bordering Kotzebue Sound and Norton Sound, support a heavy vegetation cover. Exposures of bedrock are generally limited to rubble-strewn ridgetops and to cutbanks along the rivers. The map of the Yukon-Koyukuk Basin was prepared largely from geologic field data collected between 1953 and 1988 by the U.S. Geological Survey and published as 1:250,000-scale geologic quadrangle maps. Additional data for parts of the Wiseman, Ruby, Medfra, and Ophir quadrangles came from 1:63,360-scale quadrangle maps published by the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys. The map also incorporates some unpublished field data for the Ruby quadrangle collected by R.M. Chapman between 1944 and 1977 and for parts of the Tanana, Bettles, Norton Bay, and Candle quadrangles collected by W.W. Patton, Jr. and others between 1954 and 1985. Sources of geologic map data for each of the eighteen 1:250,000-scale quadrangles used in compiling this 1:500,000-scale map of the Yukon-Koyukuk Basin as well as sources of general geologic information pertaining to the entire map area are provided in the 'Sources of Information' section.

Field trip guidebook to the hydrogeology of the Rock-Fox River basin of Southeastern Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holt, C. L. R.; Cotter, R.D.; Green, J.H.; Olcott, P.G.

1970-01-01

On this trip we will examine some hydrogeologic characteristics of glacial features and emphasize ground-water management within the Rock-Fox River basin. Field stops will include the hydrogeology of a classical glacial terrane--the Kettle moraine--and the management of ground-water resources for industrial, municipal, agricultural, and fish-culture purposes. Descriptions of the geology, soils, water availability and characteristics, water quality, water use, and water problems within the basin are given in the accompanying U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Atlas (HA-360). This atlas is a product of the cooperative program of University Extension--the University of Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey.

Washington Geothermal Play Fairway Analysis Data From Potential Field Studies

DOE Data Explorer

Anderson, Megan; Ritzinger, Brent; Glen, Jonathan; Schermerhorn, William

2017-12-20

A recent study which adapts play fairway analysis (PFA) methodology to assess geothermal potential was conducted at three locations (Mount Baker, Mount St. Helens seismic zone, and Wind River valley) along the Washington Cascade Range (Forson et al. 2017). Potential field (gravity and magnetic) methods which can detect subsurface contrasts in physical properties, provides a means for mapping and modeling subsurface geology and structure. As part of the WA-Cascade PFA project, we performed potential field studies by collecting high-resolution gravity and ground-magnetic data, and rock property measurements to (1) identify and constrain fault geometries (2) constrain subsurface lithologic distribution (3) study fault interactions (4) identify areas favorable to hydrothermal flow, and ultimately (5) guide future geothermal exploration at each location.

Disturbed zones; indicators of deep-seated subsurface faults in the Valley and Ridge and Appalachian structural front of Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pohn, Howard A.; Purdy, Terri L.

1982-01-01

Field studies of geologic structures in the Valley and Ridge and adjacent parts of the Appalachian Plateau provinces in Pennsylvania have shown a new type of structure, formerly poorly understood and frequently unmapped, is a significant indicator of deep-seated subsurface faulting. These structures, herein called disturbed zones, are formed by movement between closely spaced pairs of thrust faults. Disturbed zones are characterized at the surface by long, narrow, intensely folded and faulted zones of rocks in a relatively undisturbed stratigraphic sequence. These zones are frequently kilometers to tens of kilometers long and tens to hundreds of meters wide. Although disturbed zones generally occur in sequences of alternating siltstone and shale beds, they can also occur in other lithologies including massively-bedded sandstones and carbonates. Disturbed zones are not only easily recognized in outcrop but their presence can also be inferred on geologic maps by disharmonic fold patterns, which necessitates a detachment between adjacent units that show the disharmony. A number of geologic problems can be clarified by understanding the principles of the sequence of formation and the method of location of disturbed zones, including the interpretation of some published geologic cross sections and maps. The intense folding and faulting which accompanies the formation of a typical disturbed zone produces a region of fracture porosity which, if sealed off from the surface, might well serve as a commercially-exploitable hydrocarbon trap. We believe that the careful mapping of concentrations of disturbed zones can serve as an important exploration method which is much less expensive than speculation seismic lines.

Probabilistic inversion of electrical resistivity data from bench-scale experiments: On model parameterization for CO2 sequestration monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breen, S. J.; Lochbuehler, T.; Detwiler, R. L.; Linde, N.

2013-12-01

Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is a well-established method for geophysical characterization and has shown potential for monitoring geologic CO2 sequestration, due to its sensitivity to electrical resistivity contrasts generated by liquid/gas saturation variability. In contrast to deterministic ERT inversion approaches, probabilistic inversion provides not only a single saturation model but a full posterior probability density function for each model parameter. Furthermore, the uncertainty inherent in the underlying petrophysics (e.g., Archie's Law) can be incorporated in a straightforward manner. In this study, the data are from bench-scale ERT experiments conducted during gas injection into a quasi-2D (1 cm thick), translucent, brine-saturated sand chamber with a packing that mimics a simple anticlinal geological reservoir. We estimate saturation fields by Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling with the MT-DREAM(ZS) algorithm and compare them quantitatively to independent saturation measurements from a light transmission technique, as well as results from deterministic inversions. Different model parameterizations are evaluated in terms of the recovered saturation fields and petrophysical parameters. The saturation field is parameterized (1) in cartesian coordinates, (2) by means of its discrete cosine transform coefficients, and (3) by fixed saturation values and gradients in structural elements defined by a gaussian bell of arbitrary shape and location. Synthetic tests reveal that a priori knowledge about the expected geologic structures (as in parameterization (3)) markedly improves the parameter estimates. The number of degrees of freedom thus strongly affects the inversion results. In an additional step, we explore the effects of assuming that the total volume of injected gas is known a priori and that no gas has migrated away from the monitored region.

Maps and documentation of seismic CPT soundings in the central, eastern, and western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holzer, Thomas L.; Noce, Thomas E.; Bennett, Michael J.

