High Resolution Seismic Imaging of the Trench Canyon Fault Zone, Mono Lake, Northeastern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novick, M. W.; Jayko, A. S.; Roeske, S.; McClain, J. S.; Hart, P. E.; Boyle, M.

2009-12-01

High resolution seismic imaging of Mono Lake, located in northeastern California, has revealed an approximately northwest striking fault in the area to the west of aerially exposed Negit Volcano. This fault, henceforth referred to as the Trench Canyon Fault (TCF), has also been mapped onshore along a correlating strike as far north as Cedar Hill Volcano, located to the northeast of the lake on the California/Nevada border. Onshore, the TCF was mapped for approximately 10 kilometers using air photos, DEM images, and standard geologic pace and compass mapping techniques. The TCF post- dates the last glacial maximum, evidenced by the cutting of wave cut benches along Cedar Hill Volcano. Relict, non-historic shorelines, left by the steady evaporation of Mono Lake beginning approximately 13k, are also repeatedly cut by the fault. Additional evidence of fault presence includes sag ponds, pressure ridges, tectonically fractured rocks, and normal fault scarps found along strike. Offshore, DEM images show a northeast striking structure to the northwest of Negit Volcano, which is co-linear with the onshore TCF. High resolution seismic imaging of the structure, using an applied acoustic/SIG mini-sparker system, reveals steeply dipping Holocene sediments, as well as volcanic deposits from active vents which have erupted in the last 1000 years, offset by the fault. Detailed structural analysis of the previously unstudied Trench Canyon Fault (TFC) and faults in the Cedar Hill region of northern California, along with seismic studies of sediments beneath Mono Lake not only allow for a better comprehension of this minor fault system, but provide greater understanding of the larger and more complex Walker Lane Shear Zone. Fault analyses, combined and correlated with those from CHV, give a better understanding of how slip is transferred into the complicated Mina defection to the east, from the dextral and normal faults along the Sierra Nevada Range front.

Overview for geologic field-trip guides to volcanoes of the Cascades Arc in northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muffler, L. J. Patrick; Donnelly-Nolan, Julie M.; Grove, Timothy L.; Clynne, Michael A.; Christiansen, Robert L.; Calvert, Andrew T.; Ryan-Davis, Juliet

2017-08-15

The California Cascades field trip is a loop beginning and ending in Portland, Oregon. The route of day 1 goes eastward across the Cascades just south of Mount Hood, travels south along the east side of the Cascades for an overview of the central Oregon volcanoes (including Three Sisters and Newberry Volcano), and ends at Klamath Falls, Oregon. Day 2 and much of day 3 focus on Medicine Lake Volcano. The latter part of day 3 consists of a drive south across the Pit River into the Hat Creek Valley and then clockwise around Lassen Volcanic Center to the town of Chester, California. Day 4 goes from south to north across Lassen Volcanic Center, ending at Burney, California. Day 5 and the first part of day 6 follow a clockwise route around Mount Shasta. The trip returns to Portland on the latter part of day 6, west of the Cascades through the Klamath Mountains and the Willamette Valley. Each of the three sections of this guidebook addresses one of the major volcanic regions: Lassen Volcanic Center (a volcanic field that spans the volcanic arc), Mount Shasta (a fore-arc stratocone), and Medicine Lake Volcano (a rear-arc, shield-shaped edifice). Each section of the guide provides (1) an overview of the extensive field and laboratory studies, (2) an introduction to the literature, and (3) directions to the most important and accessible field localities. The field-trip sections contain far more stops than can possibly be visited in the actual 6-day 2017 IAVCEI excursion from Portland. We have included extra stops in order to provide a field-trip guide that will have lasting utility for those who may have more time or may want to emphasize one particular volcanic area.

Chronology of Postglacial Eruptive Activity and Calculation of Eruption Probabilities for Medicine Lake Volcano, Northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nathenson, Manuel; Donnelly-Nolan, Julie M.; Champion, Duane E.; Lowenstern, Jacob B.

2007-01-01

Medicine Lake volcano has had 4 eruptive episodes in its postglacial history (since 13,000 years ago) comprising 16 eruptions. Time intervals between events within the episodes are relatively short, whereas time intervals between the episodes are much longer. An updated radiocarbon chronology for these eruptions is presented that uses paleomagnetic data to constrain the choice of calibrated ages. This chronology is used with exponential, Weibull, and mixed-exponential probability distributions to model the data for time intervals between eruptions. The mixed exponential distribution is the best match to the data and provides estimates for the conditional probability of a future eruption given the time since the last eruption. The probability of an eruption at Medicine Lake volcano in the next year from today is 0.00028.

Volcano and earthquake hazards in the Crater Lake region, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bacon, Charles R.; Mastin, Larry G.; Scott, Kevin M.; Nathenson, Manuel

1997-01-01

Crater Lake lies in a basin, or caldera, formed by collapse of the Cascade volcano known as Mount Mazama during a violent, climactic eruption about 7,700 years ago. This event dramatically changed the character of the volcano so that many potential types of future events have no precedent there. This potentially active volcanic center is contained within Crater Lake National Park, visited by 500,000 people per year, and is adjacent to the main transportation corridor east of the Cascade Range. Because a lake is now present within the most likely site of future volcanic activity, many of the hazards at Crater Lake are different from those at most other Cascade volcanoes. Also significant are many faults near Crater Lake that clearly have been active in the recent past. These faults, and historic seismicity, indicate that damaging earthquakes can occur there in the future. This report describes the various types of volcano and earthquake hazards in the Crater Lake area, estimates of the likelihood of future events, recommendations for mitigation, and a map of hazard zones. The main conclusions are summarized below.

Hydrologic data and description of a hydrologic monitoring plan for Medicine Lake Volcano, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schneider, Tiffany Rae; McFarland, W.D.

1996-01-01

A hydrologic reconnaissance of the Medicine Lake Volcano area was done to collect data needed for the design of a hydrologic monitoring plan. The reconnaissance was completed during two field trips made in June and September 1992, during which geothermal and hydrologic features of public interest in the Medicine Lake area were identified. Selected wells, springs, and geothermal features were located and documented, and initial water-level, discharge, temperature, and specific-conductance measurements were made. Lakes in the study area also were surveyed during the September field trip. Temperature, specific- conductance, dissolved oxygen, and pH data were collected by using a multiparameter probe. The proposed monitoring plan includes measurement of water levels in wells, discharge from springs, and lake stage, as well as analysis of well-,spring-, and lake-water quality. In determining lake-water quality, data for both stratified and unstratified conditions would be considered. (Data for stratified conditions were collected during the reconnaissance phase of this project, but data for unstratified conditions were not.) In addition, lake stage also would be monitored. A geothermal feature near Medicine Lake is a "hot spot" from which hot gases discharge from two distinct vents. Gas chemistry and temperature would be monitored in one of these vents.

Late Holocene volcanism at Medicine Lake Volcano, northern California Cascades

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donnelly-Nolan, Julie M.; Champion, Duane E.; Grove, Timothy L.

2016-05-23

Late Holocene volcanism at Medicine Lake volcano in the southern Cascades arc exhibited widespread and compositionally diverse magmatism ranging from basalt to rhyolite. Nine well-characterized eruptions have taken place at this very large rear-arc volcano since 5,200 years ago, an eruptive frequency greater than nearly all other Cascade volcanoes. The lavas are widely distributed, scattered over an area of ~300 km2 across the >2,000-km2 volcano. The eruptions are radiocarbon dated and the ages are also constrained by paleomagnetic data that provide strong evidence that the volcanic activity occurred in three distinct episodes at ~1 ka, ~3 ka, and ~5 ka. The ~1-ka final episode produced a variety of compositions including west- and north-flank mafic flows interspersed in time with fissure rhyolites erupted tangential to the volcano’s central caldera, including the youngest and most spectacular lava flow at the volcano, the ~950-yr-old compositionally zoned Glass Mountain flow. At ~3 ka, a north-flank basalt eruption was followed by an andesite eruption 27 km farther south that contains quenched basalt inclusions. The ~5-ka episode produced two caldera-focused dacitic eruptions. Quenched magmatic inclusions record evidence of intrusions that did not independently reach the surface. The inclusions are present in five andesitic, dacitic, and rhyolitic host lavas, and were erupted in each of the three episodes. Compositional and mineralogic evidence from mafic lavas and inclusions indicate that both tholeiitic (dry) and calcalkaline (wet) parental magmas were present. Petrologic evidence records the operation of complex, multi-stage processes including fractional crystallization, crustal assimilation, and magma mixing. Experimental evidence suggests that magmas were stored at 3 to 6 km depth prior to eruption, and that both wet and dry parental magmas were involved in generating the more silicic magmas. The broad distribution of eruptive events and the relative

Digital Data for Volcano Hazards in the Crater Lake Region, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schilling, S.P.; Doelger, S.; Bacon, C.R.; Mastin, L.G.; Scott, K.E.; Nathenson, M.

2008-01-01

Crater Lake lies in a basin, or caldera, formed by collapse of the Cascade volcano known as Mount Mazama during a violent, climactic eruption about 7,700 years ago. This event dramatically changed the character of the volcano so that many potential types of future events have no precedent there. This potentially active volcanic center is contained within Crater Lake National Park, visited by 500,000 people per year, and is adjacent to the main transportation corridor east of the Cascade Range. Because a lake is now present within the most likely site of future volcanic activity, many of the hazards at Crater Lake are different from those at most other Cascade volcanoes. Also significant are many faults near Crater Lake that clearly have been active in the recent past. These faults, and historic seismicity, indicate that damaging earthquakes can occur there in the future. The USGS Open-File Report 97-487 (Bacon and others, 1997) describes the various types of volcano and earthquake hazards in the Crater Lake area, estimates of the likelihood of future events, recommendations for mitigation, and a map of hazard zones. The geographic information system (GIS) volcano hazard data layers used to produce the Crater Lake earthquake and volcano hazard map in USGS Open-File Report 97-487 are included in this data set. USGS scientists created one GIS data layer, c_faults, that delineates these faults and one layer, cballs, that depicts the downthrown side of the faults. Additional GIS layers chazline, chaz, and chazpoly were created to show 1)the extent of pumiceous pyroclastic-flow deposits of the caldera forming Mount Mazama eruption, 2)silicic and mafic vents in the Crater Lake region, and 3)the proximal hazard zone around the caldera rim, respectively.

Geologic field-trip guide to Mount Shasta Volcano, northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Christiansen, Robert L.; Calvert, Andrew T.; Grove, Timothy L.

2017-08-18

The southern part of the Cascades Arc formed in two distinct, extended periods of activity: “High Cascades” volcanoes erupted during about the past 6 million years and were built on a wider platform of Tertiary volcanoes and shallow plutons as old as about 30 Ma, generally called the “Western Cascades.” For the most part, the Shasta segment (for example, Hildreth, 2007; segment 4 of Guffanti and Weaver, 1988) of the arc forms a distinct, fairly narrow axis of short-lived small- to moderate-sized High Cascades volcanoes that erupted lavas, mainly of basaltic-andesite or low-silica-andesite compositions. Western Cascades rocks crop out only sparsely in the Shasta segment; almost all of the following descriptions are of High Cascades features except for a few unusual localities where older, Western Cascades rocks are exposed to view along the route of the field trip.The High Cascades arc axis in this segment of the arc is mainly a relatively narrow band of either monogenetic or short-lived shield volcanoes. The belt generally averages about 15 km wide and traverses the length of the Shasta segment, roughly 100 km between about the Klamath River drainage on the north, near the Oregon-California border, and the McCloud River drainage on the south (fig. 1). Superposed across this axis are two major long-lived stratovolcanoes and the large rear-arc Medicine Lake volcano. One of the stratovolcanoes, the Rainbow Mountain volcano of about 1.5–0.8 Ma, straddles the arc near the midpoint of the Shasta segment. The other, Mount Shasta itself, which ranges from about 700 ka to 0 ka, lies distinctly west of the High Cascades axis. It is notable that Mount Shasta and Medicine Lake volcanoes, although volcanologically and petrologically quite different, span about the same range of ages and bracket the High Cascades axis on the west and east, respectively.The field trip begins near the southern end of the Shasta segment, where the Lassen Volcanic Center field trip leaves

Investigating the long-term geodetic response to magmatic intrusions at volcanoes in northern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, A. L.; Biggs, J.; Annen, C.; Houseman, G. A.; Yamasaki, T.; Wright, T. J.; Walters, R. J.; Lu, Z.

2014-12-01

Ratios of intrusive to extrusive activity at volcanic arcs are thought to be high, with estimates ranging between 5:1 and 30:1. Understanding the geodetic response to magmatic intrusion is therefore fundamental to large-scale studies of volcano deformation, providing insight into the dynamics of the inter-eruptive period of the volcano cycle and the building of continental crust. In northern California, we identify two volcanoes - Medicine Lake Volcano (MLV) and Lassen Volcanic Center (LaVC) - that exhibit long-term (multi-decadal) subsidence. We test the hypothesis that deformation at these volcanoes results from processes associated with magmatic intrusions. We first constrain the spatial and temporal characteristics of the deformation fields, establishing the first time-series of deformation at LaVC using InSAR data, multi-temporal analysis techniques and global weather models. Although the rates of deformation at the two volcanoes are similar (~1 cm/yr), our results show that the ratio of vertical to horizontal displacements is significantly different, suggesting contrasting source geometries. To test the origin of deformation, we develop modeling strategies to investigate thermal and viscoelastic processes associated with magmatic intrusions. The first model we develop couples analytical geodetic models to a numerical model of volume loss due to cooling and crystallization based upon temperature-melt fraction relationships from petrological experiments. This model provides evidence that magmatic intrusion at MLV has occurred more recently than the last eruption ~1 ka. The second model we test uses a finite element approach to simulate the time-dependent viscoelastic response of the crust to magmatic intrusion. We assess the magnitude and timescales of ground deformation that may result from these processes, exploring the model parameter space before applying the models to our InSAR observations of subsidence in northern California.

Operational tracking of lava lake surface motion at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i

USGS Publications Warehouse

Patrick, Matthew R.; Orr, Tim R.

2018-03-08

Surface motion is an important component of lava lake behavior, but previous studies of lake motion have been focused on short time intervals. In this study, we implement the first continuous, real-time operational routine for tracking lava lake surface motion, applying the technique to the persistent lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u Crater at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i. We measure lake motion by using images from a fixed thermal camera positioned on the crater rim, transmitting images to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) in real time. We use an existing optical flow toolbox in Matlab to calculate motion vectors, and we track the position of lava upwelling in the lake, as well as the intensity of spattering on the lake surface. Over the past 2 years, real-time tracking of lava lake surface motion at Halema‘uma‘u has been an important part of monitoring the lake’s activity, serving as another valuable tool in the volcano monitoring suite at HVO.

Abrupt shift in δ18O values at Medicine Lake volcano (California, USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donnelly-Nolan, J. M.

1998-01-01

 Oxygen-isotope analyses of lavas from Medicine Lake volcano (MLV), in the southern Cascade Range, indicate a significant change in δ18O in Holocene time. In the Pleistocene, basaltic lavas with <52% SiO2 averaged +5.9‰, intermediate lavas averaged +5.7‰, and silicic lavas (≥63.0%SiO2) averaged +5.6‰. No analyzed Pleistocene rhyolites or dacites have values greater than +6.3‰. In post-glacial time, basalts were similar at +5.7‰ to those erupted in the Pleistocene, but intermediate lavas average +6.8‰ and silicic lavas +7.4‰ with some values as high as +8.5‰. The results indicate a change in the magmatic system supplying the volcano. During the Pleistocene, silicic lavas resulted either from melting of low-18O crust or from fractionation combined with assimilation of very-low-18O crustal material such as hydrothermally altered rocks similar to those found in drill holes under the center of the volcano. By contrast, Holocene silicic lavas were produced by assimilation and/or wholesale melting of high-18O crustal material such as that represented by inclusions of granite in lavas on the upper flanks of MLV. This sudden shift in assimilant indicates a fundamental change in the magmatic system. Magmas are apparently ponding in the crust at a very different level than in Pleistocene time.

Deformation at Lava Lake Volcanoes: Lessons from Karthala

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biggs, J.; Rust, A.; Owens, C.

2014-12-01

To remain hot, permanent lava lakes require a continuous connection to a magma reservoir. Depending on the state of the conduit, changes in magma pressure could result in changes in the lake level (hydraulic head) or be accommodated elastically leading to surface deformation. Observing deformation is therefore key to understanding the plumbing system associated with lava lakes. However, the majority of the world's lava lakes lie in difficult socio-economic or remote locations meaning that there are few ground-based observations, and it is often necessary to rely on satellite imagery. Karthala volcano experienced a sequence of eruptions in April 2005, Nov 2005, May 2006 and Jan 2007. The first 3 took place at the Choungou Chahale crater, which typically contains either a water or lava lake; the last formed a new pit crater to the north. Satellite thermal imagery (Hirn et al, 2008) does not show an anomaly during the first eruption, which had a phreatomagmatic component, but large thermal anomalies, associated with an ephemeral lava lake were detected during the Nov 2005 and May 2006 eruptions. The final eruption produced a smaller anomaly attributed to a minor lava flow. Here we present InSAR observations from 2004-2010. We find no significant deformation associated with the first three eruptions, but the January 2007 eruption was associated with ~25 cm of deformation near the volcano's summit, characteristic of a dyke intrusion aligned with the northern rift zone. We also observe an unusual pattern deformation along the coast which may be attributed to rapid settling of soft sediment or recent volcanic deposits triggered by seismic activity. We propose that the first eruption cleared the reservoir-summit connection and interacted with the water in Choungou Chahale. The following eruptions formed a lava lake, but without causing deformation. By the final eruption, the conduit had become blocked and magma intruded along the rift zone causing deformation but no

Use of Geologic Mapping of the Medicine Lake Volcano in NE California to Constrain Interpretation of Cultural Uses of Rhyolite Obsidian

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de la Fuente, J. A.; Johnson, L.; Cassidy, J.; Stevens, M.

2012-12-01

Recently published geologic mapping of Medicine Lake volcano in N. California (Donnelly-Nolan, 2010) provides a context for evaluating cultural use of Pleistocene rhyolitic obsidian at the volcano. The mapping identified an area of gravel that forms a small alluvial fan. The alluvial deposit includes abundant obsidian, some as water-worn cobbles, and some as flakes of obsidian. The alluvial fan is located about 3 km south of the nearest outcrop of obsidian, which is mapped as "rhyolite of Grasshopper Flat." This rhyolite unit has been identified over a distance of 30 km on the west side of Medicine Lake volcano as distributed chemically identical outcrops along a north-northeast trend. The aphyric obsidian provided excellent raw material for cultural use by Native Americans, and projectile point styles at nearby sites suggest up to 10,000 years of utilization. Obsidian in the fan deposit includes cobbles and flakes, some of which show definite signs of water transport, to a depth of >0.6 m. In addition to the definite anthropogenic flakes in the deposit, there are also unmodified obsidian pieces. The range of variation in the amount of water wear and other weathering on the obsidian makes it difficult to tell whether some of the flakes are anthropogenic or if they were broken by natural processes. It is also difficult to determine whether some of the definite anthropogenic flakes were created on site, or if all flakes in the deposit were created at a quarry upstream and transported with the other stream material. Lastly, some of the flakes display secondary flaking, perhaps related to recent logging activities or natural processes. The presence of anthropogenic flakes in the alluvium would indicate water transport during Holocene time, since there is little evidence of human occupation prior to the Holocene. Local scatters of clearly anthropogenic flakes are also present outside the stream deposit, indicating that at least some tool-making activity occurred in the

Mono Lake, California

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-24

In eastern California, along the western edge of the Great Basin, sits Mono Lake. This is a salty remnant of a wetter era. Estimates are that the lake existed for at least 760,000 years. Now surrounded by mountain ranges, however, Mono Lake has no outlet; water entering the lake can only evaporate away, so Mono Lake is saltier than the ocean. South of the lake appear some of the geologic features known as Mono Craters. Geologists estimate that the Mono Craters last erupted about 650 years ago. The image was acquired July 7, 2016, covers an area of 22.6 by 34 km, and is located at 37.9 degrees north, 119 degrees west. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21518

Geochemistry of waters from springs, wells, and snowpack on and adjacent to Medicine Lake volcano, northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mariner, R.H.; Lowenstern, Jacob B.

1999-01-01

Chemical analyses of waters from cold springs and wells of the Medicine Lake volcano and surrounding region indicate small chloride anomalies that may be due to water-rock interaction or limited mixing with high-temperature geothermal fluids. The Fall River Springs (FRS) with a combined discharge of approximately 37 m3/s, show a negative correlation between chloride (Cl) and temperature, implying that the Cl is not derived from a high-temperature geothermal fluid. The high discharge from the FRS indicates recharge over a large geographic region. Chemical and isotopic variations in the FRS show that they contain a mixture of three distinct waters. The isotopic composition of recharge on and adjacent to the volcano are estimated from the isotopic composition of snow and precipitation amounts adjusted for evapotranspiration. Enough recharge of the required isotopic composition (-100 parts per thousand ??D) is available from a combination of the Medicine Lake caldera, the Fall River basin and the Long Bell basin to support the slightly warmer components of the FRS (32 m3/s). The cold-dilute part of the FRS (approximately 5 m3/s) may recharge in the Bear Creek basin or at lower elevations in the Fall River basin.

Intense magmatic degassing through the lake of Copahue volcano, 2013-2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamburello, G.; Agusto, M.; Caselli, A.; Tassi, F.; Vaselli, O.; Calabrese, S.; Rouwet, D.; Capaccioni, B.; Di Napoli, R.; Cardellini, C.; Chiodini, G.; Bitetto, M.; Brusca, L.; Bellomo, S.; Aiuppa, A.

2015-09-01

Here we report on the first assessment of volatile fluxes from the hyperacid crater lake hosted within the summit crater of Copahue, a very active volcano on the Argentina-Chile border. Our observations were performed using a variety of in situ and remote sensing techniques during field campaigns in March 2013, when the crater hosted an active fumarole field, and in March 2014, when an acidic volcanic lake covered the fumarole field. In the latter campaign, we found that 566 to 1373 t d-1 of SO2 were being emitted from the lake in a plume that appeared largely invisible. This, combined with our derived bulk plume composition, was converted into flux of other volcanic species (H2O ~ 10989 t d-1, CO2 ~ 638 t d-1, HCl ~ 66 t d-1, H2 ~ 3.3 t d-1, and HBr ~ 0.05 t d-1). These levels of degassing, comparable to those seen at many open-vent degassing arc volcanoes, were surprisingly high for a volcano hosting a crater lake. Copahue's unusual degassing regime was also confirmed by the chemical composition of the plume that, although issuing from a hot (65°C) lake, preserves a close-to-magmatic signature. EQ3/6 models of gas-water-rock interaction in the lake were able to match observed compositions and demonstrated that magmatic gases emitted to the atmosphere were virtually unaffected by scrubbing of soluble (S and Cl) species. Finally, the derived large H2O flux (10,988 t d-1) suggested a mechanism in which magmatic gas stripping drove enhanced lake water evaporation, a process likely common to many degassing volcanic lakes worldwide.

Post-11,000-year volcanism at Medicine Lake Volcano, Cascade Range, northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donnelly-Nolan, J. M.; Champion, D.E.; Miller, C.D.; Grove, T.L.; Trimble, D.A.

1990-01-01

Eruptive activity during the past 11,000 years at Medicine Lake volcano has been episodic. Eight eruptions produced about 5.3 km3 of basaltic lava during an interval of a few hundred years about 10 500 years B.P. After a hiatus of about 6000 years, eruptive activity resumed with a small andesite eruption at about 4300 years B.P. Approximately 2.5 km3 of lava with compositions ranging from basalt to rhyolite vented in nine eruptions during an interval of about 3400 years in late Holocene time. The most recent eruption occurred about 900 years B.P. A compositional gap in SiO2 values of erupted lavas occurs between 58 and 63%. The gap is spanned by chilled magmatic inclusions in late Holocene silicic lavas. Late Holocene andesitic to rhyolitic lavas were probably derived by fractionation, assimilation, and mixing from high-alumina basalt parental magma, possibly from basalt intruded into the volcano during the early mafic episode. Eruptive activity is probably driven by intrusions of basalt that occur during E-W stretching of the crust in an extensional tectonic environment. Vents are typically aligned parallel or subparallel to major structural features, most commonly within 30?? of north. Intruded magma should provide adequate heat for commercial geothermal development if sufficient fluids can be found. -from Authors

Seismic activity noted at Medicine Lake Highlands

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

Blum, D.

1988-12-01

The sudden rumble of earthquakes beneath Medicine Lake Highlands this fall gave geologists an early warning that one of Northern California's volcanoes may be stirring back to life. Researchers stressed that an eruption of the volcano is not expected soon. But the flurry of underground shocks in late September, combined with new evidence of a pool of molten rock beneath the big volcano, has led them to monitor Medicine Lake with new wariness. The volcano has been dormant since 1910, when it ejected a brief flurry of ash - worrying no one. A federal team plans to take measurements ofmore » Medicine Lake, testing for changes in its shape caused by underground pressures. The work is scheduled for spring because snows have made the volcano inaccessible. But the new seismic network is an effective lookout, sensitive to very small increases in activity.« less

Lake Waiau and Púupōhaku - two unusual lakes on Maunakea volcano, Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leopold, Matthias; Schorghofer, Norbert

2017-04-01

High mountain lakes are often a valuable buffer for water availability throughout the year. This is especially the case in alpine deserts like the high alpine areas of the Hawaiian Volcanoes above 3000 m altitude, since the porous and coarse cinder material and basalt boulders do not favor water storage. Púupōhaku ( 4,000m asl), a cinder cone near the summit of Maunakea volcano, Hawaii, has a sporadic pond of water and also nearby Lake Waiau is perched within a cinder cone known as Púuwaiau ( 3600 m asl) which makes it the highest lake on the Hawaiian Islands. With only 210 mm annual precipitation mostly caused by single storm events, and a potential evaporation of up to 5mm/d, permanent water sources are extremely rare in this environment. Several hypotheses were discussed as a possible cause for perching the water in this environment such as an impermeable permafrost base, a massive block of lava or clay layers. We applied geomorphic mappings and electric resistivity tomography to portray the shallow subsurface in the vicinity of the two water bodies. We also used current and unpublished older temperature loggings to evaluate the thermal regime around the lakes. Based on our results, specific electric resistivity values are too low and ground temperatures are too high to be interpreted either as ice rich permafrost or basaltic massive rock. Much more, fine grained material such as ash and its clay-rich weathering products likely cause the perched water table at both study sites. At Lake Waiau we discovered a layer of high electric conductivity that may constitute a significant water reservoir outside of the lake and further be responsible for perching the water towards the lake. Understanding the nature of the two permanent water bodies will help to manage the sensitive alpine environment which includes several endemic species.

Preliminary volcano hazard assessment for the Emmons Lake volcanic center, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waythomas, Christopher; Miller, Thomas P.; Mangan, Margaret T.

2006-01-01

The Emmons Lake volcanic center is a large stratovolcano complex on the Alaska Peninsula near Cold Bay, Alaska. The volcanic center includes several ice- and snow-clad volcanoes within a nested caldera structure that hosts Emmons Lake and truncates a shield-like ancestral Mount Emmons edifice. From northeast to southwest, the main stratovolcanoes of the center are: Pavlof Sister, Pavlof, Little Pavlof, Double Crater, Mount Hague, and Mount Emmons. Several small cinder cones and vents are located on the floor of the caldera and on the south flank of Pavlof Volcano. Pavlof Volcano, in the northeastern part of the center, is the most historically active volcano in Alaska (Miller and others, 1998) and eruptions of Pavlof pose the greatest hazards to the region. Historical eruptions of Pavlof Volcano have been small to moderate Strombolian eruptions that produced moderate amounts of near vent lapilli tephra fallout, and diffuse ash plumes that drifted several hundreds of kilometers from the vent. Cold Bay, King Cove, Nelson Lagoon, and Sand Point have reported ash fallout from Pavlof eruptions. Drifting clouds of volcanic ash produced by eruptions of Pavlof would be a major hazard to local aircraft and could interfere with trans-Pacific air travel if the ash plume achieved flight levels. During most historical eruptions of Pavlof, pyroclastic material erupted from the volcano has interacted with the snow and ice on the volcano producing volcanic mudflows or lahars. Lahars have inundated most of the drainages heading on the volcano and filled stream valleys with variable amounts of coarse sand, gravel, and boulders. The lahars are often hot and would alter or destroy stream habitat for many years following the eruption. Other stratocones and vents within the Emmons Lake volcanic center are not known to have erupted in the past 300 years. However, young appearing deposits and lava flows suggest there may have been small explosions and minor effusive eruptive activity

Automated tracking of lava lake level using thermal images at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai’i

USGS Publications Warehouse

Patrick, Matthew R.; Swanson, Don; Orr, Tim R.

2016-01-01

Tracking the level of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u Crater, at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai’i, is an essential part of monitoring the ongoing eruption and forecasting potentially hazardous changes in activity. We describe a simple automated image processing routine that analyzes continuously-acquired thermal images of the lava lake and measures lava level. The method uses three image segmentation approaches, based on edge detection, short-term change analysis, and composite temperature thresholding, to identify and track the lake margin in the images. These relative measurements from the images are periodically calibrated with laser rangefinder measurements to produce real-time estimates of lake elevation. Continuous, automated tracking of the lava level has been an important tool used by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory since 2012 in real-time operational monitoring of the volcano and its hazard potential.

California's Vulnerability to Volcanic Hazards: What's at Risk?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangan, M.; Wood, N. J.; Dinitz, L.

2015-12-01

California is a leader in comprehensive planning for devastating earthquakes, landslides, floods, and tsunamis. Far less attention, however, has focused on the potentially devastating impact of volcanic eruptions, despite the fact that they occur in the State about as frequently as the largest earthquakes on the San Andreas Fault Zone. At least 10 eruptions have occurred in the past 1,000 years—most recently in northern California (Lassen Peak 1914 to 1917)—and future volcanic eruptions are inevitable. The likelihood of renewed volcanism in California is about one in a few hundred to one in a few thousand annually. Eight young volcanoes, ranked as Moderate to Very High Threat [1] are dispersed throughout the State. Partially molten rock (magma) resides beneath at least seven of these—Medicine Lake Volcano, Mount Shasta, Lassen Volcanic Center, Clear Lake Volcanic Field, Long Valley Volcanic Region, Coso Volcanic Field, and Salton Buttes— causing earthquakes, toxic gas emissions, hydrothermal activity, and (or) ground deformation. Understanding the hazards and identifying what is at risk are the first steps in building community resilience to volcanic disasters. This study, prepared in collaboration with the State of California Governor's Office of Emergency Management and the California Geological Survey, provides a broad perspective on the State's exposure to volcano hazards by integrating mapped volcano hazard zones with geospatial data on at-risk populations, infrastructure, and resources. The study reveals that ~ 16 million acres fall within California's volcano hazard zones, along with ~ 190 thousand permanent and 22 million transitory populations. Additionally, far-field disruption to key water delivery systems, agriculture, utilities, and air traffic is likely. Further site- and sector-specific analyses will lead to improved hazard mitigation efforts and more effective disaster response and recovery. [1] "Volcanic Threat and Monitoring Capabilities

Mono Lake, California

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-10-01

STS068-150-020 (30 September-11 October 1994) --- An exceptionally clear, high-contrast view of the desert basins east and south of Mono Lake, California. Light clouds dot the mountain ranges; the clouds were transparent to radar beams from the Space Radar Laboratory 2 (SRL-2) payload.

Lava lake activity at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano in 2016

USGS Publications Warehouse

Patrick, Matthew R.; Orr, Tim R.; Swanson, Donald A.; Elias, Tamar; Shiro, Brian

2018-04-10

The ongoing summit eruption at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i, began in March 2008 with the formation of the Overlook crater, within Halema‘uma‘u Crater. As of late 2016, the Overlook crater contained a large, persistently active lava lake (250 × 190 meters). The accessibility of the lake allows frequent direct observations, and a robust geophysical monitoring network closely tracks subtle changes at the summit. These conditions present one of the best opportunities worldwide for understanding persistent lava lake behavior and the geophysical signals associated with open-vent basaltic eruptions. In this report, we provide a descriptive and visual summary of lava lake activity during 2016, a year consisting of continuous lava lake activity. The lake surface was composed of large black crustal plates separated by narrow incandescent spreading zones. The dominant motion of the surface was normally from north to south, but spattering produced transient disruptions to this steady motion. Spattering in the lake was common, consisting of one or more sites on the lake margin. The Overlook crater was continuously modified by the deposition of spatter (often as a thin veneer) on the crater walls, with frequent collapses of this adhered lava into the lake. Larger collapses, involving lithic material from the crater walls, triggered several small explosive events that deposited bombs and lapilli around the Halema‘uma‘u Crater rim, but these did not threaten public areas. The lava lake level varied over several tens of meters, controlled primarily by changes in summit magma reservoir pressure (in part driven by magma supply rates) and secondarily by fluctuations in spattering and gas release from the lake (commonly involving gas pistoning). The lake emitted a persistent gas plume, normally averaging 1,000–8,000 metric tons per day (t/d) of sulfur dioxide (SO2), as well as a constant fallout of small juvenile and lithic particles, including Pele’s hair and tears. The

Color and temperature of the crater lakes at Kelimutu volcano through time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Sam; Wright, Robert; Rouwet, Dmitri

2018-01-01

We investigated the color and temperature of three volcanic crater lakes that co-exist at Kelimutu volcano (Indonesia) using 30 years of Landsat data. These satellite data were obtained through Google Earth Engine. Time series of surface reflectance (visible wavelengths) and brightness temperature above background (thermal infrared wavelengths) were calculated. Color was defined in the RGB (red-green-blue) and HSV (hue-saturation-value) color spaces, and we introduce a visualization concept called "hue stretch" to consistently represent hue through time. These parameters display long-term trends, seasonal cycles and short duration bursts of activity at the lakes. We demonstrate that the color of the lakes are related over a period of months to years and discovered a previously unreported but significant episode around 1997, which included large agglomerations of floating elemental sulfur. Globally speaking, these techniques could reveal trends at any of the 100 crater lakes on active volcanoes. Furthermore, they could apply to any target whose color changes through time (e.g., forests, crops, and non-volcanic water bodies). We have open-sourced the code necessary to perform these analyses.

Modeled tephra ages from lake sediments, base of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska

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

Schiff, C J; Kaufman, D S; Wallace, K L

2007-02-25

A 5.6-m-long lake sediment core from Bear Lake, Alaska, located 22 km southeast of Redoubt Volcano, contains 67 tephra layers deposited over the last 8750 cal yr, comprising 15% of the total thickness of recovered sediment. Using 12 AMS {sup 14}C ages, along with the {sup 137}Cs and {sup 210}Pb activities of recent sediment, we evaluated different models to determine the age-depth relation of sediment, and to determine the age of each tephra deposit. The age model is based on a cubic smooth spline function that was passed through the adjusted tephra-free depth of each dated layer. The estimated agemore » uncertainty of the 67 tephras averages {+-} 105 yr (1{sigma}). Tephra-fall frequency at Bear Lake was among the highest during the past 500 yr, with eight tephras deposited compared to an average of 3.7 per 500 yr over the last 8500 yr. Other periods of increased tephra fall occurred 2500-3500, 4500-5000, and 7000-7500 cal yr. Our record suggests that Bear Lake experienced extended periods (1000-2000 yr) of increased tephra fall separated by shorter periods (500-1000 yr) of apparent quiescence. The Bear Lake sediment core affords the most comprehensive tephrochronology from the base of the Redoubt Volcano to date, with an average tephra-fall frequency of once every 130 yr.« less

Modeled tephra ages from lake sediments, base of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schiff, C.J.; Kaufman, D.S.; Wallace, K.L.; Werner, A.; Ku, T.-L.; Brown, T.A.

2008-01-01

A 5.6-m-long lake sediment core from Bear Lake, Alaska, located 22 km southeast of Redoubt Volcano, contains 67 tephra layers deposited over the last 8750 cal yr, comprising 15% of the total thickness of recovered sediment. Using 12 AMS 14C ages, along with the 137Cs and 210Pb activities of recent sediment, we evaluated different models to determine the age-depth relation of the core, and to determine the age of each tephra deposit. The selected age model is based on a mixed-effect regression that was passed through the adjusted tephra-free depth of each dated layer. The estimated age uncertainty of the 67 tephras averages ??105 yr (95% confidence intervals). Tephra-fall frequency at Bear Lake was among the highest during the past 500 yr, with eight tephras deposited compared to an average of 3.7/500 yr over the last 8500 yr. Other periods of increased tephra fall occurred 2500-3500, 4500-5000, and 7000-7500 cal yr. Our record suggests that Bear Lake experienced extended periods (1000-2000 yr) of increased tephra fall separated by shorter periods (500-1000 yr) of apparent quiescence. The Bear Lake sediment core affords the most comprehensive tephrochronology from the base of the Redoubt Volcano to date, with an average tephra-fall frequency of one every 130 yr. ?? 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimating eruption temperature from thermal emission spectra of lava fountain activity in the Erta'Ale (Ethiopia) volcano lava lake: Implications for observing Io's volcanoes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davies, Ashley G.; Keszthelyi, Laszlo P.; McEwen, Alfred S.

2011-01-01

We have analysed high-spatial-resolution and high-temporal-resolution temperature measurements of the active lava lake at Erta'Ale volcano, Ethiopia, to derive requirements for measuring eruption temperatures at Io's volcanoes. Lava lakes are particularly attractive targets because they are persistent in activity and large, often with ongoing lava fountain activity that exposes lava at near-eruption temperature. Using infrared thermography, we find that extracting useful temperature estimates from remote-sensing data requires (a) high spatial resolution to isolate lava fountains from adjacent cooler lava and (b) rapid acquisition of multi-color data. Because existing spacecraft data of Io's volcanoes do not meet these criteria, it is particularly important to design future instruments so that they will be able to collect such data. Near-simultaneous data at more than two relatively short wavelengths (shorter than 1 μm) are needed to constrain eruption temperatures. Resolving parts of the lava lake or fountains that are near the eruption temperature is also essential, and we provide a rough estimate of the required image scale.

Estimating eruption temperature from thermal emission spectra of lava fountain activity in the Erta'Ale (Ethiopia) volcano lava lake: Implications for observing Io's volcanoes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davies, A.G.; Keszthelyi, L.; McEwen, A.S.

2011-01-01

We have analysed high-spatial-resolution and high-temporal-resolution temperature measurements of the active lava lake at Erta'Ale volcano, Ethiopia, to derive requirements for measuring eruption temperatures at Io's volcanoes. Lava lakes are particularly attractive targets because they are persistent in activity and large, often with ongoing lava fountain activity that exposes lava at near-eruption temperature. Using infrared thermography, we find that extracting useful temperature estimates from remote-sensing data requires (a) high spatial resolution to isolate lava fountains from adjacent cooler lava and (b) rapid acquisition of multi-color data. Because existing spacecraft data of Io's volcanoes do not meet these criteria, it is particularly important to design future instruments so that they will be able to collect such data. Near-simultaneous data at more than two relatively short wavelengths (shorter than 1 ??m) are needed to constrain eruption temperatures. Resolving parts of the lava lake or fountains that are near the eruption temperature is also essential, and we provide a rough estimate of the required image scale. ?? 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.

Geochemistry of the acid Kawah Putih lake, Patuha Volcano, West Java, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sriwana, T.; van Bergen, M. J.; Varekamp, J. C.; Sumarti, S.; Takano, B.; van Os, B. J. H.; Leng, M. J.

2000-04-01

Kawah Putih is a summit crater of Patuha volcano, West Java, Indonesia, which contains a shallow, ∼300 m-wide lake with strongly mineralized acid-sulfate-chloride water. The lake water has a temperature of 26-34°C, pH=<0.5-1.3, Stot=2500-4600 ppm and Cl=5300-12 600 ppm, and floating sulfur globules with sulfide inclusions are common. Sulfur oxyanion concentrations are unusually high, with S4O62-+S5O62-+S6O62-=2400 - 4200 ppm. Subaerial fumaroles (<93°C) on the lake shore have low molar SO2/H2S ratios (<2), which is a favorable condition to produce the observed distribution of sulfur oxyanion species. Sulfur isotope data of dissolved sulfate and native sulfur show a significant 34S fractionation (ΔSO4-Se of ⩾20‰), probably the result of SO2 disproportionation in or below the lake. The lake waters show strong enrichments in 18O and D relative to local meteoric waters, a result of the combined effects of mixing between isotopically heavy fluids of deep origin and meteoric water, and evaporation-induced fractionation at the lake surface. The stable-isotope systematics combined with energy-balance considerations support very rapid fluid cycling through the lake system. Lake levels and element concentrations show strong seasonal fluctuations, indicative of a short water residence time in the lake as well. Thermodynamic modeling of the lake fluids indicates that the lake water is saturated with silica phases, barite, pyrite and various Pb, Sb, Cu, As, Bi-bearing sulfides when sulfur saturation is assumed. Precipitating phases predicted by the model calculations are consistent with the bulk chemistry of the sulfur-rich bottom sediments and their identified mineral phases. Much of the lake water chemistry can be explained by congruent rock dissolution in combination with preferential enrichments from entering fumarolic gases or brines and element removal by precipitating mineral phases, as indicated by a comparison of the fluids, volcanic rocks and lake bed

Satellite monitoring of dramatic changes at Hawai'i's only alpine lake: Lake Waiau on Mauna Kea volcano

USGS Publications Warehouse

Patrick, Matthew R.; Kauahikaua, James P.

2015-01-01

Lake Waiau is a small, typically 100-meter-long lake, located near the summit of Mauna Kea volcano, on the Island of Hawaiʻi. It is Hawaiʻi’s only alpine lake and is considered sacred in Hawaiian cultural tradition. Over the past few years, the lake has diminished in size, and, by October 2013, surface water had almost completely disappeared from the lake. In this study, we use high-resolution satellite images and aerial photographs to document recent changes at the lake. Based on our reconstructions covering the past 200 years, the historical lake surface area has typically ranged from 5,000 to 7,000 square meters, but in 2010 a dramatic plunge in lake area ensued. The lake area rebounded significantly in early 2014, following heavy winter storms. This near disappearance of the lake, judging from analysis of visitor photographs and field reports, appears to be highly unusual, if not unprecedented, in the historical record. The unusually low water levels in the lake are consistent with a recent severe drought in Hawaiʻi.

Radiative temperature measurements at Kupaianaha lava lake, Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flynn, Luke P.; Mouginis-Mark, Peter J.; Gradie, Jonathan C.; Lucey, Paul G.

1993-01-01

The radiative temperature of the surface of Kupaianaha lava lake is computed using field spectroradiometer data. Observations were made during periods of active overturning. The lake surface exhibits three stages of activity. Magma fountaining and overturning events characterize stage 1, which exhibits the hottest crustal temperatures and the largest fractional hot areas. Rifting events between plates of crust mark stage 2; crustal temperatures in this stage are between 100 C and 340 C, and fractional hot areas are at least an order of magnitude smaller than those in stage 1. Stage 3 is characterized by quiescent periods when the lake is covered by a thick crust. This stage dominates the activity of the lake more than 90 percent of the time. The results of this study are relevant for satellite and airborne measurement of the thermal characteristics of active volcanoes, and indicate that the thermal output of a lava lake varies on a time scale of seconds to minutes.

Bathymetric, geophysical and geologic sample data from Medicine Lake, Siskiyou County, northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Childs, Jonathan R.; Lowenstern, J. B.; Phillips, R.L.; Hart, P.E.; Rytuba, J.J.; Barron, J.A.; Starratt, S.W.; Spaulding, Sarah

2000-01-01

In September, 1999, the U.S. Geological Survey acquired high-resolution bathymetry, seismic reflection profiles, and geologic sample data from Medicine Lake, a high altitude (2,036 m) lake located within the summit caldera/basin at Medicine Lake volcano (MLV), a dormant Quaternary shield volcano located in the Cascade Range, 50 km northeast of Mt. Shasta. It last erupted less than 1000 years ago.The purpose of this work was to assess whether sediments in the lake might provide a high-resolution record of the climate, volcanic and geochemical (particularly mercury) history of the region. We are still working with our data to assess whether the sediments are appropriate for further study. This report provides a summary of what we have learned to date.

The “anomalous cedar trees” of Lake Ashi, Hakone Volcano, Japan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oki, Y.

1984-01-01

On the bottom of Lake Ashi at Hakone, Japan, there stand great trees that, since ancient times, have been widely known as the "Anomalous Cedar Trees" of Ashi. It is not known why these trees grow on the bottom of the lake, and it remains one of the mysteries of Hakone. It was formerly thought that, at the time Lake Ashi was born, a great forest of cedar trees which was growing in the caldera of the volcano sank into the water. From radioactive carbon dating techniques, it is known that a steam explosion in the Kami Mountains created the caldera approximately 3,000 years ago. The age of the "Anomalous Cedars" is placed at approximately. 

Terrestrial laser scanning observations of geomorphic changes and varying lava lake levels at Erebus volcano, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Laura K.; Kyle, Philip R.; Oppenheimer, Clive; Frechette, Jedediah D.; Okal, Marianne H.

2015-03-01

A Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) instrument was used to image the topography of the Main Crater at Erebus volcano each December in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Our high-spatial resolution TLS scans provide unique insights into annual and decadal scale geomorphic evolution of the summit area when integrated with comparable data collected by an airborne instrument in 2001. We observe both a pattern of subsidence within the Inner Crater of the volcano and an ~ 3 m per-year drop in the lava lake level over the same time period that are suggestive of decreasing overpressure in an underlying magma reservoir. We also scanned the active phonolite lava lake hosted within the Inner Crater, and recorded rapid cyclic fluctuations in the level of the lake. These were sporadically interrupted by minor explosions by bursting gas bubbles at the lake surface. The TLS data permit calculation of lake level rise and fall speeds and associated rates of volumetric change within the lake. These new observations, when considered with prior determinations of rates of lake surface motion and gas output, are indicative of unsteady magma flow in the conduit and its associated variability in gas volume fraction.

Investigating crater lake warming using ASTER thermal imagery: Case studies at Ruapehu, Poás, Kawah Ijen, and Copahué Volcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trunk, Laura; Bernard, Alain

2008-12-01

A two-channel or split-window algorithm designed to correct for atmospheric conditions was applied to thermal images taken by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) of Lake Yugama on Kusatsu-Shirane volcano in Japan in order to measure the temperature of its crater lake. These temperature calculations were validated using lake water temperatures that were collected on the ground. Overall, the agreement between the temperatures calculated using the split-window method and ground truth is quite good, typically ± 1.5 °C for cloud-free images. Data from fieldwork undertaken in the summer of 2004 at Kusatsu-Shirane allow a comparison of ground-truth data with the radiant temperatures measured using ASTER imagery. Further images were analyzed of Ruapehu, Poás, Kawah Ijen, and Copahué volcanoes to acquire time-series of lake temperatures. A total of 64 images of these 4 volcanoes covering a wide range of geographical locations and climates were analyzed. Results of the split-window algorithm applied to ASTER images are reliable for monitoring thermal changes in active volcanic lakes. These temperature data, when considered in conjunction with traditional volcano monitoring techniques, lead to a better understanding of whether and how thermal changes in crater lakes aid in eruption forecasting.

Shallow outgassing changes disrupt steady lava lake activity, Kilauea Volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patrick, M. R.; Orr, T. R.; Swanson, D. A.; Lev, E.

2015-12-01

Persistent lava lakes are a testament to sustained magma supply and outgassing in basaltic systems, and the surface activity of lava lakes has been used to infer processes in the underlying magmatic system. At Kilauea Volcano, Hawai`i, the lava lake in Halema`uma`u Crater has been closely studied for several years with webcam imagery, geophysical, petrological and gas emission techniques. The lava lake in Halema`uma`u is now the second largest on Earth, and provides an unprecedented opportunity for detailed observations of lava lake outgassing processes. We observe that steady activity is characterized by continuous southward motion of the lake's surface and slow changes in lava level, seismic tremor and gas emissions. This normal, steady activity can be abruptly interrupted by the appearance of spattering - sometimes triggered by rockfalls - on the lake surface, which abruptly shifts the lake surface motion, lava level and gas emissions to a more variable, unstable regime. The lake commonly alternates between this a) normal, steady activity and b) unstable behavior several times per day. The spattering represents outgassing of shallowly accumulated gas in the lake. Therefore, although steady lava lake behavior at Halema`uma`u may be deeply driven by upwelling of magma, we argue that the sporadic interruptions to this behavior are the result of shallow processes occurring near the lake surface. These observations provide a cautionary note that some lava lake behavior is not representative of deep-seated processes. This behavior also highlights the complex and dynamic nature of lava lake activity.

Assimilation of granite by basaltic magma at Burnt Lava flow, Medicine Lake volcano, northern California: Decoupling of heat and mass transfer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grove, T.L.; Kinzler, R.J.; Baker, M.B.; Donnelly-Nolan, J. M.; Lesher, C.E.

1988-01-01

At Medicine Lake volcano, California, andesite of the Holocene Burnt Lava flow has been produced by fractional crystallization of parental high alumina basalt (HAB) accompanied by assimilation of granitic crustal material. Burnt Lava contains inclusions of quenched HAB liquid, a potential parent magma of the andesite, highly melted granitic crustal xenoliths, and xenocryst assemblages which provide a record of the fractional crystallization and crustal assimilation process. Samples of granitic crustal material occur as xenoliths in other Holocene and Pleistocene lavas, and these xenoliths are used to constrain geochemical models of the assimilation process. A large amount of assimilation accompanied fractional crystallization to produce the contaminated Burnt lava andesites. Models which assume that assimilation and fractionation occurred simultaneously estimate the ratio of assimilation to fractional crystallization (R) to be >1 and best fits to all geochemical data are at an R value of 1.35 at F=0.68. Petrologic evidence, however, indicates that the assimilation process did not involve continuous addition of granitic crust as fractionation occurred. Instead, heat and mass transfer were separated in space and time. During the assimilation process, HAB magma underwent large amounts of fractional crystallization which was not accompanied by significant amounts of assimilation. This fractionation process supplied heat to melt granitic crust. The models proposed to explain the contamination process involve fractionation, replenishment by parental HAB, and mixing of evolved and parental magmas with melted granitic crust. ?? 1988 Springer-Verlag.

Nyamuragira Volcano Erupts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Nyamuragira volcano erupted on July 26, 2002, spewing lava high into the air along with a large plume of steam, ash, and sulfur dioxide. The 3,053-meter (10,013-foot) volcano is located in eastern Congo, very near that country's border with Rwanda. Nyamuragira is the smaller, more violent sibling of Nyiragongo volcano, which devastated the town of Goma with its massive eruption in January 2002. Nyamuragira is situated just 40 km (24 miles) northeast of Goma. This true-color image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), flying aboard NASA's Terra satellite, on July 28, 2002. Nyamuragira is situated roughly in the center of this scene, roughly 100 km south of Lake Edward and just north of Lake Kivu (which is mostly obscured by the haze from the erupting volcano and the numerous fires burning in the surrounding countryside). Due south of Lake Kivu is the long, narrow Lake Tanganyika running south and off the bottom center of this scene.

Overview for geologic field-trip guides to Mount Mazama, Crater Lake Caldera, and Newberry Volcano, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bacon, Charles R.; Donnelly-Nolan, Julie M.; Jensen, Robert A.; Wright, Heather M.

2017-08-16

These field-trip guides were written for the occasion of the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI) quadrennial scientific assembly in Portland, Oregon, in August 2017. The guide to Mount Mazama and Crater Lake caldera is an updated and expanded version of the guide (Bacon, 1989) for part of an earlier IAVCEI trip to the southern Cascade Range. The guide to Newberry Volcano describes the stops included in the 2017 field trip. Crater Lake and Newberry are the two best-preserved and most recent calderas in the Cascades Volcanic Arc. Although located in different settings in the arc, with Crater Lake on the arc axis and Newberry in the rear-arc, both volcanoes are located at the intersection of the arc and the northwest corner region of the extensional Basin and Range Province.

Lake sediments provide the first eruptive history for Corbetti, a high-risk Main Ethiopian Rift volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin-Jones, Catherine M.; Lane, Christine S.; Pearce, Nicholas J. G.; Smith, Victoria C.; Lamb, Henry F.; Schaebitz, Frank; Viehberg, Finn; Brown, Maxwell C.; Frank, Ute; Asrat, Asfawossen

2017-04-01

A recent World Bank report found that 49 of Ethiopia's 65 known Holocene volcanoes pose a high-risk to the surrounding population. One of these volcanoes, Corbetti, located in the densely populated Main Ethiopian Rift (MER), has only one documented Holocene eruption. Any risk assessment for Corbetti is therefore highly uncertain. Reliable hazard forecasting is dependent on the completeness of volcanic records. In the case of Ethiopian Rift volcanoes complete records are hindered by frequently poorly exposed, buried and inaccessible proximal outcrops. Lake sediments can yield comprehensive, stratigraphically-resolved dossiers of past volcanism. Here we use volcanic ash (tephra) layers preserved in sediments from three MER lakes to provide the first record of Holocene volcanism for Corbetti. It shows that Corbetti has erupted explosively throughout the Holocene at an average return period of 800 years. Based on the thickness and dispersal of the tephras, at least six eruptions were of a large magnitude, and there were four eruptions in the past 2000 years. Future explosive eruptions are likely and these could have significant societal impacts, they could blanket nearby Awassa and Shashamene, home to 260,000 people, with pumice deposits. Our data indicate that the threat posed by Corbetti has been significantly underestimated. These data can be used to refine regional volcano monitoring and develop evacuation plans. This lake sediment-tephrostratigraphic approach shows significant potential for application throughout the East African Rift system, and is essential to understanding volcanic hazards in this rapidly developing region.

Lake Shasta, California

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-06-17

This image from NASA Terra spacecraft shows Shasta Lake in northern California, which has an area of 12,000 ha, making it the state largest reservoir. Impacts of the continuing drought in the western US is evident in the two ASTER images acquired 9 years apart. The images were acquired September 9, 2005 and September 2, 2014. They cover an area of 27.6 x 40.4 km, and are located at 40.6 degrees north, 122.4 degrees west. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19492

Variations in gas emissions in correlation with lava lake level changes at Nyiragono volcano, DR Congo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobrowski, N.; Giuffrida, G. B.; Yalire, M.; Tedesco, D.; Arellano, S.; Galle, B.; Aiuppa, A.

2012-04-01

Between 2007 and 2011 four measurement campaigns (June 2007, July 2010, June 2011 and December 2011) were carried out at the crater rim of Nyiragongo volcano (1° 31'S, 29°15'E, 3470 m.a.s.l.). Nyiragongo volcano is located 15 km north of the million inhabitants strong city of Goma, North Kivu region (DRC) and belongs to the Virunga volcanic chain which is associated with the western branch of the Great Rift Valley. The volcanic activity of Niyragongo is the result caused by the rifting of the Earth's crust where two parts of the African plates are breaking apart. Nyiragongo is considered one of the most active volcanoes in Africa. The ground - based remote sensing technique - MAX-DOAS (Multi Axis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy) using scattered sunlight and a Multi-gas-instrument have been simultaneously applied during all field trips and among others BrO/SO2 and CO2/SO2 ratios were determined. At the various field trips we could observe that the lava lake level frequently changes in height (in the order of minutes up to days and also between the years) and also our measured gas ratios showed variations. Higher CO2/SO2 and BrO2/SO2 levels were generally observed at higher lava lake levels and a decrease of the lava lake was accompanied by a decrease in the BrO/SO2 as well as CO2/SO2 ratio. Ideas to explain the correlation of gas ratios and the lava lake level will be discussed in this presentation and we will especially focus on the June 2011 campaign, because it contains the largest changes, observed during these campaigns. Gas emission changes in correlation with a change in the lava lake level might help to give insights within the magma plumbing system of Nyiragongo volcano and therefore leading to a better understanding of the volcanic behavior and improving the possibilities of forecasting a future eruption.

Groundwater transport of crater-lake brine at Poa´s Volcano, Costa Rica

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sanford, Ward E.; Konikow, Leonard F.; Rowe, Gary L.; Brantley, Susan L.

1995-01-01

Poa´s Volcano is an active stratovolcano in Costa Rica that has a lake in its active crater. The crater lake has high temperatures (50–90 °C), high acidity (pH ≈ 0.0), and a high dissolved-solids content (100 g/kg). The volcano has numerous freshwater springs on its flanks, but a few on the northwestern flank are highly acidic (pH = 1.6–2.5) and have high dissolved-solids concentrations (2–22 g/kg). This study analyzes the regional groundwater system at Poa´s and demonstrates the likelihood that the water discharging from the acidic springs in the Rio Agrio watershed originates at the acidic crater lake. Both heat and solute transport are analyzed on a regional scale through numerical simulations using the HST3D finite-difference model, which solves the coupled equations for fluid flow, heat transport, and solute transport. The code allows fluid viscosity and density to be functions of both temperature and solute concentration. The simulations use estimates for recharge to the mountain and a range of values and various distributions of permeability and porosity. Several sensitivity analyses are performed to test how the uncertainty in many of the model parameters affects the simulation results. These uncertainties yield an estimated range of travel times from the crater lake to the Rio Agrio springs of 1–30 years, which is in close agreement with the results of tritium analyses of the springs. Calculated groundwater fluxes into and out of the crater lake are both about several hundred kg/s. These fluxes must be accounted for in water budgets of the crater lake.

Crater Lake Controls on Volcano Stability: Insights From White Island, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamling, Ian J.

2017-11-01

Many volcanoes around the world host summit crater lakes but their influence on the overall stability of the edifice remains poorly understood. Here I use satellite radar data acquired by TerraSAR-X from early 2015 to July 2017 over White Island, New Zealand, to investigate the interaction of the crater lake and deformation of the surrounding edifice. An eruption in April 2016 was preceded by a period of uplift within the crater floor and drop in the lake level. Modeling of the uplift indicates a shallow source located at ˜100 m depth in the vicinity of the crater lake, likely coinciding with the shallow hydrothermal system. In addition to the drop in the lake level, stress changes induced by the inflation suggest that the pressurization of the shallow hydrothermal system helped promote failure along the edge of the crater lake which collapsed during the eruption. After the eruption, and almost complete removal of the crater lake, large areas of the crater wall and lake edge began moving downslope at rates approaching 400 mm/yr. The coincidence between the rapid increase in the displacement rates and removal of the crater lake suggests that the lake provides a physical control on the stability of the surrounding edifice.

Continuous gravity measurements reveal a low-density lava lake at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carbone, Daniele; Poland, Michael P.; Patrick, Matthew R.; Orr, Tim R.

2013-01-01

On 5 March 2011, the lava lake within the summit eruptive vent at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i, began to drain as magma withdrew to feed a dike intrusion and fissure eruption on the volcanoʼs east rift zone. The draining was monitored by a variety of continuous geological and geophysical measurements, including deformation, thermal and visual imagery, and gravity. Over the first ∼14 hours of the draining, the ground near the eruptive vent subsided by about 0.15 m, gravity dropped by more than 100 μGal, and the lava lake retreated by over 120 m. We used GPS data to correct the gravity signal for the effects of subsurface mass loss and vertical deformation in order to isolate the change in gravity due to draining of the lava lake alone. Using a model of the eruptive vent geometry based on visual observations and the lava level over time determined from thermal camera data, we calculated the best-fit lava density to the observed gravity decrease — to our knowledge, the first geophysical determination of the density of a lava lake anywhere in the world. Our result, 950 +/- 300 kg m-3, suggests a lava density less than that of water and indicates that Kīlaueaʼs lava lake is gas-rich, which can explain why rockfalls that impact the lake trigger small explosions. Knowledge of such a fundamental material property as density is also critical to investigations of lava-lake convection and degassing and can inform calculations of pressure change in the subsurface magma plumbing system.

Mono Lake, California as seen from STS-59

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-04-14

STS059-154-160 (9-20 April 1994) --- Orient with Mono Lake, California at the lower right; then the view is westward across the Sierra Nevada into the San Joaquin River drainage. A tiny network of ski trails can be seen on the Mono Lake side of the Sierras, on a line between Mono Lake and the snow-free San Joaquin headwaters. The ski trails mark Mammoth Mountain, where SRL investigators are studying microwave measurements of the water content of snowpacks. Linhof camera.

