The Geology and Petrography of Crater Lake National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Diller, Joseph Silas; Patton, Horace Bushnell

1902-01-01

Origin of the name Mount Mazama - A great impetus to the spread of information concerning Crater Lake was given by the Mazamas of Portland, Oreg., who held a meeting at the lake in August, 1896, which attracted many visitors. The principal features in the history of the lake had previously been made out, and the Mazamas, recognizing the fact that the great peak which was nearly destroyed in preparing the pit for the lake had no name, gave it the name of their own society. Upon the rim of the lake are a number of small peaks, each having its own designation. The term Mount Mazama refers to the whole rim encircling the lake. It is but a mere remnant of the once lofty peak, the real Mount Mazama, which rose far into the region of eternal snow. To get a basis for reconstructing the original Mount Mazama it is necessary to study in detail the structure and composition of its foundation, now so attractively displayed in the encircling cliffs of Crater Lake.

Overview of the limnology of Crater Lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, Gary L.

1996-01-01

Crater Lake occupies the collapsed caldera of volcanic Mount Mazama in Crater Lake National Park, Oregon. It is the deepest lake (589 m) in the United States and the 7th deepest lake in the world. The water column mixes to a depth of about 200 m in winter and spring from wind energy and cooling. The deep lake is mixed in winter and early spring each year when relatively cold water near the surface sinks and exchanges positions with water in the deep basins of the lake. The lake becomes thermally stratified in summer and early fall. The metalimnion extends to a depth of about 100 m; thus most of the water column is a cold hypolimnion. Secchi disk clarity measurements typically are in the upper-20-m range to the low-30-m range in summer and early fall. Concentrations of nutrients are low, although conductivity is relatively high owing to the inflow of hydrothermal fluids. Total chlorophyll is low in concentration, but typically maximal at a depth of 120 m during periods of thermal stratification. Primary production also is low, with the maximum levels occurring between the depth of 40 and 80 m. Phytoplankton taxa are spatially segregated from each other within the water column to a depth of 200 m in summer and early fall. The same generalization applies to the zooplankton taxa. Water level, clarity, concentrations of total chlorophyll, primary production, and abundances of zooplankton and introduced kokanee salmon exhibit long-term fluctuations. Based primarily on a recent 10-year study of the lake, the lake is considered to be pristine, except for the consequences of fish introductions.

Great Salt Lake and Bonneville Salt Flats, UT, USA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

This is a view of the Great Salt Lake and nearby Bonneville Salt Flats, UT, (41.0N, 112.5W). A railroad causeway divides the lake with a stark straight line changing the water level and chemistry of the lake as a result. Fresh water runoff enters from the south adding to the depth and reducing the salinity. The north half receives little frsh water and is more saline and shallow. The Bonnieville Salt Flats is the lakebed of a onetime larger lake.

Great Salt Lake and Bonneville Salt Flats, UT, USA

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-04-02

This is a view of the Great Salt Lake and nearby Bonneville Salt Flats, UT, (41.0N, 112.5W). A railroad causeway divides the lake with a stark straight line changing the water level and chemistry of the lake as a result. Fresh water runoff enters from the south adding to the depth and reducing the salinity. The north half receives little frsh water and is more saline and shallow. The Bonnieville Salt Flats is the lakebed of a onetime larger lake.

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

Under trees and water at Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, Joel E.; Bacon, Charles R.; Wayne, Chris

2012-01-01

Crater Lake partially fills the caldera that formed approximately 7,700 years ago during the eruption of a 12,000-ft-high volcano known as Mount Mazama. The caldera-forming, or climactic, eruption of Mount Mazama devastated the surrounding landscape, left a thick deposit of pumice and ash in adjacent valleys, and spread a blanket of volcanic ash as far away as southern Canada. Prior to the climactic event, Mount Mazama had a 400,000-year history of volcanic activity similar to other large Cascade volcanoes such as Mounts Shasta, Hood, and Rainier. Since the caldera formed, many smaller, less violent eruptions occurred at volcanic vents below Crater Lake's surface, including Wizard Island. A survey of Crater Lake National Park with airborne LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) resulted in a digital elevation map of the ground surface beneath the forest canopy. The average resolution is 1.6 laser returns per square meter yielding vertical and horizontal accuracies of ±5 cm. The map of the floor beneath the surface of the 1,947-ft-deep (593-m-deep) Crater Lake was developed from a multibeam sonar bathymetric survey and was added to the map to provide a continuous view of the landscape from the highest peak on Mount Scott to the deepest part of Crater Lake. Four enlarged shaded-relief views provide a sampling of features that illustrate the resolution of the LiDAR survey and illustrate its utility in revealing volcanic landforms and subtle features of the climactic eruption deposits. LiDAR's high precision and ability to "see" through the forest canopy reveal features that may not be easily recognized-even when walked over-because their full extent is hidden by vegetation, such as the 1-m-tall arcuate scarp near Castle Creek.

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

Overview of the limnology of crater lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, G.L.

1996-01-01

Crater Lake occupies the collapsed caldera of volcanic Mount Mazama in Crater Lake National Park, Oregon. It is the deepest lake (589 m) in the United States and the 7th deepest lake in the world. The water column mixes to a depth of about 200 m in winter and spring from wind energy and cooling. The deep lake is mixed in winter and early spring each year when relatively cold water near the surface sinks and exchanges positions with water in the deep basins of the lake. The lake becomes thermally stratified in summer and early fall. The metalimnion extends to a depth of about 100 m; thus most of the water column is a cold hypolimnion. Secchi disk clarity measurements typically are in the upper-20-m range to the low-30-m range in summer and early fall. Concentrations of nutrients are low, although conductivity is relatively high owing to the inflow of hydrothermal fluids. Total chlorophyll is low in concentration, but typically maximal at a depth of 120 m during periods of thermal stratification. Primary production also is low, with the maximum levels occurring between the depth of 40 and 80 m. Phytoplankton taxa are spatially segregated from each other within the water column to a depth of 200 m in summer and early fall. The same generalization applies to the Zooplankton taxa. Water level, clarity, concentrations of total chlorophyll, primary production, and abundances of zooplankton and introduced kokanee salmon exhibit long-term fluctuations. Based primarily on a recent 10-year study of the lake, the lake is considered to be pristine, except for the consequences of fish introductions. ?? 1996 by the Northwest Scientific Association. All rights reserved.

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.

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.

Early Holocene Great Salt Lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oviatt, Charles G.; Madsen, David B.; Miller, David; Thompson, Robert S.; McGeehin, John P.

2015-01-01

Shorelines and surficial deposits (including buried forest-floor mats and organic-rich wetland sediments) show that Great Salt Lake did not rise higher than modern lake levels during the earliest Holocene (11.5–10.2 cal ka BP; 10–9 14C ka BP). During that period, finely laminated, organic-rich muds (sapropel) containing brine-shrimp cysts and pellets and interbedded sodium-sulfate salts were deposited on the lake floor. Sapropel deposition was probably caused by stratification of the water column — a freshwater cap possibly was formed by groundwater, which had been stored in upland aquifers during the immediately preceding late-Pleistocene deep-lake cycle (Lake Bonneville), and was actively discharging on the basin floor. A climate characterized by low precipitation and runoff, combined with local areas of groundwater discharge in piedmont settings, could explain the apparent conflict between evidence for a shallow lake (a dry climate) and previously published interpretations for a moist climate in the Great Salt Lake basin of the eastern Great Basin.

Monitoring change in Great Salt Lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Naftz, David L.; Angeroth, Cory E.; Freeman, Michael L.; Rowland, Ryan C.; Carling, Gregory

2013-01-01

Despite the ecological and economic importance of Great Salt Lake, only limited water quality monitoring has occurred historically. To change this, new monitoring stations and networks—gauges of lake level height and rate of inflow, moored buoys, and multiple lake-bottom sensors—will provide important information that can be used to make informed decisions regarding future management of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem.

View of the Salt Lake City, Utah area

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

An oblique view of the Salt Lake City, Utah area as photographed from Earth orbit by one of the six lenses of the Itek-furnished S190-A Multispectral Photographic Facility Experiment aboard the Skylab space station. Approximately two-thirds of the Great Salt Lake is in view. The smaller body of water south of Salt Lake City is Utah Lake. The Wasatch Range is on the east side of the Great Salt Lake.

Redox stratification of an ancient lake in Gale crater, Mars

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

Hurowitz, Joel A.; Grotzinger, John P.; Fischer, Woodward W.

In 2012, NASA’s Curiosity rover landed on Mars to assess its potential as a habitat for past life and investigate the paleoclimate record preserved by sedimentary rocks inside the ~150-kilometer-diameter Gale impact crater. Geological reconstructions from Curiosity rover data have revealed an ancient, habitable lake environment fed by rivers draining into the crater. We synthesize geochemical and mineralogical data from lake-bed mudstones collected during the first 1300 martian solar days of rover operations in Gale. We present evidence for lake redox stratification, established by depth-dependent variations in atmospheric oxidant and dissolved-solute concentrations. Paleoclimate proxy data indicate that a transition frommore » colder to warmer climate conditions is preserved in the stratigraphy. Lastly, a late phase of geochemical modification by saline fluids is recognized.« less

Redox stratification of an ancient lake in Gale crater, Mars

DOE PAGES

Hurowitz, Joel A.; Grotzinger, John P.; Fischer, Woodward W.; ...

2017-06-02

In 2012, NASA’s Curiosity rover landed on Mars to assess its potential as a habitat for past life and investigate the paleoclimate record preserved by sedimentary rocks inside the ~150-kilometer-diameter Gale impact crater. Geological reconstructions from Curiosity rover data have revealed an ancient, habitable lake environment fed by rivers draining into the crater. We synthesize geochemical and mineralogical data from lake-bed mudstones collected during the first 1300 martian solar days of rover operations in Gale. We present evidence for lake redox stratification, established by depth-dependent variations in atmospheric oxidant and dissolved-solute concentrations. Paleoclimate proxy data indicate that a transition frommore » colder to warmer climate conditions is preserved in the stratigraphy. Lastly, a late phase of geochemical modification by saline fluids is recognized.« less

INTERSECTION OF 445 NORTH & 1040 EAST, SALT LAKE CITY, ...

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

INTERSECTION OF 445 NORTH & 1040 EAST, SALT LAKE CITY, UT. VIEW LOOKING SOUTH. REPHOTOGRAPH OF HISTORIC SHIPLER PHOTO # 18272, UTAH STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY COLLECTION. - Salt Lake City Cemetery, 200 N Street, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, UT

Crater lake cichlids individually specialize along the benthic–limnetic axis

PubMed Central

Kusche, Henrik; Recknagel, Hans; Elmer, Kathryn Rebecca; Meyer, Axel

2014-01-01

A common pattern of adaptive diversification in freshwater fishes is the repeated evolution of elongated open water (limnetic) species and high-bodied shore (benthic) species from generalist ancestors. Studies on phenotype-diet correlations have suggested that population-wide individual specialization occurs at an early evolutionary and ecological stage of divergence and niche partitioning. This variable restricted niche use across individuals can provide the raw material for earliest stages of sympatric divergence. We investigated variation in morphology and diet as well as their correlations along the benthic-limnetic axis in an extremely young Midas cichlid species, Amphilophus tolteca, endemic to the Nicaraguan crater lake Asososca Managua. We found that A. tolteca varied continuously in ecologically relevant traits such as body shape and lower pharyngeal jaw morphology. The correlation of these phenotypes with niche suggested that individuals are specialized along the benthic-limnetic axis. No genetic differentiation within the crater lake was detected based on genotypes from 13 microsatellite loci. Overall, we found that individual specialization in this young crater lake species encompasses the limnetic-as well as the benthic macro-habitat. Yet there is no evidence for any diversification within the species, making this a candidate system for studying what might be the early stages preceding sympatric divergence. A common pattern of adaptive diversification in freshwater fishes is the repeated evolution of open water (limnetic) species and of shore (benthic) species. Individual specialization can reflect earliest stages of evolutionary and ecological divergence. We here demonstrate individual specialization along the benthic–limnetic axis in a young adaptive radiation of crater lake cichlid fishes. PMID:24772288

Redox stratification of an ancient lake in Gale crater, Mars.

PubMed

Hurowitz, J A; Grotzinger, J P; Fischer, W W; McLennan, S M; Milliken, R E; Stein, N; Vasavada, A R; Blake, D F; Dehouck, E; Eigenbrode, J L; Fairén, A G; Frydenvang, J; Gellert, R; Grant, J A; Gupta, S; Herkenhoff, K E; Ming, D W; Rampe, E B; Schmidt, M E; Siebach, K L; Stack-Morgan, K; Sumner, D Y; Wiens, R C

2017-06-02

In 2012, NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Mars to assess its potential as a habitat for past life and investigate the paleoclimate record preserved by sedimentary rocks inside the ~150-kilometer-diameter Gale impact crater. Geological reconstructions from Curiosity rover data have revealed an ancient, habitable lake environment fed by rivers draining into the crater. We synthesize geochemical and mineralogical data from lake-bed mudstones collected during the first 1300 martian solar days of rover operations in Gale. We present evidence for lake redox stratification, established by depth-dependent variations in atmospheric oxidant and dissolved-solute concentrations. Paleoclimate proxy data indicate that a transition from colder to warmer climate conditions is preserved in the stratigraphy. Finally, a late phase of geochemical modification by saline fluids is recognized. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Phylogeography, colonization and population history of the Midas cichlid species complex (Amphilophus spp.) in the Nicaraguan crater lakes.

PubMed

Barluenga, Marta; Meyer, Axel

2010-10-26

Elucidation of the mechanisms driving speciation requires detailed knowledge about the phylogenetic relationships and phylogeography of the incipient species within their entire ranges as well as their colonization history. The Midas cichlid species complex Amphilophus spp. has been proven to be a powerful model system for the study of ecological specialization, sexual selection and the mechanisms of sympatric speciation. Here we present a comprehensive and integrative phylogeographic analysis of the complete Midas Cichlid species complex in Nicaragua (> 2000 individuals) covering the entire distributional range, using two types of molecular markers (the mitochondrial DNA control region and 15 microsatellites). We investigated the majority of known lake populations of this species complex and reconstructed their colonization history in order to distinguish between alternative speciation scenarios. We found that the large lakes contain older and more diverse Midas Cichlid populations, while all crater lakes hold younger and genetically less variable species assemblages. The large lakes appear to have repeatedly acted as source populations for all crater lakes, and our data indicate that faunal exchange among crater lakes is extremely unlikely. Despite their very recent (often only a few thousand years old) and common origin from the two large Nicaraguan lakes, all crater lake Midas Cichlid radiations underwent independent, but parallel, evolution, and comprise distinct genetic units. Indeed several of these crater lakes contain multiple genetically distinct incipient species that most likely arose through sympatric speciation. Several crater lake radiations can be traced back to a single ancestral line, but some appear to have more than one founding lineage. The timing of the colonization(s) of each crater lake differs, although most of them occurred more (probably much more) recently than 20,000 years ago. The genetic differentiation of the crater lake populations

Vertical distribution of a deep-water moss and associated epiphytes in Crater Lake, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

McIntire, C.D.; Phinney, H.K.; Larson, Gary L.; Buktenica, M.W.

1994-01-01

A one-person submersible was used to examine the vertical distribution of the deep-water moss Drepanocladus aduncus (Hedw.) Warnst in Crater Lake (Oregon). Living specimens were found attached to sediment and rocks at depths between 25 m and 140 m. Dense beds of the moss were observed at depths between 30 m and 80 m, a region that corresponded roughly to the zone of maximum primary production by phytoplankton. The moss population supported a diverse assemblage of epiphytic algae, of which the most abundant genera included Cladophora,Oedogonium, Rhizoclonium, Tribonema, Vaucheria, and the diatoms Cocconeis, Cymbella, Epithemia, Fragilaria, Gomphonema, Melosira, Navicula, and Synedra. Chemical and physical data supported the hypothesis that the lower limit of distribution of the moss is determined by light limitation, whereas the upper limit is related to the availability of nutrients, particularly nitrate-nitrogen and trace elements. Deep-water videotapes of the moss population indicated that D. aduncus with its epiphytic algae was abundant enough in regions associated with the metalimnion and upper hypolimnion to have a potential influence on the nutrient dynamics of the Crater Lake ecosystem. Although the maximum depth at which living bryophytes occur in Crater Lake is similar to that found for Lake Tahoe, conditions in Lake Tahoe allow the growth and survival of a much more diverse assemblage of bryophytes and charophytes than is present in Crater Lake.

Long-term limnological research and monitoring at Crater Lake, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, G.L.; Collier, R.; Buktenica, M.

2007-01-01

Crater Lake is located in the caldera of Mount Mazama in Crater Lake National Park, Oregon. The lake has a surface area of about 53 km2at an elevation of 1882 m and a maximum depth of 594 m. Limited studies of this ultraoligotrophic lake conducted between 1896 and 1981, lead to a 10-year limnological study to evaluate any potential degradation of water quality. No long-term variations in water quality were observed that could be attributed to anthropogenic activity. Building on the success of this study, a permanent limnological program has been established with a long-term monitoring program to insure a reliable data base for use in the future. Of equal importance, this program serves as a research platform to develop and communicate to the public a better understanding of the coupled biological, physical, and geochemical processes in the lake and its surrounding environment. This special volume represents our current state of knowledge of the status of this pristine ecosystem including its special optical properties, algal nutrient limitations, pelagic bacteria, and models of the inter-relationships of thermal properties, nutrients, phytoplankton, deep-water mixing, and water budgets. ?? 2007 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Local variation and parallel evolution: morphological and genetic diversity across a species complex of neotropical crater lake cichlid fishes

PubMed Central

Elmer, Kathryn R.; Kusche, Henrik; Lehtonen, Topi K.; Meyer, Axel

2010-01-01

The polychromatic and trophically polymorphic Midas cichlid fish species complex (Amphilophus cf. citrinellus) is an excellent model system for studying the mechanisms of speciation and patterns of phenotypic diversification in allopatry and in sympatry. Here, we first review research to date on the species complex and the geological history of its habitat. We analyse body shape variation from all currently described species in the complex, sampled from six crater lakes (maximally 1.2–23.9 kyr old) and both great lakes in Nicaragua. We find that Midas cichlid populations in each lake have their own characteristic body shape. In lakes with multiple sympatric species of Midas cichlid, each species has a distinct body shape. Across the species complex, most body shape change relates to body depth, head, snout and mouth shape and caudal peduncle length. There is independent parallel evolution of an elongate limnetic species in at least two crater lakes. Mitochondrial genetic diversity is higher in crater lakes with multiple species. Midas cichlid species richness increases with the size and age of the crater lakes, though no such relationship exists for the other syntopic fishes. We suggest that crater lake Midas cichlids follow the predicted pattern of an adaptive radiation, with early divergence of each crater lake colonization, followed by intralacustrine diversification and speciation by ecological adaptation and sexual selection. PMID:20439280

Ultraviolet radiation and bio-optics in Crater Lake, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hargreaves, B.R.; Girdner, S.F.; Buktenica, M.W.; Collier, R.W.; Urbach, E.; Larson, G.L.

2007-01-01

Crater Lake, Oregon, is a mid-latitude caldera lake famous for its depth (594 m) and blue color. Recent underwater spectral measurements of solar radiation (300-800 nm) support earlier observations of unusual transparency and extend these to UV-B wavelengths. New data suggest that penetration of solar UVR into Crater Lake has a significant ecological impact. Evidence includes a correlation between water column chlorophyll-a and stratospheric ozone since 1984, the scarcity of organisms in the upper water column, and apparent UV screening pigments in phytoplankton that vary with depth. The lowest UV-B diffuse attenuation coefficients (K d,320) were similar to those reported for the clearest natural waters elsewhere, and were lower than estimates for pure water published in 1981. Optical proxies for UVR attenuation were correlated with chlorophyll-a concentration (0-30 m) during typical dry summer months from 1984 to 2002. Using all proxies and measurements of UV transparency, decadal and longer cycles were apparent but no long-term trend since the first optical measurement in 1896. ?? 2007 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

CHINESE PLAT, 1919 (L19 19 4 E, SALT LAKE CITY ...

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

CHINESE PLAT, 1919 (L19 19 4 E, SALT LAKE CITY CEMETERY LOCATER), SALT LAKE CITY, UT. VIEW LOOKING NORTHEAST AT CHINESE PLAT MARKER AND BURNER. - Salt Lake City Cemetery, 200 N Street, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, UT

CHINESE PLAT, 1919 (L19 19 4 E, SALT LAKE CITY ...

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

CHINESE PLAT, 1919 (L19 19 4 E, SALT LAKE CITY CEMETERY LOCATER), SALT LAKE CITY, UT. VIEW LOOKING NORTHEAST AT CHINESE PLAT MARKER, BURNER & CHINESE GRAVES. - Salt Lake City Cemetery, 200 N Street, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, UT

Possible Extent of Ancient Lake in Gale Crater, Mars

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-12-09

This illustration depicts a concept for the possible extent of an ancient lake inside Gale Crater. The base map combines image data from the Context Camera on NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and color information from Viking Orbiter imagery.

Crater Lake Apoyo Revisited - Population Genetics of an Emerging Species Flock

PubMed Central

Geiger, Matthias F.; McCrary, Jeffrey K.; Schliewen, Ulrich K.

2013-01-01

The polytypic Nicaraguan Midas cichlids ( Amphilophus cf. citrinellus) have been established as a model system for studying the mechanisms of speciation and patterns of diversification in allopatry and sympatry. The species assemblage in Crater Lake Apoyo has been accepted as a textbook example for sympatric speciation. Here, we present a first comprehensive data set of population genetic (mtDNA & AFLPs) proxies of species level differentiation for a representative set of individuals of all six endemic Amphilophus species occurring in Crater Lake Apoyo. AFLP genetic differentiation was partitioned into a neutral and non-neutral component based on outlier-loci detection approaches, and patterns of species divergence were explored with Bayesian clustering methods. Substantial levels of admixture between species were detected, indicating different levels of reproductive isolation between the six species. Analysis of neutral genetic variation revealed several A . zaliosus as being introgressed by an unknown contributor, hereby rendering the sympatrically evolving L. Apoyo flock polyphyletic. This is contrasted by the mtDNA analysis delivering a clear monophyly signal with Crater Lake Apoyo private haplotypes characterising all six described species, but also demonstrating different demographic histories as inferred from pairwise mismatch distributions. PMID:24086393

The heat source of Ruapehu crater lake; deductions from the energy and mass balances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurst, A. W.; Bibby, H. M.; Scott, B. J.; McGuinness, M. J.

1991-05-01

Regular observations of temperature, outflow rates and water chemistry of Crater Lake, Mt. Ruapehu, New Zealand have been made for the last 25 years. These data have been used to derive a model of the dynamics of the lake, and determine the input of energy, mass, and chloride from the volcano to the Crater Lake. The recent, relatively quiescent state of the volcano, when virtually no heat has been input to the lake, has also enabled an assessment to be made of the surface heat loss characteristics, which play an important role in the model of the lake. The modelling suggests that since about 1982 the ratio of the volcanic heat to mass added to the base of the lake is about 6 MJ/kg, which is not compatible with heating of the lake by magmatic steam alone. Thus, only about 50% of the heating has been by magmatic steam. It is suggested that heat could be transferred from a magmatic source to the region below the lake by a heat-pipe mechanism, commonly associated with geothermal systems. The simultaneous upward movement of vapour phase, and downward movement of liquid phase from condensed vapour allows efficient heat transfer without overall mass transfer. The permeability necessary to supply the required heat is of the order of 10 darcy, and is consistent with a rubble filled vent. For at least the last five years, there has been a characteristic pattern in the Crater Lake temperature record, with alternate heating and cooling phases. The heating phase generally lasts for one or two months, while the cooling phase lasts for six months to a year. A possible explanation for this cyclic behaviour is the presence of a layer of liquid sulphur under Crater Lake, acting as a partial barrier between the heat-pipe and the lake. The unusual variations of the viscosity of liquid sulphur with temperature will mean that at temperatures greater than 160°C, the layer of sulphur becomes highly viscous and would block any upwards steam flow and hence stop the heat input to Crater

Utah: Salt Lake Region

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2014-05-15

... scheduled events are at city (indoor) locations, and five in mountain (outdoor) facilities. All ten can be found within the area contained ... Lake City is surrounded by mountains including the Wasatch Range to the east, and the temperature difference between the Great Salt Lake ...

36 CFR 7.2 - Crater Lake National Park.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... with snow poles and signs, only that portion of the North Entrance Road intended for wheeled vehicle... permitted in Crater Lake National Park on the North Entrance Road from its intersection with the Rim Drive to the park boundary, and on intermittent routes detouring from the North Entrance Road as designated...

36 CFR 7.2 - Crater Lake National Park.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... with snow poles and signs, only that portion of the North Entrance Road intended for wheeled vehicle... permitted in Crater Lake National Park on the North Entrance Road from its intersection with the Rim Drive to the park boundary, and on intermittent routes detouring from the North Entrance Road as designated...

36 CFR 7.2 - Crater Lake National Park.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... with snow poles and signs, only that portion of the North Entrance Road intended for wheeled vehicle... permitted in Crater Lake National Park on the North Entrance Road from its intersection with the Rim Drive to the park boundary, and on intermittent routes detouring from the North Entrance Road as designated...

36 CFR 7.2 - Crater Lake National Park.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... with snow poles and signs, only that portion of the North Entrance Road intended for wheeled vehicle... permitted in Crater Lake National Park on the North Entrance Road from its intersection with the Rim Drive to the park boundary, and on intermittent routes detouring from the North Entrance Road as designated...

36 CFR 7.2 - Crater Lake National Park.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... with snow poles and signs, only that portion of the North Entrance Road intended for wheeled vehicle... permitted in Crater Lake National Park on the North Entrance Road from its intersection with the Rim Drive to the park boundary, and on intermittent routes detouring from the North Entrance Road as designated...

Tectonic-karstic origin of the alleged "impact crater" of Lake Isli (Imilchil district, High Atlas, Morocco)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibouh, Hassan; Michard, André; Charrière, André; Benkaddour, Abdelfattah; Rhoujjati, Ali

2014-03-01

The scenic lakes Tislit and Isli of the Imilchil area in the central High Atlas of Morocco have been recently promoted to the rank of "dual impact crater" by a group of geoscientists. This was promptly denied by a group of meteorite specialists, but the first team reiterated their impact crater interpretation, now restricted to Lake Isli. This alleged 40-kyr-old impact crater would be associated with the Agoudal meteorite recognized further in the southeast. Here, we show that the lake formed during the Lowe-Middle Pleistocene in a small Pliocene (?) pull-apart basin through additional collapsing due to karst phenomena in the underlying limestones. This compares with the formation of a number of lakes of the Atlas Mountains. None of the "proofs" produced in support of a meteoritic origin of Lake Isli coincides with the geology of the area.

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

Crater Formation Above Salt Caverns: Piston vs Hour-glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berest, P.

2016-12-01

Conditions leading to crater formation above salt caverns are discussed. In most cases, at the end of leaching, the cavern roof had reached the top of the salt formation, allowing direct contact between brine and marl (or argillite) layers that compose the overburden of the salt formation. These layers are prone to weathering when in contact with saturated brine. Stoping takes place, and the cavern roof rises through the overburden. This process may be several years or dozens of years long. In Lorraine salt formations, stoping stops when the rising cavern top reaches a competent layer, the Beaumont Dolomite. Operators then lower cavern-brine pressure to trigger collapse. A rigid cylinder of rock (a "piston") drops into the cavern, and a crater whose initial edges are vertical is created. Cavern drop is more abrupt when the cavern top is filled partly with air. The contour of the piston is circular, as a circle is the shape such that the ratio between perimeter and area is minimal. In other cases, for instance in Kansas, the cavern rises until the uppermost keystone in the bedrock at shallow depth is breached, permitting loose materials to flow into the cavern through a relatively narrow hole at the bottom of the sink hole, as in an hour glass.

Chemical hazards from acid crater lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Bergen, M. J.; Sumarti, S.; Heikens, A.; Bogaard, T. A.; Hartiyatun, S.

2003-04-01

Acid crater lakes, which are hosted by a considerable number of active volcanoes, form a potential threat for local ecosystems and human health, as they commonly contain large amounts of dissolved chemicals. Subsurface seepage or overflow can lead to severe deterioration of the water quality of rivers and wells, as observations around several of these volcanoes have shown. The Ijen crater lake in East Java (Indonesia) is a striking example, as this reservoir of hyperacid (pH<0.5) sulphate, chloride and fluoride-rich water is the source of a ca. 50 km long acid river that transports substantial quantities of potentially toxic elements. A downstream trend of increasing pH from <1 to 2.5-4 is largely due to dilution with moderately acid springs (pH= ca. 4) and neutral tributaries (pH= ca. 7) inside the Ijen caldera. Geochemical controls that regulate element transport are subject to seasonal fluctuations in rainfall. Long-term monitoring has shown that fluoride levels pose some of the most severe environmental threats. Its concentration decreases from ca. 1300 mg/kg in the lake to ca. 10 mg/kg in a coastal area downstream, where virtually all of the river water is used for irrigating rice fields and other cropland. Apart from serious problems for agriculture, our survey of 55 drinking water wells in the irrigation area shows that 50% contain fluoride above the 1.5 ppm WHO limit, in line with the observation that dental fluorosis is widespread among the ca. 100,000 residents of the area. A conspicuous spatial correlation between fluoride concentrations and the irrigation system suggest that long-term (century) infiltration of irrigation water may have affected the quality of groundwater. Fluorosis is also a problem in some villages within the caldera, where well water sources may have a more direct subsurface connection with the lake system. From our observations we conclude that water-quality monitoring is especially needed for health reasons in volcanic areas where

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.

Detection of recycled marine sediment components in crater lake fluids using 129I

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fehn, U.; Snyder, G. T.; Varekamp, J. C.

2002-06-01

Crater lakes provide time-integrated samples of volcanic fluids, which may carry information on source components. We tested under what circumstances 129I concentrations can be used for the detection of a signal derived from the recycling of marine sediments in subduction zone magmatism. The 129I system has been successfully used to determine origin and pathways in other volcanic fluids, but the application of this system to crater lakes is complicated by the presence of anthropogenic 129I, related to recent nuclear activities. Results are reported from four crater lakes, associated with subducting crust varying in age between 23 and 98 Ma. The 129I/I ratios determined for Copahue, Argentina, (129I/I=700×10-15) and White Island, New Zealand, (129I/I=284×10-15) demonstrate the presence of iodine in the crater lakes that was derived from recycled marine sediments. A comparison to the ages of the subducted sediments in these two cases indicates that the ratios likely reflect iodine remobilization from the entire sediment column that was undergoing subduction. While the 129I signals in Poás and Rincón de la Vieja, Costa Rica also demonstrate the presence of recycled iodine, the relatively high percentage of meteoric water in these lakes prevents a reliable determination of source ages. The observed high concentrations of iodine and 129I/I ratios substantially below current surface values strongly argue for the presence of recycled marine components in the arc magmas of all four cases. Components from subducted marine sediments can be quantified and related to specific parts of the sediment column in cases where the iodine concentration in the lake waters exceeds 5 μM.

View of the Salt Lake City, Utah area

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-08-30

SL3-22-0322 (July-September 1973) --- An oblique view of the Salt Lake City, Utah area as photographed from Earth orbit by one of the six lenses of the Itek-furnished S190-A Multispectral Photographic Facility Experiment aboard the Skylab space station. Approximately two-thirds of the Great Salt Lake is in view. The smaller body of water south of Salt Lake City is Utah Lake. The Wasatch Range is on the east side of the Great Salt Lake. Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP project are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA

Gas flushing through hyper-acidic crater lakes: the next steps within a reframed monitoring time window

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouwet, Dmitri

2016-04-01

Tracking variations in the chemical composition, water temperature and pH of brines from peak-activity crater lakes is the most obvious way to forecast phreatic activity. Volcano monitoring intrinsically implies a time window of observation that should be synchronised with the kinetics of magmatic processes, such as degassing and magma intrusion. To decipher "how much time ago" a variation in degassing regime actually occurred before eventually being detected in a crater lake is key, and depends on the lake water residence time. The above reasoning assumes that gas is preserved as anions in the lake water (SO4, Cl, F anions), in other words, that scrubbing of acid gases is complete and irreversible. Less is true. Recent work has confirmed, by direct MultiGas measurement from evaporative plumes, that even the strongest acid in liquid medium (i.e. SO2) degasses from hyper-acidic crater lakes. The less strong acid HCl has long been recognised as being more volatile than hydrophyle in extremely acidic solutions (pH near 0), through a long-term steady increase in SO4/Cl ratios in the vigorously evaporating crater lake of Poás volcano. We now know that acidic gases flush through hyper-acidic crater lake brines, but we don't know to which extend (completely or partially?), and with which speed. The chemical composition hence only reflects a transient phase of the gas flushing through the lake. In terms of volcanic surveillance this brings the advantage that the monitoring time window is definitely shorter than defined by the water chemistry, but yet, we do not know how much shorter. Empirical experiments by Capaccioni et al. (in press) have tried to tackle this kinetic problem for HCl degassing from a "lab-lake" on the short-term (2 days). With this state of the art in mind, two new monitoring strategies can be proposed to seek for precursory signals of phreatic eruptions from crater lakes: (1) Tracking variations in gas compositions, fluxes and ratios between species in

Cruise report R/V Surf Surveyor cruise S1-00-CL, mapping the bathymetry of Crater Lake, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gardner, James V.; Mayer, Larry A.; Buktenica, Mark W.