2010-01-01

Nine hundred twenty seven seismic cone penetration tests (CPT) in a variety of geologic deposits and geographic locations were conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) primarily between 1998 and 2008 for the purpose of collecting penetration test data to evaluate the liquefaction potential of different types of surficial geologic deposits (table 1). The evaluation is described in Holzer and others (in press). This open-file report summarizes the seismic CPT and geotechnical data that were collected for the evaluation, outlines the general conditions under which the data were acquired, and briefly describes the geographic location of each study area and local geologic conditions. This report also describes the field methods used to obtain the seismic CPT data and summarizes the results of shear-wave velocities measurements at 2-m intervals in each sounding. Although the average depth of the 927 soundings was 18.5 m, we estimated a time-averaged shear-wave velocity to depths of 20 m and 30 m, VS20 and VS30, respectively, for soundings deeper than 10 m and 20 m. Soil sampling also was selectively conducted in many of the study areas at representative seismic CPT soundings. These data are described and laboratory analyses of geotechnical properties of these samples are summarized in table 2.

Dynamic simulations of geologic materials using combined FEM/DEM/SPH analysis

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

Morris, J P; Johnson, S M

2008-03-26

An overview of the Lawrence Discrete Element Code (LDEC) is presented, and results from a study investigating the effect of explosive and impact loading on geologic materials using the Livermore Distinct Element Code (LDEC) are detailed. LDEC was initially developed to simulate tunnels and other structures in jointed rock masses using large numbers of polyhedral blocks. Many geophysical applications, such as projectile penetration into rock, concrete targets, and boulder fields, require a combination of continuum and discrete methods in order to predict the formation and interaction of the fragments produced. In an effort to model this class of problems, LDECmore » now includes implementations of Cosserat point theory and cohesive elements. This approach directly simulates the transition from continuum to discontinuum behavior, thereby allowing for dynamic fracture within a combined finite element/discrete element framework. In addition, there are many application involving geologic materials where fluid-structure interaction is important. To facilitate solution of this class of problems a Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) capability has been incorporated into LDEC to simulate fully coupled systems involving geologic materials and a saturating fluid. We will present results from a study of a broad range of geomechanical problems that exercise the various components of LDEC in isolation and in tandem.« less

The effectiveness of courses developed to recruit and retain minority students in the geology major at California State University, Sacramento

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammersley, L. C.

2014-12-01

The lack of diversity in the geosciences has long been recognized as a problem. While improvements have been made, the proportion of Bachelor's degrees in the earth sciences awarded to Hispanic students in 2012 was only 5.6%, a huge disparity with the 17% of the U.S. population that is Hispanic. At California State University, Sacramento, 19% of the student population is Hispanic but, of the 61 students that earned an undergraduate degree in geology between 2005 and 2010, only four were Hispanic. In response to the lack of diversity in the geology major, we developed a new Geology of Mexico course with the goal of recruiting Hispanic students to the major. We present a quantitative evaluation of the effectiveness of this course in attracting Hispanic students, encouraging them to take more geology courses, and recruiting them to the major. Data was collected in the Geology of Mexico course and in the equivalent Physical Geology course. During the period evaluated, 93% of enrollment in Geology of Mexico was Hispanic compared with 18.5% in Physical Geology. We found that Hispanic students in Physical Geology earned lower grades than did nonminority students, while Hispanic students in Geology of Mexico earned grades comparable with nonminority students in Physical Geology. Overall, Geology of Mexico students also showed more positive attitude changes to the geosciences and were more likely to take another geology course. The recruitment rate into the major for Hispanic students in Geology of Mexico was comparable to the recruitment rate for nonminority students in Physical Geology. Since 2008, the proportion of Hispanic geology majors has risen from 4.5% to 14.1% and, notably, the proportion of underrepresented minorities has increased from 4.5% to 22.2%, reflecting a significant overall increase in diversity of the major. In order to increase retention of minority students, we developed a field course for new majors who were not yet ready for upper division courses. This field trip allows students to get to know the faculty and to create bonds with fellow new majors, thus creating a stronger bond to the department and developing a cohort effect earlier in the students' educational path.

Tar Creek study, Sargent oil field, Santa Clara County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, David L.; Fedasko, Bill; Carnahan, J.R.; Brunetti, Ross; Magoon, Leslie B.; Lillis, Paul G.; Lorenson, T.D.; Stanley, Richard G.

2002-01-01

Field work in the Tar Creek area of Sargent oil field was performed June 26 to 28, 2000. The Santa Clara County study area is located in Sections, 30, 31, and 32, Township 11 South, Range 4 East, M.D.B&M; and in Sections 25 and 36, Township 11 South, Range 3 East, M.D.B.&M., north and south of Tar Creek, west of Highway 101. The work was a cooperative effort of the California Department of Conservation's Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR), California Geological Survey (CGS), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The purpose of the project was to map the stratigraphy and geologic structure (David Wagner, CGS); sample oil for age dating (Les Magoon, USGS); and search for undocumented wells plus conduct a GPS survey of the area (Bill Fedasko, J.P. Carnahan, and Ross Brunetti, DOGGR)

General introduction for the “National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data”

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2018-02-28

BackgroundAs part of its mission, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collects data to assess the quality of our Nation’s water resources. A high degree of reliability and standardization of these data are paramount to fulfilling this mission. Documentation of nationally accepted methods used by USGS personnel serves to maintain consistency and technical quality in data-collection activities. “The National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data” (NFM) provides documented guidelines and protocols for USGS field personnel who collect water-quality data. The NFM provides detailed, comprehensive, and citable procedures for monitoring the quality of surface water and groundwater. Topics in the NFM include (1) methods and protocols for sampling water resources, (2) methods for processing samples for analysis of water quality, (3) methods for measuring field parameters, and (4) specialized procedures, such as sampling water for low levels of mercury and organic wastewater chemicals, measuring biological indicators, and sampling bottom sediment for chemistry. Personnel who collect water-quality data for national USGS programs and projects, including projects supported by USGS cooperative programs, are mandated to use protocols provided in the NFM per USGS Office of Water Quality Technical Memorandum 2002.13. Formal training, for example, as provided in the USGS class, “Field Water-Quality Methods for Groundwater and Surface Water,” and field apprenticeships supplement the guidance provided in the NFM and ensure that the data collected are high quality, accurate, and scientifically defensible.

Subsurface geology and oil and gas resources of Osage County, Oklahoma. Part 2, Townships 22 and 23 north, ranges 8 and 9 east

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirk, C.T.; Jenkins, H.D.; Leatherock, Otto; Dillard, W.R.; Kennedy, L.E.; Bass, N.W.