Water sampling using a drone at Yugama crater lake, Kusatsu-Shirane volcano, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terada, Akihiko; Morita, Yuichi; Hashimoto, Takeshi; Mori, Toshiya; Ohba, Takeshi; Yaguchi, Muga; Kanda, Wataru

2018-04-01

Remote sampling of water from Yugama crater lake at Kusatsu-Shirane volcano, Japan, was performed using a drone. Despite the high altitude of over 2000 m above sea level, our simple method was successful in retrieving a 250 mL sample of lake water. The procedure presented here is easy for any researcher to follow who operates a drone without additional special apparatus. We compare the lake water sampled by drone with that sampled by hand at a site where regular samplings have previously been carried out. Chemical concentrations and stable isotope ratios are largely consistent between the two techniques. As the drone can fly automatically with the aid of navigation by Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), it is possible to repeatedly sample lake water from the same location, even when entry to Yugama crater lake is restricted due to the risk of eruption.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Building a flood hazard map due to magma effusion into the caldera lake of the Baekdusan Volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, K.; Kim, S.; Yun, S.; Yu, S.; Kim, I.

2013-12-01

Many volcanic craters and calderas are filled with large amounts of water that can pose significant flood hazards to downstream communities due to their high elevation and the potential for catastrophic releases of water. Recent reports pointed out the Baekdusan volcano that is located between the border of China and North Korea as a potential active volcano. Since Millennium Eruption around 1000 AD, smaller eruptions have occurred at roughly 100-year intervals, with the last one in 1903. The volcano is showing signs of waking from a century-long slumber recently and the volcanic ash may spread up to the northeastern of Japan. The development of various forecasting techniques to prevent and minimize economic and social damage is in urgent need. Floods from lake-filled calderas may be particularly large and high. Volcanic flood may cause significant hydrologic hazards for this reason. This study focuses on constructing a flood hazard map triggered by the uplift of lake bottom due to magma effusion in the Baekdusan volcano. A physically-based uplift model was developed to compute the amount of water and time to peak flow. The ordinary differential equation was numerically solved using the finite difference method and Newton-Raphson iteration method was used to solve nonlinear equation. The magma effusion rate into the caldera lake is followed by the past record from other volcanic activities. As a result, the hydrograph serves as an upper boundary condition when hydrodynamic model (Flo-2D) runs to simulate channel routing downstream. The final goal of the study stresses the potential flood hazard represented by the huge volume of water in the caldera lake, the unique geography, and the limited control capability. he study will contribute to build a geohazard map for the decision-makers and practitioners. Keywords: Effusion rate, Volcanic flood, Caldera lake, Uplift, Flood hazard map Acknowledgement This research was supported by a grant [NEMA-BAEKDUSAN-2012-1-2] from

A Conceptual Model of Future Volcanism at Medicine Lake Volcano, California - With an Emphasis on Understanding Local Volcanic Hazards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molisee, D. D.; Germa, A.; Charbonnier, S. J.; Connor, C.

2017-12-01

Medicine Lake Volcano (MLV) is most voluminous of all the Cascade Volcanoes ( 600 km3), and has the highest eruption frequency after Mount St. Helens. Detailed mapping by USGS colleagues has shown that during the last 500,000 years MLV erupted >200 lava flows ranging from basalt to rhyolite, produced at least one ash-flow tuff, one caldera forming event, and at least 17 scoria cones. Underlying these units are 23 additional volcanic units that are considered to be pre-MLV in age. Despite the very high likelihood of future eruptions, fewer than 60 of 250 mapped volcanic units (MLV and pre-MLV) have been dated reliably. A robust set of eruptive ages is key to understanding the history of the MLV system and to forecasting the future behavior of the volcano. The goals of this study are to 1) obtain additional radiometric ages from stratigraphically strategic units; 2) recalculate recurrence rate of eruptions based on an augmented set of radiometric dates; and 3) use lava flow, PDC, ash fall-out, and lahar computational simulation models to assess the potential effects of discrete volcanic hazards locally and regionally. We identify undated target units (units in key stratigraphic positions to provide maximum chronological insight) and obtain field samples for radiometric dating (40Ar/39Ar and K/Ar) and petrology. Stratigraphic and radiometric data are then used together in the Volcano Event Age Model (VEAM) to identify changes in the rate and type of volcanic eruptions through time, with statistical uncertainty. These newly obtained datasets will be added to published data to build a conceptual model of volcanic hazards at MLV. Alternative conceptual models, for example, may be that the rate of MLV lava flow eruptions are nonstationary in time and/or space and/or volume. We explore the consequences of these alternative models on forecasting future eruptions. As different styles of activity have different impacts, we estimate these potential effects using simulation

Degassing dynamics of basaltic lava lake at a top-ranking volatile emitter: Ambrym volcano, Vanuatu arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allard, Patrick; Burton, Mike; Sawyer, Georgina; Bani, Philipson

2016-08-01

Persistent lava lakes are rare on Earth and provide volcanologists with a remarkable opportunity to directly investigate magma dynamics and degassing at the open air. Ambrym volcano, in Vanuatu, is one of the very few basaltic arc volcanoes displaying such an activity and voluminous gas emission, but whose study has long remained hampered by challenging accessibility. Here we report the first high temporal resolution (every 5 s) measurements of vigorous lava lake degassing inside its 300 m deep Benbow crater using OP-FTIR spectroscopy. Our results reveal a highly dynamic degassing pattern involving (i) recurrent (100-200 s) short-period oscillations of the volcanic gas composition and temperature, correlating with pulsated gas emission and sourced in the upper part of the lava lake, (ii) a continuous long period (∼8 min) modulation probably due to the influx of fresh magma at the bottom of the lake, and (iii) discrete CO2 spike events occurring in coincidence with the sequential bursting of meter-sized bubbles, which indicates the separate ascent of large gas bubbles or slugs in a feeder conduit with estimated diameter of 6 ± 1 m. This complex degassing pattern, measured with unprecedented detail and involving both coupled and decoupled magma-gas ascent over short time scales, markedly differs from that of quieter lava lakes at Erebus and Kilauea. It can be accounted for by a modest size of Benbow lava lake and its very high basalt supply rate (∼20 m3 s-1), favouring its rapid overturn and renewal. We verify a typical basaltic arc signature for Ambrym volcanic gas and, based on contemporaneous SO2 flux measurements, we evaluate huge emission rates of 160 Gg d-1 of H2O, ∼10 Gg d-1 of CO2 and ∼8 Gg d-1 of total acid gas (SO2, HCl and HF) during medium activity of the volcano in 2008. Such rates make Ambrym one of the three most powerful volcanic gas emitters at global scale, whose atmospheric impact at local and regional scale may be considerable.

Nyiragonga Volcano

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

This image of the Nyiragonga volcano eruption in the Congo was acquired on January 28, 2002 by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra satellite. With its 14spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters about 50 to 300 feet ), ASTER will image Earth for the next 6 years to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet.

Image: A river of molten rock poured from the Nyiragongo volcano in the Congo on January 18, 2002, a day after it erupted, killing dozens, swallowing buildings and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee the town of Goma. The flow continued into Lake Kivu. The lave flows are depicted in red on the image indicating they are still hot. Two of them flowed south form the volcano's summit and went through the town of Goma. Another flow can be seen at the top of the image, flowing towards the northwest. One of Africa's most notable volcanoes, Nyiragongo contained an active lava lake in its deep summit crater that drained catastrophically through its outer flanks in 1977. Extremely fluid, fast-moving lava flows draining from the summit lava lake in 1977 killed 50 to 100 people, and several villages were destroyed. The image covers an area of 21 x 24 km and combines a thermal band in red, and two infrared bands in green and blue.

Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. Science team leader; Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the

Holocene climate on the Modoc Plateau, northern California, USA: The view from Medicine Lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Starratt, Scott W.

2009-01-01

Medicine Lake is a small (165 ha), relatively shallow (average 7.3 m), intermediate elevation (2,036 m) lake located within the summit caldera of Medicine Lake volcano, Siskiyou County, California, USA. Sediment cores and high-resolution bathymetric and seismic reflection data were collected from the lake during the fall of 1999 and 2000. Sediments were analyzed for diatoms, pollen, density, grain size (sand/mud ratio), total organic carbon (TOC), and micro-scale fabric analysis. Using both 14C (AMS) dating and tephrochronology, the basal sediments were estimated to have been deposited about 11,400 cal year BP, thus yielding an estimated average sedimentation rate of about 20.66 cm/1,000 year. The lowermost part of the core (11,400–10,300 cal year BP) contains the transition from glacial to interglacial conditions. From about 11,000–5,500 cal year BP, Medicine Lake consisted of two small, steep-sided lakes or one lake with two steep-sided basins connected by a shallow shelf. During this time, both the pollen (Abies/Artemisia ratio) and the diatom (Cyclotella/Navicula ratio) evidences indicate that the effective moisture increased, leading to a deeper lake. Over the past 5,500 years, the pollen record shows that effective moisture continued to increase, and the diatom record indicates fluctuations in the lake level. The change in the lake level pattern from one of the increasing depths prior to about 6,000 cal year BP to one of the variable depths may be related to changes in the morphology of the Medicine Lake caldera associated with the movement of magma and the eruption of the Medicine Lake Glass Flow about 5,120 cal year BP. These changes in basin morphology caused Medicine Lake to flood the shallow shelf which surrounds the deeper part of the lake. During this period, the Cyclotella/Navicula ratio and the percent abundance of Isoetes vary, suggesting that the level of the lake fluctuated, resulting in changes in the shelf area

Lava Lake Thermal Pattern Classification Using Self-Organizing Maps and Relationships to Eruption Processes at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burzynski, A. M.; Anderson, S. W.; Morrison, K.; LeWinter, A. L.; Patrick, M. R.; Orr, T. R.; Finnegan, D. C.

2014-12-01

Nested within the Halema'uma'u Crater on the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, the active lava lake of Overlook Crater poses hazards to local residents and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park visitors. Since its formation in March 2008, the lava lake has enlarged to +28,500 m2 and has been closely monitored by researchers at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Time-lapse images, collected via visible and thermal infrared cameras, reveal thin crustal plates, separated by incandescent cracks, moving across the lake surface as lava circulates beneath. We hypothesize that changes in size, shape, velocity, and patterns of these crustal plates are related to other eruption processes at the volcano. Here we present a methodology to identify characteristic lava lake surface patterns from thermal infrared video footage using a self-organizing maps (SOM) algorithm. The SOM is an artificial neural network that performs unsupervised clustering and enables us to visualize the relationships between groups of input patterns on a 2-dimensional grid. In a preliminary trial, we input ~4 hours of thermal infrared time-lapse imagery collected on December 16-17, 2013 during a transient deflation-inflation deformation event at a rate of one frame every 10 seconds. During that same time period, we also acquired a series of one-second terrestrial laser scans (TLS) every 30 seconds to provide detailed topography of the lava lake surface. We identified clusters of characteristic thermal patterns using a self-organizing maps algorithm within the Matlab SOM Toolbox. Initial results from two SOMs, one large map (81 nodes) and one small map (9 nodes), indicate 4-6 distinct groups of thermal patterns. We compare these surface patterns with lava lake surface slope and crustal plate velocities derived from concurrent TLS surveys and with time series of other eruption variables, including outgassing rates and inflation-deflation events. This methodology may be applied to the continuous stream of

Hydrothermal circulation at the world's highest lake? An environmental study of the Licancabur Volcano crater lake as a terrestrial analog to martian paleolakes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hock, A. N.; Cabrol, N. A.; Grin, E. A.; Fike, D. A.; Paige, D. A.; 2002 Licancabur Expedition Team

2003-04-01

At approximately 6000 meters above sea level, the crater of Licancabur Volcano (22 50'S, 67 53'W) houses the highest lake in the world, yet remains largely unexplored. In particular, the physical environment of the lake--particularly its stability and any remaining geothermal activity--is not well understood. Using a model for the temperature of maximum density for freshwater as a function of pressure (Eklund), we calculated that the bottom water temperature of the summit lake should be approximately 4 C. However, Leach et al. measured the water temperature at depth to be 6 C. This discrepancy, as well as the observation that the lake remains liquid for much of the year despite sub freezing air temperatures, suggests that there may be a heat source supporting the lake's temperature and biological community. We present the results of two studies here: the goal of this work is to understand the role of geothermal fluid input to the summit lake in terms of energy balance, the physical constraints on endemic biology, and the analogy to ancient martian hydrothermal systems (e.g. volcanic lakes, crater lakes, hot springs, etc.). First, we present physical data from the lake in a new model of energy balance. In situ measurements of pH, temperature, and total dissolved solids suggest that the Licancabur summit lake is a ¨low-activity¨ (as per Pasternack and Varekamp) lake with a diffuse geothermal fluid input. Secondly, mass spectrometry and ion chromatography were used to study water samples taken from the summit lake, as well as two local lagunas and several geothermal springs at the base of the volcano. The case for a hydrothermal system in the summit lake is further strengthened here by preliminary ion chromatography results, which show elevated concentrations of sulfate and chloride with respect to local meteoric waters. Understanding the relationship between the physical environment and biotic community remains the mainstay for future work on this project in an

Characterizing and comparing seismicity at Cascade Range (USA) volcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moran, S. C.; Thelen, W. A.

2010-12-01

The Cascade Range includes 13 volcanic systems across Washington, Oregon, and northern California that are considered to have the potential to erupt at any time, including two that have erupted in the last 100 years (Mount St. Helens (MSH) and Lassen Peak). We investigated how seismicity compares among these volcanoes, and whether the character of seismicity (rate, type, style of occurrence over time, etc.) is related to eruptive activity at the surface. Seismicity at Cascade volcanoes has been monitored by seismic networks of variable apertures, station densities, and lengths of operation, which makes a direct comparison of seismicity among volcanoes somewhat problematic. Here we present results of two non-network-dependent approaches to making such seismicity comparisons. In the first, we used network geometry and a grid-search method to compute the minimum magnitude required for a network to locate an earthquake (“theoretical location threshold”, defined as an event recorded on at least 4 stations with gap of <135o) for each volcano out to 7 km. We then selected earthquakes with magnitudes greater than the highest theoretical location threshold determined for any Cascade volcano. To account for improving network densities with time, we used M 2.1 (location threshold for the Three Sisters 1980s-90s network) for 1987-1999 and M 1.6 (threshold for the Crater Lake 2000s network) for 2000-2010. In order to include only background seismicity, we excluded earthquakes occurring at any volcano during the 2004-2008 MSH eruption. We found that Mount Hood, Lassen Peak, and MSH had the three highest seismicity rates over that period, with Mount Hood, Medicine Lake volcano, and MSH having the three highest cumulative seismic energy releases. The Medicine Lake energy release is dominated by a single swarm in September 1988; if that swarm is removed, then Lassen would have the third-highest cumulative seismic energy release. For the second comparison, we determined the

DINKEY LAKES ROADLESS AREA, CALIFORNIA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, F.C.W.; Federspiel, F.E.

1984-01-01

The Dinkey Lakes Roadless Area occupies an area of about 184 sq mi on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, California. The results of a mineral survey show that parts of the area have substantiated resource potential for tungsten and marble and probable resource potential for quartz crystal gemstones. A probable resource potential for geothermal energy exists in one small area. No potential for other metallic mineral or energy resources was identified in this study.

Schlumberger soundings near Medicine Lake, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zohdy, A.A.R.; Bisdorf, R.J.

1990-01-01

The use of direct current resistivity soundings to explore the geothermal potential of the Medicine Lake area in northern California proved to be challenging because of high contact resistances and winding roads. Deep Schlumberger soundings were made by expanding current electrode spacings along the winding roads. Corrected sounding data were interpreted using an automatic interpretation method. Forty-two maps of interpreted resistivity were calculated for depths extending from 20 to 1000 m. Computer animation of these 42 maps revealed that: 1) certain subtle anomalies migrate laterallly with depth and can be traced to their origin, 2) an extensive volume of low-resistivity material underlies the survey area, and 3) the three areas (east of Bullseye Lake, southwest of Glass Mountain, and northwest of Medicine Lake) may be favorable geothermal targets. Six interpreted resistivity maps and three cross-sections illustrate the above findings. -from Authors

Shallowly driven fluctuations in lava lake outgassing (gas pistoning), Kīlauea Volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patrick, Matthew R.; Orr, Tim; Sutton, A. J.; Lev, Einat; Thelen, Wes; Fee, David

2016-01-01

Lava lakes provide ideal venues for directly observing and understanding the nature of outgassing in basaltic magmatic systems. Kīlauea Volcano's summit lava lake has persisted for several years, during which seismic and infrasonic tremor amplitudes have exhibited episodic behavior associated with a rise and fall of the lava surface (;gas pistoning;). Since 2010, the outgassing regime of the lake has been tied to the presence or absence of gas pistoning. During normal behavior (no gas pistoning), the lake is in a ;spattering; regime, consisting of higher tremor amplitudes and gas emissions. In comparison, gas piston events are associated with an abrupt rise in lava level (up to 20 m), during which the lake enters a ;non-spattering; regime with greatly decreased tremor and gas emissions. We study this episodic behavior using long-term multidisciplinary monitoring of the lake, including seismicity, infrasound, gas emission and geochemistry, and time-lapse camera observations. The non-spattering regime (i.e. rise phase of a gas piston cycle) reflects gas bubbles accumulating near the top of the lake, perhaps as a shallow foam, while spattering regimes represent more efficient decoupling of gas from the lake. We speculate that the gas pistoning might be controlled by time-varying porosity and/or permeability in the upper portions of the lava lake, which may modulate foam formation and collapse. Competing models for gas pistoning, such as deeply sourced gas slugs, or dynamic pressure balances, are not consistent with our observations. Unlike other lava lakes which have cyclic behavior that is thought to be controlled by deeply sourced processes, external to the lake itself, we show an example of lava lake fluctuations driven by cycles of activity at shallow depth and close to the lake's surface. These observations highlight the complex and unsteady nature of outgassing from basaltic magmatic systems.

Correlation of Late-Pleistocene Lake-Level Oscillations in Mono Lake, California, with North Atlantic Climate Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benson, Larry V.; Lund, Steve P.; Burdett, James W.; Kashgarian, Michaele; Rose, Timothy P.; Smoot, Joseph P.; Schwartz, Martha

1998-01-01

Oxygen-18 ( 18O) values of sediment from the Wilson Creek Formation, Mono Basin, California, indicate three scales of temporal variation (Dansgaard-Oeschger, Heinrich, and Milankovitch) in the hydrologic balance of Mono Lake between 35,400 and 12,900 14C yr B.P. During this interval, Mono Lake experienced four lowstands each lasting from 1000 to 2000 yr. The youngest lowstand, which occurred between 15,500 and 14,000 14C yr B.P., was nearly synchronous with a desiccation of Owens Lake, California. Paleomagnetic secular variation (PSV) data indicate that three of four persistent lowstands occurred at the same times as Heinrich events H1, H2, and H4. 18O data indicate the two highest lake levels occurred ˜18,000 and ˜13,100 14C yr B.P., corresponding to passages of the mean position of the polar jet stream over the Mono Basin. Extremely low values of total inorganic carbon between 26,000 and 14,000 14C yr B.P. indicate glacial activity, corresponding to a time when summer insolation was much reduced.

Tilt networks of Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dzurisin, Daniel; Johnson, Daniel J.; Murray, T.L.; Myers, Barbara

1982-01-01

In response to recent eruptions at Mount St. Helens and with support from the USGS Volcanic Hazards Program, the Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) has initiated a program to monitor all potentially-active volcanoes of the Cascade Range. As part of that effort, we installed tilt networks and obtained baseline measurements at Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak, California during July 1981. At the same time, baseline electronic distance measurements (EDM) were made and fumarole surveys were conducted by other crews from CVO. Annual surveys are planned initially, with subsequent visits as conditions warrant. These geodetic and geochemical measurements supplement a program of continuous seismic monitoring of Cascade volcanoes by the USGS Office of Earthquake Studies in cooperation with local universities. Other tilt networks were established at Mount Baker in 1975 and at Mount St. Helens in 1981. EDM networks were established at Mount Baker in 1975, Mount St. Helens in 1980, and Crater Lake in 1981. Additional tilt and/or EDM networks are planned for Mount Rainier, Mount Hood, Glacier Peak, Three Sisters, and Crater Lake as funds permit.

Digital Bathymetric Model of Mono Lake, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Raumann, Christian G.; Stine, Scott; Evans, Alexander; Wilson, Jerry

2002-01-01

In 1986 and 1987, Pelagos Corporation of San Diego (now Racal Pelagos) undertook a bathymetric survey of Mono Lake in eastern California for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP). The result of that survey was a series of maps at various scales and contour intervals. From these maps, the DWP hoped to predict consequences of the drop in lake level that resulted from their diversion of streams in the Mono Basin. No digital models, including shaded-relief and perspective-view renderings, were made from the data collected during the survey. With the permission of Pelagos Corporation and DWP, these data are used to produce a digital model of the floor of Mono Lake. The model was created using a geographic information system (GIS) to incorporate these data with new observations and measurements made in the field. This model should prove to be a valuable tool for enhanced visualization and analyses of the floor of Mono Lake.

Volcano hazards at Newberry Volcano, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sherrod, David R.; Mastin, Larry G.; Scott, William E.; Schilling, Steven P.

1997-01-01

Newberry volcano is a broad shield volcano located in central Oregon. It has been built by thousands of eruptions, beginning about 600,000 years ago. At least 25 vents on the flanks and summit have been active during several eruptive episodes of the past 10,000 years. The most recent eruption 1,300 years ago produced the Big Obsidian Flow. Thus, the volcano's long history and recent activity indicate that Newberry will erupt in the future. The most-visited part of the volcano is Newberry Crater, a volcanic depression or caldera at the summit of the volcano. Seven campgrounds, two resorts, six summer homes, and two major lakes (East and Paulina Lakes) are nestled in the caldera. The caldera has been the focus of Newberry's volcanic activity for at least the past 10,000 years. Other eruptions during this time have occurred along a rift zone on the volcano's northwest flank and, to a lesser extent, the south flank. Many striking volcanic features lie in Newberry National Volcanic Monument, which is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The monument includes the caldera and extends along the northwest rift zone to the Deschutes River. About 30 percent of the area within the monument is covered by volcanic products erupted during the past 10,000 years from Newberry volcano. Newberry volcano is presently quiet. Local earthquake activity (seismicity) has been trifling throughout historic time. Subterranean heat is still present, as indicated by hot springs in the caldera and high temperatures encountered during exploratory drilling for geothermal energy. This report describes the kinds of hazardous geologic events that might occur in the future at Newberry volcano. A hazard-zonation map is included to show the areas that will most likely be affected by renewed eruptions. In terms of our own lifetimes, volcanic events at Newberry are not of day-to-day concern because they occur so infrequently; however, the consequences of some types of eruptions can be severe. When Newberry

78 FR 70012 - Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, California, Land Management Plan Revision

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-22

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, California, Land Management Plan Revision AGENCY: Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of... for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) Land Management Plan Revision available for the 60...

BUCKS LAKE AND CHIPS CREEK ROADLESS AREAS, CALIFORNIA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sorensen, Martin L.; Linne, J. Mitchell

1984-01-01

The results of a mineral-resource assessment of the Bucks Lake and Chips Creek Roadless Areas, California indicate several areas with mineral-resource potential. The presence or absence of these potentially auriferous deposits can best be determined by drilling through the relatively thin cover of volcanic rocks.

Correlation of Late-Pleistocene Lake-Level Oscillations in Mono Lake, California, with North Atlantic Climate Events

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benson, L.V.; Lund, S.P.; Burdett, J.W.; Kashgarian, Michaele; Rose, T.P.; Smoot, J.P.; Schwartz, M.

1998-01-01

Oxygen-18 (18O) values of sediment from the Wilson Creek Formation, Mono Basin, California, indicate three scales of temporal variation (Dansgaard-Oeschger, Heinrich, and Milankovitch) in the hydrologic balance of Mono Lake between 35,400 and 12,900 14C yr B.P. During this interval, Mono Lake experienced four lowstands each lasting from 1000 to 2000 yr. The youngest low-stand, which occurred between 15,500 and 14,000 14C yr B.P., was nearly synchronous with a desiccation of Owens Lake, California. Paleomagnetic secular variation (PSV) data indicate that three of four persistent lowstands occurred at the same times as Heinrich events H1, H2, and H4. 18O data indicate the two highest lake levels occurred ???18,000 and ???13,100 14C yr B.P., corresponding to passages of the mean position of the polar jet stream over the Mono Basin. Extremely low values of total inorganic carbon between 26,000 and 14,000 14C yr B.P. indicate glacial activity, corresponding to a time when summer insolation was much reduced. ?? 1998 University of Washington.

Controls on lava lake level at Halema`uma`u Crater, Kilauea Volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patrick, M. R.; Orr, T. R.

2013-12-01

Lava level is a fundamental measure of lava lake activity, but very little continuous long-term data exist worldwide to explore this aspect of lava lake behavior. The ongoing summit eruption at Kilauea Volcano began in 2008 and is characterized by an active lava lake within the eruptive vent. Lava level has been measured nearly continuously at Kilauea for several years using a combination of webcam images, laser rangefinder, and terrestrial LIDAR. Fluctuations in lava level have been a common aspect of the eruption and occur over several timescales. At the shortest timescale, the lava lake level can change over seconds to hours owing to two observed shallow gas-related processes. First, gas pistoning is common and is driven by episodic gas accumulation and release from the surface of the lava lake, causing the lava level to rise and fall by up to 20 m. Second, rockfalls into the lake trigger abrupt gas release, and lava level may drop as much as 10 m as a result. Over days, cyclic changes in lava level closely track cycles of deflation-inflation (DI) deformation events at the summit, leading to level changes up to 50 m. Rift zone intrusions have caused large (up to 140 m) drops in lava level over several days. On the timescale of weeks to months, the lava level follows the long-term inflation and deflation of the summit region, resulting in level changes up to 140 m. The remarkable correlation between lava level and deflation-inflation cycles, as well as the long-term deformation of the summit region, indicates that the lava lake acts as a reliable 'piezometer' (a measure of liquid pressure in the magma plumbing system); therefore, assessments of summit pressurization (and rift zone eruption potential) can now be carried out with the naked eye. The summit lava lake level is closely mirrored by the lava level within Pu`u `O`o crater, the vent area for the 30-year-long eruption on Kilauea's east rift zone, which is 20 km downrift of the summit. The coupling of these

Eruptive history and tectonic setting of Medicine Lake Volcano, a large rear-arc volcano in the southern Cascades

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donnelly-Nolan, J. M.; Grove, T.L.; Lanphere, M.A.; Champion, D.E.; Ramsey, D.W.

2008-01-01

Medicine Lake Volcano (MLV), located in the southern Cascades ??? 55??km east-northeast of contemporaneous Mount Shasta, has been found by exploratory geothermal drilling to have a surprisingly silicic core mantled by mafic lavas. This unexpected result is very different from the long-held view derived from previous mapping of exposed geology that MLV is a dominantly basaltic shield volcano. Detailed mapping shows that < 6% of the ??? 2000??km2 of mapped MLV lavas on this southern Cascade Range shield-shaped edifice are rhyolitic and dacitic, but drill holes on the edifice penetrated more than 30% silicic lava. Argon dating yields ages in the range ??? 475 to 300??ka for early rhyolites. Dates on the stratigraphically lowest mafic lavas at MLV fall into this time frame as well, indicating that volcanism at MLV began about half a million years ago. Mafic compositions apparently did not dominate until ??? 300??ka. Rhyolite eruptions were scarce post-300??ka until late Holocene time. However, a dacite episode at ??? 200 to ??? 180??ka included the volcano's only ash-flow tuff, which was erupted from within the summit caldera. At ??? 100??ka, compositionally distinctive high-Na andesite and minor dacite built most of the present caldera rim. Eruption of these lavas was followed soon after by several large basalt flows, such that the combined area covered by eruptions between 100??ka and postglacial time amounts to nearly two-thirds of the volcano's area. Postglacial eruptive activity was strongly episodic and also covered a disproportionate amount of area. The volcano has erupted 9 times in the past 5200??years, one of the highest rates of late Holocene eruptive activity in the Cascades. Estimated volume of MLV is ??? 600??km3, giving an overall effusion rate of ??? 1.2??km3 per thousand years, although the rate for the past 100??kyr may be only half that. During much of the volcano's history, both dry HAOT (high-alumina olivine tholeiite) and hydrous calcalkaline

Shallow and deep controls on lava lake surface motion at Kīlauea Volcano

USGS Publications Warehouse

Patrick, Matthew R.; Orr, Tim R.; Swanson, Don; Lev, Einat

2016-01-01

Lava lakes provide a rare window into magmatic behavior, and lake surface motion has been used to infer deeper properties of the magmatic system. At Halema'uma'u Crater, at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, multidisciplinary observations for the past several years indicate that lava lake surface motion can be broadly divided into two regimes: 1) stable and 2) unstable. Stable behavior is driven by lava upwelling from deeper in the lake (presumably directly from the conduit) and is an intrinsic process that drives lava lake surface motion most of the time. This stable behavior can be interrupted by periods of unstable flow (often reversals) driven by spattering – a shallowly-rooted process often extrinsically triggered by small rockfalls from the crater wall. The bursting bubbles at spatter sources create void spaces and a localized surface depression which draws and consumes surrounding surface crust. Spattering is therefore a location of lava downwelling, not upwelling. Stable (i.e. deep, upwelling-driven) and unstable (i.e. shallow, spattering-driven) behavior often alternate through time, have characteristic surface velocities, flow directions and surface temperature regimes, and also correspond to changes in spattering intensity, outgassing rates, lava level and seismic tremor. These results highlight that several processes, originating at different depths, can control the motion of the lava lake surface, and long-term interdisciplinary monitoring is required to separate these influences. These observations indicate that lake surface motion is not always a reliable proxy for deeper lake or magmatic processes. From these observations, we suggest that shallow outgassing (spattering), not lake convection, drives the variations in lake motion reported at Erta 'Ale lava lake.

Shallow and deep controls on lava lake surface motion at Kīlauea Volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patrick, M. R.; Orr, T.; Swanson, D. A.; Lev, E.

2016-12-01

Lava lakes provide a rare window into magmatic behavior, and lake surface motion has been used to infer deeper properties of the magmatic system. At Halema'uma'u Crater, at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, multidisciplinary observations for the past several years indicate that lava lake surface motion can be broadly divided into two regimes: 1) stable and 2) unstable. Stable behavior is driven by lava upwelling from deeper in the lake (presumably directly from the conduit) and is an intrinsic process that drives lava lake surface motion most of the time. This stable behavior can be interrupted by periods of unstable flow (often reversals) driven by spattering - a shallowly-rooted process often extrinsically triggered by small rockfalls from the crater wall. The bursting bubbles at spatter sources create void spaces and a localized surface depression which draws and consumes surrounding surface crust. Spattering is therefore a location of lava downwelling, not upwelling. Stable (i.e. deep, upwelling-driven) and unstable (i.e. shallow, spattering-driven) behavior often alternate through time, have characteristic surface velocities, flow directions and surface temperature regimes, and also correspond to changes in spattering intensity, outgassing rates, lava level and seismic tremor. These results highlight that several processes, originating at different depths, can control the motion of the lava lake surface, and long-term interdisciplinary monitoring is required to separate these influences. These observations indicate that lake surface motion is not always a reliable proxy for deeper lake or magmatic processes. From these observations, we suggest that shallow outgassing (spattering), not lake convection, drives the variations in lake motion reported at Erta 'Ale lava lake.

Gas-driven lava lake fluctuations at Erta 'Ale volcano (Ethiopia) revealed by MODIS measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vergniolle, Sylvie; Bouche, Emmanuella

2016-09-01

The long-lived lava lake of Erta 'Ale volcano (Ethiopia) is remotely monitored by moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometers (MODIS) installed on satellites. The Normalised Thermal Index (NTI) (Wright et al. Remote Sens Environ 82:135-155 2002) is shown to be proportional to the volume of the lava lake based on visual observations. The lava lake's variable level can be plausibly related to a stable foam, i.e. a mixture composed of densely packed non-coalescing bubbles in suspension within a liquid. This foam is trapped at the top of the magma reservoir, and its thickness changes in response to the gas flux feeding the foam being successively turned on and off. The temporal evolution of the foam thickness, and the resulting variation of the volume of the lava lake, is calculated numerically by assuming that the gas flux feeding the foam, initially constant and homogeneous since December 9, 2002, is suddenly stopped on December 13, 2002 and not restarted before May 2003. The best fit between the theoretical foam thickness and the level of the lava lake deduced from the NTI provides an estimate of both the reservoir radius, 155-170 m, and the gas flux feeding the foam, 5.5×10-3-7.2×10-3 m 3 s -1 when existing. This is in agreement with previous estimates from acoustic measurements (Bouche et al. Earth Planet Sci Lett 295:37-48 2010). The very good agreement between the theoretical foam thickness and that deduced from MODIS data shows for the first time the existence of a regime based on the behaviour of a stable foam, whose spreading towards the conduit ("wide" conduit condition), can explain the long-lived activity. Our predictive model, which links the gas flux at the vent to the foam spreading, could potentially be used on any volcano with a long-lived activity. The underlying gas flux and the horizontal surface area of the magma reservoir can then be deduced by combining modelling to continuous measurements of gas flux. The lava lake, when high, often shows

Water-Balance Model to Simulate Historical Lake Levels for Lake Merced, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maley, M. P.; Onsoy, S.; Debroux, J.; Eagon, B.

2009-12-01

Lake Merced is a freshwater lake located in southwestern San Francisco, California. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, an extended, severe drought impacted the area that resulted in significant declines in Lake Merced lake levels that raised concerns about the long-term health of the lake. In response to these concerns, the Lake Merced Water Level Restoration Project was developed to evaluate an engineered solution to increase and maintain Lake Merced lake levels. The Lake Merced Lake-Level Model was developed to support the conceptual engineering design to restore lake levels. It is a spreadsheet-based water-balance model that performs monthly water-balance calculations based on the hydrological conceptual model. The model independently calculates each water-balance component based on available climate and hydrological data. The model objective was to develop a practical, rule-based approach for the water balance and to calibrate the model results to measured lake levels. The advantage of a rule-based approach is that once the rules are defined, they enhance the ability to then adapt the model for use in future-case simulations. The model was calibrated to historical lake levels over a 70-year period from 1939 to 2009. Calibrating the model over this long historical range tested the model over a variety of hydrological conditions including wet, normal and dry precipitation years, flood events, and periods of high and low lake levels. The historical lake level range was over 16 feet. The model calibration of historical to simulated lake levels had a residual mean of 0.02 feet and an absolute residual mean of 0.42 feet. More importantly, the model demonstrated the ability to simulate both long-term and short-term trends with a strong correlation of the magnitude for both annual and seasonal fluctuations in lake levels. The calibration results demonstrate an improved conceptual understanding of the key hydrological factors that control lake levels, reduce uncertainty

Colima Volcano, Mexico

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-10-29

STS073-E-5274 (3 Nov. 1995) --- Colima was photographed with a color Electronic Still Camera (ESC) onboard the Earth-orbiting space shuttle Columbia. The volcano lies due south of Guadalajara and Lake Chapala. It is considered to be one of Mexico's most active and most dangerous volcanoes, lying not far from heavily populated areas.

Nyiragonga Volcano

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-02-01

This image of the Nyiragonga volcano eruption in the Congo was acquired on January 28, 2002 by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra satellite. With its 14spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters about 50 to 300 feet ), ASTER will image Earth for the next 6 years to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet. Image: A river of molten rock poured from the Nyiragongo volcano in the Congo on January 18, 2002, a day after it erupted, killing dozens, swallowing buildings and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee the town of Goma. The flow continued into Lake Kivu. The lave flows are depicted in red on the image indicating they are still hot. Two of them flowed south form the volcano's summit and went through the town of Goma. Another flow can be seen at the top of the image, flowing towards the northwest. One of Africa's most notable volcanoes, Nyiragongo contained an active lava lake in its deep summit crater that drained catastrophically through its outer flanks in 1977. Extremely fluid, fast-moving lava flows draining from the summit lava lake in 1977 killed 50 to 100 people, and several villages were destroyed. The image covers an area of 21 x 24 km and combines a thermal band in red, and two infrared bands in green and blue. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03462

Crustal structure between Lake Mead, Nevada, and Mono Lake, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Lane R.

1964-01-01

Interpretation of a reversed seismic-refraction profile between Lake Mead, Nevada, and Mono Lake, California, indicates velocities of 6.15 km/sec for the upper layer of the crust, 7.10 km/sec for an intermediate layer, and 7.80 km/sec for the uppermost mantle. Phases interpreted to be reflections from the top of the intermediate layer and the Mohorovicic discontinuity were used with the refraction data to calculate depths. The depth to the Moho increases from about 30 km near Lake Mead to about 40 km near Mono Lake. Variations in arrival times provide evidence for fairly sharp flexures in the Moho. Offsets in the Moho of 4 km at one point and 2 1/2 km at another correspond to large faults at the surface, and it is suggested that fracture zones in the upper crust may displace the Moho and extend into the upper mantle. The phase P appears to be an extension of the reflection from the top of the intermediate layer beyond the critical angle. Bouguer gravity, computed for the seismic model of the crust, is in good agreement with the measured Bouguer gravity. Thus a model of the crustal structure is presented which is consistent with three semi-independent sources of geophysical data: seismic-refraction, seismic-reflection, and gravity.

Directly dated MIS 3 lake-level record from Lake Manix, Mojave Desert, California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reheis, Marith; Miller, David M.; McGeehin, John P.; Redwine, Joanna R.; Oviatt, Charles G.; Bright, Jordon E.

2015-01-01

An outcrop-based lake-level curve, constrained by ~ 70 calibrated 14C ages on Anodonta shells, indicates at least 8 highstands between 45 and 25 cal ka BP within 10 m of the 543-m upper threshold of Lake Manix in the Mojave Desert of southern California. Correlations of Manix highstands with ice, marine, and speleothem records suggest that at least the youngest three highstands coincide with Dansgaard–Oeschger (D–O) stadials and Heinrich events 3 and 4. The lake-level record is consistent with results from speleothem studies in the Southwest that indicate cool wet conditions during D–O stadials. Notably, highstands between 43 and 25 ka apparently occurred at times of generally low levels of pluvial lakes farther north as interpreted from core-based proxies. Mojave lakes may have been supported by tropical moisture sources during oxygen-isotope stage 3, perhaps controlled by southerly deflection of Pacific storm tracks due to weakening of the sea-surface temperature gradient in response to North Atlantic climate perturbations.

76 FR 37646 - Safety Zone; Northern California Annual Fireworks Events, Fourth of July Fireworks, Lake Tahoe, CA

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-28

... Zone; Northern California Annual Fireworks Events, Fourth of July Fireworks, Lake Tahoe, CA AGENCY... annual safety zone for the Fourth of July Fireworks, Lake Tahoe, California, located off Incline Village...,000 foot safety zone for the annual Fourth of July Fireworks Display in 33 CFR 165.1191 on July 4...

Late Holocene hydrous mafic magmatism at the Paint Pot Crater and Callahan flows, Medicine Lake Volcano, N. California and the influence of H2O in the generation of silicic magmas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kinzler, R.J.; Donnelly-Nolan, J. M.; Grove, T.L.

2000-01-01

This paper characterizes late Holocene basalts and basaltic andesites at Medicine Lake volcano that contain high pre-eruptive H2O contents inherited from a subduction related hydrous component in the mantle. The basaltic andesite of Paint Pot Crater and the compositionally zoned basaltic to andesitic lavas of the Callahan flow erupted approximately 1000 14C years Before Present (14C years B.P.). Petrologic, geochemical and isotopic evidence indicates that this late Holocene mafic magmatism was characterized by H2O contents of 3 to 6 wt% H2O and elevated abundances of large ion lithophile elements (LILE). These hydrous mafic inputs contrast with the preceding episodes of mafic magmatism (from 10,600 to ~3000 14C years B.P.) that was characterized by the eruption of primitive high alumina olivine tholeiite (HAOT) with low H2O (< 0.2 wt%), lower LILE abundance and different isotopic characteristics. Thus, the mantle-derived inputs into the Medicine Lake system have not always been low H2O, primitive HAOT, but have alternated between HAOT and hydrous subduction related, calc-alkaline basalt. This influx of hydrous mafic magma coincides temporally and spatially with rhyolite eruption at Glass Mountain and Little Glass Mountain. The rhyolites contain quenched magmatic inclusions similar in character to the mafic lavas at Callahan and Paint Pot Crater. The influence of H2O on fractional crystallization of hydrous mafic magma and melting of pre-existing granite crust beneath the volcano combined to produce the rhyolite. Fractionation under hydrous conditions at upper crustal pressures leads to the early crystallization of Fe-Mg silicates and the suppression of plagioclase as an early crystallizing phase. In addition, H2O lowers the saturation temperature of Fe and Mg silicates, and brings the temperature of oxide crystallization closer to the liquidus. These combined effects generate SiO2-enrichment that leads to rhyodacitic differentiated lavas. In contrast, low H2O HAOT

Earthquake and volcano hazard notices: An economic evaluation of changes in risk perceptions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bernknopf, R.L.; Brookshire, D.S.; Thayer, M.A.

1990-01-01

Earthquake and volcano hazard notices were issued for the Mammoth Lakes, California area by the U.S. Geological Survey under the authority granted by the Disaster Relief Act of 1974. The effects on investment, recretion visitation, and risk perceptionsare explored. The hazard notices did not affect recreation visitation, although investment was affected. A perceived loss in the market value of homes was documented. Risk perceptions were altered for property owners. Communication of the probability of an event over time would enhance hazard notices as a policy instrument and would mitigate unnecessary market perturbations. ?? 1990.

Rare earth element content of thermal fluids from Surprise Valley, California

DOE Data Explorer

Andrew Fowler

2015-09-23

Rare earth element measurements for thermal fluids from Surprise Valley, California. Samples were collected in acid washed HDPE bottles and acidified with concentrated trace element clean (Fisher Scientific) nitric acid. Samples were pre-concentratated by a factor of approximately 10 using chelating resin with and IDA functional group and measured on magnetic sector ICP-MS. Samples include Seyferth Hot Springs, Surprise Valley Resort Mineral Well, Leonard's Hot Spring, and Lake City Mud Volcano Boiling Spring.

Living with Volcanoes: Year Eleven Teaching Resource Unit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le Heron, Kiri; Andrews, Jill; Hooks, Stacey; Larnder, Michele; Le Heron, Richard

2000-01-01

Presents a unit on volcanoes and experiences with volcanoes that helps students develop geography skills. Focuses on four volcanoes: (1) Rangitoto Island; (2) Lake Pupuke; (3) Mount Smart; and (4) One Tree Hill. Includes an answer sheet and resources to use with the unit. (CMK)

76 FR 41753 - Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger District, California, Grey's Mountain Ecosystem...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-15

..., California, Grey's Mountain Ecosystem Restoration Project AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of... a series of ecological restoration treatments, north of the community of Bass Lake, California, south of Soquel Meadow, east of Nelder Grove Historical Area and west of Graham Mountain. Treatment...

Groundwater quality in the Bear Valley and Lake Arrowhead Watershed, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mathany, Timothy; Burton, Carmen; Fram, Miranda S.

2017-06-20

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. The Bear Valley and Lake Arrowhead Watershed study areas in southern California compose one of the study units being evaluated.

75 FR 35652 - Safety Zone; Northern California Annual Fireworks Events, Fourth of July Fireworks, South Lake...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-23

... Zone; Northern California Annual Fireworks Events, Fourth of July Fireworks, South Lake Tahoe Gaming... will enforce Lights on the Lake Fireworks Display safety zone for South Lake Tahoe, from 8:30 a.m. on... the Lake Fireworks in 33 CFR 165.1191 on July 4, 2010, from 8:30 a.m. on July 1, 2010 through 10 p.m...

Ijen Volcano, Indonesia

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-07-14

West of Gunung Merapi, East Java, Indonesia, is the Ijen volcano, which has a one-kilometer-wide turquoise-colored acidic crater lake. The lake is the site of a labor-intensive sulfur mining operation, in which sulfur-laden baskets are carried by hand from the crater floor. The lake is recognized as the largest highly acidic crater lake in the world, with a pH of 0.5. The image was acquired 17 September 2008, covers an area of 24 by 39 kilometers, and is located at 8 degrees south, 114.2 degrees east. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21787

Anaerobic Halo-Alkaliphilic Baterial Community of Athalassic, Hypersaline Mono Lake in California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pikuta, Elena V.; Hoover, Richard B.; Marsic, Damien; Ng, Joseph D.; Six, N. Frank (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The microorganisms of soda Mono Lake and other similar athalassic hypersaline alkaline soda lakes are of significance to Astrobiology. The microorganisms of these regimes represent the best known terrestrial analogs for microbial life that might have inhabited the hypersaline alkaline lakes and evaporites confined within closed volcanic basins and impact craters during the late Noachian and early Hesperian epochs (3.6 - 4.2 Gya) of ancient Mars. We have investigated the anaerobic microbiota of soda Mono Lake in northern California. In this paper we discuss the astrobiological significance of these ecosystems and describe several interesting features of two novel new species of anaerobic halo-alkaliphilic bacteria (Spirochaeta americana, sp. nov. and Desulfonatronum paiuteum, sp. nov) that we have isolated from Mono Lake.

Correlation of cycles in Lava Lake motion and degassing at Erebus Volcano, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, Nial; Oppenheimer, Clive; Killingsworth, Drea Rae; Frechette, Jed; Kyle, Philip

2014-08-01

Several studies at Erebus volcano have recorded pulsatory behavior in many of the observable properties of its active lava lake. A strong correlation between the variations in surface speed of the lake and the composition of gas emitted has previously been noted. While previous studies have shown that the SO2 flux and the surface elevation exhibit pulsatory behavior with a similar period to that of the surface speed and gas composition, suggesting they are linked, a lack of overlap between the different measurements has prevented direct comparisons from being made. Using high time-resolution measurements of surface elevation, surface speed, gas composition, and SO2 flux, we demonstrate for the first time an unambiguous link between the cyclic behavior in each of these properties. We also show that the variation in gas composition may be explained by a subtle change in oxygen fugacity. The cycles are found to be in-phase with each other, with a small but consistent lag of 1-3 min between the peaks in surface elevation and surface speed. Explosive events are found to have no observable effect on the pulsatory behavior beyond the ˜5 min period required for lake refill. The close correspondences between the varying lake surface motion, gas flux and composition, and modeled oxygen fugacity suggest strong links between magma degassing, redox change, and the fluid dynamics of the shallow magmatic system.

Variability of passive gas emissions, seismicity, and deformation during crater lake growth at White Island Volcano, New Zealand, 2002-2006

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werner, C.; Hurst, T.; Scott, B.; Sherburn, S.; Christenson, B. W.; Britten, K.; Cole-Baker, J.; Mullan, B.

2008-01-01

We report on 4 years of airborne measurements of CO2, SO2, and H2S emission rates during a quiescent period at White Island volcano, New Zealand, beginning in 2003. During this time a significant crater lake emerged, allowing scrubbing processes to be investigated. CO2 emissions varied from a baseline of 250 to >2000 t d-1 and demonstrated clear annual cycling that was consistent with numbers of earthquake detections and annual changes in sea level. The annual variability was found to be most likely related to increases in the strain on the volcano during sea level highs, temporarily causing fractures to reduce in size in the upper conduit. SO2 emissions varied from 0 to >400 t d-1 and were clearly affected by scrubbing processes within the first year of lake development. Scrubbing caused increases of SO42- and Cl- in lake waters, and the ratio of carbon to total sulphur suggested that elemental sulphur deposition was also significant in the lake during the first year. Careful measurements of the lake level and chemistry allowed estimates of the rate of H2O(g) and HCl(g) input into the lake and suggested that the molar abundances of major gas species (H2O, CO2, SO2, and HCl) during this quiescent phase were similar to fumarolic ratios observed between earlier eruptive periods. The volume of magma estimated from CO2 emissions (0.015-0.04 km3) was validated by Cl- increases in the lake, suggesting that the gas and magma are transported from deep to shallow depths as a closed system and likely become open in the upper conduit region. The absence of surface deformation further leads to a necessity of magma convection to supply and remove magma from the degassing depths. Two models of convection configurations are discussed.

76 FR 37650 - Safety Zone; Northern California Annual Fireworks Events, Fourth of July Fireworks, South Lake...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-28

... Zone; Northern California Annual Fireworks Events, Fourth of July Fireworks, South Lake Tahoe Gaming... will enforce the safety zone for the annual Fourth of July Fireworks, South Lake Tahoe Gaming Alliance (Lights on the Lake Fireworks Display). This action is necessary to control vessel traffic and to ensure...

BOUNDS ON SUBSURFACE MERCURY FLUX FROM THE SULPHUR BANK MERCURY MINE, LAKE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

EPA Science Inventory

The Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine (SBMM) in Lake County, California has been identified as a significant source of mercury to Clear Lake. The mine was operated from the 1860s through the 1950's. Mining started with surface operations, progressed to shaft mining, and later to open p...

Geochronology and paleoenvironment of pluvial Harper Lake, Mojave Desert, California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garcia, Anna L.; Knott, Jeffrey R.; Mahan, Shannon; Bright, Jordan

2014-01-01

Accurate reconstruction of the paleo-Mojave River and pluvial lake (Harper, Manix, Cronese, and Mojave) system of southern California is critical to understanding paleoclimate and the North American polar jet stream position over the last 500 ka. Previous studies inferred a polar jet stream south of 35°N at 18 ka and at ~ 40°N at 17–14 ka. Highstand sediments of Harper Lake, the upstream-most pluvial lake along the Mojave River, have yielded uncalibrated radiocarbon ages ranging from 24,000 to > 30,000 14C yr BP. Based on geologic mapping, radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating, we infer a ~ 45–40 ka age for the Harper Lake highstand sediments. Combining the Harper Lake highstand with other Great Basin pluvial lake/spring and marine climate records, we infer that the North American polar jet stream was south of 35°N about 45–40 ka, but shifted to 40°N by ~ 35 ka. Ostracodes (Limnocythere ceriotuberosa) from Harper Lake highstand sediments are consistent with an alkaline lake environment that received seasonal inflow from the Mojave River, thus confirming the lake was fed by the Mojave River. The ~ 45–40 ka highstand at Harper Lake coincides with a shallowing interval at downstream Lake Manix.

Back to the Basics: Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada--Spatial Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Handley, Lawrence R.; Lockwood, Catherine M.; Handley, Nathan

2006-01-01

"Back to the Basics: South Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada" continues the series of exercises on teaching foundational map reading and spatial differentiation skills. It is the third published exercise from the Back to the Basics series developed by the Wetland Education through Maps and Aerial Photography (WETMAAP) Program. The current…

"Mediterranean volcanoes vs. chain volcanoes in the Carpathians"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chivarean, Radu

2017-04-01

or dome complexes. Dacitic volcanoes are smaller in size and consist of lava dome complexes, in places with associated pyroclastic cones and volcanic aprons. The volcanic history of Carpathian volcanic chain lasts since ca. 15 Ma, with the youngest occurring in the southern chain-terminus; the last eruption of Ciomadu volcano (Harghita) was ca. 10000 years ago. Using the knowledge acquired during the compulsory curriculum and complementary activities we we consider that the outdoor education is the best way to establish a relationship between the theory and the landscape reality in the field. As a follow up to our theoretical approach for the Earth's crust we organized two study trips in our region. During the first one the students could walk in a real crater, see scoria deposits and admire the basalt columns from Racos. In the second activity they could climb the Ciomadu volcano and go down to observe the crater lake St. Anna, the single volcanic lake in central Europe.

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

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-19

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

Monitoring system for phreatic eruptions and thermal behavior on Poás volcano hyperacidic lake, with permanent IR and HD cameras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramirez, C. J.; Mora-Amador, R. A., Sr.; Alpizar Segura, Y.; González, G.

2015-12-01

Monitoring volcanoes have been on the past decades an expanding matter, one of the rising techniques that involve new technology is the digital video surveillance, and the automated software that come within, now is possible if you have the budget and some facilities on site, to set up a real-time network of high definition video cameras, some of them even with special features like infrared, thermal, ultraviolet, etc. That can make easier or harder the analysis of volcanic phenomena like lava eruptions, phreatic eruption, plume speed, lava flows, close/open vents, just to mention some of the many application of these cameras. We present the methodology of the installation at Poás volcano of a real-time system for processing and storing HD and thermal images and video, also the process to install and acquired the HD and IR cameras, towers, solar panels and radios to transmit the data on a volcano located at the tropics, plus what volcanic areas are our goal and why. On the other hand we show the hardware and software we consider necessary to carry on our project. Finally we show some early data examples of upwelling areas on the Poás volcano hyperacidic lake and the relation with lake phreatic eruptions, also some data of increasing temperature on an old dome wall and the suddenly wall explosions, and the use of IR video for measuring plume speed and contour for use on combination with DOAS or FTIR measurements.

HYDROGEOLOGICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL FACTORS INFLUENCING MERCURY FATE AND TRANSPORT AT THE SULPHUR BANK MERCURY MINE, LAKE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

EPA Science Inventory

Clear Lake, located approximately 150 km north of San Francisco in Lake County, is one of the largest fresh water lakes in the California. Elevated mercury levels were first identified in fish from Clear Lake in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Although naturally occurring mercury...

The CO2 Flux and the Chemistry of the Crater lake in 2013-2015 Evidence for the Enhanced Activity of El Chichon volcano, Mexico.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taran, Y.; Jácome Paz, M. P.; Inguaggiato, S.; Collard, N.

2015-12-01

During 2013-2015, four CO2 flux surveys were performed in the El Chichon crater both, from the lake surface and from the soil of the crater. The chemistry of the lake water, as well as its physical parameters (surface area, depth, temperature) were also determined. The CO2 flux in 2014-2015 compared to the 2007-2008 data (Mazot et al., 2011, BV, 73: 423-441) increased almost one order of magnitude (from ~ 140 ton d-1 in 2008 to ~ 840 ton d-1 in 2014). During the last two years the lake became the largest for the whole time of observations with the maximum surface area more than 18 ha covering completely the NE fumarolic field and all thermal springs feeding the lake with mineralized water. Despite the maximum volume of the lake it was characterized in 2015 by the highest since 2007 chloride content (~2500 ppm) and temperature (34°C). A large degassing spot in the middle of the lake for the first time was observed in April 2015 with more than 10,000 g m-2 d-1 of the CO2 flux. These observations evidence that the volcano-hydrothermal system of El Chichon volcano came into a new stage of activity associated most probably with changes in the magmatic activity at depth.

Last glacial maximum and Holocene lake levels of Owens Lake, eastern California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bacon, S.N.; Burke, R.M.; Pezzopane, S.K.; Jayko, A.S.

2006-01-01

Stratigraphic investigations of fluvio-deltaic and lacustrine sediments exposed in stream cuts, quarry walls, and deep trenches east of the Sierra Nevada in Owens Valley near Lone Pine, California have enabled the reconstruction of pluvial Owens Lake level oscillations. Age control for these sediments is from 22 radiocarbon (14C) dates and the identification and stratigraphic correlation of a tephra, which when plotted as a function of age versus altitude, define numerous oscillations in the level of pluvial Owens Lake during the latest Pleistocene and early Holocene. We have constructed a lake-level altitude curve for the time interval ???27,000 cal yr BP to present that is based on the integration of this new stratigraphic analysis with published surface stratigraphic data and subsurface core data. Pluvial Owens Lake regressed from its latest Pleistocene highstands from ???27,000 to ???15,300 cal yr BP, as recorded by ???15 m of down cutting of the sill from the altitudes of ???1160 to 1145 m. By ???11,600 cal yr BP, the lake had dropped ???45 m from the 1145 m sill. This lowstand was followed by an early Holocene transgression that attained a highstand near 1135 m before dropping to 1120 m at 7860-7650 cal yr BP that had not been recognized in earlier studies. The lake then lowered another ???30 m to shallow and near desiccation levels between ???6850 and 4300 cal yr BP. Fluvial cut-and-fill relations north of Lone Pine and well-preserved shoreline features at ???1108 m indicate a minor lake-level rise after 4300 cal yr BP, followed by alkaline and shallow conditions during the latest Holocene. The new latest Quaternary lake-level record of pluvial Owens Lake offers insight to the hydrologic balance along the east side of the southern Sierra Nevada and will assist regional paleoclimatic models for the western Basin and Range. ?? 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variation in reciprocal subsidies between lakes and land: perspectives from the mountains of California

Treesearch

Jonah Piovia-Scott; Steven Sadro; Roland A. Knapp; James Sickman; Karen L. Pope; Sudeep Chandra

2016-01-01

Lakes are connected to surrounding terrestrial habitats by reciprocal flows of energy and nutrients. We synthesize data from California’s mountain lake catchments to investigate how these reciprocal subsidies change along an elevational gradient and with the introduction of a top aquatic predator. At lower elevations, well-developed terrestrial vegetation provides...

THE HERMAN PIT AND ITS ROLE IN MERCURY TRANSPORT AT THE SULPHUR BANK MERCURY MINE SUPERFUND SITE, CLEAR LAKE, CALIFORNIA

EPA Science Inventory

The Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine (SBMM) is an abandoned sulphur and cinnabar mine located on the eastern shore of the Oaks Arm of Clear Lake, Lake County, California. SBMM was one of the largest mercury producers in California and has been described as one of the most productive sh...

TESTING A BEACH BACTERIA MODEL IN LAKE MICHIGAN AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

EPA Science Inventory

Beach closures due to high bacterial concentrations deprive the public and disrupt the tourist industry. Almost half the Lake Michigan beaches are closed more than 10% of the time. In 1999 the six-mile long beach in Huntington Beach, California was closed in July and August. Due ...

GlobVolcano pre-operational services for global monitoring active volcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tampellini, Lucia; Ratti, Raffaella; Borgström, Sven; Seifert, Frank Martin; Peltier, Aline; Kaminski, Edouard; Bianchi, Marco; Branson, Wendy; Ferrucci, Fabrizio; Hirn, Barbara; van der Voet, Paul; van Geffen, J.

2010-05-01

), Stromboli and Volcano (Italy), Hilo (Hawai), Mt. St. Helens (United States), CTM (Coherent Target Monitoring): Cumbre Vieja (La Palma) To generate products either Envisat ASAR, Radarsat 1or ALOS PALSAR data have been used. Surface Thermal Anomalies Volcanic hot-spots detection, radiant flux and effusion rate (where applicable) calculation of high temperature surface thermal anomalies such as active lava flow, strombolian activity, lava dome, pyroclastic flow and lava lake can be performed through MODIS (Terra / Aqua) MIR and TIR channels, or ASTER (Terra), HRVIR/HRGT (SPOT4/5) and Landsat family SWIR channels analysis. ASTER and Landsat TIR channels allow relative radiant flux calculation of low temperature anomalies such as lava and pyroclastic flow cooling, crater lake and low temperature fumarolic fields. MODIS, ASTER and SPOT data are processed to detect and measure the following volcanic surface phenomena: Effusive activity Piton de la Fournaise (Reunion Island); Mt Etna (Italy). Lava dome growths, collapses and related pyroclastic flows Soufrière Hills (Montserrat); Arenal - (Costa Rica). Permanent crater lake and ephemeral lava lake Karthala (Comores Islands). Strombolian activity Stromboli (Italy). Low temperature fumarolic fields Nisyros (Greece), Vulcano (Italy), Mauna Loa (Hawaii). Volcanic Emission The Volcanic Emission Service is provided to the users by a link to GSE-PROMOTE - Support to Aviation Control Service (SACS). The aim of the service is to deliver in near-real-time data derived from satellite measurements regarding SO2 emissions (SO2 vertical column density - Dobson Unit [DU]) possibly related to volcanic eruptions and to track the ash injected into the atmosphere during a volcanic eruption. SO2 measurements are derived from different satellite instruments, such as SCIAMACHY, OMI and GOME-2. The tracking of volcanic ash is accomplished by using SEVIRI-MSG data and, in particular, the following channels VIS 0.6 and IR 3.9, and along with IR8.7, IR 10

A Foamy Lava Lake at Kilauea Volcano, Hawai`i

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poland, M. P.; Carbone, D.