2000-01-01

During the Spring of 1999, the US Geological Survey (USGS) Pacific Seafloor Mapping Project (PSMP) was contacted by the US National Park Service Crater Lake National Park (CLNP) to inquire about the plausibility of producing a high-resolution multibeam bathymetric map of Crater Lake. The purpose was to generate a much higher-resolution and more geographically accurate bathymetric map than was produced in 1959, the last time the lake had been surveyed. Scientific interest in various aspects of Crater Lake (aquatic biology, geochemistry, volcanic processes, etc.) has increased during the past decade but the basemap of bathymetry was woefully inadequate. Funds were gathered during the early part of 2000 and the mapping began in late July, 2000. Crater Lake (see fig. 1 in report) is located in south central Oregon (see fig. 2 in report) within the Cascades Range, a chain of volcanoes that stretches from northern California to southern British Columbia. Crater Lake is the collapsed caldera of Mt. Mazama from a climatic eruption about 7700-yr ago (Nelson et al., 1988; Bacon and Lanphere, 1990; Bacon et al., 1997). The floor of Crater Lake has only been mapped three times since the lake was first stumbled upon by gold prospectors in the 1853. The first survey was carried by out by William G. Steel during a joint USGS-US Army expedition under the direction of Maj. Clarence E. Dutton in 1886 (Dutton, 1889). Steel�s mapping survey collected 186 soundings using a Millers lead-line sounding machine (see fig.3 in report). The resulting map (see fig.4 in report) shows only soundings and no attempts were made to generate contours. The second survey, conducted in 1959 by the US Coast and Geodetic Survey, mapped the bathymetry of Crater Lake with an acoustic echo sounder using radar navigation and collected 4000 soundings. The data were contoured by Williams (1961) and Byrne (1962) and the result is a fairly detailed map of the large-scale features of Crater Lake (see fig. 5

Particle formation above natural and simulated salt lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamilli, Katharina; Ofner, Johannes; Sattler, Tobias; Krause, Torsten; Zetzsch, Cornelius; Held, Andreas

2013-04-01

Western Australia was originally covered by natural eucalyptus forests, but land-use has changed considerably after large scale deforestation from 1950 to 1970. Thus, the ground-water level rose and brought dissolved salts and minerals to the surface. Nowadays, Western Australia is known for a great plenty of salt lakes with pH levels reaching from 2.5 to 7.1. The land is mainly used for wheat farming and livestock and becomes drier due to the lack of rain periods. One possible reason could be the formation of ultrafine particles from salt lakes, which increases the number of cloud condensation nuclei and thus potentially suppresses precipitation. Several field campaigns have been conducted between 2006 and 2011 with car-based and airborne measurements, where new particle formation has been observed and has been related to the Western Australian salt lakes (Junkermann et al., 2009). To identify particle formation directly above the salt lakes, a 1.5 m³ Teflon chamber was set up above several lakes in 2012. Inside the chamber, photochemistry may take place whereas mixing through wind or advection of already existing particles is prevented. Salt lakes with a low pH level lead to strongly increased aerosol formation. As salt lakes have been identified as a source for reactive halogen species (RHS; Buxmann et al., 2012) and RHS seem to interact with precursors of secondary organic aerosol (SOA), they could be producers of halogen induced secondary organic aerosol (XOA) (Ofner et al., 2012). As reference experiments, laboratory based aerosol smog-chamber runs were performed to examine XOA formation under atmospheric conditions using simulated sunlight and the chemical composition of a chosen salt lake. After adding α-pinene to the simulated salt lake, a strong nucleation event began in the absence of ozone comparable to the observed events in Western Australia. First results from the laboratory based aerosol smog-chamber experiments indicate a halogen-induced aerosol

Climate Implications of an Ancient Lake Basin in Gale Crater, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasavada, A. R.; Arvidson, R. E.; Edgett, K. S.; Fairén, A. G.; Fedo, C.; Grotzinger, J. P.; Gupta, S.; House, C. H.; Lewis, K. W.; Rivera-Hernandez, F.; Wiens, R. C.

2017-12-01

The sedimentary rock record explored in Aeolis Palus and in the lower slopes of Aeolis Mons using the Curiosity rover is interpreted to be that of streams and lakes that persisted for millions of years. Fluvio-deltaic rocks of the Bradbury group, upon which Curiosity landed, are interpreted to interfinger with the Murray formation rocks of lower Aeolis Mons (Mount Sharp). The more than 200 vertical meters of Murray formation section investigated using Curiosity primarily comprise laminated mudstones, with interstratified cross-stratified facies prevalent higher in the succession. These rocks are interpreted as lacustrine with minor fluvial and aeolian intervals. Comparison with depositional rates in terrestrial lake basins suggests that lakes were present within Gale crater for millions of years. Facies diagnostic of seasonal or perennial ice cover, or of ice within the sediment, have not been found, but ice cannot be ruled out. Calculated chemical index of alteration (CIA) values suggest cold and arid conditions in rocks studied on the plains but warmer and more humid conditions in the rocks of lower Aeolis Mons. Evidence of early and late diagenesis, e.g., concretions, calcium sulfate veins, and fracture-adjacent alteration haloes, implies that multiple generations of groundwater (i.e., liquid) interacted with the sediments post-deposition. Crater counts indicate that Gale crater formed at about 3.8-3.6 Ga near the Noachian-Hesperian boundary and that deposition, burial, lithification, and exhumation of the lower section of central mound occurred by 3.3-3.1 Ga. Together, these observations constrain the climate of early Hesperian equatorial Mars to states that permitted liquid water to be thermodynamically stable at the surface and in the subsurface at Gale crater, and that were sufficiently humid to reduce evaporative losses and to drive fluvial erosion, transport, and re-charging of the lakes with a hydrological cycle. Isotopic measurements of atmospheric gases

A new node on the SE Asian paleoclimate map: the alkaline crater lakes of central Myanmar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smittenberg, Rienk H.; Chabangborn, Akkaneewut; Thu Aung, Lin; Fritz, Sherilyn; Wohlfarth, Barbara

2014-05-01

SE Asia is climatically a key region where the Asian monsoon system connects with the Indo-Pacific warm pool and from where much (latent) heat gets transported to higher latitudes. We recently obtained sediment cores from four crater lakes located in Central Myanmar, with the aim to further colour the still largely white space on the SE Asian paleoclimate map. The chain of volcanic craters extending northeast to southwest in the vicinity of the lower Chindwin River in central Myanmar have been known for a long time. These craters are aligned west of the Sagaing Fault, which is a continental transform fault between the Indian and Sunda continental plates. Four of the craters still contain lakes, while several of the smaller craters are drained and used for agriculture. The region has a tropical Savannah climate, with warm temperatures throughout the year. Precipitation is almost absent during the dry season but increases to an average monthly precipitation of 100-134 mm per month during the monsoon season (May through October). Three of the four lakes, named Twin Ywa (30 m depth), Twin Taung (60 m), and Twin Pyauk (8m), are highly alkaline (pH 10-11), support extensive cyanobacterial blooms and are anoxic below a few meters water depth. Their sediments are composed of highly organic and laminated algae gyttjas. The shallower (2m), oxic and more neutral (pH 7.5) Lake Leshe contains organic-lean clays but with clear variations in colour and bulk density that likely mark changes in humidity though time. The lake levels of the relatively small crater lakes are solely regulated by precipitation and evaporation, and their limnology and water isotope compositions are therefore sensitive to changes in monsoon intensity. We will present limnological data including water isotopic compositions, and initial bulk sedimentary data as well as preliminary age determinations. These will form the basis for more extensive multi-proxy analyses that should result in an improved insight

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.

Water Quality and optical properties of Crater Lake, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, Gary L.; Hoffman, Robert L.; McIntire, C.D.; Buktenica, M.W.; Girdner, Scott

2007-01-01

We examine observations of key limnological properties (primarily temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen), measured over a 14-year period in Crater Lake, Oregon, and discuss variability in the hypolimnion on time scales of days to a decade. During some years (e.g., 1994a??1995), higher-than-average wintertime deep convection and ventilation led to the removal of significant amounts of heat and salt from the hypolimnion, while dissolved oxygen concentrations increase. In other years, such as the winter of 1996a??1997, heat and salt concentrations increase throughout the year and dissolved oxygen levels drop, indicating conditions were dominated by the background geothermal inputs and dissolved oxygen consumption by bacteria (i.e., minimal deep convection). Over the entire 14 year period, no statistically significant trend was observed in the annual hypolimnetic heat and salt content. Measurements from several thermistors moored in the hypolimnion provide new insight into the time and space scales of the deep convection events. For some events, cool water intrusions are observed sequentially, from shallower depths to deeper depths, suggesting vertical mixing or advection from above. For other events, the cooling is observed first at the deepest sensors, suggesting a thin, cold water pulse that flows along the bottom and mixes more slowly upwards into the basin. In both cases, the source waters must originate from the epilimnion. Conditions during a strong ventilation year (1994a??1995) and a weak ventilation year (1996a??1997) were compared. The results suggest the major difference between these 2 years was the evolution of the stratification in the epilimnion during the first few weeks of reverse stratification such that thermobaric instabilities were easier to form during 1995 thana?#1997. Thus, the details of surface cooling and wind-driven mixing during the early stages ofa?#reverse stratification may determine the neta?#amount of ventilation possible during

Hydrologic and climatologic data, 1965, Salt Lake County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Iorns, W.V.; Mower, Reed W.; Horr, C.A.

1966-01-01

An investigation of the water resources of Salt Lake County, Utah, was undertaken by the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey in July 1963. This investigation is a cooperative project financed equally by the State of Utah and the Federal Government in accordance with an agreement between the State Engineer and the Geological Survey. The Utah Water and Power Board, Utah Fish and Game Commission, Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District, Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Kennecott Copper Corporation, Utah Power and Light Company, Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce, and the Central Utah Water Conservancy District. contributed funds to the State Engineer's office toward support of the project.The investigation encompasses the collection and interpretation of a large variety of climatologic, hydrologic, and geologic data in and near Salt Lake County. Utah Basic-Data Release No. 11 contains data collected through 1964. This release contains climatologic and surface-water data for the 1965 water year (October 1964 to September 1965) and ground-water data collected during the 1965 calendar year. Similar annual releases will contain data collected during the remainder of the investigation, and interpretive reports will be prepared as the investigation proceeds. Organizations that furnished data are acknowledged in station descriptions and footnotes to tables.

Hydrologic and climatologic data, 1966, Salt Lake County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hely, A.G.; Mower, Reed W.; Horr, C.A.

1967-01-01

An investigation of the water resources of Salt Lake County, Utah, was undertaken by the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey in July 1963. This investigation is a cooperative project financed equally by the State of Utah and the Federal Government in accordance with an agreement between the State Engineer and the Geological Survey. The Utah Water and Power Board, Utah Fish and Game Commission, Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District, Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Kennecott Copper Corporation, Utah Power and Light Company, Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce, and the Central Utah Water Conservancy District contributed funds to the State Engineer's office toward support of the project.The investigation encompasses the collection and interpretation of a large variety of climatologic, hydrologic, and geologic data in and near Salt Lake County. Utah Basic-Data Releases 11 and 12 contain data collected through 1965. This release contains climatologic and surface-water data for the 1966 water year (October 1965 to September 1966) and groundwater data collected during the 1966 calendar year. Similar annual releases will contain data collected during the remainder of the investigation, and interpretive reports will be prepared as the investigation proceeds. Organizations that furnished data are acknowledged in station descriptions and footnotes to tables.

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.

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.

Thermal, chemical, and optical properties of Crater Lake, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, G.L.; Hoffman, R.L.; McIntire, D.C.; Buktenica, M.W.; Girdner, S.F.

2007-01-01

Crater Lake covers the floor of the Mount Mazama caldera that formed 7700 years ago. The lake has a surface area of 53 km2 and a maximum depth of 594 m. There is no outlet stream and surface inflow is limited to small streams and springs. Owing to its great volume and heat, the lake is not covered by snow and ice in winter unlike other lakes in the Cascade Range. The lake is isothermal in winter except for a slight increase in temperature in the deep lake from hyperadiabatic processes and inflow of hydrothermal fluids. During winter and spring the water column mixes to a depth of about 200-250 m from wind energy and convection. Circulation of the deep lake occurs periodically in winter and spring when cold, near-surface waters sink to the lake bottom; a process that results in the upwelling of nutrients, especially nitrate-N, into the upper strata of the lake. Thermal stratification occurs in late summer and fall. The maximum thickness of the epilimnion is about 20 m and the metalimnion extends to a depth of about 100 m. Thus, most of the lake volume is a cold hypolimnion. The year-round near-bottom temperature is about 3.5??C. Overall, hydrothermal fluids define and temporally maintain the basic water quality characteristics of the lake (e.g., pH, alkalinity and conductivity). Total phosphorus and orthophosphate-P concentrations are fairly uniform throughout the water column, where as total Kjeldahl-N and ammonia-N are highest in concentration in the upper lake. Concentrations of nitrate-N increase with depth below 200 m. No long-term changes in water quality have been detected. Secchi disk (20-cm) clarity varied seasonally and annually, but was typically highest in June and lowest in August. During the current study, August Secchi disk clarity readings averaged about 30 m. The maximum individual clarity reading was 41.5 m in June 1997. The lowest reading was 18.1 m in July 1995. From 1896 (white-dinner plate) to 2003, the average August Secchi disk reading was

Bacterial Diversity in the Soda Saline Crater Lake from Isabel Island, Mexico.

PubMed

Aguirre-Garrido, José Félix; Ramírez-Saad, Hugo César; Toro, Nicolás; Martínez-Abarca, Francisco

2016-01-01

Isabel Lake is a moderate saline soda crater lake located in Isabel Island in the eastern tropical Pacific coast of Mexico. Lake is mainly formed by rainfall and is strongly affected by evaporation and high input of nutrients derived from excretions of a large bird community inhabiting the island. So far, only the island macrobiota has been studied. The knowledge of the prokaryotic biota inhabiting the upper layers of this meromictic lake can give clues for the maintenance of this ecosystem. We assessed the diversity and composition of prokaryotic community in sediments and water of the lake by DGGE profiling, 16S rRNA gene amplicon pyrosequencing, and cultivation techniques. The bacterial community is largely dominated by halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms. Alpha diversity estimations reveal higher value in sediments than in water (P > 0.005). The lake water is dominated by γ-Proteobacteria belonging to four main families where Halomonadaceae presents the highest abundance. Aerobic, phototrophic, and halotolerant prokaryotes such as Cyanobacteria GPIIa, Halomonas, Alcanivorax, Idiomarina, and Cyclobacterium genera are commonly found. However, in sediment samples, Formosa, Muricauda, and Salegentibacter genera corresponding to Flavobacteriaceae family accounted for 15-20 % of the diversity. Heterotrophs like those involved in sulfur cycle, Desulfotignum, Desulfuromonas, Desulfofustis, and Desulfopila, appear to play an important role in sediments. Finally, a collection of aerobic halophilic bacterial isolates was created from these samples; members of the genus Halomonas were predominantly isolated from lake water. This study contributes to state the bacterial diversity present in this particular soda saline crater lake.

Space Radar Image of Salt Lake City, Utah

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

This radar image of Salt Lake City, Utah, illustrates the different land use patterns that are present in the Utah Valley. Salt Lake City lies between the shores of the Great Salt Lake (the dark area on the left side of the image) and the Wasatch Front Range (the mountains in the upper half of the image). The Salt Lake City area is of great interest to urban planners because of the combination of lake, valley and alpine environments that coexist in the region. Much of the southern shore of the Great Salt Lake is a waterfowl management area. The green grid pattern in the right center of the image is Salt Lake City and its surrounding communities. The Salt Lake City airport is visible as the brown rectangle near the center of the image. Interstate Highway 15 runs from the middle right edge to the upper left of the image. The bright white patch east of Interstate 15 is the downtown area, including Temple Square and the state capitol. The University of Utah campus is the yellowish area that lies at the base of the mountains, east of Temple Square. The large reservoir in the lower left center is a mine tailings pond. The semi-circular feature in the mountains at the bottom edge of the image is the Kennecott Copper Mine. The area shown is 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers (37 miles by 25 miles) and is centered at 40.6 degrees north latitude, 112.0 degrees west longitude. North is toward the upper left. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on April 10, 1994. The colors in this image represent the following radar channels and polarizations: red is L-band, horizontally transmitted and received; green is L-band, horizontally transmitted and vertically received; and blue is C-band, horizontally transmitted and vertically received. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth program.

Space Radar Image of Salt Lake City, Utah

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-04-15

This radar image of Salt Lake City, Utah, illustrates the different land use patterns that are present in the Utah Valley. Salt Lake City lies between the shores of the Great Salt Lake (the dark area on the left side of the image) and the Wasatch Front Range (the mountains in the upper half of the image). The Salt Lake City area is of great interest to urban planners because of the combination of lake, valley and alpine environments that coexist in the region. Much of the southern shore of the Great Salt Lake is a waterfowl management area. The green grid pattern in the right center of the image is Salt Lake City and its surrounding communities. The Salt Lake City airport is visible as the brown rectangle near the center of the image. Interstate Highway 15 runs from the middle right edge to the upper left of the image. The bright white patch east of Interstate 15 is the downtown area, including Temple Square and the state capitol. The University of Utah campus is the yellowish area that lies at the base of the mountains, east of Temple Square. The large reservoir in the lower left center is a mine tailings pond. The semi-circular feature in the mountains at the bottom edge of the image is the Kennecott Copper Mine. The area shown is 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers (37 miles by 25 miles) and is centered at 40.6 degrees north latitude, 112.0 degrees west longitude. North is toward the upper left. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on April 10, 1994. The colors in this image represent the following radar channels and polarizations: red is L-band, horizontally transmitted and received; green is L-band, horizontally transmitted and vertically received; and blue is C-band, horizontally transmitted and vertically received. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth program. http

Temperature profiles from Pos Crater Lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neshyba, Steve; Fernandez, Walter; Diaz-Andrade, José

In 1984, we took part in an expedition to measure the temperature field and bathymetry of the acid lake (Figure 1) that has formed in the crater of Poás volcano, Costa Rica, since its last eruption in 1953. Obtaining these data was the first step in a long-range study planned by researchers at the Center for Geophysical Research, University of Costa Rica (San Jose, Costa Rica), and the College of Oceanography, Oregon State University (Corvallis). The study will eventually consider all aspects of fluid behavior in a volcanic lake that is heated or otherwise convectively driven by energy injected at the lake bottom.Evidence of convection is clearly visible on the surface of the Poás lake most of the time. Fumarole activity has been continuous since 1953. Phreatic explosions are quite frequent, varying from weak to strong, and the height of the ejected column varies from 1 to more than 500 m. One immediately useful result of the research would be an estimate of the heat transfer from sources within the conduit to the overlying water column. As far as geophysical fluid behavior goes, we are interested in the turbulent and diffusive processes by which heat and chemical species are transferred. We are especially interested in the impact on the density stratification of the density changes that occur as particulates settle downward through the fluid column. The stratification would otherwise be controlled by the turbulent and diffusive processes driven by thermochemical factors.

Particle formation above natural and simulated salt lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamilli, Katharina A.; Ofner, Johannes; Sattler, Tobias; Krause, Torsten; Held, Andreas

2014-05-01

Originally, Western Australia was covered with Eucalyptus trees. Large scale deforestation for agricultural purposes led to rising ground water levels and brought dissolved salts and minerals to the surface. Nowadays, Western Australia is known for a great plenty of salt lakes with pH levels reaching from 2.5 to 7.1. The land is mainly used for wheat farming and livestock and becomes drier due to the lack of rain periods. One possible reason could be the formation of ultrafine particles from salt lakes, which increases the number of cloud condensation nuclei, and thus potentially suppresses precipitation. Several field campaigns have been conducted between 2006 and 2011 with car-based and airborne measurements, where new particle formation has been observed and has been related to the Western Australian salt lakes (Junkermann et al., 2009). To identify particle formation directly above the salt lakes, a 2.35 m³ PTFE chamber was set up above several lakes in 2012 and 2013. Inside the chamber, photochemistry may take place whereas mixing through wind or advection of already existing particles is prevented. Salt lakes with a low pH level led to strongly increased aerosol formation. Also, the dependence on meteorological conditions has been examined. To obtain chemical information of the newly formed particles, during the chamber experiments also aerosol filter samples have been taken. The analysis of the anions by ion chromatography in 2012 showed an 8 to 17 times higher concentration of Cl- than SO42-, which led to the assumption that particle formation may have been influenced by halogens. As reference experiments, laboratory based aerosol smog-chamber runs were performed to examine halogen induced aerosol formation under atmospheric conditions using simulated sunlight and the simplified chemical composition of a salt lake. The mixture included FeSO4, NaCl and Na2SO4. After adding α-pinene to the simulated salt lake, a strong nucleation event began comparable to

Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

As seen from space, the Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA (41.5N, 112.5W) appears as two separate bodies of water with a narrow divider in the middle. At the turn of the century, a railroad bridge without culverts, was built across the lake and ever since, the water and salinity levels have been uneqal on either side. Fed by snowmelt from the nearby Wasatch Mountains, the lake in recent years has had record high water levels, threatening to flood the local areas.

Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-03-04

As seen from space, the Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA (41.5N, 112.5W) appears as two separate bodies of water with a narrow divider in the middle. At the turn of the century, a railroad bridge without culverts, was built across the lake and ever since, the water and salinity levels have been uneqal on either side. Fed by snowmelt from the nearby Wasatch Mountains, the lake in recent years has had record high water levels, threatening to flood the local areas.

75 FR 9476 - Environmental Impact Statement: Salt Lake County, UT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-02

... Lake County, UT AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of intent. SUMMARY... be prepared for a proposed transportation improvement project in Salt Lake County, Utah. FOR FURTHER... 9A, Salt Lake City, UT 84118, Telephone: (801) 963-0182, E-mail: [email protected] . The Utah...

Geochemical evolution of Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, B.F.; Naftz, D.L.; Spencer, R.J.; Oviatt, Charles G.

2009-01-01

The Great Salt Lake (GSL) of Utah, USA, is the largest saline lake in North America, and its brines are some of the most concentrated anywhere in the world. The lake occupies a closed basin system whose chemistry reflects solute inputs from the weathering of a diverse suite of rocks in its drainage basin. GSL is the remnant of a much larger lacustrine body, Lake Bonneville, and it has a long history of carbonate deposition. Inflow to the lake is from three major rivers that drain mountain ranges to the east and empty into the southern arm of the lake, from precipitation directly on the lake, and from minor groundwater inflow. Outflow is by evaporation. The greatest solute inputs are from calcium bicarbonate river waters mixed with sodium chloride-type springs and groundwaters. Prior to 1930 the lake concentration inversely tracked lake volume, which reflected climatic variation in the drainage, but since then salt precipitation and re-solution, primarily halite and mirabilite, have periodically modified lake-brine chemistry through density stratification and compositional differentiation. In addition, construction of a railway causeway has restricted circulation, nearly isolating the northern from the southern part of the lake, leading to halite precipitation in the north. These and other conditions have created brine differentiation, mixing, and fractional precipitation of salts as major factors in solute evolution. Pore fluids and diagenetic reactions have been identified as important sources and especially sinks for CaCO3, Mg, and K in the lake, depending on the concentration gradient and clays. ?? U.S. Geological Survey 2008.

75 FR 22892 - Environmental Impact Statement: Salt Lake County, UT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-30

... Lake County, UT AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), USDOT. ACTION: Notice of Intent. SUMMARY... be prepared for a proposed transportation improvement project in Salt Lake County, Utah. FOR FURTHER... 4700 South, Suite 9A, Salt Lake City, UT 84118, telephone (801) 963-0182, e-mail [email protected

How Do Changes to the Railroad Causeway in Utah's Great Salt Lake Affect Water and Salt Flow?

PubMed

White, James S; Null, Sarah E; Tarboton, David G

2015-01-01

Managing terminal lake elevation and salinity are emerging problems worldwide. We contribute to terminal lake management research by quantitatively assessing water and salt flow for Utah's Great Salt Lake. In 1959, Union Pacific Railroad constructed a rock-filled causeway across the Great Salt Lake, separating the lake into a north and south arm. Flow between the two arms was limited to two 4.6 meter wide rectangular culverts installed during construction, an 88 meter opening (referred to locally as a breach) installed in 1984, and the semi porous material of the causeway. A salinity gradient developed between the two arms of the lake over time because the south arm receives approximately 95% of the incoming streamflow entering Great Salt Lake. The north arm is often at, or near, salinity saturation, averaging 317 g/L since 1966, while the south is considerably less saline, averaging 142 g/L since 1966. Ecological and industrial uses of the lake are dependent on long-term salinity remaining within physiological and economic thresholds, although optimal salinity varies for the ecosystem and between diverse stakeholders. In 2013, Union Pacific Railroad closed causeway culverts amid structural safety concerns and proposed to replace them with a bridge, offering four different bridge designs. As of summer 2015, no bridge design has been decided upon. We investigated the effect that each of the proposed bridge designs would have on north and south arm Great Salt Lake elevation and salinity by updating and applying US Geological Survey's Great Salt Lake Fortran Model. Overall, we found that salinity is sensitive to bridge size and depth, with larger designs increasing salinity in the south arm and decreasing salinity in the north arm. This research illustrates that flow modifications within terminal lakes cannot be separated from lake salinity, ecology, management, and economic uses.

Morphology, volcanism, and mass wasting in Crater Lake, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bacon, C.R.; Gardner, J.V.; Mayer, L.A.; Buktenica, M.W.; Dartnell, P.; Ramsey, D.W.; Robinson, J.E.

2002-01-01

Crater Lake was surveyed nearly to its shoreline by high-resolution multibeam echo sounding in order to define its geologic history and provide an accurate base map for research and monitoring surveys. The bathymetry and acoustic backscatter reveal the character of landforms and lead to a chronology for the concurrent filling of the lake and volcanism within the ca. 7700 calibrated yr B.P. caldera. The andesitic Wizard Island and central-plattform volcanoes are composed of sequences of lava deltas that record former lake levels and demonstrate simultaneous activity at the two vents. Wizard Island eruptions ceased when the lake was ~80 m lower than at present. Lava streams from prominent channels on the surface of the central platform descended to feed extensive subaqueous flow fields on the caldera floor. The Wizard Island and central-platform volcanoes, andesitic Merriam Cone, and a newly discovered probable lava flow on the eastern floor of the lake apparently date from within a few hundred years of caldera collapse, whereas a small rhydacite dome was emplaced on the flank of Wizard Island at ca. 4800 cal. yr B.P. Bedrock outcrops on the submerged caldera walls are shown in detail and, in some cases, can be correlated with exposed geologic units of Mount Mazama. Fragmental debris making up the walls elsewhere consists of narrow talus cones forming a dendritic pattern that leads to fewer, wider ridges downslope. Hummocky topography and scattered blocks up to ~280 m long below many of the embayments in the caldera wall mark debris-avalanche deposits that probably formed in single events and commonly are affected by secondary failures. The flat-floored, deep basins contain relatively fine-grained sediment transported from the debris aprons by sheet-flow turbidity currents. Crater Lake apparently filled rapidly (ca. 400-750 yr) until reaching a permeable layer above glaciated lava identified by the new survey in the northeast caldera wall at ~1845 m elevation

Measurements of spectral optical properties and their relation to biogeochemical variables and processes in Crater Lake, Crater Lake National Park, OR

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boss, E.S.; Collier, R.; Larson, G.; Fennel, K.; Pegau, W.S.

2007-01-01

Spectral inherent optical properties (IOPs) have been measured at Crater Lake, OR, an extremely clear sub-alpine lake. Indeed Pure water IOPs are major contributors to the total IOPs, and thus to the color of the lake. Variations in the spatial distribution of IOPs were observed in June and September 2001, and reflect biogeochemical processes in the lake. Absorption by colored dissolved organic material increases with depth and between June and September in the upper 300 m. This pattern is consistent with a net release of dissolved organic materials from primary and secondary production through the summer and its photo-oxidation near the surface. Waters fed by a tributary near the lake's rim exhibited low levels of absorption by dissolved organic materials. Scattering is mostly dominated by organic particulate material, though inorganic material is found to enter the lake from the rim following a rain storm. Several similarities to oceanic oligotrophic regions are observed: (a) The Beam attenuation correlates well with particulate organic material (POM) and the relationship is similar to that observed in the open ocean. (b) The specific absorption of colored dissolved organic material has a value similar to that of open ocean humic material. (c) The distribution of chlorophyll with depth does not follow the distribution of particulate organic material due to photo-acclimation resulting in a subsurface pigment maximum located about 50 m below the POM maximum. ?? 2007 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

How Do Changes to the Railroad Causeway in Utah’s Great Salt Lake Affect Water and Salt Flow?

PubMed Central

White, James S.; Null, Sarah E.; Tarboton, David G.

2015-01-01

Managing terminal lake elevation and salinity are emerging problems worldwide. We contribute to terminal lake management research by quantitatively assessing water and salt flow for Utah’s Great Salt Lake. In 1959, Union Pacific Railroad constructed a rock-filled causeway across the Great Salt Lake, separating the lake into a north and south arm. Flow between the two arms was limited to two 4.6 meter wide rectangular culverts installed during construction, an 88 meter opening (referred to locally as a breach) installed in 1984, and the semi porous material of the causeway. A salinity gradient developed between the two arms of the lake over time because the south arm receives approximately 95% of the incoming streamflow entering Great Salt Lake. The north arm is often at, or near, salinity saturation, averaging 317 g/L since 1966, while the south is considerably less saline, averaging 142 g/L since 1966. Ecological and industrial uses of the lake are dependent on long-term salinity remaining within physiological and economic thresholds, although optimal salinity varies for the ecosystem and between diverse stakeholders. In 2013, Union Pacific Railroad closed causeway culverts amid structural safety concerns and proposed to replace them with a bridge, offering four different bridge designs. As of summer 2015, no bridge design has been decided upon. We investigated the effect that each of the proposed bridge designs would have on north and south arm Great Salt Lake elevation and salinity by updating and applying US Geological Survey’s Great Salt Lake Fortran Model. Overall, we found that salinity is sensitive to bridge size and depth, with larger designs increasing salinity in the south arm and decreasing salinity in the north arm. This research illustrates that flow modifications within terminal lakes cannot be separated from lake salinity, ecology, management, and economic uses. PMID:26641101

Movement of road salt to a small New Hampshire lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosenberry, D.O.; Bukaveckas, P.A.; Buso, D.C.; Likens, G.E.; Shapiro, A.M.; Winter, T.C.

1999-01-01

Runoff of road salt from an interstate highway in New Hampshire has led to contamination of a lake and a stream that flows into the lake, in spite of the construction of a diversion berm to divert road salt runoff out of the lake drainage basin. Chloride concentration in the stream has increased by over an order of magnitude during the 23 yr since the highway was opened, and chloride concentration in the lake has tripled. Road salt moves to the lake primarily via the contaminated stream, which provides 53% of all the chloride to the lake and only 3% of the total streamflow to the lake. The stream receives discharge of salty water froth leakage through the diversion berm. Uncontaminated ground water dilutes the stream downstream of the berm. However, reversals of gradient during summer months, likely caused by transpiration from deciduous trees, result in flow of contaminated stream water into the adjacent ground water along the lowest 40-m reach of the stream. This contaminated ground water then discharges into the lake along a 70-m-wide segment of lake shore. Road salt is pervasive in the bedrock between the highway and the lake, but was not detected at all of the wells in the glacial overburden. Of the 500 m of shoreline that could receive discharge of saly ground water directly from the highway, only a 50-m-long segment appears to be contaminated.