1939-01-01

This report on the subsurface geology of Osage County, Okla., describes the structural features, the character of the oil- and gas-producing beds, and the localities where additional oil and gas may be found. It embodies a part of the results of a subsurface geologic investigation of the Osage Indian Reservation, which coincides in area with Osage County. The investigation was conducted by a field party of the Geological Survey of the United States Department of the Interior from 1934 to 1937 and involved the study of the records of about 17,000 wells that have been drilled in Osage County. Funds for the investigation were allotted to the Geological Survey by the Public Works Administration. The primary purpose of the examination was to obtain geologic data for use in the administration of the Indian lands. The results of the inquiry have shown that many localities in Osage County outside the present producing oil fields are worthy of prospecting for oil and gas and that additional oil and gas can be found also by exploring deeply buried beds in old producing fields.All townships in Osage County that contain many wells are described; the information furnished by such townships is ample for drawing detailed subsurface structure-contour maps. The descriptions of several contiguous townships are combined in separate reports, which are issued as parts of a single bulletin. No edition of the consolidated volume will be published, but the several parts can be bound together if desired.

Archive of ground penetrating radar data collected during USGS field activity 13BIM01—Dauphin Island, Alabama, April 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Forde, Arnell S.; Smith, Christopher G.; Reynolds, Billy J.

2016-03-18

From April 13 to 20, 2013, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (USGS-SPCMSC) conducted geophysical and sediment sampling surveys on Dauphin Island, Alabama, as part of Field Activity 13BIM01. The objectives of the study were to quantify inorganic and organic accretion rates in back-barrier and mainland marsh and estuarine environments. Various field and laboratory methods were used to achieve these objectives, including subsurface imaging using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), sediment sampling, lithologic and microfossil analyses, and geochronology techniques to produce barrier island stratigraphic cross sections to help interpret the recent (last 2000 years) geologic evolution of the island.This data series report is an archive of GPR and associated Global Positioning System (GPS) data collected in April 2013 from Dauphin Island and adjacent barrier-island environments. In addition to GPR data, marsh core and vibracore data were also collected collected but are not reported (or included) in the current report. Data products, including elevation-corrected subsurface profile images of the processed GPR data, unprocessed digital GPR trace data, post-processed GPS data, Geographic Information System (GIS) files and accompanying Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata, can be downloaded from the Data Downloads page.

Geophysical Fields and Geodynamics of Eastern Chukotka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganov, A.; Sedov, B. M.; Mackey, M. G.

2004-12-01

The geology of Chukotka peninsula is one of the most important problems in Beringia development. The absolute age of some lithological assemblages, with the preservation of their composition, was changed by modern studies. This has resulted alternat explanation of geological development of some structures. For examples, for metamorphic assemblages, it is supposed that they have occurred as a result of tectonic activity and elevation to the surface of rocks warmed at the depth. This processes was synchronous with the formation of the Okhotsk-Chukotka volcanogenic belt (OCVB) The study of the deep composition by the geophysical methods should stimulate the knowledge of geological development of the Eastern Chukotka. The anomalous magnetic field of Chukotka peninsula is correlated by geological occurrences. Outcrops of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, granitoid intrusions correspond to the calm, close to normal magnetic field. Within intrusion and at their boundaries, small in area, high gradient anomalies, associated with dikes of basic composition and zones of contact metamorphism, are observed. Zons of intensive linear anomalies are traced above the Kolyuchin-Mechigmen riftogenic depression. They are result of presence of high magnetic subvertical bodies of the ultrabasic composition of Triassic age. These anomalies are also traced in the Bering Sea. The rocks of OCVB, mosaic magnetic field with smoll isometric or ellipsoidal anomalies occur. The ultrabasic rocks of Triassic age occur in the gravity field by the local positive Bouguer anomalies up to +40 mGl. To the south from Kolyuchin Bay, their thickness reaches 10 km. In the region of the Mechigmen Inlet their thickness does not exceed 2.5-3 km. Probably ultrabasic rocks of the same thickness are located in the region to the north-east of the Kolyuchin Bay coast. The outcrops of granitoid intrusions are marked by negative anomalies of up to -20 to -25 mGl. The field character makes it possible to suppose that at depth, most of them are combined, and form the line of mass, large in area. Sedimentary deposits of Paleozoic correspond to the small ( up to +10 - +15 mGl) anomalies. Metamorphic domes are marked by small negative anomalies, that are composed of great minimum, associated with granitoid. Poorly negative gravity field, complicated by anomalies that are associated with granitoid, are observed above the rocks of OCVB. The regional gravity field of the Chukotka peninsula along the coastal is positive ( up to 10 mGl), but within the land , it is negative (up to -15 mGl). It is explained by the fact of post-glacial rebound after the melting of glacier falling into the Bering sea. This fact is testified by the rise of the Chukotka Sea coast. It is possible, that the line of earthquakes, having the spreading mechanism, is related to these processes. Minimum zones correspond to the regions of the largest seismic activity in the field of velocity of longitudinal and cross seismic waves. The analogous geodynamic environments are observed on the Scandinavia peninsula.

Expert system-based mineral mapping using AVIRIS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kruse, Fred A.; Lefkoff, A. B.; Dietz, J. B.

1992-01-01

Integrated analysis of imaging spectrometer data and field spectral measurements were used in conjunction with conventional geologic field mapping to characterize bedrock and surficial geology at the northern end of Death Valley, California and Nevada. A knowledge-based expert system was used to automatically produce image maps from Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data showing the principal surface mineralogy. The imaging spectrometer data show the spatial distribution of spectrally distinct minerals occurring both as primary rock-forming minerals and as alteration and weathering products. Field spectral measurements were used to verify the mineral maps and field mapping was used to extend the remote sensing results. Geographically referenced image-maps produced from these data form new base maps from which to develop improved understanding of the processes of deposition and erosion affecting the present land surface. The 'northern Grapevine Mountains' (NGM) study area was reported on in numerous papers. This area is an unnamed northwestward extension of the range. Most of the research here has concentrated on mapping of Jurassic-age plutons and associated hydrothermal alteration, however, the nature and scope of these studies is much broader, pertaining to the geologic history and development of the entire Death Valley region. AVIRIS data for the NGM site were obtained during May 1989. Additional AVIRIS data were acquired during September 1989 as part of the Geologic Remote Sensing Field Experiment (GRSFE). The area covered by these data overlaps slightly with the May 1989 data. Three and one-half AVIRIS scenes total were analyzed.