2012-12-01

Kilauea Volcano, in Hawai`i, is currently erupting from two locations simultaneously: along the east rift zone and at the summit. The east rift zone eruption began in 1983 and is characterized by lava effusion from the Pu`u `O`o and nearby vents, while the summit eruptive vent, which opened in 2008, persistently emits gas and small amounts of ash while hosting a lava lake. On March 5, 2011, a dike initiated from the east rift zone magma conduit and reached the surface, resulting in the 4.5-day-long Kamoamoa fissure eruption just uprift of Pu`u `O`o. The eruption was accompanied by summit deflation as magma withdrew from subsurface reservoirs to feed the fissure eruption. The level of the summit lava lake dropped as the summit deflated. A continuously recording gravimeter located at Kilauea's summit (about 150 m east of the center of the summit eruptive vent, 80 m above the vent rim, and about 140 m above the highest level reached by the lava lake) measured a gravity decrease of about 150 μGal during the lava level drop, after taking into account corrections for the solid Earth tide. The gravity signal is caused by a combination of three processes. First, subsidence of 15 cm due to summit deflation moved the gravimeter closer to the center of the Earth, resulting in a gravity increase. Second, mass removal from the subsurface magma reservoir at a depth of 1.4 km (based on a model from GPS and InSAR data) caused a gravity decrease. Third, the drop in the level of the lava lake, which reached a maximum of about 150 m, led to a gravity decrease. Assuming a simple point source of pressure change and a typical density for basaltic magma (2.3-2.7 g/cm3), the first two processes can only explain a small percent of the observed gravity decrease, which must therefore be mainly due to the drop in the level of the lava lake. We developed a numerical model of the summit eruptive vent that takes into account its complex geometry (as deduced from geological observations). Using

Magnetic and gravity studies of Mono Lake, east-central, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Athens, Noah D.; Ponce, David A.; Jayko, Angela S.; Miller, Matt; McEvoy, Bobby; Marcaida, Mae; Mangan, Margaret T.; Wilkinson, Stuart K.; McClain, James S.; Chuchel, Bruce A.; Denton, Kevin M.

2014-01-01

From August 26 to September 5, 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected more than 600 line-kilometers of shipborne magnetic data on Mono Lake, 20 line-kilometers of ground magnetic data on Paoha Island, 50 gravity stations on Paoha and Negit Islands, and 28 rock samples on Paoha and Negit Islands, in east-central California. Magnetic and gravity investigations were undertaken in Mono Lake to study regional crustal structures and to aid in understanding the geologic framework, in particular regarding potential geothermal resources and volcanic hazards throughout Mono Basin. Furthermore, shipborne magnetic data illuminate local structures in the upper crust beneath Mono Lake where geologic exposure is absent. Magnetic and gravity methods, which sense contrasting physical properties of the subsurface, are ideal for studying Mono Lake. Exposed rock units surrounding Mono Lake consist mainly of Quaternary alluvium, lacustrine sediment, aeolian deposits, basalt, and Paleozoic granitic and metasedimentary rocks (Bailey, 1989). At Black Point, on the northwest shore of Mono Lake, there is a mafic cinder cone that was produced by a subaqueous eruption around 13.3 ka. Within Mono Lake there are several small dacite cinder cones and flows, forming Negit Island and part of Paoha Island, which also host deposits of Quaternary lacustrine sediments. The typical density and magnetic properties of young volcanic rocks contrast with those of the lacustrine sediment, enabling us to map their subsurface extent.

Summit crater lake observations, and the location, chemistry, and pH of water samples near Mount Chiginagak volcano, Alaska: 2004-2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schaefer, Janet R.; Scott, William E.; Evans, William C.; Wang, Bronwen; McGimsey, Robert G.

2013-01-01

Mount Chiginagak is a hydrothermally active volcano on the Alaska Peninsula, approximately 170 km south–southwest of King Salmon, Alaska (fig. 1). This small stratovolcano, approximately 8 km in diameter, has erupted through Tertiary to Permian sedimentary and igneous rocks (Detterman and others, 1987). The highest peak is at an elevation of 2,135 m, and the upper ~1,000 m of the volcano are covered with snow and ice. Holocene activity consists of debris avalanches, lahars, and lava flows. Pleistocene pyroclastic flows and block-and-ash flows, interlayered with andesitic lava flows, dominate the edifice rocks on the northern and western flanks. Historical reports of activity are limited and generally describe “steaming” and “smoking” (Coats, 1950; Powers, 1958). Proximal tephra collected during recent fieldwork suggests there may have been limited Holocene explosive activity that resulted in localized ash fall. A cluster of fumaroles on the north flank, at an elevation of ~1,750 m, commonly referred to as the “north flank fumarole” have been emitting gas throughout historical time (location shown in fig. 2). The only other thermal feature at the volcano is the Mother Goose hot springs located at the base of the edifice on the northwestern flank in upper Volcano Creek, at an elevation of ~160 m (fig. 2, near sites H1, H3, and H4). Sometime between November 2004 and May 2005, a ~400-m-wide, 100-m-deep lake developed in the snow- and ice-filled summit crater of the volcano (Schaefer and others, 2008). In early May 2005, an estimated 3 million cubic meters (3×106 m3) of sulfurous, clay-rich debris and acidic water exited the crater through tunnels at the base of a glacier that breaches the south crater rim. More than 27 km downstream, these acidic flood waters reached approximately 1.3 m above normal water levels and inundated a fertile, salmon-spawning drainage, acidifying the entire water column of Mother Goose Lake from its surface waters to its

Tectonic evolution of Honey Lake basin, northeastern California

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

Wagner, D.L.; Saucedo, G.J.; Grose, T.L.T.

New geologic mapping in northeastern California provides additional data on the age and tectonic evolution of the Honey Lake Basin. Rhylitic ash flow tuffs of latest Oligocene to early Miocene age (30 to 22 Ma) occur in the Fort Sage Mountains and in the Sierra Nevada but are not apparent in wells drilled in the Honey Lake basin. Though other interpretations can be made, the authors take this as evidence that the basin did not exist at that time. Volcanic rocks as old as 12 Ma do occur in the basin indicating initiation in mid-Miocene time probably as a grabenmore » due to block faulting. Syntectonic andesitic and basaltic volcanism occurred along faults bounding the Sierra Nevada block at 9 to 10 Ma. Lava issuing from these fractures flowed westward along Tertiary drainages indicating that the Sierran block had been uplifted and tilted westward. Andesites erupted during this time north and east of the basin are lithologically distinct from Sierran andesites. Strike-slip faulting began to dominate the tectonic setting of the region during late Pliocene and Quaternary time with the development of the Honey Lake Fault Zone. Holocene strike-slip displacement is indicated by offsets of the 12,000 year old Lake Lahontan shoreline and deposits containing a 7,000 year old ash.« less

Estimated flood flows in the Lake Tahoe basin, California and Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crompton, E. James; Hess, Glen W.; Williams, Rhea P.

2002-01-01

Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in North America, covers about 192 square miles (mi2) of the 506-mi2 Lake Tahoe Basin, which straddles the border between California and Nevada (Fig. 1). In cooperation with the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimates the flood frequencies of the streams that enter the lake. Information about potential flooding of these streams is used by NDOT in the design and construction of roads and highways in the Nevada portion of the basin. The stream-monitoring network in the Lake Tahoe Basin is part of the Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring Program (LTIMP), which combines the monitoring and research efforts of various Federal, State, and regional agencies, including both USGS and NDOT. The altitude in the basin varies from 6,223 feet (ft) at the lake's natural rim to over 10,000 ft along the basin's crest. Precipitation ranges from 40 inches per year (in/yr) on the eastern side to 90 in/yr on the western side (Crippen and Pavelka, 1970). Most of the precipitation comes during the winter months as snow. Precipitation that falls from June through September accounts for less than 20 percent of the annual total.

Geochemistry, mineralogy, and chemical modeling of the acid crater lake of Kawah Ijen Volcano, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delmelle, Pierre; Bernard, Alain

1994-06-01

rockforming elements are produced by dissolution of approximately 60 g of andesite per kg of acid solution. Complete neutralization of the acid lake waters by reaction with the wallrock produces a theoretical alteration assemblage equivalent to that observed in volcano-hosted, acid-sulfate epithermal ore deposits.

Surficial geology and stratigraphy of Pleistocene Lake Manix, San Bernardino County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reheis, Marith C.; Redwine, Joanna R.; Wan, Elmira; McGeehin, John P.; VanSistine, D. Paco

2014-01-01

Pluvial Lake Manix and its surrounding drainage basin, in the central Mojave Desert of California, has been a focus of paleoclimate, surficial processes, and neotectonic studies by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) since about 2004. The USGS initiated studies of Lake Manix deposits to improve understanding of the paleoclimatic record and the shifts in atmospheric circulation that controlled precipitation in the Mojave Desert. Until approximately 25,000 years ago, Lake Manix was the terminus of the Mojave River, which drains northeasterly from the San Bernardino Mountains; the river currently terminates in the Soda Lake and Silver Lake playas. Pleistocene Lake Manix occupied several subbasins at its maximum extent. This map focuses on the extensive exposures created by incision of the Mojave River and its tributaries into the interbedded lacustrine and alluvial deposits within the central (Cady) and northeastern (Afton) subbasins of Lake Manix, and extends from the head of Afton Canyon to Manix Wash. The map illuminates the geomorphic development and depositional history of the lake and alluvial fans within the active tectonic setting of the eastern California shear zone, especially interactions with the left-lateral Manix fault. Lake Manix left an extraordinarily detailed but complex record of numerous transgressive-regressive sequences separated by desiccation and deposition of fan, eolian, and fluvial deposits, and punctuated by tectonic movements and a catastrophic flood that reconfigured the lake basin. Through careful observation of the intercalated lacustrine and fan sequences and by determining the precise elevations of unit contacts, this record was decoded to understand the response of the lake and river system to the interplay of climatic, geomorphic, and tectonic forces. These deposits are exposed in steep badland topography. Mapping was carried out mostly at scales of 1:12,000, although the map is presented at 1:24,000 scale, and employs custom unit

Calcite-impregnated defluidization structures in littoral sands of Mono Lake, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cloud, P.; Lajoie, K.R.

1980-01-01

Associated locally with well-known tufa mounds and towers of Mono Lake, California, are subvertical, concretionary sand structures through which fresh calcium-containing artesian waters moved up to sites of calcium carbonate precipitation beneath and adjacent to the lake. The structures include closely spaced calcite-impregnated columns, tubes, and other configurations with subcylindrical to bizarre cross sections and predominantly vertical orientation in coarse, barely coherent pumice sands along the south shore of the lake. Many structures terminate upward in extensive calcareous layers of caliche and tufa. Locally they enter the bases of tufa mounds and towers. A common form superficially resembles root casts and animal burrows except that branching is mostly up instead of down. Similar defluidization structures in ancient sedimentary rocks have been mistakenly interpreted as fossil burrows.

Anaerobic decomposition of cellulose by allcaliphilic microbial Community of Owens Lake, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pikuta, Elena V.; Itoh, Takashi; Hoover, Richard B.

2005-01-01

The study of communities of microbial extremophiles from anaerobic sediments of Owens Lake and Mono Lake in California has established the presence of active microbial cellulolytic processes in both lakes. The prior study of the microbial diversity in Mono Lake showed that the trophic chain of organic decomposition includes secondary anaerobes that were found to be previously unknown species (Spirochaeta americana, Tindallia californiensis, and Desulfonatronum thiodismutans). And as we published earlier, the secondary anaerobes of Owens Lakes were morphologically very similar to those of Mono Lake. However, continuing comparison of the physiology and genetics has led to the conclusion that some links of organic decomposition in the trophic chain of Owens Lake are represented by different unknown species. A new isolate of a sugarlytic spirochete from Owens Lake, which was morphologically very similar to S. americana isolated from Mono Lake, was found to have different metabolic capacity such as the lack of capability to produce hydrogen during glucose fermentation. Furthermore, from the same bacterial community (from Owens Lake) another sugarlytic spore-forming alkaliphile (strain SCA) was isolated in pure culture. Here we discuss the geology and chemistry of Owens Lake as a unique ecosystem of Astrobiological significance. This paper also presents some of the characteristics for the novel isolates and describes their participation in the process of cellulose degradation.

A mass balance mercury budget for a mine-dominated lake: Clear Lake, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Suchanek, T.H.; Cooke, J.; Keller, K.; Jorgensen, S.; Richerson, P.J.; Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Harner, E.J.; Adam, D.P.

2009-01-01

The Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine (SBMM), active intermittently from 1873–1957 and now a USEPA Superfund site, was previously estimated to have contributed at least 100 metric tons (105 kg) of mercury (Hg) into the Clear Lake aquatic ecosystem. We have confirmed this minimum estimate. To better quantify the contribution of the mine in relation to other sources of Hg loading into Clear Lake and provide data that might help reduce that loading, we analyzed Inputs and Outputs of Hg to Clear Lake and Storage of Hg in lakebed sediments using a mass balance approach. We evaluated Inputs from (1) wet and dry atmospheric deposition from both global/regional and local sources, (2) watershed tributaries, (3) groundwater inflows, (4) lakebed springs and (5) the mine. Outputs were quantified from (1) efflux (volatilization) of Hg from the lake surface to the atmosphere, (2) municipal and agricultural water diversions, (3) losses from out-flowing drainage of Cache Creek that feeds into the California Central Valley and (4) biotic Hg removal by humans and wildlife. Storage estimates include (1) sediment burial from historic and prehistoric periods (over the past 150–3,000 years) from sediment cores to ca. 2.5m depth dated using dichloro diphenyl dichloroethane (DDD), 210Pb and 14C and (2) recent Hg deposition in surficial sediments. Surficial sediments collected in October 2003 (11 years after mine site remediation) indicate no reduction (but a possible increase) in sediment Hg concentrations over that time and suggest that remediation has not significantly reduced overall Hg loading to the lake. Currently, the mine is believed to contribute ca. 322–331 kg of Hg annually to Clear Lake, which represents ca. 86–99% of the total Hg loading to the lake. We estimate that natural sedimentation would cover the existing contaminated sediments within ca. 150–300 years.

Investigating subsidence at volcanoes in northern California using InSAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, A. L.; Biggs, J.; Annen, C.; Lu, Z.

2013-12-01

Both Medicine Lake Volcano (MLV) and Lassen Volcanic Center (LVC), northern CA, show signs of subsidence at rates of ~1 cm/yr. Leveling and campaign GPS measurements show that MLV has subsided at a constant rate for over 50 years, making the geodetic history of this volcano unique in both its duration and continuity. Here, we summarise and build upon the existing geodetic records at MLV and LVC, using interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) to extend the time-series of deformation measurements to 2011. We also use the improved spatial resolution of InSAR measurements to investigate causes of long-term subsidence, providing new insight into magmatic storage conditions at MLV and the timescales of deformation due to cooling and crystallization. A large InSAR dataset has been acquired for the volcanoes of northern CA, but application of the data has been limited by extensive noise and incoherence. We analyse multiple datasets from MLV and LVC and, with the use of multi-temporal InSAR analysis methods (noise-based stacking, π-RATE and StaMPS), demonstrate how InSAR may be used more successfully as a monitoring tool in this region. By comparing InSAR results for MLV to past geodetic studies, we demonstrate that subsidence is on going at ~1 cm/yr with no detectable change in rate. We find that the best fitting source geometry to InSAR data is a sill approximated by a horizontal penny-shaped crack, with radius 2 km and depth 11 km, undergoing volume loss at a rate of -0.0022 km3/yr. We discuss possible source mechanisms of long-term subsidence, investigating volume loss due to cooling and crystallization of an intrusion. We calculate the temperature, melt fraction and volume loss of an intrusion over time using petrological information and a numerical thermal model of heat loss by conduction. The geometry of the intrusion is based upon the depth and radius of the penny-shaped crack model. We run simulations for a range of thicknesses between that of a single

Crater Lake revealed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ramsey, David W.; Dartnell, Peter; Bacon, Charles R.; Robinson, Joel E.; Gardner, James V.

2003-01-01

Around 500,000 people each year visit Crater Lake National Park in the Cascade Range of southern Oregon. Volcanic peaks, evergreen forests, and Crater Lake’s incredibly blue water are the park’s main attractions. Crater Lake partially fills the caldera that formed approximately 7,700 years ago by the eruption and subsequent collapse of a 12,000-foot volcano called Mount Mazama. The caldera-forming or climactic eruption of Mount Mazama drastically changed the landscape all around the volcano and spread a blanket of volcanic ash at least as far away as southern Canada.Prior to the climactic event, Mount Mazama had a 400,000 year history of cone building activity like that of other Cascade volcanoes such as Mount Shasta. Since the climactic eruption, there have been several less violent, smaller postcaldera eruptions within the caldera itself. However, relatively little was known about the specifics of these eruptions because their products were obscured beneath Crater Lake’s surface. As the Crater Lake region is still potentially volcanically active, understanding past eruptive events is important to understanding future eruptions, which could threaten facilities and people at Crater Lake National Park and the major transportation corridor east of the Cascades.Recently, the lake bottom was mapped with a high-resolution multibeam echo sounder. The new bathymetric survey provides a 2m/pixel view of the lake floor from its deepest basins virtually to the shoreline. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications, the bathymetry data can be visualized and analyzed to shed light on the geology, geomorphology, and geologic history of Crater Lake.

Variability of passive gas emissions, seismicity, and deformation during crater lake growth at White Island Volcano, New Zealand, 2002-2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Werner, C.; Hurst, T.; Scott, B.; Sherburn, S.; Christenson, B.W.; Britten, K.; Cole-Baker, J.; Mullan, B.

2008-01-01

We report on 4 years of airborne measurements of CO2, SO2, and H2S emission rates during a quiescent period at White Island volcano, New Zealand, beginning in 2003. During this time a significant crater lake emerged, allowing scrubbig processes to be investigated. CO2 emissions varied from a baseline of 250 to >2000 t d-1 and demonstrated clear annual cycling that was consistent with numbers of earthquake detections and annual changes in sea level. The annual variability was found to be most likely related to increases in the strain on the volcano during sea level highs, temporarily causing fractures to reduce in size in the upper conduit. SO2 emissions varied from 0 to >400 t d-1 and were clearly affected by scrubbing processes within the first year of take development. Scrubbing caused increases of SO42- and Cl- in lake waters, and the ratio of carbon to total sulphur suggested that elemental sulphur deposition was also significant in the lake during the first year. Careful measurements of the lake level and chemistry allowed estimates of the rate of H2O(g) and HCl(g) input into the lake and suggested that the molar abundances of major gas species (H2O, CO2, SO2, and HCl) during this quiescent phase were similar to fumarolic ratios observed between earlier eruptive periods. The volume of magma estimated from CO2 emissions (0.0 15-0.04 km3) was validated by Cl- increases in the lake, suggesting that the gas and magma are transported from deep to shallow depths as a closed system and likely become open in the upper conduit region. The absence of surface deformation further leads to a necessity of magma convection to supply and remove magma from the degassing depths. Two models of convection configurations are discussed. Copyright 2008 by the American Geophysical Union.

Hydrothermal response to a volcano-tectonic earthquake swarm, Lassen, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ingebritsen, Steven E.; Shelly, David R.; Hsieh, Paul A.; Clor, Laura; P.H. Seward,; Evans, William C.

2015-01-01

The increasing capability of seismic, geodetic, and hydrothermal observation networks allows recognition of volcanic unrest that could previously have gone undetected, creating an imperative to diagnose and interpret unrest episodes. A November 2014 earthquake swarm near Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, which included the largest earthquake in the area in more than 60 years, was accompanied by a rarely observed outburst of hydrothermal fluids. Although the earthquake swarm likely reflects upward migration of endogenous H2O-CO2 fluids in the source region, there is no evidence that such fluids emerged at the surface. Instead, shaking from the modest sized (moment magnitude 3.85) but proximal earthquake caused near-vent permeability increases that triggered increased outflow of hydrothermal fluids already present and equilibrated in a local hydrothermal aquifer. Long-term, multiparametric monitoring at Lassen and other well-instrumented volcanoes enhances interpretation of unrest and can provide a basis for detailed physical modeling.

Microbial diversity associated with the anaerobic sediments of a soda lake (Mono Lake, California, USA).

PubMed

Rojas, Patricia; Rodríguez, Nuria; de la Fuente, Vicenta; Sánchez-Mata, Daniel; Amils, Ricardo; Sanz, José L

2018-06-01

Soda lakes are inhabited by important haloalkaliphilic microbial communities that are well adapted to these extreme characteristics. The surface waters of the haloalkaline Mono Lake (California, USA) are alkaline but, in contrast to its bottom waters, do not present high salinity. We have studied the microbiota present in the shoreline sediments of Mono Lake using next-generation sequencing techniques. The statistical indexes showed that Bacteria had a higher richness, diversity, and evenness than Archaea. Seventeen phyla and 8 "candidate divisions" were identified among the Bacteria, with a predominance of the phyla Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Among the Proteobacteria, there was a notable presence of Rhodoplanes and a high diversity of sulfate-reducing Deltaproteobacteria, in accordance with the high sulfate-reducing activity detected in soda lakes. Numerous families of bacterial fermenters were identified among the Firmicutes. The Bacteroides were represented by several environmental groups that have not yet been isolated. Since final organic matter in anaerobic environments with high sulfate contents is mineralized mainly by sulfate-reducing bacteria, very little methanogenic archaeal biodiversity was detected. Only 2 genera, Methanocalculus and Methanosarcina, were retrieved. The species similarities described indicate that a significant number of the operational taxonomic units identified may represent new species.

First study of the heat and gas budget for Sirung volcano, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bani, Philipon; Alfianti, Hilma; Aiuppa, Alessandro; Oppenheimer, Clive; Sitinjak, Pretina; Tsanev, Vitchko; Saing, Ugan B.

2017-08-01

With at least four eruptions over the last 20 years, Sirung is currently one of the more active volcanoes in Indonesia. However, due to its remoteness, very little is known about the volcano and its hyperacid crater lake. We report here on the first measurements of gas and heat emissions from the volcano. Notable is the substantial heat loss from the crater lake surface, amounting to 220 MW. In addition, 17 Gg of SO2, representing 0.8% of Indonesian volcanic SO2 contribution into the atmosphere, 11 Gg of H2S, 17 Gg of CO2, and 550 Gg of H2O are discharged into the atmosphere from the volcano annually. The volatiles degassed from Sirung magmas are subjected to hydrothermal fluid-rock interactions and sulfide depositions, initiated by the disproportionation of SO2. These processes lead to distinct gas compositions and changing lake water chemistry (in the sub-craters and the main crater lake). However, the occurrence of SO2-rich fluids and strong gas flux appear to highlight a rapid fluid transfer to surface, avoiding re-equilibration with lower temperature rocks/fluids in the conduits.

Seismicity of Cascade Volcanoes: Characterization and Comparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thelen, W. A.

2016-12-01

Here we summarize and compare the seismicity around each of the Very High Threat Volcanoes of the Cascade Range of Washington, Oregon and California as defined by the National Volcanic Early Warning System (NVEWS) threat assessment (Ewert et al., 2005). Understanding the background seismic activity and processes controlling it is critical for assessing changes in seismicity and their implications for volcanic hazards. Comparing seismicity at different volcanic centers can help determine what critical factors or processes affect the observed seismic behavior. Of the ten Very High Threat Volcanoes in the Cascade Range, five volcanoes are consistently seismogenic when considering earthquakes within 10 km of the volcanic center or caldera edge (Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, Mount Hood, Newberry Caldera, Lassen Volcanic Center). Other Very High Threat volcanoes (South Sister, Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, Crater Lake and Mount Shasta) have comparatively low rates of seismicity and not enough recorded earthquakes to calculate catalog statistics. Using a swarm definition of 3 or more earthquakes occurring in a day with magnitudes above the largest of the network's magnitude of completenesses (M 0.9), we find that Lassen Volcanic Center is the "swarmiest" in terms of percent of seismicity occurring in swarms, followed by Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens and Rainier. The predominance of swarms at Mount Hood may be overstated, as much of the seismicity is occurring on surrounding crustal faults (Jones and Malone, 2005). Newberry Caldera has a relatively short record of seismicity since the permanent network was installed in 2011, however there have been no swarms detected as defined here. Future work will include developing discriminates for volcanic versus tectonic seismicity to better filter the seismic catalog and more precise binning of depths at some volcanoes so that we may better consider different processes. Ewert J. W., Guffanti, M. and Murray, T. L. (2005). An

Fire near South Lake Tahoe, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

A destructive forest fire that broke out June 24, 2007 near South Lake Tahoe, Calif., continued to burn June 27 when this image was acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer instrument on NASA's Terra satellite. As of June 28, the fire had destroyed about 230 residences and other buildings. In all, about 2,000 people were evacuated, according to South Lake Tahoe Police. The blaze has charred more than 3,100 acres -- about 4.8 square miles -- and was 60 percent contained on June 28. In this ASTER image, the burned area is in gray, a combination of burned forest and some smoke, between Fallen Leaf Lake and the Tahoe Airport.

With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER images Earth to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet.

ASTER is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra spacecraft. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products.

The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER provides scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping, and monitoring of dynamic conditions and temporal change. Example applications are: monitoring glacial advances and retreats; monitoring potentially active volcanoes; identifying crop stress; determining cloud morphology and physical properties; wetlands evaluation; thermal pollution monitoring; coral reef degradation; surface temperature mapping of soils and geology; and measuring surface heat balance.

The U.S. science team is located at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

Size: 15 by 15 kilometers (9.3 by 9.3 miles

A Latest Glacial and Holocene Record From Medicine Lake, Siskiyou County, California: Preliminary Diatom, Pollen, and Sediment Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starratt, S. W.; Barron, J. A.; Kneeshaw, T.; Phillips, L.; Lowenstern, J.; Wanket, J. A.

2002-12-01

Medicine Lake is a small (165 ha), relatively shallow (average 7.3 m), medium- altitude (2,036 m) lake located within the summit caldera of Medicine Lake volcano, a dormant Quaternary shield volcano located in the southern Cascade Range. During September 1999 and 2000, high-resolution bathymetry, seismic-reflection profiles, and sediment cores were collected from the lake. Twenty six samples from core B100NC-1 (water depth 12.6 m; length 226 cm) were analyzed for physical properties, sediment grain size, diatoms, pollen, and total organic carbon (TOC). Using both 14C (AMS) dating and tephrochronology, the sediments at the bottom of the core are estimated to be 11,000 cal yr B.P., thus yielding an estimated average sedimentation rate of about 21 cm/1,000 yr. The lowermost part of the core (226 cm - ~200 cm) records the transition from glacial to interglacial conditions. During the period from about 11,000-7,200 cal yr B.P., lake level fluctuated between deeper oligotrophic conditions with a diatom flora dominated by Cyclotella spp. and shallower intervals with a diverse benthic flora. The relative low abundance (10-15%) of Abies (fir) pollen and relative high abundance (30-40%) of Artemesia (sagebrush) pollen in this interval suggest drier than present-day conditions. The lowest part of this interval (226 cm - 210 cm) is almost devoid of Cyclotella and may represent an ice-covered lake in which only a small benthic flora could exist around the margins of the lake where light penetration was the greatest. The sediments in this interval are relatively low in TOC and are dominated by glacial flour. From about 7,200 cal yr B.P. to the present, conditions have fluctuated between higher lake levels (three intervals) that are dominated by Cyclotella with a reduced number and diversity of benthic taxa, and lower lake levels (two intervals) during which the abundances of Cyclotella decrease to less than 10%. Relative values of Abies and Pinus (pine) pollen are higher during

USGS GNSS Applications to Volcano Disaster Response and Hazard Mitigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lisowski, M.; McCaffrey, R.

2015-12-01

Peak), northern California (Mount Shasta, Medicine Lake, Lassen Peak), and Long Valley. These models take advantage of the data from dense GNSS networks, they provide source parameters for volcanic and tectonic transients, and can be used to discriminate possible short- and long-term volcano- tectonic interactions.

Dissimilatory arsenate and sulfate reduction in sediments of two hypersaline, arsenic-rich soda lakes: Mono and Searles Lakes, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kulp, T.R.; Hoeft, S.E.; Miller, L.G.; Saltikov, C.; Murphy, J.N.; Han, S.; Lanoil, B.; Oremland, R.S.

2006-01-01

A radioisotope method was devised to study bacterial respiratory reduction of arsenate in sediments. The following two arsenic-rich soda lakes in California were chosen for comparison on the basis of their different salinities: Mono Lake (???90 g/liter) and Searles Lake (???340 g/liter). Profiles of arsenate reduction and sulfate reduction were constructed for both lakes. Reduction of [73As] arsenate occurred at all depth intervals in the cores from Mono Lake (rate constant [k] = 0.103 to 0.04 h-1) and Searles Lake (k = 0.012 to 0.002 h-1), and the highest activities occurred in the top sections of each core. In contrast, [35S] sulfate reduction was measurable in Mono Lake (k = 7.6 ?? 104 to 3.2 ?? 10-6 h-1) but not in Searles Lake. Sediment DNA was extracted, PCR amplified, and separated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to obtain phylogenetic markers (i.e., 16S rRNA genes) and a partial functional gene for dissimilatory arsenate reduction (arrA). The amplified arrA gene product showed a similar trend in both lakes; the signal was strongest in surface sediments and decreased to undetectable levels deeper in the sediments. More arrA gene signal was observed in Mono Lake and was detectable at a greater depth, despite the higher arsenate reduction activity observed in Searles Lake. A partial sequence (about 900 bp) was obtained for a clone (SLAS-3) that matched the dominant DGGE band found in deeper parts of the Searles Lake sample (below 3 cm), and this clone was found to be closely related to SLAS-1, a novel extremophilic arsenate respirer previously cultivated from Searles Lake. Copyright ?? 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

The evolution of young silicic lavas at Medicine Lake Volcano, California: Implications for the origin of compositional gaps in calc-alkaline series lavas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grove, T.L.; Donnelly-Nolan, J. M.

1986-01-01

At Medicine Lake Volcano, California, the compositional gap between andesite (57-62 wt.% SiO2) and rhyolite (73-74 wt.% SiO2) has been generated by fractional crystallization. Assimilation of silicic crust has also occurred along with fractionation. Two varieties of inclusions found in Holocene rhyolite flows, hornblende gabbros and aphyric andesites, provide information on the crystallization path followed by lavas parental to the rhyolite. The hornblende gabbros are magmatic cumulate residues and their mineral assemblages are preserved evidence of the phases that crystallized from an andesitic precursor lava to generate the rhyolite lavas. The andesitic inclusions represent samples of a parental andesite and record the early part of the differentiation history. Olivine, plagioclase and augite crystallization begins the differentiation history, followed by the disappearance of olivine and augite through reaction with the liquid to form orthopyroxene and amphibole. Further crystallization of the assemblage plagioclase, amphibole, orthopyroxene, magnetite, and apatite from a high-SiO2 andesite leads to rhyolite. This final crystallization process occurs on a cotectic that is nearly horizontal in temperature-composition space. Since a large amount of crystallization occurs over a limited temperature interval, a compositional gap develops between rhyolite and high SiO2 andesite. Liquidus surfaces with shallow slopes in temperature-composition space are characteristic of several late-stage crystallization assemblages in the andesite to rhyolite compositional range. Experimentally produced plagioclase+ amphibole+orthopyroxene+magnetite and plagioclase+ augite+low-Ca pyroxene+magnetite cotectics have liquidus slopes that are nearly flat. At other calc-alkaline volcanic centers crystallization processes involving large compositional changes over small temperature intervals may also be important in the development of bimodal volcanism (i.e. the existence of a composition

Joint analysis of deformation, gravity, and lava lake elevation reveals temporal variations in lava lake density at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carbone, Daniele; Poland, Michael; Patrick, Matthew

2015-04-01

We find a tight correlation between (i) changes in lava level within the summit eruptive vent at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, observed for at least 2 years since early 2011, and (ii) ground deformation in the vicinity of the vent. The observed correlation indicates that changing pressure within the shallow magma reservoir feeding the lava lake influences both deformation and lava level. However, those two parameters are related to chamber pressure through different properties, namely, the density of the lava filling the vent (for the lava level) and the size/position of the reservoir plus the elastic parameters of the host rock (for the deformation). Joint analyses in the time and frequency domains of lava level (determined from thermal camera imagery of the lava lake) and tilt measured on a borehole instrument (~2 km from the summit vent) reveal a good correlation throughout the studied period. The highest correlation occurs over periods ranging between 1 and 20 days. The ratio between lava level and tilt is not constant over time, however. Using data from a continuously recording gravimeter located near the rim of the summit eruptive vent, we demonstrate that the tilt-lava level ratio is controlled by the fluctuations in the density of the lava inside the vent (i.e., its degree of vesicularity). A second continuous gravimeter was installed near the summit eruptive vent in 2014, providing a new observation point for gravity change associated with summit lava lave activity to test models developed from the previously existing instrument. In addition, a continuous gravimeter was installed on the rim of the Puu Oo eruptive vent on Kilauea's East Rift Zone in 2013. Puu Oo is connected via the subvolcanic magma plumbing system to the summit eruptive vent and often deforms in concert with the summit. This growing network of continuously recording gravimeters at Kilauea can be used to examine correlations in gravity change associated with variations in eruptive activity

Anaerobic decomposition of cellulose by alkaliphilic microbial community of Owens Lake, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pikuta, Elena V.; Itoh, Takashi; Hoover, Richard B.

2005-09-01

The study of alkaliphilic microbial communities from anaerobic sediments of Owens and Mono Lakes in California has established the presence of active microbial cellulolytic processes in both studied lakes. The prior study of the microbial diversity of anaerobes in Mono Lake showed that the trophic chain of organic decomposition includes secondary anaerobes that previously were found to be unknown species (Spirochaeta americana, Tindallia californiensis, and Desulfonatronum thiodismutans). As we published earlier, the secondary anaerobes of Owens Lake morphologically were found to be very similar to those of Mono Lake. However, detailed comparison of the physiology and genetics has led to the conclusion that some links of organic decomposition in the trophic chain of the Owens Lake community are represented by a different unknown species. A new isolate of a sugarlytics free-living spirochete from Owens Lake ASpC2, which morphologically was similar to S. americana AspG1T isolated from Mono Lake, was found to have a different metabolic capacity such as the lack of capability to produce hydrogen during the fermentation of sugars. Furthermore, from the same microbial community of Owens Lake, another sugarlytics spore-forming alkaliphilic strain SCA was isolated in pure culture and described. Here we discuss the universal structure of the microbial community, types of microbial communities, review some hypothesis about Earth's Primordial Ocean and relevant new discoveries about water on Mars. This paper also presents some of the characteristics of novel isolates from anaerobic sediments of Owens Lake as a unique relic ecosystem of Astrobiological significance, and describes the participation of these strains in the process of cellulose degradation.

Plio-pleistocene volcano-tectonic evolution of la Reforma Caldera, Baja California, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demant, Alain; Ortlieb, Luc

1981-01-01

La Reforma volcanic complex, in east-central Baja California, shows a characteristic caldera structure, 10 km in diameter. The first eruptive stage, during the Pliocene, was manifested by ash and pumice falls and by subaqueous pumitic flows. In a second stage basic flows were deposited in a near-shore environment (subaerial and pillow lavas). During the early Pleistocene a large ignimbritic eruption, producing mainly pantelleritic tuffs, immediately predated the formation of the caldera itself. Afterwards, along marginal fractures of the caldera, some rhyolitic domes and flows partially covered the thick ignimbritic sheet. A block of Miocene substratum, in the center of the caldera, has been uplifted, nearly 1 km, by "resurgent doming". Small outcrops of diorite might constitute the top of coarse-grained crystallized magmatic bodies, and thus support the "resurgent doming" interpretation. A few basaltic cones were finally built on the flanks of the caldera complex; the latter are not related to the caldera history but to the extension tectonics of the Gulf of California which are also responsible for the Tortuga Island and the Holocene Tres Virgenes tholeiitic cones. South of la Reforma are found the highest (+300 m) Pleistocene marine deposits of the Gulf coast of Baja California. The uplift of this area is due in part to the positive epeirogenic movements of the whole peninsular crustal block, and also to the late doming of the caldera. On the coastal (eastern) flank of La Reforma complex up to seven stepped wave-cut terraces have been preserved, the highest reaching more than +150 m and the lowest ones +25 m. Lateral correlations of the marine terraces along the whole Gulf of California suggest that this volcano-tectonic uplift, that is still active, is of the order of 240 mm/10 3 y. The set of terraces is interpreted to be Middle (700-125 × 10 3y) to Upper (125-80 × 10 3y) Pleistocene, and is tentatively correlated with the paleoclimatic chronology of deep

Crew escape system test at Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

As part of a crew escape system (CES) test program, a lifelike dummy is pulled by a tractor rocket from an airborne Convair-240 (C-240) aircraft at Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, California. A P-3 chase plane accompanies the C-240. The C-240 was modified with a space shuttle side hatch mockup for the tests which will evaluate candidate concepts developed to provide crew egress capability during Space Shuttle controlled gliding flight.

Volcano hazard mitigation program in Indonesia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sudradjat, A.

1990-01-01

Volcanological investigations in Indonesia were started in the 18th century, when Valentijn in 1726 prepared a chronological report of the eruption of Banda Api volcno, Maluku. Modern and intensive volcanological studies did not begin until the catastrophic eruption of Kelut volcano, East Java, in 1919. The eruption took 5,011 lives and destroyed thousands of acres of coffee plantation. An eruption lahar generated by the crater lake water mixed with volcanic eruptions products was the cause of death for a high number of victims. An effort to mitigate the danger from volcanic eruption was first initiated in 1921 by constructing a tunnel to drain the crater lake water of Kelut volcano. At the same time a Volcanological Survey was established by the government with the responsibility of seeking every means for minimizing the hazard caused by volcanic eruption. 

Water Quality Investigations at Lake Merritt in Oakland, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, G.; Casino, C.; Johnson, K.; Huang, J.; Le, A.; Truisi, V. M.; Turner, D.; Yanez, F.; Yu, J. F.; Unigarro, M.; Vue, G.; Garduno, L.; Cuff, K.

2005-12-01

Lake Merritt is a saltwater tidal lagoon that forms a portion of a wildlife refuge in downtown Oakland, California. The general area was designated as the nation's first wildlife refuge in 1869, and is currently the home to over 90 species of migrating waterfowl, as well as a variety of aquatic wildlife. Situated within an area composed of compacted marine sediment located near the center of Oakland, Lake Merritt also serves as a major local catchment basin, receiving significant urban runoff from a 4,650 acre local watershed through 60 storm drains and four culverted creeks. Due to factors related to its geographical location, Lake Merritt has suffered from poor water quality at various times throughout its history. In fact, in May of 1999 the US Environmental Protection Agency designated Lake Merritt as a body of water whose beneficial uses are impaired, mainly due to high levels of trash and low levels of dissolved oxygen. As a contribution to continuing efforts to monitor and assess water quality of the Lake, we began a water quality investigation during the Summer of 2005, which included the measurement of dissolved oxygen concentrations of samples collected near its surface at over 85 different locations. These measurements were made using a sensor attached to a PASCO data- logger. The sensor measures the electric current produced by a chemical reaction in its probe, which is composed of a platinum cathode and a silver anode surrounded by an electrolyte solution. Results of these measurements were statistically analyzed, mapped, and then used in assessing the quality of Lake Merritt's water, particularly in relation to supporting aquatic biota. Preliminary analysis of results obtained so far indicates that the highest quality waters in Lake Merritt occur in areas that are closest to a source of San Francisco Bay water, as well as those areas nearby where water circulation is robust. Significantly high levels of dissolved oxygen were measured in an area that

Tsunami-generated sediment wave channels at Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, James G.; Schweickert, Richard A.; Kitts, Christopher A.

2014-01-01

A gigantic ∼12 km3 landslide detached from the west wall of Lake Tahoe (California-Nevada, USA), and slid 15 km east across the lake. The splash, or tsunami, from this landslide eroded Tioga-age moraines dated as 21 ka. Lake-bottom short piston cores recovered sediment as old as 12 ka that did not reach landslide deposits, thereby constraining the landslide age as 21–12 ka.Movement of the landslide splashed copious water onto the countryside and lowered the lake level ∼10 m. The sheets of water that washed back into the lake dumped their sediment load at the lowered shoreline, producing deltas that merged into delta terraces. During rapid growth, these unstable delta terraces collapsed, disaggregated, and fed turbidity currents that generated 15 subaqueous sediment wave channel systems that ring the lake and descend to the lake floor at 500 m depth. Sheets of water commonly more than 2 km wide at the shoreline fed these systems. Channels of the systems contain sediment waves (giant ripple marks) with maximum wavelengths of 400 m. The lower depositional aprons of the system are surfaced by sediment waves with maximum wavelengths of 300 m.A remarkably similar, though smaller, contemporary sediment wave channel system operates at the mouth of the Squamish River in British Columbia. The system is generated by turbidity currents that are fed by repeated growth and collapse of the active river delta. The Tahoe splash-induced backwash was briefly equivalent to more than 15 Squamish Rivers in full flood and would have decimated life in low-lying areas of the Tahoe region.

Geohydrology and evapotranspiration at Franklin Lake playa, Inyo County, California

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

Czarnecki, J.B.

1997-12-31

Franklin Lake playa is one of the principal discharge areas of the Furnace Creek Ranch-Alkali Flat ground-water-flow system in southern Nevada and adjacent California. Yucca Mountain, Nevada, located within this flow system, is being evaluated by the US Department of Energy to determine its suitability as a potential site for a high-level nuclear-waste repository. To assist the U.S. Department of Energy with its evaluation of the Yucca Mountain site, the US Geological Survey developed a parameter-estimation model of the Furnace Creek Ranch-Alkali Flat ground-water-flow system. Results from sensitivity analyses made using the parameter-estimation model indicated that simulated rates of evapotranspirationmore » at Franklin Lake playa had the largest effect on the calculation of transmissivity values at Yucca Mountain of all the model-boundary conditions and, therefore, that evapotranspiration required careful definition.« less

Space Radar Image of Taal Volcano, Philippines

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-01

This is an image of Taal volcano, near Manila on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The black area in the center is Taal Lake, which nearly fills the 30-kilometer-diameter (18-mile) caldera. The caldera rim consists of deeply eroded hills and cliffs. The large island in Taal Lake, which itself contains a crater lake, is known as Volcano Island. The bright yellow patch on the southwest side of the island marks the site of an explosion crater that formed during a deadly eruption of Taal in 1965. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on its 78th orbit on October 5, 1994. The image shows an area approximately 56 kilometers by 112 kilometers (34 miles by 68 miles) that is centered at 14.0 degrees north latitude and 121.0 degrees east longitude. North is toward the upper right of the image. The colors in this image were obtained using the following radar channels: red represents the L-band (horizontally transmitted and received); green represents the L-band (horizontally transmitted and vertically received); blue represents the C-band (horizontally transmitted and vertically received). Since 1572, Taal has erupted at least 34 times. Since early 1991, the volcano has been restless, with swarms of earthquakes, new steaming areas, ground fracturing, and increases in water temperature of the lake. Volcanologists and other local authorities are carefully monitoring Taal to understand if the current activity may foretell an eruption. Taal is one of 15 "Decade Volcanoes" that have been identified by the volcanology community as presenting large potential hazards to population centers. The bright area in the upper right of the image is the densely populated city of Manila, only 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of the central crater. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01768

High spatio-temporal resolution observations of crater-lake temperatures at Kawah Ijen volcano, East Java, Indonesia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewicki, Jennifer L.; Corentin Caudron,; Vincent van Hinsberg,; George Hilley,

2016-01-01

The crater lake of Kawah Ijen volcano, East Java, Indonesia, has displayed large and rapid changes in temperature at point locations during periods of unrest, but measurement techniques employed to-date have not resolved how the lake’s thermal regime has evolved over both space and time. We applied a novel approach for mapping and monitoring variations in crater-lake apparent surface (“skin”) temperatures at high spatial (~32 cm) and temporal (every two minutes) resolution at Kawah Ijen on 18 September 2014. We used a ground-based FLIR T650sc camera with digital and thermal infrared (TIR) sensors from the crater rim to collect (1) a set of visible imagery around the crater during the daytime and (2) a time series of co-located visible and TIR imagery at one location from pre-dawn to daytime. We processed daytime visible imagery with the Structure-from-Motion photogrammetric method to create a digital elevation model onto which the time series of TIR imagery was orthorectified and georeferenced. Lake apparent skin temperatures typically ranged from ~21 to 33oC. At two locations, apparent skin temperatures were ~ 4 and 7 oC less than in-situ lake temperature measurements at 1.5 and 5 m depth, respectively. These differences, as well as the large spatio-temporal variations observed in skin temperatures, were likely largely associated with atmospheric effects such as evaporative cooling of the lake surface and infrared absorption by water vapor and SO2. Calculations based on orthorectified TIR imagery thus yielded underestimates of volcanic heat fluxes into the lake, whereas volcanic heat fluxes estimated based on in-situ temperature measurements (68 to 111 MW) were likely more representative of Kawah Ijen in a quiescent state. The ground-based imaging technique should provide a valuable tool to continuously monitor crater-lake temperatures and contribute insight into the spatio-temporal evolution of these temperatures associated with volcanic activity.

The Honey Lake fault zone, northeastern California: Its nature, age, and displacement

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

Wagner, D.L.; Saucedo, G.J.; Grose, T.L.T.

The Honey Lake fault zone of northeastern California is composed of en echelon, northwest trending faults that form the boundary between the Sierra Nevada and the Basin Ranges provinces. As such the Honey Lake fault zone can be considered part of the Sierra Nevada frontal fault system. It is also part of the Walker Lane of Nevada. Faults of the Honey Lake zone are vertical with right-lateral oblique displacements. The cumulative vertical component of displacement along the fault zone is on the order of 800 m and right-lateral displacement is at least 10 km (6 miles) but could be considerablymore » more. Oligocene to Miocene (30 to 22 Ma) age rhyolite tuffs can be correlated across the zone, but mid-Miocene andesites do not appear to be correlative indicating the faulting began in early to mid-Miocene time. Volcanic rocks intruded along faults of the zone, dated at 16 to 8 Ma, further suggest that faulting in the Honey Lake zone was initiated during mid-Miocene time. Late Quaternary to Holocene activity is indicated by offset of the 12,000 year old Lake Lahontan high stand shoreline and the surface rupture associated with the 1950 Fort Sage earthquake.« less

Geochemistry of ikaite formation at Mono Lake, California: Implications for the origin of tufa mounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Council, Todd C.; Bennett, Philip C.

1993-11-01

The mineral ikaite (CaCO3 ṡ 6H2O), not previously observed in lake environments, precipitates seasonally along the shore of Mono Lake, California, where Ca-HCO3 spring water mixes with cold Na-CO3 lake water. During the winter, cold water temperatures and high concentrations of PO43- and organic carbon inhibit calcite precipitation, allowing the metastable ikaite to form. During the spring warming, however, ikaite decomposes to form calcium carbonate and water, occasionally leaving pseudomorphs of the primary precipitate. The identification of modern ikaite suggests that both Pleistocene and Holocene tufas in the Mono basin originally precipitated as ikaite. This mineral may also form in other lake environments, but rapid recrystallization after warming destroys the physical, chemical, and isotopic evidence of formation, and alters the geochemical record.

Free-electron laser power beaming to satellites at China Lake, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, Harold E.; Rather, John D.; Montgomery, Edward E.

1994-05-01

Laser power beaming of energy through the atmosphere to a satellite can extend its lifetime by maintaining the satellite batteries in operating condition. An alternate propulsion system utilizing power beaming will also significantly reduce the initial insertion cost of these satellites, which now are as high as $72,000/lb for geosynchronous orbit. Elements of the power beaming system are a high-power laser, a large diameter telescope to reduce diffractive losses, an adaptive optic beam conditioning system and possibly a balloon or aerostat carrying a large mirror to redirect the laser beam to low earth orbit satellites after it has traversed most of the earth's atmosphere vertically. China Lake, California has excellent seeing, averages 260 cloud-free days/year, has the second largest geothermal plant in the United States nearby for power, groundwater from the lake for cooling water, and is at the center of one of the largest restricted airspaces in the United States. It is an ideal site for such a laser power beaming system. Technological challenges in building such a system and installing it at China Lake are discussed.

SRTM Perspective View with Landsat Overlay: Ventura, and Lake Casitas, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

Ventura, California is one of this state's oldest cities. Officially known as San Buenaventura, it was established in 1782 with the founding of the Mission San Buenaventura, the ninth of the 21 Spanish missions founded in California. In this perspective view generated from SRTM elevation data, the city can be seen occupying the shore of the Pacific Ocean and the nearby foothills. Lake Casitas, a reservoir and popular recreation area, is the dark blue feature in the center of the image. Holding back the 313,000 megaliter (254,000 acre-feet) storage capacity of the reservoir and visible as a very bright feature foreground of the lake, is the Casitas Dam, a 102-meter(334-foot) Earth fill dam. The reservoir and dam were built between 1956 and 1959 for the Federal Bureau of Reclamation's Ventura River Project. In addition to recreational use, Lake Casitas provides irrigation, municipal and industrial water to urban and suburban areas in Ventura County. For visualization purposes, topographic heights displayed in this image are exaggerated two times.

The elevation data used in this image was acquired by SRTM aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of Earth's land surface. To collect the 3-D SRTM data, engineers added a mast 60 meters (about 200 feet)long, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between the NASA, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) of the U.S. Department of Defense, and the German and Italian space agencies. It is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise,Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena

Mono Lake excursion recorded in sediment of the Santa Clara Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mankinen, Edward A.; Wentworth, Carl M.

2004-01-01

Two intervals recording anomalous paleomagnetic inclinations were encountered in the top 40 meters of research drill hole CCOC in the Santa Clara Valley, California. The younger of these two intervals has an age of 28,090 ± 330 radiocarbon years B.P. (calibrated age ∼32.8 ka). This age is in excellent agreement with the latest estimate for the Mono Lake excursion at the type locality and confirms that the excursion has been recorded by sediment in the San Francisco Bay region. The age of an anomalous inclination change below the Mono Lake excursion was not directly determined, but estimates of sedimentation rates indicate that the geomagnetic behavior it represents most likely occurred during the Mono Lake/Laschamp time interval (∼45–28 ka). If true, it may represent one of several recurring fluctuations of magnetic inclination during an interval of a weak geomagnetic dipole, behavior noted in other studies in the region.

Annual Conference of Southern California and Arizona Community College Superintendents and Presidents (Lake Arrowhead Conference Center, California, October 6-8, 1970).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Univ., Los Angeles. Junior Coll. Leadership Program.

An address on "Public Confidence in Higher Education" by the chairman of the board of the Bank of America opended the 1970 Lake Arrowhead Conference of Southern California and Arizona community college superintendents and presidents. A summary of this speech and the questions and answers that followed it are included here. Comments from conference…

Southern California climate, hydrology and vegetation over the past ~96 ka from Baldwin Lake, San Bernardino Mountains, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glover, K. C.; Kirby, M. E.; Rhodes, E. J.; Silveira, E.; Stevens, L. R.; Lydon, S. E.; Whitaker, A.; MacDonald, G. M.

2015-12-01

Continuous paleoclimate records are scarce from terrestrial sites in Southern California beyond the Last Glacial Period (i.e. Marine Isotope Stage 2, MIS 2). Baldwin Lake in the Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino Mountains (SBM), is a playa lake in the ecotone between desert and Mediterranean climate and vegetation. We recovered a 27 m core from the site in 2012, which spans ~96 - 10 ka, based upon radiocarbon dating, infrared stimulated luminescence dating, and orbital tuning. Total organic content, total carbonate content, density, magnetic susceptibility, x-ray fluorescence, and grain size data show a lake system that responded in tandem with Marine Isotope State transitions. After the basin closed during MIS 5b, Baldwin Lake was productive for MIS 5a, then cycled through an inorganic phase to a highly organic lowstand by the end of MIS 4. A stratified lake of rapidly-deposited organic silt prevailed throughout MIS 3, then shifted to an inorganic, slow sedimentation regime during MIS 2. Paleoecological data (charcoal and fossil pollen) suggest that the Valley was most prone to wildfire during climate transitions (e.g. the end of the Last Glacial Maximum, ~21 ka). Forest cover was dominated by pine for much of the basin's history, save for the dry period at the onset of MIS 2, and a greater presence of oak woodland at the beginning of MIS 3. The reduced pine cover and increased sagebrush steppe in early MIS 2 suggests a more arid landscape of sagebrush steppe c. 29 - 25 ka, before reverting to wet conditions by the LGM. Throughout MIS 5a - 2, lake organic content fluctuates in tandem with solar radiation values; a possible link between lake productivity and insolation is currently being explored with biogenic silica (BiSi) analysis. The lake was desiccated by ~10 ka, perhaps driven by increasing insolation rates at the onset of MIS 1.

The Volcano Adventure Guide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopes, Rosaly

2005-02-01

This guide contains vital information for anyone wishing to visit, explore, and photograph active volcanoes safely and enjoyably. Following an introduction that discusses eruption styles of different types of volcanoes and how to prepare for an exploratory trip that avoids volcanic dangers, the book presents guidelines to visiting 42 different volcanoes around the world. It is filled with practical information that includes tour itineraries, maps, transportation details, and warnings of possible non-volcanic dangers. Three appendices direct the reader to a wealth of further volcano resources in a volume that will fascinate amateur enthusiasts and professional volcanologists alike. Rosaly Lopes is a planetary geology and volcanology specialist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. In addition to her curatorial and research work, she has lectured extensively in England and Brazil and written numerous popular science articles. She received a Latinas in Science Award from the Comision Feminil Mexicana Nacional in 1991 and since 1992, has been a co-organizer of the United Nations/European Space Agency/The Planetary Society yearly conferences on Basic Science for the Benefit of Developing Countries.

Ensemble Flow Forecasts for Risk Based Reservoir Operations of Lake Mendocino in Mendocino County, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delaney, C.; Hartman, R. K.; Mendoza, J.; Evans, K. M.; Evett, S.

2016-12-01

Forecast informed reservoir operations (FIRO) is a methodology that incorporates short to mid-range precipitation or flow forecasts to inform the flood operations of reservoirs. Previous research and modeling for flood control reservoirs has shown that FIRO can reduce flood risk and increase water supply for many reservoirs. The risk-based method of FIRO presents a unique approach that incorporates flow forecasts made by NOAA's California-Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC) to model and assess risk of meeting or exceeding identified management targets or thresholds. Forecasted risk is evaluated against set risk tolerances to set reservoir flood releases. A water management model was developed for Lake Mendocino, a 116,500 acre-foot reservoir located near Ukiah, California. Lake Mendocino is a dual use reservoir, which is owned and operated for flood control by the United State Army Corps of Engineers and is operated by the Sonoma County Water Agency for water supply. Due to recent changes in the operations of an upstream hydroelectric facility, this reservoir has been plagued with water supply reliability issues since 2007. FIRO is applied to Lake Mendocino by simulating daily hydrologic conditions from 1985 to 2010 in the Upper Russian River from Lake Mendocino to the City of Healdsburg approximately 50 miles downstream. The risk-based method is simulated using a 15-day, 61 member streamflow hindcast by the CNRFC. Model simulation results of risk-based flood operations demonstrate a 23% increase in average end of water year (September 30) storage levels over current operations. Model results show no increase in occurrence of flood damages for points downstream of Lake Mendocino. This investigation demonstrates that FIRO may be a viable flood control operations approach for Lake Mendocino and warrants further investigation through additional modeling and analysis.

Mercury levels, reproduction, and hematology in western grebes from three California Lakes, USA

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

Elbert, R.A.; Anderson, D.W.

1998-02-01

Twenty-three healthy adult western and Clark`s grebes (Aechmorphorus occidentalis and Aechmorphorus clarkii) were collected at three study sites in California, USA, in 1992: Clear Lake, Lake County; Eagle Lake, Lassen County; and Tule Lake, Siskiyou County. Liver, kidney, breast muscle, and brain were analyzed for total mercury (Hg) concentration (ppm wet weight), and blood was analyzed for various blood parameters. Clear Lake birds had greater Hg concentrations in kidney, breast muscle, and brain than birds from the other two lakes whereas liver concentrations were not statistically different. Average concentrations for Clear Lake birds were 2.74 ppm for liver, 2.06 ppmmore » for kidney, 1.06 ppm for breast muscle, and 0.28 ppm for brain. The tissue levels of kidney, breast muscle, and brain at the other two study sites were one half the levels found at Clear Lake. These mean tissue levels were near, but below, those known to cause adverse effects. When data from all sites were merged, kidney, breast muscle, and brain concentrations are positively correlated to each other. Liver concentrations were not correlated to any other value. Brain Hg concentrations were also negatively correlated to blood potassium and blood phosphorus levels. Kidney Hg levels were positively correlated to percent blood heterophils and negatively correlated to percent eosinophils, suggesting that mercury levels might be affecting immune function. These biomarkers could not be related to any obvious ecological effects.« less

Lahar hazards at Mombacho Volcano, Nicaragua

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vallance, J.W.; Schilling, S.P.; Devoli, G.

2001-01-01

Mombacho volcano, at 1,350 meters, is situated on the shores of Lake Nicaragua and about 12 kilometers south of Granada, a city of about 90,000 inhabitants. Many more people live a few kilometers southeast of Granada in 'las Isletas de Granada and the nearby 'Peninsula de Aseses. These areas are formed of deposits of a large debris avalanche (a fast moving avalanche of rock and debris) from Mombacho. Several smaller towns with population, in the range of 5,000 to 12,000 inhabitants are to the northwest and the southwest of Mombacho volcano. Though the volcano has apparently not been active in historical time, or about the last 500 years, it has the potential to produce landslides and debris flows (watery flows of mud, rock, and debris -- also known as lahars when they occur on a volcano) that could inundate these nearby populated areas. -- Vallance, et.al., 2001

Limnological study of Shasta Lake, Shasta County, California, with emphasis on the effects of the 1977 drought

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rettig, S.A.; Bortleson, Gilbert C.

1983-01-01

An intensive limnological study of Shasta Lake was made in conjunction with the California Department of Water Resources during the 1977 drought. Water-quality data were collected from March 1977 through September 1978 at six lake stations and four lake tributary stations. Data collected during and after the drought were compared. Lake water quality is described as a function of lake morphometry, climate, hydrology, and reservoir hydraulics. Results indicate Shasta Lake is a warm monomictic lake. Tributary inflow to the lake and outflow through the dam generate density currents which promote mixing at depth and the development of an extensive metalimnion. During the drought, record low lake levels resulted in the exposure of an extensive nearshore sediment zone. Resuspended sediments caused a deterioration of water quality. The most notable effects, in comparison with post-drought conditions, were decreased light penetration, increased dissolved-solids concentration and specific conductance, decreased dissolved-oxygen concentrations, and elevated nutrient levels. A hypolimnetic anoxic condition was observed at the upstream stations of the lake. (USGS)

Spatiotemporal trends in fish mercury from a mine-dominated ecosystem: Clear Lake, California.

PubMed

Suchanek, Thomas H; Eagles-Smith, Collin A; Slotton, Darell G; Harner, E James; Colwell, Arthur E; Anderson, Norman L; Mullen, Lauri H; Flanders, John R; Adam, David P; McElroy, Kenneth J

2008-12-01

Clear Lake, California, USA, receives acid mine drainage and mercury (Hg) from the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) Superfund Site that was active intermittently from 1873 to 1957 and partially remediated in 1992. Mercury concentrations were analyzed primarily in four species of Clear Lake fishes: inland silversides (Menidia beryllina, planktivore), common carp (Cyprinus carpio, benthic scavenger/omnivore), channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus, benthic omnivorous predator), and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides, piscivorous top predator). These data represent one of the largest fish Hg data sets for a single site, especially in California. Spatially, total Hg (TotHg) in silversides and bass declined with distance from the mine, indicating that the mine site represents a point source for Hg loading to Clear Lake. Temporally, fish Hg has not declined significantly over 12 years since mine site remediation. Mercury concentrations were variable throughout the study period, with no monotonic trends of increase or decrease, except those correlated with boom and bust cycles of an introduced fish, threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense). However, stochastic events such as storms also influence juvenile largemouth bass Hg as evidenced during an acid mine drainage overflow event in 1995. Compared to other sites regionally and nationally, most fish in Clear Lake exhibit Hg concentrations similar to other Hg-contaminated sites, up to approximately 2.0 mg/kg wet mass (WM) TotHg in largemouth bass. However, even these elevated concentrations are less than would be anticipated from such high inorganic Hg loading to the lake. Mercury in some Clear Lake largemouth bass exceeded all human health fish consumption guidelines established over the past 25 years by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (1.0 mg/kg WM), the National Academy of Sciences (0.5 mg/kg WM), and the U.S. EPA (0.3 mg/kg WM). Mercury in higher trophic level fishes

Subaqueous geology and a filling model for Crater Lake, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nathenson, M.; Bacon, C.R.; Ramsey, D.W.