Lake sedimentological and plant ecological development across the Early Danian hyperthermal, Boltysh Impact Crater, Ukraine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebinghaus, Alena; Jolley, David; Andrews, Steven; Kemp, David

2017-04-01

Past hyperthermals and associated negative carbon isotope excursions (CIEs) are inferred to have had significant impact on marine environments; however the formation and changes of terrestrial ecosystems across hyperthermals are less well constrained due to the lack of complete and high-resolution data. The Boltysh impact crater, Ukraine, which formed at the Cretaceous/Palaeogene (K/Pg) boundary at the northern margin of the Tethys Ocean, contains a >400 m thick unique and detailed lacustrine rock record of the Early Danian Dan-C2 hyperthermal. Based on a borehole (hole 42/11) drilled in the central part of the crater, we use a combination of sedimentological, palynological and carbon isotope data to 1) characterise and reconstruct lake formation and associated plant ecosystems, and 2) to assess lake sedimentological and ecological response to climatic variabilities during warming. Based on detailed facies analysis, 3 major gradual stages of lake formation are identified, indicating a strong relationship to carbon isotope shifts and associated climatic trends. Initial pre-excursion sedimentation was controlled by crater morphology and crater rim erosion transporting high amount of sediment into a shallow fresh water lake. During the negative excursion, sediment supply was increasingly characterised by inflow-evaporation ratio variabilities which affected seasonal stratification patterns and longer-term lake levels. An inferred increase in atmospheric pCO2 during the CIE, together with increasing mean annual temperatures, was likely responsible for periodic increases in bioproductivity. Palynological analyses demonstrate a gradual shift from mesic humid dominated vegetation to winterwet savannah-type vegetation at this stage, associated with an increase in mean annual temperatures and decrease in moisture availability. The positive excursion (recovery) and post-excursion stage is characterised by increased abundance of temperate mesic humid taxa. This cooling trend

Simulation of deep ventilation in Crater Lake, Oregon, 1951–2099

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wood, Tamara M.; Wherry, Susan A.; Piccolroaz, Sebastiano; Girdner, Scott F

2016-05-04

The frequency of deep ventilation events in Crater Lake, a caldera lake in the Oregon Cascade Mountains, was simulated in six future climate scenarios, using a 1-dimensional deep ventilation model (1DDV) that was developed to simulate the ventilation of deep water initiated by reverse stratification and subsequent thermobaric instability. The model was calibrated and validated with lake temperature data collected from 1994 to 2011. Wind and air temperature data from three general circulation models and two representative concentration pathways were used to simulate the change in lake temperature and the frequency of deep ventilation events in possible future climates. The lumped model air2water was used to project lake surface temperature, a required boundary condition for the lake model, based on air temperature in the future climates.The 1DDV model was used to simulate daily water temperature profiles through 2099. All future climate scenarios projected increased water temperature throughout the water column and a substantive reduction in the frequency of deep ventilation events. The least extreme scenario projected the frequency of deep ventilation events to decrease from about 1 in 2 years in current conditions to about 1 in 3 years by 2100. The most extreme scenario considered projected the frequency of deep ventilation events to be about 1 in 7.7 years by 2100. All scenarios predicted that the temperature of the entire water column will be greater than 4 °C for increasing lengths of time in the future and that the conditions required for thermobaric instability induced mixing will become rare or non-existent.The disruption of deep ventilation by itself does not provide a complete picture of the potential ecological and water quality consequences of warming climate to Crater Lake. Estimating the effect of warming climate on deep water oxygen depletion and water clarity will require careful modeling studies to combine the physical mixing processes affected by

Water and salt balance of Great Salt Lake, Utah, and simulation of water and salt movement through the causeway

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wold, Steven R.; Thomas, Blakemore E.; Waddell, Kidd M.

1997-01-01

The water and salt balance of Great Salt Lake primarily depends on the amount of inflow from tributary streams and the conveyance properties of a causeway constructed during 1957-59 that divides the lake into the south and north parts. The conveyance properties of the causeway originally included two culverts, each 15 feet wide, and the permeable rock-fill material.During 1980-86, the salt balance changed as a result of record high inflow that averaged 4,627,000 acre-feet annually and modifications made to the conveyance properties of the causeway that included opening a 300-foot-wide breach. In this study, a model developed in 1973 by Waddell and Bolke to simulate the water and salt balance of the lake was revised to accommodate the high water-surface altitude and modifications made to the causeway. This study, done by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Lands and Forestry, updates the model with monitoring data collected during 1980-86. This report describes the calibration of the model and presents the results of simulations for three hypothetical 10-year periods.During January 1, 1980, to July 31, 1984, a net load of 0.5 billion tons of dissolved salt flowed from the south to the north part of the lake primarily as a result of record inflows. From August 1, 1984, when the breach was opened, to December 31,1986, a net load of 0.3 billion tons of dissolved salt flowed from the north to the south part of the lake primarily as a result of the breach.For simulated inflow rates during a hypothetical 10-year period resulting in the water-surface altitude decreasing from about 4,200 to 4,192 feet, there was a net movement of about 1.0 billion tons of dissolved salt from the south to the north part, and about 1.7 billion tons of salt precipitated in the north part. For simulated inflow rates during a hypothetical 10-year period resulting in a rise in water-surface altitude from about 4,200 to 4

Anaglyph, Salt Lake City, Utah

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

The 2002 Winter Olympics are hosted by Salt Lake City at several venues within the city, in nearby cities, and within the adjacent Wasatch Mountains. This anaglyph image provides a stereoscopic map view of north central Utah that includes all of these Olympic sites. In the south, next to Utah Lake, Provo hosts the ice hockey competition. In the north, northeast of the Great Salt Lake, Ogden hosts curling and the nearby Snowbasin ski area hosts the downhill events. In between, southeast of the Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake City hosts the Olympic Village and the various skating events. Further east, across the Wasatch Mountains, the Park City ski resort hosts the bobsled, ski jumping, and snowboarding events. The Winter Olympics are always hosted in mountainous terrain. This view shows the dramatic landscape that makes the Salt Lake City region a world-class center for winter sports.

The stereoscopic effect of this anaglyph was created by first draping a Landsat satellite image over a Shuttle Radar Topography Mission digital elevation model and then generating two differing perspectives, one for each eye. When viewed through special glasses, the result is a vertically exaggerated view of Earth's surface in its full three dimensions. Anaglyph glasses cover the left eye with a red filter and cover the right eye with a blue filter.

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 will substantially help in analyzing the large and growing Landsat image archive, managed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Elevation data used in this image was acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on Feb. 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 the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM

Evolution of salt and hydrocarbon migration: Sweet Lake area, Cameron Parish, Louisiana

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

Spencer, J.A.; Sharpe, C.L.

The interpretation of seismic, gravity, and well data in northern Cameron Parish, Louisiana suggest that lateral salt flow has influenced the area`s structural evolution, depositional patterns, and hydrocarbon migration. Sweet Lake Field has produced over 46 MMBO and 15 BCFG from Middle Miocene deltaic sands. The structural closure is a downthrown anticline on a fault controlled by the underlying salt feature. Sweet Lake Field overlies an allochthonous salt mass that was probably once part of an ancestral salt ridge extending from Hackberry to Big Lake fields. Nine wells encountering top of salt and several seismic lines define a detached saltmore » feature underlying over twenty square miles at depths from 8500-18,000 ft. Salt withdrawal in the East Hackberry-Big Lake area influenced the depositional patterns of the Oligocene lower Hackberry channel systems. Progradation of thick Middle Oligocene Camerina (A) and Miogypsinoides sands into the area caused salt thinning and withdrawal resulting in the development and orientation of the large Marginulina-Miogypsinoides growth fault northwest of Sweet Lake. Additional evidence for the southeast trend of the salt is a well approximately two miles southeast of Sweet Lake which encountered salt at approximately 19,800 ft. High quality 2-D and 3-D seismic data will continue to enhance the regional understanding of the evolving salt structures in the onshore Gulf Coast and the local understanding of hydrocarbon migration. Additional examples of lateral salt flow will be recognized and some may prove to have subsalt hydrocarbon potential.« less

Hydrologic and climatologic data, 1967, Salt Lake County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hely, A.G.; Mower, Reed W.; Horr, C.A.

1968-01-01

An investigation of the water resources of Salt Lake County, Utah, was undertaken by the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey in July 1963. This investigation is a cooperative project financed chiefly by equal contributions of the State of Utah and the Federal Government in accordance with an agreement between the Division of Water Rights, Utah Department of Natural Resources, and the Geological Survey. The investigation was financed during the period covered by this report by the following organizations: Utah Division of Water Rights (formerly State Engineer), Utah Division of Water Resources (formerly Water and Power Board), Salt Lake County, Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District, Central Utah Water Conservancy District, Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake City, City of Murray, Granger-Hunter Improvement District, Taylorsville-Bennion Improvement District, Holladay Water Company, Magna Water and Sewer District, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Geological Survey.The investigation encompasses the collection and interpretation of a large variety of climatologic, hydrologic, and geologic data in and near Salt Lake County. Utah Basic-Data Releases 11-13 contain data collected through 1966. This release contains climatologic and surfacewater data for the 1967 water year (October 1966 to September 1967) and ground-water data collected during the 1967 calendar year. A similar annual release will contain data collected during the remainder of the investigation, and interpretive reports will be prepared as the investigation proceeds. Organizations that furnished data are acknowledged in station descriptions and footnotes to tables.

Hydrologic and climatologic data, 1968, Salt Lake County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

1969-01-01

An investigation of the water resources of Salt Lake County, Utah, was undertaken by the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey in July 1963. This investigation is a cooperative project financed chiefly by equal contributions of the State of Utah and the Federal Government in accordance with an agreement between the Division of Water Rights, Utah Department of Natural Resources, and the Geological Survey. The investigation was financed during the period covered by this report by the following organizations: Utah Division of Water Rights (formerly State Engineer), Utah Division of Water Resources (formerly Water and Power Board), Salt Lake County, Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District, Central Utah Water Conservancy District, Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake City, City of Murray, Granger-Hunter Improvement District, Taylorsville-Bennion Improvement District, Holladay Water Company, Magna Water and Sewer District, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Geological SurveyThe investigation encompasses the collection and interpretation of a large variety of climatologic, hydrologic, and geologic data in and near Salt Lake County. Utah Basic-Data Releases 11-13 and 15 contain data collected through 1967. This release contains climatologic and surface-water data for the 1968 water year (October 1967 to September 1968) and ground-water data collected during the 1968 calendar year. This is the final annual release of basic data for this investigation. Interpretive reports summarizing the results are in preparation. Organizations that furnished data are acknowledged in station descriptions and footnotes to tables.

Volatile selenium flux from the great Salt Lake, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Diaz, X.; Johnson, W.P.; Oliver, W.A.; Naftz, D.L.

2009-01-01

The removal mechanisms that govern Se concentrations in the Great Salt Lake are unknown despite this terminal lake being an avian habitat of hemispheric importance. However, the volatilization flux of Se from the Great Salt Lake has not been previously measured due to challenges of analysis in this hypersaline environment This paper presents results from recent field studies examining the spatial distribution of dissolved volatile Se (areally and with depth) in the south arm (main body) of the Great Salt Lake. The analyses involved collection of dissolved volatile Se in a cryofocusing trap system via sparging with helium. The cryotrapped volatile Se was digested with nitric acid and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results show concentrations of dissolved volatile Se that increase with depth in the shallow brine, suggesting that phytoplankton in the open waters and bioherms in shallow sites (<4 m in depth) may be responsible for volatile Se production. Volatile Se flux to the atmosphere was determined using mass transport models corrected to simulate the highly saline environment of the south arm of the Great Salt Lake. The estimated annual flux of volatile Se was 1455 kg/year within a range from 560 to 3780 kg Se/year for the 95% confidence interval and from 970 to 2180 kg Se/year within the 68% confidence interval. ?? 2009 American Chemical Society.

Sedimentology and geochemistry of lacustrine sequences of the upper Pleistocene and holocene in intertropical area (Lake Magadi and Green crater lake): paleoclimatic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damnati, B.

1993-05-01

Sedimentological and geochemical analyses have been carried out on lacustrine deposits of East Africa, at Lake Magadi (2°S, 36°E, Kenya) and at Green Crater Lake (0°S, 36°E, Kenya), to determine the parameters controlling climatic and environmental dynamics during late Pleistocene and Holocene. These sedimentary sequences were collected with a stationary piston corer. At Lake Magadi (Fig. 1), sedimentary and geochemical control show three phases of lake level variation which corresponds to climatic change occurring during the last 40 thousand years. These phases were defined by three lithostratigraphic units. Laminated deposits of Lake Magadi were formed during a wet period. Analysis of these laminae define two microfacies: a dark lamina, characterised by lacustrine organic matter and a light lamina enriched in detritus, carbonates (CaCO 3) and magadiite (NaSi 7O 13(OH) 3, 3H 2O). The formation and preservation of each couplet was favoured by climatic contrast, lake stratification and various origin of the sediments (autochthon and allochthon) in the drainage basin. Therefore a relative chronology can be derived from laminae counting and the duration of deposition of each couplet. Spectral analysis applied on variation of the laminae thickness, shows the existence of three main periods, 4-7 years, 8-14 years and 18-30 years, respectively (Fig. 2). These cyclicites of the lacustrine environment precise former determinations established on more recent lacustrine sequences from East Africa. They are related to the global climatic cycle (quasi-biannual oscillations, El Nino Southern Oscillations and the sun spot cycles). At Green Crater Lake, the study of the sedimentary sequence was completed by physico-chemical analysis of the waters and interface sediments which demonstrate the carbonate, sodium, bicarbonate composition and the thermal and chemical stratification of the modern lake. The sedimentary sequence is characterized by volcanic deposits overlain by

Hydrologic and climatologic data collected through 1964, Salt Lake County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Iorns, W.V.; Mower, Reed W.; Horr, C.A.

1966-01-01

An investigation of the water resources of Salt Lake County, Utah, was undertaken by the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey in July 1963. This investigation is a cooperative project financed equally by the State of Utah and the Federal Government in accordance with an agreement between the State Engineer and the Geological Survey. The Utah Water and Power Board, Utah Fish and Game Commission, Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District, Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Kennecott Copper Corporation, Utah Power and Light Company, and Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce contributed funds to the State Engineer's office toward support of the project.The investigation encompasses the collection and interpretation of a large variety of climatologic, hydrologic, and geologic data in and near Salt Lake County. This basic-data report sets forth climatologic and surface-water data collected by project personnel and others during the water year beginning October 1, 1963, and ending September 30, 1964, and ground-water data collected by project personnel and others for the period July 1, 1963, through December 31, 1964. Included also are some earlier ground-water data not previously published. Organizations that furnished data are acknowledged in station descriptions and footnotes to tables. Data collected during the period of investigation will be published in annual basic-data releases and an interpretative report will be published at the completion of the investigation.

OMI observations of bromine monoxide emissions from salt lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suleiman, R. M.; Chance, K.; Liu, X.; Gonzalez Abad, G.; Kurosu, T. P.

2015-12-01

In this study, we analyze bromine monoxide (BrO) data from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) over various salt lakes. We used OMI data from 2005 to 2014 to investigate BrO signatures from salt lakes. The salt lakes regions we cover include Dead Sea; Salt Lake City, US; Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia; and Namtso, Tibet. Elevated signatures of BrO was found in July and August BrO monthly averages over the Dead Sea. Similar results were found in the BrO monthly averages for August 2006 for the Bolivian Salt Flats. We present a detailed description of the retrieval algorithm for the OMI operational bromine monoxide (BrO) product. The algorithm is based on direct fitting of radiances from 319.0-347.5 nm, within the UV-2 channel of OMI. Radiances are modeled from the solar irradiance, attenuated by contributions from the target gas and interfering gases, rotational Raman scattering, additive and multiplicative closure polynomials and a common mode spectrum. The common mode spectra (one per cross-track position, computed on-line) are the average of several hundred fitting residuals. They include any instrument effects that are unrelated to molecular scattering and absorption cross sections. The BrO retrieval uses albedo- and wavelength-dependent air mass factors (AMFs), which have been pre-computed using climatological BrO profiles. The wavelength-dependent AMF is applied pre-fit to the BrO cross-sections so that vertical column densities are retrieved directly. We validate OMI BrO with ground-based measurements from three stations (Harestua, Lauder, and Barrow) and with chemical transport model simulations. We analyze the global distribution and seasonal variation of BrO and investigate BrO emissions from volcanoes and salt lakes.

Energy Efficient Buildings, Salt Lake County, Utah

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

Barnett, Kimberly

2012-04-30

Executive Summary Salt Lake County's Solar Photovoltaic Project - an unprecedented public/private partnership Salt Lake County is pleased to announce the completion of its unprecedented solar photovoltaic (PV) installation on the Calvin R. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center. This 1.65 MW installation will be one the largest solar roof top installations in the country and will more than double the current installed solar capacity in the state of Utah. Construction is complete and the system will be operational in May 2012. The County has accomplished this project using a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) financing model. In a PPA model amore » third-party solar developer will finance, develop, own, operate, and maintain the solar array. Salt Lake County will lease its roof, and purchase the power from this third-party under a long-term Power Purchase Agreement contract. In fact, this will be one of the first projects in the state of Utah to take advantage of the recent (March 2010) legislation which makes PPA models possible for projects of this type. In addition to utilizing a PPA, this solar project will employ public and private capital, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG), and public/private subsidized bonds that are able to work together efficiently because of the recent stimulus bill. The project also makes use of recent changes to federal tax rules, and the recent re-awakening of private capital markets that make a significant public-private partnership possible. This is an extremely innovative project, and will mark the first time that all of these incentives (EECBG grants, Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds, New Markets tax credits, investment tax credits, public and private funds) have been packaged into one project. All of Salt Lake County's research documents and studies, agreements, and technical information is available to the public. In addition, the County has already shared a variety of information with the public through

Rollover in volcanic crater lakes: a possible cause for Lake Nyos type disasters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rice, A.

2000-04-01

Seemingly stably stratified fluids, that is a heavier layer of fluid underlying an upper layer of lighter fluid, can overturn if there is a heat flux through the system. Such events are termed ;rollover; in the engineering literature (occurring for instance in liquid natural gas tanks). They take place as well in lakes and ponds. In all such cases, the stratification starts off with the heavier, more dense fluid underlying lighter. Convection driven mixing at the stratification interface (due to the heat flux) as well as other processes serves to minimize with time the stabilizing density differences, which may eventually cause the stratification to invert. If gas has been contained under pressure in the lower layer, this gas may explosively vent from the fluid as it suddenly rises to the top such as occurs in liquid natural gas tanks where rollover is a hazard. These processes are quantifiable and are applied here to various scenarios that might refer to volcanic crater lakes whose lower layers are charged with volatiles. Provided herein are some examples of calculated conditions and calculated time of evolution leading to rollover with attendant release of gases from supersaturated ascending fluids. These calculations suggest rollover could occur in volcanic lakes. The August 1986 gas release at Lake Nyos is employed as an example. These estimates were made taking note that water is commonly supersaturated in CO2

Proposed Great Salt Lake Basin Hydrologic Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, W. P.; Tarboton, D. G.

2004-12-01

The dynamic physiography and population growth within the Great Salt Lake Basin provide the opportunity to observe climate and human-induced land-surface changes affecting water availability, water quality, and water use, thereby making the Great Salt Lake Basin a microcosm of contemporary water resource issues and an excellent site to pursue interdisciplinary and integrated hydrologic science. Important societal concerns center on: How do climate variability and human-induced landscape changes affect hydrologic processes, water quality and availability, and aquatic ecosystems over a range of scales? What are the resource, social, and economic consequences of these changes? The steep topography and large climatic gradients of the Great Salt Lake Basin yield hydrologic systems that are dominated by non-linear interactions between snow deposition and snow melt in the mountains, stream flow and groundwater recharge in the mid-elevations, and evaporative losses from the desert floor at lower elevations. Because the Great Salt Lake Basin terminates in a closed basin lake, it is uniquely suited to closing the water, solute, and sediment balances in a way that is rarely possible in a watershed of a size sufficient for coupling to investigations of atmospheric processes. Proposed infrastructure will include representative densely instrumented focus areas that will be nested within a basin-wide network, thereby quantifying fluxes, residence times, pathways, and storage volumes over a range of scales and land uses. The significant and rapid ongoing urbanization presents the opportunity for observations that quantify the interactions among hydrologic processes, human induced changes and social and economic dynamics. One proposed focus area will be a unique, highly instrumented mountain-to-basin transect that will quantify hydrologic processes extending from the mountain ridge top to the Great Salt Lake. The transect will range in elevation from about 1200 m to 3200 m, with a

The Ice-Covered Lakes Hypothesis in Gale Crater: Implications for the Early Hesperian Climate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kling, Alexandre M.; Haberle, Robert M.; McKay, Christopher P.; Bristow, Thomas F.; Rivera-Hernandez, Frances

2017-01-01

Recent geological discoveries from the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), including stream and lake sedimentary deposits, provide evidence that Gale crater may have intermittently hosted a fluviol-acustine environment during the Hesperian, with individual lakes lasting for a period of tens to hundreds of thousands of years. Estimates of the CO2 content of the atmosphere at the time the Gale sediments formed are far less than needed by any climate model to warm early Mars, given the low solar energy input available at Mars 3.5 Gya. We have therefore explored the possibility that the lakes in Gale during the Hesperian were perennially covered with ice using the Antarctic lakes as analogs.

Cultural Meromixis: the Influence of Road Salt Deicers on Two Urban Kettle Lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koretsky, C.; Sibert, R.; Wyman, D. A.; Griffey, D.; Krishnamurthy, R. V.

2014-12-01

The increasing global use of road salt deicers has led to an influx of salts, particularly NaCl and CaCl2, into urban surface waters. This influx has led to documented salinization of drinking water supplies, as well as damage to ecosystems. There is an increasing recognition that the influx of road salt deciers may also influence the physical mixing of lakes, with dramatic consequences for lake biogeochemistry. In this study, the water column chemistry of two kettle lakes in urban Kalamazoo, MI, USA was monitored for over a year. Woods Lake, an ~9.7 ha, 14 m max depth lake, receives most water from storm water sewers, whereas nearby Asylum Lake, an ~19.8 ha, 15.8 m max depth lake, is primarily groundwater fed. The water columns of both lakes are strongly redox stratified, but exhibit some significant differences in water chemistry. The input of road salt has caused Woods Lake to transition to meromixis, with permanently anoxic bottom waters and significant accumulations of dissolved Mn(II), Fe(II), NH3, PO4-3 and sometimes HS- in the hypolimnion. In contrast, Asylum Lake appears to be monomictic, with turnover occurring in fall, but not spring. During most seasons, the hypolimnion of Asylum Lake has significant levels of dissolved Mn(II), NH3, PO4-3, and sometimes HS-, but dissolved Fe(II) remains below detection limits. A comparison of δ18O and δD with the local meteoric water line demonstrates that both lakes undergo significant evaporation. Woods Lake is considerably more influenced by evaporation than Asylum Lake, presumably due to the longer residence time of water in Woods Lake. The longer residence time, together with the smaller volume of water in Woods Lake, likely explains the more rapid transition to meromixis compared to Asylum Lake. This study demonstrates that road salt deicers can significantly influence the biogeochemistry and physical function of urban lakes, and in some cases can result in dimictic lakes transitioning to cultural meromixis.

Fine-scale ignimbrite morphology revealed in LiDAR at Crater Lake, OR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, J. E.; Bacon, C. R.; Wright, H. M.

2011-12-01

Mount Mazama erupted ~7,700 years ago resulting in the collapse of Crater Lake caldera, ash fall across the Pacific Northwest, and emplacement of compositionally zoned ignimbrite. Early climactic ignimbrite contains uniform rhyodacitic pumice and traveled far from the vent, whereas late, less mobile ignimbrite is dominated by crystal-rich andesitic scoria and mafic crystal mush. Funded by the USGS, NPS, and FHWA, the DOGAMI-led Oregon LiDAR Consortium contracted with Watershed Services to collect ~800 km2 of LiDAR over Crater Lake National Park from Aug 2010 to Sept 2010. Ground laser returns have an average density of 1.63 returns/m2 over the heavily forested area of interest. The data have a lateral RMSE and vertical accuracy of 0.05 m. A bare earth terrain model allows a virtual removal of the forest, revealing fine-scale surface morphology, notably in the climactic ignimbrite. Secondary pyroclastic flows, explosion craters, erosion by water, and compaction-related deformation modified the originally smooth ignimbrite surface. Distinct pyroclastic flow fronts are evident in the LiDAR in Annie Creek valley. Leveed flows stand approximately 5 m above the lower ignimbrite surface, and individual toes are about 1-2 m high. Preliminary field checking indicates that rhyodacitic pumice dominates the lower ignimbrite surface, but the leveed flows are a subequal mix of locally oxidized rhyodacitic pumice and andesitic scoria. We hypothesize that these deposits were secondary pyroclastic flows formed by gravitational failure of late ignimbrite. In the Castle Creek valley, is a 2-meter collapse scarp that may have spawned a small secondary pyroclastic flow; several such headwall scarps are present in Sand Creek valley. Differential compaction features are common in many thick ignimbrites. We suggest this caused the deformation of the ignimbrite apparent in the LiDAR. In Annie Creek valley are a series of flow parallel asymmetric ridges, with shallower slopes toward the

Thin, Conductive Permafrost Surrounding Lake Fryxell Indicates Salts From Past Lakes, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foley, N.; Tulaczyk, S. M.; Gooseff, M. N.; Myers, K. F.; Doran, P. T.; Auken, E.; Dugan, H. A.; Mikucki, J.; Virginia, R. A.

2017-12-01

In the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV), permafrost should be thick and liquid water rare. However, despite the well below zero mean annual temperature in this cryospheric desert, liquid water can be found in lakes, summer melt streams, subglacial outflow, and - recent work has shown - underneath anomalously thin permafrost. In part, this niche hydrosphere is maintained by the presence of salts, which depress the freezing point of water to perhaps as cold as -10° Celsius. We detected widespread salty water across the MDV in lakes and at depth using a helicopter-borne Time Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) sensor. By using the presence of brines to mark the transition from frozen permafrost (near the surface) to unfrozen ground (at depth), we have created a map of permafrost thickness in Lower Taylor Valley (LTV), a large MDV with a complex history of glaciation and occupation by lakes. Our results show that permafrost is thinner ( 200m) than would be expected based on geothermal gradient measurements (up to 1000m), a result of the freezing point depression caused by salt and potentially enhanced by an unfinished transient freezing process. Near Lake Fryxell, a large, brackish lake in the center of LTV, permafrost is very thin (about 30-40m) and notably more electrically conductive than more distal permafrost. This thin ring of conductive permafrost surrounding the lake basin most likely reflects the high presence of salts in the subsurface, preventing complete freezing. These salts may be a remnant of the salty bottom waters of a historic larger lake (LGM glacially dammed Lake Washburn) or the remnant of salty basal water from a past advance of Taylor Glacier, which now sits many km up-valley but is known to contain brines which currently flow onto the surface and directly into the subsurface aquifer.

Physicochemical studies on Uburu Salt Lake Ebonyi State-Nigeria.

PubMed

Akubugwo, I E; Ofoegbu, C J; Ukwuoma, C U

2007-09-15

Physicochemical properties of soil (sediment) and water from Uburu salt lake were evaluated and compared with control soil and surface water from the same community. Results showed significant (p < 0.05) higher values for the heavy metals cadmium, chromium, copper, lead and zinc in the lake water relative to the control. The values of these metals in the lake soil (sediments) however, were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than the control soil. Similar significant (p < 0.05) elevations were observed in the lake water temperature, salinity, pH, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, nitrate, carbonate, sulphate and phosphate levels compared to the control. Significant (p < 0.05) changes were also noted in the lake soil's pH, exchangeable acidity, nitrogen, organic carbon, calcium and magnesium levels. Also the soil texture was affected relative to the control. In a number of cases, the values of the studied parameters were higher than the permissible WHO standards. In view of these findings, cautious use of the salt lake soil and water is advocated.

[Microbial diversity of salt lakes in Badain Jaran desert].

PubMed

Li, Lu; Hao, Chunbo; Wang, Lihua; Pei, Lixin

2015-04-04

We characterized procaryotic biodiversity, community structure and the relationship between the community structure and environmental factors of salt lakes in Badain Jaran desert, Inner Mongolia, China. We constructed 16S rRNA gene clone libraries by molecular biology techniques to analyze the procaryotic phylogenetic relationships, and used R language to compare the community structure of haloalkalophiles in the salt lakes. Water in this region has a high salinity ranging from 165 to 397 g/L. The water is strongly alkaline with pH value above 10. The microbial diversity and community structure of the salt lakes are obviously different. The diversity of bacteria is more abundant than that of archaea. The main categories of bacteria in the samples are Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Alphaproteobacteria, Firmicute and Verrucomicrobia, whereas all archaea only belong to Halobacteriaceae of Euryarchaeota. Salinity is the most important environmental factor influencing the bacterial community structure, whereas the archaea community structure was influenced comprehensively by multiple environmental factors.

Terminal Pleistocene to early Holocene volcanic eruptions at Zuni Salt Lake, west-central New Mexico, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onken, Jill; Forman, Steven

2017-01-01

Zuni Salt Lake (ZSL) is a large maar in the Red Hill-Quemado volcanic field located in west-central New Mexico in the southwestern USA. Stratigraphic analysis of sections in and around the maar, coupled with optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C dating, indicate that ZSL volcanic activity occurred between ˜13.4 and 9.9 ka and was most likely confined to a ≤500-year interval sometime between ˜12.3 and 11.0 ka. The basal volcanic unit consists of locally widespread basaltic ash fallout interpreted to represent a violent or wind-aided strombolian eruption tentatively attributed to Cerro Pomo, a scoria cone ˜10 km south of ZSL. Subsequent eruptions emanated from vents near or within the present-day ZSL maar crater. Strombolian eruptions of multiple spatter and scoria cones produced basaltic lava and scoria lapilli fallout. Next, a phreatomagmatic eruption created the maar crater and surrounding tephra rim and apron. ZSL eruptions ended with strombolian eruptions that formed three scoria cones on the crater floor. The revised age range of ZSL is younger and more precise than the 190-24 ka 2-sigma age range derived from previous argon dating. This implies that other morphologically youthful, argon-dated volcanoes on the southern margin of the Colorado Plateau might be substantially younger than previously reported.

Stereo Pair, Salt Lake City, Utah

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

The 2002 Winter Olympics are hosted by Salt Lake City at several venues within the city, in nearby cities, and within the adjacent Wasatch Mountains. This image pair provides a stereoscopic map view of north central Utah that includes all of these Olympic sites. In the south, next to Utah Lake, Provo hosts the ice hockey competition. In the north, northeast of the Great Salt Lake, Ogden hosts curling and the nearby Snowbasin ski area hosts the downhill events. In between, southeast of the Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake City hosts the Olympic Village and the various skating events. Further east, across the Wasatch Mountains, the Park City ski resort hosts the bobsled, ski jumping, and snowboarding events. The Winter Olympics are always hosted in mountainous terrain. This view shows the dramatic landscape that makes the Salt Lake City region a world-class center for winter sports.

This stereoscopic image was generated by draping a Landsat satellite image over a Shuttle Radar Topography Mission digital elevation model. Two differing perspectives were then calculated, one for each eye. They can be seen in 3-D by viewing the left image with the right eye and the right image with the left eye (cross-eyed viewing or by downloading and printing the image pair and viewing them with a stereoscope. When stereoscopically merged, the result is a vertically exaggerated view of Earth's surface in its full three dimensions.

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 will substantially help in analyzing the large and growing Landsat image archive, managed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Elevation data used in this image was acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on Feb. 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture

Paragenesis of thermal denudation with gas-emission crater and lake formation, Yamal Peninsula, Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babkina, Elena; Khomutov, Artem; Leibman, Marina; Dvornikov, Yury; Kizyakov, Alexander; Babkin, Evgeny

2017-04-01

Gas-emission craters (GECs) found in the North of West Siberia in 2014 occur in an area of wide tabular ground ice (TGI) distribution. TGI observed in the GEC walls also provokes thermal denudation: a complex of processes responsible for formation of thermocirques (TCs). TCs are semi-circle shaped depressions resulting from TGI thaw and removal of detached material downslope. Shores of many lakes are terraced and have ancient to recent traces of thermal denudation activity. TCs are numerous in the GEC area giving reason to assume that GEC, TGI, TC, and lakes are interrelated. First found Yamal crater (GEC-1) expanded from initial 18 m wide deep hole in 2013 to an irregularly-shaped lake up to 85 meters wide in 2016. Expansion of the GEC was controlled by TGI thaw. This can be considered in terms of thermal denudation and analyzed on the basis of TC study in the adjacent area. In summer 2014 and 2015 (the lifetime of the GEC-1) its wall retreat covered the area of 1730 square meters, which gives 865 square meters per year. In 2016, which was the warmest for the period of observation at weather station Marre-Sale, retreat area increased to 2200 square meters per year. TC, which exposed TGI similar to that in the walls of GEC-1, is observed on the nearest lakeshore. TC activation probably started in 2012 as elsewhere on Yamal. In 2015 its area according to GPS survey reached 4400 square meters (a four-year average 1100 square meters). Since September 2015 and till October 2016 its area expanded by 2600 square meters, thus increased by 59%, and more than twice compared to previous annual average. Lake adjacent to GEC-1 in 2016 was separated from crater edge by only a 13 meter wide isthmus, most likely both GEC-1 lake and adjacent lake merge in few years. Therefore, single basis of erosion for thermal denudation appear. After lakes merge, it would become hard to determine what the initial process for the lake formation was if not for the occasional discovery of the GEC

Temporal evolution of micro-eruptions within the crater lake of White Island (Whakaari) during January/February 2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Matt; Kennedy, Ben; Jolly, Art; Scheu, Bettina; Taddeucci, Jacopo; Jousset, Philippe; Schmid, Di

2015-04-01

Micro-eruptions are potentially modulated by hydrothermal systems and crater lakes but to date have not been well studied. In January/February 2013 White Island (Whakaari), New Zealand, experienced an about three week long period of atypical, frequent micro-eruptions within its crater lake. Many of these micro-eruptions were recorded by tour operators and GNS personnel monitoring the lake activity. Analysis of this video footage reveals an increasingly energetic eruption style. Deformation of the muddy lake surface by ascending bubbles begins as irregularly shaped bursts, producing liquid strings of mud ejected to heights of less than 10m at 10-15m/s. As the episode progresses, eruption frequency is maintained at semi-regular <10s intervals. Each eruption however starts with an increasingly hemispheric surface deformation ~6m in diameter, and bursts occur as "star-bursts" with ejection of less fluidal ash/mud clots. In addition, these bursts are commonly followed within 2s by a more vertical and energetic secondary ejection of material, which occasionally ejects through the deformed hemispheric surface up to >100m high, and reaches ejection velocities up to 45m/s. The period of frequent "star-bursts" is then followed by a two day phase of constant ~30-75m high ash ejection resulting in the formation of a tuff cone with a central open conduit of 6m within the former crater lake. We theorise that this behaviour is influenced by evolving bubble overpressure/volume, including the presence or absence of a trailing wake of smaller bubbles and is modulated over the eruption episode by the viscosity of the crater lake. In the early stages of the episode a lower viscosity lake provides little resistance to rising gas/ash mixtures. Bubble coalescence and/or overpressure development is therefore minimised, resulting in low energy bursts. Over the course of this episode the viscosity of the lake increases due to addition of ash from ash-carrying gas flux and fluid loss by

Dissolved-mineral inflow to Great Salt Lake and chemical characteristics of the salt lake brine. Part I: Selected hydrologic data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hahl, D.C.; Mitchell, C.G.