Geological control of flow in the Institute and Möller Ice Streams, West Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordan, T. A.; Ferraccioli, F.; Ross, N.; Corr, H.; Bingham, R. G.; Rippin, D. M.; Le Brocq, A.; Siegert, M. J.

2012-12-01

The conditions at the base of an ice sheet influence its flow, and reflect the ongoing interaction between moving ice and the underlying geology. Critical influences on ice flow include subglacial topography, bed lithology, and geothermal heat flux. These factors are influenced either directly by local geology, or by the regional tectonic setting. Geophysical methods have been used in many parts of Antarctica, such as the Siple Coast, to reveal the role subglacial geology plays in influencing ice flow. Until recently, however, the Institute and Möller Ice Streams, which drain ~20% of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet into the Weddell Sea, were only covered by sparse airborne radar (~50 km line spacing), and reconnaissance aeromagnetic data, limiting our understanding of the geological template for this sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Here we present our geological interpretation of the first integrated aerogeophysical survey over the catchments of the Institute and Möller Ice Streams, which collected ~25,000 km of new aerogeophysical data during the 2010/11 field season. These new airborne radar, magnetic and gravity data reveals both the subglacial topography, and the subglacial geology. Our maps show the fastest flowing coastal part of the Institute Ice Stream crosses a sedimentary basin underlain by thinned continental crust. Further inland two distinct ice flow provinces are recognised: the Pagano Ice Flow Province, which follows the newly identified, ~75 km wide, sinistral strike-slip Pagano Fault Zone at the boundary between East and West Antarctica; and the Ellsworth Ice Flow Province, which is controlled by the Permo-Triassic structural grain of folded Middle Cambrian-Permian meta-sediments, and Jurassic granitic rocks which form significant subglacial highlands. Our new data highlight the importance of understanding subglacial geology when explaining the complex pattern of ice flow observed in the ice sheet interior.

Estimating the Geoelectric Field Using Precomputed EMTFs: Effect of Magnetometer Cadence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grawe, M.; Butala, M.; Makela, J. J.; Kamalabadi, F.

2017-12-01

Studies that make use of electromagnetic transfer functions (EMTFs) to calculate the surface electric field from a specified surface magnetic field often use historical magnetometer information for validation and comparison purposes. Depending on the data source, the magnetometer cadence is typically between 1 and 60 seconds. It is often implied that a 60 (and sometimes 10) second cadence is acceptable for purposes of geoelectric field calculation using a geophysical model. Here, we quantitatively assess this claim under different geological settings and using models of varying complexity (using uniform/1D/3D EMTFs) across several different space weather events. Conclusions are made about sampling rate sufficiency as a function of local geology and the spectral content of the surface magnetic field.

A method for mapping topsoil field-saturated hydraulic conductivity in the Cévennes-Vivarais region using infiltration tests conducted with different techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braud, Isabelle; Desprats, Jean-François; Ayral, Pierre-Alain; Bouvier, Christophe; Vandervaere, Jean-Pierre

2017-04-01

Topsoil field-saturated hydraulic conductivity, Kfs, is a parameter that controls the partition of rainfall between infiltration and runoff. It is a key parameter in most distributed hydrological models. However, there is a mismatch between the scale of local in situ measurements and the scale at which the parameter is required in models. Therefore it is necessary to design methods to regionally map this parameter at the model scale. The paper propose a method for mapping Kfs in the Cévennes-Vivarais region, south-east France, using more easily available GIS data: geology and land cover. The mapping is based on a data set gathering infiltration tests performed in the area or close to it for more than ten years. The data set is composed of infiltration tests performed using various techniques: Guelph permeameter, double ring and single ring infiltration tests, infiltrometers with multiple suctions. The different methods lead to different orders of magnitude for Kfs rendering the pooling of all the data challenging. Therefore, a method is first proposed to pool the data from the different infiltration methods, leading to a homogenized set of Kfs, based on an equivalent double ring/tension disk infiltration value. Statistical tests showed significant differences in distributions among different geologies and land covers. Thus those variables were retained as proxy for mapping Kfs at the regional scale. This map was compared to a map based on the Rawls and Brakensiek (RB) pedo-transfer function (Manus et al., 2009, Vannier et al., 2016), showing very different patterns between both maps. In addition, RB values did not fit observed values at the plot scale, highlighting that soil texture only is not a good predictor of Kfs. References Manus, C., Anquetin, S., Braud, I., Vandervaere, J.P., Viallet, P., Creutin, J.D., Gaume, E., 2009. A modelling approach to assess the hydrological response of small Mediterranean catchments to the variability of soil characteristics in a context of extreme events. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 13: 79-87. Vannier, O., Anquetin, S., Braud, I., 2016. Investigating the role of geology in the hydrological response of Mediterranean catchments prone to flash-floods: regional modelling study and process understanding. Journal of Hydrology, 541 Part A, 158-172.

Geophysical investigations of well fields to characterize fractured-bedrock aquifers in southern New Hampshire

USGS Publications Warehouse

Degnan, James R.; Moore, Richard Bridge; Mack, Thomas J.

2001-01-01

Bedrock-fracture zones near high-yield bedrock wells in southern New Hampshire well fields were located and characterized using seven surface and six borehole geophysical survey methods. Detailed surveys of six sites with various methods provide an opportunity to integrate and compare survey results. Borehole geophysical surveys were conducted at three of the sites to confirm subsurface features. Hydrogeologic settings, including a variety of bedrock and surface geologic materials, were sought to gain an insight into the usefulness of the methods in varied terrains. Results from 15 survey lines, 8 arrays, and 3 boreholes were processed and interpreted from the 6 sites. The surface geophysical methods used provided physical properties of fractured bedrock. Seismic refraction and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) primarily were used to characterize the overburden materials, but in a few cases indicated bedrock-fracture zones. Magnetometer surveys were used to obtain background information about the bedrock to compare with other results, and to search for magnetic lows, which may result from weathered fractured rock. Electromagnetic terrain conductivity surveys (EM) and very-low-frequency electromagnetic surveys (VLF) were used as rapid reconnaissance techniques with the primary purpose of identifying electrical anomalies, indicating potential fracture zones in bedrock. Direct-current (dc) resistivity methods were used to gather detailed subsurface information about fracture depth and orientation. Two-dimensional (2-D) dc-resistivity surveys using dipole-dipole and Schlumberger arrays located and characterized the overburden, bedrock, and bedrock-fracture zones through analysis of data inversions. Azimuthal square array dc-resistivity survey results indicated orientations of conductive steep-dipping bedrock-fracture zones that were located and characterized by previously applied geophysical methods. Various available data sets were used for site selection, characterizations, and interpretations. Lineament data, developed as a part of a statewide and regional scale investigation of the bedrock aquifer, were available to identify potential near-vertical fracture zones. Geophysical surveys indicated fracture zones coincident with lineaments at 4 of the sites. Geologic data collected as a part of the regional scale investigation provided outcrop fracture measurements, ductile fabric, and contact information. Dominant fracture trends correspond to the trends of geophysical anomalies at 4 of the sites. Water-well drillers? logs from water supply and environmental data sets also were used where available to characterize sites. Regional overburden information was compiled from stratified-drift aquifer maps and surficial-geological maps.