2007-01-01

Results of a detailed bathymetric survey of Crater Lake conducted in 2000, combined with previous results of submersible and dredge sampling, form the basis for a geologic map of the lake floor and a model for the filling of Crater Lake with water. The most prominent landforms beneath the surface of Crater Lake are andesite volcanoes that were active as the lake was filling with water, following caldera collapse during the climactic eruption of Mount Mazama 7700 cal. yr B.P. The Wizard Island volcano is the largest and probably was active longest, ceasing eruptions when the lake was 80 m lower than present. East of Wizard Island is the central platform volcano and related lava flow fields on the caldera floor. Merriam Cone is a symmetrical andesitic volcano that apparently was constructed subaqueously during the same period as the Wizard Island and central platform volcanoes. The youngest postcaldera volcanic feature is a small rhyodacite dome on the east flank of the Wizard Island edifice that dates from 4800 cal. yr B.P. The bathymetry also yields information on bedrock outcrops and talus/debris slopes of the caldera walls. Gravity flows transport sediment from wall sources to the deep basins of the lake. Several debris-avalanche deposits, containing blocks up to 280 m long, are present on the caldera floor and occur below major embayments in the caldera walls. Geothermal phenomena on the lake floor are bacterial mats, pools of solute-rich warm water, and fossil subaqueous hot spring deposits. Lake level is maintained by a balance between precipitation and inflow versus evaporation and leakage. High-resolution bathymetry reveals a series of up to nine drowned beaches in the upper 30 m of the lake that we propose reflect stillstands subsequent to filling of Crater Lake. A prominent wave-cut platform between 4 m depth and present lake level that commonly is up to 40 m wide suggests that the surface of Crater Lake has been at this elevation for a very long time

Volcano-tectonic structures and CO2-degassing patterns in the Laacher See basin, Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goepel, Andreas; Lonschinski, Martin; Viereck, Lothar; Büchel, Georg; Kukowski, Nina

2015-07-01

The Laacher See Volcano is the youngest (12,900 year BP) eruption center of the Quarternary East-Eifel Volcanic Field in Germany and has formed Laacher See, the largest volcanic lake in the Eifel area. New bathymetric data of Laacher See were acquired by an echo sounder system and merged with topographic light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data of the Laacher See Volcano area to form an integrated digital elevation model. This model provides detailed morphological information about the volcano basin and results of sediment transport therein. Morphological analysis of Laacher See Volcano indicates a steep inner crater wall (slope up to 30°) which opens to the south. The Laacher See basin is divided into a deep northern and a shallower southern part. The broader lower slopes inclined with up to 25° change to the almost flat central part (maximum water depth of 51 m) with a narrow transition zone. Erosion processes of the crater wall result in deposition of volcaniclastics as large deltas in the lake basin. A large subaqueous slide was identified at the northeastern part of the lake. CO2-degassing vents (wet mofettes) of Laacher See were identified by a single-beam echo sounder system through gas bubbles in the water column. These are more frequent in the northern part of the lake, where wet mofettes spread in a nearly circular-shaped pattern, tracing the crater rim of the northern eruption center of the Laacher See Volcano. Additionally, preferential paths for gas efflux distributed concentrically inside the crater rim are possibly related to volcano-tectonic faults. In the southern part of Laacher See, CO2 vents occur in a high spatial density only within the center of the arc-shaped structure Barschbuckel possibly tracing the conduit of a tuff ring.

Studies of quaternary saline lakes-II. Isotopic and compositional changes during desiccation of the brines in Owens Lake, California, 1969-1971

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friedman, I.; Smith, G.I.; Hardcastle, Kenneth G.

1976-01-01

Owens Lake is an alkaline salt lake in a closed basin in southeast California. It is normally nearly dry, but in early 1969, an abnormal runoff from the Sierra Nevada flooded it to a maximum depth of 2??4 m. By late summer of 1971, the lake was again nearly dry and the dissolved salts recrystallized. Changes in the chemistry, pH, and deuterium content were monitored during desiccation. During flooding, salts (mostly trona, halite, and burkeite) dissolved slowly from the lake floor. Their concentration in the lake waters increased as evaporation removed water and salts again crystallized, but winter temperatures caused precipitation of some salts and the following summer warming caused their solution, resulting in seasonal variations in the concentration patterns of some ions. The pH values (9??4-10??4) changed with time but showed no detectable diurnal pattern. The deuterium concentration increased during evaporation and appeared to be in equilibrium with vapor leaving the lake according to the Rayleigh equation. The effective ??(D/H in liquid/D/H in vapor) decreased as salinity increased; the earliest measured value was 1??069 [as total dissolved solids (TDS) of lake waters changed from 136,200 to 250,400 mg/1]and the last value (calc.) was 1??025 (as TDS changed from 450,000 to 470,300 mg/1). Deuterium exchange with the atmosphere was apparently small except during late desiccation stages when the isotopic contrast became great. Eventually, atmospheric exchange, combined with decreasing ?? and lake size and increasing salinity, stopped further deuterium concentration in the lake. The maximum contrast between atmospheric vapor and lake deuterium contents was about 110%. ?? 1976.

Free-electron laser power beaming to satellites at China Lake, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, Harold E.; Rather, John D.; Montgomery, Edward E.

1994-05-01

Laser power beaming of energy through the atmosphere to a satellite can extend its lifetime by maintaining the satellite batteries in operating condition. An alternate propulsion system utilizing power beaming will also significantly reduce the initial insertion cost of these satellites, which now are as high as $DLR72,000/lb for geosynchronous orbit. Elements of the power beaming system are a high-power laser, a large diameter telescope to reduce diffractive losses, an adaptive optic beam conditioning system and possibly a balloon or aerostat carrying a large mirror to redirect the laser beam to low earth orbit satellites after it has traversed most of the earth's atmosphere vertically. China Lake, California has excellent seeing, averages 260 cloud-free days/year, has the second largest geothermal plant in the United States nearby for power, groundwater from the lake for cooling water, and is at the center of one of the largest restricted airspaces in the United States. It is an ideal site for such a laser power beaming system. Technological challenges in building such a system and installing it at China Lake will be discussed.

Evidence for nutrient enrichment of high-elevation lakes in the Sierra Nevada, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sickman, James O.; Melack, John M.; Clow, David W.

2003-01-01

Long-term measurements (1983-2001) of nutrients and seston in Emerald Lake (Sierra Nevada, California) have revealed ecologically significant patterns. Nitrate, both during spring runoff and during growing seasons, declined from 1983 through 1995. Declining snowmelt nitrate was caused primarily by changes in snow regime induced by the 1987-1992 drought: years with shallow, early melting snowpacks had lower snowmelt nitrate concentrations owing to less labile N production in catchment soils and longer plant growing seasons. However, nitrate declines during growing seasons carried through the wetter years of 1993-2000 and are likely the result of increased P loading to the lake and the release of phytoplankton from P limitation. Contemporaneous with these changes was an increase in algal biomass and a shift from P limitation toward more frequent N limitation of phytoplankton abundance. Particulate carbon concentrations in the late 1990s were two- to threefold greater than in the early 1980s. These trends were reflected in a larger set of Sierra Nevada lakes sampled as part of synoptic surveys (n = 28). Between 1985 and 1999, nitrate decreased and total P increased in >70% of the lakes sampled. Our data suggest that lakes throughout the Sierra Nevada are experiencing measurable eutrophication in response to the atmospheric deposition of nutrients.

Newberry Volcano's youngest lava flows

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, Joel E.; Donnelly-Nolan, Julie M.; Jensen, Robert A.

2015-01-01

The central caldera is visible in the lower right corner of the center map, outlined by the black dashed line. The caldera collapsed about 75,000 years ago when massive explosions sent volcanic ash as far as the San Francisco Bay area and created a 3,000-ft-deep hole in the center of the volcano. The caldera is now partly refilled by Paulina and East Lakes, and the byproducts from younger eruptions, including Newberry Volcano’s youngest rhyolitic lavas, shown in red and orange. The majority of Newberry Volcano’s many lava flows and cinder cones are blanketed by as much as 5 feet of volcanic ash from the catastrophic eruption of Mount Mazama that created Crater Lake caldera approximately 7,700 years ago. This ash supports abundant tree growth and obscures the youthful appearance of Newberry Volcano. Only the youngest volcanic vents and lava flows are well exposed and unmantled by volcanic ash. More than one hundred of these young volcanic vents and lava flows erupted 7,000 years ago during Newberry Volcano’s northwest rift zone eruption.

Gas exchange on Mono Lake and Crowley Lake, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wanninkhof, Rik; Ledwell, James R.; Broecker, Wallace S.

1987-01-01

Gas exchange coefficients (k) have been determined for freshwater Crowley Lake and saline Mono Lake through the use of a man-made purposefully injected gas, SF6. The concentration decreased from an initial value of 40 to 4 pmol/L for Mono Lake and from 20 to 1 pmol/L for Crowley lake over a period of 6 wks. Wind-speed (u) records from anemometers on the shore of each lake made it possible to determine the relationship between k and u. The average u and k values for the experiment were identical for the two lakes, despite the large chemical differences. It is estimated that, for the u values observed over Mono Lake from July to December 1984, the exchange of CO2 occurred 2.5 times faster than without chemical enhancement. This is a factor of 4 lower than needed to explain the high invasion rate of C-14 produced by nuclear bomb tests.

Three active volcanoes in China and their hazards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, H.; Sparks, R. S. J.; Liu, R.; Fan, Q.; Wang, Y.; Hong, H.; Zhang, H.; Chen, H.; Jiang, C.; Dong, J.; Zheng, Y.; Pan, Y.

2003-02-01

The active volcanoes in China are located in the Changbaishan area, Jingbo Lake, Wudalianchi, Tengchong and Yutian. Several of these volcanoes have historical records of eruption and geochronological evidence of Holocene activity. Tianchi Volcano is a well-preserved Cenozoic polygenetic central volcano, and, due to its recent history of powerful explosive eruptions of felsic magmas, with over 100,000 people living on its flanks is a high-risk volcano. Explosive eruptions at 4000 and 1000 years BP involved plinian and ignimbrite phases. The Millennium eruption (1000 years BP) involved at least 20-30 km 3 of magma and was large enough to have a global impact. There are 14 Cenozoic monogenetic scoria cones and associated lavas with high-K basalt composition in the Wudalianchi volcanic field. The Laoheishan and Huoshaoshan cones and related lavas were formed in 1720-1721 and 1776 AD. There are three Holocene volcanoes, Dayingshan, Maanshan, and Heikongshan, among the 68 Quaternary volcanoes in the Tengchong volcanic province. Three of these volcanoes are identified as active, based on geothermal activity, geophysical evidence for magma, and dating of young volcanic rocks. Future eruptions of these Chinese volcanoes pose a significant threat to hundreds of thousands of people and are likely to cause substantial economic losses.

A water-quality reconnaissance of Big Bear Lake, San Bernardino County, California, 1972-1973

USGS Publications Warehouse

Irwin, George A.; Lemons, Michael

1974-01-01

A water-quality reconnaissance study of the Big Bear Lake area in southern California was made by the U.S. Geological Survey from April 1972 through April 1973. The primary purpose of the study was to measure the concentration and distribution of selected primary nutrients, organic carbon, dissolved oxygen, phytoplankton, and water temperature in the lake. Estimates of the nitrogen, phosphorus, and silica loading to the lake from surface-water tributaries and precipitation were also made.Results of the study indicate that Big Bear Lake is moderately eutrophic, at least in regard to nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic content. Nitrate was found in either trace concentrations or below detectable limits; however, ammonia nitrogen was usually detected in concentrations greater than 0.05 milligrams per liter. Orthophosphate phosphorus was detected in mean concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 0.05 milligrams per liter. Organic nitrogen and phosphorus were also detected in measurable concentrations.Seasonal levels of dissolved oxygen indicated that the nutrients and other controlling factors were optimum for relatively high primary productivity. However, production varied both seasonally and areally in the lake. Primary productivity seemed highest in the eastern and middle parts of the lake. The middle and western parts of the lake exhibited severe oxygen deficits in the deeper water during the warmer summer months of June and July 1972.

Volcano geodesy in the Cascade arc, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poland, Michael P.; Lisowski, Michael; Dzurisin, Daniel; Kramer, Rebecca; McLay, Megan; Pauk, Ben

2017-08-01

Experience during historical time throughout the Cascade arc and the lack of deep-seated deformation prior to the two most recent eruptions of Mount St. Helens might lead one to infer that Cascade volcanoes are generally quiescent and, specifically, show no signs of geodetic change until they are about to erupt. Several decades of geodetic data, however, tell a different story. Ground- and space-based deformation studies have identified surface displacements at five of the 13 major Cascade arc volcanoes that lie in the USA (Mount Baker, Mount St. Helens, South Sister, Medicine Lake, and Lassen volcanic center). No deformation has been detected at five volcanoes (Mount Rainier, Mount Hood, Newberry Volcano, Crater Lake, and Mount Shasta), and there are not sufficient data at the remaining three (Glacier Peak, Mount Adams, and Mount Jefferson) for a rigorous assessment. In addition, gravity change has been measured at two of the three locations where surveys have been repeated (Mount St. Helens and Mount Baker show changes, while South Sister does not). Broad deformation patterns associated with heavily forested and ice-clad Cascade volcanoes are generally characterized by low displacement rates, in the range of millimeters to a few centimeters per year, and are overprinted by larger tectonic motions of several centimeters per year. Continuous GPS is therefore the best means of tracking temporal changes in deformation of Cascade volcanoes and also for characterizing tectonic signals so that they may be distinguished from volcanic sources. Better spatial resolution of volcano deformation can be obtained through the use of campaign GPS, semipermanent GPS, and interferometric synthetic aperture radar observations, which leverage the accumulation of displacements over time to improve signal to noise. Deformation source mechanisms in the Cascades are diverse and include magma accumulation and withdrawal, post-emplacement cooling of recent volcanic deposits, magmatic

Volcano geodesy in the Cascade arc, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Poland, Michael; Lisowski, Michael; Dzurisin, Daniel; Kramer, Rebecca; McLay, Megan; Pauk, Benjamin

2017-01-01

Experience during historical time throughout the Cascade arc and the lack of deep-seated deformation prior to the two most recent eruptions of Mount St. Helens might lead one to infer that Cascade volcanoes are generally quiescent and, specifically, show no signs of geodetic change until they are about to erupt. Several decades of geodetic data, however, tell a different story. Ground- and space-based deformation studies have identified surface displacements at five of the 13 major Cascade arc volcanoes that lie in the USA (Mount Baker, Mount St. Helens, South Sister, Medicine Lake, and Lassen volcanic center). No deformation has been detected at five volcanoes (Mount Rainier, Mount Hood, Newberry Volcano, Crater Lake, and Mount Shasta), and there are not sufficient data at the remaining three (Glacier Peak, Mount Adams, and Mount Jefferson) for a rigorous assessment. In addition, gravity change has been measured at two of the three locations where surveys have been repeated (Mount St. Helens and Mount Baker show changes, while South Sister does not). Broad deformation patterns associated with heavily forested and ice-clad Cascade volcanoes are generally characterized by low displacement rates, in the range of millimeters to a few centimeters per year, and are overprinted by larger tectonic motions of several centimeters per year. Continuous GPS is therefore the best means of tracking temporal changes in deformation of Cascade volcanoes and also for characterizing tectonic signals so that they may be distinguished from volcanic sources. Better spatial resolution of volcano deformation can be obtained through the use of campaign GPS, semipermanent GPS, and interferometric synthetic aperture radar observations, which leverage the accumulation of displacements over time to improve signal to noise. Deformation source mechanisms in the Cascades are diverse and include magma accumulation and withdrawal, post-emplacement cooling of recent volcanic deposits, magmatic

Radial anisotropy ambient noise tomography of volcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mordret, Aurélien; Rivet, Diane; Shapiro, Nikolai; Jaxybulatov, Kairly; Landès, Matthieu; Koulakov, Ivan; Sens-Schönfelder, Christoph

2016-04-01

The use of ambient seismic noise allows us to perform surface-wave tomography of targets which could hardly be imaged by other means. The frequencies involved (~ 0.5 - 20 s), somewhere in between active seismic and regular teleseismic frequency band, make possible the high resolution imaging of intermediate-size targets like volcanic edifices. Moreover, the joint inversion of Rayleigh and Love waves dispersion curves extracted from noise correlations allows us to invert for crustal radial anisotropy. We present here the two first studies of radial anisotropy on volcanoes by showing results from Lake Toba Caldera, a super-volcano in Indonesia, and from Piton de la Fournaise volcano, a hot-spot effusive volcano on the Réunion Island (Indian Ocean). We will see how radial anisotropy can be used to infer the main fabric within a magmatic system and, consequently, its dominant type of intrusion.

Database for the Geologic Map of Newberry Volcano, Deschutes, Klamath, and Lake Counties, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bard, Joseph A.; Ramsey, David W.; MacLeod, Norman S.; Sherrod, David R.; Chitwood, Lawrence A.; Jensen, Robert A.

2013-01-01

Newberry Volcano, one of the largest Quaternary volcanoes in the conterminous United States, is a broad shield-shaped volcano measuring 60 km north-south by 30 km east-west with a maximum elevation of more than 2 km. Newberry Volcano is the product of deposits from thousands of eruptions, including at least 25 in the past approximately 12,000 years (Holocene Epoch). Newberry Volcano has erupted as recently as 1,300 years ago, but isotopic ages indicate that the volcano began its growth as early as 0.6 million years ago. Such a long eruptive history and recent activity suggest that Newberry Volcano is likely to erupt in the future. This geologic map database of Newberry Volcano distinguishes rocks and deposits based on their composition, age, and lithology.

Spatial Databases for CalVO Volcanoes: Current Status and Future Directions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramsey, D. W.

2013-12-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) California Volcano Observatory (CalVO) aims to advance scientific understanding of volcanic processes and to lessen harmful impacts of volcanic activity in California and Nevada. Within CalVO's area of responsibility, ten volcanoes or volcanic centers have been identified by a national volcanic threat assessment in support of developing the U.S. National Volcano Early Warning System (NVEWS) as posing moderate, high, or very high threats to surrounding communities based on their recent eruptive histories and their proximity to vulnerable people, property, and infrastructure. To better understand the extent of potential hazards at these and other volcanoes and volcanic centers, the USGS Volcano Science Center (VSC) is continually compiling spatial databases of volcano information, including: geologic mapping, hazards assessment maps, locations of geochemical and geochronological samples, and the distribution of volcanic vents. This digital mapping effort has been ongoing for over 15 years and early databases are being converted to match recent datasets compiled with new data models designed for use in: 1) generating hazard zones, 2) evaluating risk to population and infrastructure, 3) numerical hazard modeling, and 4) display and query on the CalVO as well as other VSC and USGS websites. In these capacities, spatial databases of CalVO volcanoes and their derivative map products provide an integrated and readily accessible framework of VSC hazards science to colleagues, emergency managers, and the general public.

Establishment, test and evaluation of a prototype volcano surveillance system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ward, P. L.; Eaton, J. P.; Endo, E.; Harlow, D.; Marquez, D.; Allen, R.

1973-01-01

A volcano-surveillance system utilizing 23 multilevel earthquake counters and 6 biaxial borehole tiltmeters is being installed and tested on 15 volcanoes in 4 States and 4 foreign countries. The purpose of this system is to give early warning when apparently dormant volcanoes are becoming active. The data are relayed through the ERTS-Data Collection System to Menlo Park for analysis. Installation was completed in 1972 on the volcanoes St. Augustine and Iliamna in Alaska, Kilauea in Hawaii, Baker, Rainier and St. Helens in Washington, Lassen in California, and at a site near Reykjavik, Iceland. Installation continues and should be completed in April 1973 on the volcanoes Santiaguito, Fuego, Agua and Pacaya in Guatemala, Izalco in El Salvador and San Cristobal, Telica and Cerro Negro in Nicaragua.

Geologic map database of the El Mirage Lake area, San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, David M.; Bedford, David R.

2000-01-01

This geologic map database for the El Mirage Lake area describes geologic materials for the dry lake, parts of the adjacent Shadow Mountains and Adobe Mountain, and much of the piedmont extending south from the lake upward toward the San Gabriel Mountains. This area lies within the western Mojave Desert of San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties, southeastern California. The area is traversed by a few paved highways that service the community of El Mirage, and by numerous dirt roads that lead to outlying properties. An off-highway vehicle area established by the Bureau of Land Management encompasses the dry lake and much of the land north and east of the lake. The physiography of the area consists of the dry lake, flanking mud and sand flats and alluvial piedmonts, and a few sharp craggy mountains. This digital geologic map database, intended for use at 1:24,000-scale, describes and portrays the rock units and surficial deposits of the El Mirage Lake area. The map database was prepared to aid in a water-resource assessment of the area by providing surface geologic information with which deepergroundwater-bearing units may be understood. The area mapped covers the Shadow Mountains SE and parts of the Shadow Mountains, Adobe Mountain, and El Mirage 7.5-minute quadrangles. The map includes detailed geology of surface and bedrock deposits, which represent a significant update from previous bedrock geologic maps by Dibblee (1960) and Troxel and Gunderson (1970), and the surficial geologic map of Ponti and Burke (1980); it incorporates a fringe of the detailed bedrock mapping in the Shadow Mountains by Martin (1992). The map data were assembled as a digital database using ARC/INFO to enable wider applications than traditional paper-product geologic maps and to provide for efficient meshing with other digital data bases prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey's Southern California Areal Mapping Project.

Seasonal Thermal Dynamics of Three High Elevation Lakes in the Trinity Alps Wilderness, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, J. M.; Huggett, B. W.

2012-12-01

High elevation lakes experience isothermal equilibrium, often called turnover, twice a year: preceding the onset of winter ice cover and following the melt of spring ice cover. The dynamics and evolution of the thermal regime are a function of meteorological forcings (air temperature, wind speed), climate (variable onset of winter and spring), and topographic constraints (access to direct insolation). We have deployed numerous water and air temperature sensors in Emerald, Sapphire and Echo lakes in the Trinity Alps Wilderness of northern California over two hydrologic years in an attempt to determine the onset of turnover events, the duration of turnover and the ice-free season, and to characterize the evolution of the thermocline and its stability over time. Our findings detail thermocline structures in all lakes that vary on hourly to weekly timescales. We also report on our techniques to develop bathymetric maps for each lake and how the use of off-the-shelf technologies and robust GIS analysis can allow the collection of heretofore uncollected baseline data for remote, mountainous regions.

Volcanic hazards at Atitlan volcano, Guatemala

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haapala, J.M.; Escobar Wolf, R.; Vallance, James W.; Rose, William I.; Griswold, J.P.; Schilling, S.P.; Ewert, J.W.; Mota, M.

2006-01-01

Atitlan Volcano is in the Guatemalan Highlands, along a west-northwest trending chain of volcanoes parallel to the mid-American trench. The volcano perches on the southern rim of the Atitlan caldera, which contains Lake Atitlan. Since the major caldera-forming eruption 85 thousand years ago (ka), three stratovolcanoes--San Pedro, Toliman, and Atitlan--have formed in and around the caldera. Atitlan is the youngest and most active of the three volcanoes. Atitlan Volcano is a composite volcano, with a steep-sided, symmetrical cone comprising alternating layers of lava flows, volcanic ash, cinders, blocks, and bombs. Eruptions of Atitlan began more than 10 ka [1] and, since the arrival of the Spanish in the mid-1400's, eruptions have occurred in six eruptive clusters (1469, 1505, 1579, 1663, 1717, 1826-1856). Owing to its distance from population centers and the limited written record from 200 to 500 years ago, only an incomplete sample of the volcano's behavior is documented prior to the 1800's. The geologic record provides a more complete sample of the volcano's behavior since the 19th century. Geologic and historical data suggest that the intensity and pattern of activity at Atitlan Volcano is similar to that of Fuego Volcano, 44 km to the east, where active eruptions have been observed throughout the historical period. Because of Atitlan's moderately explosive nature and frequency of eruptions, there is a need for local and regional hazard planning and mitigation efforts. Tourism has flourished in the area; economic pressure has pushed agricultural activity higher up the slopes of Atitlan and closer to the source of possible future volcanic activity. This report summarizes the hazards posed by Atitlan Volcano in the event of renewed activity but does not imply that an eruption is imminent. However, the recognition of potential activity will facilitate hazard and emergency preparedness.

A Volcano of Mud or Lava?

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-06-11

This image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) shows a hill with a central crater. Such features have been interpreted as both mud volcanoes (really a sedimentary structure) and as actual volcanoes (the erupting lava kind). They occur on the floor of Valles Marineris below a closed topographic contour that could have held a lake, and the compaction of wet sediments may have created mud volcanoes. The fracture pattern of the bright flow unit surrounding the hill resembles mud cracks. However, there have also been observations from the CRISM instrument interpreted as high-temperature minerals, suggesting actual volcanism, although not necessarily at this location. Fine layers in the hill are consistent with either volcanism or mud flows. Either way, this activity is relatively recent in geologic time and may mark habitable subsurface environments. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22514

Lake Powell

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-09-20

The white ring around Lake Powell tells the story. The surface is down 98 feet. This is critical, because Powell, Lake Mead, and other lakes along the Colorado River provide water for millions of people in five states. We are in the eighth year of a drought on the Colorado River. This year was the driest year ever reported in Southern California, and there is a severe drought in Northern California, down to less than 30-percent of snow pack. This ASTER image of part of Lake Powell was acquired in 2001. The gray area depicts the shrunken, reduced 2007 lake extent compared to the extended, larger black area in 2001. The image covers an area of 24 x 30 km, and is centered near 37.1 degrees north latitude, 111.3 degrees west longitude. This image from NASA Terra satellite. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA10614

Volcano monitoring using short wavelength infrared data from satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rothery, D. A.; Francis, P. W.; Wood, C. A.

1988-01-01

It is shown that Landsat TM and MSS data provide useful and sometimes unique information on magmatic and fumarolic events at poorly monitored active volcanoes. The digital number data recorded in each spectral band by TM and MSS can be converted into spectral radiance, measured in W/sq m per micron per sr, using calibration data such as those provided by Markham and Barker (1986) and can provide temperature information on the lava fountain, lava lakes, pahoehoe flows, blocky lava, pyroclastic flow, and fumarole. The examples of Landsat data documenting otherwise unobserved precursors and/or activity include the September 1986 eruption of Lascar volcano, Chile; the continued presence of lava lakes at Erta 'Ale, Ethiopia (in the absence of any ground-based observations); and minor eruptions at Mount Erebus, Antarctica.

Risk Based Reservoir Operations Using Ensemble Streamflow Predictions for Lake Mendocino in Mendocino County, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delaney, C.; Mendoza, J.; Whitin, B.; Hartman, R. K.

2017-12-01

Ensemble Forecast Operations (EFO) is a risk based approach of reservoir flood operations that incorporates ensemble streamflow predictions (ESPs) made by NOAA's California-Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC). With the EFO approach, each member of an ESP is individually modeled to forecast system conditions and calculate risk of reaching critical operational thresholds. Reservoir release decisions are computed which seek to manage forecasted risk to established risk tolerance levels. A water management model was developed for Lake Mendocino, a 111,000 acre-foot reservoir located near Ukiah, California, to evaluate the viability of the EFO alternative to improve water supply reliability but not increase downstream flood risk. Lake Mendocino is a dual use reservoir, which is owned and operated for flood control by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and is operated for water supply by the Sonoma County Water Agency. Due to recent changes in the operations of an upstream hydroelectric facility, this reservoir has suffered from water supply reliability issues since 2007. The EFO alternative was simulated using a 26-year (1985-2010) ESP hindcast generated by the CNRFC, which approximates flow forecasts for 61 ensemble members for a 15-day horizon. Model simulation results of the EFO alternative demonstrate a 36% increase in median end of water year (September 30) storage levels over existing operations. Additionally, model results show no increase in occurrence of flows above flood stage for points downstream of Lake Mendocino. This investigation demonstrates that the EFO alternative may be a viable approach for managing Lake Mendocino for multiple purposes (water supply, flood mitigation, ecosystems) and warrants further investigation through additional modeling and analysis.

Tracking Dramatic Changes at Hawaii's Only Alpine Lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patrick, Matthew R.; Delparte, Donna

2014-04-01

Lake Waiau is a small lake (normally 100 meters in diameter) just below the summit of Mauna Kea Volcano (elevation of 4207 meters) on the island of Hawaii. The only alpine lake in the Hawaiian Islands, it is fed mainly by sporadic winter storms that drop snow in the otherwise arid summit region.

Bathymetric and geophysical surveys of Englebright Lake, Yuba-Nevada Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Childs, Jonathan R.; Snyder, Noah P.; Hampton, Margaret A.

2003-01-01

Harry L. Englebright Lake is a 9-mile-long (14-kilometer) reservoir located in the Sierra Nevada foothills of northern California on the Yuba River gorge known as The Narrows. The reservoir is impounded by Englebright Dam (Photo 1), a concrete arch structure spanning 348 meters (1,142 feet) across and 79 meters (260 feet) high. The dam was constructed in 1941 for the primary purpose of trapping sediment derived from anticipated hydraulic mining operations in the Yuba River watershed. Hydraulic mining in the Sierra Nevada was halted in 1884 but resumed on a limited basis until the 1930's under the regulation of the California Debris Commission. Although no hydraulic mining in the upper Yuba River watershed resumed after the construction of the dam, the historical mine sites continued to contribute sediment to the river. Today, Englebright Lake is used primarily for recreation and hydropower. In 2001 and 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted bathymetric, geophysical, and geological studies of the reservoir under the auspices of the Upper Yuba River Studies Program (UYRSP), a multi-disciplinary investigation into the feasibility of introducing anadromous fish species to the Yuba River system upstream of Englebright Dam. A primary purpose of these studies was to assess the quantity and nature of the sediment that has accumulated behind the dam over the past 60 years. This report presents the results of those surveys, including a new bathymetric map of the reservoir and estimates of the total accumulated sediment volume.

Lake Powell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

The white ring around Lake Powell tells the story. The surface is down 98 feet. This is critical, because Powell, Lake Mead, and other lakes along the Colorado River provide water for millions of people in five states. We are in the eighth year of a drought on the Colorado River. This year was the driest year ever reported in Southern California, and there is a severe drought in Northern California, down to less than 30-percent of snow pack. This ASTER image of part of Lake Powell was acquired in 2001. The gray area depicts the shrunken, reduced 2007 lake extent compared to the extended, larger black area in 2001.

The image covers an area of 24 x 30 km, and is centered near 37.1 degrees north latitude, 111.3 degrees west longitude.

The U.S. science team is located at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

The aquatic optics of Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swift, Theodore John

The causes of visual clarity decline and variability in Lake Tahoe, USA, were investigated within the framework of hydrologic optics theory. Ultra-oligotrophic subalpine (1898 m elevation) Lake Tahoe is among the world's clearest, deepest (499 m) and largest (500 km2), representing a unique environmental and economic resource. University of California Davis has documented a ˜0.3 m y-1 trend of decreasing Secchi depth, with ˜3 m interannual variations. Previous work strongly suggested two seasonal modes due to independent processes: A June minimum is due primarily to tributary sediment discharge during snowmelt. A December minimum is due to the deepening mixed layer bringing up phytoplankton and other particles that form a deep particle maximum (DCM) well below the summer mixed layer and Secchi depth stratum. SEM and elemental analysis confirmed as much as 60 percent of near-surface suspended particles were of terrestrial inorganic origin in summer, with inorganic particles minimal (˜20 percent) in winter. Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) light absorption in Tahoe is extremely low, comparable to pelagic marine waters, and plays a minor role in clarity loss in Tahoe. However, CDOM reduces ultraviolet light penetration. Mean absorption is 0.040 +/- 0.003 m-1 at 400 nm with 0.023 +/- 0.004 nm-1 exponential slope. The CDOM appears to be autochthonous (phytoplankton), rather than allocthonous (terrestrial humic substances). Chlorophyll-specific particulate absorption is similar to that found for temperate oceans, implying that ocean color models can be successfully applied to Lake Tahoe. Chlorophyll-specific diffuse attenuation along with increased scattering by sediments has caused an upward shift of the DCM from 60--90 m (early 1970s) to 40--70 m recently. Increased attenuation will reduce benthic relative to pelagic primary production. Since measurements in 1971, the lake's color has shifted slightly from blue towards green, though more seasonal

Modified Convair-240 aircraft at Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

Convair-240 aircraft modified to fill role of a Space Shuttle is parked outside aircraft hangar at Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, California. Space shuttle side hatch mockup is incorporated in fuselage (visible toward the aft section of the aircraft). Convair-240 aircraft is part of November crew escape system (CES) testing of a candidate concept developed to provide crew egress capability during Space Shuttle controlled gliding flight. Tractor rocket testing using the Convair-240 will begin 11-20-87. Life-like dummies will be pulled by the rockets from the modified aircraft's side hatch mockup.

Cataloging tremor at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thelen, W. A.; Wech, A.

2013-12-01

Tremor is a ubiquitous seismic feature on Kilauea volcano, which emanates from at least three distinct sources. At depth, intermittent tremor and earthquakes thought to be associated with the underlying plumbing system of Kilauea (Aki and Koyanagi, 1981) occurs approximately 40 km below and 40 km SW of the summit. At the summit of the volcano, nearly continuous tremor is recorded close to a persistently degassing lava lake, which has been present since 2008. Much of this tremor is correlated with spattering at the lake surface, but tremor also occurs in the absence of spattering, and was observed at the summit of the volcano prior to the appearance of the lava lake, predominately in association with inflation/deflation events. The third known source of tremor is in the area of Pu`u `O`o, a vent that has been active since 1983. The exact source location and depth is poorly constrained for each of these sources. Consistently tracking the occurrence and location of tremor in these areas through time will improve our understanding of the plumbing geometry beneath Kilauea volcano and help identify precursory patterns in tremor leading to changes in eruptive activity. The continuous and emergent nature of tremor precludes the use of traditional earthquake techniques for automatic detection and location of seismicity. We implement the method of Wech and Creager (2008) to both detect and localize tremor seismicity in the three regions described above. The technique uses an envelope cross-correlation method in 5-minute windows that maximizes tremor signal coherency among seismic stations. The catalog is currently being built in near-realtime, with plans to extend the analysis to the past as time and continuous data availability permits. This automated detection and localization method has relatively poor depth constraints due to the construction of the envelope function. Nevertheless, the epicenters distinguish activity among the different source regions and serve as

USE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISOTOPES TO DIFFERENTIATE WATER SOURCES AND CONSTRAIN THE WATER BUDGET AT THE SULPHUR BANK MERCURY MINE, CLEAR LAKE, CALIFORNIA

EPA Science Inventory

The Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine (SBMM) is a 65 ha site located on the eastern shore of the Oaks Arm of Clear Lake, Lake County, California. Between 1864 and 1957, SBMM was the site of underground and open pit mining operations for S and Hg, coinciding with past and present hot spr...

Annually resolved late Holocene paleohydrology of the southern Sierra Nevada and Tulare Lake, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, Kenneth D.; Negrini, Robert M.; Cook, Edward R.; Rajagopal, Seshadri

2015-12-01

Here we present 2000 year long, annually resolved records of streamflow for the Kings, Kaweah, Tule, and Kern Rivers in the southwestern Sierra Nevada of California and consequent lake-level fluctuations at Tulare Lake in the southern San Joaquin Valley. The integrated approach of using moisture-sensitive tree ring records from the Living Blended Drought Atlas to reconstruct annual discharge and then routing this discharge to an annual Tulare Lake water balance model highlights the differences between these two types of paleoclimate records, even when subject to the same forcing factors. The reconstructed streamflow in the southern Sierra responded to yearly changes in precipitation and expressed a strong periodicity in the 2-8 year range over most of the reconstruction. The storage capacity of Tulare Lake caused it to fluctuate more slowly, masking the 2-8 year streamflow periodicity and instead expressing a strong periodicity in the 32-64 year range over much of the record. Although there have been longer droughts, the 2015 water year represents the driest in the last 2015 years and the 2012-2015 drought represents the driest 4 year period in the record. Under natural conditions, simulated Tulare Lake levels would now be at about 60 m, which is not as low as what occurred multiple times over the last 2000 years. This long-term perspective of fluctuations in climate and water supply suggests that different drought scenarios that vary in terms of severity and duration can produce similar lake-level responses in closed lake basins.

Pleistocene hydrovolcanism in the Tule Lake Basin, N. E. California

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

Lavine, A.

1993-04-01

The Prisoners Rock and The Peninsula tuff cones and the North Crater tuff ring, located in the Tule Lake Basin of northeastern California formed along a north-trending fissure approximately 270 ka when basaltic magma interacted with abundant groundwater or shallow lake water, resulting in phreatomagmatic eruptions. Diatomite inclusions in the tuff ring and correlations with the corresponding depth and diatoms in a drill core taken in the center of the basin, 2.5 km to the west of the cones, indicate shallow, marshy or shallow, alkaline-open conditions at Tule Lake around 270 ka. Deposits at Prisoners Rock and The Peninsula indicatemore » subaerial emplacement, which allowed the deposits to lithify with little erosion by the lake. Subsequent wave erosion caused undercutting and breaking off of large blocks along mainly north-trending fractures forming vertical cliff faces on the east and west sides of the cones. The cones are elongated north-south with a greater thickness of deposits on the north and northeast, probably due to prevailing southwesterly winds at the time of eruptions. Deposits of the tuff cones at Prisoners Rock and The Peninsula resulted from deep explosions caused by water-magma ratios of around 3:1. The deposits are mainly inversely graded planar surge beds, ranging in thickness from 5 to 30 cm, and grading from very fine ash to 2 cm-diameter accretionary lapilli. Emplacement by highly steam-saturated, poorly inflated pyroclastic surges is indicated by the abundance of accretionary lapilli, vesiculated tuffs, soft-sediment deformation structures, steep bedding angles (20 to 40 degrees) lack of structures beneath country rock inclusions, massive bedding, and cementation of the deposits by alteration of basaltic glass to calcite, zeolites, clays, and chlorite.« less

Magmatic architecture within a rift segment: Articulate axial magma storage at Erta Ale volcano, Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Wenbin; Rivalta, Eleonora; Li, Xing

2017-10-01

Understanding the magmatic systems beneath rift volcanoes provides insights into the deeper processes associated with rift architecture and development. At the slow spreading Erta Ale segment (Afar, Ethiopia) transition from continental rifting to seafloor spreading is ongoing on land. A lava lake has been documented since the twentieth century at the summit of the Erta Ale volcano and acts as an indicator of the pressure of its magma reservoir. However, the structure of the plumbing system of the volcano feeding such persistent active lava lake and the mechanisms controlling the architecture of magma storage remain unclear. Here, we combine high-resolution satellite optical imagery and radar interferometry (InSAR) to infer the shape, location and orientation of the conduits feeding the 2017 Erta Ale eruption. We show that the lava lake was rooted in a vertical dike-shaped reservoir that had been inflating prior to the eruption. The magma was subsequently transferred into a shallower feeder dike. We also find a shallow, horizontal magma lens elongated along axis inflating beneath the volcano during the later period of the eruption. Edifice stress modeling suggests the hydraulically connected system of horizontal and vertical thin magmatic bodies able to open and close are arranged spatially according to stresses induced by loading and unloading due to topographic changes. Our combined approach may provide new constraints on the organization of magma plumbing systems beneath volcanoes in continental and marine settings.

Space Radar Image of Colombian Volcano

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-01-27

This is a radar image of a little known volcano in northern Colombia. The image was acquired on orbit 80 of space shuttle Endeavour on April 14, 1994, by NASA Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar SIR-C/X-SAR. The volcano near the center of the image is located at 5.6 degrees north latitude, 75.0 degrees west longitude, about 100 kilometers (65 miles) southeast of Medellin, Colombia. The conspicuous dark spot is a lake at the bottom of an approximately 3-kilometer-wide (1.9-mile) volcanic collapse depression or caldera. A cone-shaped peak on the bottom left (northeast rim) of the caldera appears to have been the source for a flow of material into the caldera. This is the northern-most known volcano in South America and because of its youthful appearance, should be considered dormant rather than extinct. The volcano's existence confirms a fracture zone proposed in 1985 as the northern boundary of volcanism in the Andes. The SIR-C/X-SAR image reveals another, older caldera further south in Colombia, along another proposed fracture zone. Although relatively conspicuous, these volcanoes have escaped widespread recognition because of frequent cloud cover that hinders remote sensing imaging in visible wavelengths. Four separate volcanoes in the Northern Andes nations of Colombia and Ecuador have been active during the last 10 years, killing more than 25,000 people, including scientists who were monitoring the volcanic activity. Detection and monitoring of volcanoes from space provides a safe way to investigate volcanism. The recognition of previously unknown volcanoes is important for hazard evaluations because a number of major eruptions this century have occurred at mountains that were not previously recognized as volcanoes. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01722

Swath bathymetric survey of Englebright Lake, Yuba-Nevada Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Childs, Jonathan R.; Stevenson, Andrew J.

2006-01-01

In March, 2004, the USGS conducted a swath bathymetric survey of Englebright Lake, a 9-mile long reservoir located in the Sierra Nevada foothills of northern California on the Yuba River. This survey was follow-on to an earlier bathymetric survey and sediment thickness analysis done by the USGS in 2001 (Childs and others, 2003). The primary purpose of these studies is to assess the quantity and nature of the sediment that has accumulated since the dam was completed in 1940. The specific purpose of the swath bathymetry was to map in high detail the prograding delta that is being formed as the lake fills in with sediment. In the event of another large flood such as occurred on January 1, 1997, the survey could be repeated to determine the effect of such an event on the sediment volume and distribution. This study was conducted under the auspices of the Upper Yuba River Studies Program (UYRSP) . The UYRSP is funded by the CALFED Bay-Delta Program, whose mission is to "develop and implement a long-term comprehensive plan that will restore ecological health and improve water management for beneficial uses of the San Francisco Bay-Delta System".

Spatial variability in degassing at Erebus volcano, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilanko, Tehnuka; Oppenheimer, Clive; Kyle, Philip; Burgisser, Alain

2015-04-01

Erebus volcano on Ross Island, Antarctica, hosts an active phonolitic lava lake, along with a number of persistently degassing vents in its summit crater. Flank degassing also occurs through ice caves and towers. The longevity of the lake, and its stable convection, have been the subject of numerous studies, including Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy of the lava lake. Two distinct gas compositions were previously identified in the main lava lake plume (Oppenheimer et al., 2009; 2011): a persistent 'conduit' gas with a more oxidised signature, ascribed to degassing through a permeable magma conduit; and a H2O- and SO2- enriched 'lake' composition that increases and decreases cyclically due to shallow degassing of incoming magma batches. During the past decade of annual field seasons on Erebus, gas compositions have been measured through FTIR spectroscopy at multiple sites around Erebus volcano, including flank degassing through an ice cave (Warren Cave). We present measurements from four such vents, and compare their compositions to those emitted from the main lava lake. Summit degassing involves variable proportions of H2O, CO2, CO, SO2, HF, HCl, OCS. Cyclicity is evident in some summit vents, but with signatures indicative of shallower magmatic degassing than that of the lava lake. By contrast, flank degassing at Warren Cave is dominated by H2O, CO2, and CH4. The spatial variability in gas compositions within the summit crater suggests an alternative origin for 'conduit' and 'lake' degassing to previous models that assume permeability in the main conduit. Rather, the two compositions observed in main lake degassing may be a result of decoupled 'conduit' gas and pulses of magma rising through discrete fractures before combining in the lake floor or the main plume. Smaller vents around the crater thus emit isolated 'lake' or 'conduit' compositions while their combined signature is observed in the lava lake. We suggest that this separation between gas

Using the Landsat Thematic Mapper to detect and monitor active volcanoes - An example from Lascar volcano, northern Chile

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Francis, P. W.; Rothery, D. A.

1987-01-01

The Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) offers a means of detecting and monitoring thermal features of active volcanoes. Using the TM, a prominent thermal anomaly has been discovered on Lascar volcano, northern Chile. Data from two short-wavelength infrared channels of the TM show that material within a 300-m-diameter pit crater was at a temperature of at least 380 C on two dates in 1985. The thermal anomaly closely resembles in size and radiant temperature the anomaly over the active lava lake at Erta'ale in Ethiopia. An eruption took place at Lascar on Sept. 16, 1986. TM data acquired on Oct. 27, 1986, revealed significant changes within the crater area. Lascar is in a much more active state than any other volcano in the central Andes, and for this reason it merits further careful monitoring. Studies show that the TM is capable of confidently identifying thermal anomalies less than 100 m in size, at temperatures of above 150 C, and thus it offers a valuable means of monitoring the conditions of active or potentially active volcanoes, particularly those in remote regions.

Special Office Report for Warm Springs Dam and Lake Sonoma. Sonoma County, California. Section 7. Consultation on Endangered Species.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-05-01

REPORT, SECTION 7 CONSULTATION, FN WARM SPRINGS DAM AND LAKE SONOMA, SONOMA COUNTY , F P IN CALIFORNIA 6. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT NUMBER 7. AUTHOR(s) 8...regarding the American Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrInus anatum) and its critical habitat (about 13,300 acres in Sonoma County , California) in the 29 May...federally owned historic resources. Actions to be undertaken will not impair historic properties. e. Sonoma County General Plan. This County Plan is a

Leakage of active crater lake brine through the north flank at Rincon de la Vieja volcano, northwest Costa Rica, and implications for crater collapse

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kempter, K.A.; Rowe, G.L.

2000-01-01

The Active Crater at Rincon de la Vieja volcano, Costa Rica, reaches an elevation of 1750 m and contains a warm, hyper-acidic crater lake that probably formed soon after the eruption of the Rio Blanco tephra deposit approximately 3500 years before present. The Active Crater is buttressed by volcanic ridges and older craters on all sides except the north, which dips steeply toward the Caribbean coastal plains. Acidic, above-ambient-temperature streams are found along the Active Crater's north flank at elevations between 800 and 1000 m. A geochemical survey of thermal and non-thermal waters at Rincon de la Vieja was done in 1989 to determine whether hyper-acidic fluids are leaking from the Active Crater through the north flank, affecting the composition of north-flank streams. Results of the water-chemistry survey reveal that three distinct thermal waters are found on the flanks of Rincon de la Vieja volcano: acid chloride-sulfate (ACS), acid sulfate (AS), and neutral chloride (NC) waters. The most extreme ACS water was collected from the crater lake that fills the Active Crater. Chemical analyses of the lake water reveal a hyper-acidic (pH ~ 0) chloride-sulfate brine with elevated concentrations of calcium, magnesium, aluminum, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, fluorine, and boron. The composition of the brine reflects the combined effects of magmatic degassing from a shallow magma body beneath the Active Crater, dissolution of andesitic volcanic rock, and evaporative concentration of dissolved constituents at above-ambient temperatures. Similar cation and anion enrichments are found in the above-ambient-temperature streams draining the north flank of the Active Crater. The pH of north-flank thermal waters range from 3.6 to 4.1 and chloride:sulfate ratios (1.2-1.4) that are a factor of two greater than that of the lake brine (0.60). The waters have an ACS composition that is quite different from the AS and NC thermal waters that occur along the southern flank of Rincon

Geothermal space/water heating for City of Mammoth Lakes, California. Draft final report

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

Sims, A.V.; Racine, W.C.

1977-09-01

The results of a study to determine the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of geothermal district heating for Mammoth Lakes Village, California are presented. The geothermal district heating system selected is technically feasible and uses existing technology in its design and operation. During a preliminary environmental assessment, no potential adverse environmental impacts could be identified of sufficient consequence to preclude the construction and operation of the proposed district heating system. A follow-on program aimed at implementing district heating in Mammoth is outlined.

Ice and water on Newberry Volcano, central Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donnelly-Nolan, Julie M.; Jensen, Robert A.; O'Connor, Jim; Madin, Ian P.; Dorsey, Rebecca

2009-01-01

Newberry Volcano in central Oregon is dry over much of its vast area, except for the lakes in the caldera and the single creek that drains them. Despite the lack of obvious glacial striations and well-formed glacial moraines, evidence indicates that Newberry was glaciated. Meter-sized foreign blocks, commonly with smoothed shapes, are found on cinder cones as far as 7 km from the caldera rim. These cones also show evidence of shaping by flowing ice. In addition, multiple dry channels likely cut by glacial meltwater are common features of the eastern and western flanks of the volcano. On the older eastern flank of the volcano, a complex depositional and erosional history is recorded by lava flows, some of which flowed down channels, and interbedded sediments of probable glacial origin. Postglacial lava flows have subsequently filled some of the channels cut into the sediments. The evidence suggests that Newberry Volcano has been subjected to multiple glaciations.

Earth's Volcanoes and their Eruptions; the 3rd edition of the Smithsonian Institution's Volcanoes of the World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siebert, L.; Simkin, T.; Kimberly, P.

2010-12-01

The 3rd edition of the Smithsonian Institution’s Volcanoes of the World incorporates data on the world’s volcanoes and their eruptions compiled since 1968 by the Institution’s Global Volcanism Program (GVP). Published this Fall jointly by the Smithsonian and the University of California Press, it supplements data from the 1994 2nd edition and includes new data on the number of people living in proximity to volcanoes, the dominant rock lithologies at each volcano, Holocene caldera-forming eruptions, and preliminary lists of Pleistocene volcanoes and large-volume Pleistocene eruptions. The 3rd edition contains data on nearly 1550 volcanoes of known or possible Holocene age, including chronologies, characteristics, and magnitudes for >10,400 Holocene eruptions. The standard 20 eruptive characteristics of the IAVCEI volcano catalog series have been modified to include dated vertical edifice collapse events due to magma chamber evacuation following large-volume explosive eruptions or mafic lava effusion, and lateral sector collapse. Data from previous editions of Volcanoes of the World are also supplemented by listings of up to the 5 most dominant lithologies at each volcano, along with data on population living within 5, 10, 30, and 100 km radii of each volcano or volcanic field. Population data indicate that the most populated regions also contain the most frequently active volcanoes. Eruption data document lava and tephra volumes and Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) assignments for >7800 eruptions. Interpretation of VRF data has led to documentation of global eruption rates and the power law relationship between magnitude and frequency of volcanic eruptions. Data with volcanic hazards implications include those on fatalities and evacuations and the rate at which eruptions reach their climax. In recognition of the hazards implications of potential resumption of activity at pre-Holocene volcanoes, the 3rd edition includes very preliminary lists of Pleistocene

Catalog of earthquake hypocenters at Alaskan volcanoes: January 1, 1994 through December 31, 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jolly, Arthur D.; Stihler, Scott D.; Power, John A.; Lahr, John C.; Paskievitch, John; Tytgat, Guy; Estes, Steve; Lockhart, Andrew B.; Moran, Seth C.; McNutt, Stephen R.; Hammond, William R.

2001-01-01

swarm at Akutan volcano in March and April 1996 (Lu and others, 2000); 2) an eruption at Pavlof Volcano in fall 1996 (Garces and others, 2000; McNutt and others, 2000); 3) an earthquake swarm at Iliamna volcano between September and December 1996; 4) an earthquake swarm at Mount Mageik in October 1996 (Jolly and McNutt, 1999); 5) an earthquake swarm located at shallow depth near Strandline Lake; 6) a strong swarm of earthquakes near Becharof Lake; 7) precursory seismicity and an eruption at Shishaldin Volcano in April 1999 that included a 5.2 ML earthquake and aftershock sequence (Moran and others, in press; Thompson and others, in press). The 1996 calendar year is also notable as the seismicity rate was very high, especially in the fall when 3 separate areas (Strandline Lake, Iliamna Volcano, and several of the Katmai volcanoes) experienced high rates of located earthquakes.This catalog covers the period from January 1, 1994, through December 31,1999, and includes: 1) earthquake origin times, hypocenters, and magnitudes with summary statistics describing the earthquake location quality; 2) a description of instruments deployed in the field and their locations and magnifications; 3) a description of earthquake detection, recording, analysis, and data archival; 4) velocity models used for earthquake locations; 5) phase arrival times recorded at individual stations; and 6) a summary of daily station usage from throughout the report period. We have made calculated hypocenters, station locations, system magnifications, velocity models, and phase arrival information available for download via computer network as a compressed Unix tar file.

Costa Rica's Chain of laterally collapsed volcanoes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duarte, E.; Fernandez, E.

2007-05-01

From the NW extreme to the SW end of Costa Rica's volcanic backbone, a number of laterally collapsed volcanoes can be observed. Due to several factors, attention has been given to active volcanoes disregarding the importance of collapsed features in terms of assessing volcanic hazards for future generations around inhabited volcanoes. In several cases the typical horseshoe shape amphitheater-like depression can be easily observed. In other cases due to erosion, vegetation, topography, seismic activity or drastic weather such characteristics are not easily recognized. In the order mentioned above appear: Orosi-Cacao, Miravalles, Platanar, Congo, Von Frantzius, Cacho Negro and Turrialba volcanoes. Due to limited studies on these structures it is unknown if sector collapse occurred in one or several phases. Furthermore, in the few studied cases no evidence has been found to relate collapses to actual eruptive episodes. Detailed studies on the deposits and materials composing dome-like shapes will shed light on unsolved questions about petrological and chemical composition. Volume, form and distance traveled by deposits are part of the questions surrounding most of these collapsed volcanoes. Although most of these mentioned structures are extinct, at least Irazú volcano (active volcano) has faced partial lateral collapses recently. It did presented strombolian activity in the early 60s. Collapse scars show on the NW flank show important mass removal in historic and prehistoric times. Moreover, in 1994 a minor hydrothermal explosion provoked the weakening of a deeply altered wall that holds a crater lake (150m diameter, 2.6x106 ). A poster will depict images of the collapsed volcanoes named above with mayor descriptive characteristics. It will also focus on the importance of deeper studies to assess the collapse potential of Irazú volcano with related consequences. Finally, this initiative will invite researchers interested in such topic to join future studies in

Volcano-hydrothermal system and activity of Sirung volcano (Pantar Island, Indonesia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caudron, Corentin; Bernard, Alain; Murphy, Sam; Inguaggiato, Salvatore; Gunawan, Hendra

2018-05-01

Sirung is a frequently active volcano located in the remote parts of Western Timor (Indonesia). Sirung has a crater with several hydrothermal features including a crater lake. We present a timeseries of satellite images of the lake and chemical and isotope data from the hyperacid hydrothermal system. The fluids sampled in the crater present the typical features of hyperacidic systems with high TDS, low pH and δ34SHSO4-δ34SS0 among the highest for such lakes. The cations concentrations are predominantly controlled by the precipitation of alunite, jarosite, silica phases, native sulfur and pyrite which dominate the shallow portions of the hydrothermal system. These minerals may control shallow sealing processes thought to trigger phreatic eruptions elsewhere. Sparse Mg/Cl and SO4/Cl ratios and lake parameters derived from satellite images suggest gradual increase in heat and gas flux, most likely SO2-rich, prior to the 2012 phreatic eruption. An acidic river was sampled 8 km far from the crater and is genetically linked with the fluids rising toward the active crater. This river would therefore be a relevant target for future remote monitoring purposes. Finally, several wells and springs largely exceeded the World Health Organization toxicity limits in total arsenic and fluoride.

Plume composition and volatile flux from Nyamulagira volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calabrese, Sergio; Bobrowski, Nicole; Giuffrida, Giovanni Bruno; Scaglione, Sarah; Liotta, Marcello; Brusca, Lorenzo; D'Alessandro, Walter; Arellano, Santiago; Yalire, Matiew; Galle, Bo; Tedesco, Dario

2015-04-01

Nyamulagira, in the Virunga volcanic province (VVP), Democratic Republic of Congo, is one of the most active volcanoes in Africa. The volcano is located about 25 km north-northwest of Lake Kivu in the Western Branch of the East African Rift System (EARS). The activity is characterized by frequent eruptions (on average, one eruption every 2-4 years) which occur both from the summit crater and from the flanks (31 flank eruptions over the last 110 years). Due to the peculiar low viscosity of its lava and its location in the floor of the rift, Nyamulagira morphology is characterized by a wide lava field that covers over 1100 km2 and contains more than 100 flank cones. Indeed, Nyamulagira is a SiO2- undersaturated and alkali-rich basaltic shield volcano with a 3058 m high summit caldera with an extension of about 2 km in diameter. In November 2014 a field expedition was carried out at Nyamulagira volcano and we report here the first assessment of the plume composition and volatile flux from Nyamulagira volcano. Helicopter flights and field observations allowed us to recognize the presence of lava fountains inside an about 350-meter wide pit crater. The lava fountains originated from an extended area of about 20 to 40 m2, in the northeast sector of the central caldera. A second smaller source, close to the previous described one, was clearly visible with vigorous spattering activity. There was no evidence of a lave lake but the persistence of intense activity and the geometry of the bottom of the caldera might evolve in a new lava lake. Using a variety of in situ and remote sensing techniques, we determined the bulk plume concentrations of major volatiles, halogens and trace elements. We deployed a portable MultiGAS station at the rim of Nyamulagira crater, measuring (at 0.5 Hz for about 3 hours) the concentrations of major volcanogenic gas species in the plume (H2O, CO2, SO2, H2S). Simultaneously, scanning differential optical absorption spectroscopy instruments were

Latest Pleistocene to Holocene hydroclimates from Lake Elsinore, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirby, Matthew E.; Feakins, Sarah J.; Bonuso, Nicole; Fantozzi, Joanna M.; Hiner, Christine A.

2013-09-01

The hydroclimate of the southwestern United States (US) region changed abruptly during the latest Pleistocene as the continental ice sheets over North America retreated from their most southerly extent. To investigate the nature of this change, we present a new record from Lake Elsinore, located 36 km inland from the Pacific Ocean in Southern California and evaluate it in the context of records across the coastal and interior southwest United States, including northwest Mexico. The sediment core recovered from Lake Elsinore provides a continuous sequence with multi-decadal resolution spanning 19-9 ka BP. Sedimentological and geochemical analyses reveal hydrologic variability. In particular, sand and carbonate components indicate abrupt changes at the Oldest Dryas (OD), Bølling-Allerød (BA), and Younger Dryas (YD) transitions, consistent with the timing in Greenland. Hydrogen isotope analyses of the C28n-alkanoic acids from plant leaf waxes (δDwax) reveal a long term trend toward less negative values across 19-9 ka BP. δDwax values during the OD suggest a North Pacific moisture source for precipitation, consistent with the dipping westerlies hypothesis. We find no isotopic evidence for the North American Monsoon reaching as far west as Lake Elsinore; therefore, we infer that wet/dry changes in the coastal southwest were expressed through winter-season precipitation, consistent with modern climatology. Comparing Lake Elsinore to other southwest records (notably Cave of Bells and Fort Stanton) we find coincident timing of the major transitions (OD to BA, BA to YD) and hydrologic responses during the OD and BA. The hydrologic response, however, varied during the YD consistent with a dipole between the coastal and interior southwest. The coherent pattern of hydrologic responses across the interior southwest US and northwest Mexico during the OD (wet), the BA (drier), and YD (wet) follows changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, presumably via its

Preliminary report on the Late Pleistocene and Holocene diatoms of Swamp Lake, Yosemite National Park, California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Starratt, Scott W.; Anderson, R. Scott

2013-01-01

Swamp Lake, Yosemite National Park, is the only known lake in California containing long sequences of varved sediments and thus has the potential to provide a high-resolution record of climate variability. This preliminary analysis of the diatom assemblages from a 947-cm-long composite sediment core (freeze core FZ02–05; 0–67 cm, Livingstone core 02–05; 53–947 cm) shows that the lake has been freshwater, oligotrophic, and circumneutral to alkaline throughout its ~16,000-year-long history. The first sediments deposited in the lake show that the vegetation in the watershed was sparse, allowing organic matter-poor silt and clay to be deposited in the basin. The basin filled quickly to a depth of at least 5 m and remained at least that deep for most of the sediment record. Several short intervals provided evidence of large fluctuations in lake level during the Holocene. The upper 50 cm of the core contains evidence of the Medieval Climate Anomaly and Little Ice Age.

Diversity of extremophilic bacteria in the sediment of high-altitude lakes located in the mountain desert of Ojos del Salado volcano, Dry-Andes.