1963-01-01

This report presents the data collected for a study of the dissolved-mineral load contributed by surficial sources to Great Salt Lake, Utah. The study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the University of Utah during the period from July 1959 through June 1962, and is part of an overall investigation of the Great Salt Lake basin by the University. Financial support for the study was provided by the U.S. Geological Survey and by the University of Utah Research Fund and Uniform School Fund. Some of the data presented in this report were obtained as part of cooperative programs between the Geological Survey and other agencies.

Distribution and abundance of zooplankton populations in Crater Lake, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, G.L.; McIntire, C.D.; Buktenica, M.W.; Girdner, S.F.; Truitt, R.E.

2007-01-01

The zooplankton assemblages in Crater Lake exhibited consistency in species richness and general taxonomic composition, but varied in density and biomass during the period between 1988 and 2000. Collectively, the assemblages included 2 cladoceran taxa and 10 rotifer taxa (excluding rare taxa). Vertical habitat partitioning of the water column to a depth of 200 m was observed for most species with similar food habits and/or feeding mechanisms. No congeneric replacement was observed. The dominant species in the assemblages were variable, switching primarily between periods of dominance of Polyarthra-Keratella cochlearis and Daphnia. The unexpected occurrence and dominance of Asplanchna in 1991 and 1992 resulted in a major change in this typical temporal shift between Polyarthra-K. cochlearis and Daphnia. Following a collapse of the zooplankton biomass in 1993 that was probably caused by predation from Asplanchna, Kellicottia dominated the zooplankton assemblage biomass between 1994 and 1997. The decline in biomass of Kellicottia by 1998 coincided with a dramatic increase in Daphnia biomass. When Daphnia biomass declined by 2000, Keratella biomass increased again. Thus, by 1998 the assemblage returned to the typical shift between Keratella-Polyarthra and Daphnia. Although these observations provided considerable insight about the interannual variability of the zooplankton assemblages in Crater Lake, little was discovered about mechanisms behind the variability. When abundant, kokanee salmon may have played an important role in the disappearance of Daphnia in 1990 and 2000 either through predation, inducing diapause, or both. ?? 2007 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

P-T Path and Nd-isotopes of Garnet Pyroxenite Xenoliths From Salt Lake Crater, Oahu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ichitsubo, N.; Takahashi, E.; Clague, D. A.

2001-12-01

Abundant garnet pyroxenite and spinel lherzolite xenoliths are found in Salt Lake Crater (SLC) in Oahu, Hawaii [Jackson and Wright, 1970]. The SLC pyroxenite suite xenoliths (olivine-poor type) have complex exsolution textures that were probably formed during a slow cooling. In this study, we used digital image software to obtain modal data of exsolved phases in the host pyroxene using backscattered electron images (BEIs). The abundances of the exsolved phases were multiplied by the phase compositions determined by electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) to reconstruct pyroxene compositions prior to exsolution. In order to evaluate the error in this calculation, we recalculated the reconstructed pyroxene compositions using the different pyroxene pairs. Reconstructed clinopyroxenes in each sample have almost no variations (MgO, CaO +/-1wt %, FeO +/-0.5wt % and the other oxides ~+/-0.1wt %). Reconstructed orthopyroxenes are more variable in MgO, CaO (+/-2wt %) and FeO (+/-1wt %) than reconstructed clinopyroxenes, but the other oxides have only limited variations ( ~+/-0.5wt %). These compositions were used to calculate igneous stage (magmatic) P-T conditions based on the geothermometers and geobarometers of Wells [1977] and Brey and Kohler [1990] Following assumptions are made: (1) the reconstructed pyroxene compositions are the final record in the primary igneous stage, and (2) cores of the largest garnet grains in each sample record the primary igneous stage composition.. The recalculation using the different pairs of reconstructed pyroxenes show the uncertainty to be +/- 30° C and 0.1 GPa. These appear to be small compared to the large intrinsic errors of geothermometer and geobarometers (+/-20° -35° C and +/- 0.3-0.5 GPa). Estimated P-T conditions for garnet pyroxenites are 1.5-2.2 GPa, 1000° -1100° C in the final reequilibration stage and 2.2-2.6 GPa (at maximum), 1150° -1300° C (at minimum) in the igneous stage. The all samples show ca. 200° C cooling and

77 FR 49712 - Amendment to Class B Airspace; Salt Lake City, UT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-17

... operating in the vicinity of SLC. The modified Class B airspace areas were designed to ensure all instrument... final Salt Lake City Class B airspace design provides operational and safety benefits to all airspace... Salt Lake City Class B airspace design also incorporated reductions to the northern and southern...

The volcanic, sedimentologic, and paleolimnologic history of the Crater Lake caldera floor, Oregon:Evidence for small caldera evolution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nelson, C. Hans; Bacon, Charles R.; Robinson, Stephen W.; Adam, David P.; Bradbury, J. Platt; Barber, John H.; Schwartz, Deborah; Vagenas, Ginger

1994-01-01

Apparent phreatic explosion craters, caldera-floor volcanic cones, and geothermal features outline a ring fracture zone along which Mount Mazama collapsed to form the Crater Lake caldera during its climactic eruption about 6,850 yr B.P. Within a few years, subaerial deposits infilled the phreatic craters and then formed a thick wedge (10-20 m) of mass flow deposits shed from caldera walls. Intense volcanic activity (phreatic explosions, subaerial flows, and hydrothermal venting) occurred during this early postcaldera stage, and a central platform of subaerial andesite flows and scoria formed on the caldera floor.Radiocarbon ages suggest that deposition of Iacustrine hemipelagic sediment began on the central platform about 150 yr after the caldera collapse. This is the minimum time to fill the lake halfway with water and cover the platform assuming present hydrologic conditions of precipitation and evaporation but with negligible leakage of lake water. Wizard Island formed during the final part of the 300-yr lake-filling period as shown by its (1) upper subaerial lava flows from 0 to -70 m below present water level and lower subaqueous lava flows from -70 to -500 m and by (2) lacustrine turbidite sand derived from Wizard Island that was deposited on the central platform about 350 yr after the caldera collapse. Pollen stratigraphy indicates that the warm and dry climate of middle Holocene time correlates with the early lake deposits. Diatom stratigraphy also suggests a more thermally stratified and phosphate-rich environment associated respectively with this climate and greater hydrothermal activity during the early lake history.Apparent coarse-grained and thick-bedded turbidites of the early lake beds were deposited throughout northwest, southwest, and eastern basins during the time that volcanic and seismic activity formed the subaqueous Wizard Island, Merriam Cone, and rhyodacite dome. The last known postcaldera volcanic activity produced a subaqueous rhyodacite

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

The Kawah Ijen volcano—with a record of phreatic eruptions—has its 1000 m wide crater filled with a lake that has existed for at least one century. At present, the lake waters are hot ( T ≈ 37° C), strongly mineralized (TDS = 105 g/L) and extremely acidic ( pH ≈ 0.4). By its volume, the Javanese lake is probably the largest accumulation in the world of such acidic waters. Mineralogy of the suspended solids within the lake waters suggests that concentrations of Si, Ca, Ti, and Ba are controlled by precipitation of silica, gypsum, anatase, and barite. Lake sediment is composed of chemical precipitates with composition similar to the suspended solids. Thermodynamic calculations predict that the lake waters have reached equilibrium with respect to α-cristobalite, barite, gypsum, anglesite, celestite, and amorphous silica, in agreement with the analytical observations. Significant concentrations of ferric iron suggest that the current lake waters are fairly oxidized. Sulfides are absent in the water column but are always present in the native S spherules that form porous aggregates which float on the lake. The presence of native S provides direct evidence of more reduced conditions at the lake floor where H 2S is probably being injected into the lake. With progressive addition of H 2S to the acid waters, native S, pyrite, and enargite are theoretically predicted to be saturated. Reactions between upward streaming H 2S-bearing gases discharged by subaqueous fumaroles, and metals dissolved in the acidic waters could initiate precipitation of these sulfides. A model of direct absorption of hot magmatic gases into cool water accounts for the extreme acidity of the crater lake. Results show that strongly acidic, sulfate-rich solutions are formed under oxidizing conditions at high gas/water ratios. Reactions between the acidic fluids and the Ijen andesite were modeled to account for elevated cation concentrations in lake water. Current concentrations of conservative

Analysis of seasonal characteristics of Sambhar Salt Lake, India, from digitized Space Shuttle photography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lulla, Kamlesh P.; Helfert, Michael R.

1989-01-01

Sambhar Salt Lake is the largest salt lake (230 sq km) in India, situated in the northwest near Jaipur. Analysis of Space Shuttle photographs of this ephemeral lake reveals that water levels and lake basin land-use information can be extracted by both the digital and manual analysis techniques. Seasonal characteristics captured by the two Shuttle photos used in this study show that additional land use/cover categories can be mapped from the dry season photos. This additional information is essential for precise cartographic updates, and provides seasonal hydrologic profiles and inputs for potential mesoscale climate modeling. This paper extends the digitization and mensuration techniques originally developed for space photography and applied to other regions (e.g., Lake Chad, Africa, and Great Salt Lake, USA).

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

Small changes in climate can profoundly alter the dynamics and ecosystem services of tropical crater lakes.

PubMed

Saulnier-Talbot, Émilie; Gregory-Eaves, Irene; Simpson, Kyle G; Efitre, Jackson; Nowlan, Tobias E; Taranu, Zofia E; Chapman, Lauren J

2014-01-01

African tropical lakes provide vital ecosystem services including food and water to some of the fastest growing human populations, yet they are among the most understudied ecosystems in the world. The consequences of climate change and other stressors on the tropical lakes of Africa have been informed by long-term analyses, but these studies have largely focused on the massive Great Rift Valley lakes. Our objective was to evaluate how recent climate change has altered the functioning and services of smaller tropical lakes, which are far more abundant on the landscape. Based on a paired analysis of 20 years of high-resolution water column data and a paleolimnological record from a small crater lake in western Uganda, we present evidence that even a modest warming of the air (∼0.9°C increase over 20 years) and changes in the timing and intensity of rainfall can have significant consequences on the dynamics of this common tropical lake type. For example, we observed a significant nonlinear increase (R(2) adj  = 0.23, e.d.f. = 7, p<0.0001) in thermal stability over the past 20 years. This resulted in the expansion of anoxic waters and consequent deterioration of fish habitat and appears to have abated primary production; processes that may impair ecosystem services for a vulnerable human population. This study on a system representative of small tropical crater lakes highlights the far-reaching effects of global climatic change on tropical waters. Increased research efforts into tropical aquatic ecosystem health and the development of sound management practices are necessary in order to strengthen adaptive capabilities in tropical regions.

High-resolution digital elevation dataset for Crater Lake National Park and vicinity, Oregon, based on LiDAR survey of August-September 2010 and bathymetric survey of July 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, Joel E.

2012-01-01

Crater Lake partially fills the caldera that formed approximately 7,700 years ago during the eruption of a 12,000-foot volcano known as Mount Mazama. The caldera-forming or climactic eruption of Mount Mazama devastated the surrounding landscape, left a thick deposit of pumice and ash in adjacent valleys, and spread a blanket of volcanic ash as far away as southern Canada. Because the Crater Lake region is potentially volcanically active, knowledge of past events is important to understanding hazards from future eruptions. Similarly, because the area is seismically active, documenting and evaluating geologic faults is critical to assessing hazards from earthquakes. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey was awarded funding for high-precision airborne LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) data collection at several volcanoes in the Cascade Range through the Oregon LiDAR Consortium, administered by the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI). The Oregon LiDAR Consortium contracted with Watershed Sciences, Inc., to conduct the data collection surveys. Collaborating agencies participating with the Oregon LiDAR Consortium for data collection in the Crater Lake region include Crater Lake National Park (National Park Service) and the Federal Highway Administration. In the immediate vicinity of Crater Lake National Park, 798 square kilometers of LiDAR data were collected, providing a digital elevation dataset of the ground surface beneath forest cover with an average resolution of 1.6 laser returns/m2 and both vertical and horizontal accuracies of ±5 cm. The LiDAR data were mosaicked in this report with bathymetry of the lake floor of Crater Lake, collected in 2000 using high-resolution multibeam sonar in a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey, Crater Lake National Park, and the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire. The bathymetric survey

Modeling salinization and recovery of road salt-impacted lakes in temperate regions based on long-term monitoring of Lake George, New York (USA) and its drainage basin.

PubMed

Sutherland, J W; Norton, S A; Short, J W; Navitsky, C

2018-05-08

Road salt mitigates winter highway icing but accumulates in watershed soils and receiving waters, affecting soil chemistry and physical, biological, and ecological processes. Despite efforts to reduce salt loading in watersheds, accumulated cations and Cl - continue to impact tributaries and lakes, and the recovery process is not well understood. Lake George, New York (USA) is typical of many temperate lakes at risk for elevated Cl - concentrations from winter deicing; the lake salt concentration increased by ~3.4% year -1 since 1980. Here, we evaluated the ionic composition in Finkle Brook, a major watershed draining to Lake George, studied intermittently since 1970 and typical of other salt-impacted Lake George tributaries. Salt loading in the Lake George basin since the 1940s displaced cations from exchange sites in basin soils; these desorbed cations follow a simple ion-exchange model, with lower sodium and higher calcium, magnesium and potassium fluxes in runoff. Reduced salt application in the Finkle Brook watershed during the low-snow winter of 2015-2016 led to a 30-40% decline of Cl - and base cations in the tributary, implying a Cl - soil half-life of 1-2 years. We developed a conceptual model that describes cation behavior in runoff from a watershed that received road salt loading over a long period of time, and then recovery following reduced salt loading. Next, we developed a dynamic model estimating time to steady-state for Cl - in Lake George with road salt loading starting in 1940, calibrating the model with tributary runoff and lake chemistry data from 1970 and 1980, respectively, and forecasting Cl - concentrations in Lake George based on various scenarios of salt loading and soil retention of Cl - . Our Lake George models are readily adaptable to other temperate lakes with drainage basins where road salt is applied during freezing conditions and paved roads cover a portion of the watershed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Seismic tremor and gravity measurements at Inferno Crater Lake, Waimangu Geothermal Field, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, J. F.; Jolly, A. D.; Fournier, N.; Cole-Baker, J.; Hurst, T.; Roman, D. C.

2011-12-01

Volcanic crater lakes are often associated with active hydrothermal systems that induce cyclic behavior in the lake's level, temperature, and chemistry. Inferno Crater Lake, located in the Waimangu geothermal field within the Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ) on the North Island of New Zealand exhibits lake level fluctuations of >7m, and temperature fluctuations >40°C with a highly variable periodicity. Seismic and gravity monitoring of Inferno Lake was carried out from December, 2009 - March, 2010 and captured a full cycle of lake fluctuation. Results indicate that this cycle consisted of ~5 smaller fluctuations of ~3m in lake level followed by a larger fluctuation of ~7m. A broadband seismometer recorded strong seismic tremor in the hours leading up to each of the minor and major high stands in lake level. Spectral analysis of the tremor shows dominant frequencies in the range of ~10Hz and a fundamental harmonic frequency located in the 1Hz range. The 1Hz frequency band exhibits gliding spectral lines which increase in frequency at the end of each tremor period. Particle motion analysis of harmonic tremor waveforms indicate a ~100m upward migration of the source location from the onset of tremor until it ceases at the peak of each lake level high stand. Particle motions also indicate an azimuthal migration of the source by ~30° from the overflow outlet region of the lake toward the central vent location during the course of the tremor and lake level increase. Lake water temperature has a direct relationship with lake level and ranges between ~40°C - ~80°C. Gravity fluctuations were also continuously monitored using a Micro-g-LaCoste gPhone relative gravity meter with a 1Hz sampling rate and precision of 1 microgal. These data indicate a direct relationship between lake level and gravity showing a net increase of ~100 microgals between lake level low and high stands. A piezometer located beside the lake indicates an inflow of ground water into the subsoil during

Studies of Quaternary saline lakes-III. Mineral, chemical, and isotopic evidence of salt solution and crystallization processes in Owens Lake, California, 1969-1971

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, G.I.; Friedman, I.; McLaughlin, R.J.

1987-01-01

As a consequence of the 1969-1970 flooding of normally dry Owens Lake, a 2.4-m-deep lake formed and 20% of the 2-m-thick salt bed dissolved in it. Its desiccation began August 1969, and salts started crystallizing September 1970, ending August 1971. Mineralogic, brine-composition, and stable-isotope data plus field observations showed that while the evolving brine composition established the general crystallization timetable and range of primary and secondary mineral assemblages, it was the daily, monthly, and seasonal temperature changes that controlled the details of timing and mineralogy during this depositional process. Deuterium analyses of lake brine, interstitial brine, and hydrated saline phases helped confirm the sequence of mineral crystallizations and transformations, and they documented the sources and temperatures of waters involved in the reactions. Salts first crystallized as floating rafts on the lake surface. Natron and mirabilite, salts whose solubilities decrease greatly with lowering temperatures, crystallized late at night in winter, when surface-water temperatures reached their minima; trona, nahcolite, burkeite, and halite, salts with solubilities less sensitive to temperature, crystallized during the afternoon in summer, when surface salinities reached their maxima. However, different temperatures were generally associated with crystallization (at the surface) and accumulation (on the lake floor) because short-term temperature changes were transmitted to surface and bottom waters at different rates. Consequently, even when solubilities were exceeded at the surface, salts were preserved or not as a function of bottom-water temperatures. Halite, a nearly temperature-insensitive salt, was always preserved. Monitoring the lake-brine chemistry and mineralogy of the accumulating salts shows: (1) An estimated 0.9 ?? 106 tons of CO2 was released to the atmosphere or consumed by the lake's biomass prior to most salt crystallization. (2) After

Now and Long Ago at Gale Crater, Mars Illustration

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-12-13

This pair of drawings depicts the same location on Mars at two points in time: now and billions of years ago. The location is in Gale Crater, near the Red Planet's equator. Since August 2012, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover mission has been investigating rock layers in the crater floor and in the crater's central peak (Mount Sharp) for information recorded in the rocks about ancient environmental conditions and how they changed over time. Slide 1 shows a present-day snapshot of the northern half of Gale Crater. North is to the left. The underlying basement is the crust of Mars that forms the crater's rim (left) and central peak (right). About 3.5 billion years ago, rivers brought sediment into the crater, depositing pebbles where the river was flowing more quickly, sand where the river entered a standing body of water in the center of the basin, and silt within this lake. Lake level rose over time as the sediments built up. Eventually they were buried by dry dust. These sediments later turned into the conglomerate, sandstone, mudstone, and duststone rocks that Curiosity has found. Wind then carved the stack of deposits into the present shape of a mountain, which Curiosity is climbing as approximately shown. The basement rock fractured during the initial impact that formed the crater, and the later sediments fractured as they were buried. Slide 2 shows a snapshot in time when a lake was present in the crater. As on Earth, Martian lakes were the surface expression of a much larger lake and groundwater system. Spaces between grains and in fractures were saturated with water at levels below the water table (dashed blue line). This groundwater circulated due to gravity and the topography within and around the crater. In this case, groundwater pressurized under the nearby Martian highlands may have flowed into the crater, where it would be less confined. Groundwater also flowed downward from the lake. As the groundwater circulated, it drove chemical reactions that dissolved

The 2005 catastrophic acid crater lake drainage, lahar, and acidic aerosol formation at Mount Chiginagak volcano, Alaska, USA: Field observations and preliminary water and vegetation chemistry results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2008-07-01

A mass of snow and ice 400-m-wide and 105-m-thick began melting in the summit crater of Mount Chiginagak volcano sometime between November 2004 and early May 2005, presumably owing to increased heat flux from the hydrothermal system, or possibly from magma intrusion and degassing. In early May 2005, an estimated 3.8 × 106 m3 of sulfurous, clay-rich debris and acidic water, with an accompanying acidic aerosol component, exited the crater through a tunnel at the base of a glacier that breaches the south crater rim. Over 27 km downstream, the acidic waters of the flood inundated an important salmon spawning drainage, acidifying Mother Goose Lake from surface to depth (approximately 0.5 km3 in volume at a pH of 2.9 to 3.1), killing all aquatic life, and preventing the annual salmon run. Over 2 months later, crater lake water sampled 8 km downstream of the outlet after considerable dilution from glacial meltwater was a weak sulfuric acid solution (pH = 3.2, SO4 = 504 mg/L, Cl = 53.6 mg/L, and F = 7.92 mg/L). The acid flood waters caused severe vegetation damage, including plant death and leaf kill along the flood path. The crater lake drainage was accompanied by an ambioructic flow of acidic aerosols that followed the flood path, contributing to defoliation and necrotic leaf damage to vegetation in a 29 km2 area along and above affected streams, in areas to heights of over 150 m above stream level. Moss species killed in the event contained high levels of sulfur, indicating extremely elevated atmospheric sulfur content. The most abundant airborne phytotoxic constituent was likely sulfuric acid aerosols that were generated during the catastrophic partial crater lake drainage event. Two mechanisms of acidic aerosol formation are proposed: (1) generation of aerosol mist through turbulent flow of acidic water and (2) catastrophic gas exsolution. This previously undocumented phenomenon of simultaneous vegetation-damaging acidic aerosols accompanying drainage of an acidic

The 2005 catastrophic acid crater lake drainage, lahar, and acidic aerosol formation at Mount Chiginagak volcano, Alaska, USA: Field observations and preliminary water and vegetation chemistry results

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schaefer, J.R.; Scott, W.E.; Evans, William C.; Jorgenson, J.; McGimsey, R.G.; Wang, B.

2008-01-01

A mass of snow and ice 400-m-wide and 105-m-thick began melting in the summit crater of Mount Chiginagak volcano sometime between November 2004 and early May 2005, presumably owing to increased heat flux from the hydrothermal system, or possibly from magma intrusion and degassing. In early May 2005, an estimated 3.8??106 m3 of sulfurous, clay-rich debris and acidic water, with an accompanying acidic aerosol component, exited the crater through a tunnel at the base of a glacier that breaches the south crater rim. Over 27 km downstream, the acidic waters of the flood inundated an important salmon spawning drainage, acidifying Mother Goose Lake from surface to depth (approximately 0.5 km3 in volume at a pH of 2.9 to 3.1), killing all aquatic life, and preventing the annual salmon run. Over 2 months later, crater lake water sampled 8 km downstream of the outlet after considerable dilution from glacial meltwater was a weak sulfuric acid solution (pH = 3.2, SO4 = 504 mg/L, Cl = 53.6 mg/L, and F = 7.92 mg/L). The acid flood waters caused severe vegetation damage, including plant death and leaf kill along the flood path. The crater lake drainage was accompanied by an ambioructic flow of acidic aerosols that followed the flood path, contributing to defoliation and necrotic leaf damage to vegetation in a 29 km2 area along and above affected streams, in areas to heights of over 150 m above stream level. Moss species killed in the event contained high levels of sulfur, indicating extremely elevated atmospheric sulfurcontent. The most abundant airborne phytotoxic constituent was likely sulfuric acid aerosols that were generated during the catastrophic partial crater lake drainage event. Two mechanisms of acidic aerosol formation are proposed: (1) generation of aerosol mist through turbulent flow of acidic water and (2) catastrophic gas exsolution. This previously undocumented phenomenon of simultaneous vegetationdamaging acidic aerosols accompanying drainage of an acidic crater

Sedimentary characteristics and depositional model of a Paleocene-Eocene salt lake in the Jiangling Depression, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Xiaocan; Wang, Chunlian; Liu, Chenglin; Zhang, Zhaochong; Xu, Haiming; Huang, Hua; Xie, Tengxiao; Li, Haonan; Liu, Jinlei

2015-11-01

We studied the sedimentary characteristics of a Paleocene-Eocene salt lake in the Jiangling Depression through field core observation, thin section identification, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. On the basis of sedimentary characteristics we have summarized the petrological and mineralogical characteristics of the salt lake and proposed 9 types of grade IV salt rhythms. The deposition shows a desalting to salting order of halite-argillaceous-mudstone-mud dolostonemud anhydrock-glauberite-halite. The relationship among grade IV rhythms, water salinity and climate fluctuations was analyzed. Based on the analysis of the relationship between boron content and mudstone color and by combining the mineralogy and sedimentary environment characteristics, we propose that the early and late Paleocene Shashi Formation in the Jiangling Depression was a paleolacustrine depositional environment with a high salt content, which is a representation of the shallow water salt lake depositional model. The middle Paleocene Shashi Formation and the early Eocene Xingouzui Formation were salt and brackish sedimentary environments with low salt content in a deep paleolake, which represents a deep salt lake depositional model.

Complex crater formation: Insights from combining observations of shock pressure distribution with numerical models at the West Clearwater Lake impact structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rae, A. S. P.; Collins, G. S.; Grieve, R. A. F.; Osinski, G. R.; Morgan, J. V.

2017-07-01

Large impact structures have complex morphologies, with zones of structural uplift that can be expressed topographically as central peaks and/or peak rings internal to the crater rim. The formation of these structures requires transient strength reduction in the target material and one of the proposed mechanisms to explain this behavior is acoustic fluidization. Here, samples of shock-metamorphosed quartz-bearing lithologies at the West Clearwater Lake impact structure, Canada, are used to estimate the maximum recorded shock pressures in three dimensions across the crater. These measurements demonstrate that the currently observed distribution of shock metamorphism is strongly controlled by the formation of the structural uplift. The distribution of peak shock pressures, together with apparent crater morphology and geological observations, is compared with numerical impact simulations to constrain parameters used in the block-model implementation of acoustic fluidization. The numerical simulations produce craters that are consistent with morphological and geological observations. The results show that the regeneration of acoustic energy must be an important feature of acoustic fluidization in crater collapse, and should be included in future implementations. Based on the comparison between observational data and impact simulations, we conclude that the West Clearwater Lake structure had an original rim (final crater) diameter of 35-40 km and has since experienced up to 2 km of differential erosion.

Exploration of Microbial Diversity and Community Structure of Lonar Lake: The Only Hypersaline Meteorite Crater Lake within Basalt Rock

PubMed Central

Paul, Dhiraj; Kumbhare, Shreyas V.; Mhatre, Snehit S.; Chowdhury, Somak P.; Shetty, Sudarshan A.; Marathe, Nachiket P.; Bhute, Shrikant; Shouche, Yogesh S.

2016-01-01

Lonar Lake is a hypersaline and hyperalkaline soda lake and the only meteorite impact crater in the world situated in basalt rocks. Although culture-dependent studies have been reported, a comprehensive understanding of microbial community composition and structure in Lonar Lake remains elusive. In the present study, microbial community structure associated with Lonar Lake sediment and water samples was investigated using high-throughput sequencing. Microbial diversity analysis revealed the existence of diverse, yet largely consistent communities. Proteobacteria (30%), Actinobacteria (24%), Firmicutes (11%), and Cyanobacteria (5%) predominated in the sequencing survey, whereas Bacteroidetes (1.12%), BD1-5 (0.5%), Nitrospirae (0.41%), and Verrucomicrobia (0.28%) were detected in relatively minor abundances in the Lonar Lake ecosystem. Within the Proteobacteria phylum, the Gammaproteobacteria represented the most abundantly detected class (21–47%) within sediment samples, but only a minor population in the water samples. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were found at significantly higher abundance (p ≥ 0.05) in sediment samples, whereas members of Actinobacteria, Candidate division TM7 and Cyanobacteria (p ≥ 0.05) were significantly abundant in water samples. Compared to the microbial communities of other hypersaline soda lakes, those of Lonar Lake formed a distinct cluster, suggesting a different microbial community composition and structure. Here we report for the first time, the difference in composition of indigenous microbial communities between the sediment and water samples of Lonar Lake. An improved census of microbial community structure in this Lake ecosystem provides a foundation for exploring microbial biogeochemical cycling and microbial function in hypersaline lake environments. PMID:26834712

Geochemistry of great Salt Lake, Utah II: Pleistocene-Holocene evolution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spencer, R.J.; Eugster, H.P.; Jones, B.F.

1985-01-01

Sedimentologic and biostratigraphic evidence is used to develop a geochemical model for Great Salt Lake, Utah, extending back some 30,000 yrs. B.P. Hydrologie conditions as defined by the water budget equation are characterized by a lake initially at a low, saline stage, rising by about 17,000 yrs. B.P. to fresh water basin-full conditions (Bonneville level) and then, after about 15,000 yrs. B.P., dropping rapidly to a saline stage again, as exemplified by the present situation. Inflow composition has changed through time in response to the hydrologie history. During fresh-water periods high discharge inflow is dominated by calcium bicarbonate-type river waters; during saline stages, low discharge, NaCl-rich hydrothermal springs are significant solute sources. This evolution in lake composition to NaCl domination is illustrated by the massive mirabilite deposition, free of halite, following the rapid drawdown until about 8,000 years ago, while historic droughts have yielded principally halite. Hydrologic history can be combined with inferred inflow composition to derive concentration curves with time for each major solute in the lake. Calcium concentrations before the drawdown were controlled by calcite solubility, and afterwards by aragonite. Significant amounts of solutes are removed from the lake by diffusion into the sediments. Na+, Cl- and SO42- are also involved in salt precipitation. By including pore fluid data, a surprisingly good fit has been obtained between solute input over the time period considered and the amounts actually found in lake brines, pore fluids, salt beds and sediments. Excess amounts are present for calcium, carbonate and silica, indicating detrital input. ?? 1985.

Large-eddy simulations of a Salt Lake Valley cold-air pool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crosman, Erik T.; Horel, John D.

2017-09-01

Persistent cold-air pools are often poorly forecast by mesoscale numerical weather prediction models, in part due to inadequate parameterization of planetary boundary-layer physics in stable atmospheric conditions, and also because of errors in the initialization and treatment of the model surface state. In this study, an improved numerical simulation of the 27-30 January 2011 cold-air pool in Utah's Great Salt Lake Basin is obtained using a large-eddy simulation with more realistic surface state characterization. Compared to a Weather Research and Forecasting model configuration run as a mesoscale model with a planetary boundary-layer scheme where turbulence is highly parameterized, the large-eddy simulation more accurately captured turbulent interactions between the stable boundary-layer and flow aloft. The simulations were also found to be sensitive to variations in the Great Salt Lake temperature and Salt Lake Valley snow cover, illustrating the importance of land surface state in modelling cold-air pools.

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

Lonar Lake, India: An impact Crater in basalt

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fredriksson, K.; Dube, A.; Milton, D.J.; Balasundaram, M.S.

1973-01-01

Discovery of shock-metamorphosed material establishes the impact origin of Lonar Crater. Coarse breccia with shatter coning and microbreccia with moderately shocked fragments containing maskelynite were found in drill holes through the crater floor. Trenches on the rim yield strongly shocked fragments in which plagioclase has melted and vesiculated, and bombs and spherules of homogeneous rock melt. As the only known terrestrial impact crater in basalt, Lonar Crater provides unique opportunities for comparison with lunar craters. In particular, microbreccias and glass spherules from Lonar Crater have close analogs among the Apollo specimens.