Research on geological hazard identification based on deep learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Cheng; Cheng, Tao

2018-05-01

Geological hazards such as landslides, debris flows and collapses are potential hazards affecting the safety of nearby roads and people. Land and Resources Bureau and other relevant departments to undertake the responsibility of prevention and control of geological disasters, an important body, how to deal with the characteristics of sudden geological disasters in the region, according to pre-established emergency measures quickly and accurately survey, is an important issue to be solved. Based on the analysis of the types and effects of typical geological disasters, this paper studies the relevant methods of identifying typical geological disasters through artificial neural networks, and proposes and designs intelligent geological survey methods and systems based on deep learning to provide relevant departments such as Land and Resources Bureau Related Mountain Geological Survey and Information Support.

Discussion on the 3D visualizing of 1:200 000 geological map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaopeng

2018-01-01

Using United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) terrain data as digital elevation model (DEM), overlap scanned 1:200 000 scale geological map, program using Direct 3D of Microsoft with C# computer language, the author realized the three-dimensional visualization of the standard division geological map. User can inspect the regional geology content with arbitrary angle, rotating, roaming, and can examining the strata synthetical histogram, map section and legend at any moment. This will provide an intuitionistic analyzing tool for the geological practitioner to do structural analysis with the assistant of landform, dispose field exploration route etc.

Early Geologic Education in California--Berkeley and Stanford Show the Way.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norris, Robert M.

1981-01-01

Traces the early history of geological education in California universities, with emphasis upon programs at Berkeley and Stanford. Among the pioneers in the field were Joseph LeConte, Andrew C. Lawson, and John C. Branner. (WB)

Geologic Exploration Enabled by Optimized Science Operations on the Lunar Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heldmann, J. L.; Lim, D. S. S.; Colaprete, A.; Garry, W. B.; Hughes, S. S.; Kobs Nawotniak, S.; Sehlke, A.; Neish, C.; Osinski, G. R.; Hodges, K.; Abercromby, A.; Cohen, B. A.; Cook, A.; Elphic, R.; Mallonee, H.; Matiella Novak, A.; Rader, E.; Sears, D.; Sears, H.; Finesse Team; Basalt Team

2017-10-01

We present detailed geologic field studies that can best be accomplished through in situ investigations on the Moon, and the associated recommendations for human and robotic mission capabilities and concepts of operations for lunar surface missions.

Experience from the ECORS program in regions of complex geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damotte, B.

1993-04-01

The French ECORS program was launched in 1983 by a cooperation agreement between universities and petroleum companies. Crustal surveys have tried to find explanations for the formation of geological features, such as rifts, mountains ranges or subsidence in sedimentary basins. Several seismic surveys were carried out, some across areas with complex geological structures. The seismic techniques and equipment used were those developed by petroleum geophysicists, adapted to the depth aimed at (30-50 km) and to various physical constraints encountered in the field. In France, ECORS has recorded 850 km of deep seismic lines onshore across plains and mountains, on various kinds of geological formations. Different variations of the seismic method (reflection, refraction, long-offset seismic) were used, often simultaneously. Multiple coverage profiling constitutes the essential part of this data acquisition. Vibrators and dynamite shots were employed with a spread generally 15 km long, but sometimes 100 km long. Some typical seismic examples show that obtaining crustal reflections essentialy depends on two factors: (1) the type and structure of shallow formations, and (2) the sources used. Thus, when seismic energy is strongly absorbed across the first kilometers in shallow formations, or when these formations are highly structured, standard multiple-coverage profiling is not able to provide results beyond a few seconds. In this case, it is recommended to simultaneously carry out long-offset seismic in low multiple coverage. Other more methodological examples show: how the impact on the crust of a surface fault may be evaluated according to the seismic method implemented ( VIBROSEIS 96-fold coverage or single dynamite shot); that vibrators make it possible to implement wide-angle seismic surveying with an offset 80 km long; how to implement the seismic reflection method on complex formations in high mountains. All data were processed using industrial seismic software, which was not always appropriate for records at least 20 s long. Therefore, a specific procedure adapted to deep seismic surveys was developed for several processing steps. The long duration of the VIBROSEIS sweeps often makes it impossible to perform correlation and stack in the recording truck in the field. Such field records were first preprocessed, in order to be later correlated and stacked in the processing center. Because of the long duration of the recordings and the great length of the spread, several types of final sections were replayed, such as: (1) detailed surface sections (0-5 s), (2) entire sections (0-20 s) after data compression, (3) near-trace sections and far-trace sections, which often yield complementary information. Standard methods of reflection migration gave unsatisfactory results. Velocities in depth are inaccurate, the many diffractions do not all come from the vertical plane of the line, and the migration software is poorly adapted to deep crustal reflections. Therefore, migration is often performed graphically from arrivals picked in the time section. Some line-drawings of various onshore lines, especially those across the Alps and the Pyrenees, enable to judge the results obtained by ECORS.

Illuminating Asset Value through New Seismic Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandsberg-Dahl, S.