PubMed

Aszalós, Júlia Margit; Krett, Gergely; Anda, Dóra; Márialigeti, Károly; Nagy, Balázs; Borsodi, Andrea K

2016-09-01

Ojos del Salado, the highest volcano on Earth is surrounded by a special mountain desert with extreme aridity, great daily temperature range, intense solar radiation, and permafrost from 5000 meters above sea level. Several saline lakes and permafrost derived high-altitude lakes can be found in this area, often surrounded by fumaroles and hot springs. The aim of this study was to gain information about the bacterial communities inhabiting the sediment of high-altitude lakes of the Ojos del Salado region located between 3770 and 6500 m. Altogether 11 sediment samples from 4 different altitudes were examined with 16S rRNA gene based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and clone libraries. Members of 17 phyla or candidate divisions were detected with the dominance of Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes. The bacterial community composition was determined mainly by the altitude of the sampling sites; nevertheless, the extreme aridity and the active volcanism had a strong influence on it. Most of the sequences showed the highest relation to bacterial species or uncultured clones from similar extreme environments.

South Lake Tahoe, California: Using Energy Data to Partner on Building Energy Efficiency Actions (City Energy: From Data to Decisions)

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

Strategic Priorities and Impact Analysis Team, Office of Strategic Programs

This fact sheet "South Lake Tahoe, California: Using Energy Data to Partner on Building Energy Efficiency Actions" explains how the City of South Lake Tahoe used data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Cities Leading through Energy Analysis and Planning (Cities-LEAP) and the State and Local Energy Data (SLED) programs to inform its city energy planning. It is one of ten fact sheets in the "City Energy: From Data to Decisions" series.

Preliminary Gravity and Magnetic Data of the Lake Pillsbury Region, Northern Coast Ranges, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langenheim, V.E.; Jachens, Robert C.; Morin, Robert L.; McCabe, Craig A.

2007-01-01

The Lake Pillsbury region is transected by the Bartlett Springs Fault zone, one of the main strike-slip faults of the San Andreas system north of San Francisco Bay, California. Gravity and magnetic data were collected to help characterize the geometry and offset of the fault zone as well as determine the geometry of the Gravelly Valley pull-apart basin and Potter Valley, an alluvial intermontane basin southwest of Lake Pillsbury. The Bartlett Springs fault zone lies at the base of a significant gravity gradient. Superposed on the gradient is a small gravity low centered over Lake Pillsbury and Gravelly Valley. Another small gravity low coincides with Potter Valley. Inversion of gravity data for basin thickness indicates a maximum thickness of 400 and 440 m for the Gravelly and Potter Valley depressions, respectively. Ground magnetic data indicate that the regional aeromagnetic data likely suffer from positional errors, but that large, long-wavelength anomalies, sourced from serpentinite, may be offset 8 km along the Bartlett Springs Fault zone. Additional gravity data collected either on the lake surface or bottom and in Potter Valley would better determine the shape of the basins. A modern, high-resolution aeromagnetic survey would greatly augment the ability to map and model the fault geometry quantitatively.

Elytroderma disease reduces growth and vigor, increases mortality of Jeffrey pines at Lake Tahoe Basin, California

Treesearch

Robert R Scharpf; Robert V. Bega

1981-01-01

A disease of Jeffrey pines (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. and Balf.) at Lake Tahoe Basin, California, caused by Elytrodenna disease (Elytroderma deformans) was studied for 7 years after a severe outbreak ofthe fungus in 1971. Among 607 Jeffrey pines on six plots, about one-half were heavily infected and about one-half were moderately or lightly infected in 1971. No uninfected...

Unmanned Aerial Technologies for Observations at Active Volcanoes: Advances and Prospects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pieri, D. C.; Diaz, J. A.; Bland, G.; Fladeland, M.; Makel, D.; Schwandner, F. M.; Buongiorno, M. F.; Elston, J. S.

2017-12-01

Modern application of unmanned aerial systems' (UASs) technology allow us to conduct in situ measurements in volcanic plumes and drifting volcanic clouds that were impossible to make in the past. Thus, we are now able to explore proximal airspace near and within eruption columns and or other active vents, at very high and at very low altitudes—risk to human investigators is vastly reduced (although not eliminated). We are now on the cusp of being able to make in situ measurements and conduct sampling at altitudes of 5000-6000 meters relatively routinely. We also are developing heat tolerant electronics and sensors that will deployed on, around, and over active lava lakes and lava flows at terrestrial volcanoes, but with a view toward developing planetary applications, for instance on the surface of Venus. We report on our 2012-present systematic UAS-based observations of light gases (e.g., SO2 CO2, H2S) at Turrialba Volcano in Costa Rica, at Italian volcanic sites (e.g., Isole Vulcano; La Solfatara), and most recently at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii in collaboration with USGS and NPS colleagues. Other deployments for Fall 2017 and Winter 2018 are in planning stages for the Salton Sea Basin and Costa Rica, which will include an airborne miniature mass spectrometer onboard several different types of UAVs. In addition, under development is the first purpose-built-for-volcanology small unmanned aircraft. We discuss strategies for acquiring airborne data from proximal ash/gas plumes during restless periods and during eruptions, from distal drifting ash/gas clouds from eruptions, and from diffuse emissions (e.g., CO2) at very low altitudes, utilizing UASs (e.g., fixed wing, multi-rotor, aerostat), especially regarding inputs for source flux reverse models. This work was carried out, in part, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology under contract to NASA.

Volcano hazards assessment for the Lassen region, northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clynne, Michael A.; Robinson, Joel E.; Nathenson, Manuel; Muffler, L.J. Patrick

2012-01-01

The Lassen region of the southernmost Cascade Range is an active volcanic area. At least 70 eruptions have occurred in the past 100,000 years, including 3 in the past 1,000 years, most recently in 1915. The record of past eruptions and the present state of the underlying magmatic and hydrothermal systems make it clear that future eruptions within the Lassen Volcanic Center are very likely. Although the annual probability of an eruption is small, the consequences of some types of eruptions could be severe. Compared to those of a typical Cascade composite volcano, eruptive vents at Lassen Volcanic Center and the surrounding area are widely dispersed, extending in a zone about 50 km wide from the southern boundary of Lassen Volcanic National Park north to the Pit River. This report presents a discussion of volcanic and other geologic hazards in the Lassen area and delineates hazards zones for different types of volcanic activity. Owing to its presence in a national park with significant visitorship, its explosive behavior, and its proximity to regional infrastructure, the Lassen Volcanic Center has been designated a "high threat volcano" in the U.S. Geological Survey National Volcano Early Warning System assessment. Volcanic eruptions are typically preceded by seismic activity and ground deformation, and the Lassen area has a network of seismometers and Global Positioning System stations in place to monitor for early warning of volcanic activity.

The Thermal Environment of the World's Highest Lake: Results from the First Field Season at Licancabur Volcano and Implications for Astrobiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hock, A. N.; Cabrol, N. A.; Grin, E. A.; Murbach, M.; Fike, D. A.; Grisby, B.; Paige, D. A.; McKay, C.; Chong, G.; Demergasso, C.; Friedmann, I.; Ocampo-Friedmann, R.; Kiss, K. T.; Grigorsky, I.; Devore, E.

2002-12-01

At 5916 meters above sea level, the crater lake of Licancabur volcano (22°50' S 67°53' W) is the highest lake in the world and remains largely unexplored. In particular, the physical environment of the lake is not well understood: in this part of the Andes, liquid water is uncommon above 17,000 feet (~5200 meters). Most high lakes of the region are permanently frozen, and according to one account, water was even poured and frozen for a building foundation (Rudolph 1955). However, the crater lake at Licancabur is ice covered only part of the year and has higher bottom water temperatures than predicted. Calculating the temperature of maximum density (as per Eklund 1983) suggests that bottom waters should be no warmer than 4 °C, while a high-altitude diving expedition measured them at 6 °C (Leach 1984). Here, we investigate the possibility that the bottom water temperature anomaly may be due to one or more of the following factors: 1) geothermal heating, 2) solar heating/greenhouse effect from ice cover, and 3) heating due to environment/local topography, especially seepage of heated groundwater from the crater walls. The role of geothermal heating in the energy budget of the Licancabur crater lake is estimated here using measurements of water column temperature and heat flux from the bottom sediments. We also present temperature data for the water column and bottom sediment, as well as profiles of the pH and total dissolved solids (TDS) as a function of depth. Dataloggers will also be placed in the lake and surrounding terrain to monitor the effects of solar UV flux and ice cover on the lake?s energy budget through the course of one year. Future work will continue to this end?to better understand a unique terrestrial environment in terms of its counterparts no Earth?but will also be applied to better understand the environment and history of analogous sites elsewhere in the solar system. In particular, the low temperature, low pressure, high UV environment atop

Temperature Trends in Montane Lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melack, J. M.; Sadro, S.; Jellison, R.

2014-12-01

Long-term temperature trends in lakes integrate hydrological and meteorological factors. We examine temperature trends in a small montane lake with prolonged ice-cover and large seasonal snowfall and in a large saline lake. Emerald Lake, located in the Sierra Nevada (California), is representative of high-elevation lakes throughout the region. No significant trend in outflow temperature was apparent from 1991to 2012. Snowfall in the watershed accounted for 93% of the variability in average summer lake temperatures. Mono Lake (California) lies in a closed, montane basin and is hypersaline and monomictic or meromictic. Temperature profiles have been collected from 1982 to 2010. In the upper water column, the July-August-September water temperatures increased 0.8-1.0°C over the 29 years. This rate of warming is less than published estimates based on satellite-derived skin temperatures and will discussed in the context of general limnological interpretation of temperature trends.

The hazards of eruptions through lakes and seawater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mastin, L.G.; Witter, J.B.

2000-01-01

Eruptions through crater lakes or shallow seawater, referred to here as subaqueous eruptions, present hazards from hydromagmatic explosions, such as base surges, lahars, and tsunamis, which may not exist at volcanoes on dry land. We have systematically compiled information from eruptions through surface water in order to understand the circumstances under which these hazards occur and what disastrous effects they have caused in the past. Subaqueous eruptions represent only 8% of all recorded eruptions but have produced about 20% of all fatalities associated with volcanic activity in historical time. Excluding eruptions that have resulted in about a hundred deaths or less, lahars have killed people in the largest number of historical subaqueous eruptions (8), followed by pyroclastic flows (excluding base surges; 5) tsunamis (4), and base surges (2). Subaqueous eruptions have produced lahars primarily on high (>1000 m), steep-sided volcanoes containing small (<1 km diameter) crater lakes. Tsunamis and other water waves have caused death or destroyed man-made structures only at submarine volcanoes and at Lake Taal in the Philippines. In spite of evidence that magma-water mixing makes eruptions more explosive, such explosions and their associated base surges have caused fewer deaths, and have been implicated in fewer eruptions involving large numbers of fatalities than lahars and tsunamis. The latter hazards are more deadly because they travel much farther from a volcano and inundate coastal areas and stream valleys that tend to be densely settled.

NASA Spacecraft Watches as Eruption Reshapes African Volcano

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-02-23

On Jan. 24, 2017, the Hyperion Imager on NASA's Earth Observing 1 (EO-1) spacecraft observed a new eruption at Erta'Ale volcano, Ethiopia, from an altitude of 438 miles (705 kilometers). Data were collected at a resolution of 98 feet (30 meters) per pixel at different visible and infrared wavelengths and were combined to create these images. A visible-wavelength image is on the left. An infrared image is shown on the right. The infrared image emphasizes the hottest areas and reveals a spectacular rift eruption, where a crack opens and lava gushes forth, fountaining into the air. The lava flows spread away from the crack. Erta'Ale is the location of a long-lived lava lake, and it remains to be seen if this survives this new eruption. The observation was scheduled via the Volcano Sensor Web, a network of sensors linked by artificial intelligence software to create an autonomous global monitoring program of satellite observations of volcanoes. The Volcano Sensor Web was alerted to this new activity by data from another spacecraft. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA11239

Newly Collected Multibeam Swath Bathymetry Data Herald a New Phase in Gas-hydrate Research on Lake Baikal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naudts, L.; Khlystov, O.; Khabuev, A.; Seminskiy, I.; Casier, R.; Cuylaerts, M.; 'chenko, P., General; Synaeve, J.; Vlamynck, N.; de Batist, M. A.; Grachev, M. A.

2009-12-01

Lake Baikal is a large rift lake in Southern Siberia (Russian Federation). It occupies the three central depressions of the Baikal Rift Zone (BRZ): i.e. the Southern, Central and Northern Baikal Basins. Rifting started ca. 30 Ma ago and is still active with a present-day average extension rate of about 4 mm/yr. With a depth of 1637 m, Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the World. It also holds 20 % of the world’s liquid surface fresh water, which makes it the largest lake in the World in terms of volume. Lake Baikal is also the only freshwater lake in the World with demonstrated occurrences of gas hydrates in its sedimentary infill. Methane hydrates are stable at water depths below 375 m. The presence of hydrates in the sedimentary infill is evidenced by a widespread BSR. Hydrates have also been encountered locally, in the near-bottom sediments of mud-volcano-like structures. In the summer of 2009, the lake floor has been mapped with multibeam swath bathymetry for the first time during a two-month-long survey with RV Titov. Swath bathymetry data were acquired with RCMG’s mobile 50 kHz SeaBeam 1050 multibeam system. In total 12600 km of echosounder tracks were sailed covering 15000 km2, including the Academician Ridge Accommodation Zone, the Central Baikal Basin, the Selenga Delta Accommodation Zone en the South Baikal Basin. In general, the lake floor was mapped starting from water depths of about -200 m to -1637 m, with an average survey depth of -1000 m. The new bathymetric data image the lake-floor morphology in unprecedented detail, revealing many small- and large-scall morphosedimentary, morphostructural and fluid-flow-related features, many of which were hitherto unknown. Known mud-volcano provinces in the Southern and Central Baikal Basins (i.e. the Posolsky Bank mud-volcano province, the Kukuy Canyon mud volcano province and the Olkhon Gate mud-volcano province) were mapped in detail, and several new, often isolated, mud-volcano-like structures were

Chasing lava: a geologist's adventures at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Duffield, Wendell A.

2003-01-01

A lively account of the three years (1969-1972) spent by geologist Wendell Duffield working at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory at Kilauea, one of the world's more active volcanoes. Abundantly illustrated in b&w and color, with line drawings and maps, as well. Volcanologists and general readers alike will enjoy author Wendell Duffield's report from Kilauea--home of Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes. Duffield's narrative encompasses everything from the scientific (his discovery that the movements of cooled lava on a lava lake mimic the movements of the earth's crust, providing an accessible model for understanding plate tectonics) to the humorous (his dog's discovery of a snake on the supposedly snake-free island) to the life-threatening (a colleague's plunge into molten lava). This charming account of living and working at Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, is sure to be a delight.

Identification of Focal Mechanisms of Seisms Occurring in the San Salvador Volcano-Ilopango Lake Area Between 1994 and March 2005

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

Maria Mendez Martinez, Luz de; Portillo, Mercy

2009-04-19

We studied the geographic area located in the central part of El Salvador, between the San Salvador Volcano (Quezaltepec) and Ilopango Lake. Its latitude is between 13 deg. 36' and 13 deg. 54', and longitude is between -89 deg. 18' and -88 deg. 57'. This area is directly affected by the WNW axis, the most prominent weak tectonic system in the region. Our research aimed to determine the focal mechanisms of seisms occurring in the studied area between 1994 and March 2005. Our analysis provided information about displacement types of the geological faults, using the wave impulse P method andmore » computer applications ARCGIS and SEISAN, with the subroutine FOCMEC. Information of the studied seisms was obtained from the National Service of Territorial Studies (SNET) database. Geographic models used in the preparation of maps are from the geographic information system of the School of Physics at the University of El Salvador. The 37 focal mechanisms on the map of faults were identified in digital seismographs to determinate the arrival polarity of the wave P for each seism station. Data from the focal mechanisms were analyzed and correlated with their replications. The analysis allowed us to identify evidences to consider the fault continuity not reported by the last geological mission in El Salvador conducted in the 1970s. The fault continuity is located northwest of the studied geographical area, between San Salvador City and the San Salvador Volcano. The compression and strain axes for this area are two main horizontal force axes. The average orientation for the strain axis is NNE-SSW, and WNW-SEE for the compression axis. There is also important seismic activity in the Ilopango Lake and surrounding area. However, data did not allow us to make any inference. The tensors distribution resulted in a high dispersion corresponding to typical fauces models.« less

Ribosomal DNA identification of Nosema/Vairimorpha in freshwater polychaete, Manayunkia speciosa, from Oregon/California and the Laurentian Great Lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Malakauskas, David M.; Altman, Emory C.; Malakauskas, Sarah J.; Thiem, Suzanne M.; Schloesser, Donald W.

2015-01-01

We examined Manayunkia speciosa individuals from the Klamath River, Oregon/California and Lake Erie, Michigan, USA for the presence of Microsporidia. We identified microsporidian spores and sequenced their SSU, ITS, and part of the LSU rDNA. Phylogenetic analysis of SSU rDNA indicated spores from both populations belonged to the Nosema/Vairimorpha clade. PCR showed an infection prevalence in Lake Erie M. speciosa of 0.6% (95% CI = 0.5%, 0.7%). This represents the first known example of molecularly characterized Nosema/Vairimorpha isolates infecting a non-arthropod host.

Hydrothermal element fluxes from Copahue, Argentina: A "beehive" volcano in turmoil

USGS Publications Warehouse

Varekamp, J.C.; Ouimette, A.P.; Herman, S.W.; Bermudez, A.; Delpino, D.

2001-01-01

Copahue volcano erupted altered rock debris, siliceous dust, pyroclastic sulfur, and rare juvenile fragments between 1992 and 1995, and magmatic eruptions occurred in July-October 2000. Prior to 2000, the Copahue crater lake, acid hot springs, and rivers carried acid brines with compositions that reflected close to congruent rock dissolution. The ratio between rock-forming elements and chloride in the central zone of the volcano-hydrothermal system has diminished over the past few years, reflecting increased water/rock ratios as a result of progressive rock dissolution. Magmatic activity in 2000 provided fresh rocks for the acid fluids, resulting in higher ratios between rock-forming elements and chloride in the fluids and enhanced Mg fluxes. The higher Mg fluxes started several weeks prior to the eruption. Model data on the crater lake and river element flux determinations indicate that Copahue volcano was hollowed out at a rate of about 20 000-25 000 m3/yr, but that void space was filled with about equal amounts of silica and liquid elemental sulfur. The extensive rock dissolution has weakened the internal volcanic structure, making flank collapse a volcanic hazard at Copahue.

Database for potential hazards from future volcanic eruptions in California

USGS Publications Warehouse

White, Melissa N.; Ramsey, David W.; Miller, C. Dan

2011-01-01

More than 500 volcanic vents have been identified in the State of California. At least 76 of these vents have erupted, some repeatedly, during the past 10,000 yr. Past volcanic activity has ranged in scale and type from small rhyolitic and basaltic eruptions through large catastrophic rhyolitic eruptions. Sooner or later, volcanoes in California will erupt again, and they could have serious impacts on the health and safety of the State's citizens as well as on its economy. This report describes the nature and probable distribution of potentially hazardous volcanic phenomena and their threat to people and property. It includes hazard-zonation maps that show areas relatively likely to be affected by future eruptions in California. This digital release contains information from maps of potential hazards from future volcanic eruptions in the state of California, published as Plate 1 in U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1847. The main component of this digital release is a spatial database prepared using geographic information systems (GIS) applications. This release also contains links to files to view or print the map plate, main report text, and accompanying hazard tables from Bulletin 1847. It should be noted that much has been learned about the ages of eruptive events in the State of California since the publication of Bulletin 1847 in 1989. For the most up to date information on the status of California volcanoes, please refer to the U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program website.

Investigating the Seismicity and Stress Field of the Truckee -- Lake Tahoe Region, California -- Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seaman, Tyler

The Lake Tahoe basin is located in a transtensional environment defined by east-dipping range--bounding normal faults, northeast--trending sinistral, and northwest-trending dextral strike-slip faults in the northern Walker Lane deformation belt. This region accommodates as much as 10 mm/yr of dextral shear between the Sierra Nevada and Basin and Range proper, or about 20% of Pacific-North American plate motion. There is abundant seismicity north of Lake Tahoe through the Truckee, California region as opposed to a lack of seismicity associated with the primary normal faults in the Tahoe basin (i.e., West Tahoe fault). This seismicity study is focused on the structural transition zone from north-striking east-dipping Sierran Range bounding normal faults into the northern Walker Lane right-lateral strike-slip domain. Relocations of earthquakes between 2000-2013 are performed by initially applying HYPOINVERSE mean sea level datum and station corrections to produce higher confidence absolute locations as input to HYPODD. HYPODD applies both phase and cross-correlation times for a final set of 'best' event relocations. Relocations of events in the upper brittle crust clearly align along well-imaged, often intersecting, high-angle structures of limited lateral extent. In addition, the local stress field is modeled from 679 manually determined short-period focal mechanism solutions, between 2000 and 2013, located within a fairly dense local seismic network. Short-period focal mechanisms were developed with the HASH algorithm and moment tensor solutions using long-period surface waves and the MTINV code. Resulting solutions show a 9:1 ratio of strike-slip to normal mechanisms in the transition zone study area. Stress inversions using the application SATSI (USGS Spatial And Temporal Stress Inversion) generally show a T-axis oriented primarily E-W that also rotates about 30 degrees counterclockwise, from a WNW-ESE trend to ENE-WSW, moving west to east across the California

ASTER Images Mt. Usu Volcano

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

On April 3, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra Satellite captured this image of the erupting Mt. Usu volcano in Hokkaido, Japan. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER will image the Earth for the next 6 years to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet.

This false color infrared image of Mt Usu volcano is dominated by Lake Toya, an ancient volcanic caldera. On the south shore is the active Usu volcano. On Friday, March 31, more than 11,000 people were evacuated by helicopter, truck and boat from the foot of Usu, that began erupting from the northwest flank, shooting debris and plumes of smoke streaked with blue lightning thousands of feet in the air. Although no lava gushed from the mountain, rocks and ash continued to fall after the eruption. The region was shaken by thousands of tremors before the eruption. People said they could taste grit from the ash that was spewed as high as 2,700 meters (8,850 ft) into the sky and fell to coat surrounding towns with ash. 'Mount Usu has had seven significant eruptions that we know of, and at no time has it ended quickly with only a small scale eruption,' said Yoshio Katsui, a professor at Hokkaido University. This was the seventh major eruption of Mount Usu in the past 300 years. Fifty people died when the volcano erupted in 1822, its worst known eruption.

In the image, most of the land is covered by snow. Vegetation, appearing red in the false color composite, can be seen in the agricultural fields, and forests in the mountains. Mt. Usu is crossed by three dark streaks. These are the paths of ash deposits that rained out from eruption plumes two days earlier. The prevailing wind was from the northwest, carrying the ash away from the main city of Date. Ash deposited can be traced on the image as far away as 10 kilometers (16

Water resources data-California, water year 2004. volume 4. northern central valley basins and the Great Basin from Honey Lake basin to Oregon state line

USGS Publications Warehouse

Webster, M.D.; Rockwell, G.L.; Friebel, M.F.; Brockner, S.J.

2005-01-01

Water-resources data for the 2004 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams, stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs, and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 4 contains discharge records for 188 gaging stations, stage and contents for 62 lakes and reservoirs, gage-height records for 1 station, water quality for 20 streamflow-gaging stations and 1 partial-record stations. Also included are 4 miscellaneous partial-record sites. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Lahar Hazards at Concepción volcano, Nicaragua

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vallance, J.W.; Schilling, S.P.; Devoli, G.; Howell, M.M.

2001-01-01

Concepción is one of Nicaragua’s highest and most active volcanoes. The symmetrical cone occupies the northeastern half of a dumbbell shaped island called Isla Ometepa. The dormant volcano, Maderas, occupies the southwest half of the island. A narrow isthmus connects Concepción and Maderas volcanoes. Concepción volcano towers more than 1600 m above Lake Nicaragua and is within 5 to 10 km of several small towns situated on its aprons at or near the shoreline. These towns have a combined population of nearly 5,000. The volcano has frequently produced debris flows (watery flows of mud, rock, and debris—also known as lahars when they occur on a volcano) that could inundate these nearby populated areas. Concepción volcano has erupted more than 25 times in the last 120 years. Its first recorded activity was in AD 1883. Eruptions in the past century, most of which have originated from a small summit crater, comprise moderate explosions, ash that falls out of eruption plumes (called tephra), and occasional lava flows. Near the summit area, there are accumulations of rock that were emplaced hot (pyroclastic deposits), most of which were hot enough to stick together during deposition (a process called welding). These pyroclastic rocks are rather weak, and tend to break apart easily. The loose volcanic rock remobilizes during heavy rain to form lahars. Volcanic explosions have produced blankets of tephra that are distributed downwind, which on Isla Ometepe is mostly to the west. Older deposits at the west end of the island that are up to 1 m thick indicate larger explosive events have happened at Concepción volcano in prehistoric time. Like pyroclastic-flow deposits, loose tephra on the steep slopes of the volcano provides source material that heavy rainstorms and earthquakes can mobilize to trigger debris flow.

Atmospheric dry deposition on pines in the Eastern Brook Lake Watershed, Sierra Nevada, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bytnerowicz, Andrzej; Dawson, P. J.; Morrison, C. L.; Poe, M. P.

Atmospheric dry deposition to branches of Pinus contorta and P. albicaulis was measured during summer 1987 in a sub-alpine zone at Eastern Brook Lake Watershed (EBLW), eastern Sierra Nevada, California. Results are presented as deposition fluxes of NO 3-, SO 42-, PO 43-, Cl -, F -, NH 4+, Ca 2+, Mg 2+, Na +, K +, Zn 2+, Fe 3+, Mn 2+, Pb 2+ and H +, and compared with other locations in California and elsewhere. Deposition fluxes of anions and cations to the pine branches were low, several times lower than the values determined near the Emerald Lake Watershed (ELW), another sub-alpine location in the western Sierra Nevada. The sums of deposition fluxes of the measured cations and anions to pine surfaces were similar, in contrast to the ELW location where the sums of cation fluxes were much higher than the sums of anion fluxes. A strong positive correlation between depositions of NO 3- and NH 4+, as well as SO 42- and Ca 2+, suggested that large portions of these ions might have originated from particulate NH 4NO 3 and CaSO 4 deposited on pine surfaces. An estimated total N dry deposition (surface deposition of NO 3- and NH 4+ and internal uptake of NO 2 and HNO 3) to the forested area of the EBLW was 29.54 eq ha -1 yr - (about 414 g H ha -1 yr -1).

Environmental changes in the Tule Lake basin, Siskiyou and Modoc Counties, California, from 3 to 2 million years before present

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adam, David P.; Bradbury, J. Platt; Rieck, Hugh J.; Sarna-Wojcicki, Andrei M.

1990-01-01

Pollen and diatom analyses of a core from the town of Tulelake, Siskiyou County, California, for the period between 3 and 2 Ma reveal a paleoclimatic and paleolimnologic sequence recording a long, warm time interval that lasted from about 2.9 to 2.6 Ma and had a short, cooler interval within it. During this warm interval, the regional vegetation surrounding ancient Tule Lake was a mixed coniferous forest, and Tule Lake was a warm monomictic lake. Approximate modern analogs for this Pliocene fossil record at Tulelake are found at least 2 degrees farther south. The Tulelake warm interval appears to have correlatives in the North Atlantic oxygen isotope record and in the pollen record of the Reuverian in the Netherlands. An interval beginning at about 2.4 Ma was characterized at Tule Lake by slow sedimentation, by changes in the relative amounts of algae in the lake, and by an increase in the maximum percentages of Artemisia pollen.

Tracking the movement of Hawaiian volcanoes; Global Positioning System (GPS) measurement

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dvorak, J.J.

1992-01-01

At some well-studied volcanoes, surface movements of at least several centimeters take place out to distances of about 10 km from the summit of the volcano. Widespread deformation of this type is relatively easy to monitor, because the necessary survey stations can be placed at favorable sites some distance from the summit of the volcano. Examples of deformation of this type include Kilauea and Mauna Loa in Hawaii, Krafla in Iceland, Long Valley in California, Camp Flegrei in Italy, and Sakurajima in Japan. In contrast, surface movement at some other volcanoes, usually volcanoes with steep slopes, is restricted to places within about 1 km of their summits. Examples of this class of volcanoes include Mount St. Helens in Washington, Etna in Italy, and Tangkuban Parahu in Indonesia. Local movement on remote, rugged volcanoes of this type is difficult to observe using conventional methods of measuring ground movement, which generally require a clear line-of-sight between points of interest. However, a revolutionary new technique, called the Global Positional System (GPS), provides a very efficient, alternative method of making such measurements. GPS, which uses satellites and ground-based receivers to accurately record slight crustal movements, is rapidly becoming the method of choice to measure deformation at volcanoes. 

Geochemical evolution of a high arsenic, alkaline pit-lake in the Mother Lode Gold District, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Savage, Kaye S.; Ashley, Roger P.; Bird, Dennis K.

2009-01-01

The Harvard orebody at the Jamestown gold mine, located along the Melones fault zone in the southern Mother Lode gold district, California, was mined in an open-pit operation from 1987 to 1994. Dewatering during mining produced a hydrologic cone of depression; recovery toward the premining ground-water configuration produced a monomictic pit lake with alkaline Ca-Mg-HCO3-SO4–type pit water, concentrations of As up to 1,200 μg/L, and total dissolved solids (TDS) up to 2,000 mg/L. In this study, pit-wall rocks were mapped and chemically analyzed to provide a context for evaluating observed variability in the composition of the pit-lake waters in relationship to seasonal weather patterns. An integrated hydrogeochemical model of pit-lake evolution based on observations of pit-lake volume, water composition (samples collected between 1998–2000, 2004), and processes occurring on pit walls was developed in three stages using the computer code PHREEQC. Stage 1 takes account of seasonally variable water fluxes from precipitation, evaporation, springs, and ground water, as well as lake stratification and mixing processes. Stage 2 adds CO2fluxes and wall-rock interactions, and stage 3 assesses the predictive capability of the model.Two major geologic units in fault contact comprise the pit walls. The hanging wall is composed of interlayered slate, metavolcanic and metavolcaniclastic rocks, and schists; the footwall rocks are chlorite-actinolite and talc-tremolite schists generated by metasomatism of greenschist-facies mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks. Alteration in the ore zone provides evidence for mineralizing fluids that introduced CO2, S, and K2O, and redistributed SiO2. Arsenian pyrite associated with the alteration weathers to produce goethite and jarosite on pit walls and in joints, as well as copiapite and hexahydrite efflorescences that accumulate on wall-rock faces during dry California summers. All of these pyrite weathering products incorporate arsenic at

Continuous monitoring of Hawaiian volcanoes using thermal cameras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patrick, M. R.; Orr, T. R.; Antolik, L.; Lee, R.; Kamibayashi, K.

2012-12-01

Thermal cameras are becoming more common at volcanoes around the world, and have become a powerful tool for observing volcanic activity. Fixed, continuously recording thermal cameras have been installed by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in the last two years at four locations on Kilauea Volcano to better monitor its two ongoing eruptions. The summit eruption, which began in March 2008, hosts an active lava lake deep within a fume-filled vent crater. A thermal camera perched on the rim of Halema`uma`u Crater, acquiring an image every five seconds, has now captured about two years of sustained lava lake activity, including frequent lava level fluctuations, small explosions , and several draining events. This thermal camera has been able to "see" through the thick fume in the crater, providing truly 24/7 monitoring that would not be possible with normal webcams. The east rift zone eruption, which began in 1983, has chiefly consisted of effusion through lava tubes onto the surface, but over the past two years has been interrupted by an intrusion, lava fountaining, crater collapse, and perched lava lake growth and draining. The three thermal cameras on the east rift zone, all on Pu`u `O`o cone and acquiring an image every several minutes, have captured many of these changes and are providing an improved means for alerting observatory staff of new activity. Plans are underway to install a thermal camera at the summit of Mauna Loa to monitor and alert to any future changes there. Thermal cameras are more difficult to install, and image acquisition and processing are more complicated than with visual webcams. Our system is based in part on the successful thermal camera installations by Italian volcanologists on Stromboli and Vulcano. Equipment includes custom enclosures with IR transmissive windows, power, and telemetry. Data acquisition is based on ActiveX controls, and data management is done using automated Matlab scripts. Higher-level data processing, also done with

Continuous monitoring of diffuse CO2 degassing at Taal volcano, Philippines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padron, E.; Hernandez Perez, P. A.; Arcilla, C. A.; Lagmay, A. M. A.; Perez, N. M.; Quina, G.; Padilla, G.; Barrancos, J.; Cótchico, M. A.; Melián, G.

2016-12-01

Observing changes in the composition and discharge rates of volcanic gases is an important part of volcanic monitoring programs, because some gases released by progressive depressurization of magma during ascent are highly mobile and reach the surface well before their parental magma. Among volcanic gases, CO2 is widely used in volcano studies and monitoring because it is one of the earliest released gas species from ascending magma, and it is considered conservative. Taal Volcano in Southwest Luzon, Philippines, lies between a volcanic arc front (facing the subduction zone along the Manila Trench) and a volcanic field formed from extension beyond the arc front. Taal Volcano Island is formed by a main tuff cone surrounded by several smaller tuff cones, tuff rings and scoria cones. This island is located in the center of the 30 km wide Taal Caldera, now filled by Taal Lake. To monitor the volcanic activity of Taal volcano is a priority task in the Philippines, because several million people live within a 20-km radius of Taal's caldera rim. In the period from 2010-2011, during a period of volcanic unrest, the main crater lake of Taal volcano released the highest diffuse CO2 emission rates reported to date by volcanic lakes worldwide. The maximum CO2 emission rate measured in the study period occurred two months before the strongest seismic activity recorded during the unrest period (Arpa et al., 2013, Bull Volcanol 75:747). In the light of the excellent results obtained through diffuse degassing studies, an automatic geochemical station to monitor in a continuous mode the diffuse CO2 degassing in a selected location of Taal, was installed in January 2016 to improve the early warning system at the volcano. The station is located at Daang Kastila, at the northern portion of the main crater rim. It measures hourly the diffuse CO2 efflux, atmospheric CO2 concentration, soil water content and temperature, wind speed and direction, air temperature and humidity, rainfall

Monitoring Mount Baker Volcano

USGS Publications Warehouse

Malone, S.D.; Frank, D.

1976-01-01

Hisotrically active volcanoes in the conterminous United States are restricted to the Cascade Range and extend to the Cascade Range and extend from Mount Baker near the Canadian border to Lassen Peak in northern California. Since 1800 A.D, most eruptive activity has been on a relatively small scale and has not caused loss of life or significant property damage. However, future  volcanism predictably will have more serious effects because of greatly increased use of land near volcanoes during the present century. (See "Appraising Volcanic Hazards of the Cascade Range of the Northwestern United States," Earthquake Inf. Bull., Sept.-Oct. 1974.) The recognition an impending eruption is highly important in order to minimize the potential hazard to people and property. Thus, a substantial increase in hydrothermal activity at Mount Baker in March 1975 ( see "Mount Baker Heating Up," July-Aug. 1975 issue) was regarded as a possible first signal that an eruption might occur, and an intensive monitoring program was undertaken. 

Land use change and effects on water quality and ecosystem health in the Lake Tahoe basin, Nevada and California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Forney, William; Richards, Lora; Adams, Kenneth D.; Minor, Timothy B.; Rowe, Timothy G.; Smith, J. LaRue; Raumann, Christian G.

2001-01-01

Human activity in the Lake Tahoe Basin has increased substantially in the past four decades, causing significant impacts on the quality and clarity of the lake's famous deep, clear water. Protection of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding environment has become an important activity in recent years. A variety of agencies, including the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Tahoe Research Group of the University of California at Davis, Desert Research Institute of the University and Community College System of Nevada, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and a host of State (both Nevada and California) and local agencies have been monitoring and conducting research in the Basin in order to understand how the lake functions and to what extent humans have affected its landscape and ecosystem processes. In spite of all of these activities, there remains a lack of comprehensive land use change data and analysis for the Basin. A project is underway that unites the land cover mapping expertise of the USGS National Mapping Discipline with the hydrologic expertise of the Water Resources Discipline to assess the impacts of urban growth and land use change in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Three activities are planned over the next 3 years: (1) mapping the current and historic state of the land surface, (2) conducting analysis to document patterns, rates, and trends in urbanization, land use change, and ecosystem health, and (3) assessing the causes and consequences of land use change with regard to water quality and ecosystem health. We hypothesize that changes in the extent of urban growth and the corresponding increases in impervious surfaces and decreases in natural vegetation have resulted in severe impacts on ecosystem health and integrity, riparian zones and water quality over time. We are acting on multiple fronts to test this hypothesis through the quantification of landscape disturbances and impacts.

Hydrothermal element fluxes from Copahue, Argentina: A “beehive” volcano in turmoil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varekamp, Johan C.; Ouimette, Andrew P.; Herman, Scott W.; Bermúdez, Adriana; Delpino, Daniel

2001-11-01

Copahue volcano erupted altered rock debris, siliceous dust, pyroclastic sulfur, and rare juvenile fragments between 1992 and 1995, and magmatic eruptions occurred in July October 2000. Prior to 2000, the Copahue crater lake, acid hot springs, and rivers carried acid brines with compositions that reflected close to congruent rock dissolution. The ratio between rock-forming elements and chloride in the central zone of the volcano-hydrothermal system has diminished over the past few years, reflecting increased water/rock ratios as a result of progressive rock dissolution. Magmatic activity in 2000 provided fresh rocks for the acid fluids, resulting in higher ratios between rock-forming elements and chloride in the fluids and enhanced Mg fluxes. The higher Mg fluxes started several weeks prior to the eruption. Model data on the crater lake and river element flux determinations indicate that Copahue volcano was hollowed out at a rate of about 20000 25000 m3/yr, but that void space was filled with about equal amounts of silica and liquid elemental sulfur. The extensive rock dissolution has weakened the internal volcanic structure, making flank collapse a volcanic hazard at Copahue.

Response of visitors to the Rainbow Trail: an evaluation of an interpretive area in the Lake Tahoe Basin, California

Treesearch

Richard A. Kuehner; Gary H. Elsner

1978-01-01

Behavior of visitors on the Rainbow Trail, a Forest Service Interpretive Area in the Lake Tahoe Basin, California, was surveyed by observation and by interview. Some significant differences between trail visitors and other kinds of outdoor recreation enthusiasts were discovered. Enjoyment was high, and learning, while moderate, exceeded expectations. The Stream Profile...

Measuring thermal budgets of active volcanoes by satellite remote sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaze, L.; Francis, P. W.; Rothery, D. A.

1989-01-01

Thematic Mapper measurements of the total radiant energy flux Q at Lascar volcano in north Chile for December 1984 are reported. The results are consistent with the earlier suggestion that a lava lake is the source of a reported thermal budget anomaly, and with values for 1985-1986 that are much lower, suggesting that fumarolic activity was then a more likely heat source. The results show that satellite remote sensing may be used to monitor the activity of a volcano quantitatively, in a way not possible by conventional ground studies, and may provide a method for predicting eruptions.

Real-Time Data Received from Mount Erebus Volcano, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aster, Richard; McIntosh, William; Kyle, Philip; Esser, Richard; Bartel, Beth Ann; Dunbar, Nelia; Johns, Bjorn; Johnson, Jeffrey B.; Karstens, Richard; Kurnik, Chuck; McGowan, Murray; McNamara, Sara; Meertens, Chuck; Pauley, Bruce; Richmond, Matt; Ruiz, Mario

2004-03-01

Internal and eruptive volcano processes involve complex interactions of multi-phase fluids with the solid Earth and the atmosphere, and produce diverse geochemical, visible, thermal, elastic, and anelastic effects. Multidisciplinary experimental agendas are increasingly being employed to meet the challenge of understanding active volcanoes and their hazards [e.g., Ripepe et al., 2002; Wallace et al., 2003]. Mount Erebus is a large (3794 m) stratovolcano that forms the centerpiece of Ross Island, Antarctica, the site of the principal U.S. (McMurdo) and New Zealand (Scott) Antarctic bases. With an elevation of 3794 m and a volume of ~1670 km3, Erebus offers exceptional opportunities for extended study of volcano processes because of its persistent, low-level, strombolian activity (Volcano Explosivity Index 0-1) and exposed summit magma reservoir (manifested as a long-lived phonolitic lava lake). Key scientific questions include linking conduit processes to near-field deformations [e.g., Aster et al., 2003], explosion physics [e.g., Johnson et al., 2003], magmatic differentiation and residence [e.g., Kyle et al., 1992], and effects on Antarctic atmospheric and ice geochemistry [e.g., Zreda-Gostynska et al., 1997]. The close proximity of Erebus (35 km) to McMurdo, and its characteristic dry, windy, cold, and high-elevation Antarctic environment, make the volcano a convenient test bed for the general development of volcano surveillance and other instrumentation under extreme conditions.

Paleohydrologic record of spring deposits in and around Pleistocene pluvial Lake Tecopa, southeastern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nelson, Stephen T.; Karlsson, Haraldur R.; Paces, James B.; Tingey, David G.; Ward, Stephen; Peters, Mark T.

2001-01-01

Tufa (spring) deposits in the Tecopa basin, California, reflect the response of arid groundwater regimes to wet climate episodes. Two types of tufa are represented, informally defined as (1) an easily disaggregated, fine-grained mixture of calcite and quartz (friable tufa) in the southwest Tecopa Valley, and (2) hard, vuggy micrite, laminated carbonate, and carbonate-cemented sands and gravels (indurated tufa) along the eastern margin of Lake Tecopa. High δ18OVSMOW (Vienna standard mean ocean water) water values, field relations, and the texture of friable tufa suggest rapid nucleation of calcite as subaqueous, fault- controlled groundwater discharge mixed with high-pH, hypersaline lake water. Variations between δ18OVSMOW and δ13CPDB (Peedee belemnite) values relative to other closed basin lakes such as the Great Salt Lake and Lake Lahontan suggest similarities in climatic and hydrologic settings. Indurated tufa, also fault controlled, formed mounds and associated feeder systems as well as stratabound carbonate-cemented ledges. Both deposits represent discharge of deeply circulated, high total dissolved solids, and high pCO2 regional groundwater with kinetic enrichments of as much as several per mil for δ18OVSMOW values. Field relations show that indurated tufa represents episodic discharge, and U-series ages imply that discharge was correlated with cold, wet climate episodes. In response to both the breaching of the Tecopa basin and a modern arid climate, most discharge has changed from fault-controlled locations near basin margins to topographic lows of the Amargosa River drainage at elevations 30–130 m lower. Because of episodic climate change, spring flows may have relocated from basin margin to basin center multiple times.

Water-quality data for selected sites on Reversed, Rush, and Alger Creeks and Gull and Silver Lakes, Mono County, California, April 1994 to March 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wang, Bronwen; Rockwell, G.L.; Blodgett, J.C.

1995-01-01

Water-quality data for selected sites on Reversed, Rush, and Alger Creeks and Gull and Silver Lakes, Mono County, California, were collected from April 1994 to March 1995. Water samples were analyzed for major ions and trace elements, nutrients, methylene blue active substances, and oil and grease. Field measurements were made for discharge, specific conductance, pH, water temperature, barometric pressure, dissolved oxygen, and alkalinity. Additional data collected include vertical water profiles of specific conductance, pH, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen collected at 3.3-foot intervals for Gull and Silver Lakes; chlorophyll-a and -b concentrations and Secchi depth for Gull and Silver Lakes; sediment interstitial- water nutrient concentrations in cores from Gull Lake; and lake surface and volume of Gull and Silver Lakes.

SEASONAL VARIATIONS OF DISSOLVED MERCURY CONCENTRATIONS AT THE SULPHUR BANK MERCURY MINE, CLEAR LAKE, CALIFORNIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR MINE DRAINAGE MONITORING

EPA Science Inventory

The Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine in Lake County, California (SBMM) was operated from the 1860s through the 1950s. Mining for sulfur started with surface operations and then progressed to shaft and later open pit techniques to obtain mercury. SBMM is located adjacent to the shore o...

Hydrologic, water-quality, and meteorologic data for Newberry Volcano and vicinity, Deschutes County, Oregon, 1991-93

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crumrine, Milo D.; Morgan, David S.

1994-01-01

This report is a compilation of hydrologic, water- quality, and meteorologic data collected in the vicinity of Newberry Volcano near Bend, Oregon. These data were collected, in cooperation with the Bonneville Power Administration, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management, to provide baseline data for identifying and assessing the effects of proposed geothermal development in the vicinity of Newberry Volcano. Types of data collected include ground-water levels, lake levels, streamflow, water quality, and meteorologic measurements. Sites that were monitored include: (1) two thermal wells in the caldera, (2) several nonthermal wells in the caldera, (3) four wells outside of the caldera, (4) Paulina Creek, (5) Paulina and East Lakes, (6) hot springs that discharge into Paulina and East Lakes, and (7) meteorologic conditions near Paulina Lake. Data are presented for the period summer 1991 through fall 1993. Water-quality data collected include concentrations of common anions and cations, nutrients, trace elements, radiochemicals, and isotopes. Meteorologic data collected include wind velocity, air temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and precipitation.

Integrated exploration for low-temperature geothermal resources in the Honey Lake Basin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schimschal, U.

1991-01-01

An integrated exploration study is presented to locate low-temperature geothermal reservoirs in the Honey Lake area of northern California. Regional studies to locate the geothermal resources included gravity, infra-red, water-temperature, and water-quality analyses. Five anomalies were mapped from resistivity surveys. Additional study of three anomalies by temperature-gradient and seismic methods was undertaken to define structure and potential of the geothermal resource. The gravity data show a graben structure in the area. Seismic reflection data indicate faults associated with surface-resistivity and temperature-gradient data. The data support the interpretation that the shallow reservoirs are replenished along the fault zones by deeply circulating heated meteoric waters. -Author

Potential hazards from future volcanic eruptions in California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, C. Dan

1989-01-01

More than 500 volcanic vents have been identified in the State of California. At least 76 of these vents have erupted, some repeatedly, during the last 10,000 years. Past volcanic activity has ranged in scale and type from small rhyolitic and basaltic eruptions through large catastrophic rhyolitic eruptions. Sooner or later, volcanoes in California will erupt again, and they could have serious impacts on the health and safety of the State\\'s citizens as well as on its economy. This report describes the nature and probable distribution of potentially hazardous volcanic phenomena and their threat to people and property. It includes hazard-zonation maps that show areas relatively likely to be affected by future eruptions in California. The potentially more hazardous eruptions in the State are those that involve explosive eruption of large volumes of silicic magma. Such eruptions could occur at vents in as many as four areas in California. They could eject pumice high into the atmosphere above the volcano, produce destructive blasts, avalanches, or pyroclastic flows that reach distances of tens of kilometers from a vent, and produce mudflows and floods that reach to distances of hundreds of kilometers. Smaller eruptions produce similar, but less severe and less extensive, phenomena. Hazards are greatest close to a volcanic vent; the slopes on or near a volcano, and valleys leading away from it, are affected most often and most severely by such eruptions. In general, risk from volcanic phenomena decreases with increasing distance from a vent and, for most flowage processes, with increasing height above valley floors or fan surfaces. Tephra (ash) from explosive eruptions can affect wide areas downwind from a vent. In California, prevailing winds cause the 180-degree sector east of the volcano to be affected most often and most severely. Risk to life from ashfall decreases rapidly with increasing distance from a vent, but thin deposits of ash could disrupt communication

The nuclear bomb carbon curve recorded in tree-rings and lake sediments near Taal Volcano, Central Philippines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liou, M. S.; Li, H. C.; Huang, S. K.; Guan, B. T.

2017-12-01

Dendrochronologies built from precisely dated annual rings have shown to record the regional bomb pulse and the C-14 concentration variations caused by local events. In this study, we collected teak trees Tectona grandis near the Lake Taal, Central Philippines in 2011 for dendrochronological analysis and radiocarbon dating. The tree-ring sample contains 90 rings dated from 1922 to 2011. Currently, 28 selected subsamples have been measured by AMS 14C on bulk carbon with a few samples on holocellulose. The 14C results of the samples indicate that: 1) the results of AMS 14C dating between holocellulose and whole wood from the same ring are similar, so we select whole wood for AMS 14C dating. 2) The nuclear bomb 14C pulse was clearly recorded in the Tectona grandis growth rings. The Δ14C values rose dramatically in 1960 and reached a maximum of 692‰ in 1966. The magnitude and the peak year of the bomb curve in the Tectona grandis tree-ring record are comparable to other published tree-ring records in the tropical regions. 3) The Δ14C values suddenly dropped in 1950, 1964 and 1968, probably affected by CO2 gas releasing due to the Taal volcanic activities. Further study on the tree-ring 14C dating will allow us to evaluate the bomb pulse trends more precisely, and the volcanic activities of Pinatubo and Taal Volcanoes. The tree-ring Δ14C record not only confirms existence of the bomb curve in Taal Lake area, but also allows us compare to the Δ14C record in the lake sediment for chronological construction. A 120-cm gravity core, TLS-2, collected from Lake Taal in 2008, shows the nuclear bomb carbon curve in the TOC of the core. However, the magnitude of the nuclear bomb 14C pulse in the TOC of TLS-2 is much lower than that in the tree-ring records, due to mixing effect of different organic carbon sources, smoothing effect of 14CO2 in multiple years plant growths, local old CO2 emission from volcanic activity, degassing from the lake bottom, and industrial and city

Red Hot: Determining the Physical Properties of Lava Lake Skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ford, C.; Lev, E.

2015-12-01

Lava lakes are the surface expression of conduits that bring magma to the mouth of a volcano from deep within the earth. Time-lapse footage from a thermal imaging camera at Halema'uma'u lake at Kilauea volcano, Hawaii was used to investigate the cooling rate of the lava lake's surface. The data was then combined with an analytical model of lava flow cooling to constrain the porosity of the lava lake skin. The data was processed to account for the influence that the camera's position relative to the lake had on the image geometry and the recorded temperature values. We examined lake cooling in two separate scenarios: First, we calculated the cooling rate of the skin immediately after large gas bubbles burst at the lake's surface. Second, the temperature of the skin was measured as a function of distance from molten spreading centers (cracks) on the surface, and then converted to cooling as a function of the skin's age using the local lake surface velocity. The resulting cooling time-series were compared against cooling curves produced by a model that simulates lava flow cooling based on a myriad of physical factors. We performed quantitative data analysis to determine the approximate porosity of the lava lake skin. Preliminary comparisons reveal that the calculated cooling rates most closely correspond to the cooling curves that were produced with a lava porosity value of at least 80%.

Evidence for water influx from a caldera lake during the explosive hydromagmatic eruption of 1790, Kilauea volcano, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mastin, L.G.

1997-01-01

In 1790 a major hydromagmatic eruption at the summit of Kilauea volcano, Hawaii, deposited up to 10 m of pyroclastic fall and surge deposits and killed several dozen Hawaiian natives who were crossing the island. Previous studies have hypothesized that the explosivity of this eruption was due to the influx of groundwater into the conduit and mixing of the groundwater with ascending magma. This study proposes that surface water, not groundwater, was the agent responsible for the explosiveness of the eruption. That is, a lake or pond may have existed in the caldera in 1790 and explosions may have taken place when magma ascended into the lake from below. That assertion is based on two lines of evidence: (1) high vesicularity (averaging 73% of more than 3000 lapilli) and high vesicle number density (105-107 cm-3 melt) of pumice clasts suggest that some phases of the eruption involved vigorous, sustained magma ascent; and (2) numerical calculations suggest that under most circumstances, hydrostatic pressure would not be sufficient to drive water into the eruptive conduit during vigorous magma ascent unless the water table were above the ground surface. These results are supported by historical data on the rate of infilling of the caldera floor during the early 1800s. When extrapolated back to 1790, they suggest that the caldera floor was below the water table.

California's potential volcanic hazards

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jorgenson, P.

1989-01-01

This is a summary of "Potential Hazards from Future Volcanic Eruptions in California' (USGS Bulletin No. 1847: price $4.75). The chief areas of danger are Lassen Peak, Mount Shasta and Medicine Lake Highland in the north; Clear Lake, Mono Lake and Long Valley in the centre; and Owen's River-Death Valley, Amboy Crater and the Saltan Butter in the south of the State. -A.Scarth

Geomorphological classification of post-caldera volcanoes in the Buyan-Bratan caldera, North Bali, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okuno, Mitsuru; Harijoko, Agung; Wayan Warmada, I.; Watanabe, Koichiro; Nakamura, Toshio; Taguchi, Sachihiro; Kobayashi, Tetsuo

2017-12-01

A landform of the post-caldera volcanoes (Lesung, Tapak, Sengayang, Pohen, and Adeng) in the Buyan-Bratan caldera on the island of Bali, Indonesia can be classified by topographic interpretation. The Tapak volcano has three craters, aligned from north to south. Lava effused from the central crater has flowed downward to the northwest, separating the Tamblingan and Buyan Lakes. This lava also covers the tip of the lava flow from the Lesung volcano. Therefore, it is a product of the latest post-caldera volcano eruption. The Lesung volcano also has two craters, with a gully developing on the pyroclastic cone from the northern slope to the western slope. Lava from the south crater has flowed down the western flank, beyond the caldera rim. Lava distributed on the eastern side from the south also surrounds the Sengayang volcano. The Adeng volcano is surrounded by debris avalanche deposits from the Pohen volcano. Based on these topographic relationships, Sengayang volcano appears to be the oldest of the post-caldera volcanoes, followed by the Adeng, Pohen, Lesung, and Tapak volcanoes. Coarse-grained scoria falls around this area are intercalated with two foreign tephras: the Samalas tephra (1257 A.D.) from Lombok Island and the Penelokan tephra (ca. 5.5 kBP) from the Batur caldera. The source of these scoria falls is estimated to be either the Tapak or Lesung volcano, implying that at least two volcanoes have erupted during the Holocene period.

Methanogenic calcite, 13C-depleted bivalve shells, and gas hydrate from a mud volcano offshore southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hein, J.R.; Normark, W.R.; McIntyre, B.R.; Lorenson, T.D.; Powell, C.L.

2006-01-01

Methane and hydrogen sulfide vent from a cold seep above a shallowly buried methane hydrate in a mud volcano located 24 km offshore southern California in?? 800 m of water. Bivalves, authigenic calcite, and methane hydrate were recovered in a 2.1 m piston core. Aragonite shells of two bivalve species are unusually depleted in 13C (to -91??? ??13C), the most 13C-depleted shells of marine macrofauna yet discovered. Carbon isotopes for both living and dead specimens indicate that they used, in part, carbon derived from anaerobically oxidized methane to construct their shells. The ??13C values are highly variable, but most are within the range -12??? to -91???. This variability may be diagnostic for identifying cold-seep-hydrate systems in the geologic record. Authigenic calcite is abundant in the cores down to ???1.5 m subbottom, the top of the methane hydrate. The calcite is depleted in 13C (??13C = -46??? to -58???), indicating that carbon produced by anaerobically oxidized methane is the main source of the calcite. Methane sources include a geologic hydrocarbon reservoir from Miocene source rocks, and biogenic and thermogenic degradation of organic matter in basin sediments. Oxygen isotopes indicate that most calcite formed out of isotopic equilibrium with ambient bottom water, under the influence of gas hydrate dissociation and strong methane flux. High metal content in the mud volcano sediment indicates leaching of basement rocks by fluid circulating along an underlying fault, which also allows for a high flux of fossil methane. ?? 2006 Geological Society of America.

Field-trip guide to the geologic highlights of Newberry Volcano, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jensen, Robert A.; Donnelly-Nolan, Julie M.

2017-08-09

Newberry Volcano and its surrounding lavas cover about 3,000 square kilometers (km2) in central Oregon. This massive, shield-shaped, composite volcano is located in the rear of the Cascades Volcanic Arc, ~60 km east of the Cascade Range crest. The volcano overlaps the northwestern corner of the Basin and Range tectonic province, known locally as the High Lava Plains, and is strongly influenced by the east-west extensional environment. Lava compositions range from basalt to rhyolite. Eruptions began about half a million years ago and built a broad composite edifice that has generated more than one caldera collapse event. At the center of the volcano is the 6- by 8-km caldera, created ~75,000 years ago when a major explosive eruption of compositionally zoned tephra led to caldera collapse, leaving the massive shield shape visible today. The volcano hosts Newberry National Volcanic Monument, which encompasses the caldera and much of the northwest rift zone where mafic eruptions occurred about 7,000 years ago. These young lava flows erupted after the volcano was mantled by the informally named Mazama ash, a blanket of volcanic ash generated by the eruption that created Crater Lake about 7,700 years ago. This field trip guide takes the visitor to a variety of easily accessible geologic sites in Newberry National Volcanic Monument, including the youngest and most spectacular lava flows. The selected sites offer an overview of the geologic story of Newberry Volcano and feature a broad range of lava compositions. Newberry’s most recent eruption took place about 1,300 years ago in the center of the caldera and produced tephra and lava of rhyolitic composition. A significant mafic eruptive event occurred about 7,000 years ago along the northwest rift zone. This event produced lavas ranging in composition from basalt to andesite, which erupted over a distance of 35 km from south of the caldera to Lava Butte where erupted lava flowed west to temporarily block the Deschutes

Floor of Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dartnell, Peter; Gibbons, Helen

2011-01-01

Lake-floor depths shown by color, from light tan (shallowest) to blue (deepest). Arrows on map (C) show orientations of perspective views. A, view toward McKinney Bay over blocks tumbled onto the lake floor by a massive landslide 10s to 100s of thousands of years ago; dark triangular block near center is approximately 1.5 km (0.9 mi) across and 120 m (390 ft) high. B, view toward South Lake Tahoe and Emerald Bay (on right) over sediment waves as much as 10 m (30 ft) high, created by sediment flowing down the south margin of the lake. Slopes appear twice as steep as they are. Lake-floor imagery from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) multibeam bathymetric data and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers bathymetric lidar data. Land imagery generated by overlaying USGS digital orthophoto quadrangles (DOQs) on USGS digital elevation models (DEMs). All data available at http://tahoe.usgs.gov/.

Limnology of Botos Lake, a tropical crater lake in Costa Rica.

PubMed

Umaña, G

2001-12-01

Botos Lake, located at the Poas Volcano complex (Costa Rica) was sampled eight times from 1994 to 1996 for physicochemical conditions of the water column and phytoplanktonic community composition. Depth was measured at fixed intervals in several transects across the lake to determine its main morphometric characteristics. The lake has an outlet to the north. It is located 2580 m above sea level and is shallow, with a mean depth of 1.8 m and a relative depth of 2.42 (surface area 10.33 ha, estimated volume 47.3 hm3). The lake showed an isothermal water column in all occasions, but it heats and cools completely according to weather fluctuations. Water transparency reached the bottom on most occasions (> 9 m). The results support the idea that the lake is polymictic and oligotrophic. The lake has at least 23 species of planktonic algae, but it was always dominated by dinoflagellates, especially Peridinium inconspicuum. The shore line is populated by a sparse population of Isoetes sp. and Eleocharis sp. mainly in the northern shore where the bottom has a gentle slope and the forest does not reach the shore.

Catalog of crater lakes from Costa Rica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramirez, C. J.; Mora-Amador, R.; González, G.

2010-12-01

Costa Rica has a diversity of volcanic crater lakes that can be classified into two groups: hot and cold lakes. The country contains at least 5% of the world's hot lakes. Costa Rica has 2 hot hyperacidic lakes, both of them on active volcanoes, the Rincón de la Vieja (38.0°C, pH = 0 - 1) and the Poás Laguna Caliente (36.1°C - 56°C, pH = 0.55 - 0.74), nowadays the Poás hot lake is the most active crater lake in the world, with more than 200 eruptions only on 2010. One of the most studied cold crater lakes is Irazú (13°C, pH = 3.5), that used to contain bubbling and clear areas of upwelling involving CO2 liberation and subaqueous fumaroles with temperatures up to 50°C, but since 2005 the lake presents an important descend until April 2010 when it disappeared. On February 9, 2003, Irazú's lake underwent a drastic change of color, from clear green to mustard with reddish loops, similar to the color of the waters of Lake Nyos after the gas burst of August 1986. Other studied cold lakes include Botos, Chato, and Tenorio, all at the summit of Quaternary volcanoes as well as Barva and Danta, located in recent pyroclastic cones. Some cold lakes are located in Holocene maar-type explosion craters, among them are Congo, Bosque Alegre, Hule, and Río Cuarto. These last two have undergone repeated rapid reddish color changes over the last 10 years, in association with fish kills and the liberation of apparently sulfurous scents. On March 2010, University of Costa Rica was the host of the 7th Workshop on Volcanic Lakes, part of the Commission of Volcanic Lakes of the IAVCEI, 51 participants from 14 countries attended the workshop; they presented 27 talks and 17 posters, also they visited and sample 4 of the lakes mentioned above (Botos, Irazú, Río Cuarto and Hule). Level of Study: 1: few or no data, 2: regular, 3: acceptable

Nyiragongo volcano, Congo, Pre-eruption Perspective View, SRTM / Landsat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

The Nyiragongo volcano in the Congo erupted on January 17, 2002, and subsequently sent streams of lava into the city of Goma on the north shore of Lake Kivu. More than 100 people were killed, more than 12000 homes were destroyed, and hundreds of thousands were forced to flee the broader community of nearly half a million people. This computer generated visualization combines a Landsat satellite image and an elevation model from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) to provide a view of both the volcano and the city of Goma, looking slightly east of north.