The Younger Dryas phase of Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oviatt, Charles G.; Miller, D.M.; McGeehin, J.P.; Zachary, C.; Mahan, S.

2005-01-01

Field investigations at the Public Shooting Grounds (a wildlife-management area on the northeastern shore of Great Salt Lake) and radiocarbon dating show that the Great Salt Lake rose to the Gilbert shoreline sometime between 12.9 and 11.2 cal ka. We interpret a ripple-laminated sand unit exposed at the Public Shooting Grounds, and dated to this time interval, as the nearshore sediments of Great Salt Lake deposited during the formation of the Gilbert shoreline. The ripple-laminated sand is overlain by channel-fill deposits that overlap in age (11.9-11.2 cal ka) with the sand, and by wetland deposits (11.1 to 10.5 cal ka). Consistent accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon ages were obtained from samples of plant fragments, including those of emergent aquatic plants, but mollusk shells from spring and marsh deposits yielded anomalously old ages, probably because of a variable radiocarbon reservoir effect. The Bonneville basin was effectively wet during at least part of the Younger Dryas global-cooling interval, however, conflicting results from some Great Basin locations and proxy records indicate that the regional effects of Younger Dryas cooling are still not well understood. ?? 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radionuclides and mercury in the salt lakes of the Crimea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirzoyeva, Natalya; Gulina, Larisa; Gulin, Sergey; Plotitsina, Olga; Stetsuk, Alexandra; Arkhipova, Svetlana; Korkishko, Nina; Eremin, Oleg

2015-11-01

90Sr concentrations, resulting from the Chernobyl NPP accident, were determined in the salt lakes of the Crimea (Lakes Kiyatskoe, Kirleutskoe, Kizil-Yar, Bakalskoe and Donuzlav), together with the redistribution between the components of the ecosystems. The content of mercury in the waters of the studied reservoirs was also established. Vertical distributions of natural radionuclide activities (238U, 232Th, 226Ra, 210Pb, 40K) and anthropogenic 137Cs concentrations (as radiotracers) were determined in the bottom sediments of the Koyashskoe salt lake (located in the south-eastern Crimea) to evaluate the longterm dynamics and biogeochemical processes. Radiochemical and chemical analysis was undertaken and radiotracer and statistical methods were applied to the analytical data. The highest concentrations of 90Sr in the water of Lake Kiyatskoe (350.5 and 98.0 Bq/m3) and Lake Kirleutskoe (121.3 Bq/m3) were due to the discharge of the Dnieper water from the North-Crimean Canal. The high content of mercury in Lake Kiyatskoe (363.2 ng/L) and in seawater near Lake Kizil-Yar (364 ng/L) exceeded the maximum permissible concentration (3.5 times the maximum). Natural radionuclides provide the main contribution to the total radioactivity (artificial and natural combined) in the bottom sediments of Lake Koyashskoe. The significant concentration of 210Pb in the upper layer of bottom sediments of the lake indicates an active inflow of its parent radionuclide—gaseous 222Rn from the lower layers of the bottom sediment. The average sedimentation rates in Lake Koyashskoe, determined using 210Pb and 137Cs data, were 0.117 and 0.109 cm per year, respectively.

Changes in Mass Flux of Tephra from the Lava Lake in Overlook Crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai`i

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2016-12-01

The mass flux of tephra (mostly Pele's hair and tears, hollow spherules, and lithic clasts) from the lava lake in Overlook crater varies on short (seconds-minutes), intermediate (hours-days), and long (months) time scales. The tephra is collected almost daily from a network of 10 buckets within 400 m of, and 100-150 m above, the lava lake; bucket locations have not changed during the eruption. A mass accumulation rate (AR) is calculated for the network; since April 2008, the AR averages 0.17 g/m2/h ( 5×10-8 kg/m2/s). The tephra forms during almost constant spattering at the SE sink (the main downwelling site) and ephemeral sites along the crater wall, as well as from sporadic, rockfall-induced violent outgassing that can eject decimeter-size spatter clots onto the crater rim; the average AR excludes these violent events. The rockfalls, and nearly constant raveling from the crater wall, introduce lithic clasts into the tephra. The lithic content of the tephra has decreased with time, reflecting both greater wall stability and higher lake level, and was usually <10 mass percent in 2014-2015 and <5 percent in 2016. At short time scales, juvenile AR increases during episodic gas-piston events, rockfalls, and strong winds (>7 m/s). At intermediate and long time scales, juvenile AR shows no correlation with measured SO2 output and only weak or no correlation with wind speed, but it often tracks the elevation of the lake surface—higher when lava is nearer the buckets. For example, both lava level and juvenile AR were unusually high in January-July 2016. Before 2016, however, 7-9 periods of heightened juvenile production (see figure below), each lasting several months, show no correlation with other monitored parameters—lake level, SO2, wind speed and direction, or downwelling location. Often AR gradually increased to a peak before falling off, sometimes to nearly zero. We speculate that such long-term variations result from changes in magma supply rate, gas

Sources of inflow and nature of redistribution of 90Sr in the salt lakes of the Crimea.

PubMed

Mirzoyeva, N Yu; Arkhipova, S I; Kravchenko, N V

2018-08-01

At the first time for the period after the Chernobyl NPP accident the nature of the redistribution of the 90 Sr concentrations in components of the ecosystems of the salt lakes of the Crimea were identified and described. Concentration of 90 Sr in water of the salt lakes depends on the sources of the inflow this radionuclide into aquatic ecosystems and salinity level of lakes water. Until April 2014 the flow of the Dnieper river water through the Northern-Crimean canal was more important factor of contamination of salt lakes of the Crimea by 90 Sr, than atmospheric fallout of this radionuclide after the Chernobyl NPP accident. Concentrations of 90 Sr in water of the salt lakes of the Crimea exceeded 2.4-156.5 times its concentrations in their bottom sediments. The 90 Sr dose commitments to hydrophytes, which were sampled from the salt lakes of the Crimea have not reached values which could impact them during entire the after-accident period. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Great Salt Lake Microbial Communities: The Foundation of a Terminal Lake Ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baxter, B. K.; Acord, M.; Riddle, M. R.; Avery, B.

2006-12-01

Great Salt Lake (GSL) is a natural hypersaline ecosystem and a terminal lake of substantial size. The dramatic fluctuation in water levels and salinity creates an ecological backdrop selective for organisms with a high degree of adaptability. At the macro level, the biodiversity of the GSL ecosystem is simple, due to the limitations of an extreme saline environment: Birds eat the two invertebrates of the lake, and the invertebrates eat phytoplankton. However, analysis of the microbial level reveals an enormous diversity of species interacting with one another and the ecosystem as a whole. Our cultivation, biochemical tests, microscopy and DNA sequencing yielded data on dozens of isolates. These data demonstrate novel species, and possibly genera, living in the lake. In addition, we have discovered viruses (bacteriophage) that prey on the microorganisms. Preliminary data on bacteria dwelling in the gut of the brine shrimp, Artemia franciscana, link these prokaryotic organisms to the food chain for the first time. All of these results taken together open the door for the discussion of the significance of the microbial level of terminal lake ecosystem, particularly in light of lake water contamination and bioremediation possibilities.

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.

Vernal Crater, SW Arabia Terra: MSL Candidate with Extensively Layered Sediments, Possible Lake Deposits, and a Long History of Subsurface Ice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oehler, Dorothy Z.; Allen, Carlton C.

2007-01-01

Vernal Crater is a Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) landing site candidate providing relatively easy access to extensively layered sediments as well as potential lake deposits. Sediments of Vernal Crater are 400-1200 m below those being investigated by Opportunity in Meridiani Planum, and as such would allow study of significantly older geologic units, if Vernal Crater were selected for MSL. The location of Vernal Crater in SW Arabia Terra provides exceptional scientific interest, as rampart craters and gamma-ray spectrometer (GRS) data from the region suggest a long history of ice/fluids in the subsurface. The potential value of this MSL candidate is further enhanced by reports of atmospheric methane over Arabia, as any insight into the source of that methane would significantly increase our understanding of Mars. Finally, should MSL survive beyond its prime mission, the gentle slope within Vernal Crater would provide a route out of the crater for study of the once ice/fluid-rich plains.

Wind effects on water and salt loss in playa lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torgersen, T.

1984-10-01

The theory behind wind stress induced setup of water surface slope on a playa lake is reviewed. Due to the low gradient of the bottom in most playa lakes (1-20 cm km -1), the advance and retreat of lake waters due to wind stress can expose or cover many square kilometers. It is even possible for the surface slope to exceed the bottom slope and thereby create a "roving" lake. Such water movements can transport lake water over undersaturated "shore" sediments and water can therefore infiltrate and be lost without an increase in lake salinity. This case is demonstrated with data from Lake George, New South Wales, Australia. Such wind effects need to be examined for their relation to the diagenesis of sediments, the composition of the bitterns, and the salt budget of playa lakes.

The Tiberias Basin salt deposits and their effects on lake salinity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inbar, Nimrod; Rosenthal, Eliahu; Möller, Peter; Yellin-Dror, Annat; Guttman, Josef; Siebert, Christian; Magri, Fabien

2015-04-01

Lake Tiberias is situated in one of the pull-apart basins comprising the Dead Sea transform. The Tiberias basin extends along the northern boundary of the Lower Jordan Rift Valley (LJRV) which is known for its massive salt deposits, mostly at its southern end, at the Dead Sea basin. Nevertheless, prior to the drilling of Zemah-1 wildcat, drilled close to the southern shores of Lake Tiberias, the Tiberias Basin was considered rather shallow and free of salt deposits (Starinsky, 1974). In 1983, Zemah-1 wildcat penetrated 2.8 km thick sequence of sedimentary and magmatic rocks of which 980m are salt deposits (Marcus et al., 1984). Recent studies, including the presented geophysical investigations, lay out the mechanisms of salt deposition in the Tiberias basin and estimate its abundance. Supported by seismic data, our interpreted cross-sections display relatively thick salt deposits distributed over the entire basin. Since early days of hydrological research in the area, saline springs are known to exist at Lake Tiberias' surroundings. Water temperatures in some of the springs indicate their origin to be at depths of 2-3 km (Simon and Mero, 1992). In the last decade, several studies suggested that the salinity of springs may be attributed, at least partially, to the Zemah-1 salt deposits. Chemical justification was attributed to post-halite minerals which were thought to be present among those deposits. This hypothesis was never verified. Moreover, Möller et al. (2011) presented a calculation contradicting this theory. In addition to the geophysical investigations, numerical models of thermally driven flow, examine the possible fluid dynamics developing near salt deposits below the lake and their interactions with springs along the lakeshore (Magri et al., 2015). It is shown that leached halite is too heavy to reach the surface. However, salt diffusing from shallow salt crest may locally reach the western side of the lakeshore. References Magri, F., N. Inbar

How salt lakes affect atmospheric new particle formation: A case study in Western Australia.

PubMed

Kamilli, K A; Ofner, J; Krause, T; Sattler, T; Schmitt-Kopplin, P; Eitenberger, E; Friedbacher, G; Lendl, B; Lohninger, H; Schöler, H F; Held, A

2016-12-15

New particle formation was studied above salt lakes in-situ using a mobile aerosol chamber set up above the salt crust and organic-enriched layers of seven different salt lakes in Western Australia. This unique setup made it possible to explore the influence of salt lake emissions on atmospheric new particle formation, and to identify interactions of aqueous-phase and gas-phase chemistry. New particle formation was typically observed at enhanced air temperatures and enhanced solar irradiance. Volatile organic compounds were released from the salt lake surfaces, probably from a soil layer enriched in organic compounds from decomposed leaf litter, and accumulated in the chamber air. After oxidation of these organic precursor gases, the reaction products contributed to new particle formation with observed growth rates from 2.7 to 25.4nmh -1 . The presence of ferrous and ferric iron and a drop of pH values in the salt lake water just before new particle formation events indicated that organic compounds were also oxidized in the aqueous phase, affecting the new particle formation process in the atmosphere. The contribution of aqueous-phase chemistry to new particle formation is assumed, as a mixture of hundreds of oxidized organic compounds was characterized with several analytical techniques. This chemically diverse composition of the organic aerosol fraction contained sulfur- and nitrogen-containing organic compounds, and halogenated organic compounds. Coarse mode particles were analyzed using electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry was applied to analyze filter samples. A targeted mass spectral analysis revealed the formation of organosulfates from monoterpene precursors and two known tracers for secondary organic aerosol formation from atmospheric oxidation of 1,8-cineole, which indicates that a complex interplay of aqueous-phase and gas-phase oxidation of monoterpenes contributes to

Multibeam Sonar Mapping and Modeling of a Submerged Bryophyte Mat in Crater Lake, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dartnell, Peter; Collier, Robert; Buktenica, Mark; Jessup, Steven; Girdner, Scott; Triezenberg, Peter

2008-01-01

Traditionally, multibeam data have been used to map sea floor or lake floor morphology as well as the distribution of surficial facies in order to characterize the geologic component of benthic habitats. In addition to using multibeam data for geologic studies, we want to determine if these data can also be used directly to map the distribution of biota. Multibeam bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data collected in Crater Lake, Oregon, in 2000 are used to map the distribution of a deep-water bryophyte mat, which will be extremely useful for understanding the overall ecology of the lake. To map the bryophyte's distribution, depth range, acoustic backscatter intensity, and derived bathymetric index grids are used as inputs into a hierarchical decision-tree classification model. Observations of the bryophyte mat from over 23 line kilometers of lake-floor video collected in the summer of 2006 are used as controls for the model. The resulting map matches well with ground-truth information and shows that the bryophyte mat covers most of the platform surrounding Wizard Island as well as on outcrops around the caldera wall.

Valley formation by groundwater seepage, pressurized groundwater outbursts and crater-lake overflow in flume experiments with implications for Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marra, Wouter A.; Braat, Lisanne; Baar, Anne W.; Kleinhans, Maarten G.

2014-04-01

Remains of fluvial valleys on Mars reveal the former presence of water on the surface. However, the source of water and the hydrological setting is not always clear, especially in types of valleys that are rare on Earth and where we have limited knowledge of the processes involved. We investigated three hydrological scenarios for valley formation on Mars: hydrostatic groundwater seepage, release of pressurized groundwater and crater-lake overflow. Using physical modeling in laboratory experiments and numerical hydrological modeling we quantitatively studied the morphological development and processes involved in channel formation that result from these different sources of water in unconsolidated sediment. Our results show that valleys emerging from seeping groundwater by headward erosion form relatively slowly as fluvial transport takes place in a channel much smaller than the valley. Pressurized groundwater release forms a characteristic source area at the channel head by fluidization processes. This head consist of a pit in case of superlithostatic pressure and may feature small radial channels and collapse features. Valleys emerging from a crater-lake overflow event develop quickly in a run-away process of rim erosion and discharge increase. The valley head at the crater outflow point has a converging fan shape, and the rapid incision of the rim leaves terraces and collapse features. Morphological elements observed in the experiments can help in identifying the formative processes on Mars, when considerations of experimental scaling and lithological characteristics of the martian surface are taken into account. These morphological features might reveal the associated hydrological settings and formative timescales of a valley. An estimate of formative timescale from sediment transport is best based on the final channel dimensions for groundwater seepage valleys and on the valley dimensions for pressurized groundwater release and crater-lake overflow valleys. Our

The springs of Lake Pátzcuaro: chemistry, salt-balance, and implications for the water balance of the lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bischoff, James L.; Israde-Alcántara, Isabel; Garduno-Monroy, Victor H.; Shanks, Wayne C.

2004-01-01

Lake Pa??tzcuaro, the center of the ancient Tarascan civilization located in the Mexican altiplano west of the city of Morelia, has neither river input nor outflow. The relatively constant lake-salinity over the past centuries indicates the lake is in chemical steady state. Springs of the south shore constitute the primary visible input to the lake, so influx and discharge must be via sub-lacustrine ground water. The authors report on the chemistry and stable isotope composition of the springs, deeming them representative of ground-water input. The springs are dominated by Ca, Mg and Na, whereas the lake is dominated by Na. Combining these results with previously published precipitation/rainfall measurements on the lake, the authors calculate the chemical evolution from spring water to lake water, and also calculate a salt balance of the ground-water-lake system. Comparing Cl and ??18O compositions in the springs and lake water indicates that 75-80% of the spring water is lost evaporatively during evolution toward lake composition. During evaporation Ca and Mg are lost from the water by carbonate precipitation. Each liter of spring water discharging into the lake precipitates about 18.7 mg of CaCO3. Salt balance calculations indicate that ground water input to the lake is 85.9??106 m3/a and ground water discharge from the lake is 23.0??106 m3/a. Thus, the discharge is about 27% of the input, with the rest balanced by evaporation. A calculation of time to reach steady-state ab initio indicates that the Cl concentration of the present day lake would be reached in about 150 a. ?? 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

New Insights Into the Climate and Vegetation History of the subtropical Crater Lake 'Tswaing', South Africa, for the Last 300,000 Year

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kristen, I.; Fuhrmann, A.; Haug, G. H.; Horsfield, B.; Oberhänsli, H.; Partridge, T. C.; Thorpe, J.; Wilkes, H.

2005-12-01

Deeper time palaeoclimate reconstructions are still rare on the continental southern hemisphere. Here we present new biogeochemical data from a core retrieved in crater lake 'Tswaing' (formerly 'Pretoria saltpan'). This opens a novel chance to get a more detailed view into climate variability of the subtropical region of South Africa on the glacial/interglacial time scale. The crater 'Tswaing' was formed around 220±52 kyr ago by a meteorite impact. However, new U/Th analyses of authigenic carbonates provide preliminary evidence that the lake might be older than 300 kyr. Today the basin contains a shallow (< 3 m water depth), hypersaline (pH ~10) lake with a diameter of about 300 m in an about 1 km wide crater. Hence, the lake catchment is small with no water in- or outflow. Therefore, the lake is sensitive for variations in rainfall and probably wind stress. Our 90 m composite core profile consists of partly fine-laminated lake sediments intercalated with mudflow deposits. Previous investigations and our new data reveal a considerable variability of bulk geochemical proxies such as total inorganic carbon (TIC), total organic carbon (TOC) and the C/N ratio. The upper half of the core is dominated by fluctuations in TOC while TIC controls the variation in the lower half of the core. These data argue for substantial changes in the depositional environment of the lake system. They are complemented by facies analyses in thin sections, major element patterns derived from μXRF scanning , the carbon isotopic composition of the bulk sediment, maceral analysis, and lipid biomarkers of the organic material in the sediments. First results allow to distinguish intervals with completely different ecosystems and hydrology during lake history. Intervals with dinoflagellates and algae as main primary producers alternate with phases dominated by bacteria and ciliates feeding on them. Future detailed analyses will provide new insights into the development of these climate sensitive

Mercury and selenium contamination in waterbird eggs and risk to avian reproduction at Great Salt Lake, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ackerman, Joshua T.; Herzog, Mark P.; Hartman, Christopher A.; Isanhart, John P.; Herring, Garth; Vaughn, Sharon; Cavitt, John F.; Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Browers, Howard; Cline, Chris; Vest, Josh

2015-01-01

The wetlands of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem are recognized regionally, nationally, and hemispherically for their importance as breeding, wintering, and migratory habitat for diverse groups of waterbirds. Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is the largest freshwater component of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem and provides critical breeding habitat for more than 60 bird species. However, the Great Salt Lake ecosystem also has a history of both mercury and selenium contamination, and this pollution could reduce the health and reproductive success of waterbirds. The overall objective of this study was to evaluate the risk of mercury and selenium contamination to birds breeding within Great Salt Lake, especially at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, and to identify the waterbird species and areas at greatest risk to contamination. We sampled eggs from 33 species of birds breeding within wetlands of Great Salt Lake during 2010 ̶ 2012 and focused on American avocets (Recurvirostra americana), black-necked stilts (Himantopus mexicanus), Forster’s terns (Sterna forsteri), white-faced ibis (Plegadis chihi), and marsh wrens (Cistothorus palustris) for additional studies of the effects of contaminants on reproduction.

STS-48 ESC Earth observation of southwestern corner of the Great Salt Lake

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

STS-48 Earth observation of the southwestern corner of the Great Salt Lake, 308 nautical miles below Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, was provided by the electronic still camera (ESC). While the image is mostly covered with a thin veil of cirrus clouds, many of the surface features can be recognized. The causeway linking the northern tip of the peninsula to the southwest shore of the lake is clearly visible as is the interstate highway. Considerable topographic detail is visible in the snow covered peaks to the south of the lake. The commercial salt pans between the peninsula and the interstate show high contrast with the brightness dependent on the concentration of the brackish water in the pan. Recent heavy rainfall has caused considerable runoff into the lake but the flooding hazard of a few years past no longer exists due to a pumping system that now transfers excess water to the Bonneville Salt Flats. The ESC image was stored on a removable hard disk or small optical disk and

Evolution and Growth Competition of Salt Fingers in Saline Lake with Slight Wind Shear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Ray-Yeng; Hwung, Hwung-Hweng; Shugan, Igor

2010-05-01

Since the discover of double-diffusive convection by Stommel, Arons & Blanchard (1956), 'evidence has accumulated for the widespread presence of double-diffusion throughout the ocean' and for its 'significant effects on global water-mass structure and the thermohaline convection' (Schmitt, 1998). The salt-fingering form of double-diffusion has particularly attracted interest because of salt-finger convection being now widely recognized as an important mechanism for mixing heat and salt both vertically and laterally in the ocean and saline lake. In oceanographic situations or saline lake where salt fingers may be an important mechanism for the transport of heat and salt in the vertical, velocity shears may also be present. Salt finger convection is analogous to Bénard convection in that the kinetic energy of the motions is obtained from the potential energy stored in the unstable distribution of a stratifying component. On the basis of the thermal analogy it is of interest to discover whether salt fingers are converted into two-dimensional sheets by the wind shear, and how the vertical fluxes of heat and salt are changed by the wind shear. Salt finger convection under the effect of steady wind shear is theoretically examined in this paper. The evolution of developing in the presence of a vertical density gradient disturbance and the horizontal Couette flow is considered near the onset of salt fingers in the saline lake under a moderate rate of wind shear. We use velocity as the basic variable and solve the pressure Poisson equation in terms of the associated Green function. Growth competition between the longitudinal rolls (LR) and the transverse rolls (TR), whose axes are respectively in the direction parallel to and perpendicular to the Couette flow, is investigated by the weakly nonlinear analysis of coupled-mode equations. The results show that the TR mode is characterized in some range of the effective Rayleigh number, and that the stability is dominated by

RadNet Air Data From Salt Lake City, UT

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page presents radiation air monitoring and air filter analysis data for Salt Lake City, UT from EPA's RadNet system. RadNet is a nationwide network of monitoring stations that measure radiation in air, drinking water and precipitation.

The Economic Impact of Ten Cultural Institutions on the Economy of the Salt Lake SMSA.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cwi, David

The impact of 10 cultural institutions on the Salt Lake City economy was determined by measuring their 1978 direct and indirect financial effects. The institutions are Ballet West, Pioneer Memorial Theatre, Repertory Dance Theatre, Salt Lake City Art Center, Theatre 138, Tiffany's Attic, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Utah Symphony, Utah Opera Company,…

Selected hydrologic data for Salt Lake Valley, Utah, October 1968 to October 1985

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seiler, R.L.

1986-01-01

This report contains hydrologic data collected in Salt Lake Valley from October 1968 to October 1985. The report area is bounded by the Wasatch Range on the east, the Oquirrh Mountains on the west, the Traverse Mountains on the south, and the boundary between Davis and Salt Lake Counties on the north. Hely and others (1971) defined two aquifers of major importance in the valley the principal aquifer and the shallow aquifer. The principal aquifer is a source of water for public supply and industry, whereas the shallow aquifer in many places contains water that is contaminated and is unsuitable for public supply (Seiler and Waddell, 1984). Most of the data in this report were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District, Central Utah Water Conservancy District, Granger-Hunter Improvement District, Magna Water Co. and Improvement District, City of Midvale, Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities, City of Sandyr City of South Salt Lake, Taylorsville Bennion Improvement District, City of West Jordan, Holladay Water Company, and White City Water Co. Some of the data were published previously by Hely, Mower, and Horr (1967, 1968, and 1969), lorns, Mower, and Horr (1966a and b), Marine and Price (1963), and Seiler and Waddell (1984).The purpose of this report is to provide hydrologic data for use by the general public and by officials who manage water resources and to supplement interpretive reports for the area. Information about wells, water levels in wells, and the chemical and physical properties of ground water is given in tables 1-4, and the well locations are shown on plate 1.

Salt lakes of Western Australia - Natural abiotic formation of volatile organic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krause, T.; Studenroth, S.; Mulder, I.; Tubbesing, C.; Kotte, K.; Ofner, J.; Junkermann, W.; Schöler, H. F.

2012-04-01

Western Australia is a semi-/arid region that is heavily influenced by global climate change and agricultural land use. The area is known for its many ephemeral saline and hypersaline lakes with a wide range of hydrogeochemical parameters that have gradually changed over the last fifty years. Historically, the region was covered by eucalyptus trees and shrubs, but was cleared mainly within 10 years after WWII to make room for wheat and live stock. After the clearance of the deep rooted native plants the groundwater started to rise, bringing increased amounts of dissolved salts and minerals to the surface and discharging them into streams and lakes. Thus most of Western Australia is influenced by secondary salinisation (soil salting) [1]. Another problem is that the discharged minerals affect the pH of ground and surface water, which ranges from acidic to slightly basic. During the 2011 campaign surface water was measured with a pH between 2.5 and 7.1. Another phenomenon in Western Australia is the decrease of rainfall over the last decades assumed to be linked to the secondary salinisation. The rising saline and mineral rich groundwater increases the biotical and abiotical activity of the salt lakes. Halogenated and non-halogenated volatile organic compounds emitted from those lakes undergo fast oxidation and chemical reactions to form small particles modifying cloud microphysics and thus suppressing rain events [2]. Our objective is to gain a better understanding of this extreme environment with its hypersaline acidic lakes with regard to the potential abiotic formation of volatile organic compounds and its impact on the local climate. In spring 2011 fifty-three sediment samples from ten salt lakes in the Lake King region where taken, freeze-dried and ground. In order to simulate the abiotic formation of volatile organic compounds the soil samples were resuspended with water in gas-tight headspace vials. The headspace was measured using a purge and trap GC

Tree-ring reconstruction of the level of Great Salt Lake, USA

Treesearch

R. Justin DeRose; Shih-Yu Wang; Brendan M. Buckley; Matthew F. Bekker

2014-01-01

Utah's Great Salt Lake (GSL) is a closed-basin remnant of the larger Pleistocene-age Lake Bonneville. The modern instrumental record of the GSL-level (i.e. elevation) change is strongly modulated by Pacific Ocean coupled ocean/atmospheric oscillations at low frequency, and therefore reflects the decadalscale wet/dry cycles that characterize the region. A within-...

Salt Lake City, Utah 2002

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Salt Lake City, Utah, Winter 2001 The 2002 Winter Olympics are hosted by Salt Lake City at several venues within the city, in nearby cities, and within the adjacent Wasatch Mountains. This simulated natural color image presents a snowy, winter view of north central Utah that includes all of the Olympic sites. The image extends from Ogden in the north, to Provo in the south; and includes the snow-capped Wasatch Mountains and the eastern part of the Great Salt Lake. This image was acquired on February 8, 2001 by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra satellite. 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 Earth for the next 6 years 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 satellite. 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. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. Science team leader; Bjorn Eng of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, along-term research and technology program designed to examine Earth's land, oceans, atmosphere, ice and life as a total integrated system. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER will provide scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping, and monitoring 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

Ice-Covered Lakes in Gale Crater Mars: The Cold and Wet Hypothesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kling, A. M.; Haberle, R. M.; Mckay, C. P.; Bristow, T. F.

2016-01-01

Recent geological discoveries from the Mars Science Laboratory provide evidence that Gale crater may have intermittently hosted a fluvio-lacustine environment during the Hesperian, with individual lakes lasting for a period of tens to hundreds of thousands of years. (Grotzinger et al., Science, 350 (6257), 2015). Estimates of the CO2 content of the atmosphere at the time the Gale sediments formed are far less than needed by any climate model to warm early Mars (Bristow et al., Geology, submitted), given the low solar energy input available at Mars 3.5 Gya. We have therefore explored the possibility that the lakes in Gale during the Hesperian were perennially covered with ice using the Antarctic Lakes as an analog. Using our best estimate for the annual mean surface temperature at Gale at this time (approx. 230K) we computed the thickness of an ice-covered lake. These thickness range from 10-30 meters depending on the ablation rate and ice transparency and would likely inhibit sediments from entering the lake. Thus, a first conclusion is that the ice must not be too cold. Raising the mean temperature to 245K is challenging, but not quite as hard as reaching 273K. We found that a mean annual temperature of 245K ice thicknesses range from 3-10 meters. These values are comparable to the range of those for the Antarctic lakes (3-6 m), and are not implausible. And they are not so thick that sediments cannot penetrate the ice. For the ice-covered lake hypothesis to work, however, a melt water source is needed. This could come from subaqueous melting of a glacial dam in contact with the lakes (as is the case for Lake Untersee) or from seasonal melt water from nearby glaciers (as is the case for the Dry Valley lakes). More work is needed to better assess these possibilities. However, the main advantage of the ice-covered lake model (and the main reason we pursued it) is that it relaxes the requirement for a long-lived active hydrological cycle involving rainfall and runoff

2000 Multibeam Sonar Survey of Crater Lake, Oregon - Data, GIS, Images, and Movies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gardner, James V.; Dartnell, Peter

2001-01-01

In the summer of 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Seafloor Mapping Project in cooperation with the National Park Service, and the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, University of New Hampshire used a state-of-the-art multibeam sonar system to collect high-resolution bathymetry and calibrated, co-registered acoustic backscatter to support both biological and geological research in the Crater Lake area. This interactive CD-ROM contains the multibeam bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data, along with an ESRI ArcExplorer project (and software), images, and movies.

Reconstructing the past climate at Gale crater, Mars, from hydrological modeling of late-stage lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horvath, David G.; Andrews-Hanna, Jeffrey C.

2017-08-01

The sedimentary deposits in Gale crater may preserve one of the best records of the early Martian climate during the Late Noachian and Early Hesperian. Surface and orbital observations support the presence of two periods of lake stability in Gale crater—prior to the formation of the sedimentary mound during the Late Noachian and after the formation and erosion of the mound to its present state in the Early Hesperian. Here we use hydrological models and late-stage lake levels at Gale, to reconstruct the climate of Mars after mound formation and erosion to its present state. Using Earth analog climates, we show that the late-stage lakes require wetter interludes characterized by semiarid climates after the transition to arid conditions in the Hesperian. These climates are much wetter than is thought to characterize much of the Hesperian and are more similar to estimates of the Late Noachian climate.

76 FR 28074 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City, UT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-13

... Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City, UT AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice... of the Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City, UT. The human remains were removed from Snow... sole responsibility of the museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native...

Gully formation in terrestrial simple craters: Meteor Crater, USA and Lonar Crater, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, P.; Head, J. W.; Kring, D. A.

2007-12-01

Geomorphic features such as gullies, valley networks, and channels on Mars have been used as a proxy to understand the climate and landscape evolution of Mars. Terrestrial analogues provide significant insight as to how the various exogenic and endogenic processes might contribute to the evolution of these martian landscapes. We describe here a terrestrial example from Meteor Crater, which shows a spectacular development of gullies throughout the inner wall in response to rainwater precipitation, snow melting and groundwater discharge. As liquid water has been envisaged as one of the important agents of landscape sculpturing, Meteor Crater remains a useful landmark, where planetary geologists can learn some lessons. We also show here how the lithology and structural framework of this crater controls the gully distribution. Like many martian impact craters, it was emplaced in layered sedimentary rocks with an exceptionally well-developed centripetal drainage pattern consisting of individual alcoves, channels and fans. Some of the gullies originate from the rim crest and others from the middle crater wall, where a lithologic transition occurs. Deeply incised alcoves are well-developed on the soft sandstones of the Coconino Formation exposed on the middle crater wall, beneath overlying dolomite. In general, the gully locations are along crater wall radial fractures and faults, which are favorable locales of groundwater flow and discharge; these structural discontinuities are also the locales where the surface runoff from rain precipitation and snow melting can preferentially flow, causing degradation. Like martian craters, channels are well developed on the talus deposits and alluvial fans on the periphery of the crater floor. In addition, lake sediments on the crater floor provide significant evidence of a past pluvial climate, when groundwater seeped from springs on the crater wall. Caves exposed on the lower crater level may point to percolation of surface runoff

Added value from 576 years of tree-ring records in the prediction of the Great Salt Lake level

Treesearch

Robert R. Gillies; Oi-Yu Chung; S.-Y. Simon Wang; R. Justin DeRose; Yan Sun

2015-01-01

Predicting lake level fluctuations of the Great Salt Lake (GSL) in Utah - the largest terminal salt-water lake in the Western Hemisphere - is critical from many perspectives. The GSL integrates both climate and hydrological variations within the region and is particularly sensitive to low-frequency climate cycles. Since most hydroclimate variable records cover...