2007-05-01

The ability to reduce risk and uncertainty across the full life cycle of an asset is directly correlated to creating an accurate subsurface image that enhances our understanding of the geology. This presentation focuses on this objective in areas of complex overburden in deepwater. Marine 3D seismic surveys have been acquired in essentially the same way for the past decade. This configuration of towed streamer acquisition, where the boat acquires data in one azimuth has been very effective in imaging areas in fairly benign geologic settings. As the industry has moved into more complicated geologic settings these surveys no longer meet the imaging objectives for risk reduction in exploration through production. In shallow water, we have seen increasing use of ocean bottom cables to meet this challenge. For deepwater, new breakthroughs in technology were required. This will be highlighted through examples of imaging below large salt bodies in the deep water Gulf of Mexico. GoM - Mad Dog: The Mad Dog field is located approximately 140 miles south of the Louisiana coastline in the southern Green Canyon area in water depths between 4100 feet to 6000 feet. The complex salt canopy overlying a large portion of the field results in generally poor seismic data quality. Advanced processing techniques improved the image, but gaps still remained even after several years of effort. We concluded that wide azimuth acquisition was required to illuminate the field in a new way. Results from the Wide Azimuth Towed Streamer (WATS) survey deployed at Mad Dog demonstrated the anticipated improvement in the subsalt image. GoM - Atlantis Field: An alternative approach to wide azimuth acquisition, ocean bottom seismic (OBS) node technology, was developed and tested. In 2001 deepwater practical experience was limited to a few nodes owned by academic institutions and there were no commercial solutions either available or in development. BP embarked on a program of sea trials designed to both evaluate technologies and subsequently encourage vendor activity to develop and deploy a commercial system. The 3D seismic method exploded into general usage in the 1990's. Our industry delivered 3D cheaper and faster, improving quality through improved acquisition specifications and new processing technology. The need to mitigate business risks in highly material subsalt plays led BP to explore the technical limits of the seismic method, testing novel acquisition techniques to improve illumination and signal to noise ratio. These were successful and are applicable to analogue seismic quality problems globally providing breakthroughs in illuminating previously hidden geology and hydrocarbon reservoirs. A focused business challenge, smart risk taking, investment in people and computing capability, partnerships, and rapid implementation are key themes that will be touched on through out the talk.

Volcanic Hazard Education through Virtual Field studies of Vesuvius and Laki Volcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carey, S.; Sigurdsson, H.

2011-12-01

Volcanic eruptions pose significant hazards to human populations and have the potential to cause significant economic impacts as shown by the recent ash-producing eruptions in Iceland. Demonstrating both the local and global impact of eruptions is important for developing an appreciation of the scale of hazards associated with volcanic activity. In order to address this need, Web-based virtual field exercises at Vesuvius volcano in Italy and Laki volcano in Iceland have been developed as curriculum enhancements for undergraduate geology classes. The exercises are built upon previous research by the authors dealing with the 79 AD explosive eruption of Vesuvius and the 1783 lava flow eruption of Laki. Quicktime virtual reality images (QTVR), video clips, user-controlled Flash animations and interactive measurement tools are used to allow students to explore archeological and geological sites, collect field data in an electronic field notebook, and construct hypotheses about the impacts of the eruptions on the local and global environment. The QTVR images provide 360o views of key sites where students can observe volcanic deposits and formations in the context of a defined field area. Video sequences from recent explosive and effusive eruptions of Carribean and Hawaiian volcanoes are used to illustrate specific styles of eruptive activity, such as ash fallout, pyroclastic flows and surges, lava flows and their effects on the surrounding environment. The exercises use an inquiry-based approach to build critical relationships between volcanic processes and the deposits that they produce in the geologic record. A primary objective of the exercises is to simulate the role of a field volcanologist who collects information from the field and reconstructs the sequence of eruptive processes based on specific features of the deposits. Testing of the Vesuvius and Laki exercises in undergraduate classes from a broad spectrum of educational institutions shows a preference for the web-based interactive tools compared with traditional paper-based laboratory exercises. The exercises are freely accessible for undergraduate classes such as introductory geology, geologic hazards, or volcanology. Accompany materials, such as lecture-based Powerpoint presentations about Vesuvius and Laki, are also being developed for instructors to better integrate the web-based exercises into their existing curriculum.

Anatomical and morphogenetic analysis of seismoelectric conversion patterns at geological units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kröger, B.; Kemna, A.

2012-04-01

Characterisation of the hydraulic properties of a reservoir, such as porosity and permeability, and their spatial distribution plays an important role in many subsurface geophysical investigations. A fully developed seismoelectric exploration method is very appealing since it would offer the potential to directly determine these parameters in field-scale applications. In fluid-saturated rocks, seismic waves can generate electromagnetic fields, due to electrokinetic coupling mechanisms at the fluid-mineral interface. Using numerical modelling, we investigated the spatio-temporal occurrence and evolution of the seismoelectric effects that occur in spatially confined lithological units. Such geometries may represent clay lenses embedded in an aquifer or petroleum deposits in a host rock. For the modelling, we use a simplified time-domain formulation of the coupled physical problem and its efficient implementation in a 2D finite-element framework. Two occurring seismoelectric phenomena are investigated: (1) the co-seismic field associated with the seismic displacement at each point and (2) the interface response generated at layer boundaries. To gain insight into the morphogenetic field behaviour of the seismoelectric effects, we run numerical simulations using several material parameter set-ups for various target geometries. Accordingly, we varied both the thickness of the confined units and the value of the electrical bulk conductivity in the considered media. The analysis of the seismoelectric effects revealed an important difference in the generation of the interface response at either electrically conductive or resistive units. We find that the contrast in the electrical bulk conductivity between the host rock and the target geological unit controls the shape and structure of the seismoelectric conversion patterns. Our results show that the seismoelectric interface response captures both the petrophysical and geometrical characteristics of the converting geological unit. The considered models indicate the general potential of using the seismoelectric interface response for reservoir characterisation in hydrogeological or hydrocarbon exploration studies.

Geophysical methods in Geology. Second edition

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

Sharma, P.V.

This book presents an introduction to the methods of geophysics and their application to geological problems. The text emphasizes the broader aspects of geophysics, including the way in which geophysical methods help solve structural, correlational, and geochromological problems. Stress is laid on the principles and applications of methods rather than on instrumental techniques. This edition includes coverage of recent developments in geophysics and geology. New topics are introduced, including paleomagnetic methods, electromagnetic methods, microplate tectronics, and the use of multiple geophysical techniques.