Nyiragongo is the steep volcano on the right, Lake Kivu is in the foreground, and the city of Goma has a light pink speckled appearance along the shoreline. Nyiragongo peaks at about 3470 meters (11,380 feet) elevation and reaches almost exactly 2000 meters (6560 feet) above Lake Kivu. The shorter but broader Nyamuragira volcano appears in the left background. Topographic expression has been exaggerated vertically by a factor of 1.5 for this visualization.

Goma, Lake Kivu, Nyiragongo, Nyamuragira and other nearby volcanoes sit within the East African Rift Valley, a zone where tectonic processes are cracking, stretching, and lowering the Earth's crust. Volcanic activity is common here, and older but geologically recent lava flows (magenta in this depiction) are particularly apparent on the flanks of the Nyamuragira volcano.

The Landsat image used here was acquired on December 11, 2001, about a month before the eruption, and shows an unusually cloud-free view of this tropical terrain. Minor clouds and their shadows were digitally removed to clarify the view, topographic shading derived from the SRTM elevation model was added to the Landsat image, and a false sky was added.

Landsat has been providing visible and infrared views of the Earth since 1972. SRTM elevation data matches the 30-meter (98-foot) resolution of most Landsat images and substantially helps in analyzing the large and growing

Space Radar Image of Taal Volcano, Philippines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

This is an image of Taal volcano, near Manila on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The black area in the center is Taal Lake, which nearly fills the 30-kilometer-diameter (18-mile) caldera. The caldera rim consists of deeply eroded hills and cliffs. The large island in Taal Lake, which itself contains a crater lake, is known as Volcano Island. The bright yellow patch on the southwest side of the island marks the site of an explosion crater that formed during a deadly eruption of Taal in 1965. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on its 78th orbit on October 5, 1994. The image shows an area approximately 56 kilometers by 112 kilometers (34 miles by 68 miles) that is centered at 14.0 degrees north latitude and 121.0 degrees east longitude. North is toward the upper right of the image. The colors in this image were obtained using the following radar channels: red represents the L-band (horizontally transmitted and received); green represents the L-band (horizontally transmitted and vertically received); blue represents the C-band (horizontally transmitted and vertically received). Since 1572, Taal has erupted at least 34 times. Since early 1991, the volcano has been restless, with swarms of earthquakes, new steaming areas, ground fracturing, and increases in water temperature of the lake. Volcanologists and other local authorities are carefully monitoring Taal to understand if the current activity may foretell an eruption. Taal is one of 15 'Decade Volcanoes' that have been identified by the volcanology community as presenting large potential hazards to population centers. The bright area in the upper right of the image is the densely populated city of Manila, only 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of the central crater. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth

Halogen/sulphur variations over the active lava lake of Nyiragongo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giuffrida, G.; Bobrowski, N.; Tedesco, D.; Yalire, M.; Arellano, S.; Balagizi, C.; Galle, B.

2010-12-01

In June 2007 and July 2010 spectroscopic measurements and chemical in-situ studies were carried out at the crater rim of the Niyragongo volcano located 15 km north of the city Goma, North Kivu region (DRC). Niyragongo volcano belongs to the Virunga volcanic chain and it is associated with the Western branch of the Great Rift Valley. The volcanism at Niyragongo is caused by the rifting of the Earth’s crust where two parts of the African plates are breaking apart. Niyragongo crater contains the biggest lava lake today and it is considered one of the most active volcanoes in Africa. The ground - based remote sensing technique - MAX-DOAS (Multi Axis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy) using scattered sunlight has been applied during both field trips on top at the crater rim of the volcano to measure sulphur dioxide, halogen oxides and nitrogen oxide. Additionally filter pack and spectroscopic in-situ carbon dioxide measurements were carried out, as well as SO2 flux measurements by a scanning DOAS from the NOVAC network at the flank of the volcano. The measurements provide information on the chemical composition as well as its variability within the volcanic plume from the lava lake. The variations of the gas ratios especially BrO/SO2, between 0.3 x 10-5 and 3 x 10-5, together with the variations of SO2 emission fluxes between about 500 up to 2000 t/d, will be discussed in the light of long-term variations between 2007 and 2010, and short-term variations - small scale activity changes (e.g. lava lake overflows), which could be observed during June 2007 and July 2010. Their possible potential to improve the understanding of the volcanic system will be investigated.

Topography, surface features, and flooding of Rogers Lake playa, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dinehart, Randal L.; McPherson, Kelly R.

1998-01-01

Rogers Lake is a desert playa used as a military airport for Edwards Air Force Base in the Antelope Valley of southern California. Previous measurements of land subsidence and ground-water levels in the study area indicated that ground-water pumping induced tensional stresses in the playa, which were sporadically relieved through the formation of long cracks. Drying of the sediments beneath the playa also may have accelerated the natural formation of giant desiccation polygons. When water flows across the playa, the cracks erode into fissures of sufficient width and depth to endanger traffic on the playa. Topographic surveys of the playa were made to derive a contour map that would allow examination of erosive flow paths. Crack networks were surveyed in selected areas during 1995 and compared with cracks visible in aerial photographs taken in 1990. Crack networks remained visible in their positions following several inundations of the playa. The density of the crack networks increased in all of the selected areas.

Volcano-ice interaction as a microbial habitat on Earth and Mars.

PubMed

Cousins, Claire R; Crawford, Ian A

2011-09-01

Volcano-ice interaction has been a widespread geological process on Earth that continues to occur to the present day. The interaction between volcanic activity and ice can generate substantial quantities of liquid water, together with steep thermal and geochemical gradients typical of hydrothermal systems. Environments available for microbial colonization within glaciovolcanic systems are wide-ranging and include the basaltic lava edifice, subglacial caldera meltwater lakes, glacier caves, and subsurface hydrothermal systems. There is widespread evidence of putative volcano-ice interaction on Mars throughout its history and at a range of latitudes. Therefore, it is possible that life on Mars may have exploited these habitats, much in the same way as has been observed on Earth. The sedimentary and mineralogical deposits resulting from volcano-ice interaction have the potential to preserve evidence of any indigenous microbial populations. These include jökulhlaup (subglacial outflow) sedimentary deposits, hydrothermal mineral deposits, basaltic lava flows, and subglacial lacustrine deposits. Here, we briefly review the evidence for volcano-ice interactions on Mars and discuss the geomicrobiology of volcano-ice habitats on Earth. In addition, we explore the potential for the detection of these environments on Mars and any biosignatures these deposits may contain.

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

Rose, T

I'm writing at the request of the Pit River Tribe to offer my professional opinion as a geochemist regarding the origin of groundwater discharge at the Fall River Springs, Shasta Co., California. In 1997, I conducted a study of the large volume cold springs associated with the Cascade Volcanoes in northern California, in collaboration with one of my colleagues. This work was published as a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory report (Davisson and Rose, 1997). The Fall River Springs emerge from the distal end of the Giant Crater Lava Field, a laterally extensive basalt flow that stretches from the southern flankmore » of Medicine Lake Volcano southward for a distance of 40 km. Both Medicine Lake Volcano and the Giant Crater Lava Field have virtually no surface water drainages. Precipitation that falls in these areas is inferred to seep into fractures in the rock, where it is carried down gradient under the force of gravity. Mean annual precipitation rates on Medicine Lake Volcano and the Giant Crater Lava field are adequate to account for the {approx}1200 ft{sup 3}/sec discharge of the Fall River Springs. To evaluate the origin of the springs using geochemical methods, water samples were collected from the Fall River Springs and the Medicine Lake highlands and analyzed for oxygen and hydrogen isotope ratios. The isotope ratios measured for a groundwater sample are diagnostic of the average composition of the precipitation from which the water was derived. The isotope ratios of rain and snow also vary systematically with elevation, such that groundwater derived from recharge at higher elevations can be distinguished from that which originated at lower elevations. The stable isotope data for the Fall River Springs are consistent with groundwater recharge on the Medicine Lake Volcano and adjacent lava field. Mass balance calculations suggest that approximately half of the Fall River Springs flow is derived from the volcanic edifice. Rose and Davisson (1996) showed

Volcano-Hydrothermal Systems of the Kuril Island Arc (Russia): Geochemistry of the Thermal Waters and Gases.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalacheva, E.; Taran, Y.; Voloshina, E.; Kotenko, T.; Tarasov, K.

2017-12-01

More than 30 active volcanoes with historical eruptions are known on 20 main islands composing the Kuril Arc. Eight islands - Paramushir, Shiashkotan, Rasshua, Ushishir, Ketoy, Urup, Iturup and Kunashir - are characterized by hydrothermal activity, complementary to the fumarole activity in the craters and volcano slopes. At Paramushir, Shiashkotan, Iturup and Kunashir most of thermal manifestations are acidic to ultra-acidic hot springs associated with hydrothermal aquifers inside volcano edifices. The most powerful of them is the ultra-acid hydrothermal system of Ebeko volcano (Paramushir island) with more than 80 t/day of the chloride output and pH of springs of 1.5. At the summit part of the Ebeko volcano there are 12 thermal fields with the total thermal area exceeding 1 km2. The measured temperatures of fumaroles are from 98º C to 500ºC. Another type of hydrothermal activity are the wide spread coastal hot and neutral springs situated as a rule within the tide zone. Four groups of this type of thermal manifestation were found on the western shore of Shiashkotan island. It have Na-Ca-Cl-SO4 composition with temperatures 50-80°C and TDS 7-8 g/L. Coastal neutral springs were found also on Russhua, Uturup and Kunashir islands. Ushishir volcano-hydrothermal system in the middle of the arc is formed by the absorption of magmatic gases by seawater. In the crater of the Pallas cone (Ketoy island) there is a small Glazok lake with acid SO4 water and pH=2.4, TDS=2g/L, T=12oC. Ketoy volcano on the same island hosts a high temperature hydrothermal system with unusual boiling Ca-Na-SO4 neutral springs and steam vents. Mendeleev and Golovnin volcanoes on Kunashir Island are the southernmost of the Kuril arc. Mendeleev edifice is a centre of a large thermal area with many manifestations of different types including steam vents, acid springs and neutral coastal springs. In a 4.2x4 km wide caldera of Golovnin volcano there are two lakes with acid Cl-SO4 water and numerous

Water Resources Data for California, 1983. Volume 1. Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin, and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bowers, J.C.; Butcher, M.T.; Lamb, C.E.; Singer, J.A.; Smith, G.B.

1985-01-01

Water resources data for the 1983 water year for California consists of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 154 gaging stations; stage and contents for 18 lakes and reservoirs; water quality for 20 streams and 18 wells; water levels for 165 observation wells. Also included are 10 crest-stage partial-record stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and federal agencies in California.

Origin and transport of CH4 in two maar lakes fed by mantle-derived volatiles (Mt. Vulture volcano, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caracausi, Antonio; Cosenza, Paolo; Favara, Rocco; Foresta Martin, Luigi; Galli, Nunzio; Grassa, Fausto; Nuccio, Pasquale Mario; Paternoster, Michele; Riccobono, Giuseppe

2014-05-01

from previous limnological-geochemical investigations has been joined with isotope signature of gas (CH4 and CO2) collected from sediments at the bottom of LPM, by means of a specially designed robot called "Muddy". Muddy is also able to perform vertical profiles both of pH and of temperature in the water column and in the sediments as well. The obtained results lead us: 1) to assess the production ratio of CH4 through acetoclastic methanogenesis and CO2 reduction in the sediments; 2) to determinate CH4 oxidation; 3) to detect the origin of CO2 involved in methanogenic processes, evaluating the contribution organic-CO2 and the sink of mantle-derived CO2.;4) to discuss the differences in CH4 sources in the water and sediments; 5) to properly define gas hazards assessment. A. Caracausi, M. Nicolosi, P.M. Nuccio, R. Favara, M. Paternoster, A. Rosciglione (2013) Geochemical insight into differences in the physical structures and dynamics of two adjacent maar lakes at Mt. Vulture volcano (southern Italy), G. Cubed, doi: 10.1002/ggge.2011

Element fluxes from Copahue Volcano, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varekamp, J. C.

2003-12-01

Copahue volcano in Argentina has an active volcano-magmatic hydrothermal system that emits fluids with pH=0.3 that feed a river system. River flux measurements and analytical data provide element flux data from 1997 to 2003, which includes the eruptive period of July to December 2000. The fluids have up to 6.5 percent sulfate, 1 percent Cl and ppm levels of B, As, Cu, Zn and Pb. The hydrothermal system acts as a perfect scrubber for magmatic gases during the periods of passive degassing, although the dissolved magmatic gases are modified through water rock interaction and mineral precipitation. The magmatic SO2 disproportionates into sulfate and liquid elemental sulfur at about 300 C; the sulfate is discharged with the fluids, whereas the liquid sulfur is temporarily retained in the reservoir but ejected during phreatic and hydrothermal eruptions. The intrusion and chemical attack of new magma in the hydrothermal reservoir in early 2000 was indicated by strongly increased Mg concentrations and Mg fluxes, and higher Mg/Cl and Mg/K values. The hydrothermal discharge has acidified a large glacial lake (0.5 km3) to pH=2 and the lake effluents acidify the exiting river. Even more than 100 km downstream, the effects of acid pulses from the lake are evident from red coated boulders and fish die-offs. The river-bound sulfate fluxes from the system range from 70 to 200 kilotonnes/year. The equivalent SO2 output of the whole volcanic system ranges from 150 to 500 tonnes/day, which includes the fraction of native sulfur that formed inside the mountain but does not include the release of SO2 into the atmosphere during the eruptions. Trace element fluxes of the river will be scaled up and compared with global element fluxes from meteoric river waters (subterranean volcanic weathering versus watershed weathering).

Translating Volcano Hazards Research in the Cascades Into Community Preparedness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ewert, J. W.; Driedger, C. L.

2015-12-01

Research by the science community into volcanic histories and physical processes at Cascade volcanoes in the states of Washington, Oregon, and California has been ongoing for over a century. Eruptions in the 20th century at Lassen Peak and Mount St. Helen demonstrated the active nature of Cascade volcanoes; the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens was a defining moment in modern volcanology. The first modern volcano hazards assessments were produced by the USGS for some Cascade volcanoes in the 1960s. A rich scientific literature exists, much of which addresses hazards at these active volcanoes. That said community awareness, planning, and preparation for eruptions generally do not occur as a result of a hazard analyses published in scientific papers, but by direct communication with scientists. Relative to other natural hazards, volcanic eruptions (or large earthquakes, or tsunami) are outside common experience, and the public and many public officials are often surprised to learn of the impacts volcanic eruptions could have on their communities. In the 1980s, the USGS recognized that effective hazard communication and preparedness is a multi-faceted, long-term undertaking and began working with federal, state, and local stakeholders to build awareness and foster community action about volcano hazards. Activities included forming volcano-specific workgroups to develop coordination plans for volcano emergencies; a concerted public outreach campaign; curriculum development and teacher training; technical training for emergency managers and first responders; and development of hazard information that is accessible to non-specialists. Outcomes include broader ownership of volcano hazards as evidenced by bi-national exchanges of emergency managers, community planners, and first responders; development by stakeholders of websites focused on volcano hazards mitigation; and execution of table-top and functional exercises, including evacuation drills by local communities.

Integrated exploration for low-temperature geothermal resources in the Honey Lake basin, California

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

Schimschal, U.

An integrated exploration study is presented to locate low-temperature geothermal reservoirs in the Honey Lake area of northern California. Regional studies to locate the geothermal resources included gravity, infrared, water-temperature, and water-quality analyses. Five anomalies were mapped from resistivity surveys. Additional study of three anomalies by temperature-gradient and seismic methods was undertaken to define structure and potential of the geothermal resource. The gravity data show a graben structure in the area. Seismic reflection data, indicate faults associated with surface-resistivity and temperature-gradient data. The data support the interpretation that the shallow reservoirs are replenished along the fault zones by deeply circulatingmore » heated meteoric waters.« less

The Seismic Attenuation Structure of the East Pacific Rise

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-02-27

Kanamori, R. W. Clayton, Three- dimensional attenuation structure of Kilauea -East rift zone, Hawaii , J. Geophys. Res., submitted, 1990. Holt, M., Underwater...and J. J. Zucca, Active high-resolution seismic tomography of compressional wave velocity and attenuation at Medicine Lake volcano , northern California...zones of anomalously high S-wave attenuation in the upper crust near Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe volcanoes , New Zealand, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 10, 125

Three Short Videos by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wessells, Stephen; Lowenstern, Jake; Venezky, Dina

2009-01-01

This is a collection of videos of unscripted interviews with Jake Lowenstern, who is the Scientist in Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO). YVO was created as a partnership among the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Yellowstone National Park, and University of Utah to strengthen the long-term monitoring of volcanic and earthquake unrest in the Yellowstone National Park region. Yellowstone is the site of the largest and most diverse collection of natural thermal features in the world and the first National Park. YVO is one of the five USGS Volcano Observatories that monitor volcanoes within the United States for science and public safety. These video presentations give insights about many topics of interest about this area. Title: Yes! Yellowstone is a Volcano An unscripted interview, January 2009, 7:00 Minutes Description: USGS Scientist-in-Charge of Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, Jake Lowenstern, answers the following questions to explain volcanic features at Yellowstone: 'How do we know Yellowstone is a volcano?', 'What is a Supervolcano?', 'What is a Caldera?','Why are there geysers at Yellowstone?', and 'What are the other geologic hazards in Yellowstone?' Title: Yellowstone Volcano Observatory An unscripted interview, January 2009, 7:15 Minutes Description: USGS Scientist-in-Charge of Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, Jake Lowenstern, answers the following questions about the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory: 'What is YVO?', 'How do you monitor volcanic activity at Yellowstone?', 'How are satellites used to study deformation?', 'Do you monitor geysers or any other aspect of the Park?', 'Are earthquakes and ground deformation common at Yellowstone?', 'Why is YVO a relatively small group?', and 'Where can I get more information?' Title: Yellowstone Eruptions An unscripted interview, January 2009, 6.45 Minutes Description: USGS Scientist-in-Charge of Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, Jake Lowenstern, answers the following questions to explain volcanic

The Effectiveness of Cattlemans Detention Basin, South Lake Tahoe, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Green, Jena M.

2006-01-01

Lake Tahoe (Nevada-California) has been designated as an 'outstanding national water resource' by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in part, for its exceptional clarity. Water clarity in Lake Tahoe, however, has been declining at a rate of about one foot per year for more than 35 years. To decrease the amount of sediment and nutrients delivered to the lake by way of alpine streams, wetlands and stormwater detention basins have been installed at several locations around the lake. Although an improvement in stormwater and snowmelt runoff quality has been measured, the effectiveness of the detention basins for increasing the clarity of Lake Tahoe needs further study. It is possible that poor ground-water quality conditions exist beneath the detention basins and adjacent wetlands and that the presence of the basins has altered ground-water flow paths to nearby streams. A hydrogeochemical and ground-water flow modeling study was done at Cattlemans detention basin, situated adjacent to Cold Creek, a tributary to Lake Tahoe, to determine whether the focusing of storm and snowmelt runoff into a confined area has (1) modified the ground-water flow system beneath the detention basin and affected transport of sediment and nutrients to nearby streams and (2) provided an increased source of solutes which has changed the distribution of nutrients and affected nutrient transport rates beneath the basin. Results of slug tests and ground-water flow modeling suggest that ground water flows unrestricted northwest across the detention basin through the meadow. The modeling also indicates that seasonal flow patterns and flow direction remain similar from year to year under transient conditions. Model results imply that about 34 percent (0.004 ft3/s) of the total ground water within the model area originates from the detention basin. Of the 0.004 ft3/s, about 45 percent discharges to Cold Creek within the modeled area downstream of the detention basin. The remaining 55 percent

Structural Constraints and Earthquake Recurrence Estimates for the West Tahoe-Dollar Point Fault, Lake Tahoe Basin, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maloney, J. M.; Driscoll, N. W.; Kent, G.; Brothers, D. S.; Baskin, R. L.; Babcock, J. M.; Noble, P. J.; Karlin, R. E.

2011-12-01

Previous work in the Lake Tahoe Basin (LTB), California, identified the West Tahoe-Dollar Point Fault (WTDPF) as the most hazardous fault in the region. Onshore and offshore geophysical mapping delineated three segments of the WTDPF extending along the western margin of the LTB. The rupture patterns between the three WTDPF segments remain poorly understood. Fallen Leaf Lake (FLL), Cascade Lake, and Emerald Bay are three sub-basins of the LTB, located south of Lake Tahoe, that provide an opportunity to image primary earthquake deformation along the WTDPF and associated landslide deposits. We present results from recent (June 2011) high-resolution seismic CHIRP surveys in FLL and Cascade Lake, as well as complete multibeam swath bathymetry coverage of FLL. Radiocarbon dates obtained from the new piston cores acquired in FLL provide age constraints on the older FLL slide deposits and build on and complement previous work that dated the most recent event (MRE) in Fallen Leaf Lake at ~4.1-4.5 k.y. BP. The CHIRP data beneath FLL image slide deposits that appear to correlate with contemporaneous slide deposits in Emerald Bay and Lake Tahoe. A major slide imaged in FLL CHIRP data is slightly younger than the Tsoyowata ash (7950-7730 cal yrs BP) identified in sediment cores and appears synchronous with a major Lake Tahoe slide deposit (7890-7190 cal yrs BP). The equivalent age of these slides suggests the penultimate earthquake on the WTDPF may have triggered them. If correct, we postulate a recurrence interval of ~3-4 k.y. These results suggest the FLL segment of the WTDPF is near its seismic recurrence cycle. Additionally, CHIRP profiles acquired in Cascade Lake image the WTDPF for the first time in this sub-basin, which is located near the transition zone between the FLL and Rubicon Point Sections of the WTDPF. We observe two fault-strands trending N45°W across southern Cascade Lake for ~450 m. The strands produce scarps of ~5 m and ~2.7 m, respectively, on the lake

Geology and geothermal potential of the tecuamburro volcano area, Guatemala

USGS Publications Warehouse

Duffield, W.A.; Heiken, G.H.; Wohletz, K.H.; Maassen, L.W.; Dengo, G.; McKee, E.H.; Castaneda, O.

1992-01-01

Tecuamburro, an andesitic stratovolcano in southeastern Guatemala, is within the chain of active volcanoes of Central America. Though Tecuamburro has no record of historic eruptions, radiocarbon ages indicate that eruption of this and three other adjacent volcanoes occurred within the past 38,300 years. The youngest eruption produced a dacite dome. Moreover, powerful steam explosions formed a 250 m wide crater about 2900 years ago near the base of this dome. The phreatic crater contains a pH-3 thermal lake. Fumaroles are common along the lake shore, and several other fumaroles are located nearby. Neutral-chloride hot springs are at lower elevations a few kilometers away. All thermal manifestations are within an area of about 400 km2 roughly centered on Tecuamburro Volcano. Thermal implications of the volume, age, and composition of the post-38.3 ka volcanic rocks suggest that magma, or recently solidified hot plutons, or both are in the crust beneath these lavas. Chemical geothermometry carried out by other workers suggests that a hydrothermal-convection system is centered over this crustal heat source. Maximum temperatures of about 300??C are calculated for samples collected in the area of youngest volcanism, whereas samples from outlying thermal manifestations yield calculated temperatures <- 165??C. An 808 m deep drill hole completed in 1990 to partly test the geothermal model developed from surface studies attained a maximum temperature of almost 240??C. Thus, the possibility of a commercial-grade hydrothermal resource in the area seems high. ?? 1992.

Genesis of recent silicic magmatism in the Medicine Lake Highland, California - Evidence from cognate inclusions found at Little Glass Mountain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mertzman, S. A.; Williams, R. J.

1981-01-01

Sparse, granular inclusions of early-formed minerals found within the Little Glass Mountain rhyolite flows in northern California are shown to provide a means of characterizing the physical conditions, at depth, beneath the Medicine Lake Highland during the latest phase of volcanic activity. Mineral compositions, in combination with thermodynamic calculations and experiments, suggest crystalization at a pressure of 5,200 bars within a 966-836 C temperature range; implying that mineral segregation and equilibration occurred at a depth of 15-18 km beneath the surface. In addition, mass balance calculations indicate that the Medicine Lake flow is a close approximation to the parental magma for the latest silicic lavas.

4D volcano gravimetry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Battaglia, Maurizio; Gottsmann, J.; Carbone, D.; Fernandez, J.

2008-01-01

Time-dependent gravimetric measurements can detect subsurface processes long before magma flow leads to earthquakes or other eruption precursors. The ability of gravity measurements to detect subsurface mass flow is greatly enhanced if gravity measurements are analyzed and modeled with ground-deformation data. Obtaining the maximum information from microgravity studies requires careful evaluation of the layout of network benchmarks, the gravity environmental signal, and the coupling between gravity changes and crustal deformation. When changes in the system under study are fast (hours to weeks), as in hydrothermal systems and restless volcanoes, continuous gravity observations at selected sites can help to capture many details of the dynamics of the intrusive sources. Despite the instrumental effects, mainly caused by atmospheric temperature, results from monitoring at Mt. Etna volcano show that continuous measurements are a powerful tool for monitoring and studying volcanoes.Several analytical and numerical mathematical models can beused to fit gravity and deformation data. Analytical models offer a closed-form description of the volcanic source. In principle, this allows one to readily infer the relative importance of the source parameters. In active volcanic sites such as Long Valley caldera (California, U.S.A.) and Campi Flegrei (Italy), careful use of analytical models and high-quality data sets has produced good results. However, the simplifications that make analytical models tractable might result in misleading volcanological inter-pretations, particularly when the real crust surrounding the source is far from the homogeneous/ isotropic assumption. Using numerical models allows consideration of more realistic descriptions of the sources and of the crust where they are located (e.g., vertical and lateral mechanical discontinuities, complex source geometries, and topography). Applications at Teide volcano (Tenerife) and Campi Flegrei demonstrate the

Modeling Gas Slug Break-up in the Lava Lake at Mt. Erebus, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velazquez, L. C.; Qin, Z.; Suckale, J.; Soldati, A.; Rust, A.; Cashman, K. V.

2017-12-01

Lava lakes are perhaps the most direct look scientists can take inside a volcano. They have thus become a fundamental component in our understanding of the dynamics of magmatic systems. Mount Erebus, Ross Island, Antarctica contains one of the most persistent and long-lived lava lakes on Earth, creating a unique and complex area of study. Its persistent magma degassing, convective overturns, and Strombolian eruptions have been studied through extensive field campaigns and analog as well as computational models. These provide diverse insights into the plumbing system not only at Mt. Erebus, but at other volcanoes as well. Eruptions at Erebus are episodic. One of the leading hypotheses to explain this episodicity is the rise and burst of large conduit-filling bubbles, known as gas slugs, at the lava lake surface. These slugs are thought to form deep in the plumbing system, rise through the conduit, and exit through the lava lake. The goal of this study is to investigate the stability of the hypothesized slugs as they transition from the conduit into the lava lake. Analogue laboratory results suggest that the flaring geometry at the transition point may trigger slug breakup and formation of separate daughter bubbles that then burst through the surface separately. We test this hypothesis through numerical simulations. Our model solves the two-fluid Navier-Stokes equations by calculating the conservation of mass and momentum in the gas and liquid. The laboratory experiments use a Hele-Shaw cell, in which the flaring geometry of the lava lake walls can be adjusted. A gas slug of variable volume is then injected into a liquid at different viscosities. We first validate our numerical simulations against these laboratory experiments and then proceed to investigate the same dynamics at the volcanic scale. At the natural scale, we investigate the same system parameters as at the lab scale. First results indicate that simulations reproduce experiments well. The results

Volcano hazards program in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tilling, R.I.; Bailey, R.A.

1985-01-01

Volcano monitoring and volcanic-hazards studies have received greatly increased attention in the United States in the past few years. Before 1980, the Volcanic Hazards Program was primarily focused on the active volcanoes of Kilauea and Mauna Loa, Hawaii, which have been monitored continuously since 1912 by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. After the reawakening and catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980, the program was substantially expanded as the government and general public became aware of the potential for eruptions and associated hazards within the conterminous United States. Integrated components of the expanded program include: volcanic-hazards assessment; volcano monitoring; fundamental research; and, in concert with federal, state, and local authorities, emergency-response planning. In 1980 the David A. Johnston Cascades Volcano Observatory was established in Vancouver, Washington, to systematically monitor the continuing activity of Mount St. Helens, and to acquire baseline data for monitoring the other, presently quiescent, but potentially dangerous Cascade volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest. Since June 1980, all of the eruptions of Mount St. Helens have been predicted successfully on the basis of seismic and geodetic monitoring. The largest volcanic eruptions, but the least probable statistically, that pose a threat to western conterminous United States are those from the large Pleistocene-Holocene volcanic systems, such as Long Valley caldera (California) and Yellowstone caldera (Wyoming), which are underlain by large magma chambers still potentially capable of producing catastrophic caldera-forming eruptions. In order to become better prepared for possible future hazards associated with such historically unpecedented events, detailed studies of these, and similar, large volcanic systems should be intensified to gain better insight into caldera-forming processes and to recognize, if possible, the precursors of caldera-forming eruptions

Water Resources Data, California Water Year 1982, Volume 1. Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake basin, and Pacific slope basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bowers, J.C.; Butcher, M.T.; Lamb, C.E.; Singer, J.A.; Smith, G.B.

1984-01-01

Water-resources data for the 1982 water year for California consists of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 160 gaging stations; stage and contents for 19 lakes and reservoirs; water quality for 20 streams and 20 wells; water levels for 174 observation wells. Also included are 10 crest-stage partial-record stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Nitrogen fixation dynamics of two diazotrophic communities in Mono Lake, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oremland, R.S.

1990-01-01

Two types of diazotrophic microbial communities were found in the littoral zone of alkaline hypersaline Mono Lake, California. One consisted of anaerobic bacteria inhabiting the flocculent surface layers of sediments. Nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction) by flocculent surface layers occurred under anaerobic conditions, was not stimulated by light or by additions of organic substrates, and was inhibited by O2, nitrate, and ammonia. The second community consisted of a ball-shaped association of a filamentous chlorophyte (Ctenocladus circinnatus) with diazotrophic, nonheterocystous cyanobacteria, as well as anaerobic bacteria (Ctenocladus balls). Nitrogen fixation by Ctenocladus balls was usually, but not always, stimulated by light. Rates of anaerobic dark fixation equaled those in the light under air. Fixation in the light was stimulated by 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea and by propanil [N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)propanamide]. 3-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl urea-elicited nitrogenase activity was inhibited by ammonia (96%) and nitrate (65%). Fixation was greatest when Ctenocladus balls were incubated anaerobically in the light with sulfide. Dark anaerobic fixation was not stimulated by organic substrates in short-term (4-h) incubations, but was in long-term (67-h) ones. Areal estimates of benthic N2 fixation were measured seasonally, using chambers. Highest rates (~29.3 ??mol of C2H4 m-2 h-1) occurred under normal diel regimens of light and dark. These estimates indicate that benthic N2 fixation has the potential to be a significant nitrogen source in Mono Lake.

A 150 kyr-long hydroclimate record from Southern California using Searles Lake sediments: initial findings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stroup, J. S.; Olson, K. J.; McGee, D.; Lowenstein, T. K.; Smoot, J. P.; Janick, J. J.; Lund, S.; Peaple, M.; Chen, C. Y.; Feakins, S. J.; Litwin, R.

2017-12-01

Over decadal to millennial scales, the southwestern U.S has experienced large shifts in hydroclimate ranging from pluvial conditions to extreme droughts. Direct observations, modeling and proxy data suggest precipitation amount and distribution are controlled by multiple factors including the position of the Hadley Cell, strength of the Aleutian Low and North Pacific High, ENSO and the path of winter storm tracks. Sediment records from closed basin lakes provide a means for assessing how hydrologic conditions have responded to past climate changes; however, long (>50 ka) paleoclimate records from lakes are rare and high-resolution age models are challenging to obtain. Searles Lake, in southeastern California, contains a sedimentary record that spans from the Holocene to the Pliocene at high resolution. Previous drill core studies from the basin used stratigraphy and sediment mineralogy to interpret paleoenvironmental changes and have demonstrated that the lake's sediments are able to be precisely dated. These results provide a strong foundation for new high-resolution investigations of the lake sediments. In January 2017, our group collected a new 80 m-long core with the aim of reconstructing hydrologic changes over the last 150 ka at millennial or better resolution. The core was split at the National Lacustrine Core Facility (LacCore) in June. The core contains alternating evaporite layers and finely laminated muds which likely indicate times of dryer and wetter conditions. Despite the challenge of alternating lithologies, core recovery and quality are extremely high. Here, we will present our initial chronological and stratigraphic findings. The core record will be dated using a combination of U/Th, 14C and magnetostratigraphy. We will compare our initial stratigraphic description to the existing Searles Lake literature as well as other records from the region, such as data from Devils Hole. These results provide the framework upon which we will develop detailed

Identifying Phytoplankton Classes In California Reservoirs Using HPLC Pigment Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siddiqui, S.; Peacock, M. B.; Kudela, R. M.; Negrey, K.

2014-12-01

Few bodies of water are routinely monitored for phytoplankton composition due to monetary and time constraints, especially the less accessible bodies of water in central and southern California. These lakes and estuaries are important for economic reasons such as tourism and fishing. This project investigated the composition of phytoplankton present using pigment analysis to identify dominant phytoplankton groups. A total of 28 different sites with a wide range of salinity (0 - 60) in central and southern California were examined. These included 13 different bodies of water in central California: 6 in the Sierras, 7 in the San Francisco Bay Estuary, and 15 from southern California. The samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid-chromatography (HPLC) to quantify the pigments present (using retention time and the spectral thumbprint). Diagnostic pigments were used to indicate the phytoplankton class composition, focusing on diatoms, dinoflagellates, cryptophytes, and cyanobacteria - all key phytoplankton groups indicative of the health of the sampled reservoir. Our results indicated that cyanobacteria dominated four of the seven bodies of central California water (Mono Lake, Bridgeport Reservoir, Steamboat Slough, and Pinto Lake); cryptophytes and nannoflagellates dominated two of the central California bodies of water (Mare Island Strait and Topaz Lake); and diatoms and dinoflagellates dominated one central California body of water, Oakland Inner Harbor, comprising more than 70% of the phytoplankton present. We expect the bodies of water from Southern California to be as disparate. Though this data is only a snapshot, it has significant implications in comparing different ecosystems across California, and it has the potential to provide valuable insight into the composition of phytoplankton communities.

Lava lake level as a gauge of magma reservoir pressure and eruptive hazard

USGS Publications Warehouse

Patrick, Matthew R.; Anderson, Kyle R.; Poland, Michael P.; Orr, Tim R.; Swanson, Donald A.

2015-01-01

Forecasting volcanic activity relies fundamentally on tracking magma pressure through the use of proxies, such as ground surface deformation and earthquake rates. Lava lakes at open-vent basaltic volcanoes provide a window into the uppermost magma system for gauging reservoir pressure changes more directly. At Kīlauea Volcano (Hawaiʻi, USA) the surface height of the summit lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu Crater fluctuates with surface deformation over short (hours to days) and long (weeks to months) time scales. This correlation implies that the lake behaves as a simple piezometer of the subsurface magma reservoir. Changes in lava level and summit deformation scale with (and shortly precede) changes in eruption rate from Kīlauea's East Rift Zone, indicating that summit lava level can be used for short-term forecasting of rift zone activity and associated hazards at Kīlauea.

The late Cenozoic diatom stratigraphy and paleolimnology of Tule Lake, Siskiyou Co. California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradbury, J.P.

1991-01-01

Lacustrine diatoms are diverse, well preserved and abundant in cores of lake sediment to 334 m depth near the town of Tulelake, Siskiyou County, northern California. The cores have been dated by radiometric, tephrochronologic and paleomagnetic techniques, which indicate a basal age of about 3 million years (Ma) and a nearly continuous depositional record for the Tule Lake basin for the last 3 million years (My). Fossil diatoms document the late Cenozoic paleolimnologic and paleoclimatic history for the northwestern edge of the Basin and Range Province. During the last 3 My, Tule Lake was typically a relatively deep, extensive lake. The Pliocene is characterized by a diatom flora dominated by Aulacoseira solida suggesting more abundant summer precipitation and warmer winters. Increases in 'Fragilaria' at 2.4 Ma and between 2.0 and 1.7 Ma imply cooler summers that correlate to glacial environments recorded elsewhere in the world. Stephanodiscus niagarae and 'Fragilaria' species dominate the Pleistocene. Benthic diatoms of alkalineenriched, saline waters occur with S. niagarae between 100 and 40 m depth (0.90-0.14 Ma). Tephrochronology indicates slow deposition and possible hiatuses between about 0.6 and 0.2 Ma. Overall, the Pleistocene diatom flora reflects cooler and sometimes drier climates, especially after major glaciations began 0.85 Ma. The chronology of even-numbered oxygen isotope stages approximately matches fluctuations in the abundance in 'Fragilaria' species since 1 Ma, suggesting that glacial periods at Tule Lake were expressed by relatively cool summers with enhanced effective moisture. Interglacial periods are represented by variable mixtures of freshwater planktonic and benthic alkaline diatom assemblages that suggest seasonal environments with winter-spring precipitation and summer moisture deficits. Glacial-interglacial environments since 150 ka were distinct from, and more variable than, those occurring earlier. The last full glacial period was

Preliminary juvenile Lost River and shortnose sucker investigations in Clear Lake, California--2011 pilot study summary

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burdick, Summer M.; Rasmussen, Josh

2012-01-01

Poor recruitment appears to limit the recovery of Lost River and shortnose sucker populations in Clear Lake Reservoir, California, but the cause is unknown. Adult suckers migrate up Willow Creek and its tributaries to spawn in some years, but low flow in Willow Creek may inhibit spawning migrations in other years. It is unclear whether spawning is successful, larvae survive, or juveniles persist to adulthood. Environmental variables associated with successful spawning or young-of-year survival have not been identified and early life history for these populations is poorly understood. The U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Ruby Pipeline L.L.C. Corporation (El Paso, Tex.) initiated a study in 2011 to better understand juvenile sucker life history in Clear Lake Reservoir, and to identify constraints in the early life history that may limit recruitment to the adult spawning populations. This is a report on the 2011 pilot study for this project.

Bromine, chlorine and sulfur emission into the free troposphere from a Rift volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobrowski, N.; Giuffrida, G. B.; Tedeso, D.; Yalire, M. M.; Galle, B.

2007-12-01

In June 2007 spectroscopic measurements were carried out at the crater rim of the Niyragongo volcano located 15 km north of the city Goma, North Kivu region (DRC). Niyragongo volcano belongs to the Virunga volcanic chain and it is associated with the Western branch of the Great Rift Valley. The volcanism at Niyragongo is caused by the rifting of the Earth's crust where two parts of the African plates are breaking apart. Niyragongo is a 3470 m high stratovolcano, which a large summit crater usually containing a lava lake inside and it is considered one of the most active volcanoes in Africa. Satellite measurements show an extremely large sulphur dioxide plume since May 2002, and it is considered one of the biggest sulphur dioxide sources on Earth. The ground - based remote sensing technique - MAX-DOAS (Multi Axis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy) using scattered sunlight has been applied during a one week field trip on top of the crater rim of Niyragongo volcano to measure nitrogen oxide, halogen oxides and sulphur dioxide. The used Mini-MAX-DOAS is a lightweight, compact, robust instrument and has very low power consumption which allows to be deployed over several days with some small lead batteries. The measurements provide valuable information of the chemical composition as well its variability within the volcanic plume of the lava lake and allowed also studying chemical transformation processes of the halogens inside the plume. Bromine-sulphur and chlorine-sulphur ratios were investigated and a minimal bromine and chlorine emission flux estimation will be presented.

The JPL ASTER Volcano Archive: the development and capabilities of a 15 year global high resolution archive of volcano data.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linick, J. P.; Pieri, D. C.; Sanchez, R. M.

2014-12-01

The physical and temporal systematics of the world's volcanic activity is a compelling and productive arena for the exercise of orbital remote sensing techniques, informing studies ranging from basic volcanology to societal risk. Comprised of over 160,000 frames and spanning 15 years of the Terra platform mission, the ASTER Volcano Archive (AVA: http://ava.jpl.nasa.gov) is the world's largest (100+Tb) high spatial resolution (15-30-90m/pixel), multi-spectral (visible-SWIR-TIR), downloadable (kml enabled) dedicated archive of volcano imagery. We will discuss the development of the AVA, and describe its growing capability to provide new easy public access to ASTER global volcano remote sensing data. AVA system architecture is designed to facilitate parameter-based data mining, and for the implementation of archive-wide data analysis algorithms. Such search and analysis capabilities exploit AVA's unprecedented time-series data compilations for over 1,550 volcanoes worldwide (Smithsonian Holocene catalog). Results include thermal anomaly detection and mapping, as well as detection of SO2 plumes from explosive eruptions and passive SO2 emissions confined to the troposphere. We are also implementing retrospective ASTER image retrievals based on volcanic activity reports from Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers (VAACs) and the US Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA). A major planned expansion of the AVA is currently underway, with the ingest of the full 1972-present LANDSAT, and NASA EO-1, volcano imagery for comparison and integration with ASTER data. Work described here is carried out under contract to NASA at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as part of the California Institute of Technology.

Water Resources Data for California, Water Year 1986. Volume 1. Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin, and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bowers, J.C.; McConaughy, C.E.; Polinoski, K.G.; Smith, G.B.

1988-01-01

Water resources data for the 1986 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 144 gaging stations; stage and contents for 15 lakes and reservoirs; watet quality for 21 streams. Also included are crest-stage partial-record stations, 3 miscellaneous measurement sites, and 5 water-quality partial-record stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water Resources Data for California, Water Year 1985. Volume 1. Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin, and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bowers, J.C.; McConaughy, C.E.; Polinoski, K.G.; Smith, G.B.

1987-01-01

Water resources data for the 1985 water year for California consists of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 150 gaging stations; stage and contents for 17 lakes and reservoirs; water quality for 23 streams. Also included are 10 crest-stage partial-record stations, three miscellaneous measurement sites, and one waterquality partial-record station. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Leachate Geochemical Results for Ash Samples from the June 2007 Angora Wildfire Near Lake Tahoe in Northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hageman, Philip L.; Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Martin, Deborah A.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Adams, Monique; Lamothe, Paul J.; Todorov, Todor I.; Anthony, Michael W.

2008-01-01

This report releases leachate geochemical data for ash samples produced by the Angora wildfire that burned from June 24 to July 2, 2007, near Lake Tahoe in northern California. The leaching studies are part of a larger interdisciplinary study whose goal is to identify geochemical characteristics and properties of the ash that may adversely affect human health, water quality, air quality, animal habitat, endangered species, debris flows, and flooding hazards. The leaching study helps characterize and understand the interactions that occur when the ash comes in contact with rain or snowmelt, and helps identify the constituents that may be mobilized as run-off from these materials. Similar leaching studies were conducted on ash and burned soils from the October 2007 southern California wildfires (Hageman and others, 2008; Plumlee and others, 2007).

Deep long-period earthquakes beneath Washington and Oregon volcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nichols, M. L.; Malone, S. D.; Moran, S. C.; Thelen, W. A.; Vidale, J. E.

2011-03-01

Deep long-period (DLP) earthquakes are an enigmatic type of seismicity occurring near or beneath volcanoes. They are commonly associated with the presence of magma, and found in some cases to correlate with eruptive activity. To more thoroughly understand and characterize DLP occurrence near volcanoes in Washington and Oregon, we systematically searched the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) triggered earthquake catalog for DLPs occurring between 1980 (when PNSN began collecting digital data) and October 2009. Through our analysis we identified 60 DLPs beneath six Cascade volcanic centers. No DLPs were associated with volcanic activity, including the 1980-1986 and 2004-2008 eruptions at Mount St. Helens. More than half of the events occurred near Mount Baker, where the background flux of magmatic gases is greatest among Washington and Oregon volcanoes. The six volcanoes with DLPs (counts in parentheses) are Mount Baker (31), Glacier Peak (9), Mount Rainier (9), Mount St. Helens (9), Three Sisters (1), and Crater Lake (1). No DLPs were identified beneath Mount Adams, Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, or Newberry Volcano, although (except at Hood) that may be due in part to poorer network coverage. In cases where the DLPs do not occur directly beneath the volcanic edifice, the locations coincide with large structural faults that extend into the deep crust. Our observations suggest the occurrence of DLPs in these areas could represent fluid and/or magma transport along pre-existing tectonic structures in the middle crust.

Deep long-period earthquakes beneath Washington and Oregon volcanoes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nichols, M.L.; Malone, S.D.; Moran, S.C.; Thelen, W.A.; Vidale, J.E.

2011-01-01

Deep long-period (DLP) earthquakes are an enigmatic type of seismicity occurring near or beneath volcanoes. They are commonly associated with the presence of magma, and found in some cases to correlate with eruptive activity. To more thoroughly understand and characterize DLP occurrence near volcanoes in Washington and Oregon, we systematically searched the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) triggered earthquake catalog for DLPs occurring between 1980 (when PNSN began collecting digital data) and October 2009. Through our analysis we identified 60 DLPs beneath six Cascade volcanic centers. No DLPs were associated with volcanic activity, including the 1980-1986 and 2004-2008 eruptions at Mount St. Helens. More than half of the events occurred near Mount Baker, where the background flux of magmatic gases is greatest among Washington and Oregon volcanoes. The six volcanoes with DLPs (counts in parentheses) are Mount Baker (31), Glacier Peak (9), Mount Rainier (9), Mount St. Helens (9), Three Sisters (1), and Crater Lake (1). No DLPs were identified beneath Mount Adams, Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, or Newberry Volcano, although (except at Hood) that may be due in part to poorer network coverage. In cases where the DLPs do not occur directly beneath the volcanic edifice, the locations coincide with large structural faults that extend into the deep crust. Our observations suggest the occurrence of DLPs in these areas could represent fluid and/or magma transport along pre-existing tectonic structures in the middle crust. ?? 2010 Elsevier B.V.

The Pacific Northwest; linkage between earthquake and volcano hazards

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crosson, R.S.

1990-01-01

The Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington, and northern California) is experiencing rapid industrial and population growth. The same conditions that make the region attractive- close proximity to both mountains and oceans, volcanoes and spectacular inland waters- also present significant geologic hazards that are easily overlooked in the normal timetable of human activities. The catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens 10 years ago serves as a dramatic reminder of the forces of nature that can be unleashed through volcanism. other volcanoes such as  mount Rainier, a majestic symbol of Washington, or Mount hood in Oregon, lie closer to population centers and could present far greater hazards should they become active. Earthquakes may affect even larger regions, prodcuging more cumulative damage. 

Mantle to surface degassing of alkalic magmas at Erebus volcano, Antarctica

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oppenheimer, C.; Moretti, R.; Kyle, P.R.; Eschenbacher, A.; Lowenstern, J. B.; Hervig, R.L.; Dunbar, N.W.

2011-01-01

Continental intraplate volcanoes, such as Erebus volcano, Antarctica, are associated with extensional tectonics, mantle upwelling and high heat flow. Typically, erupted magmas are alkaline and rich in volatiles (especially CO2), inherited from low degrees of partial melting of mantle sources. We examine the degassing of the magmatic system at Erebus volcano using melt inclusion data and high temporal resolution open-path Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic measurements of gas emissions from the active lava lake. Remarkably different gas signatures are associated with passive and explosive gas emissions, representative of volatile contents and redox conditions that reveal contrasting shallow and deep degassing sources. We show that this unexpected degassing signature provides a unique probe for magma differentiation and transfer of CO2-rich oxidised fluids from the mantle to the surface, and evaluate how these processes operate in time and space. Extensive crystallisation driven by CO2 fluxing is responsible for isobaric fractionation of parental basanite magmas close to their source depth. Magma deeper than 4kbar equilibrates under vapour-buffered conditions. At shallower depths, CO2-rich fluids accumulate and are then released either via convection-driven, open-system gas loss or as closed-system slugs that ascend and result in Strombolian eruptions in the lava lake. The open-system gases have a reduced state (below the QFM buffer) whereas the closed-system gases preserve their deep oxidised signatures (close to the NNO buffer). ?? 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Annual emissions of mercury to the atmosphere from natural sources in Nevada and California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coolbaugh, M.F.; Gustin, M.S.; Rytuba, J.J.

2002-01-01

The impact of natural source emissions on atmospheric mercury concentrations and the biogeochemical cycle of mercury is not known. To begin to assess this impact, mercury emissions to the atmosphere were scaled up for three areas naturally enriched in mercury: the Steamboat Springs geothermal area, Nevada, the New Idria mercury mining district, California, and the Medicine Lake volcano, California. Data used to scale up area emissions included mercury fluxes, measured in-situ using field flux chambers, from undisturbed and disturbed geologic substrates, and relationships between mercury emissions and geologic rock types, soil mercury concentrations, and surface heat flux. At select locations mercury fluxes were measured for 24 h and the data were used to adjust fluxes measured at different times of the day to give an average daily flux. This adjustment minimized daily temporal variability, which is observed for mercury flux because of light and temperature effects. Area emissions were scaled spatially and temporally with GIS software. Measured fluxes ranged from 0.3 to approximately 50 ng m-2 h-1 at undisturbed sites devoid of mercury mineralization, and to greater than 10,000 ng m-2 h-1 from substrates that were in areas of mercury mining. Area-averaged fluxes calculated for bare soil at Steamboat Springs, New Idria, and Medicine Lake of 181, 9.2, and 2 ng m-2 h-1, respectively, are greater than fluxes previously ascribed to natural non-point sources, indicating that these sources may be more significant contributors of mercury to the atmosphere than previously realized.

Water Resources Data -- California, Water Year 2003, Volume 1, Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin, and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pope, G.L.; Agajanian, J.; Caldwell, L.A.; Rockwell, G.L.

2004-01-01

Water-resources data for the 2003 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams, stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs, and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 193 gaging stations and 11 crest-stage partial-record stations, stage and contents for 22 lakes and reservoirs, gage-height records for 2 stations, water quality for 47 streamflow-gaging stations and 12 partial-record stations, and precipitation data for 1 station. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water Resources Data--California, Water Year 2001, Volume 1, Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin, and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Agajanian, J.; Rockwell, G.L.; Anderson, S.W.; Pope, G.L.

2002-01-01

Water-resources data for the 2001 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams, stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs, and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 180 gaging stations and 13 crest-stage partial-record stations, stage and contents for 20 lakes and reservoirs, gage-height records for 2 stations, water quality for 37 streamflow-gaging stations and 2 partial-record stations, and precipitation data for 3 stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water Resources Data--California, Water Year 2002, Volume 1, Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin, and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rockwell, G.L.; Pope, G.L.; Agajanian, J.; Caldwell, L.A.

2003-01-01

Water-resources data for the 2002 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams, stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs, and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 188 gaging stations and 10 crest-stage partial-record stations, stage and contents for 19 lakes and reservoirs, gage-height records for 2 stations, water quality for 39 streamflow-gaging stations and 11 partial-record stations, and precipitation data for 1 station. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water Resources Data, California, Water Year 1994. Volume 1. Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin, and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hayes, P.D.; Agajanian, J.A.; Rockwell, G.L.

1995-01-01

Water resources data for the 1994 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains (1) discharge records for 143 streamflow-gaging stations, 15 crest-stage partial-record streamflow stations; (2) stage and contents records for 20 lakes and reservoirs; (3) water quality records for 19 streamflow-gaging stations and 2 partial-record stations; and ( 4) precipitation records for 8 stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water resources data, California, water year 2004, volume 1: Southern Great Basin from Mexican border to Mono Lake Basin, and Pacific Slope basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Agajanian, J.; Caldwell, L.A.; Rockwell, G.L.; Pope, G.L.

2005-01-01

Water-resources data for the 2004 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams, stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs, and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 195 gaging stations and 10 crest-stage partial-record stations, stage and contents for 25 lakes and reservoirs, gage-height records for 2 stations, water quality for 47 streamflow-gaging stations and 7 partial-record stations, and precipitation data for 5 stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water Resources Data, California, Water Year 1998. Volume 1. Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin; and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Agajanian, J.; Rockwell, G.L.; Hayes, P.D.; Anderson, S.W.

1999-01-01

Water-resources data for the 1998 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams, stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs, and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 157 gaging stations and 13 crest-stage partial-record stations, stage and contents for 21 lakes and reservoirs, gage-height records for 1 station, water quality for 22 streamflow-gaging stations and 14 partialrecord stations, and precipitation data for 3 stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water Resources Data, California, Water Year 1990. Volume 1. Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin; and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bowers, J.C.; Jensen, R.M.; Hoffman, E.B.

1991-01-01

Water resources data for the 1990 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 157 streamflow-gaging stations, 16 crest-stage partial-record streamflow stations, and 2miscellaneous measurement stations; stage and contents records for 16 lakes and reservoirs; water-quality records for 19 streamflow-gaging stations, 2 partial-record stations; and precipitation records for 13 stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water Resources Data, California, Water Year 1995. Volume 1. Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin; and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Agajanian, J.A.; Rockwell, G.L.; Hayes, P.D.

1996-01-01

Water resources data for the 1995 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains (1) discharge records for 141 streamflow-gaging stations, 6 crest-stage partial-record streamflow stations; (2) stage and contents records for 20 lakes and reservoirs; (3) water quality records for 21 streamflow-gaging stations and 3 partial-record stations; and (4) precipitation records for 1 station. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water Resources Data, California, Water Year 1989. Volume 1. Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin; and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoffman, E.B.; Bowers, J.C.; Jensen, R.M.

1990-01-01

Water resources data for the 1989 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 137 gaging stations; stage and contents for 15 lakes and reservoirs; water quality for 25 streams; and precipitation for 8 gaging stations. Also included are 15 crest-stage partial-record stations, 7 miscellaneous measurement sites, and 5 water-quality partial record stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water Resources Data, California, Water Year 1996. Volume 1. Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin, and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rockwell, G.L.; Hayes, P.D.; Agajanian, J.A.

1997-01-01

Water-resources data for the 1996 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams, stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs, and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 149 gaging stations and 6 crest-stage partial-record stations, stage and contents for 21 lakes and reservoirs, gage height records for 1 station, water quality for 19 streamflow-gaging stations and 17 partial record stations, and precipitation data for 4 stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water Resources Data, California, Water Year 1991. Volume 1. Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin; and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jensen, R.M.; Hoffman, E.B.; Bowers, J.C.; Mullen, J.R.

1992-01-01

Water resources data for the 1991 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains dischrage records for 171 streamflow-gaging stations, 16 crest-stage partial-record streamflow stations, and 3 miscellaneous measurement stations; stage and contents records for 24 lakes and reservoirs; water-quality records for 23 streamflow-gaging stations, 4 partial-record stations; and precipitation records for 16 stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U,S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water Resources Data--California, Water Year 2000, Volume 1, Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin, and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, S.W.; Agajanian, J.; Rockwell, G.L.

2001-01-01

Water-resources data for the 2000 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams, stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs, and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 175 gaging stations and 13 crest-stage partial-record stations, stage and contents for 20 lakes and reservoirs, gage-height records for 2 stations, water quality for 27 streamflow-gaging stations and 3 partial-record stations, and precipitation data for 4 stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Frequent but hidden eruptions of Adatara and Bandai volcanoes during the last 50,000 years unraveled by volcanic damlake sediments, northeast Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kataoka, Kyoko; Nagahashi, Yoshitaka

2017-04-01

Adatara and Bandai volcanoes in the northeast Japan are very close to each other ( 18 km). Bandai volcano is well known for a large-scale debris avalanche following the phreatic eruption in AD1888 that took more than 400 fatalities. Eruptive history consists of at least 6 more debris avalanche events, 3 more phreatic eruptions, 6 lava flows, and 4 Vulcanian/sub-Plinian eruptions during the last 50,000 years revealed by subaerial proximal deposits. Whereas, the eruptive history of Adatara volcano comprises 6 Vulcanian and 5 phreatic eruptions during the last 10,000 years. The most recent eruption occurred in AD1899-1900. The studied sedimentary core (INW2012) was drilled out from Lake Inawashiro-ko, the largest dammed lake in Japan, that was formed by the 50 ka Okinajima debris avalanche event at Bandai volcano. The lake is 94 m deep, and drilling site is located at the central part of the lake ( 90 m deep). In the 28 m long core sequence, in contrast to background lake sediments deposited under a deep offshore environment, very frequent (70) intercalations of event layers are recognized. Eight types of event layers can be recognized: 1) gray muddy layer (Gm), 2) gray sandy layer (Gs), 3) brown muddy layer (Bm), 4) brown sandy layer (Bs), 5) olive-gray muddy layer, 6) pale-brown sandy layer, and 7) yellow sandy layer, and 8) 2011 earthquake-induced turbidite, based on the characteristics of sedimentary facies, petrography, grainsize, mineral assemblages (XRD) and vertical variation of chemistry (micro-XRF). There are many tephra-fall layers but most of them are extra-basinal origin, i.e., of other volcanoes than Adatara and Bandai. Gm is usually a few millimeters to centimeters thick, blue-gray color, homogenized, and finer than background sediments. Gs is accompanied with coarser subunits and thicker than Gm. Especially, Gm/Gs contain pyrite, sulfate minerals and smectite, and are characterized by high sulfur contents. Bm and Bs are 1 to 6 cm thick and are normally

Geologic Map of Mount Mazama and Crater Lake Caldera, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bacon, Charles R.

2008-01-01

Crater Lake partly fills one of the most spectacular calderas of the world, an 8-by-10-km basin more than 1 km deep formed by collapse of the volcano known as Mount Mazama (fig. 1) during a rapid series of explosive eruptions about 7,700 years ago. Having a maximum depth of 594 m, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States. Crater Lake National Park, dedicated in 1902, encompasses 645 km2 of pristine forested and alpine terrain, including the lake itself, virtually all of Mount Mazama, and most of the area of the geologic map. The geology of the area was first described in detail by Diller and Patton (1902) and later by Williams (1942), whose vivid account led to international recognition of Crater Lake as the classic collapse caldera. Because of excellent preservation and access, Mount Mazama, Crater Lake caldera, and the deposits formed by the climactic eruption constitute a natural laboratory for study of volcanic and magmatic processes. For example, the climactic ejecta are renowned among volcanologists as evidence for systematic compositional zonation within a subterranean magma chamber. Mount Mazama's climactic eruption also is important as the source of the widespread Mazama ash, a useful Holocene stratigraphic marker throughout the Pacific Northwest, adjacent Canada, and offshore. A detailed bathymetric survey of the floor of Crater Lake in 2000 (Bacon and others, 2002) provides a unique record of postcaldera eruptions, the interplay between volcanism and filling of the lake, and sediment transport within this closed basin. Knowledge of the geology and eruptive history of the Mount Mazama edifice, greatly enhanced by the caldera wall exposures, gives exceptional insight into how large volcanoes of magmatic arcs grow and evolve. Lastly, the many smaller volcanoes of the High Cascades beyond the limits of Mount Mazama are a source of information on the flux of mantle-derived magma through the region. General principles of magmatic and eruptive

Frequency and Size of Strombolian Eruptions from the Phonolitic Lava Lake at Erebus Volcano, Antarctica: Insights from Infrasound and Seismic Observations on Bubble Formation and Ascent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotman, H. M. M.; Kyle, P. R.; Fee, D.; Curtis, A.