Temporal variation of phytoplankton in a small tropical crater lake, Costa Rica.

PubMed

Umaña-Villalobos, Gerardo

2010-12-01

The temporal variation in lake's phytoplankton is important to understand its general biodiversity. For tropical lakes, it has been hypothesized that they follow a similar pattern as temperate ones, on a much accelerated pace; nevertheless, few case studies have tried to elucidate this. Most studies in Costa Rica have used a monthly sampling scheme and failed in showing the expected changes. In this study, the phytoplankton of the small Barvas's crater lake was followed for more than three years, first with monthly and later with weekly samplings, that covered almost two years. Additional information on temperature and oxygen vertical profiles was obtained on a monthly basis, and surface temperature was measured during weekly samplings around noon. Results showed that in spite of its shallow condition (max. depth: 7m) and low surface temperature (11 to 19 degrees C), the lake stratifies at least for brief periods. The phytoplankton showed both, rapid change periods, and prolonged ones of relative stasis. The plankton composition fluctuated between three main phases, one characterized by the abundance of small sized desmids (Staurastrum paradoxum, Cosmarium asphaerosporum), a second phase dominated by equally small cryptomonads (Chryptochrysis minor, Chroomonas sp.) and a third phase dominated by the green alga Eutetramorus tetrasporus. Although data evidenced that monthly sampling could miss short term events, the temporal variation did not follow the typical dry and rainy seasons of the region, or any particular annual pattern. Year to year variation was high. As this small lake is located at the summit of Barva Volcano and receives the influence from both the Caribbean and the Pacific weather, seasonality at the lake is not clearly defined as in the rest of the country and short term variations in the local weather might have a stronger effect than broad seasonal trends. The occurrence of this short term changes in the phytoplankton of small tropical lakes in

78 FR 45848 - Amendment of Class E Airspace; Salt Lake City, UT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-30

... Salt Lake City, UT, to accommodate aircraft using Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) and Instrument Landing System (ILS) or Localizer (LOC) standard instrument approach procedures at Salt..., and makes a minor change to the legal description of Class E airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet...

Microbial community structure and diversity within hypersaline Keke Salt Lake environments.

PubMed

Han, Rui; Zhang, Xin; Liu, Jing; Long, Qifu; Chen, Laisheng; Liu, Deli; Zhu, Derui

2017-11-01

Keke Salt Lake is located in the Qaidamu Basin of China. It is a unique magnesium sulfate-subtype hypersaline lake that exhibits a halite domain ecosystem, yet its microbial diversity has remained unstudied. Here, the microbial community structure and diversity was investigated via high-throughput sequencing of the V3-V5 regions of 16S rRNA genes. A high diversity of operational taxonomic units was detected for Bacteria and Archaea (734 and 747, respectively), comprising 21 phyla, 43 classes, and 201 genera of Bacteria and 4 phyla, 4 classes, and 39 genera of Archaea. Salt-saturated samples were dominated by the bacterial genera Bacillus (51.52%-58.35% relative abundance), Lactococcus (9.52%-10.51%), and Oceanobacillus (8.82%-9.88%) within the Firmicutes phylum (74.81%-80.99%), contrasting with other hypersaline lakes. The dominant Archaea belonged to the Halobacteriaceae family, and in particular, the genera (with an abundance of >10% of communities) Halonotius, Halorubellus, Halapricum, Halorubrum, and Natronomonas. Additionally, we report the presence of Nanohaloarchaeota and Woesearchaeota in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau lakes, which has not been previously documented. Total salinity (especially Mg 2+ , Cl - , Na + , and K + ) mostly correlated with taxonomic distribution across samples. These results expand our understanding of microbial resource utilization within hypersaline lakes and the potential adaptations of dominant microorganisms that allow them to inhabit such environments.

Characterization and origin of polar dissolved organic matter from the Great Salt Lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leenheer, J.A.; Noyes, T.I.; Rostad, C.E.; Davisson, M.L.

2004-01-01

Polar dissolved organic matter (DOM) was isolated from a surface-water sample from the Great Salt Lake by separating it from colloidal organic matter by membrane dialysis, from less-polar DOM fractions by resin sorbents, and from inorganic salts by a combination of sodium cation exchange followed by precipitation of sodium salts by acetic acid during evaporative concentration. Polar DOM was the most abundant DOM fraction, accounting for 56% of the isolated DOM. Colloidal organic matter was 14C-age dated to be about 100% modern carbon and all of the DOM fractions were 14C-age dated to be between 94 and 95% modern carbon. Average structural models of each DOM fraction were derived that incorporated quantitative elemental and infrared, 13C-NMR, and electrospray/mass spectrometric data. The polar DOM model consisted of open-chain N-acetyl hydroxy carboxylic acids likely derived from N-acetyl heteropolysaccharides that constituted the colloidal organic matter. The less polar DOM fraction models consisted of aliphatic alicyclic ring structures substituted with carboxyl, hydroxyl, ether, ester, and methyl groups. These ring structures had characteristics similar to terpenoid precursors. All DOM fractions in the Great Salt Lake are derived from algae and bacteria that dominate DOM inputs in this lake.

Microbial Composition and Preliminary Age of Ooids from the Great Salt Lake, Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piazza, O.; Corsetti, F. A.; Stamps, B. W.; Stevenson, B. S.; Bardsley, A.; Hammond, D. E.; Nunn, H. S.; Berelson, W.; Spear, J. R.

2016-12-01

Ooids (laminated coated grains) are common in the geologic record in lacustrine and marine systems. Traditionally interpreted as abiogenic precipitates, recent work suggests that microbial metabolism/byproducts may enhance the calcium carbonate precipitation of some ooids. Thus, the processes that govern ooid formation remain enigmatic, making it difficult to assess their significance as biosigntatures and environmental indicators in modern/ancient environments. The Great Salt Lake, Utah, provides a unique environment to assess the microbial community and growth rate of aragonitic ooids. Ooids collected near Antelope Island were first sieved into coarse, medium, and fine size fractions. One aliquot of each fraction was left untreated and another was washed with ethanol to remove the biomass/biofilm from the exterior. The microbial communities of each aliquot and the surrounding lake water were compared using small subunit rRNA gene sequencing. Since 50% of the ooids studied contain nuclei that were fecal pellets from the Great Salt Lake Artemia (brine shrimp), Artemia pellets were also collected and sequenced to compare to the ooids and the lake water. 228Ra/226Ra of ooids and lake water was measured to evaluate ooid age. Preliminary 228Ra/226Ra results indicate that ooid growth has occurred in the last few decades. Alphaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Bacteriodetes were the most abundant bacterial taxa present within ooid samples. In contrast, the lake water was significantly different in composition, dominated by the halophilic Halobacteria (Euryarchaeota). Both the treated and untreated ooids had a microbial community that more closely resembled the composition of the Artemia fecal pellets than the Great Salt Lake water. We conclude that 1) preliminary dating using a novel chronometer suggests very recent ooid formation, and 2) nuclei composition may skew the results when investigating ooid microbial communities.

Perspective View with Landsat Overlay, Salt Lake City Olympics Venues, Utah

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

The 2002 Winter Olympics are hosted by Salt Lake City at several venues within the city, in nearby cities, and within the adjacent Wasatch Mountains. This computer generated perspective image provides a northward looking 'view from space' that includes all of these Olympic sites. In the south, next to Utah Lake, Provo hosts the ice hockey competition. In the north, northeast of the Great Salt Lake, Ogden hosts curling, and the nearby Snow Basin ski area hosts the downhill events. In between, southeast of the Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake City hosts the Olympic Village and the various skating events. Further east, across the Wasatch Mountains, the Park City area ski resorts host the bobsled, ski jumping, and snowboarding events. The Winter Olympics are always hosted in mountainous terrain. This view shows the dramatic landscape that makes the Salt Lake City region a world-class center for winter sports.

This 3-D perspective view was generated using topographic data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) and a Landsat 5 satellite image mosaic. Topographic expression is exaggerated four times.

For a full-resolution, annotated version of this image, please select Figure 1, below: [figure removed for brevity, see original site]

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 will substantially help in analyzing the large and growing Landsat image archive, managed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Elevation data used in this image was acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on Feb. 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 the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect 3-D measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data

Geochemistry and Mineralogy of Western Australian Salt Lake Sediments: Implications for Meridiani Planum on Mars.

PubMed

Ruecker, A; Schröder, C; Byrne, J; Weigold, P; Behrens, S; Kappler, A

2016-07-01

Hypersaline lakes are characteristic for Western Australia and display a rare combination of geochemical and mineralogical properties that make these lakes potential analogues for past conditions on Mars. In our study, we focused on the geochemistry and mineralogy of Lake Orr and Lake Whurr. While both lakes are poor in organic carbon (<1%), the sediments' pH values differ and range from 3.8 to 4.8 in Lake Orr and from 5.4 to 6.3 in Lake Whurr sediments. Lake Whurr sediments were dominated by orange and red sediment zones in which the main Fe minerals were identified as hematite, goethite, and tentatively jarosite and pyrite. Lake Orr was dominated by brownish and blackish sediments where the main Fe minerals were goethite and another paramagnetic Fe(III)-phase that could not be identified. Furthermore, a likely secondary Fe(II)-phase was observed in Lake Orr sediments. The mineralogy of these two salt lakes in the sampling area is strongly influenced by events such as flooding, evaporation, and desiccation, processes that explain at least to some extent the observed differences between Lake Orr and Lake Whurr. The iron mineralogy of Lake Whurr sediments and the high salinity make this lake a suitable analogue for Meridiani Planum on Mars, and in particular the tentative identification of pyrite in Lake Whurr sediments has implications for the interpretation of the Fe mineralogy of Meridiani Planum sediments. Western Australia-Salt lakes-Jarosite-Hematite-Pyrite-Mars analogue. Astrobiology 16, 525-538.

Salt Lake Skills Center Handicapped Advocacy Program. Summary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Bo; Armstrong, Terry L.

The Handicapped Advocacy Program (HAP) is an advocacy service for individuals with disabilities who are sponsored in skills training by the Utah Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS). It has developed a system whereby DRS clients can be tracked throughout their tenure at the Salt Lake Skills Center. Other services include Skills Center…

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

Engineering geology model of the Crater Lake outlet, Mt. Ruapehu, New Zealand, to inform rim breakout hazard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, Stefan C. W.; Kennedy, Ben M.; Villeneuve, Marlène C.

2018-01-01

Mt. Ruapehu, in the central North Island of New Zealand, hosts a hot acidic Crater Lake over the active volcanic vent with a surface elevation of c. 2530 m.a.s.l. Volcanic activity and other montane processes have previously resulted in catastrophic releases of some or all of the c. 10 Mm3 of water retained in the lake, creating serious hazards downstream. A major lahar in March 2007 exposed a 10 m high face representative of the rock units impounding the lake, providing an opportunity to conduct both field and laboratory analysis to characterise the rock mass conditions at the outlet to assess the stability of the outlet area. This paper presents an engineering geology model of Crater Lake outlet. Our model shows three andesitic geological units at the outlet, each with different geological histories and physical and mechanical properties, which impact its stability. Geotechnical methods used to characterise the outlet include laboratory testing of the strength, stiffness, porosity and unit weight, and field-based rock mass characterisation using the geological strength index (GSI) and rock mass rating (RMR). Field observations, geomorphology mapping, historic and contemporary photographs, and laboratory results are combined to create cross sections that provide key information for establishing the engineering geology model. The units are recognised in what is informally termed the Crater Lake Formation: i) The upper surface layer is a c. 2 m thick sub-horizontal dark grey lava unit (Armoured Lava Ledge) with sub-horizontal cooling joints spaced at 0.2 m to 2.0 m intervals. The intact rock has a porosity range of 15-27%, density range of 1723-2101 kg/m3, GSI range of 45-75, and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) range of 19-48 MPa. ii) Below this, and outcropping down the majority of the outlet waterfall is a poorly sorted breccia unit composed of block and matrix material (Lava Breccia). The blocks range from 0.1 m to 0.8 m in diameter with an average porosity

Selenium mass balance in the Great Salt Lake, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Diaz, X.; Johnson, W.P.; Naftz, D.L.

2009-01-01

A mass balance for Se in the south arm of the Great Salt Lake was developed for September 2006 to August 2007 of monitoring for Se loads and removal flows. The combined removal flows (sedimentation and volatilization) totaled to a geometric mean value of 2079??kg Se/yr, with the estimated low value being 1255??kg Se/yr, and an estimated high value of 3143??kg Se/yr at the 68% confidence level. The total (particulates + dissolved) loads (via runoff) were about 1560??kg Se/yr, for which the error is expected to be ?? 15% for the measured loads. Comparison of volatilization to sedimentation flux demonstrates that volatilization rather than sedimentation is likely the major mechanism of selenium removal from the Great Salt Lake. The measured loss flows balance (within the range of uncertainties), and possibly surpass, the measured annual loads. Concentration histories were modeled using a simple mass balance, which indicated that no significant change in Se concentration was expected during the period of study. Surprisingly, the measured total Se concentration increased during the period of the study, indicating that the removal processes operate at their low estimated rates, and/or there are unmeasured selenium loads entering the lake. The selenium concentration trajectories were compared to those of other trace metals to assess the significance of selenium concentration trends. ?? 2008 Elsevier B.V.

Palos Crater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site]

Palos Crater has been suggested as a future landing site for Mars Missions. This crater has a channel called Tinto Vallis, which enters from the south. This site was suggested as a landing site because it may contain lake deposits. Palos Crater is named in honor of the port city in Spain from which Christopher Columbus sailed on his way to the New World in August of 1492. The floor of Palos Crater appears to be layered in places providing further evidence that this site may in fact have been the location of an ancient lake.

Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Mars Exploration Rover Field Observations of Impact Craters at Gusev Crater and Meridiani Planum and Implications for Climate Change

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golombek, M.; Grant, J. A.; Crumpler, L. S.

2005-01-01

The Mars Exploration Rovers have provided a field geologist's perspective of impact craters in various states of degradation along their traverses at Gusev crater and Meridiani Planum. This abstract will describe the craters observed and changes to the craters that constrain the erosion rates and the climate [l]. Changes to craters on the plains of Gusev argue for a dry and desiccating environment since the Late Hesperian in contrast to the wet and likely warm environment in the Late Noachian at Meridiani in which the sulfate evaporites were deposited in salt-water playas or sabkhas.

Results of pre-drilling potential field measurements at the Bosumtwi crater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danuor, S. K.; Menyeh, A.

Gravity and magnetic measurements were carried out at the Bosumtwi crater to determine the geophysical signature of the crater. Land gravity data was acquired at 163 locations around the structure and on the shore of the lake. The separation between the gravity stations was 500 m for radial profiles, but 700-1000 m along roads and footpaths that ran parallel to the lake's shore. Additionally, a marine gravity survey was carried out along 14 north-south and 15 east-west profiles on the lake. Magnetic data was also acquired along 14 north-south profiles on the lake. In all marine surveys, the line spacing was 800 m, and navigation was provided by a Garmin 235 Echo Sounder/GPS. The gravity signature of the crater is characterized by a negative Bouguer anomaly with an amplitude of about -18 mgal. Using the seismic results as constraints, the gravity model obtained indicates the central uplift at a depth of 250 m. The negative anomaly is the contribution of the gravity deficiencies due to fractured and brecciated rocks in the rim area and below the crater floor, the impact breccias within the crater, and the sedimentary and water infilling of the lake. Magnetic modeling yielded a model for the causative body, which is located north of the central uplift: the model has a magnetic susceptibility of 0.03 S.I. and extends from a depth of 250 to 610 m. The causative bodies have been interpreted as impactites.

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.

78 FR 6832 - Notice of Mailing Address Change for the Utah State Office, Salt Lake City, UT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-31

...The mailing address for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Utah State Office, in Salt Lake City, Utah, will be changing from P.O. Box 45155-0155 to 440 West 200 South, Suite 500, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101-1345. The proposed date will be on or about February 1, 2013. The office location address remains the same.

Long-distance flights and high-risk breeding by nomadic waterbirds on desert salt lakes.

PubMed

Pedler, Reece D; Ribot, Raoul F H; Bennett, Andrew T D

2018-02-01

Understanding and conserving mobile species presents complex challenges, especially for animals in stochastic or changing environments. Nomadic waterbirds must locate temporary water in arid biomes where rainfall is highly unpredictable in space and time. To achieve this they need to travel over vast spatial scales and time arrival to exploit pulses in food resources. How they achieve this is an enduring mystery.  We investigated these challenges in the colonial-nesting Banded Stilt (Cladorhynchus leucocephalus), a nomadic shorebird of conservation concern. Hitherto, Banded Stilts were hypothesized to have only 1-2 chances to breed during their long lifetime, when flooding rain fills desert salt lakes, triggering mass-hatching of brine shrimp. Over 6 years, we satellite tagged 57 individuals, conducted 21 aerial surveys to detect nesting colonies on 14 Australian desert salt lakes, and analyzed 3 decades of Landsat and MODIS satellite imagery to quantify salt-lake flood frequency and extent. Within days of distant inland rainfall, Banded Stilts flew 1,000-2,000 km to reach flooded salt lakes. On arrival, females laid over half their body weight in eggs. We detected nesting episodes across the species' range at 7 times the frequency reported during the previous 80 years. Nesting colonies of thousands formed following minor floods, yet most were subsequently abandoned when the water rapidly evaporated prior to egg hatching. Satellite imagery revealed twice as many flood events sufficient for breeding-colony initiation as recorded colonies, suggesting that nesting at remote sites has been underdetected. Individuals took risk on uncertain breeding opportunities by responding to frequent minor flood events between infrequent extensive flooding, exemplifying the extreme adaptability and trade-offs of species exploiting unstable environments. The conservation challenges of nest predation by overabundant native gulls and anthropogenic modifications to salt lakes filling

Third Project Evaluation Report--Summative for Salt Lake Community College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siefer, Nancy; Latkiewicz, John

Through a federal grant, Salt Lake Community College (Utah), in conjunction with two area industries, implemented a workplace literacy project to serve 225 employees. The training included work-related curriculum and instruction in reading, English as a Second Language, oral communication skills, written communication skills, mathematics, and…

Techniques, analysis, and noise in a Salt Lake Valley 4D gravity experiment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gettings, P.; Chapman, D.S.; Allis, R.

2008-01-01

Repeated high-precision gravity measurements using an automated gravimeter and analysis of time series of 1-Hz samples allowed gravity measurements to be made with an accuracy of 5 ??Gal or better. Nonlinear instrument drift was removed using a new empirical staircase function built from multiple station loops. The new technique was developed between March 1999 and September 2000 in a pilot study conducted in the southern Salt Lake Valley along an east-west profile of eight stations from the Wasatch Mountains to the Jordan River. Gravity changes at eight profile stations were referenced to a set of five stations in the northern Salt Lake Valley, which showed residual signals of <10 ??Gal in amplitude, assuming a reference station near the Great Salt Lake to be stable. Referenced changes showed maximum amplitudes of -40 through +40 ??Gal at profile stations, with minima in summer 1999, maxima in winter 1999-2000, and some decrease through summer 2000. Gravity signals were likely a composite of production-induced changes monitored by well-water levels, elevation changes, precipitation-induced vadose-zone changes, and local irrigation effects for which magnitudes were estimated quantitatively. ?? 2008 Society of Exploration Geophysicists. All rights reserved.

Hydrological Modeling of the Jezero Crater Outlet-Forming Flood

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fassett, Caleb I.; Goudge, Timothy A.

2017-01-01

Jezero crater is a site of prime scientific interest because it was a lake early in Mars history. Preserved clay- and carbonate-bearing sedimentary fans on Jezero's western and northwestern margin (Fig. 2) are accessible to future exploration. Geologic context [1] and stratigraphic analysis of the western fan strongly support the interpretation that these fans were deposited as deltas into the lake. This has helped establish Jezero as one of the final candidate landing sites for Mars 2020. The high level of certainty that Jezero was a lake results from the existence of its outlet valley, which required filling of the crater to form [e.g., 1,4]. Here, we specifically focus on how this outlet valley was carved by the dam breach flood that eroded the eastern crater rim. We have completed preliminary modeling in both 1D and 2D of the outlet's formation.

Organic geochemistry and brine composition in Great Salt, Mono, and Walker Lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Domagalski, Joseph L.; Orem, W.H.; Eugster, H.P.

1989-01-01

Samples of Recent sediments, representing up to 1000 years of accumulation, were collected from three closed basin lakes (Mono Lake, CA, Walker Lake, NV, and Great Salt Lake, UT) to assess the effects of brine composition on the accumulation of total organic carbon, the concentration of dissolved organic carbon, humic acid structure and diagenesis, and trace metal complexation. The Great Salt Lake water column is a stratified Na-Mg-Cl-SO4 brine with low alkalinity. Algal debris is entrained in the high density (1.132-1.190 g/cc) bottom brines, and in this region maximum organic matter decomposition occurs by anaerobic processes, with sulfate ion as the terminal electron acceptor. Organic matter, below 5 cm of the sediment-water interface, degrades at a very slow rate in spite of very high pore-fluid sulfate levels. The organic carbon concentration stabilizes at 1.1 wt%. Mono Lake is an alkaline (Na-CO3-Cl-SO4) system. The water column is stratified, but the bottom brines are of lower density relative to the Great Salt Lake, and sedimentation of algal debris is rapid. Depletion of pore-fluid sulfate, near l m of core, results in a much higher accumulation of organic carbon, approximately 6 wt%. Walker Lake is also an alkaline system. The water column is not stratified, and decomposition of organic matter occurs by aerobic processes at the sediment-water interface and by anaerobic processes below. Total organic carbon and dissolved organic carbon concentrations in Walker Lake sediments vary with location and depth due to changes in input and pore-fluid sulfate concentrations. Nuclear magnetic resonance studies (13C) of humic substances and dissolved organic carbon provide information on the source of the Recent sedimentary organic carbon (aquatic vs. terrestrial), its relative state of decomposition, and its chemical structure. The spectra suggest an algal origin with little terrestrial signature at all three lakes. This is indicated by the ratio of aliphatic to

Moon/Mars Landing Commemorative Release: Gusev Crater and Ma'adim Vallis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

On July 20, 1969, the first human beings landed on the Moon. On July 20, 1976, the first robotic lander touched down on Mars. This July 20th-- 29 years after Apollo 11 and 22 years since the Viking 1 Mars landing-- we take a look forward toward one possible future exploration site on the red planet.

One of the advantages of the Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) over its predecessors on the Viking and Mariner spacecraft is resolution. The ability to see-- resolve--fine details on the martian surface is key to planning future landing sites for robotic and, perhaps, human explorers that may one day visit the planet.

At present, NASA is studying potential landing sites for the Mars Surveyor landers, rovers, and sample return vehicles that are scheduled to be launched in 2001, 2003, and 2005. Among the types of sites being considered for these early 21st Century landings are those with 'exobiologic potential'--that is, locations on Mars that are in some way related to the past presence of water.

For more than a decade, two of the prime candidates suggested by various Mars research scientists are Gusev Crater and Ma'adim Vallis. Located in the martian southern cratered highlands at 14.7o S, 184.5o W, Gusev Crater is a large, ancient, meteor impact basin that--after it formed--was breached by Ma'adim Vallis.

Viking Orbiter observations provided some evidence to suggest that a fluid--most likely, water--once flowed through Ma'adim Vallis and into Gusev Crater. Some scientists have suggested that there were many episodes of flow into Gusev Crater (as well as flow out of Gusev through its topographically-lower northwestern rim). Some have also indicated that there were times when Ma'adim Vallis, also, was full of water such that it formed a long, narrow lake.

The possibility that water flowed into Gusev Crater and formed a lake has led to the suggestion that the materials seen on the floor of this crater--smooth-surfaced deposits

Crater with Exposed Layers

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-01-17

On Earth, geologists can dig holes and pull up core samples to find out what lies beneath the surface. On Mars, geologists cannot dig holes very easily themselves, but a process has been occurring for billions of years that has been digging holes for them: impact cratering. Impact craters form when an asteroid, meteoroid, or comet crashes into a planet's surface, causing an explosion. The energy of the explosion, and the resulting size of the impact crater, depends on the size and density of the impactor, as well as the properties of the surface it hits. In general, the larger and denser the impactor, the larger the crater it will form. The impact crater in this image is a little less than 3 kilometers in diameter. The impact revealed layers when it excavated the Martian surface. Layers can form in a variety of different ways. Multiple lava flows in one area can form stacked sequences, as can deposits from rivers or lakes. Understanding the geology around impact craters and searching for mineralogical data within their layers can help scientists on Earth better understand what the walls of impact craters on Mars expose. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA12328

Incision of the Jezero Crater Outflow Channel by Fluvial Sediment Transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holo, S.; Kite, E. S.

2017-12-01

Jezero crater, the top candidate landing site for the Mars 2020 rover, once possessed a lake that over-spilled and eroded a large outflow channel into the Eastern rim. The Western deltaic sediments that would be the primary science target of the rover record a history of lake level, which is modulated by the inflow and outflow channels. While formative discharges for the Western delta exist ( 500 m3/s), little work has been done to see if these flows are the same responsible for outflow channel incision. Other models of the Jezero outflow channel incision assume that a single rapid flood (incision timescales of weeks), with unknown initial hydraulic head and no discharge into the lake (e.g. from the inflow channels or the subsurface), incised an open channel with discharge modulated by flow over a weir. We present an alternate model where, due to an instability at the threshold of sediment motion, the incision of the outflow channel occurs in concert with lake filling. In particular, we assume a simplified lake-channel-valley system geometry and that the channel is hydraulically connected to the filling/draining crater lake. Bed load sediment transport and water discharge through the channel are quantified using the Meyer-Peter and Mueller relation and Manning's law respectively. Mass is conserved for both water and sediment as the lake level rises/falls and the channel incises. This model does not resolve backwater effects or concavity in the alluvial system, but it does capture the non-linear feedbacks between lake draining, erosion rate, channel flow rate, and slope relaxation. We identify controls on incision of the outflow channel and estimate the time scale of outflow channel formation through a simple dynamical model. We find that the observed 300m of channel erosion can be reproduced in decades to centuries of progressive bed load as the delta forming flows fill the lake. This corresponds to time scales on the order of or smaller than the time scale

Salt Lake Clean Cities Coalition: Outstanding coalition director: Beverly Miller (Clean Cities alternative fuel information series fact sheet)

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

Woodward, S.

2000-04-26

The Salt Lake metropolitan area faces some interesting economic and environmental challenges. It ranks eighth in the nation in population growth, so managing its increasing numbers without spoiling the beauty of its high mountain valley may seem to be a contradiction in goals. In addition, the 2002 Winter Olympics will attract almost 2 million visitors during February, when Salt Lake's unusual topography encourages its highest levels of air pollution. The Clean Cities Coalition is working with the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee to find clean vehicles to transport visitors to and from the various Olympic venues. A major goal ofmore » the Coalition is to keep as many AFVs as possible in Utah after the Olympics.« less

Patterns in Benthic Biodiversity Link Lake Trophic Status to Structure and Potential Function of Three Large, Deep Lakes

PubMed Central

Hayford, Barbara L.; Caires, Andrea M.; Chandra, Sudeep; Girdner, Scott F.

2015-01-01

Relative to their scarcity, large, deep lakes support a large proportion of the world’s freshwater species. This biodiversity is threatened by human development and is in need of conservation. Direct comparison of biodiversity is the basis of biological monitoring for conservation but is difficult to conduct between large, insular ecosystems. The objective of our study was to conduct such a comparison of benthic biodiversity between three of the world’s largest lakes: Lake Tahoe, USA; Lake Hövsgöl, Mongolia; and Crater Lake, USA. We examined biodiversity of common benthic organism, the non-biting midges (Chironomidae) and determined lake trophic status using chironomid-based lake typology, tested whether community structure was similar between the three lakes despite geographic distance; and tested whether chironomid diversity would show significant variation within and between lakes. Typology analysis indicated that Lake Hövsgöl was ultra-oligotrophic, Crater Lake was oligotrophic, and Lake Tahoe was borderline oligotrophic/mesotrophic. These results were similar to traditional pelagic measures of lake trophic status for Lake Hövsgöl and Crater Lake but differed for Lake Tahoe, which has been designated as ultra-oligotrophic by traditional pelagic measures such as transparency found in the literature. Analysis of similarity showed that Lake Tahoe and Lake Hövsgöl chironomid communities were more similar to each other than either was to Crater Lake communities. Diversity varied between the three lakes and spatially within each lake. This research shows that chironomid communities from these large lakes were sensitive to trophic conditions. Chironomid communities were similar between the deep environments of Lake Hövsgöl and Lake Tahoe, indicating that chironomid communities from these lakes may be useful in comparing trophic state changes in large lakes. Spatial variation in Lake Tahoe’s diversity is indicative of differential response of chironomid

Salt Lake City, Utah

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

The 2002 Winter Olympics are hosted by Salt Lake City at several venues within the city, in nearby cities, and within the adjacent Wasatch Mountains. This simulated natural color image presents a late spring view of north central Utah that includes all of the Olympic sites. The image extends from Ogden in the north, to Provo in the south; and includes the snow-capped Wasatch Mountains and the eastern part of the Great Salt Lake.

This image was acquired on May 28, 2000 by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra satellite. 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 Earth for the next 6 years 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 satellite. 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. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. Science team leader; Bjorn Eng of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, a long-term research and technology program designed to examine Earth's land, oceans, atmosphere, ice and life as a total integrated system.

The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER will provide scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping, and monitoring 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

Authentication controversies and impactite petrography of the New Quebec Crater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marvin, Ursula B.; Kring, David A.

1992-01-01

The literature reports that led to the current acceptance of New Quebec Crater (Chubb Crater) as an authentic impact crater are reviewed, and it is noted that, for reasons that are not entirely clear, a meteoritic origin for the New Quebec Crater achieved wider acceptance at an earlier data than for the Lake Bosumtwi Crater, for which petrographic and chemical evidence is more abundant and compelling. The petrography of two impact melt samples from the New Quebec Crater was investigated, and new evidence is obtained on the degrees of shock metamorphism affecting the accessory minerals such as apatite, sphene, magnetite, and zircon.

Layers with Carbonate Content Inside McLaughlin Crater on Mars

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-01-20

This view of layered rocks on the floor of McLaughlin Crater shows sedimentary rocks that contain spectroscopic evidence for minerals formed through interaction with water. A combination of clues suggests this crater once held a lake fed by groundwater.

Assessing the El Niño/Southern Oscillation proxy potential of the sediment record from Genovesa Crater Lake, Galápagos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conroy, J.; Overpeck, J. T.; Cole, J. E.; Collins, A.; Bush, M. B.; Steinitz-Kannan, M.

2009-12-01

Paleoclimate records from the tropical Pacific Ocean suggest significant changes in sea surface temperature (SST) and El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability during the Holocene, but there are still many spatial and temporal gaps in our understanding of past tropical Pacific climate change. Many of the annually-resolved records of past ENSO variability are short, discontinuous, or from outside the tropical Pacific, whereas those records from the tropical Pacific often do not have the temporal resolution to accurately resolve the timing of individual El Niño events. Paleoclimate records from the Galápagos Islands are ideal for reconstructing past changes in tropical Pacific climate variability, since these islands are located in the heart of the ENSO phenomenon. Records from other lakes in the Galápagos have already suggested significant changes in ENSO frequency and the mean state of the eastern tropical Pacific throughout the Holocene. However, these lake sediment records have interannual temporal resolution at best, hampering our understanding of past ENSO dynamics. Here we present our initial findings from an additional Galápagos lake: Genovesa Crater Lake. The Genovesa sediment record is finely laminated and will likely provide a high-resolution paleoclimate record for this region of the tropical Pacific, as well as a means to test the hypotheses proposed by other ENSO reconstructions. Scanning μ-XRF time series of elemental abundances in the Genovesa sediment cores indicate that peaks in Ca abundance reflect the warm/wet season and El Niño events. We hypothesize that during warm/wet periods, a reduced sea bird population around the typically guanotropic Genovesa Crater Lake reduces the guano input into the lake, allowing layers of relatively clean carbonate to precipitate. During the cool season and La Niña events, guano input dilutes the precipitated carbonate. High-resolution pollen and diatom analyses will provide additional constraints on

The complex filling of alae crater, Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swanson, D.A.; Duffield, W.A.; Jackson, D.B.; Peterson, D.W.

1972-01-01

Since February 1969 Alae Crater, a 165-m-deep pit crater on the east rift of Kilauea Volcano, has been completely filled with about 18 million m3 of lava. The filling was episodic and complex. It involved 13 major periods of addition of lava to the crater, including spectacular lava falls as high as 100 m, and three major periods of draining of lava from the crater. Alae was nearly filled by August 3, 1969, largely drained during a violent ground-cracking event on August 4, 1969, and then filled to the low point on its rim on October 10, 1969. From August 1970 to May 1971, the crater acted as a reservoir for lava that entered through subsurface tubes leading from the vent fissure 150 m away. Another tube system drained the crater and carried lava as far as the sea, 11 km to the south. Much of the lava entered Alae by invading the lava lake beneath its crust and buoying the crust upward. This process, together with the overall complexity of the filling, results in a highly complicated lava lake that would doubtless be misinterpreted if found in the fossil record. ?? 1972 Stabilimento Tipografico Francesco Giannini & Figli.