Sources and characteristics of acoustic emissions from mechanically stressed geologic granular media — A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michlmayr, Gernot; Cohen, Denis; Or, Dani

2012-05-01

The formation of cracks and emergence of shearing planes and other modes of rapid macroscopic failure in geologic granular media involve numerous grain scale mechanical interactions often generating high frequency (kHz) elastic waves, referred to as acoustic emissions (AE). These acoustic signals have been used primarily for monitoring and characterizing fatigue and progressive failure in engineered systems, with only a few applications concerning geologic granular media reported in the literature. Similar to the monitoring of seismic events preceding an earthquake, AE may offer a means for non-invasive, in-situ, assessment of mechanical precursors associated with imminent landslides or other types of rapid mass movements (debris flows, rock falls, snow avalanches, glacier stick-slip events). Despite diverse applications and potential usefulness, a systematic description of the AE method and its relevance to mechanical processes in Earth sciences is lacking. This review is aimed at providing a sound foundation for linking observed AE with various micro-mechanical failure events in geologic granular materials, not only for monitoring of triggering events preceding mass mobilization, but also as a non-invasive tool in its own right for probing the rich spectrum of mechanical processes at scales ranging from a single grain to a hillslope. We review first studies reporting use of AE for monitoring of failure in various geologic materials, and describe AE generating source mechanisms in mechanically stressed geologic media (e.g., frictional sliding, micro-crackling, particle collisions, rupture of water bridges, etc.) including AE statistical features, such as frequency content and occurrence probabilities. We summarize available AE sensors and measurement principles. The high sampling rates of advanced AE systems enable detection of numerous discrete failure events within a volume and thus provide access to statistical descriptions of progressive collapse of systems with many interacting mechanical elements such as the fiber bundle model (FBM). We highlight intrinsic links between AE characteristics and established statistical models often used in structural engineering and material sciences, and outline potential applications for failure prediction and early-warning using the AE method in combination with the FBM. The biggest challenge to application of the AE method for field applications is strong signal attenuation. We provide an outlook for overcoming such limitations considering emergence of a class of fiber-optic based distributed AE sensors and deployment of acoustic waveguides as part of monitoring networks.

Research and implementation on 3D modeling of geological body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Lijuan; Li, Ligong; Zhu, Renyi; Huang, Man

2017-10-01

This study based on GIS thinking explores the combination of the mixed spatial data model and GIS model to build three-dimensional(3d) model of geological bodies in the Arc Engine platform, describes the interface and method used in the construction of 3d geological body in Arc Engine component platform in detail, and puts forward an indirect method which constructs a set of geological grid layers through Rigging interpolation by the borehole data and then converts it into the geological layers of TIN, which improves the defect in building the geological layers of TIN directly and makes it better to complete the simulation of the real geological layer. This study makes a useful attempt to build 3d model of the geological body based on the GIS, and provides a certain reference value for simulating geological bodies in 3d and constructing the digital system of underground space.

Laser pumping Cs atom magnetometer of theory research based on gradient tensor measuring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zhang; Chong, Kang; Wang, Qingtao; Lei, Cheng; Zheng, Caiping

2011-02-01

At present, due to space exploration, military technology, geological exploration, magnetic navigation, medical diagnosis and biological magnetic fields study of the needs of research and development, the magnetometer is given strong driving force. In this paper, it will discuss the theoretical analysis and system design of laser pumping cesium magnetometer, cesium atomic energy level formed hyperfine structure with the I-J coupling, the hyperfine structure has been further split into Zeeman sublevels for the effects of magnetic field. To use laser pump and RF magnetic field make electrons transition in the hyperfine structure to produce the results of magneto-optical double resonance, and ultimately through the resonant frequency will be able to achieve accurate value of the external magnetic field. On this basis, we further have a discussion about magnetic gradient tensor measuring method. To a large extent, it increases the magnetic field measurement of information.

Location of geologic structures from interpretation of ERTS-1 imagery, Carbon County, Wyoming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marrs, R. W.; Barton, R.

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Possible geologic structures in the basin sediments of Carbon County and vicinity were located by interpretation of ERTS-1 imagery. These same structures are not evident on existing conventional geologic maps of the area. Subsequent field checks confirmed much of the geologic interpretation, but revealed that two apparent closed structures identified on the ERTS-1 imagery were actually topographic pseudostructures in flat or homoclinal sediments. Stereoscopic coverage (where available) allows the interpreter to avoid such misinterpretations.

Near-field environment/processes working group summary

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

Murphy, W.M.

1995-09-01

This article is a summary of the proceedings of a group discussion which took place at the Workshop on the Role of Natural Analogs in Geologic Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste in San Antonio, Texas on July 22-25, 1991. The working group concentrated on the subject of the near-field environment to geologic repositories for high-level nuclear waste. The near-field environment may be affected by thermal perturbations from the waste, and by disturbances caused by the introduction of exotic materials during construction of the repository. This group also discussed the application of modelling of performance-related processes.

A Survey of Measurement, Mitigation, and Verification Field Technologies for Carbon Sequestration Geologic Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, K. K.; Klara, S. M.; Srivastava, R. D.

2004-12-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's (U.S. DOE's) Carbon Sequestration Program is developing state-of-the-science technologies for measurement, mitigation, and verification (MM&V) in field operations of geologic sequestration. MM&V of geologic carbon sequestration operations will play an integral role in the pre-injection, injection, and post-injection phases of carbon capture and storage projects to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Effective MM&V is critical to the success of CO2 storage projects and will be used by operators, regulators, and stakeholders to ensure safe and permanent storage of CO2. In the U.S. DOE's Program, Carbon sequestration MM&V has numerous instrumental roles: Measurement of a site's characteristics and capability for sequestration; Monitoring of the site to ensure the storage integrity; Verification that the CO2 is safely stored; and Protection of ecosystems. Other drivers for MM&V technology development include cost-effectiveness, measurement precision, and frequency of measurements required. As sequestration operations are implemented in the future, it is anticipated that measurements over long time periods and at different scales will be required; this will present a significant challenge. MM&V sequestration technologies generally utilize one of the following approaches: below ground measurements; surface/near-surface measurements; aerial and satellite imagery; and modeling/simulations. Advanced subsurface geophysical technologies will play a primary role for MM&V. It is likely that successful MM&V programs will incorporate multiple technologies including but not limited to: reservoir modeling and simulations; geophysical techniques (a wide variety of seismic methods, microgravity, electrical, and electromagnetic techniques); subsurface fluid movement monitoring methods such as injection of tracers, borehole and wellhead pressure sensors, and tiltmeters; surface/near surface methods such as soil gas monitoring and infrared sensors and; aerial and satellite imagery. This abstract will describe results, similarities, and contrasts for funded studies from the U.S. DOE's Carbon Sequestration Program including examples from the Sleipner North Sea Project, the Canadian Weyburn Field/Dakota Gasification Plant Project, the Frio Formation Texas Project, and Yolo County Bioreactor Landfill Project. The abstract will also address the following: How are the terms ``measurement,'' ``mitigation''and ``verification'' defined in the Program? What is the U.S. DOE's Carbon Sequestration Program Roadmap and what are the Roadmap goals for MM&V? What is the current status of MM&V technologies?