2015-12-01

Erebus, an active intraplate volcano on Ross Island, commonly produces bubble burst Strombolian explosions from a long-lived, convecting phonolitic lava lake. Persistent lava lakes are rare, and provide direct insights into their underlying magmatic system. Erebus phonolite is H2O-poor and contains ~30% anorthoclase megacrysts. At shallow depths lab measurements suggest the magma has viscosities of ~107 Pa s. This has implications for magma and bubble ascent rates through the conduit and into the lava lake. The bulk composition and matrix glass of Erebus ejecta has remained uniform for many thousands of years, but eruptive activity varies on decadal and shorter time scales. Over the last 15 years, increased activity took place in 2005-2007, and more recently in the 2013 austral summer. In the 2014 austral summer, new infrasound sensors were installed ~700 m from the summit crater hosting the lava lake. These sensors, supplemented by the Erebus network seismic stations, recorded >1000 eruptions between 1 January and 7 April 2015, with an average infrasound daily uptime of 9.6 hours. Over the same time period, the CTBT infrasound station IS55, ~25 km from Erebus, detected ~115 of the >1000 locally observed eruptions with amplitude decreases of >100x. An additional ~200 eruptions were recorded during local infrasound downtime. This represents an unusually high level of activity from the Erebus lava lake, and while instrument noise influences the minimum observable amplitude each day, the eruption infrasound amplitudes may vary by ~3 orders of magnitude over the scale of minutes to hours. We use this heightened period of variable activity and associated seismic and acoustic waveforms to examine mechanisms for bubble formation and ascent, such as rise speed dependence and collapsing foam; repose times for the larger eruptions; and possible eruption connections to lava lake cyclicity.

Do High-elevation Lakes Record Variations in Snowfall and Atmospheric Rivers in the Sierra Nevada of California?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashford, J.; Sickman, J. O.; Lucero, D. M.

2014-12-01

Understanding the underlying causes of interannual variation in snowfall and extreme hydrologic events in the Sierra Nevada is hampered by short instrumental records and the difficulties in reconstructing climate using a traditional paleo-record such as tree-rings. New paleo proxies are needed to provide a record of snowpack water content and extreme precipitation events over millennial timescales which can be used to test hypotheses regarding teleconnections between Pacific climate variability and water supply and flood risk in California. In October 2013 we collected sediment cores from Pear Lake (z = 27 m), an alpine lake in Sequoia National Park. The cores were split and characterized by P-wave velocity, magnetic susceptibility and density scanning. Radiocarbon dates indicate that the Pear Lake cores contain a 13.5K yr record of lake sediment. In contrast to other Sierra Nevada lakes previously cored by our group, high-resolution scanning revealed alternating light-dark bands (~1 mm to 5 mm thick) for most of the Pear Lake core length. This pattern was interrupted at intervals by homogenous clasts (up to 75 mm thick) ranging in grain size from sand to gravel up to 1 cm diameter. We hypothesize that the light-dark banding results from the breakdown of persistent hypolimnetic anoxia during spring snowmelt and autumn overturn. We speculate that the thicknesses of the dark bands are controlled by the duration of anoxia which in turn is controlled by the volume and duration of snowmelt. The sand to gravel sized clasts are most likely associated with extreme precipitation events resulting from atmospheric rivers intersecting the southern Sierra Nevada. We hypothesize that centimeter-sized clasts are deposited in large avalanches and that the sands are deposited in large rain events outside of the snow-cover period.

Numerical modeling of crater lake seepage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todesco, M.; Rouwet, D.

2012-04-01

The fate of crater lake waters seeping into the volcanic edifice is poorly constrained. Quantification of the seepage flux is important in volcanic surveillance as this water loss counterbalances the inflow of hot magmatic fluids into the lake, and enters the mass balance computation. Uncertainties associated with the estimate of seepage therefore transfer to the estimate of magmatic degassing and hazard assessment. Moreover, when the often acidic lake brines disperse into the volcanic edifice, they may lead to acid attack (stress corrosion) and eventually to mechanical weakening of the volcano flanks, thereby causing an indirect volcanic risk. Understanding of the features that control the underground propagation of lake waters and their interactions with the magmatic-hydrothermal system is therefore highly recommended in volcanic hazard assessment. In this work, we use the TOUGH2 geothermal simulator to investigate crater lake water seepage in different volcanic settings. Modeling is carried out to describe the evolution of a hydrothermal system open on a hot, pressurized reservoir of dry gas and capped by a volcanic lake. Numerical simulations investigate the role of lake morphology, system geometry, rock properties, and of the conditions applied to the lake and to the gas reservoir at depth.

The microbial arsenic cycle in Mono Lake, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oremland, Ronald S.; Stolz, John F.; Hollibaugh, James T.

2004-01-01

Significant concentrations of dissolved inorganic arsenic can be found in the waters of a number of lakes located in the western USA and in other water bodies around the world. These lakes are often situated in arid, volcanic terrain. The highest concentrations of arsenic occur in hypersaline, closed basin soda lakes and their remnant brines. Although arsenic is a well-known toxicant to eukaryotes and prokaryotes alike, some prokaryotes have evolved biochemical mechanisms to exploit arsenic oxyanions (i.e., arsenate and arsenite); they can use them either as an electron acceptor for anaerobic respiration (arsenate), or as an electron donor (arsenite) to support chemoautotrophic fixation of CO2 into cell carbon. Unlike in freshwater or marine ecosystems, these processes may assume quantitative significance with respect to the carbon cycle in arsenic-rich soda lakes. For the past several years our research has focused on the occurrence and biogeochemical manifestations of these processes in Mono Lake, a particularly arsenic-rich environment. Herein we review some of our findings concerning the biogeochemical arsenic cycle in this lake, with the hope that it may broaden the understanding of the influence of microorganisms upon the speciation of arsenic in more common, less “extreme” environments, such as drinking water aquifers.

Real-time Ensemble Flow Forecasts for a 2017 Mock Operation Test Trial of Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations for Lake Mendocino in Mendocino County, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delaney, C.; Mendoza, J.; Jasperse, J.; Hartman, R. K.; Whitin, B.; Kalansky, J.

2017-12-01

Forecast informed reservoir operations (FIRO) is a methodology that incorporates short to mid-range precipitation and flow forecasts to inform the flood operations of reservoirs. The Ensemble Forecast Operations (EFO) alternative is a probabilistic approach of FIRO that incorporates 15-day ensemble streamflow predictions (ESPs) made by NOAA's California-Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC). With the EFO approach, release decisions are made to manage forecasted risk of reaching critical operational thresholds. A water management model was developed for Lake Mendocino, a 111,000 acre-foot reservoir located near Ukiah, California, to conduct a mock operation test trial of the EFO alternative for 2017. Lake Mendocino is a dual use reservoir, which is owned and operated for flood control by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and is operated for water supply by the Sonoma County Water Agency. Due to recent changes in the operations of an upstream hydroelectric facility, this reservoir has suffered from water supply reliability issues since 2007. The operational trial utilized real-time ESPs prepared by the CNRFC and observed flow information to simulate hydrologic conditions in Lake Mendocino and a 50-mile downstream reach of the Russian River to the City of Healdsburg. Results of the EFO trial demonstrate a 6% increase in reservoir storage at the end of trial period (May 10) relative to observed conditions. Additionally, model results show no increase in flows above flood stage for points downstream of Lake Mendocino. Results of this investigation and other studies demonstrate that the EFO alternative may be a viable flood control operations approach for Lake Mendocino and warrants further investigation through additional modeling and analysis.

Sediment-source data for four basins tributary to Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada; August 1983-June 1988

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hill, B.R.; Hill, J.R.; Nolan, K.M.

1990-01-01

Data were collected during a 5-year study of sediment sources in four drainage basins tributary to Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada. The study areas include the Blackwood Creek, General Creek, Edgewood Creek, and Logan House Creek basins. Data include changes in bank and bed positions at channel cross sections; results of stream-channel inventories; analyses of bank and bed material samples; tabulations of bed-material pebble counts; measured rates of hillslope erosion; dimensions of gullies; suspended-sediment data collected during synoptic snowmelt sampling; and physiographic data for the four study basins. (USGS)

A diatom record of climate and hydrology for the past 200 KA from Owens Lake, California with comparison to other Breat Basin records

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradbury, J.P.

1997-01-01

Diatoms from lake sediments beneath Owens Lake playa, Inyo County, California, document a nearly continuous paleolimnological record of climate and hydrologic change since the penultimate glacial-interglacial cycle based on a chronology established by radiocarbon, tephrochronology, and paleomagnetic control. Freshwater planktic diatoms (especially species of Stephanodiscus), plagioclase feldspar-rich sediments with high magnetic susceptibility, and Juniperus-type pollen characterized the penultimate glaciation at Owens Lake. Saline diatoms dominated in the following interglacial period, and there are several episodes during which freshwater planktic diatoms became abundant between 100 and 50 ka that may represent interstadial climatic conditions. Saline diatoms fell to low values after 50 ka, but warm-season Aulacoseira species indicate episodes of significant summer precipitation in the hydrologic balance of Owens Lake prior to the last glacial maximum. By 25 ka, glacial environments were again characterized by abundant Juniperus, plagioclase feldspar, and Stephanodiscus species. Generally and Holocene climates were recorded in Owens Lake by short-term fluctuations of saline and freshwater diatoms, desiccation, and oolitic sediments barren of diatoms. Comparison to paleoclimate records both north and south of Owens Lake suggest a southerly displacement of storm tracks originating from the Aleutian Low during glacial episodes.

California: Diamond Valley

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2014-05-15

... article title:  Watching the Creation of Southern California's Largest Reservoir     ... Valley Lake is designed to provide protection against drought and a six-month emergency supply in the event of earthquake damage to a ...

Water Resources Data for California, Water Year 1988. Volume 1. Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin, and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Polinoski, K.G.; Hoffman, E.B.; Smith, G.B.; Bowers, J.C.

1989-01-01

Water resources data for the 1988 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 134 gaging stations; stage and contents for 17 lakes and reservoirs; and water quality for 24 streams. Also included are 10 crest-stage partial-record stations, 5 miscellaneous measurement sites, and 16 water-quality partial-record stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water Resources Data for California, Water Year 1987. Volume 1. Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin, and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bowers, J.C.; McConaughy, C.E.; Polinoski, K.G.; Smith, G.B.

1988-01-01

Water resources data for the 1987 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 134 gaging stations; stage and contents for 16 lakes and reservoirs; and water quality for 16 streams. Also included are 10 crest-stage partial-record stations, 3 miscellaneous measurement sites, and 10 water-quality partial-record stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Space Radar Image of Colombian Volcano

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

This is a radar image of a little known volcano in northern Colombia. The image was acquired on orbit 80 of space shuttle Endeavour on April 14, 1994, by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR). The volcano near the center of the image is located at 5.6 degrees north latitude, 75.0 degrees west longitude, about 100 kilometers (65 miles) southeast of Medellin, Colombia. The conspicuous dark spot is a lake at the bottom of an approximately 3-kilometer-wide (1.9-mile) volcanic collapse depression or caldera. A cone-shaped peak on the bottom left (northeast rim) of the caldera appears to have been the source for a flow of material into the caldera. This is the northern-most known volcano in South America and because of its youthful appearance, should be considered dormant rather than extinct. The volcano's existence confirms a fracture zone proposed in 1985 as the northern boundary of volcanism in the Andes. The SIR-C/X-SAR image reveals another, older caldera further south in Colombia, along another proposed fracture zone. Although relatively conspicuous, these volcanoes have escaped widespread recognition because of frequent cloud cover that hinders remote sensing imaging in visible wavelengths. Four separate volcanoes in the Northern Andes nations ofColombia and Ecuador have been active during the last 10 years, killing more than 25,000 people, including scientists who were monitoring the volcanic activity. Detection and monitoring of volcanoes from space provides a safe way to investigate volcanism. The recognition of previously unknown volcanoes is important for hazard evaluations because a number of major eruptions this century have occurred at mountains that were not previously recognized as volcanoes. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of

Crater Floor and Lava Lake Dynamics Measured with T-LIDAR at Pu`u`O`o Crater, Hawai`i

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brooks, B. A.; Kauahikaua, J. P.; Foster, J. H.; Poland, M. P.

2007-12-01

We used a near-infrared (1.2 micron wavelength) tripod-based scanning LiDAR system (T-LIDAR) to capture crater floor and lava lake dynamics in unprecedented detail at P`u`u `O`o crater on Kilauea volcano, Hawai`i. In the ~40 days following the June 17-19 intrusion/eruption, Pu`u `O`o crater experienced substantial deformation comprising 2 collapse events bracketing rapid filling of the crater by a lava lake. We surveyed the crater floor with centimeter-scale spot-spacings from 3 different vantage points on July 13 and from one vantage point on July 24. Data return was excellent despite heavy fume on July 24 that obscured nearly all of the crater features, including the walls and floor. We formed displacement fields by aligning identical features from different acquisition times in zones on the relatively stable crater walls. From July 13, over a period of several hours, we imaged ~2 m of differential lava lake surface topography from the upwelling (eastern) to downstream (western) portion of the flowing lava lake. From July 13 to July 24, the lava lake level dropped by as much as 20 meters in a zone confined by flanking levees. Our results confirm the utility of T-LiDAR as a new tool for detailed volcano geodesy studies and suggest potential applications in volcano hazards monitoring.

Effects of imposed salinity gradients on dissimilatory arsenate reduction, sulfate reduction, and other microbial processes in sediments from two California soda lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kulp, T.R.; Han, S.; Saltikov, C.W.; Lanoil, B.D.; Zargar, K.; Oremland, R.S.

2007-01-01

Salinity effects on microbial community structure and on potential rates of arsenate reduction, arsenite oxidation, sulfate reduction, denitrification, and methanogenesis were examined in sediment slurries from two California soda lakes. We conducted experiments with Mono Lake and Searles Lake sediments over a wide range of salt concentrations (25 to 346 g liter-1). With the exception of sulfate reduction, rates of all processes demonstrated an inverse relationship to total salinity. However, each of these processes persisted at low but detectable rates at salt saturation. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of partial 16S rRNA genes amplified from As(V) reduction slurries revealed that distinct microbial populations grew at low (25 to 50 g liter-1), intermediate (100 to 200 g liter-1), and high (>300 g liter-1) salinity. At intermediate and high salinities, a close relative of a cultivated As-respiring halophile was present. These results suggest that organisms adapted to more dilute conditions can remain viable at high salinity and rapidly repopulate the lake during periods of rising lake level. In contrast to As reduction, sulfate reduction in Mono Lake slurries was undetectable at salt saturation. Furthermore, sulfate reduction was excluded from Searles Lake sediments at any salinity despite the presence of abundant sulfate. Sulfate reduction occurred in Searles Lake sediment slurries only following inoculation with Mono Lake sediment, indicating the absence of sulfate-reducing flora. Experiments with borate-amended Mono Lake slurries suggest that the notably high (0.46 molal) concentration of borate in the Searles Lake brine was responsible for the exclusion of sulfate reducers from that ecosystem. Copyright ?? 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Geologic field trip guide to Mount Mazama and Crater Lake Caldera, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bacon, Charles R.; Wright, Heather M.

2017-08-08

Crater Lake partly fills one of the most spectacular calderas of the world—an 8 by 10 kilometer (km) basin more than 1 km deep formed by collapse of the Mount Mazama volcano during a rapid series of explosive eruptions ~7,700 years ago. Having a maximum depth of 594 meters (m), Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States. Crater Lake National Park, dedicated in 1902, encompasses 645 square kilometers (km2) of pristine forested and alpine terrain, including the lake itself, and virtually all of Mount Mazama. The geology of the area was first described in detail by Diller and Patton (1902) and later by Williams (1942), whose vivid account led to international recognition of Crater Lake as the classic collapse caldera. Because of excellent preservation and access, Mount Mazama, Crater Lake caldera, and the deposits formed by the climactic eruption constitute a natural laboratory for study of volcanic and magmatic processes. For example, the climactic ejecta are renowned among volcanologists as evidence for systematic compositional zonation within a subterranean magma chamber. Mount Mazama’s climactic eruption also is important as the source of the widespread Mazama ash, a useful Holocene stratigraphic marker throughout the Pacific Northwest United States, adjacent Canada, and offshore. A detailed bathymetric survey of the floor of Crater Lake in 2000 (Bacon and others, 2002) provides a unique record of postcaldera eruptions, the interplay between volcanism and filling of the lake, and sediment transport within this closed basin. Knowledge of the geology and eruptive history of the Mount Mazama edifice, enhanced by the caldera wall exposures, gives exceptional insight into how large volcanoes of magmatic arcs grow and evolve. In addition, many smaller volcanoes of the High Cascades beyond the limits of Mount Mazama provide information on the flux of mantle-derived magma through the region. General principles of magmatic and eruptive processes revealed by

Sierra Nevada, California

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-09-30

STS068-267-097 (30 September-11 October 1994) --- An extensive view eastward from the irrigated San Joaquin Valley in the foreground, across the Sierra Nevada (living up to its name in early October), into the desert of eastern California and Nevada (which has no snow, despite the name). Mono Lake is just visible at the left edge of the frame; Owens Valley extends southward to Owens Lake, the next valley is Panamint Valley, and then Death Valley. Las Vegas and Lake Mead are visible at the upper right of the frame. The Space Radar Laboratory 2 (SRL-2) obtained extensive, multiple-pass data from many test sites within the region displayed, including Mammoth Mountain ski area south of Mono Lake, and in Death Valley.

Sulfide as a Chemoautotrophic Electron Donor for Dissimilatory Arsenate Reduction in Mono Lake, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoeft, S. E.; Kulp, T. R.; Stolz, J. S.; Oremland, R. S.

2003-12-01

In aqueous systems, arsenic occurs as arsenate [As(V)] or as arsenite [As(III)], with the latter form being more toxic and mobile. Mono Lake, California is a meromictic soda lake (pH = 9.8; salinity = 70-90 g/L) with exceptionally high arsenic content ( ˜200 μ M), a consequence of hydrothermal inputs combined with evaporative concentration. Previous work has shown that arsenic speciation changes from As(V) to the more reduced As(III) with vertical transition from the lake's surface oxic waters to its unmixed, anoxic bottom waters and that dissimilatory reduction is responsible for the observed change in arsenic speciation. Rates of in situ dissimilatory As(V) reduction measured by radiotracer ( ˜1- 6 μ mol/L/d) were estimated to be significant enough to mineralize up to 14% of annual primary productivity. Subsequent lab-based investigations with As(V)-amended ( ˜1-2 mM) bottom water displayed significantly higher rates (150-260 μ mol/L/d) of As(V) reduction and were not limited by the availability of organic electron donors such as acetate, lactate, malate and glucose. The focus of this study was to identify a natural source of electrons for As(V) reduction in Mono Lake. While Mono Lake contains plentiful dissolved organic carbon ( ˜7 mM) this material is usually refractory and resistant to bacterial oxidation. Alternatively, the anoxic bottom waters contain high concentrations of sulfide ions ( ˜1-2 mM) that could potentially serve as an electron donor for dissimilatory As(V) reduction. In a time course experiment with As(V)-amended Mono Lake bottom water, we observed oxidation of sulfide linked to the reduction of As(V) to As(III). This reaction did not occur in filter sterilized controls and sulfide loss did not occur in samples lacking As(V). In bottom water amended with additional sulfide (total = 6 mM) and As(V), we observed a linear relationship between rates of dissimilatory As(V) reduction and As(V) concentration. The highest rate observed under

Geochemical monitoring of Taal volcano (Philippines) by means of diffuse CO2 degassing studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padrón, Eleazar; Hernández, Pedro A.; Arcilla, Carlo; Pérez, Nemesio M.; Lagmay, Alfredo M.; Rodríguez, Fátima; Quina, Gerald; Alonso, Mar; Padilla, Germán D.; Aurelio, Mario A.

2017-04-01

Observing changes in the discharge rate of CO2 is an important part of volcanic monitoring programs, because it is released by progressive depressurization of magma during ascent and reach the surface well before their parental magma. Taal Volcano in Southwest Luzon, Philippines, lies between a volcanic arc front facing the subduction zone along the Manila Trench and a volcanic field formed from extension beyond the arc front. Taal Volcano Island is formed by a main tuff cone surrounded by several smaller tuff cones, tuff rings and scoria cones. This island is located in the center of the 30 km wide Taal Caldera, now filled by Taal Lake. To monitor the volcanic activity of Taal volcano is a priority task in the Philippines, because several million people live within a 20-km radius of Taal's caldera rim. During the last period of volcanic unrest from 2010 to 2011, the main crater lake of Taal volcano released the highest diffuse CO2 emission rates through the water surface reported to date by volcanic lakes worldwide. The maximum CO2 emission rate measured in the study period occurred two months before the strongest seismic activity recorded during the unrest period (Arpa et al., 2013, Bull Volcanol 75:747). After the unrest period, diffuse CO2 emission has remained in the range 532-860 t/d in the period 2013-2016. In January 2016, an automatic geochemical station to monitor in a continuous mode the diffuse CO2 degassing in a selected location of Taal, was installed in January 2016 to improve the early warning system at the volcano. The station is located at Daang Kastila, at the northern portion of the main crater rim. It measures hourly the diffuse CO2 efflux, atmospheric CO2 concentration, soil water content and temperature, wind speed and direction, air temperature and humidity, rainfall, and barometric pressure. The 2016 time series show CO2 efflux values in the range 20-690 g m-2 d-1.Soil temperature, heavily influenced by rainfall, ranged between 74 and 96o

Water Resources Data, California, Water Year 1992. Volume 1. Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin; and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoffman, E.B.; Bowers, J.C.; Mullen, J.R.; Hayes, P.D.

1993-01-01

Water resources data for the 1992 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains (1) discharge records for 161 streamflow-gaging stations, 15 crest-stage partial-record streamflow stations, and 5 miscellaneous measurement stations; (2) stage and contents records for 26 lakes and reservoirs; (3) water-quality records for 23 streamflow-gaging stations and 3 partialrecord stations; and ( 4) precipitation records for 11 stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water Resources Data, California, Water Year 1993. Volume 1. Southern Great Basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake Basin, and Pacific Slope Basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mullen, J.R.; Hayes, P.D.; Agajanian, J.A.

1994-01-01

Water resources data for the 1993 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains (1) discharge records for 156 streamflow-gaging stations, 12 crest-stage partial-record streamflow stations, and 5 miscellaneous measurement stations; (2) stage and contents records for 26 lakes and reservoirs; (3) water-quality records for 17 streamflow-gaging stations and 6 partial-record stations; and (4) precipitation records for 10 stations . These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Distribution, production, and ecophysiology of Picocystis strain ML in Mono Lake, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roesler, Collin S.; Culbertson, Charles W.; Etheridge, Stacey M.; Goericke, Ralf; Kiene, Ronald P.; Miller, Laurence G.; Oremland, Ronald S.

2002-01-01

A recently described unicellular chlorophytic alga isolated from meromictic Mono Lake, California, occupies a niche that spans two environments: the upper oxic mixolimnion and the deeper anoxic and highly reducing monimolimnion. This organism, Picocystis sp. strain ML, accounts for nearly 25% of the primary production during the winter bloom and more than 50% at other times of the year. In incubations, it is heavily grazed by the brine shrimp, Artemia monica. We assessed growth and photosynthetic parameters over broad ranges of irradiance, salinity, and pH and under oxic and anoxic conditions. Picocystis appears to be particularly adapted to low irradiance; we observed an order of magnitude increase in the cellular pigment concentrations, as well as marked increases in cellspecific photosynthetic parameters for cells acclimated to low-growth irradiance. Growth rates of 0.3–1.5 d21 were observed over a salinity range of 0–260‰ and a pH range of 4–12, with maximal growth at ;50 mmol photons m22 s21 , 40‰, and pH 6–10. Growth and oxygenic photosynthesis were observed under anoxic conditions at rates comparable to those measured under oxic conditions. The ability of the organism to acclimate and grow under such a broad range of environmental conditions makes it an important component of the Mono Lake ecosystem and likely contributes to its dominance of the monimolimnion/mixolimnion interface.

24. Lake Hodges Flume conduit enlargement. April 1930. Courtesy of ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

24. Lake Hodges Flume conduit enlargement. April 1930. Courtesy of the Mandeville Department of Special Collections, Central Library, University of California, San Diego. - Lake Hodges Flume, Along San Dieguito River between Lake Hodges & San Dieguito Reservoir, Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego County, CA

22. Concrete trestle on Lake Hodges Flume, 1919. Courtesy of ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

22. Concrete trestle on Lake Hodges Flume, 1919. Courtesy of the Mandeville Department of Special Collections, Central Library, University of California, San Diego. - Lake Hodges Flume, Along San Dieguito River between Lake Hodges & San Dieguito Reservoir, Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego County, CA

77 FR 73411 - Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee (LTBFAC)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-10

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee (LTBFAC) AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee will meet in South Lake Tahoe, California. This Committee, established by the Secretary of...

Volcano-hazard zonation for San Vicente volcano, El Salvador

USGS Publications Warehouse

Major, J.J.; Schilling, S.P.; Pullinger, C.R.; Escobar, C.D.; Howell, M.M.

2001-01-01

San Vicente volcano, also known as Chichontepec, is one of many volcanoes along the volcanic arc in El Salvador. This composite volcano, located about 50 kilometers east of the capital city San Salvador, has a volume of about 130 cubic kilometers, rises to an altitude of about 2180 meters, and towers above major communities such as San Vicente, Tepetitan, Guadalupe, Zacatecoluca, and Tecoluca. In addition to the larger communities that surround the volcano, several smaller communities and coffee plantations are located on or around the flanks of the volcano, and major transportation routes are located near the lowermost southern and eastern flanks of the volcano. The population density and proximity around San Vicente volcano, as well as the proximity of major transportation routes, increase the risk that even small landslides or eruptions, likely to occur again, can have serious societal consequences. The eruptive history of San Vicente volcano is not well known, and there is no definitive record of historical eruptive activity. The last significant eruption occurred more than 1700 years ago, and perhaps long before permanent human habitation of the area. Nevertheless, this volcano has a very long history of repeated, and sometimes violent, eruptions, and at least once a large section of the volcano collapsed in a massive landslide. The oldest rocks associated with a volcanic center at San Vicente are more than 2 million years old. The volcano is composed of remnants of multiple eruptive centers that have migrated roughly eastward with time. Future eruptions of this volcano will pose substantial risk to surrounding communities.

Volcanoes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tilling, Robert I.

One of a series of general interest publications on science topics, this booklet provides a non-technical introduction to the subject of volcanoes. Separate sections examine the nature and workings of volcanoes, types of volcanoes, volcanic geological structures such as plugs and maars, types of eruptions, volcanic-related activity such as geysers…

ASTER Images Mt. Usu Volcano

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-04-26

On April 3, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra Satellite captured this image of the erupting Mt. Usu volcano in Hokkaido, Japan. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER will image the Earth for the next 6 years to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet. This false color infrared image of Mt Usu volcano is dominated by Lake Toya, an ancient volcanic caldera. On the south shore is the active Usu volcano. On Friday, March 31, more than 11,000 people were evacuated by helicopter, truck and boat from the foot of Usu, that began erupting from the northwest flank, shooting debris and plumes of smoke streaked with blue lightning thousands of feet in the air. Although no lava gushed from the mountain, rocks and ash continued to fall after the eruption. The region was shaken by thousands of tremors before the eruption. People said they could taste grit from the ash that was spewed as high as 2,700 meters (8,850 ft) into the sky and fell to coat surrounding towns with ash. "Mount Usu has had seven significant eruptions that we know of, and at no time has it ended quickly with only a small scale eruption," said Yoshio Katsui, a professor at Hokkaido University. This was the seventh major eruption of Mount Usu in the past 300 years. Fifty people died when the volcano erupted in 1822, its worst known eruption. In the image, most of the land is covered by snow. Vegetation, appearing red in the false color composite, can be seen in the agricultural fields, and forests in the mountains. Mt. Usu is crossed by three dark streaks. These are the paths of ash deposits that rained out from eruption plumes two days earlier. The prevailing wind was from the northwest, carrying the ash away from the main city of Date. Ash deposited can be traced on the image as far away as 10 kilometers (16 miles

Mammoth Mountain, California broadband seismic experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, P. B.; Pitt, A. M.; Wilkinson, S. K.; Chouet, B. A.; Hill, D. P.; Mangan, M.; Prejean, S. G.; Read, C.; Shelly, D. R.

2013-12-01

Mammoth Mountain is a young cumulo-volcano located on the southwest rim of Long Valley caldera, California. Current volcanic processes beneath Mammoth Mountain are manifested in a wide range of seismic signals, including swarms of shallow volcano-tectonic earthquakes, upper and mid-crustal long-period earthquakes, swarms of brittle-failure earthquakes in the lower crust, and shallow (3-km depth) very-long-period earthquakes. Diffuse emissions of C02 began after a magmatic dike injection beneath the volcano in 1989, and continue to present time. These indications of volcanic unrest drive an extensive monitoring effort of the volcano by the USGS Volcano Hazards Program. As part of this effort, eleven broadband seismometers were deployed on Mammoth Mountain in November 2011. This temporary deployment is expected to run through the fall of 2013. These stations supplement the local short-period and broadband seismic stations of the Northern California Seismic Network (NCSN) and provide a combined network of eighteen broadband stations operating within 4 km of the summit of Mammoth Mountain. Data from the temporary stations are not available in real-time, requiring the merging of the data from the temporary and permanent networks, timing of phases, and relocation of seismic events to be accomplished outside of the standard NCSN processing scheme. The timing of phases is accomplished through an interactive Java-based phase-picking routine, and the relocation of seismicity is achieved using the probabilistic non-linear software package NonLinLoc, distributed under the GNU General Public License by Alomax Scientific. Several swarms of shallow volcano-tectonic earthquakes, spasmodic bursts of high-frequency earthquakes, a few long-period events located within or below the edifice of Mammoth Mountain and numerous mid-crustal long-period events have been recorded by the network. To date, about 900 of the ~2400 events occurring beneath Mammoth Mountain since November 2011 have

Nyiragongo Volcano before the Eruption

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Nyiragongo is an active stratovolcano situated on the Eastern African Rift; it is part of Africa's Virunga Volcanic Chain. In a massive eruption that occurred on January 17, 2002, Nyiragongo sent a vast plume of smoke and ash skyward, and three swifly-moving rivers of lava streaming down its western and eastern flanks. Previous lava flows from Nyiragongo have been observed moving at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour (60 kph). The lava flows from the January 17 eruption destroyed more than 14 villages in the surrounding countryside, forcing tens of thousands to flee into the neighboring country of Rwanda. Within one day the lava ran to the city of Goma, situated on the northern shore of Lake Kivu about 12 miles (19 km) south of Nyiragongo. The lava cut a 200 foot (60 meter) wide swath right through Goma, setting off many fires, as it ran into Lake Kivu. Goma, the most heavily populated city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, is home to about 400,000 people. Most of these citizens were forced to flee, while many have begun to return to their homes only to find their homes destroyed. This true-color scene was captured by the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), flying aboard the Landsat 7 satellite, on December 11, 2001, just over a month before the most recent eruption. Nyiragongo's large crater is clearly visible in the image. As recently as June 1994, there was a large lava lake in the volcano's crater which had since solidified. The larger Nyamuragira Volcano is located roughly 13 miles (21 km) to the north of Nyiragongo. Nyamuragira last erupted in February and March 2001. That eruption was also marked by columns of erupted ash and long fluid lava flows, some of which are apparent in the image as dark greyish swaths radiating away from Nyamuragira. Both peaks are also notorious for releasing large amounts of sulfur dioxide, which presents another health hazard to people and animals living in close proximity. Image by Robert Simmon, based on data supplied

Costa Rica Turrialba Volcano, Continued Activity seen by NASA Spacecraft

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-04-06

The March, 2015 eruption of Turrialba Volcano in Costa Rica caught everyone by surprise as seen in this image from the ASTER instrument onboard NASA Terra spacecraft. Activity had greatly diminished when the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra spacecraft acquired this nighttime thermal infrared image on April 2, 2015. The hot summit crater appears in white, indicating continued volcanic unrest. To the west, Poas Volcano's hot crater lake also appears white, though its temperature is considerably less than Turrialba's crater. The large image covers an area of 28 by 39 miles (45 by 63 kilometers); the insets 2 by 2 miles (3.1 by 3.1 kilometers). The image is centered at 10.1 degrees north, 84 degrees west. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19355

Volcano Hazards Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Venezky, Dina Y.; Myers, Bobbie; Driedger, Carolyn

2008-01-01

Diagram of common volcano hazards. The U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program (VHP) monitors unrest and eruptions at U.S. volcanoes, assesses potential hazards, responds to volcanic crises, and conducts research on how volcanoes work. When conditions change at a monitored volcano, the VHP issues public advisories and warnings to alert emergency-management authorities and the public. See http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/ to learn more about volcanoes and find out what's happening now.

Honey Lake Project

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

Boren, K.L.; Johnson, K.R.

1978-11-01

Thirty units of a planned 205 geothermally heated hydroponic greenhouses are producing European cucumbers and tropic tomatoes near Wendel, California. The planned utilization of the geothermal resource in this project, hydroponics, in general, and the Honey Lake system is described. (MHR)

Stratification at the Earth's largest hyperacidic lake and its consequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caudron, Corentin; Campion, Robin; Rouwet, Dmitri; Lecocq, Thomas; Capaccioni, Bruno; Syahbana, Devy; Suparjan; Purwanto, Bambang Heri; Bernard, Alain

2017-02-01

Volcanic lakes provide windows into the interior of volcanoes as they integrate the heat flux discharged by a magma body and condense volcanic gases. Volcanic lake temperatures and geochemical compositions therefore typically serve as warnings for resumed unrest or prior to eruptions. If acidic and hot, these lakes are usually considered to be too convective to allow any stratification within their waters. Kawah Ijen volcano, featuring the largest hyperacidic lake on Earth (volume of 27 million m3), is less homogeneous than previously thought. Hourly temperature measurements reveal the development of a stagnant layer of cold waters (<30 °C), overlying warmer and denser water (generally above 30 °C and density ∼1.083 kg/m3). Examination of 20 yrs of historical records and temporary measurements show a systematic thermal stratification during rainy seasons. The yearly rupture of stratification at the end of the rainy season causes a sudden release of dissolved gases below the cold water layer which appears to generate a lake overturn, i.e. limnic eruption, and a resonance of the lake, i.e. a seiche, highlighting a new hazard for these extreme reservoirs. A minor non-volcanic event, such as a heavy rainfall or an earthquake, may act as a trigger. The density driven overturn requires specific salinity-temperature conditions for the colder and less saline top water layer to sink into the hot saline water. Spectacular degassing occurs when the dissolved gases, progressively stored during the rainy season due to a weakened diffusion of carbon dioxide in the top layer, are suddenly released. These findings challenge the homogenization assumption at acidic lakes and stress the need to develop appropriate monitoring setups.

Space Radar Image of Karisoke & Virunga Volcanoes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

This is a false-color composite of Central Africa, showing the Virunga volcano chain along the borders of Rwanda, Zaire and Uganda. This area is home to the endangered mountain gorillas. The image was acquired on October 3, 1994, on orbit 58 of the space shuttle Endeavour by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR). In this image red is the L-band (horizontally transmitted, vertically received) polarization; green is the C-band (horizontally transmitted and received) polarization; and blue is the C-band (horizontally transmitted and received) polarization. The area is centered at about 2.4 degrees south latitude and 30.8 degrees east longitude. The image covers an area 56 kilometers by 70 kilometers (35 miles by 43 miles). The dark area at the top of the image is Lake Kivu, which forms the border between Zaire (to the right) and Rwanda (to the left). In the center of the image is the steep cone of Nyiragongo volcano, rising 3,465 meters (11,369 feet) high, with its central crater now occupied by a lava lake. To the left are three volcanoes, Mount Karisimbi, rising 4,500 meters (14,800 feet) high; Mount Sabinyo, rising 3,600 meters (12,000 feet) high; and Mount Muhavura, rising 4,100 meters (13,500 feet) high. To their right is Nyamuragira volcano, which is 3,053 meters (10,017 feet) tall, with radiating lava flows dating from the 1950s to the late 1980s. These active volcanoes constitute a hazard to the towns of Goma, Zaire and the nearby Rwandan refugee camps, located on the shore of Lake Kivu at the top left. This radar image highlights subtle differences in the vegetation of the region. The green patch to the center left of the image in the foothills of Karisimbi is a bamboo forest where the mountain gorillas live. The vegetation types in this area are an important factor in the habitat of mountain gorillas. Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in London will use this data to produce

21. Newly completed Lake Hodges Dam and Flume, 1919. Courtesy ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

21. Newly completed Lake Hodges Dam and Flume, 1919. Courtesy of the Mandeville Department of Special Collection, Central Library, University of California, San Diego. - Lake Hodges Flume, Along San Dieguito River between Lake Hodges & San Dieguito Reservoir, Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego County, CA

Longevity of a small shield volcano revealed by crypto-tephra studies (Rangitoto volcano, New Zealand): Change in eruptive behavior of a basaltic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shane, Phil; Gehrels, Maria; Zawalna-Geer, Aleksandra; Augustinus, Paul; Lindsay, Jan; Chaillou, Isabelle

2013-05-01

The life-span of small volcanoes in terrestrial basaltic fields, commonly considered 'monogenetic', can be difficult to assess due to a paucity of datable materials capable of providing a 102-103-year age resolution. We have used microscopic tephra layers (crypto-tephra) in lake sediments to determine the longevity of Rangitoto volcano, a small shield that represents the most recent volcanism in the Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF), New Zealand. Previous studies suggested construction in a relatively short interval at ~ 550-500 cal yrs BP. In contrast, the tephra record shows evidence of intermittent activity from 1498 ± 140 to (at least) 504 ± 6 cal yrs BP, a longevity of ~ 1000 years. Rangitoto volcano is thought to represent about half the magma erupted in the 250-ka-history of AVF. Thus, the AVF has experienced a dramatic shift to prolonged and voluminous central-vent volcanism in its most recent history. This demonstrates the difficulty in determining time-erupted volume relationships in such fields. Previous AVF hazard-risk modeling based on isolated, short-lived (< 1 year) phenomena at sites that have not experienced activity needs to be revisited in light of the new Rangitoto chronology.

Water resources data for California, water year 1980; Volume 1, Colorado River basin, Southern Great Basin from Mexican border to Mono Lake basin, and Pacific slope basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1981-01-01

Volume 1 of water resources data for the 1980 water year for California consists of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lake and reservoirs; and water levels in wells. This report contains discharge records for 174 gaging stations; stage and contents for 18 lakes and reservoirs; water quality for 51 stations; water levels for 165 observation wells. Also included are 9 crest-stage partial-record stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water Resources Data for California, water year 1981: Vol. 1. Colorado River basin, Southern Great basin from Mexican Border to Mono Lake basin, and Pacific slope basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1982-01-01

Water-resources data for the 1981 water year for California consists of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 169 gaging stations; stage and contents for 19 lakes and reservoirs; water quality for 42 streams and 21 wells; water levels for 169 observation wells. Also included are 10 crest-stage partial-record stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Chronology of the episode 54 eruption at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, from GOES-9 satellite data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harris, A.J.L.; Keszthelyi, L.; Flynn, L.P.; Mouginis-Mark, P. J.; Thornber, C.; Kauahikaua, J.; Sherrod, D.; Trusdell, F.; Sawyer, M.W.; Flament, P.

1997-01-01

The free availability of GOES satellite data every 15 minutes makes these data an attractive tool for studying short-term changes on cloud-free volcanoes in the Pacific basin. We use cloud-free GOES-9 data to investigate the chronology of the January 1997, episode 54 eruption of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii. Seventy-six images for this effusive eruption were collected over a 60-hour period and show the opening and shutdown of active fissures, the draining and refilling of the Pu'u 'O'o lava lake, and the cessation of activity at the ocean entry. Copyright 1997 by the American Geophysical Union.

Cyclic degassing of Erebus volcano, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilanko, Tehnuka; Oppenheimer, Clive; Burgisser, Alain; Kyle, Philip

2015-06-01

Field observations have previously identified rapid cyclic changes in the behaviour of the lava lake of Erebus volcano. In order to understand more fully the nature and origins of these cycles, we present here a wavelet-based frequency analysis of time series measurements of gas emissions from the lava lake, obtained by open-path Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. This reveals (i) a cyclic change in total gas column amount, a likely proxy for gas flux, with a period of about 10 min, and (ii) a similarly phased cyclic change in proportions of volcanic gases, which can be explained in terms of chemical equilibria and pressure-dependent solubilities. Notably, the wavelet analysis shows a persistent periodicity in the CO2/CO ratio and strong periodicity in H2O and SO2 degassing. The `peaks' of the cycles, defined by maxima in H2O and SO2 column amounts, coincide with high CO2/CO ratios and proportionally smaller increases in column amounts of CO2, CO, and OCS. We interpret the cycles to arise from recharge of the lake by intermittent pulses of magma from shallow depths, which degas H2O at low pressure, combined with a background gas flux that is decoupled from this very shallow magma degassing.

CRUSTAL REFRACTION PROFILE OF THE LONG VALLEY CALDERA, CALIFORNIA, FROM THE JANUARY 1983 MAMMOTH LAKES EARTHQUAKE SWARM.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Luetgert, James H.; Mooney, Walter D.

1985-01-01

Seismic-refraction profiles recorded north of Mammoth Lakes, California, using earthquake sources from the January 1983 swarm complement earlier explosion refraction profiles and provide velocity information from deeper in the crust in the area of the Long Valley caldera. Eight earthquakes from a depth range of 4. 9 to 8. 0 km confirm the observation of basement rocks with seismic velocities ranging from 5. 8 to 6. 4 km/sec extending at least to depths of 20 km. The data provide further evidence for the existence of a partial melt zone beneath Long Valley caldera and constrain its geometry. Refs.

High-resolution 3-D P-wave tomographic imaging of the shallow magmatic system of Erebus volcano, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zandomeneghi, D.; Aster, R. C.; Barclay, A. H.; Chaput, J. A.; Kyle, P. R.

2011-12-01

Erebus volcano (Ross Island), the most active volcano in Antarctica, is characterized by a persistent phonolitic lava lake at its summit and a wide range of seismic signals associated with its underlying long-lived magmatic system. The magmatic structure in a 3 by 3 km area around the summit has been imaged using high-quality data from a seismic tomographic experiment carried out during the 2008-2009 austral field season (Zandomeneghi et al., 2010). An array of 78 short period, 14 broadband, and 4 permanent Mount Erebus Volcano Observatory seismic stations and a program of 12 shots were used to model the velocity structure in the uppermost kilometer over the volcano conduit. P-wave travel times were inverted for the 3-D velocity structure using the shortest-time ray tracing (50-m grid spacing) and LSQR inversion (100-m node spacing) of a tomography code (Toomey et al., 1994) that allows for the inclusion of topography. Regularization is controlled by damping and smoothing weights and smoothing lengths, and addresses complications that are inherent in a strongly heterogeneous medium featuring rough topography and a dense parameterization and distribution of receivers/sources. The tomography reveals a composite distribution of very high and low P-wave velocity anomalies (i.e., exceeding 20% in some regions), indicating a complex sub-lava-lake magmatic geometry immediately beneath the summit region and in surrounding areas, as well as the presence of significant high velocity shallow regions. The strongest and broadest low velocity zone is located W-NW of the crater rim, indicating the presence of an off-axis shallow magma body. This feature spatially corresponds to the inferred centroid source of VLP signals associated with Strombolian eruptions and lava lake refill (Aster et al., 2008). Other resolved structures correlate with the Side Crater and with lineaments of ice cave thermal anomalies extending NE and SW of the rim. High velocities in the summit area possibly

Natural Environmental Hazards Reflected in High-Altitude Patagonian Lake Sediments (lake Caviahue, Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, Anne; Scharf, Burkhard; von Tümpling, Wolf; Pirrung, Michael

2009-03-01

Two 6-m long sediment cores drilled in the two basins of Lake Caviahue give new evidence of the impact of natural hazards such as ash fallouts linked to nearby volcanic eruptions in the ecologically sensitive environment of the high-altitude region of the Argentinan Patagonian Andes. The two cores show distinct signals of changes in autochthonous productivity and terrigenous input into the lake from ash fallout as well as from river load and shore erosion. Multiproxy records of the sediments indicate whether these changes can be related to volcanic activity. High values of magnetic susceptibility in the cores reflect periods of basaltic ash fallouts during eruptions of the nearby Copahue Volcano. The southern basin is located in the prevalent direction of ash fallouts and has been affected by these volcanic inputs more intensely than the northern basin of the lake. In contrast, sedimentation and authochthonous productivity in the northern basin are strongly affected by fluvial inputs such as suspended river load and acidic stream waters.

Natural Environmental Hazards Reflected in High-Altitude Patagonian Lake Sediments (Lake Caviahue, Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, A.; Pirrung, M.; Scharf, B.; von Tuempling, W.

2007-05-01

Two 6-m long sediment cores drilled in the two basins of Lake Caviahue give new evidence of the impact of natural hazards such as ash fallouts linked to nearby volcanic eruptions in the ecologically sensitive environment of the high-altitude region of the Argentinan Patagonian Andes. The two cores show distinct signals of changes in autochthonous productivity and terrigenous input into the lake from ash fallout, river load and shore erosion. Multiproxy records of the sediments indicate whether these changes can be related to volcanic activity. High values of magnetic susceptibility in the cores reflect periods of basaltic ash fallouts during eruptions of the nearby Copahue volcano. The southern basin is located in the prevalent direction of ash fallouts and has been affected by these volcanic inputs more intensely than the northern basin of the lake. In contrast, sedimentation and authochthonous productivity in the northern basin are strongly affected by fluvial inputs such as suspended river load and acidic stream waters.

Preliminary Paleomagnetic Data From Santa Mariá Volcano, Guatemala and Their Bearing on the Mono Lake and Hilina Pali Excursions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Escobar Wolf, R. P.; Diehl, J. F.; Rose, W. I.; Singer, B. S.

2005-12-01

Paleomagnetic directions determined from oriented block samples collected by Rose et al. in 1977 ( Journal of Geology) and from eight paleomagnetic sites drilled in lava flows from Santa Maria volcano, Guatemala in 1990 define a pattern of variation similar to the pattern of geomagnetic field changes recorded by the sediments of the Wilson Creek Formation near Mono Lake, California. This led Conway et al. in 1994 ( Journal of Geology) to suggest that these flows had recorded the Mono Lake Excursion (MLE). The correlation was made on pattern recognition alone and relied almost entirely the well- defined inclination dataset than on the declination data; no radioisotopic ages were available. In March of 2005 we returned to the crater of Santa Mariá and drilled 23 lava flows from the original sections of Rose et al; block samples for 40Ar/39Ar were also collected. Unfortunately aggradation in the crater due to mass wasting made it impossible to sample all the flows of Rose et al. At each site or lava flow, four to seven cores were drilled and oriented with a sun compass. Samples cut from the drilled cores were magnetically cleaned using alternation field demagnetization and analyzed using principle component analysis. Thermal demagnetization is currently underway. The resulting inclination waveform (over 70° of change from +60° to -12°) is very similar to those previously reported in the literature for the MLE, but the declination waveform shows little variation (<25°; mean declination is 13.4°) throughout the stratigraphic sequence that we collected. Consequently, VGP data from the lava flows do not show the classic clockwise and counterclockwise loops as seen at the Wilson Creek section and at other MLE locations. Instead the directions (VGPs) tend to cluster in three distinct groups with the lowermost lava flows (5) and uppermost lava flows (3) clustering near the expected axial dipole inclination for the region (~28 °) while lava flows from the middle of the

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Venezky, Dina Y.; Orr, Tim R.

2008-01-01

Lava from Kilauea volcano flowing through a forest in the Royal Gardens subdivision, Hawai'i, in February 2008. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) monitors the volcanoes of Hawai'i and is located within Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park. HVO is one of five USGS Volcano Hazards Program observatories that monitor U.S. volcanoes for science and public safety. Learn more about Kilauea and HVO at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov.

Preliminary volcano-hazard assessment for Kanaga Volcano, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waythomas, Christopher F.; Miller, Thomas P.; Nye, Christopher J.

2002-01-01

Kanaga Volcano is a steep-sided, symmetrical, cone-shaped, 1307 meter high, andesitic stratovolcano on the north end of Kanaga Island (51°55’ N latitude, 177°10’ W longitude) in the western Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Kanaga Island is an elongated, low-relief (except for the volcano) island, located about 35 kilometers west of the community of Adak on Adak Island and is part of the Andreanof Islands Group of islands. Kanaga Volcano is one of the 41 historically active volcanoes in Alaska and has erupted numerous times in the past 11,000 years, including at least 10 eruptions in the past 250 years (Miller and others, 1998). The most recent eruption occurred in 1993-95 and caused minor ash fall on Adak Island and produced blocky aa lava flows that reached the sea on the northwest and west sides of the volcano (Neal and others, 1995). The summit of the volcano is characterized by a small, circular crater about 200 meters in diameter and 50-70 meters deep. Several active fumaroles are present in the crater and around the crater rim. The flanking slopes of the volcano are steep (20-30 degrees) and consist mainly of blocky, linear to spoonshaped lava flows that formed during eruptions of late Holocene age (about the past 3,000 years). The modern cone sits within a circular caldera structure that formed by large-scale collapse of a preexisting volcano. Evidence for eruptions of this preexisting volcano mainly consists of lava flows exposed along Kanaton Ridge, indicating that this former volcanic center was predominantly effusive in character. In winter (October-April), Kanaga Volcano may be covered by substantial amounts of snow that would be a source of water for lahars (volcanic mudflows). In summer, much of the snowpack melts, leaving only a patchy distribution of snow on the volcano. Glacier ice is not present on the volcano or on other parts of Kanaga Island. Kanaga Island is uninhabited and is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, managed by

The volcanic acidification of glacial Lake Caviahue, Province of Neuquen, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varekamp, Johan C.

2008-12-01

Lake Caviahue (northern Patagonia, Argentina) is a large glacial lake acidified by volcanic fluids from Copahue volcano. The lake and the feeding rivers were sampled annually from 1997 till early 2006, including the eruptive period of 2000. Lake Caviahue waters evolved over time, with the most concentrated waters in 2000 during the eruptive period, followed by gradual dilution that was interrupted by renewed acidification in 2003-2004. Inversion of the lake water data and application of a dynamic non-steady state model for the lake provides our best quantitative estimates for the variation in element fluxes over the 9-year period. The model flux results agree well with most of the measured fluxes. The Copahue hydrothermal system had gently declining element fluxes between 1997 and mid-1999, although the lake was still becoming more concentrated. About 2-3 months before the 2000 eruption, element fluxes increased strongly, but the hydrothermal fluxes almost shutoff directly after the main eruptive events. The fluxes of several elements recovered post-2001, with an increase in element fluxes in 2003-2004; the lake became more dilute between 2004 and 2006. The intrusion of new magma into the hydrothermal system just prior to the 2000 eruption led to enhanced water rock interaction, with higher concentrations of the rock forming elements in the fluids, and the hot spring flow rate increased as a result of the higher pressure in the reservoir. The fluids became saturated in alunite and jarosite, and they were already saturated with anhydrite. Precipitation of these minerals possibly led to a decreased permeability of the hydrothermal reservoir, leading to the strongly reduced element fluxes just after the eruption. In addition, K, Al and S were retained in the newly precipitated minerals as well, further diminishing their export. The acidification in 2003-2004 may have resulted from a new small intrusion of magma or resulted from seismic activity that created new

Desulfohalophilus alkaliarsenatis gen. nov., sp. nov., an extremely halophilic sulfate- and arsenate-respiring bacterium from Searles Lake, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blum, Jodi Switzer; Kulp, Thomas R.; Han, Sukkyun; Lanoil, Brian; Saltikov, Chad W.; Stolz, John F.; Miller, Laurence G.; Oremland, Ronald S.

2012-01-01

A haloalkaliphilic sulfate-respiring bacterium, strain SLSR-1, was isolated from a lactate-fed stable enrichment culture originally obtained from the extreme environment of Searles Lake, California. The isolate proved capable of growth via sulfate-reduction over a broad range of salinities (125–330 g/L), although growth was slowest at salt-saturation. Strain SLSR-1 was also capable of growth via dissimilatory arsenate-reduction and displayed an even broader range of salinity tolerance (50–330 g/L) when grown under these conditions. Strain SLSR-1 could also grow via dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia. Growth experiments in the presence of high borate concentrations indicated a greater sensitivity of sulfate-reduction than arsenate-respiration to this naturally abundant anion in Searles Lake. Strain SLSR-1 contained genes involved in both sulfate-reduction (dsrAB) and arsenate respiration (arrA). Amplicons of 16S rRNA gene sequences obtained from DNA extracted from Searles Lake sediment revealed the presence of close relatives of strain SLSR-1 as part of the flora of this ecosystem despite the fact that sulfate-reduction activity could not be detected in situ. We conclude that strain SLSR-1 can only achieve growth via arsenate-reduction under the current chemical conditions prevalent at Searles Lake. Strain SLSR-1 is a deltaproteobacterium in the family Desulfohalobiacea of anaerobic, haloalkaliphilic bacteria, for which we propose the name Desulfohalophilus alkaliarsenatis gen. nov., sp. nov.

Structural controls on geothermal circulation in Surprise Valley, California: A re-evaluation of the Lake City fault zone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anne E. Egger,; Glen, Jonathan; McPhee, Darcy K.

2014-01-01

Faults and fractures play an important role in the circulation of geothermal fluids in the crust, and the nature of that role varies according to structural setting and state of stress. As a result, detailed geologic and geophysical mapping that relates thermal springs to known structural features is essential to modeling geothermal systems. Published maps of Surprise Valley in northeastern California suggest that the “Lake City fault” or “Lake City fault zone” is a significant structural feature, cutting obliquely across the basin and connecting thermal springs across the valley. Newly acquired geophysical data (audio-magnetotelluric, gravity, and magnetic), combined with existing geochemical and geological data, suggest otherwise. We examine potential field profiles and resistivity models that cross the mapped Lake City fault zone. While there are numerous geophysical anomalies that suggest subsurface structures, they mostly do not coincide with the mapped traces of the Lake City fault zone, nor do they show a consistent signature in gravity, magnetics, or resistivities that would suggest a through-going fault that would promote connectivity through lateral fluid flow. Instead of a single, continuous fault, we propose the presence of a deformation zone associated with the growth of the range-front Surprise Valley fault. The implication for geothermal circulation is that this is a zone of enhanced porosity but lacks length-wise connectivity that could conduct fluids across the valley. Thermal fluid circulation is most likely controlled primarily by interactions between N-S–trending normal faults.

InSAR detection of aquifer recovery: Case studies of Koehn Lake (central California) and Lone Tree Gold Mine (Basin and Range)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wdowinski, S.; Greene, F.; Amelung, F.

2013-12-01

Anthropogenic intervention in groundwater flow and aquifer storage often results in vertical movements of Earth's surface, which are well detected by InSAR observations. Most anthropogenic intervention occurs due to groundwater extraction for both agriculture and human consumption and results in land subsidence. However in some cases, ending anthropogenic intervention can lead to aquifer recovery and, consequently, surface uplift. In this study we present two such cases of aquifer recovery. The first case is the aquifer beneath Koehn Lake in Central California, which was overused to meet agricultural demands until the 1990's. The second case is the Lone Tree Gold Mine in Nevada that during active mining in the 1991-2006 groundwater pumping disrupted the aquifer and cause subsidence. But after mining ceased, groundwater flow was recovered and resulted in uplift. In both cases we studied the surface uplift using InSAR time series observations. We conduct an ERS and Envisat InSAR survey over Koehn Lake in California and Lone Tree Gold Mine in Nevada between 1992 and 2010. We followed the SBAS algorithm to generate a time-series of ground displacements and average velocities of pixels, which remain coherent through time in the SAR dataset. A total of 100 and 80 combined ERS and Envisat SAR dates are inverted for Koehn Lake and Lone Tree Gold Mine respectively. Results for the Koehn Lake area indicate a rapid uplift of about 3.5 mm/yr between 1992-2000 and a slower uplift rate of 1.6 mm/yr between 2000-2004, suggesting a decrease in the recovery process. The observed uplift correlates well with groundwater level increase in the Koehn Lake area. Results for the Lone Tree Gold Mine show a constant subsidence (~ 1 cm/yr) due to groundwater extraction between 1992-2006, but uplift of ~1 cm/yr since the beginning of 2007. In both case studies, InSAR observations reveal that the aquifer recovery is accompanied by surface uplift. We plan to use the InSAR observations and the

Volatile Element Fluxes at Copahue Volcano, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varekamp, J. C.

2002-05-01

Copahue volcano has a crater lake and acid hot springs that discharge into the Rio Agrio river system. These fluids are very concentrated (up to 6 % sulfate), rich in rock-forming elements (up to 2000 ppm Mg) and small spheres of native sulfur float in the crater lake. The stable isotope composition of the waters (delta 18O =-2.1 to + 3.6 per mille; delta D = -49 to -26 per mille) indicates that the hot spring waters are at their most concentrated about 70% volcanic brine and 30 % glacial meltwater. The crater lake waters have similar mixing proportions but added isotope effects from intense evaporation. Further dilution of the waters in the Rio Agrio gives values closer to local meteoric waters (delta 18O = -11 per mille; delta D = -77 per mille), whereas evaporation in closed ponds led to very heavy water (up to delta 18O = +12 per mille). The delta 34S value of dissolved sulfate is +14.2 per mille, whereas the native sulfur has values of -8.2 to -10.5 per mille. The heavy sulfate probably formed when SO2 disproportionated into bisulfate and native sulfur at about 300 C. We measured the sulfate fluxes in the Rio Agrio, which ranged from 20-40 kilotons S/year. The whole system was releasing sulfur at an equivalent rate of about 250-650 tons SO2/day. From the river flux sulfur values and the stochiometry of the disproportionation reaction we calculated the rate of liquid sulfur storage inside the volcano (6000 m3/year). During the eruptions of 1995/2000, large amounts of that stored liquid sulfur were ejected as pyroclastic sulfur. The calculated rate of rock dissolution (from rock- forming element fluxes in the Rio Agrio) suggests that the void space generated by rock dissolution is largely filled by native sulfur and silica. The S/Cl ratio in the hydrothermal fluids is about 2, whereas glass inclusions have S/Cl = 0.2, indicating the strong preferential degassing of sulfur.

An automated SO2 camera system for continuous, real-time monitoring of gas emissions from Kīlauea Volcano's summit Overlook Crater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kern, Christoph; Sutton, Jeff; Elias, Tamar; Lee, Lopaka; Kamibayashi, Kevan; Antolik, Loren; Werner, Cynthia

2015-07-01

SO2 camera systems allow rapid two-dimensional imaging of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emitted from volcanic vents. Here, we describe the development of an SO2 camera system specifically designed for semi-permanent field installation and continuous use. The integration of innovative but largely ;off-the-shelf; components allowed us to assemble a robust and highly customizable instrument capable of continuous, long-term deployment at Kīlauea Volcano's summit Overlook Crater. Recorded imagery is telemetered to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) where a novel automatic retrieval algorithm derives SO2 column densities and emission rates in real-time. Imagery and corresponding emission rates displayed in the HVO operations center and on the internal observatory website provide HVO staff with useful information for assessing the volcano's current activity. The ever-growing archive of continuous imagery and high-resolution emission rates in combination with continuous data from other monitoring techniques provides insight into shallow volcanic processes occurring at the Overlook Crater. An exemplary dataset from September 2013 is discussed in which a variation in the efficiency of shallow circulation and convection, the processes that transport volatile-rich magma to the surface of the summit lava lake, appears to have caused two distinctly different phases of lake activity and degassing. This first successful deployment of an SO2 camera for continuous, real-time volcano monitoring shows how this versatile technique might soon be adapted and applied to monitor SO2 degassing at other volcanoes around the world.

Salton Sea, California

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-09-23

The Salton Sea in south California was created in 1905 when spring flooding on the Colorado River breached a canal. For 18 months the entire volume of the river rushed into the Salton Trough, creating a lake 32 km wide and 72 km long. In the 1950s, resorts sprang up along the shores. However, shrinking of the lake and increased salinity led to the abandonment of the resorts. The two images show the shrinking lake on May 31, 1984 (Landsat) and June 14, 2015 (ASTER). The images cover an area of 37.5 x 27 km, and are located at 33.2 degrees north, 115.7 degrees west. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19786

Measuring volcanic gases at Taal Volcano Main Crater for monitoring volcanic activity and possible gas hazard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arpa, M.; Hernandez Perez, P. A.; Reniva, P.; Bariso, E.; Padilla, G.; Melian Rodriguez, G.; Barrancos, J.; Calvo, D.; Nolasco, D.; Padron, E.; Garduque, R.; Villacorte, E.; Fajiculay, E.; Perez, N.; Solidum, R.