Soil erosion risk assessment using interviews, empirical soil erosion modeling (RUSLE) and fallout radionuclides in a volcanic crater lake watershed subjected to land use change, western Uganda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Crop, Wannes; Ryken, Nick; Tomma Okuonzia, Judith; Van Ranst, Eric; Baert, Geert; Boeckx, Pascal; Verschuren, Dirk; Verdoodt, Ann

2017-04-01

Population pressure results in conversion of natural vegetation to cropland within the western Ugandan crater lake watersheds. These watersheds however are particularly prone to soil degradation and erosion because of the high rainfall intensity and steep topography. Increased soil erosion losses expose the aquatic ecosystems to excessive nutrient loading. In this study, the Katinda crater lake watershed, which is already heavily impacted by agricultural land use, was selected for an explorative study on its (top)soil characteristics - given the general lack of data on soils within these watersheds - as well as an assessment of soil erosion risks. Using group discussions and structured interviews, the local land users' perceptions on land use, soil quality, soil erosion and lake ecology were compiled. Datasets on rainfall, topsoil characteristics, slope gradient and length, and land use were collected. Subsequently a RUSLE erosion model was run. Results from this empirical erosion modeling approach were validated against soil erosion estimates based on 137Cs measurements.

Bathymetric map of the south part of Great Salt Lake, Utah, 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baskin, Robert L.; Allen, David V.

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife Resources, collected bathymetric data for the south part of Great Salt Lake during 2002–04 using a single beam, high-definition fathometer and real-time differential global positioning system. Approximately 7.6 million depth readings were collected along more than 1,050 miles of survey transects for construction of this map. Sound velocities were obtained in conjunction with the bathymetric data to provide time-of-travel corrections to the depth calculations. Data were processed with commercial hydrographic software and exported into geographic information system (GIS) software for mapping. Because of the shallow nature of the lake and the limitations of the instrumentation, contours above an altitude of 4,193 feet were digitized from existing USGS 1:24,000 source-scale digital line graph data.For additional information on methods used to derive the bathymetric contours for this map, please see Baskin, Robert L., 2005, Calculation of area and volume for the south part of Great Salt Lake, Utah, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report OFR–2005–1327.

Are pre-crater mounds gas-inflated?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leibman, Marina; Kizyakov, Alexandr; Khomutov, Artem; Dvornikov, Yury; Babkina, Elena; Arefiev, Stanislav; Khairullin, Rustam

2017-04-01

Gas-emission craters (GEC) on Yamal peninsula, which occupied minds of researches for the last couple of years since first discovered in 2014, appeared to form on the place of specifically shaped mounds. There was a number of hypotheses involving pingo as an origin of these mounds. This arouse an interest in mapping pingo thus marking the areas of GEC formation risk. Our field research allows us to suggest that remote-sensing-based mapping of pingo may result in mix up of mounds of various origin. Thus, we started with classification of the mounds based on remote-sensing, field observations and survey from helicopter. Then we compared indicators of mounds of various classes to the properties of pre-crater mounds to conclude on their origin. Summarizing field experience, there are three main mound types on Yamal. (1) Outliers (remnant hills), separated from the main geomorphic landform by erosion. Often these mounds comprise polygonal blocks, kind of "baydzherakh". Their indicators are asymmetry (short gentle slope towards the main landform, and steep slope often descending into a small pond of thermokarst-nivation origin), often quadrangle or conic shape, and large size. (2) Pingo, appear within the khasyrei (drain lake basin); often are characterized by open cracks resulting from expansion of polygonal network formed when re-freezing of lake talik prior to pingo formation; old pingo may bear traces of collapse on the top, with depression which differs from the GEC by absence of parapet. (3) Frost-heave mounds (excluding pingo) may form on deep active layer, reducing due to moss-peat formation and forming ice lenses from an active layer water, usually they appear in the drainage hollows, valley bottoms, drain-lake basins periphery. These features are smaller than the first two types of mounds. Their tops as a rule are well vegetated. We were unable to find a single or a set of indicators unequivocally defining any specific mound type, thus indicators of pre-crater

Fluctuation history of Great Salt Lake, Utah, during the last 13,000 years, part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murchison, Stuart B.

1989-01-01

Great Salt Lake level fluctuations from 13,000 yr B.P. to the present were interpreted by examination of shoreline geomorphic features, shoreline deposits, archeologic sites, isotopic data, and palynologic data. After the conclusion of the Bonneville paleolake cycle, between 13,000 and 12,000 yr B.P. the lake regressed to levels low enough to deposit a littoral oxidized red bed stratum and a pelagic Glauber's salt layer. A late Pleistocene lake cycle occurred between 12,000 and 10,000 yr B.P. depositing several beaches, the highest reaching an altitude of about 4250 ft (1295.3 m). The lake regressed after 10,000 yr B.P., only to rise to 4230 ft (1289.2 m) between 9700 and 9400 yr B.P. and then gradually lower at least 15 ft (4.5 m) or more. Lake levels fluctuated between 4212 and 4180 ft (1284 and 1274 m) for the next 4000 years. A late Holocene lake cycle, constrained by radiocarbon ages between 3440 and 1400 yr B.P., is reported at a highest static level of 4221 ft (1286.5 m). After a lake level drop to altitudes ranging between 4210 and 4205 ft (1283.2 and 1281.6 m), a 4217 ft (1285.7 m) level was reached after 400 yr B.P. This level lowered to 4214 ft (1284.4 m) in the mid to late 1700 s A.D. The lake levels have since stabilized aroung a 4200 ft (1280 m) mean.

Lateral spread hazard mapping of the northern Salt Lake Valley, Utah, for a M7.0 scenario earthquake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olsen, M.J.; Bartlett, S.F.; Solomon, B.J.

2007-01-01

This paper describes the methodology used to develop a lateral spread-displacement hazard map for northern Salt Lake Valley, Utah, using a scenario M7.0 earthquake occurring on the Salt Lake City segment of the Wasatch fault. The mapping effort is supported by a substantial amount of geotechnical, geologic, and topographic data compiled for the Salt Lake Valley, Utah. ArcGIS?? routines created for the mapping project then input this information to perform site-specific lateral spread analyses using methods developed by Bartlett and Youd (1992) and Youd et al. (2002) at individual borehole locations. The distributions of predicted lateral spread displacements from the boreholes located spatially within a geologic unit were subsequently used to map the hazard for that particular unit. The mapped displacement zones consist of low hazard (0-0.1 m), moderate hazard (0.1-0.3 m), high hazard (0.3-1.0 m), and very high hazard (> 1.0 m). As expected, the produced map shows the highest hazard in the alluvial deposits at the center of the valley and in sandy deposits close to the fault. This mapping effort is currently being applied to the southern part of the Salt Lake Valley, Utah, and probabilistic maps are being developed for the entire valley. ?? 2007, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute.

76 FR 47613 - Board Meeting: September 13-14, 2011-Salt Lake City, UT; the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-05

... NUCLEAR WASTE TECHNICAL REVIEW BOARD Board Meeting: September 13-14, 2011--Salt Lake City, UT; the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board Will Meet To Discuss DOE Plans for Used Fuel Disposition R... Amendments Act of 1987, the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board will hold a public meeting in Salt Lake...

Pinatubo Lake Chemistry and Degassing 1991-2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwandner, F. M.; Newhall, C. G.; Christenson, B. W.; Apfelbeck, C. A.; Arpa, M. C. B.; Vaquilar, R.; Bariso, E.

2016-12-01

We review the history of degassing, bathymetry and water chemistry of the crater lake of Mt. Pinatubo (Philippines) using data obtained during 1991-2001, and 2010. In late 1992, the initial small lake had a significant acid-sulfate component from a volcanic degassing through a hydrothermal system and the lake, and anhydrite dissolution. Subsequently, this component was "drowned" by rainfall (2-4 m/y), meteoric groundwater draining from the crater walls into the lake, and a few neutral chloride crater wall springs. Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) measurements in August 2000 found a strong inverted thermal gradient below 20m depth, reaching over 70°C at 50-60 m depth. By January 2001 the lake had homogenized and was much cooler (27°C at all depths), and it was again well-mixed and still cool when re-surveyed in June 2001 and November 2010. By 2010, the lake was well mixed, at neutral pH, with no significant vertical or horizontal structure. Bubbling of a predominantly carbon dioxide (CO2) gas phase persists throughout the lake's history, some from 1991-92 magma and some from degassing of the long-standing (pre-1991) hydrothermal system fed from a deeper magmatic or mantle source. Crater wall fumaroles emit boiling-point hydrothermal gases dominated by water, air, and CO2.

Quality and sources of shallow ground water in areas of recent residential development in Salt Lake Valley, Salt Lake County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thiros, Susan A.

2003-01-01

Residential and commercial development of about 80 square miles that primarily replaced undeveloped and agricultural areas occurred in Salt Lake Valley, Utah, from 1963 to 1994. This study evaluates the occurrence and distribution of natural and anthropogenic compounds in shallow ground water underlying recently developed (post 1963) residential and commercial areas. Monitoring wells from 23 to 153 feet deep were installed at 30 sites. Water-quality data for the monitoring wells consist of analyses of field parameters, major ions, trace elements, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds.Dissolved-solids concentration ranged from 134 to 2,910 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in water from the 30 monitoring wells. Dissolved arsenic concentration in water from 12 wells exceeded the drinking-water maximum contaminant level of 10 micrograms per liter. Water from monitoring wells in the northwestern part of the valley generally contained higher arsenic concentrations than did water from other areas. Nitrate concentration in water sampled from 26 of the 30 monitoring wells (86.7 percent) was higher than a background level of 2 mg/L, indicating a possible human influence. Nitrate concentrations ranged from less than 0.05 to 13.3 mg/L.Fifteen of the 104 pesticides and pesticide degradation products analyzed for were detected in 1 or more water samples from the monitoring wells. No pesticides were detected at concentrations that exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards or guidelines for 2002. The high detection frequency of atrazine, a restricted-use pesticide, in residential areas on the west side of Salt Lake Valley may be the result of application in agricultural or industrial areas that have been converted to residential uses or application in areas upgradient from the residential areas that was then transported by ground water.Fifteen of the 86 volatile organic compounds analyzed for were detected in 1 or

Seasonal and interannual variability in the taxonomic composition and production dynamics of phytoplankton assemblages in Crater Lake, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

C. David, McIntire; Larson, Gary L.; Truitt, Robert E.

2007-01-01

Taxonomic composition and production dynamics of phytoplankton assemblages in Crater Lake, Oregon, were examined during time periods between 1984 and 2000. The objectives of the study were (1) to investigate spatial and temporal patterns in species composition, chlorophyll concentration, and primary productivity relative to seasonal patterns of water circulation; (2) to explore relationships between water column chemistry and the taxonomic composition of the phytoplankton; and (3) to determine effects of primary and secondary consumers on the phytoplankton assemblage. An analysis of 690 samples obtained on 50 sampling dates from 14 depths in the water column found a total of 163 phytoplankton taxa, 134 of which were identified to genus and 101 were identified to the species or variety level of classification. Dominant species by density or biovolume included Nitzschia gracilis, Stephanodiscus hantzschii, Ankistrodesmus spiralis, Mougeotia parvula, Dinobryon sertularia, Tribonema affine, Aphanocapsa delicatissima, Synechocystis sp., Gymnodinium inversum, and Peridinium inconspicuum. When the lake was thermally stratified in late summer, some of these species exhibited a stratified vertical distribution in the water column. A cluster analysis of these data also revealed a vertical stratification of the flora from the middle of the summer through the early fall. Multivariate test statistics indicated that there was a significant relationship between the species composition of the phytoplankton and a corresponding set of chemical variables measured for samples from the water column. In this case, concentrations of total phosphorus, ammonia, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and alkalinity were associated with interannual changes in the flora; whereas pH and concentrations of dissolved oxygen, orthophosphate, nitrate, and silicon were more closely related to spatial variation and thermal stratification. The maximum chlorophyll concentration when the lake was thermally stratified

Arsenophilic Bacterial Processes in Searles Lake: A Salt-saturated, Arsenic-rich, Alkaline Soda Lake.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oremland, R. S.; Kulp, T. R.; Hoeft, S. E.; Miller, L. G.; Swizer Blum, J.; Stolz, J. F.

2005-12-01

Searles Lake, located in the Mojave Desert of California, is essentially a chemically-similar, concentrated version of Mono Lake, but having a much higher salinity (e.g., 340 vs. 90 g/L) and a greater dissolved inorganic arsenic content in its brine (e.g., 3.9 vs. 0.2 mM). The source of all this arsenic ultimately comes from hydrothermal spring inputs, thereby underscoring the importance of volcanic and fluvial processes in transporting this toxic element into these closed basin lakes. Nonetheless, the presence of microbial activities with regard to respiration of arsenate oxyanions under anaerobic conditions and the oxidation of arsenite oxyanions under aerobic conditions can be inferred from porewater profiles taken from handcores retrieved beneath Searles Lake's salt crust. Sediment slurry incubations confirmed biological arsenate respiration and arsenite oxidation, with the former processes notably enhanced by provision of the inorganic electron donor sulfide or H2. Hence, arsenic-linked chemo-autotrophy appears to be an important means of carbon fixation in this system. Subsequent efforts using 73As-arsenate as radiotracer detected dissimilatory arsenate reduction activity down the length of the core, but we were unable to detect any evidence for sulfate-reduction using 35S-sulfate. An extremely halophilic anaerobic bacterium of the order Haloanaerobiales [strain SLAS-1] was isolated from the sediments that grew via arsenate respiration using lactate or sulfide as its electron donors. These results show that, unlike sulfate-reduction, arsenic metabolism (i.e., both oxidation of arsenite and dissimilatory reduction of arsenate) is operative and even vigorous under the extreme conditions of salt-saturation and high pH. The occurrence of arsenophilic microbial processes in Searles Lake is relevant to the search for extant or extinct microbial life on Mars. It is evident from surface imagery that Mars had past episodes of volcanism, fluvial transport, and most

Calculation of area and volume for the north part of Great Salt Lake, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baskin, Robert L.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands, collected bathymetric data for the north part of Great Salt Lake during the spring and early summer of 2006 using a single-beam, high-definition fathometer and real-time differential global positioning system. About 5.2 million depth measurements were collected along more than 765 miles (1,230 kilometers) of survey transects. Sound-velocity profiles were obtained in conjunction with the bathymetric data to provide time-of-travel corrections to the depth calculations. Data were processed with commercial hydrographic software and exported into geographic information system (GIS) software for mapping and calculation of area and volume. Area and volume calculations show a maximum area of about 385,000 acres (1,560 square kilometers) and a maximum volume of about 5,693,000 acre-feet (about 7 cubic kilometers) at a water-surface altitude of 4,200 feet (1,280 meters). Minimum natural water-surface altitude of the north part of Great Salt Lake is just below 4,167 feet (1,270 meters) in the area just north of the Union Pacific railroad causeway halfway between Saline and the western edge of the lake. The north part of Great Salt Lake generally grades gradually to the west and north and is bounded by steep scarps along its eastern border. Calculations for area and volume are based on a low altitude of 4,167 feet (1,270 meters) to a high altitude of 4,200 feet (1,280 meters).

AN ALTERNATIVE FUTURES ANALYSIS OF FARMINGTON BAY WETLANDS IN THE GREAT SALT LAKE

EPA Science Inventory

An Alternative Futures Analysis (AFA) was conducted to evaluate tradeoffs between landscape design scenarios and ecological services for Farmington Bay, Great Salt Lake (GSL), wetlands. Model scenarios included plan trend and conservation "futures" scenarios projected to 2030. ...

Selected aquatic biological investigations in the Great Salt Lake basins, 1875-1998, National Water-Quality Assessment Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giddings, Elise M.P.; Stephens, Doyle W.

1999-01-01

This report summarizes previous investigations of aquatic biological communities, habitat, and contaminants in streams and selected large lakes within the Great Salt Lake Basins study unit as part of the U.S. Geological Survey?s National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA). The Great Salt Lake Basins study unit is one of 59 such units designed to characterize water quality through the examination of chemical, physical, and biological factors in surface and ground waters across the country. The data will be used to aid in the planning, collection, and analysis of biological information for the NAWQA study unit and to aid other researchers concerned with water quality of the study unit. A total of 234 investigations conducted during 1875-1998 are summarized in this report. The studies are grouped into three major subjects: (1) aquatic communities and habitat, (2) contamination of streambed sediments and biological tissues, and (3) lakes. The location and a general description of each study is listed. The majority of the studies focus on fish and macroinvertebrate communities. Studies of algal communities, aquatic habitat, riparian wetlands, and contamination of streambed sediment or biological tissues are less common. Areas close to the major population centers of Salt Lake City, Provo, and Logan, Utah, are generally well studied, but more rural areas and much of the Bear River Basin are lacking in detailed information, except for fish populations..

Alternative Futures Analysis Of Farmington Bay Wetlands In The Great Salt Lake Ecosystem

EPA Science Inventory

An Alternative Futures Analysis (AFA) was conducted to evaluate tradeoffs between landscape design scenarios and ecological services for Farmington Bay, Great Salt Lake (GSL), wetlands. Model scenarios included both plan trend and conservation "futures" projected to 2030. Scena...

Juling and Kupalo Craters

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-08-17

This region on Ceres, located in the vicinity of Toharu Crater, presents two small craters: Juling at top (12 miles, 20 kilometers in diameter) and Kupalo at bottom (16 miles, 26 kilometers in diameter). Both craters are relatively young, as indicated by their sharp rims. These features are located at about the same latitude (about 38 degrees south) as Tawals Crater and show similar crater shapes and rugged terrain. These features may reflect the presence of ice below the surface. Subtle bright features can be distinguished in places. These likely were excavated by small impacts and landslides along the slopes of the crater rims. This suggests that a different type of material, likely rich in salts, is present in the shallow subsurface. Juling is named after the Sakai/Orang Asli spirit of the crops from Malaysia, and Kupalo gets its name from the Russian god of vegetation and of the harvest. NASA's Dawn spacecraft acquired this picture on August 24, 2016. The image was taken during Dawn's extended mission, from its low altitude mapping orbit at about 240 miles (385 kilometers) above the surface. The center coordinates of this image are 38 degrees south latitude, 165 degrees east longitude. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21753

Changes in lake levels, salinity and the biological community of Great Salt Lake (Utah, USA), 1847-1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stephens, D.W.

1990-01-01

Great Salt Lake is the fourth largest terminal lake in the world, with an area of about 6000 square kilometers at its historic high elevation. Since its historic low elevation of 1277.52 meters in 1963, the lake has risen to a new historic high elevation of 1283.77 meters in 1986-1987, a net increase of about 6.25 meters. About 60 percent of this increase, 3.72 meters, has occurred since 1982 in response to greater than average precipitation and less than average evaporation. Variations in salinity have resulted in changes in the composition of the aquatic biological community which consists of bacteria, protozoa, brine shrimp and brine flies. These changes were particularly evident following the completion of a causeway in 1959 which divided the lake. Subsequent salinities in the north part of the lake have ranged from 16 to 29 percent and in the south part from 6 to 28 percent. Accompanying the rise in lake elevation from 1982 to 1987 have been large decreases in salinity of both parts of the lake. This has resulted in changes in the biota from obligate halophiles, such as Dunaliella salina and D. viridis, to opportunistic forms such as a blue-green alga (Nodularia spumigena). The distribution and abundance of brine shrimp (Artemia salina) in the lake also have followed closely the salinity. In 1986, when the salinity of the south part of the lake was about 6 percent, a population of brackish-water killifish (Lucania parva) was observed along the shore near inflow from a spring. ?? 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Bathymetric map of the north part of Great Salt Lake, Utah, 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baskin, Robert L.; Turner, Jane

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands, collected bathymetric data for the north part of Great Salt Lake during the spring and early summer of 2006 using a single beam, high-definition fathometer and real-time differential global positioning system. Approximately 5.2 million depth readings were collected along more than 765 miles of survey transects for construction of this map. Sound velocities were obtained in conjunction with the bathymetric data to provide time-of-travel corrections to the depth calculations. Data were processed using commercial hydrographic software and exported into a geographic information system (GIS) software for mapping. Due to the shallow nature of the lake and the limitations of the instrumentation, contours above an altitude of 4,194 feet were digitized from existing USGS 1:24,000 source-scale digital line graph data. The Behrens Trench is approximately located.For additional information on methods used to derive the bathymetric contours for this map, please see Baskin, Robert L., 2006, Calculation of area and volume for the North Part of Great Salt Lake, Utah, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report OFR–2006–1359

Salting our freshwater lakes.

PubMed

Dugan, Hilary A; Bartlett, Sarah L; Burke, Samantha M; Doubek, Jonathan P; Krivak-Tetley, Flora E; Skaff, Nicholas K; Summers, Jamie C; Farrell, Kaitlin J; McCullough, Ian M; Morales-Williams, Ana M; Roberts, Derek C; Ouyang, Zutao; Scordo, Facundo; Hanson, Paul C; Weathers, Kathleen C

2017-04-25

The highest densities of lakes on Earth are in north temperate ecosystems, where increasing urbanization and associated chloride runoff can salinize freshwaters and threaten lake water quality and the many ecosystem services lakes provide. However, the extent to which lake salinity may be changing at broad spatial scales remains unknown, leading us to first identify spatial patterns and then investigate the drivers of these patterns. Significant decadal trends in lake salinization were identified using a dataset of long-term chloride concentrations from 371 North American lakes. Landscape and climate metrics calculated for each site demonstrated that impervious land cover was a strong predictor of chloride trends in Northeast and Midwest North American lakes. As little as 1% impervious land cover surrounding a lake increased the likelihood of long-term salinization. Considering that 27% of large lakes in the United States have >1% impervious land cover around their perimeters, the potential for steady and long-term salinization of these aquatic systems is high. This study predicts that many lakes will exceed the aquatic life threshold criterion for chronic chloride exposure (230 mg L -1 ), stipulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in the next 50 y if current trends continue.

Sulfates and Clays in Columbus Crater, Mars

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-11-21

Sulfates are found overlying clay minerals in sediments within Columbus Crater, a depression that likely hosted a lake in the past in this image based on information from NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Martian Low-Aspect-Ratio Layered Ejecta (LARLE) craters: Distribution, characteristics, and relationship to pedestal craters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barlow, Nadine G.; Boyce, Joseph M.; Cornwall, Carin

2014-09-01

Low-Aspect-Ratio Layered Ejecta (LARLE) craters are a unique landform found on Mars. LARLE craters are characterized by a crater and normal layered ejecta pattern surrounded by an extensive but thin outer deposit which terminates in a sinuous, almost flame-like morphology. We have conducted a survey to identify all LARLE craters ⩾1-km-diameter within the ±75° latitude zone and to determine their morphologic and morphometric characteristics. The survey reveals 140 LARLE craters, with the majority (91%) located poleward of 40°S and 35°N and all occurring within thick mantles of fine-grained deposits which are likely ice-rich. LARLE craters range in diameter from the cut-off limit of 1 km up to 12.2 km, with 83% being smaller than 5 km. The radius of the outer LARLE deposit displays a linear trend with the crater radius and is greatest at higher polar latitudes. The LARLE deposit ranges in length between 2.56 and 14.81 crater radii in average extent, with maximum length extending up to 21.4 crater radii. The LARLE layer is very sinuous, with lobateness values ranging between 1.45 and 4.35. LARLE craters display a number of characteristics in common with pedestal craters and we propose that pedestal craters are eroded versions of LARLE craters. The distribution and characteristics of the LARLE craters lead us to propose that impact excavation into ice-rich fine-grained deposits produces a dusty base surge cloud (like those produced by explosion craters) that deposits dust and ice particles to create the LARLE layers. Salts emplaced by upward migration of water through the LARLE deposit produce a surficial duricrust layer which protects the deposit from immediate removal by eolian processes.

Remote Sensing as a Tool to Track Algal Blooms in the Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradt, S. R.; Wurtsbaugh, W. A.; Naftz, D.; Moore, T.; Haney, J.

2006-12-01

The Great Salt Lake is a large hypersaline, terminal water body in northern Utah, USA. The lake has both a significant economic importance to the local community as a source of brine shrimp and mineral resources, as well as, an ecological importance to large numbers of migratory waterfowl. Due to nutrient input from sewage treatment plants, sections of the Great Salt Lake are subjected to highly eutrophic conditions. One of the main tributaries, Farmington Bay, experiences massive blooms of cyanobacteria which can reach concentrations in excess of 300 mg l-1 in the bay. Effects of these blooms can be observed stretching into the rest of the lake. The detrimental outcomes of the blooms include unsightly scums, foul odor and the danger of cyanobacterial toxins. While the blooms have an obvious effect on Farmington Bay, it is quite possible that the cyanobacteria impact a much wider area of the lake as currents move eutrophic water masses. Of particular interest is the reaction of brine shrimp to the plumes of cyanobacteria-rich water leaving Farmington Bay. We are employing remote sensing as a tool to map the distribution of algae throughout the lake and produce lake-wide maps of water quality on a regular basis. On-lake reflectance measurements have been coupled with MODIS satellite imagery to produce a time series of maps illustrating changes in algal distribution. The successes and shortcomings of our remote sensing technique will be a central topic of this presentation.

Modeling Episodic Ephemeral Brine Lake Evaporation and Salt Crystallization on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, T.; Harman, C. J.; Kipnis, E. L.; Bowen, B. B.

2017-12-01

Public concern about apparent reductions in the areal extent of the Bonneville Salt Flat (BSF) and perceived changes in inundation frequency has motivated renewed interest in the hydrologic and geochemical behavior of this salt playa. In this study, we develop a numerical modeling framework to simulate the relationship between hydrometeorologic variability, brine evaporation and salt crystallization processes on BSF. The BSF, locates in Utah, is the remnant of paleo-lake Bonneville, and is capped by up to 1 meter of salt deposition over a 100 km2 area. The BSF has two distinct hydrologic periods each year: a winter wet periods with standing surface brine and the summer dry periods when the brine is evaporated, exposing the surface salt crust. We develop a lumped non-linear dynamical models coupling conservation expressions from water, dissolved salt and thermal energy to investigate the seasonal and diurnal behavior of brine during the transition from standing brine to exposed salt at BSF. The lumped dynamic models capture important nonlinear and kinetic effects introduced by the high ionic concentration of the brine, including the pronounced effect of the depressed water activity coefficient on evaporation. The salt crystallization and dissolution rate is modeled as a kinetic process linearly proportional to the degree of supersaturation of brine. The model generates predictions of the brine temperature and the solute and solvent masses controlled by diurnal net radiation input and aerodynamic forcing. Two distinct mechanisms emerge as potential controls on salt production and dissolution: (1) evapo-concentration and (2) changes in solubility related to changes in brine temperature. Although the evaporation of water is responsible for ultimate disappearance of the brine each season ,variation in solubility is found to be the dominant control on diurnal cycles of salt precipitation and dissolution in the BSF case. Most salt is crystallized during nighttime, but the

Lake Ilopango, El Salvador

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-03-10

Lake Ilopango is a crater lake which fills a volcanic caldera in central El Salvador, immediately east of the capital city San Salvador. The caldera collapsed most recently in about 500 AD, producing 20 times as much ash as the Mount St. Helens eruption, and blanketing an area of at least 10,000 square kilometers waist-deep in ash. The only historical eruption occurred in 1879, forming lava domes, now islets in the lake. Quetzaltepec is the stratovolcano just west of the city. Its last eruption in 1917 produced lavas flowing down the northwest flank, and evaporated the crater lake. The image was acquired March 5, 2006, covers an area of 27 by 42 km, and is located at 13.7 degrees north, 89.1 degrees west. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19237

Monitoring direct and indirect climate effects on whitebark pine ecosystems at Crater Lake National park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, S.B.; Odion, D.C.; Sarr, D.A.; Irvine, K.M.

2011-01-01

Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) is the distinctive, often stunted, and picturesque tree line species in the American West. As a result of climate change, mountain pine beetles (Dendroctonus ponderosae) have moved up in elevation, adding to nonnative blister rust (Cronartium ribicola) disease as a major cause of mortality in whitebark pine. At Crater Lake National Park, Oregon, whitebark pine is declining at the rate of 1% per year. The Klamath Network, National Park Service, has elected to monitor whitebark pine and associated high-elevation vegetation. This program is designed to sample whitebark pine throughout the park to look for geographic patterns in its exposure to and mortality from disease and beetles. First-year monitoring has uncovered interesting patterns in blister rust distribution. Incidence of rust disease was higher on the west side of the park, where conditions are wetter and more humid than on the east side. However, correlating climate alone with rust disease is not straightforward. On the east side of the park, the odds of blister rust infection were much greater in plots having Ribes spp., shrubs that act as the alternate host for a portion of the rust's life cycle. However, on the park's west side, there was not a statistically significant increase in blister rust in plots with Ribes. This suggests that different species of Ribes associated with whitebark pine can increase pine exposure to blister rust disease. There is also convincing evidence of an association between total tree density and the incidence of blister rust. Warmer temperatures and possibly increased precipitation will affect both whitebark pine and Ribes physiology as well as tree density and mountain pine beetle numbers, all of which may interact with blister rust to cause future changes in tree line communities at Crater Lake. The Klamath Network monitoring program plans to document and study these ongoing changes.

Respiratory hospital admissions associated with PM10 pollution in Utah, Salt Lake, and Cache Valleys

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

Pope CA, I.I.I.

This study assessed the association between respiratory hospital admissions and PM10 pollution in Utah, Salt Lake, and Cache valleys during April 1985 through March 1989. Utah and Salt Lake valleys had high levels of PM10 pollution that violated both the annual and 24-h standards issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Much lower PM10 levels occurred in the Cache Valley. Utah Valley experienced the intermittent operation of its primary source of PM10 pollution: an integrated steel mill. Bronchitis and asthma admissions for preschool-age children were approximately twice as frequent in Utah Valley when the steel mill was operating versus whenmore » it was not. Similar differences were not observed in Salt Lake or Cache valleys. Even though Cache Valley had higher smoking rates and lower temperatures in winter than did Utah Valley, per capita bronchitis and asthma admissions for all ages were approximately twice as high in Utah Valley. During the period when the steel mill was closed, differences in per capita admissions between Utah and Cache valleys narrowed considerably. Regression analysis also demonstrated a statistical association between respiratory hospital admissions and PM10 pollution. The results suggest that PM10 pollution plays a role in the incidence and severity of respiratory disease.« less

[Community structure and diversity of culturable moderate halophilic bacteria isolated from Qrhan salt lake on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau].

PubMed

Shen, Shuo

2017-04-04

I studied the community structure and diversity of culturable moderate halophilic bacteria isolated from Qrhan Salt Lake. I isolated and cultured the moderate halophilic bacteria on different selective media. After the 16S rRNA gene sequences was amplified and measured, I constructed the phylogenic tree, analyzed the community structure and calculated the diversity indexes according to the 16S rRNA gene information. A total of 421 moderate halophilic bacteria were isolated from water and mud samples in Qrhan Salt Lake. The 16S rRNA gene information showed that 4 potential novel species belonged to the family Bacillaceae. Eighty-three model strains belonged to 3 phylurms 6 families 16 genus. Among them, Bacillus sp., Oceanobacillus sp. and Halomonas sp. were dominant species. Diversity analysis showed that the diversity of strains isolated from water sample was higher than that from mud sample, but the dominance degree of strains isolated from mud sample was higher than that from water sample. The genetic diversity of moderate halophilic bacteria isolated from Qrhan Salt Lake was abundant. Also, there were dominant and novel species of culturable moderate halophilic bacteria in this lake.

Salt Lake Community College Veterans Services: A Model of Serving Veterans in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahern, Aaron; Foster, Michael; Head, Darlene

2015-01-01

This chapter outlines the birth and growth of a veterans' program in Salt Lake City, Utah, and discusses next steps in spurring additional innovations and advancements to improve service for student veterans in community colleges.

Kupalo Crater from LAMO

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-01-12

This image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows Kupalo Crater, one of the youngest craters on Ceres. The crater has bright material exposed on its rim and walls, which could be salts. Its flat floor likely formed from impact melt and debris. Kupalo, which measures 16 miles (26 kilometers) across and is located at southern mid-latitudes, is named for the Slavic god of vegetation and harvest. Kupalo was imaged earlier in Dawn's science mission at Ceres -- during Survey orbit (see PIA19624) and from the high altitude mapping orbit, or HAMO (see PIA20124). Dawn took this image on Dec. 21 from its low-altitude mapping orbit (LAMO) at an approximate altitude of 240 miles (385 kilometers) above Ceres. The image resolution is 120 feet (35 meters) per pixel. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20192

Business Use of Small Computers in the Salt Lake City, Utah Area.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Homer, Michael M.