Customized Mobile Apps: Improving data collection methods in large-scale field works in Finnish Lapland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kupila, Juho

2017-04-01

Since the 1990s, a huge amount of data related to the groundwater and soil has been collected in several regional projects in Finland. EU -funded project "The coordination of groundwater protection and aggregates industry in Finnish Lapland, phase II" started in July 2016 and it covers the last unstudied areas in these projects in Finland. Project is carried out by Geological Survey of Finland (GTK), University of Oulu and Finnish Environment Institute and the main topic is to consolidate the groundwater protection and extractable use of soil resource in Lapland area. As earlier, several kinds of studies are also carried out throughout this three-year research and development project. These include e.g. drilling with setting up of groundwater observation wells, GPR-survey and many kinds of point-type observations, like sampling and general mapping on the field. Due to size of a study area (over 80 000 km2, about one quarter of a total area of Finland), improvement of the field work methods has become essential. To the general observation on the field, GTK has developed a specific mobile applications for Android -devices. With these Apps, data can be easily collected for example from a certain groundwater area and then uploaded directly to the GTK's database. Collected information may include sampling data, photos, layer observations, groundwater data etc. and it is all linked to the current GPS-location. New data is also easily available for post-processing. In this project the benefits of these applications will be field-tested and e.g. ergonomics, economy and usability in general will be taken account and related to the other data collecting methods, like working with heavy fieldwork laptops. Although these Apps are designed for usage in GTK's projects, they are free to download from Google Play for anyone interested. Geological Survey of Finland has the main role in this project with support from national and local authorities and stakeholders. Project is funded by European Regional Development Fund with support from local communes, branch enterprises and executive quarters of the project. Implementation period is 2016-2019.

Summary of 2012 reconnaissance field studies related to the petroleum geology of the Nenana Basin, interior Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wartes, Marwan A.; Gillis, Robert J.; Herriott, Trystan M.; Stanley, Richard G.; Helmold, Kenneth P.; Peterson, C. Shaun; Benowitz, Jeffrey A.

2013-01-01

The Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys (DGGS) recently initiated a multi-year review of the hydrocarbon potential of frontier sedimentary basins in Alaska (Swenson and others, 2012). In collaboration with the Alaska Division of Oil & Gas and the U.S. Geological Survey we conducted reconnaissance field studies in two basins with recognized natural gas potential—the Susitna basin and the Nenana basin (LePain and others, 2012). This paper summarizes our initial work on the Nenana basin; a brief summary of our work in the Susitna basin can be found in Gillis and others (in press). During early May 2012, we conducted ten days of helicopter-supported fieldwork and reconnaissance sampling along the northern Alaska Range foothills and Yukon–Tanana upland near Fairbanks (fig. 1). The goal of this work was to improve our understanding of the geologic development of the Nenana basin and to collect a suite of samples to better evaluate hydrocarbon potential. Most laboratory analyses have not yet been completed, so this preliminary report serves as a summary of field data and sets the framework for future, more comprehensive analysis to be presented in later publications.

Mapping Planetary Volcanic Deposits: Identifying Vents and Distinguishing between Effects of Eruption Conditions and Local Storage and Release on Flow Field Morphology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bleacher, J. E.; Eppler, D. B.; Skinner, J. A.; Evans, C. A.; Feng, W.; Gruener, J. E.; Hurwitz, D. M.; Whitson, P.; Janoiko, B.

2014-01-01

Terrestrial geologic mapping techniques are regularly used for "photogeologic" mapping of other planets, but these approaches are complicated by the diverse type, areal coverage, and spatial resolution of available data sets. When available, spatially-limited in-situ human and/or robotic surface observations can sometimes introduce a level of detail that is difficult to integrate with regional or global interpretations. To assess best practices for utilizing observations acquired from orbit and on the surface, our team conducted a comparative study of geologic mapping and interpretation techniques. We compared maps generated for the same area in the San Francisco Volcanic Field (SFVF) in northern Arizona using 1) data collected for reconnaissance before and during the 2010 Desert Research And Technology Studies campaign, and 2) during a traditional, terrestrial field geology study. The operations, related results, and direct mapping comparisons are discussed in companion LPSC abstracts. Here we present new geologic interpretations for a volcanic cone and related lava flows as derived from all approaches involved in this study. Mapping results indicate a need for caution when interpreting past eruption conditions on other planetary surfaces from orbital data alone.

Mapping Planetary Volcanic Deposits: Identifying Vents and Distingushing between Effects of Eruption Conditions and Local Lava Storage and Release on Flow Field Morphology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bleacher, J. E.; Eppler, D. B.; Skinner, J. A.; Evans, C. A.; Feng, W.; Gruener, J. E.; Hurwitz, D. M.; Whitson, P.; Janoiko, B.

2014-01-01

Terrestrial geologic mapping techniques are regularly used for "photogeologic" mapping of other planets, but these approaches are complicated by the diverse type, areal coverage, and spatial resolution of available data sets. When available, spatially-limited in-situ human and/or robotic surface observations can sometimes introduce a level of detail that is difficult to integrate with regional or global interpretations. To assess best practices for utilizing observations acquired from orbit and on the surface, our team conducted a comparative study of geologic mapping and interpretation techniques. We compared maps generated for the same area in the San Francisco Volcanic Field (SFVF) in northern Arizona using 1) data collected for reconnaissance before and during the 2010 Desert Research And Technology Studies campaign, and 2) during a traditional, terrestrial field geology study. The operations, related results, and direct mapping comparisons are discussed in companion LPSC abstracts [1-3]. Here we present new geologic interpretations for a volcanic cone and related lava flows as derived from all approaches involved in this study. Mapping results indicate a need for caution when interpreting past eruption conditions on other planetary surfaces from orbital data alone.