2012-12-01

Taal is an active volcano located in southwest Luzon, Philippines. It consists of mainly tuff cones which have formed an island at the center of a 30 km wide Taal Caldera. Most historical eruptions, since 1572 on Taal Volcano Island, have been characterized as hydromagmatic eruptions. Taal Main Crater, produced during the 1911 eruption, is the largest crater in the island currently filled by a 1.2 km wide, 85 m deep acidic lake. The latest historical eruption occurred in 1965-1977. Monitoring of CO2 emissions from the Main Crater Lake (MCL) and fumarolic areas within the Main Crater started in 2008 with a collaborative project between ITER and PHIVOLCS. Measurements were done by accumulation chamber method using a Westsystem portable diffuse fluxmeter. Baseline total diffuse CO2 emissions of less than 1000 t/d were established for the MCL from 3 campaign-type surveys between April, 2008 to March, 2010 when seismicity was within background levels. In May, 2010, anomalous seismic activity from the volcano started and the total CO2 emission from the MCL increased to 2716±54 t/d as measured in August, 2010. The CO2 emission from the lake was highest last March, 2011 at 4670±159 t/d when the volcano was still showing signs of unrest. Because CO2 emissions increased significantly (more than 3 times the baseline value) at this time, this activity may be interpreted as magmatic and not purely hydrothermal. Most likely deep magma intrusions occurred but did not progress further to shallower depths and no eruption occurred. No large increase in lake water temperature near the surface (average for the whole lake area) during the period when CO2 was above background, it remained at 30-34°C and a few degrees lower than average ambient temperature. Total CO2 emissions from the MCL have decreased to within baseline values since October, 2011. Concentrations of CO2, SO2 and H2S in air in the fumarolic area within the Main Crater also increased in March, 2011. The measurements

Hydrogeology of the Lake Tahoe Basin, California and Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Plume, Russell W.; Tumbusch, Mary L.; Welborn, Toby L.

2009-01-01

Ground water in the Lake Tahoe basin is the primary source of domestic and municipal water supply and an important source of inflow to Lake Tahoe. Over the past 30-40 years, Federal, State, and local agencies, and research institutions have collected hydrologic data to quantify the ground-water resources in the Lake Tahoe basin. These data are dispersed among the various agencies and institutions that collected the data and generally are not available in a format suitable for basin-wide assessments. To successfully and efficiently manage the ground-water resources throughout the Lake Tahoe basin, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) compiled and evaluated the pertinent geologic, geophysical, and hydrologic data, and built a geodatabase incorporating the consolidated and standardized data for the Lake Tahoe basin that is relevant for examining the extent and characteristics of the hydrogeologic units that comprise the aquifers. The geodatabase can be accessed at http://water.usgs.gov/lookup/getspatial?SIM3063.

Depositional environments of the Cache, Lower Lake, and Kelseyville Formations, Lake County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rymer, Michael J.; Roth, Barry; Bradbury, J. Platt; Forester, Richard M.

1988-01-01

We describe the depositional environments of the Cache, Lower Lake, and Kelseyville Formations in light of habitat preferences of recovered mollusks, ostracodes, and diatoms. Our reconstruction of paleoenvironments for these late Cenozoic deposits provides a framework for an understanding of basin evolution and deposition in the Clear Lake region. The Pliocene and Pleistocene Cache Formation was deposited primarily in stream and debris flow environments; fossils from fine-grained deposits indicate shallow, fresh-water environments with locally abundant aquatic vegetation. The fine-grained sediments (mudstone and siltstone) were probably deposited in ponds in abandoned channels or shallow basins behind natural levees. The abandoned channels and shallow basins were associated with the fluvial systems responsible for deposition of the bulk of the technically controlled Cache Formation. The Pleistocene Lower Lake Formation was deposited in a water mass large enough to contain a variety of local environments and current regimes. The recovered fossils imply a lake with water depths of 1 to 5 m. However, there is strong support from habitat preferences of the recovered fossils for inferring a wide range of water depths during deposition of the Lower Lake Formation; they indicate a progressively shallowing system and the culmination of a desiccating lacustrine system. The Pleistocene Kelseyville Formation represents primarily lacustrine deposition with only minor fluvial deposits around the margins of the basin. Local conglomerate beds and fossil tree stumps in growth position within the basin indicate occasional widespread fluvial incursions and depositional hiatuses. The Kelseyville strata represent a large water mass with a muddy and especially fluid substrate having permanent or sporadic periods of anoxia. Central-lake anoxia, whether permanent or at irregular intervals, is the simplest way to account for the low numbers of benthic organisms recovered from the

Preliminary volcano-hazard assessment for Iliamna Volcano, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waythomas, Christopher F.; Miller, Thomas P.

1999-01-01

Iliamna Volcano is a 3,053-meter-high, ice- and snow-covered stratovolcano in the southwestern Cook Inlet region about 225 kilometers southwest of Anchorage and about 100 kilometers northwest of Homer. Historical eruptions of Iliamna Volcano have not been positively documented; however, the volcano regularly emits steam and gas, and small, shallow earthquakes are often detected beneath the summit area. The most recent eruptions of the volcano occurred about 300 years ago, and possibly as recently as 90-140 years ago. Prehistoric eruptions have generated plumes of volcanic ash, pyroclastic flows, and lahars that extended to the volcano flanks and beyond. Rock avalanches from the summit area have occurred numerous times in the past. These avalanches flowed several kilometers down the flanks and at least two large avalanches transformed to cohesive lahars. The number and distribution of known volcanic ash deposits from Iliamna Volcano indicate that volcanic ash clouds from prehistoric eruptions were significantly less voluminous and probably less common relative to ash clouds generated by eruptions of other Cook Inlet volcanoes. Plumes of volcanic ash from Iliamna Volcano would be a major hazard to jet aircraft using Anchorage International Airport and other local airports, and depending on wind direction, could drift at least as far as the Kenai Peninsula and beyond. Ashfall from future eruptions could disrupt oil and gas operations and shipping activities in Cook Inlet. Because Iliamna Volcano has not erupted for several hundred years, a future eruption could involve significant amounts of ice and snow that could lead to the formation of large lahars and downstream flooding. The greatest hazards in order of importance are described below and shown on plate 1.

Groundwater transport of crater-lake brine at Poas Volcano, Costa Rica

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sanford, W.E.; Konikow, Leonard F.; Rowe, G.L.; Brantley, S.L.

1995-01-01

This study analyzes the regional groundwater system at Poas and demonstrates the likelihood that the water discharging from the acidic springs in the Rio Agrio watershed originates at the acidic crater lake. Both heat and solute transport are analyzed on a regional scale through numerical simulations using the HST3D finite-difference model, which solves the coupled equations for fluid flow, heat transport, and solute transport. The code allows fluid viscosity and density to be functions of both temperature and solute concentration. The simulations use estimates for recharge to the mountain and a range of values and various distributions of permeability and porosity. Several sensitivity analyses are performed to test how the uncertainty in many of the model parameters affects the simulation results. These uncertainties yield an estimated range of travel times from the crater lake to the Rio Agrio springs of 1-30 yr, which is in close agreement with the results of tritium analyses of the springs. Calculated groundwater fluxes into and out of the crater lake are both about several hundred kg/s. These fluxes must be accounted for in water budgets of the crater lake. -from Authors

Paternal behavior and testosterone plasma levels in the Volcano Mouse Neotomodon alstoni (Rodentia: Muridae).

PubMed

Luis, Juana; Ramírez, Lorena; Carmona, Agustín; Ortiz, Guadalupe; Delgado, Jesús; Cárdenas, René

2009-01-01

Paternal behavior and testosterone plasma levels in the Volcano Mouse Neotomodon alstoni (Rodentia: Muridae). Although initially it was thought that testosterone inhibited the display of paternal behavior in males of rodents, it has been shown that in some species high testosterone levels are needed for exhibition of paternal care. In captivity, males of Volcano Mouse (Neotomodon alstoni) provide pups the same care provided by the mother, with the exception of suckling. Here we measured plasmatic testosterone concentrations 10 days after mating, five and 20 days postpartum, and 10 days after males were isolated from their families in order to determine possible changes in this hormone, associated to the presence and age of pups. Males of Volcano Mouse exhibited paternal behavior when their testosterone levels were relatively high. Although levels of this hormone did not change with the presence or pups age, males that invested more time in huddling showed higher testosterone levels. It is possible that in the Volcano Mouse testosterone modulates paternal behavior indirectly, as in the California mouse.

Nicaraguan Volcanoes

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-18

article title:  Nicaraguan Volcanoes     View Larger Image Nicaraguan volcanoes, February 26, 2000 . The true-color image at left is a ... February 26, 2000 - Plumes from the San Cristobal and Masaya volcanoes. project:  MISR category:  gallery ...

Continuous monitoring of volcanoes with borehole strainmeters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linde, Alan T.; Sacks, Selwyn

Monitoring of volcanoes using various physical techniques has the potential to provide important information about the shape, size and location of the underlying magma bodies. Volcanoes erupt when the pressure in a magma chamber some kilometers below the surface overcomes the strength of the intervening rock, resulting in detectable deformations of the surrounding crust. Seismic activity may accompany and precede eruptions and, from the patterns of earthquake locations, inferences may be made about the location of magma and its movement. Ground deformation near volcanoes provides more direct evidence on these, but continuous monitoring of such deformation is necessary for all the important aspects of an eruption to be recorded. Sacks-Evertson borehole strainmeters have recorded strain changes associated with eruptions of Hekla, Iceland and Izu-Oshima, Japan. Those data have made possible well-constrained models of the geometry of the magma reservoirs and of the changes in their geometry during the eruption. The Hekla eruption produced clear changes in strain at the nearest instrument (15 km from the volcano) starting about 30 minutes before the surface breakout. The borehole instrument on Oshima showed an unequivocal increase in the amplitude of the solid earth tides beginning some years before the eruption. Deformational changes, detected by a borehole strainmeter and a very long baseline tiltmeter, and corresponding to the remote triggered seismicity at Long Valley, California in the several days immediately following the Landers earthquake are indicative of pressure changes in the magma body under Long Valley, raising the question of whether such transients are of more general importance in the eruption process. We extrapolate the experience with borehole strainmeters to estimate what could be learned from an installation of a small network of such instruments on Mauna Loa. Since the process of conduit formation from the magma sources in Mauna Loa and other

New insights into North America-Pacific Plate boundary deformation from Lake Tahoe, Salton Sea and southern Baja California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brothers, Daniel Stephen

Five studies along the Pacific-North America (PA-NA) plate boundary offer new insights into continental margin processes, the development of the PA-NA tectonic margin and regional earthquake hazards. This research is based on the collection and analysis of several new marine geophysical and geological datasets. Two studies used seismic CHIRP surveys and sediment coring in Fallen Leaf Lake (FLL) and Lake Tahoe to constrain tectonic and geomorphic processes in the lakes, but also the slip-rate and earthquake history along the West Tahoe-Dollar Point Fault. CHIRP profiles image vertically offset and folded strata that record deformation associated with the most recent event (MRE). Radiocarbon dating of organic material extracted from piston cores constrain the age of the MRE to be between 4.1--4.5 k.y. B.P. Offset of Tioga aged glacial deposits yield a slip rate of 0.4--0.8 mm/yr. An ancillary study in FLL determined that submerged, in situ pine trees that date to between 900-1250 AD are related to a medieval megadrought in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The timing and severity of this event match medieval megadroughts observed in the western United States and in Europe. CHIRP profiles acquired in the Salton Sea, California provide new insights into the processes that control pull-apart basin development and earthquake hazards along the southernmost San Andreas Fault. Differential subsidence (>10 mm/yr) in the southern sea suggests the existence of northwest-dipping basin-bounding faults near the southern shoreline. In contrast to previous models, the rapid subsidence and fault architecture observed in the southern part of the sea are consistent with experimental models for pull-apart basins. Geophysical surveys imaged more than 15 ˜N15°E oriented faults, some of which have produced up to 10 events in the last 2-3 kyr. Potentially 2 of the last 5 events on the southern San Andreas Fault (SAF) were synchronous with rupture on offshore faults, but it appears that ruptures on

Volcanoes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tilling, Robert I.; ,

1998-01-01

Volcanoes destroy and volcanoes create. The catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980, made clear the awesome destructive power of a volcano. Yet, over a time span longer than human memory and record, volcanoes have played a key role in forming and modifying the planet upon which we live. More than 80 percent of the Earth's surface--above and below sea level--is of volcanic origin. Gaseous emissions from volcanic vents over hundreds of millions of years formed the Earth's earliest oceans and atmosphere, which supplied the ingredients vital to evolve and sustain life. Over geologic eons, countless volcanic eruptions have produced mountains, plateaus, and plains, which subsequent erosion and weathering have sculpted into majestic landscapes and formed fertile soils.

Postglacial vegetation and fire history, eastern Klamath Mountains, California, USA

Treesearch

Jerry A. Mohr; Cathy Whitlock; Carl N. Skinner

2000-01-01

Pollen and high-resolution charcoal data from Bluff Lake and Crater Lake, California, indicate simi lar changes in climate, vegetation and fire history during the last 15 500 years. Pollen data at Bluff Lake suggest that the vegetation betweenc. 15 500 and 13 100 cal. BP consisted of subalpine parkland with scattered Pinus...

Tsunami-generated boulder ridges in Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, J.G.; Schweickert, R.A.; Robinson, J.E.; Lahren, M.M.; Kitts, Christopher A.

2006-01-01

An array of east-trending ridges 1-2 m high and up to 2 km long occurs on the Tahoe City shelf, a submerged wave-cut bench <15 m deep in the northwest sector of the lake. The shelf is just north of the amphitheater of the giant subaqueous 10 km3 McKinney Bay landslide, which originated on the west wall of Lake Tahoe. Images from a submersible camera show that the ridges are composed of loose piles of boulders and cobbles that lie directly on poorly consolidated, fine-bedded lake beds deposited in an ancestral Lake Tahoe. Dredge hauls from landslide distal blocks, as well as from the walls of the re-entrant of the landslide, recovered similar lake sediments. The McKinney Bay landslide generated strong currents, which rearranged previous glacial-derived debris into giant ripples creating the boulder ridges. The uncollapsed part of the sediment bench, including the Tahoe City shelf, poses a hazard because it may fail again, producing a landslide and damaging waves. ?? 2006 Geological Society of America.

Alaska Volcano Observatory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Venezky, Dina Y.; Murray, Tom; Read, Cyrus

2008-01-01

Steam plume from the 2006 eruption of Augustine volcano in Cook Inlet, Alaska. Explosive ash-producing eruptions from Alaska's 40+ historically active volcanoes pose hazards to aviation, including commercial aircraft flying the busy North Pacific routes between North America and Asia. The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) monitors these volcanoes to provide forecasts of eruptive activity. AVO is a joint program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAFGI), and the State of Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys (ADGGS). AVO is one of five USGS Volcano Hazards Program observatories that monitor U.S. volcanoes for science and public safety. Learn more about Augustine volcano and AVO at http://www.avo.alaska.edu.

Preliminary volcano-hazard assessment for Great Sitkin Volcano, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waythomas, Christopher F.; Miller, Thomas P.; Nye, Christopher J.

2003-01-01

Great Sitkin Volcano is a composite andesitic stratovolcano on Great Sitkin Island (51°05’ N latitude, 176°25’ W longitude), a small (14 x 16 km), circular volcanic island in the western Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Great Sitkin Island is located about 35 kilometers northeast of the community of Adak on Adak Island and 130 kilometers west of the community of Atka on Atka Island. Great Sitkin Volcano is an active volcano and has erupted at least eight times in the past 250 years (Miller and others, 1998). The most recent eruption in 1974 caused minor ash fall on the flanks of the volcano and resulted in the emplacement of a lava dome in the summit crater. The summit of the composite cone of Great Sitkin Volcano is 1,740 meters above sea level. The active crater is somewhat lower than the summit, and the highest point along its rim is about 1,460 meters above sea level. The crater is about 1,000 meters in diameter and is almost entirely filled by a lava dome emplaced in 1974. An area of active fumaroles, hot springs, and bubbling hot mud is present on the south flank of the volcano at the head of Big Fox Creek (see the map), and smaller ephemeral fumaroles and steam vents are present in the crater and around the crater rim. The flanking slopes of the volcano are gradual to steep and consist of variously weathered and vegetated blocky lava flows that formed during Pleistocene and Holocene eruptions. The modern edifice occupies a caldera structure that truncates an older sequence of lava flows and minor pyroclastic rocks on the east side of the volcano. The eastern sector of the volcano includes the remains of an ancestral volcano that was partially destroyed by a northwest-directed flank collapse. In winter, Great Sitkin Volcano is typically completely snow covered. Should explosive pyroclastic eruptions occur at this time, the snow would be a source of water for volcanic mudflows or lahars. In summer, much of the snowpack melts, leaving only a patchy

Crater lake and post-eruption hydrothermal activity, El Chichón Volcano, Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Casadevall, Thomas J.; De la Cruz-Reyna, Servando; Rose, William I.; Bagley, Susan; Finnegan, David L.; Zoller, William H.

1984-01-01

Explosive eruptions of Volcán El Chichón in Chiapas, Mexico on March 28 and April 3–4, 1982 removed 0.2 km3 of rock to form a 1-km-wide 300-m-deep summit crater. By late April 1982 a lake had begun to form on the crater floor, and by November 1982 it attained a maximum surface area of 1.4 × 105 m2 and a volume of 5 × 106 m3. Accumulation of 4–5 m of rainfall between July and October 1982 largely formed the lake. In January 1983, temperatures of fumaroles on the crater floor and lower crater walls ranged from 98 to 115°C; by October 1983 the maximum temperature of fumarole emissions was 99°C. In January 1983 fumarole gas emissions were greater than 99 vol. % H2O with traces of CO2, SO2, and H2S. The water of the lake was a hot (T = 52–58°C), acidic (pH = 0.5), dilute solution (34,046 mg L−1 dissolved solids; Cl/S = 20.5). Sediment from the lake contains the same silicate minerals as the rocks of the 1982 pyroclastic deposits, together with less than 1% of elemental sulfur. The composition and temperature of the lake water is attributed to: (1) solution of fumarole emissions; (2) reaction of lake water with hot rocks beneath the lake level; (3) sediments washed into the lake from the crater walls; (4) hydrothermal fluids leaching sediments and formational waters in sedimentary rocks of the basement; (5) evaporation; and (6) precipitation.

Preliminary volcano-hazard assessment for the Katmai volcanic cluster, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fierstein, Judy; Hildreth, Wes

2000-01-01

The world’s largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century broke out at Novarupta (fig. 1) in June 1912, filling with hot ash what came to be called the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and spreading downwind more fallout than all other historical Alaskan eruptions combined. Although almost all the magma vented at Novarupta, most of it had been stored beneath Mount Katmai 10 km away, which collapsed during the eruption. Airborne ash from the 3-day event blanketed all of southern Alaska, and its gritty fallout was reported as far away as Dawson, Ketchikan, and Puget Sound (fig. 21). Volcanic dust and sulfurous aerosol were detected within days over Wisconsin and Virginia; within 2 weeks over California, Europe, and North Africa; and in latter-day ice cores recently drilled on the Greenland ice cap. There were no aircraft in Alaska in 1912—fortunately! Corrosive acid aerosols damage aircraft, and ingestion of volcanic ash can cause abrupt jet-engine failure. Today, more than 200 flights a day transport 20,000 people and a fortune in cargo within range of dozens of restless volcanoes in the North Pacific. Air routes from the Far East to Europe and North America pass over and near Alaska, many flights refueling in Anchorage. Had this been so in 1912, every airport from Dillingham to Dawson and from Fairbanks to Seattle would have been enveloped in ash, leaving pilots no safe option but to turn back or find refuge at an Aleutian airstrip west of the ash cloud. Downwind dust and aerosol could have disrupted air traffic anywhere within a broad swath across Canada and the Midwest, perhaps even to the Atlantic coast. The great eruption of 1912 focused scientific attention on Novarupta, and subsequent research there has taught us much about the processes and hazards associated with such large explosive events (Fierstein and Hildreth, 1992). Moreover, work in the last decade has identified no fewer than 20 discrete volcanic vents within 15 km of Novarupta (Hildreth and others

Plenty of Deep Long-Period Earthquakes Beneath Cascade Volcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nichols, M. L.; Malone, S. D.; Moran, S. C.; Thelen, W. A.; Vidale, J. E.

2009-12-01

The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) records and locates earthquakes within Washington and Oregon, including those occurring at 10 Cascade volcanic centers. In an earlier study (Malone and Moran, EOS 1997), a total of 11 deep long-period (DLP) earthquakes were reported beneath 3 Washington volcanoes. They are characterized by emergent P- and S- arrivals, long and ringing codas, and contain most of their energy below 5 Hz. DLP earthquakes are significant because they have been observed to occur prior to or in association with eruptions at several volcanoes, and as a result are inferred to represent movement of deep-seated magma and associated fluids in the mid-to-lower crust. To more thoroughly characterize DLP occurrence in Washington and Oregon, we employed a two-step algorithm to systematically search the PNSN’s earthquake catalogue for DLP events occurring between 1980 and 2008. In the first step we applied a spectral ratio test to the demeaned and tapered triggered event waveforms to distinguish long-period events from the more common higher frequency volcano-tectonic and regional tectonic earthquakes. In the second step we visually analyzed waveforms of the flagged long-period events to distinguish DLP earthquakes from long-period rockfalls, explosions, shallow low-frequency events, and glacier quakes. We identified 56 DLP earthquakes beneath 7 Cascade volcanic centers. Of these, 31 occurred at Mount Baker, where the background flux of magmatic gases is greater than at the other volcanoes in our study. The other 6 volcanoes with DLPs (counts in parentheses) are Glacier Peak (5), Mount Rainier (9), Mount St. Helens (9), Mount Hood (1), Three Sisters (1), and Crater Lake (1). No DLP events were identified beneath Mount Adams, Mount Jefferson, or Newberry Volcano. The events are 10-40 km deep and have an average magnitude of around 1.5 (Mc), with both the largest and deepest DLPs occurring beneath Mount Baker. Cascade DLP earthquakes occur mostly as

Volcanoes

MedlinePlus

... Oregon have the most active volcanoes, but other states and territories have active volcanoes, too. A volcanic eruption may involve lava and other debris that can flow up to 100 mph, destroying everything in their ...

Instrumentation Recommendations for Volcano Monitoring at U.S. Volcanoes Under the National Volcano Early Warning System

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moran, Seth C.; Freymueller, Jeff T.; LaHusen, Richard G.; McGee, Kenneth A.; Poland, Michael P.; Power, John A.; Schmidt, David A.; Schneider, David J.; Stephens, George; Werner, Cynthia A.; White, Randall A.

2008-01-01

As magma moves toward the surface, it interacts with anything in its path: hydrothermal systems, cooling magma bodies from previous eruptions, and (or) the surrounding 'country rock'. Magma also undergoes significant changes in its physical properties as pressure and temperature conditions change along its path. These interactions and changes lead to a range of geophysical and geochemical phenomena. The goal of volcano monitoring is to detect and correctly interpret such phenomena in order to provide early and accurate warnings of impending eruptions. Given the well-documented hazards posed by volcanoes to both ground-based populations (for example, Blong, 1984; Scott, 1989) and aviation (for example, Neal and others, 1997; Miller and Casadevall, 2000), volcano monitoring is critical for public safety and hazard mitigation. Only with adequate monitoring systems in place can volcano observatories provide accurate and timely forecasts and alerts of possible eruptive activity. At most U.S. volcanoes, observatories traditionally have employed a two-component approach to volcano monitoring: (1) install instrumentation sufficient to detect unrest at volcanic systems likely to erupt in the not-too-distant future; and (2) once unrest is detected, install any instrumentation needed for eruption prediction and monitoring. This reactive approach is problematic, however, for two reasons. 1. At many volcanoes, rapid installation of new ground-1. based instruments is difficult or impossible. Factors that complicate rapid response include (a) eruptions that are preceded by short (hours to days) precursory sequences of geophysical and (or) geochemical activity, as occurred at Mount Redoubt (Alaska) in 1989 (24 hours), Anatahan (Mariana Islands) in 2003 (6 hours), and Mount St. Helens (Washington) in 1980 and 2004 (7 and 8 days, respectively); (b) inclement weather conditions, which may prohibit installation of new equipment for days, weeks, or even months, particularly at

An automated SO2 camera system for continuous, real-time monitoring of gas emissions from Kīlauea Volcano's summit Overlook Crater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kern, Christoph; Sutton, Jeff; Elias, Tamar; Lee, Robert Lopaka; Kamibayashi, Kevan P.; Antolik, Loren; Werner, Cynthia A.

2015-01-01

SO2 camera systems allow rapid two-dimensional imaging of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emitted from volcanic vents. Here, we describe the development of an SO2 camera system specifically designed for semi-permanent field installation and continuous use. The integration of innovative but largely “off-the-shelf” components allowed us to assemble a robust and highly customizable instrument capable of continuous, long-term deployment at Kīlauea Volcano's summit Overlook Crater. Recorded imagery is telemetered to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) where a novel automatic retrieval algorithm derives SO2 column densities and emission rates in real-time. Imagery and corresponding emission rates displayed in the HVO operations center and on the internal observatory website provide HVO staff with useful information for assessing the volcano's current activity. The ever-growing archive of continuous imagery and high-resolution emission rates in combination with continuous data from other monitoring techniques provides insight into shallow volcanic processes occurring at the Overlook Crater. An exemplary dataset from September 2013 is discussed in which a variation in the efficiency of shallow circulation and convection, the processes that transport volatile-rich magma to the surface of the summit lava lake, appears to have caused two distinctly different phases of lake activity and degassing. This first successful deployment of an SO2 camera for continuous, real-time volcano monitoring shows how this versatile technique might soon be adapted and applied to monitor SO2 degassing at other volcanoes around the world.

Dust Storm in Southern California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

Along historic Route 66, just southeast of the little town of Amboy, California, lies a dried-up lake. Dry lakebeds are good sources of two things: salt and dust. In this image, the now-parched Bristol Lake offers up both. On April 12, 2007, dust storms menaced the area around Amboy. To the northwest, near Newberry Springs, California, dust hampered visibility and led to a multi-car collision on Interstate 40, killing two people and injuring several others. The same day, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra satellite captured this image of a dust storm in the dry remains of Bristol Lake. Many small dust clouds boil up from the ground surface, casting their shadows to the northwest. A bright white cloud floating over the dust also throws its shadow onto the ground below. East of the dust storm are salt works that stand out from the surrounding landscape thanks to their straight lines and sharp angles. Dark ground surfaces alternate with mined white salt in a network of stripes. When lakes evaporate, chemicals that had been dissolved in the water stay behind, making dry lake beds an ideal place to find heavy concentrations of minerals, including salt. Besides the salt works, something else appears in stark contrast to this arid place. Lush green fields of irrigated crops appear in the east. Besides their color, their orderly arrangement reveals their human-made origin.

Tephra compositions from Late Quaternary volcanoes around the Antarctic Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraus, S.

2009-12-01

/Hf ratios lower than N-MORB, all other volcanoes including the Larsen Rift centers display Zr/Hf higher than N-MORB. It is expected that the correlation of the new data with published data from tephra layers found in ice, lake and marine sediment cores will contribute to a better constrained timing of individual climatic events identified in the northern Antarctic Peninsula area. Late Quaternary volcanoes around the northern Antarctic Peninsula.

SESPE-FRAZIER, DIABLO, MATILIJA, DRY LAKES, SAWMILL-BADLANDS, CUYAMA, ANTIMONY, AND QUATAL ROADLESS AREAS, CALIFORNIA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frizzell, Virgil A.; Hale, William N.

1984-01-01

The study area, consisting of the Sespe-Frazier, Diablo, Matilija, Dry Lakes, Sawmill-Badlands, Cuyama, Antimony, and Quatal Roadless Areas, occupies about 872 sq mi in the Los Padres National Forest, California. Studies indicate that the Sespe-Frazier Roadless Area contains demonstrated resources of gold, gypsum, phosphate and bentonite; deposits in the Cuyama Roadless Area have demonstrated resources of gypsum; mines in the Antimony Roadless Area have demonstrated resources of antimony, gold, silver, and marble; and the Quatal Roadless Area has demonstrated resources of bentonite. The Sespe-Frazier Roadless Area has substantiated potential for geothermal resources suitable for direct-heat purposes, probable and substantiated potential for oil and gas resources, and probable potential for gold resources. Small areas of probable resource potential for antimony and gold were identified in Antimony Roadless Area.

Modern lacustrine stromatolites, Walker Lake, Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osborne, Robert H.; Licari, Gerald R.; Link, Martin H.

1982-05-01

The Walker River drainage basin occupies about 10,000 km 2 in western Nevada and parts of California and is essentially a closed hydrologic system which drains from the crest of the Sierra Nevada in California and terminates in Walker Lake, Nevada. Walker Lake trends north and is about 27.4 km long and 8 km wide with water depths exceeding 30.5 m. The lake is situated in an asymmetric basin with steep alluvial fans flanking the western shoreline (Wassuk Range) and more gentle but areally more extensive alluvial fans flanking the eastern shoreline (Gillis Range). Exposed lake terraces and the present shoreline of Walker Lake record a sequence of Pleistocene and Holocene stromatolitic and tufaceous carbonate deposits. Small generalized and columnar stromatolites, frequently encrusted on exposed coarse-grained clasts or bedrock, are present along parts of the nearshore margin of Walker Lake and at elevated lake stands. Columnar stromatolites as much as 4 cm high are subcylindrical to club shaped discrete, and laterally linked at the base with local branching. These digitate stromatolites start as wavy, generalized stromatolites which are vertically transitional to small, laterally linked cabbage heads with laminae which thicken over the crests. Although algal structures are not well preserved in the older stromatolites, recent precipitation of low magnesium calcite occurs as smooth encrustations and as tiny mounds which are consistently associated with a diverse, seasonally variable, green and blue-green algal community including Cladophora glomerata, Ulothrix (cf. aequalis), Gongrosira, Schizothrix, Amphithrix janthina, Calothrix, Homeothrix, Spirulina, Anabaena, Lyngbya, and Entophysalis. Cladophora glomerata and a species of Ulothrix, which are the two most abundant algae within the Walker Lake stromatolite community, are known to condition semi-alkaline lake water by the removal of CO 2 from bicarbonate during photosynthesis. Such conditioning results in the

Volcanoes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kunar, L. N. S.

1975-01-01

Describes the forces responsible for the eruptions of volcanoes and gives the physical and chemical parameters governing the type of eruption. Explains the structure of the earth in relation to volcanoes and explains the location of volcanic regions. (GS)

Age and condition of juvenile catostomids in Clear Lake Reservoir, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burdick, Summer M.; Rasmussen, Josh

2013-01-01

Although infrequent recruitment of new individuals into the adult spawning populations of Lost River suckers (Deltistes luxatus) and shortnose suckers (Chasmistes brevirostris) limits recovery of these species in Upper Klamath Lake, it is not clear that populations are recruitment limited in Clear Lake Reservoir (hereafter Clear Lake). Specifically, some evidence indicates that shortnose suckers may regularly recruit to the adult spawning population in Clear Lake. Therefore, a study of early life history patterns and recruitment dynamics in Clear Lake may lead to a better understanding of what is limiting recovery of suckers in both lakes. Adult suckers in Clear Lake migrate up Willow Creek and its tributaries to spawn in some years, but low flow in Willow Creek may inhibit spawning migrations in other years. It is unclear whether spawning is successful, larvae survive, or how frequently juveniles persist to adulthood. Environmental variables associated with successful spawning or young-of-year survival have not been identified, and early life history for these populations is poorly understood. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, initiated a study in 2011 to better understand juvenile sucker life history in Clear Lake, and to identify constraints in the early life history that may limit recruitment to the adult spawning populations. The relative weights of shortnose suckers from Clear Lake and Upper Klamath Lake were compared to examine differences in condition. However, it is unclear whether the disparity in relative weights between the populations reflects differences in condition, phenotype, or both. Approximately 80 percent of juvenile suckers in Clear Lake are shortnose suckers with some morphologic features similar to Klamath largescale suckers (Catostomus snyderi), whereas juvenile suckers in Upper Klamath Lake can be clearly classified as either shortnose or Lost River suckers. The presence of juvenile suckers

Digital Data for Volcano Hazards at Newberry Volcano, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schilling, S.P.; Doelger, S.; Sherrod, D.R.; Mastin, L.G.; Scott, W.E.

2008-01-01

Newberry volcano is a broad shield volcano located in central Oregon, the product of thousands of eruptions, beginning about 600,000 years ago. At least 25 vents on the flanks and summit have been active during the past 10,000 years. The most recent eruption 1,300 years ago produced the Big Obsidian Flow. Thus, the volcano's long history and recent activity indicate that Newberry will erupt in the future. Newberry Crater, a volcanic depression or caldera has been the focus of Newberry's volcanic activity for at least the past 10,000 years. Newberry National Volcanic Monument, which is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, includes the caldera and extends to the Deschutes River. Newberry volcano is quiet. Local earthquake activity (seismicity) has been trifling throughout historic time. Subterranean heat is still present, as indicated by hot springs in the caldera and high temperatures encountered during exploratory drilling for geothermal energy. The report USGS Open-File Report 97-513 (Sherrod and others, 1997) describes the kinds of hazardous geologic events that might occur in the future at Newberry volcano. A hazard-zonation map is included to show the areas that will most likely be affected by renewed eruptions. When Newberry volcano becomes restless, the eruptive scenarios described herein can inform planners, emergency response personnel, and citizens about the kinds and sizes of events to expect. The geographic information system (GIS) volcano hazard data layers used to produce the Newberry volcano hazard map in USGS Open-File Report 97-513 are included in this data set. Scientists at the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory created a GIS data layer to depict zones subject to the effects of an explosive pyroclastic eruption (tephra fallout, pyroclastic flows, and ballistics), lava flows, volcanic gasses, and lahars/floods in Paulina Creek. A separate GIS data layer depicts drill holes on the flanks of Newberry Volcano that were used to estimate the probability

Concentrations of mercury and other metals in black bass (Micropterus spp.) from Whiskeytown Lake, Shasta County, California, 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

May, Jason T.; Hothem, Roger L.; Bauer, Marissa L.; Brown, Larry R.

2012-01-01

This report presents the results of a reconnaissance study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to determine mercury (Hg) and other selected metal concentrations in Black bass (Micropterus spp.) from Whiskeytown Lake, Shasta County, California. Total mercury concentrations were determined by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy (CVAAS) in fillets and whole bodies of each sampled fish. Selected metals scans were performed on whole bodies (less the fillets) by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Mercury concentrations in fillet samples ranged from 0.06 to 0.52 micrograms per gram (μg/g) wet weight (ww). Total mercury (HgT) in the same fish whole-body samples ranged from 0.04 to 0.37 (μg/g, ww). Mercury concentrations in 17 percent of "legal catch size" (≥305 millimeters in length) were above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water-quality criterion for the protection of human health of 0.30 μg/g (ww). These data will serve as a baseline for future monitoring efforts within Whiskeytown Lake.

Salt shell fallout during the ash eruption at the Nakadake crater, Aso volcano, Japan: evidence of an underground hydrothermal system surrounding the erupting vent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinohara, Hiroshi; Geshi, Nobuo; Yokoo, Akihiko; Ohkura, Takahiro; Terada, Akihiko

2018-03-01

A hot and acid crater lake is located in the Nakadake crater, Aso volcano, Japan. The volume of water in the lake decreases with increasing activity, drying out prior to the magmatic eruptions. Salt-rich materials of various shapes were observed, falling from the volcanic plume during the active periods. In May 2011, salt flakes fell from the gas plume emitted from an intense fumarole when the acid crater lake was almost dry. The chemical composition of these salt flakes was similar to those of the salts formed by the drying of the crater lake waters, suggesting that they originated from the crater lake water. The salt flakes are likely formed by the drying up of the crater lake water droplets sprayed into the plume by the fumarolic gas jet. In late 2014, the crater lake dried completely, followed by the magmatic eruptions with continuous ash eruptions and intermittent Strombolian explosions. Spherical hollow salt shells were observed on several occasions during and shortly after the weak ash eruptions. The chemical composition of the salt shells was similar to the salts formed by the drying of the crater lake water. The hollow structure of the shells suggests that they were formed by the heating of hydrothermal solution droplets suspended by a mixed stream of gas and ash in the plume. The salt shells suggest the existence of a hydrothermal system beneath the crater floor, even during the course of magmatic eruptions. Instability of the magmatic-hydrothermal interface can cause phreatomagmatic explosions, which often occur at the end of the eruptive phase of this volcano.

Ikaite precipitation by mixing of shoreline springs and lake water, Mono Lake, California, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bischoff, James L.; Stine, Scott; Rosenbauer, Robert J.; Fitzpatrick, John A.; Stafford, Thomas W., Jr.

1993-08-01

Metastable ikaite (CaCO 3·6H 2O) forms abundantly during winter months along the south shoreline of Mono Lake where shoreline springs mix with lake water. Ikaite precipitates because of its decreased solubility at low temperature and because of orthophosphate-ion inhibition of calcite and aragonite. During the spring some of the ikaite is transformed to anhydrous CaCO 3 and is incorporated into tufa, but most is dispersed by wave action into the lake where it reacts to form gaylussite (Na 2Ca(CO 3) 2· 5H 2O). Spring waters have low pH values, are dominantly Ca-Na-HCO 3, have low radiocarbon activities, and are mixtures of deep-seated geothermal and cold groundwaters. Chemical modeling reveals that precipitation of CaCO 3 can occur over a broad range of mixtures of spring and lake water with a maximum production occurring at 96% spring water and 4% lake water. Under these conditions all the Ca and a significant fraction of the CO 3 of the precipitate is spring supplied. A radiocarbon age of 19,580 years obtained on a natural ikaite sample supports this conclusion. With the springs supplying a large and probably variable portion of the carbonate, and with apparent 14C age of the carbonate varying from spring to spring, tufa of similar actual antiquity may yield significantly different 14C dates, making tufa at this location unsuitable for absolute age dating by the radiocarbon method.

Ikaite precipitation by mixing of shoreline springs and lake water, Mono Lake, California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bischoff, J.L.; Stine, S.; Rosenbauer, R.J.; Fitzpatrick, J.A.; Stafford, Thomas W.

1993-01-01

Metastable ikaite (CaCO3??6H2O) forms abundantly during winter months along the south shoreline of Mono Lake where shoreline springs mix with lake water. Ikaite precipitates because of its decreased solubility at low temperature and because of orthophosphate-ion inhibition of calcite and aragonite. During the spring some of the ikaite is transformed to anhydrous CaCO3 and is incorporated into tufa, but most is dispersed by wave action into the lake where it reacts to form gaylussite (Na2Ca(CO3)2?? 5H2O). Spring waters have low pH values, are dominantly Ca-Na-HCO3, have low radiocarbon activities, and are mixtures of deep-seated geothermal and cold groundwaters. Chemical modeling reveals that precipitation of CaCO3 can occur over a broad range of mixtures of spring and lake water with a maximum production occurring at 96% spring water and 4% lake water. Under these conditions all the Ca and a significant fraction of the CO3 of the precipitate is spring supplied. A radiocarbon age of 19,580 years obtained on a natural ikaite sample supports this conclusion. With the springs supplying a large and probably variable portion of the carbonate, and with apparent 14C age of the carbonate varying from spring to spring, tufa of similar actual antiquity may yield significantly different 14C dates, making tufa at this location unsuitable for absolute age dating by the radiocarbon method. ?? 1993.

Eruption of soufriere volcano on st. Vincent island, 1971-1972.

PubMed

Aspinall, W P; Sigurdsson, H; Shepherd, J B

1973-07-13

The Soufrière volcano in St. Vincent erupted from October 1971 to March 1972, as 80 x 10(6) m(3) of basaltic andesite lava was quietly extruded inside the mile-wide crater. The eruption was largely subaqueous, taking place in the 180-m-deep crater lake, and resulted in the emergence of a steep-sided island. The mild character of the eruption and the absence of seismic activity stand in direct contrast to the highly explosive character of the eruption of 1902 to 1903.

GlobVolcano: Earth Observation Services for Global Monitroing of Active Volcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borgstrom, S.; Bianchi, M.; Bronson, W.; Tampellini, M. L.; Ratti, R.; Seifert, F. M.; Komorowski, J. C.; Kaminski, E.; Peltier, A.; Van der Voet, P.

2010-03-01

The GlobVolcano project (2007-2010) is part of the Data User Element (DUE) programme of the European Space Agency (ESA).The objective of the project is to demonstrate EO-based (Earth Observation) services able to support the Volcano Observatories and other mandate users (Civil Protection, volcano scientific community) in their monitoring activities.The set of offered EO based information products is the following:- Deformation Mapping- Surface Thermal Anomalies- Volcanic Gas Emission- Volcanic Ash TrackingThe Deformation Mapping service is performed exploiting either PSInSARTM or Conventional DInSAR (EarthView® InSAR). The processing approach is selected according to the availability of SAR data and users' requests.The information services are assessed in close cooperation with the user organizations for different types of volcano, from various geographical areas in various climatic zones. Users are directly and actively involved in the validation of the Earth Observation products, by comparing them with ground data available at each site.In a first phase, the GlobVolcano Information System was designed, implemented and validated, involving a limited number of test areas and respective user organizations (Colima in Mexico, Merapi in Indonesia, Soufrière Hills in Montserrat Island, Piton de la Fournaise in La Reunion Island, Karthala in Comore Islands, Stromboli and Volcano in Italy). In particular Deformation Mapping results obtained for Piton de la Fournaise were compared with deformation rates measured by the volcano observatory using GPS stations and tiltmeters. IPGP (Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris) is responsible for the validation activities.The second phase of the project (currently on-going) concerns the service provision on pre-operational basis. Fifteen volcanic sites located in four continents are monitored and as many user organizations are involved and cooperating with the project team.In addition to the proprietary tools mentioned before, in

Preliminary tephra-fall records from three lakes in the Anchorage, Alaska area: advances towards a regional tephrochronostratigraphic framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallace, K. L.; Kaufman, D. S.; Schiff, C. J.; Kathan, K.; Werner, A.; Hancock, J.; Hagel, L. A.

2010-12-01

Sediment cores recovered from three kettle lakes, all within 10 km of Anchorage, Alaska contain a record of tephra fall from major eruptive events of Cook Inlet volcanoes during the past 11250 yr. Prominent tephra layers from multiple cores within each lake were first correlated within each basin using physical properties, major-oxide glass geochemistry, and constrained by bracketing radiocarbon age. Distinct tephra from each lake were then correlated among all three lakes using the same criteria to develop a composite tephrostratigraphic framework for the Anchorage area. Lorraine Lake, the northern-most lake contains 17 distinct tephra layers; Goose Lake, the eastern most lake contains 10 distinct tephra layers; and Little Campbell Lake, to the west, contains 7 distinct tephra layers. Thinner, less-prominent tephra layers, reflecting smaller or more distant eruptions, also occur but are not included as part of this study. Of the 33 tephra layers, only two could be confidently correlated among all three lakes, and four other correlative deposits were recognized in two of the three lakes. The minimum number of unique major tephra-fall events in the Anchorage area is 22 in the past 11200 years, or about 1 event every 500 years. This number underestimates the actual number of eruptions because not attempt was made to locate crypto-tephra. All but perhaps one tephra deposit originated from Cook Inlet volcanoes with the most prolific source being Mount Spurr/Crater Peak, which is accountable for at least 8 deposits. Combining radiocarbon ages to produce an independent age model for each lake is in progress and will aid in confirming correlations and assigning detailed modeled-tephra age and uncertainty to each tephra layer.

Sediment sources in the Lake Tahoe Basin, California-Nevada; preliminary results of a four-year study, August 1983-September 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hill, B.R.; Hill, J.R.; Nolan, K.M.

1988-01-01

Data were collected during a 4-yr study of sediment sources in four drainage basins tributary to Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada. The study areas include the Blackwood, General, Edgewood, and Logan House Creek basins. Data include changes in bank and bed positions at channel cross sections; results of stream-channel mapping; analyses of bank and bed material samples; tabulations of bed material point counts; measured rates of hillslope erosion; dimensions of gullies; suspended-sediment data collected during synoptic snowmelt sampling; and physiographic data for the four study basins. (USGS)

The Licancabur Project: Exploring the Limits of Life in the Highest Lake on Earth as an Analog to Martian Paleolakes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cabrol, N. A.; Grin, E. A.; McKay, C. P.; Friedmann, I.; Diaz, G. Chong; Demergasso, C.; Kisse, K.; Grigorszky, I.; Friedmann, R. Ocampo; Hock, A.

2003-01-01

The Licancabur volcano (6017 m) hosts the highest and one of the least explored lakes in the world in its summit crater. It is located 22 deg.50 min. South / 67 deg.53 min. West at the boundary of Chile and Bolivia in the High-Andes. In a freezing environment, the lake located in volcano-tectonic environment combines low-oxygen, low atmospheric pressure due to altitude, and high-UV radiation (see table). However, its bottom water temperature remains above 0 C year-round. These conditions make Licancabur a unique analog to Martian paleolakes considered high-priority sites for the search for life on Mars.

Executive summary - Assessing the response of Emerald Lake, an alpine watershed in Sequoia National Park, California, to acidification during snowmelt using a simple hydrochemical model

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

Hooper, R.P.; West, C.T.; Peters, N.E.

1990-01-01

A simple process-oriented model, called the Alpine Lake Forecaster (ALF), was constructed using data collected from the Integrated Watershed Study of Emerald Lake, Sequoia National Park, California. ALF is able to capture the basic solute patterns during snowmelt in this alpine catchment where groundwater is a minor contributor to streamflow. It includes an empirical representation of primary mineral weathering as the only alkalinity generating mechanism. During a heavy snow year, such as the one used for calibrating the model, the model accurately simulated the surface water chemical change in response to the initial ionic pulse from the snowpack and tomore » the dilution that occurs at peak snowmelt. Because the model does not consider cation exchange, it over-predicts the acidification during the initial period of snowmelt, and therefore is a conservative predictor. However, the minimum alkalinity observed in the main inflows to Emerald Lake and in the lake outflow is accurately simulated by the model. The representation of the lake as simply a missing volume with no additional chemical reactions is supported by the observation. The model predicts a change of 2 to 5 microequiv/L in the minimum alkalinity of the lake outflow during snowmelt if the deposition would have to increase between two and 18 times the current load-alkalinity of the lake; the precise increase depends on hydrologic conditions and on the pattern of solute release from the snowpack. An acidic rainstorm that exhausted the alkalinity of the lake was observed during summer 1984 after the lake had stratified, and is the likely cause of the acidification of Emerald Lake.« less

Tephrostratigraphy the DEEP site record, Lake Ohrid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leicher, N.; Zanchetta, G.; Sulpizio, R.; Giaccio, B.; Wagner, B.; Francke, A.

2016-12-01

In the central Mediterranean region, tephrostratigraphy has been proofed to be a suitable and powerful tool for dating and correlating marine and terrestrial records. However, for the period older 200 ka, tephrostratigraphy is incomplete and restricted to some Italian continental basins (e.g. Sulmona, Acerno, Mercure), and continuous records downwind of the Italian volcanoes are rare. Lake Ohrid (Macedonia/Albania) in the eastern Mediterranean region fits this requisite and is assumed to be the oldest continuously existing lake of Europe. A continous record (DEEP) was recovered within the scope of the ICDP deep-drilling campaign SCOPSCO (Scientific Collaboration on Past Speciation Conditions in Lake Ohrid). In the uppermost 450 meters of the record, covering more than 1.2 Myrs of Italian volcanism, 54 tephra layers were identified during core-opening and description. A first tephrostratigraphic record was established for the uppermost 248 m ( 637 ka). Major element analyses (EDS/WDS) were carried out on juvenile glass fragments and 15 out of 35 tephra layers have been identified and correlated with known and dated eruptions of Italian volcanoes. Existing 40Ar/39Ar ages were re-calculated by using the same flux standard and used as first order tie points to develop a robust chronology for the DEEP site succession. Between 248 and 450 m of the DEEP site record, another 19 tephra horizons were identified and are subject of ongoing work. These deposits, once correlated with known and dated tephra, will hopefully enable dating this part of the succession, likely supported by major paleomagnetic events, such as the Brunhes-Matuyama boundary, or the Cobb-Mountain or the Jaramillo excursions. This makes the Lake Ohrid record a unique continuous, distal record of Italian volcanic activity, which is candidate to become the template for the central Mediterranean tephrostratigraphy, especially for the hitherto poorly known and explored lower Middle Pleistocene period.

The glaciovolcanic evolution of an andesitic edifice, South Crater, Tongariro volcano, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cole, R. P.; White, J. D. L.; Conway, C. E.; Leonard, G. S.; Townsend, D. B.; Pure, L. R.

2018-02-01

Unusual deposits, mapped and logged in detail, around the summit area of Tongariro volcano, Tongariro Volcanic Centre, New Zealand indicate that the construction and evolution of a substantial portion of this andesitic stratovolcano was beneath a significant ice cap or summit glacier. As the edifice was built under and through the overlying ice, the style of volcanism evolved in a complex history of growth. Initially, a ≥ 100 m thick, widespread hyaloclastite deposit was emplaced within a subglacial, eruption-formed meltwater lake. This was followed by several phases of effusive and explosive eruptions, producing lava flows and primary volcaniclastic deposits emplaced along channels carved into the ice by heated meltwater. The clastic deposits contain quenched bombs and structural features that indicate waterlain transport and emplacement, and soft sediment deformation. Such accumulation of water on a steep-sided edifice without evidence for a subaerial crater lake, along with lava flow features indicating confinement, suggest that a substantial summit glacier was responsible for the production and retention of water, and the architecture of these deposits. Recent studies at nearby Ruapehu volcano have provided good evidence for glaciovolcanic interactions during the last glacial period. However, until now, little was known of the physical lava-ice interactions in the Centre during the last interglacial period and the earlier part of the last glacial period (110-64 ka). These new data support a reinterpretation for the volcanic evolution of the older Tongariro edifice and the emplacement mechanisms of primary volcaniclastic deposits. They also help to constrain local ice thicknesses and extents at the times of eruption. In addition, this study contributes to a sparse global catalogue of glaciovolcanic deposits of andesitic composition, particularly of primary volcaniclastics preserved at mid-latitude stratovolcanoes. The variety of deposit types indicates a

Water Resources Data for California, Water Year 1987. Volume 5. Ground-water Data for California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lamb, C.E.; Fogelman, R.P.; Grillo, D.A.

1989-01-01

Water resources data for the 1987 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 5 contains water levels for 786 observation wells and water-quality data for 168 observation wells. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Water Resources Data for California, Water Year 1986. Volume 5. Ground-Water Data for California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lamb, C.E.; Keeter, G.L.; Grillo, D.A.

1988-01-01

Water resources data for the 1986 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 5 contains water levels for 765 observation wells and water-quality data for 174 observation wells. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in California.

Short-period volcanic gas precursors to phreatic eruptions: Insights from Poás Volcano, Costa Rica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Moor, J. M.; Aiuppa, A.; Pacheco, J.; Avard, G.; Kern, C.; Liuzzo, M.; Martínez, M.; Giudice, G.; Fischer, T. P.

2016-05-01

Volcanic eruptions involving interaction with water are amongst the most violent and unpredictable geologic phenomena on Earth. Phreatic eruptions are exceptionally difficult to forecast by traditional geophysical techniques. Here we report on short-term precursory variations in gas emissions related to phreatic blasts at Poás volcano, Costa Rica, as measured with an in situ multiple gas analyzer that was deployed at the edge of the erupting lake. Gas emitted from this hyper-acid crater lake approaches magmatic values of SO2/CO2 1-6 days prior to eruption. The SO2 flux derived from magmatic degassing through the lake is measureable by differential optical absorption spectrometry (sporadic campaign measurements), which allows us to constrain lake gas output and input for the major gas species during eruptive and non-eruptive periods. We can further calculate power supply to the hydrothermal system using volatile mass balance and thermodynamics, which indicates that the magmatic heat flux into the shallow hydrothermal system increases from ∼27 MW during quiescence to ∼59 MW during periods of phreatic events. These transient pulses of gas and heat from the deeper magmatic system generate both phreatic eruptions and the observed short-term changes in gas composition, because at high gas flux scrubbing of sulfur by the hydrothermal system is both kinetically and thermodynamically inhibited whereas CO2 gas is always essentially inert in hyperacid conditions. Thus, the SO2/CO2 of lake emissions approaches magmatic values as gas and power supply to the sub-limnic hydrothermal system increase, vaporizing fluids and priming the hydrothermal system for eruption. Our results suggest that high-frequency real-time gas monitoring could provide useful short-term eruptive precursors at volcanoes prone to phreatic explosions.

Short-period volcanic gas precursors to phreatic eruptions: Insights from Poás Volcano, Costa Rica

USGS Publications Warehouse

de Moor, Maarten; Aiuppa, Alessandro; Pacheco, Javier; Avard, Geoffroy; Kern, Christoph; Liuzzo, Marco; Martinez, Maria; Giudice, Gaetano; Fischer, Tobias P.

2016-01-01

Volcanic eruptions involving interaction with water are amongst the most violent and unpredictable geologic phenomena on Earth. Phreatic eruptions are exceptionally difficult to forecast by traditional geophysical techniques. Here we report on short-term precursory variations in gas emissions related to phreatic blasts at Poás volcano, Costa Rica, as measured with an in situ multiple gas analyzer that was deployed at the edge of the erupting lake. Gas emitted from this hyper-acid crater lake approaches magmatic values of SO2/CO2 1–6 days prior to eruption. The SO2 flux derived from magmatic degassing through the lake is measureable by differential optical absorption spectrometry (sporadic campaign measurements), which allows us to constrain lake gas output and input for the major gas species during eruptive and non-eruptive periods. We can further calculate power supply to the hydrothermal system using volatile mass balance and thermodynamics, which indicates that the magmatic heat flux into the shallow hydrothermal system increases from ∼27 MW during quiescence to ∼59 MW during periods of phreatic events. These transient pulses of gas and heat from the deeper magmatic system generate both phreatic eruptions and the observed short-term changes in gas composition, because at high gas flux scrubbing of sulfur by the hydrothermal system is both kinetically and thermodynamically inhibited whereas CO2gas is always essentially inert in hyperacid conditions. Thus, the SO2/CO2 of lake emissions approaches magmatic values as gas and power supply to the sub-limnic hydrothermal system increase, vaporizing fluids and priming the hydrothermal system for eruption. Our results suggest that high-frequency real-time gas monitoring could provide useful short-term eruptive precursors at volcanoes prone to phreatic explosions.

Spreading volcanoes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Borgia, A.; Delaney, P.T.; Denlinger, R.P.

2000-01-01

As volcanoes grow, they become ever heavier. Unlike mountains exhumed by erosion of rocks that generally were lithified at depth, volcanoes typically are built of poorly consolidated rocks that may be further weakened by hydrothermal alteration. The substrates upon which volcanoes rest, moreover, are often sediments lithified by no more than the weight of the volcanic overburden. It is not surprising, therefore, that volcanic deformation includes-and in the long term is often dominated by-spreading motions that translate subsidence near volcanic summits to outward horizontal displacements around the flanks and peripheries. We review examples of volcanic spreading and go on to derive approximate expressions for the time volcanoes require to deform by spreading on weak substrates. We also demonstrate that shear stresses that drive low-angle thrust faulting from beneath volcanic constructs have maxima at volcanic peripheries, just where such faults are seen to emerge. Finally, we establish a theoretical basis for experimentally derived scalings that delineate volcanoes that spread from those that do not.

Staged storage and magma convection at Ambrym volcano, Vanuatu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheehan, Fionnuala; Barclay, Jenni

2016-08-01

New mineral-melt thermobarometry and mineral chemistry data are presented for basaltic scoriae erupted from the Mbwelesu crater of Ambrym volcano, Vanuatu, during persistent lava lake activity in 2005 and 2007. These data reveal crystallisation conditions and enable the first detailed attempt at reconstruction of the central magma plumbing system of Ambrym volcano. Pressures and temperatures of magma crystallisation at Ambrym are poorly constrained. This study focuses on characterising the magma conditions underlying the quasi-permanent lava lakes at the basaltic central vents, and examines petrological evidence for magma circulation. Mineral-melt equilibria for clinopyroxene, olivine and plagioclase allow estimation of pressures and temperatures of crystallisation, and reveal two major regions of crystallisation, at 24-29 km and 11-18 km depth, in agreement with indications from earthquake data of crustal storage levels at c. 25-29 km and 12-21 km depth. Temperature estimates are 1150-1170 °C for the deeper region, and 1110-1140 °C in the mid-crustal region, with lower temperatures of 1090-1100 °C for late-stage crystallisation. More primitive plagioclase antecrysts are thought to sample a slightly more mafic melt at sub-Moho depths. Resorption textures combined with effectively constant mafic mineral compositions suggest phenocryst convection in a storage region of consistent magma composition. In addition, basalt erupted at Ambrym has predominantly maintained a constant composition throughout the volcanic succession. This, coupled with recurrent periods of elevated central vent activity on the scale of months, suggest frequent magmatic recharge via steady-state melt generation at Ambrym.

Provenance variation in Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. in California

Treesearch

B.M. Emery; F. Thomas Ledig

1987-01-01

In California, the Lake Albacutya provenance of river red gum was clearly superior in volume growth to 22 other provenances collected throughout the range of the species in Australia. It had at least 2.5 times the volume of the plantation mean at 5.5 years, consistent with its performance in other countries with Mediterranean climates like California's. Other...

50 CFR Table 5 to Part 226 - Hydrologic Units and Counties Containing Critical Habitat for Central California Coast Coho...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Critical Habitat for Central California Coast Coho Salmon, Tribal Lands Within the Range of the ESU, and... and Counties Containing Critical Habitat for Central California Coast Coho Salmon, Tribal Lands Within... Warm Springs Dam (Lake Sonoma); Coyote Dam (Lake Mendocino). Gualala-Salmon 18010109 Sonoma (CA...

The Alaska Volcano Observatory - Expanded Monitoring of Volcanoes Yields Results

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brantley, Steven R.; McGimsey, Robert G.; Neal, Christina A.

2004-01-01

Recent explosive eruptions at some of Alaska's 52 historically active volcanoes have significantly affected air traffic over the North Pacific, as well as Alaska's oil, power, and fishing industries and local communities. Since its founding in the late 1980s, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) has installed new monitoring networks and used satellite data to track activity at Alaska's volcanoes, providing timely warnings and monitoring of frequent eruptions to the aviation industry and the general public. To minimize impacts from future eruptions, scientists at AVO continue to assess volcano hazards and to expand monitoring networks.

The Prodigies of The Albano Lake During Roman Age and Natural Hazard Assessment At Roma, Italy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Funiciello, R.; Giordano, G.; de Rita, D.

Roma is built just 20 km to the northwest of the Pleistocene Colli Albani volcano, but is believed not exposed to relevant natural hazards, except for the Tiber river flood- ings, and local amplification of seismic waves from distal earthquakes. This belief has generally induced modern historians and geologists to discard as SmythologicalT the & cedil;many references to natural prodigies that are reported by many Roman-age historians. Recent studies have demonstrated that the Albano maar, the youngest volcanic cen- tre of the Colli Albani volcano and presently filled by a 175 m deep lake, protracted its activity to the Holocene triggering several catastrophic lahar events, likely related to lake withdrawal, the deposits of which are exposed to the southwest of Roma and reach its periphery. This finding youngs the history of the volcano and makes it rele- vant to pre-historic settlements, which ScarefullyT avoided the Albano maar slopes up & cedil;to the Bronze age. What is still unknown, though, is whether the lake experienced such fluctuations and overspills during historic times. Several Roman authors such as Ti- tus Livius, Dionigi d'Alicarnasso, Plutarco, Germanico, and many others wrote about the then well known 398 BC prodigious event, when, during the war between Roma and the Etruscan city of Veio, the gods anger caused the sudden rise and overspill of the Albano lake, reported as unrelated to climatic events, and the destructive flooding of the countryside. After that event Romans actually built a tunnel-drain which still operates regulating the lake level at 293 m a.s.l., 70 m below the maar rim elevation. Should those chronicles be truthful, we can join the geologic observation of Holocene lahar deposits from lake withdrawal with historical lake withdrawals, reassessing the natural hazard for the city of Roma under a point of view never explored before. This paper carefully explores the historical credibility of the 398 BC lake overspill event and its

Nutrient Fluxes From Profundal Sediment of Ultra-Oligotrophic Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada: Implications for Water Quality and Management in a Changing Climate