In July 1981, Utah Technical College (UTC) conducted a survey of businesses in the Salt Lake City area to gather information for the development of a curriculum integrating computer applications with business course instruction. The survey sought to determine the status and usage of current micro/mini computer equipment, future data processing…

The Advanced Placement English Program in Salt Lake and Granite School Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stratopoulos, Irene Chachas

The main purposes in examining and evaluating the Advanced Placement English Program in Salt Lake and Granite School Districts were to identify the essential curriculum features of the program, to make suggestions for curriculum improvement, and to determine whether or not the quality of the AP English Program surpassed that of the conventional…

Distribution of Glycerol Diakyl Glycerol Tetraethers in Surface Soil and Crater Lake Sediments from Mount Kenya, East Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omuombo, C.; Huguet, A.; Olago, D.; Williamson, D.

2013-12-01

Glycerol diakyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs), a palaeoclimate proxy based on the relative abundance of lipids produced by archaea and bacteria, is gaining wide acceptance for the determination of past temperature and pH conditions. This study looks at the spatial distribution and abundance of GDGTs in soil and sediment samples along an altitudinal transect from 3 crater lakes of Mt. Kenya (Lake Nkunga, Sacred Lake and Lake Rutundu) ranging in elevation from 1700m - 3080m above sea level. GDGTs were extracted with solvents and then analysed using high performance liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC/APCI-MS). Mean annual air temperature and pH were estimated based on the relative abundance of the different branched GDGTs, i.e. on the MBT (Methylation index of Branched Tetraethers) and CBT (Cyclization ratio of Branched Tetraethers) indices. Substantial amount of GDGTs were detected in both soil and sediment samples. In addition, branched GDGT distribution was observed to vary with altitude. These results highlight the importance of quantifying the branched GDGTs to understand the environmental parameters controlling the distribution of these lipids. The MBT/CBT proxy is a promising tool to infer palaeotemperatures and characterize the climate events of the past millennia in equatorial east Africa.

Spatial Distribution of Ammonia and its Contribution to Particulate Matter Formation in the Great Salt Lake Region in Winter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moravek, A.; Murphy, J. G.; Baasandorj, M.; Fibiger, D. L.; Franchin, A.; Goldberger, L.; McDuffie, E. E.; McKeen, S. A.; Middlebrook, A. M.; Thornton, J. A.; Womack, C.; Brown, S. S.

2017-12-01

Winter air pollution in urban areas is a major global concern due to increased levels of fine particulate matter (PM) affecting public health. The Great Salt Lake region regularly experiences periods of high particulate matter during winter persistent cold air pool events (PCAPs), periods of atmospheric stagnation. Previous studies have shown that ammonium nitrate is responsible for up to 70% of PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 microns) in the Great Salt Lake region during these periods. Ammonium nitrate is formed from ammonia (NH3) and nitric acid (HNO3); therefore understanding sources of NH3 and its role in the formation of particulate matter is crucial for mitigation of air pollution in this region. In this study, we measured NH3 aboard a Twin Otter aircraft within the Utah Winter Fine Particulate Study (UWFPS) using Quantum Cascade Laser Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy (QC-TILDAS). A total of 23 flights were performed in the period from 16 Jan to 12 Feb 2017 covering the Salt Lake City urban area, the Great Salt Lake and nearby valleys. The spatial distribution of NH3 during flights is presented and identifies major NH3 sources and their role in particle formation for the region. Substantial variation of NH3 was observed over the entire region with highest NH3 mixing ratios over agricultural areas and the lowest NH3 abundance over the Great Salt Lake. Regional WRF-Chem model simulations are used to compare the measurements to available NH3 emission inventories and to improve our understanding of the vertical distribution of NH3. The relative influence of the atmospheric stability for the formation of ammonium nitrate is investigated.

78 FR 65356 - Notice of Mailing/Street Address Change for the BLM-Utah West Desert District and Salt Lake Field...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-31

...The mailing/street address for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), West Desert District and Salt Lake Field Offices will be changing from 2370 South 2300 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84119-2022, to 2370 South Decker Lake Blvd., West Valley City, UT 84119-2022. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to leave a message or question for the above individual. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.

Breccia Formation at a Complex Impact Crater: Slate Islands, Lake Superior, Ontario, Canada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dressler, B. O.; Sharpton, V. L.

1997-01-01

The Slate Islands impact structure is the eroded remnant of a approximately 30-32 km-diameter complex impact structure located in northern Lake Superior, Ontario, Canada. Target rocks are Archean supracrustal and igneous rocks and Proterozoic metavolcanics, metasediments, and diabase. A wide variety of breccias occurs on the islands, many of which contain fragments exhibiting shock metamorphic features. Aphanitic, narrow and inclusion-poor pseudotachylite veins, commonly with more or less parallel boundaries and apophyses branching off them, represent the earliest breccias formed during the compression stage of the impact process. Coarse-grained, polymictic elastic matrix breccias form small to very large, inclusion-rich dikes and irregularly shaped bodies that may contain altered glass fragments. These breccias have sharp contacts with their host rocks and include a wide range of fragment types some of which were transported over minimum distances of approximately 2 km away from the center of the structure. They cut across pseudotachylite veins and contain inclusions of them. Field and petrographic evidence indicate that these polymictic breccias formed predominantly during the excavation and central uplift stages of the impact process. Monomictic breccias, characterized by angular fragments and transitional contacts with their host rocks, occur in parautochthonous target rocks, mainly on the outlying islands of the Slate Islands archipelago. A few contain fragmented and disrupted, coarse-grained, polymictic clastic matrix breccia dikes. This is an indication that at least some of these monomictic breccias formed late in the impact process and that they are probably related to a late crater modification stage. A small number of relatively large occurrences of glass-poor, suevitic breccias occur at the flanks of the central uplift and along the inner flank of the outer ring of the Slate Islands complex crater. A coarse, glass-free, allogenic breccia, containing

Expressions of climate perturbations in western Ugandan crater lake sediment records during the last 1000 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mills, K.; Ryves, D. B.; Anderson, N. J.; Bryant, C. L.; Tyler, J. J.

2014-08-01

Equatorial East Africa has a complex regional patchwork of climate regimes, sensitive to climate fluctuations over a variety of temporal and spatial scales during the late Holocene. Understanding how these changes are recorded in and interpreted from biological and geochemical proxies in lake sedimentary records remains a key challenge to answering fundamental questions regarding the nature, spatial extent and synchroneity of climatic changes seen in East African palaeo-records. Using a paired lake approach, where neighbouring lakes share the same geology, climate and landscape, it might be expected that the systems will respond similarly to external climate forcing. Sediment cores from two crater lakes in western Uganda spanning the last ~1000 years were examined to assess diatom community responses to late Holocene climate and environmental changes, and to test responses to multiple drivers using redundancy analysis (RDA). These archives provide annual to sub-decadal records of environmental change. Lakes Nyamogusingiri and Kyasanduka appear to operate as independent systems in their recording of a similar hydrological response signal via distinct diatom records. However, whilst their fossil diatom records demonstrate an individualistic, indirect response to external (e.g. climatic) drivers, the inferred lake levels show similar overall trends and reflect the broader patterns observed in Uganda and across East Africa. The lakes appear to be sensitive to large-scale climatic perturbations, with evidence of a dry Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA; ca. AD 1000-1200). The diatom record from Lake Nyamogusingiri suggests a drying climate during the main phase of the Little Ice Age (LIA) (ca. AD 1600-1800), whereas the diatom response from the shallower Lake Kyasanduka is more complex (with groundwater likely playing a key role), and may be driven more by changes in silica and other nutrients, rather than by lake level. The sensitivity of these two Ugandan lakes to regional

Relationships between lake-level changes and water and salt budgets in the Dead Sea during extreme aridities in the Eastern Mediterranean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiro, Yael; Goldstein, Steven L.; Garcia-Veigas, Javier; Levy, Elan; Kushnir, Yochanan; Stein, Mordechai; Lazar, Boaz

2017-04-01

Thick halite intervals recovered by the Dead Sea Deep Drilling Project cores show evidence for severely arid climatic conditions in the eastern Mediterranean during the last three interglacials. In particular, the core interval corresponding to the peak of the last interglacial (Marine Isotope Stage 5e or MIS 5e) contains ∼30 m of salt over 85 m of core length, making this the driest known period in that region during the late Quaternary. This study reconstructs Dead Sea lake levels during the salt deposition intervals, based on water and salt budgets derived from the Dead Sea brine composition and the amount of salt in the core. Modern water and salt budgets indicate that halite precipitates only during declining lake levels, while the amount of dissolved Na+ and Cl- accumulates during wetter intervals. Based on the compositions of Dead Sea brines from pore waters and halite fluid inclusions, we estimate that ∼12-16 cm of halite precipitated per meter of lake-level drop. During periods of halite precipitation, the Mg2+ concentration increases and the Na+/Cl- ratio decreases in the lake. Our calculations indicate major lake-level drops of ∼170 m from lake levels of 320 and 310 m below sea level (mbsl) down to lake levels of ∼490 and ∼480 mbsl, during MIS 5e and the Holocene, respectively. These lake levels are much lower than typical interglacial lake levels of around 400 mbsl. These lake-level drops occurred as a result of major decreases in average fresh water runoff, to ∼40% of the modern value (pre-1964, before major fresh water diversions), reflecting severe droughts during which annual precipitation in Jerusalem was lower than 350 mm/y, compared to ∼600 mm/y today. Nevertheless, even during salt intervals, the changes in halite facies and the occurrence of alternating periods of halite and detritus in the Dead Sea core stratigraphy reflect fluctuations between drier and wetter conditions around our estimated average. The halite intervals include

Mid-latitude Ozone Depletion Events Caused by Halogens from the Great Salt Lake in Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fibiger, D. L.; Goldberger, L.; Womack, C.; McDuffie, E. E.; Dube, W. P.; Franchin, A.; Middlebrook, A. M.; Thornton, J. A.; Brown, S. S.

2017-12-01

Halogens are highly reactive chemicals and play an important role in atmospheric chemistry. They can be involved in many cycles which influence the oxidizing capacity of the atmosphere, including through destruction of ozone (O3). While the influence of halogens on O3 is well documented in the arctic, there are very few observations of O3 depletion driven by halogens in the mid-latitudes. To date, the most comprehensive study observed co-occurring plumes of BrO and depleted O3 near the Dead Sea in 1997. During the Utah Wintertime Fine Particulate Study (UWFPS) in winter 2017, simultaneous measurements of a comprehensive suite of halogen measurements by I- chemical ionization mass spectrometry and O3 from cavity ring-down spectroscopy, both at 1-second time resolution, were taken on a NOAA Twin Otter Aircraft over the Great Salt Lake and in the surrounding valleys. Many O3 depletion events were observed over the lake with O3 values sometimes below the instrument detection limit of 0.5 ppbv. Corresponding increases in BrO and/or ClO were observed. Many of these events were caused by extremely high levels of halogens (up to 1 ppmv Cl2) emitted from the U.S. Magnesium plant on the edge of the lake. The O3 depletion caused by U.S. Magnesium was usually isolated to a distinct vertical layer, but in other cases O3 depletion was vertically mixed and the origin of halogen activation was not immediately clear. The most complete O3 depletion was observed over the lake, but there were smaller events of a few ppbv observed in the adjacent valleys, including the highly populated Salt Lake Valley, with corresponding plumes of BrO and ClO, due to transport from the lake. Additionally, meteorology played a role in the observed O3 depletion. The strongest O3 depletion was observed during inversion events, when there is a low boundary layer and little mixing out of the air above the lake. During non-inversion conditions, only small depletions were observed, covering a much smaller

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

A preparation zone for volcanic explosions beneath Naka-dake crater, Aso volcano, as inferred from magnetotelluric surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanda, Wataru; Tanaka, Yoshikazu; Utsugi, Mitsuru; Takakura, Shinichi; Hashimoto, Takeshi; Inoue, Hiroyuki

2008-11-01

The 1st crater of Naka-dake, Aso volcano, is one of the most active craters in Japan, and known to have a characteristic cycle of activity that consists of the formation of a crater lake, drying-up of the lake water, and finally a Strombolian-type eruption. Recent observations indicate an increase in eruptive activity including a decrease in the level of the lake water, mud eruptions, and red hot glows on the crater wall. Temporal variations in the geomagnetic field observed around the craters of Naka-dake also indicate that thermal demagnetization of the subsurface rocks has been occurring in shallow subsurface areas around the 1st crater. Volcanic explosions act to release the energy transferred from magma or volcanic fluids. Measurement of the subsurface electrical resistivity is a promising method in investigating the shallow structure of the volcanic edifices, where energy from various sources accumulates, and in investigating the behaviors of magma and volcanic fluids. We carried out audio-frequency magnetotelluric surveys around the craters of Naka-dake in 2004 and 2005 to determine the detailed electrical structure down to a depth of around 1 km. The main objective of this study is to identify the specific subsurface structure that acts to store energy as a preparation zone for volcanic eruption. Two-dimensional inversions were applied to four profiles across the craters, revealing a strongly conductive zone at several hundred meters depth beneath the 1st crater and surrounding area. In contrast, we found no such remarkable conductor at shallow depths beneath the 4th crater, which has been inactive for 70 years, finding instead a relatively resistive body. The distribution of the rotational invariant of the magnetotelluric impedance tensor is consistent with the inversion results. This unusual shallow structure probably reflects the existence of a supply path of high-temperature volcanic gases to the crater bottom. We propose that the upper part of the

Dissolved-mineral inflow to Great Salt Lake and chemical characteristics of the salt lake brine: Summary for water years 1960, 1961, and 1964

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hahl, D.C.

1968-01-01

The investigation of dissolved-mineral inflow to Great Salt Lake during the water years 1960, 1961, and 1964 was conducted during conditions of streamflow that were representative of the lowest and the average recorded during the water years 1934-64. The study conducted during the 1960 and 1961 water years was limited to defining surface-water inflow at sites close to the lakeshore, as well as at sites used in the 1960-6 study. From these comparative data, estimates of inflow at the lakeshore were made for the 1960 and 1961 water years. During the 1964 water year, when inflow to the lake was probably representative of the 31-year period, about 800,000 acre-feet of water containing 2,200,000 tons of dissolved solids entered the lake.During the years of average streamflow, about 500,000 acre-feet of water which might be developed for culinary use, passes the lowest sampling sites on the Bear and Weber Rivers. Also, more than 90 percent of the flow near the mouths of the Bear, Weber, and Jordan Rivers would be suitable for irrigation.Sources of inflow could be selected to provide a water supply for a fresh-water lake east of Antelope Island. The supply would range from 300,000 acre-feet of water containing 800 ppm (parts per million) of dissolved solids during periods of low streamflow to 1 million acre-feet containing 500 ppm during periods of average streamflow.

Salinity and hydrology of closed lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langbein, Walter Basil

1961-01-01

Lakes without outlets, called closed lakes, are exclusively features of the arid and semiarid zones where annual evaporation exceeds rainfall. The number of closed lakes increases with aridity, so there are relatively few perennial closed lakes, but "dry" lakes that rarely contain water are numerous.Closed lakes fluctuate in level to a much greater degree than the open lakes of the humid zone, because variations in inflow can be compensated only by changes in surface area. Since the variability of inflow increases with aridity, it is possible to derive an approximate relationship for the coefficient of variation of lake area in terms of data on rates of evaporation, lake area, lake depth, and drainage area.The salinity of closed lakes is highly variable, ranging from less than 1 percent to over 25 percent by weight of salts. Some evidence suggests that the tonnage of salts in a lake solution is substantially less than the total input of salts into the lake over the period of existence of the closed lake. This evidence suggests further that the salts in a lake solution represent a kind of long-term balance between factors of gain and loss of salts from the solution.Possible mechanisms for the loss of salts dissolved in the lake include deposition in marginal bays, entrapment in sediments, and removal by wind. Transport of salt from the lake surface in wind spray is also a contributing, but seemingly not major, factor.The hypothesis of a long-term balance between input to and losses from the lake solution is checked by deriving a formula for the equilibrium concentration and comparing the results with the salinity data. The results indicate that the reported salinities seemingly can be explained in terms of their geometric properties and hydrologic environment.The time for accumulation of salts in the lake solution the ratio between mass of salts in the solution and the annual input may also be estimated from the geometric and hydrologic factors, in the absence of

Exploring Martian Impact Craters: Why They are Important for the Search for Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwenzer, S. P.; Abramov, O.; Allen, C. C.; Clifford, S.; Filiberto, J.; Kring, D. A.; Lasue, J.; McGovern, P. J.; Newsom, H. E.; Treiman, A. H.;

Simulation of Deep Water Renewal in Crater Lake, Oregon, USA under Current and Future Climate Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piccolroaz, S.; Wood, T. M.; Wherry, S.; Girdner, S.

2015-12-01

We applied a 1-dimensional lake model developed to simulate deep mixing related to thermobaric instabilities in temperate lakes to Crater Lake, a 590-m deep caldera lake in Oregon's Cascade Range known for its stunning deep blue color and extremely clear water, in order to determine the frequency of deep water renewal in future climate conditions. The lake model was calibrated with 6 years of water temperature profiles, and then simulated 10 years of validation data with an RMSE ranging from 0.81°C at 50 m depth to 0.04°C at 350-460 m depth. The simulated time series of heat content in the deep lake accurately captured extreme years characterized by weak and strong deep water renewal. The lake model uses wind speed and lake surface temperature (LST) as boundary conditions. LST projections under six climate scenarios from the CMIP5 intermodel comparison project (2 representative concentration pathways X 3 general circulation models) were evaluated with air2water, a simple lumped model that only requires daily values of downscaled air temperature. air2water was calibrated with data from 1993-2011, resulting in a RMSE between simulated and observed daily LST values of 0.68°C. All future climate scenarios project increased water temperature throughout the water column and a substantive reduction in the frequency of deepwater renewal events. The least extreme scenario (CNRM-CM5, RCP4.5) projects the frequency of deepwater renewal events to decrease from about 1 in 2 years in the present to about 1 in 3 years by 2100. The most extreme scenario (HadGEM2-ES, RCP8.5) projects the frequency of deepwater renewal events to be less than 1 in 7 years by 2100 and lake surface temperatures never cooling to less than 4°C after 2050. In all RCP4.5 simulations the temperature of the entire water column is greater than 4°C for increasing periods of time. In the RCP8.5 simulations, the temperature of the entire water column is greater than 4°C year round by the year 2060 (HadGEM2

Pleistocene Lake Bonneville and Eberswalde Crater of Mars: Quantitative Methods for Recognizing Poorly Developed Lacustrine Shorelines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jewell, P. W.

2014-12-01

The ability to quantify shoreline features on Earth has been aided by advances in acquisition of high-resolution topography through laser imaging and photogrammetry. Well-defined and well-documented features such as the Bonneville, Provo, and Stansbury shorelines of Late Pleistocene Lake Bonneville are recognizable to the untrained eye and easily mappable on aerial photos. The continuity and correlation of lesser shorelines must rely quantitative algorithms for processing high-resolution data in order to gain widespread scientific acceptance. Using Savitsky-Golay filters and the geomorphic methods and criteria described by Hare et al. [2001], minor, transgressive, erosional shorelines of Lake Bonneville have been identified and correlated across the basin with varying degrees of statistical confidence. Results solve one of the key paradoxes of Lake Bonneville first described by G. K. Gilbert in the late 19th century and point the way for understanding climatically driven oscillations of the Last Glacial Maximum in the Great Basin of the United States. Similar techniques have been applied to the Eberswalde Crater area of Mars using HRiSE DEMs (1 m horizontal resolution) where a paleolake is hypothesized to have existed. Results illustrate the challenges of identifying shorelines where long term aeolian processes have degraded the shorelines and field validation is not possible. The work illustrates the promises and challenges of indentifying remnants of a global ocean elsewhere on the red planet.

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.

A Five-Year Review of Student Class Evaluations at Salt Lake Community College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooney, Frank

This report reviews the past five years of student class evaluations at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC). Included in the review are the Instructional Assessment System (IAS) student class evaluations, the results from the new, non-returning and graduating student surveys, and observations on the student comments in those surveys. The average…

78 FR 76781 - Proposed Modification of Class B Airspace; Salt Lake City, UT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-19

... City, UT AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking... City Class B airspace area by raising the floor of a small portion of Class B airspace between the Salt Lake City Class B surface area and the Hill Air Force Base (AFB) Class D airspace area. This action...

Numerical Simulations of Silverpit Crater Collapse

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, G. S.; Ivanov, B. A.; Turtle, E. P.; Melosh, H. J.

2003-01-01

The Silverpit crater is a recently discovered, 60-65 Myr old complex crater, which lies buried beneath the North Sea, about 150 km east of Britain. High-resolution images of Silverpit's subsurface structure, provided by three-dimensional seismic reflection data, reveal an inner-crater morphology similar to that expected for a 5-8 km diameter terrestrial crater. The crater walls show evidence of terrace-style slumping and there is a distinct central uplift, which may have produced a central peak in the pristine crater morphology. However, Silverpit is not a typical 5-km diameter terrestrial crater, because it exhibits multiple, concentric rings outside the main cavity. External concentric rings are normally associated with much larger impact structures, for example Chicxulub on Earth, or Orientale on the Moon. Furthermore, external rings associated with large impacts on the terrestrial planets and moons are widely-spaced, predominantly inwardly-facing, asymmetric scarps. However, the seismic data show that the external rings at Silverpit represent closely-spaced, concentric faultbound graben, with both inwardly and outwardly facing fault-scarps. This type of multi-ring structure directly analogous to the Valhalla-type multi-ring basins found on the icy satellites. Thus, the presence and style of the multiple rings at Silverpit is surprising given both the size of the crater and its planetary setting. A further curiosity of the Silverpit structure is that the external concentric rings appear to be extensional features on the West side of the crater and compressional features on the East side. The crater also lies in a local depression, thought to be created by postimpact movement of a salt layer buried beneath the crater.

Snow-avalanche impact craters in southern Norway: Their morphology and dynamics compared with small terrestrial meteorite craters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, John A.; Owen, Geraint; McEwen, Lindsey J.; Shakesby, Richard A.; Hill, Jennifer L.; Vater, Amber E.; Ratcliffe, Anna C.

2017-11-01

This regional inventory and study of a globally uncommon landform type reveals similarities in form and process between craters produced by snow-avalanche and meteorite impacts. Fifty-two snow-avalanche impact craters (mean diameter 85 m, range 10-185 m) were investigated through field research, aerial photographic interpretation and analysis of topographic maps. The craters are sited on valley bottoms or lake margins at the foot of steep avalanche paths (α = 28-59°), generally with an easterly aspect, where the slope of the final 200 m of the avalanche path (β) typically exceeds 15°. Crater diameter correlates with the area of the avalanche start zone, which points to snow-avalanche volume as the main control on crater size. Proximal erosional scars ('blast zones') up to 40 m high indicate up-range ejection of material from the crater, assisted by air-launch of the avalanches and impulse waves generated by their impact into water-filled craters. Formation of distal mounds up to 12 m high of variable shape is favoured by more dispersed down-range deposition of ejecta. Key to the development of snow-avalanche impact craters is the repeated occurrence of topographically-focused snow avalanches that impact with a steep angle on unconsolidated sediment. Secondary craters or pits, a few metres in diameter, are attributed to the impact of individual boulders or smaller bodies of snow ejected from the main avalanche. The process of crater formation by low-density, low-velocity, large-volume snow flows occurring as multiple events is broadly comparable with cratering by single-event, high-density, high-velocity, small-volume projectiles such as small meteorites. Simple comparative modelling of snow-avalanche events associated with a crater of average size (diameter 85 m) indicates that the kinetic energy of a single snow-avalanche impact event is two orders of magnitude less than that of a single meteorite-impact event capable of producing a crater of similar size

The aspen mortality summit; December 18 and 19, 2006; Salt Lake City, UT

Treesearch

Dale L. Bartos; Wayne D. Shepperd

2010-01-01

The USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station sponsored an aspen summit meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, on December 18 and19, 2006, to discuss the rapidly increasing mortality of aspen (Populus tremuloides) throughout the western United States. Selected scientists, university faculty, and managers from Federal, State, and non-profit agencies with experience...

Elastic-wave propagation and site amplification in the Salt Lake Valley, Utah, from simulated normal faulting earthquakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benz, H.M.; Smith, R.B.

1988-01-01

The two-dimensional seismic response of the Salt Lake valley to near- and far-field earthquakes has been investigated from simulations of vertically incident plane waves and from normal-faulting earthquakes generated on the basin-bounding Wasatch fault. The plane-wave simulations were compared with observed site amplifications in the Salt Lake valley, based on seismic recordings from nuclear explosions in southern Nevada, that show 10 times greater amplification with the basin than measured values on hard-rock sites. Synthetic seismograms suggest that in the frequency band 0.3 to 1.5 Hz at least one-half the site amplitication can be attributed to the impedance contrast between the basin sediments and higher velocity basement rocks. -from Authors

Late Pleistocene granodiorite beneath Crater Lake caldera, Oregon, dated by ion microprobe

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bacon, C.R.; Persing, H.M.; Wooden, J.L.; Ireland, T.R.

2000-01-01

Variably melted granodiorite blocks ejected during the Holocene caldera-forming eruption of Mount Mazama were plucked from the walls of the climactic magma chamber ~15 km depth. Ion-microprobe U-Pb dating of zircons from two unmelted granodiorite blocks with SHRIMP RG (sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe-reverse geometry) gives a nominal 238U/206Pb age of 101+78-80 ka, or 174+89-115 ka when adjusted for an initial 230Th deficit. SHRIMP RG U-Th measurements on a subset of the zircons yield a 230Th/238U isochron age of 112 ?? 24 ka, considered to be the best estimate of the time of solidification of the pluton. These results suggest that the granodiorite is related to andesite and dacite of Mount Mazama and not to magmas of the climactic eruption. The unexposed granodiorite has an area of at least 28 km2. This young, shallow pluton was emplaced in virtually the same location where a similarly large magma body accumulated and powered violent explosive eruptions ~7700 yr ago, resulting in collapse of Crater Lake caldera.

A history of the Lonar crater, India: An overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nayak, V. K.

1992-01-01

The origin of the circular structure at Lonar, India, described variously as cauldron, pit, hollow, depression, and crater, has been a controversial subject since the early nineteenth century. A history of its origin and other aspects from 1823 to 1990 are overviewed. The structure in the Deccan Trap Basalt is nearly circular with a breach in the northeast, 1830 m in diameter, 150 m deep, with a saline lake in the crater floor. Over the years, the origin of the Lonar structure has risen from volcanism, subsidence, and cryptovolcanism to an authentic meteorite impact crater. Lonar is unique because it is probably the only terrestrial crater in basalt and is the closest analog with the Moon's craters. Some unresolved questions are suggested. The proposal is made that the young Lonar impact crater, which is less than 50,000 years old, should be considered as the best crater laboratory analogous to those of the Moon, be treated as a global monument, and preserved for scientists to comprehend more about the mysteries of nature and impact cratering, which is now emerging as a fundamental ubiquitous geological process in the evolution of the planets.

Craters on Crater

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-10-10

Several craters were formed on the rim of this large crater. The movement of material downhill toward the floor of the large crater has formed interesting patterns on the floors of the smaller craters

Surface water and climatologic data, Salt Lake County, Utah, water year 1981, with selected data for water years 1980 and 1982

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCormack, H.F.; Christensen, R.C.; Stephens, D.W.; Pyper, G.E.; Weigel, J.F.; Conroy, L.S.

1983-01-01

This report contains precipitation, atmospheric-deposition, water- discharge and water-quality data collected in Salt Lake County as part of two investigations by the U.S. Geological Survey. The purpose of this report is to release data collected mainly during the 1981 water year. Selected data collected during the 1980 water year not previously published or revised and the 1982 water year also are included in this report.The first investigation, which was carried out from September 1979 to August 1982, was an urban-runoff study done in cooperation with the Salt Lake County Division of Flood Control and Water Quality. The objectives of the urban-runoff study were to identify the impact of urban runoff on the quantity and quality of the water in the canals east of the Jordan River and on the major tributaries to the river.The second investigation, which was carried out from December 1979 to September 1983, is a study of water-quality problems in the Jordan River. The study was done primarily to provide information about toxic substances, dissolved-oxygen depletion, sanitary quality, and turbidity and suspended sediment in the Jordan River. It also was funded in part by the Salt Lake County Division of Flood Control and Water Quality.Several Salt Lake County employees assisted in the collection of water- quality samples from storm runoff. Of those employees, Lee R. Armstrong, Gilbert H. Heal, Steven J. Mitckes, and Ben Santistevan worked on a daily basis with the authors and made a significant contribution in the collection of the data contained in this report. Organizations that furnished data are acknowledged in the station descriptions in tables 1 and 4.Information for previously published water-discharge, water-quality, atmospheric-deposition, and precipitation data for Salt Lake County are reported by Pyper and others (1981); Dustin (1977); Hely and others (1971) and references that they cited; and Feth and others (1964). Additional water- discharge and water

Satellite microwave observations of the Utah Great Salt Lake Desert

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ulaby, F. T.; Dellwig, L. F.; Schmugge, T.

1975-01-01

Microwave data acquired over the Great Salt Lake Desert area by sensors aboard Skylab and Nimbus 5 indicate that the microwave emission and backscatter were strongly influenced by contributions from subsurface layers of sediment saturated with brine. This phenomenon was observed by Skylab's S-194 radiometer operating at 1.4 GHz, S-193 RADSCAT (Radiometer-Scatterometer) operating at 13.9 GHz, and the Nimbus 5 ESMR (Electrically Scanning Microwave Radiometer) operating at 19.35 GHz. The availability of ESMR data over an 18-month period allowed an investigation of temporal variations.

Salt Lake City, Utah, Winter 2001

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

The 2002 Winter Olympics are hosted by Salt Lake City at several venues within the city, in nearby cities, and within the adjacent Wasatch Mountains. This simulated natural color image presents a snowy, winter view of north central Utah that includes all of the Olympic sites. The image extends from Ogden in the north, to Provo in the south; and includes the snow-capped Wasatch Mountains and the eastern part of the Great Salt Lake.

This image was acquired on February 8, 2001 by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra satellite. 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 Earth for the next 6 years 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 satellite. 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. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. Science team leader; Bjorn Eng of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, along-term research and technology program designed to examine Earth's land, oceans, atmosphere, ice and life as a total integrated system.

The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER will provide scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping, and monitoring 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

Salt Lake City, Utah, Perspective View

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

The 2002 Winter Olympics are hosted by Salt Lake City at several venues within the city, in nearby cities, and within the adjacent Wasatch Mountains. This 3-D perspective view, in simulated natural colors, presents a late spring view over Salt Lake City towards the snow-capped Wasatch Mountains to the east. The image was created by draping ASTER image data over digital topography data from the US Geological Survey's National Elevation Data.

This image was acquired on May 28, 2000 by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra satellite. 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 Earth for the next 6 years 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 satellite. 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. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. Science team leader; Bjorn Eng of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, a long-term research and technology program designed to examine Earth's land, oceans, atmosphere, ice and life as a total integrated system.

The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER will provide scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping, and monitoring 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

Hydrological evolution and chemical structure of a hyper-acidic spring-lake system on Whakaari/White Island, NZ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christenson, B. W.; White, S.; Britten, K.; Scott, B. J.

2017-10-01

White Island has a long and varied history of acid spring discharge and shallow ephemeral lake formation on its main crater floor. In the 12 months prior to the onset of the 1976-2000 eruptive episode, mass discharge from the spring system increased ca. 10-fold, pointing to a strong coupling of the hydrothermal environment to the evolving magmatic system. Between 1976 and 1978, the formation of numerous eruption vents to 200 m depth in the Western Sub-crater abruptly changed the hydraulic gradients in the volcano, resulting in the reversal of groundwater flow in the massif towards the newly-formed crater(s). This affected not only the style of volcanic activity (leading to phreatic-phreatomagmatic-magmatic eruption cycles), but also led to the demise of the spring system, with discharge from the main crater declining by a factor > 100 by 1979. Eruptive activity ended shortly after a moderate Strombolian eruption in mid-2000, after which ephemeral lakes started to form in the eruption crater complex. Between 2003 and 2015 there were three complete lake filling and evaporative cycles, reflecting varying heat flow through the conduit system beneath the lake. Over these cycles, lake water concentrations of Cl and SO4 varied between ca. 35-150 and 5-45 g/L respectively, with pH values temporally ranging from + 1.5 to - 1. Springs appeared on the Main Crater floor in 2004, and their discharges varied with lake level, pointing to the lake level being a primary control over the piezometric surface in the crater area. Springs closest to the crater complex show direct evidence of crater lake water infiltration into the crater floor aquifer, whereas distal spring discharges show compositional variations reflecting vertical displacement of the interface between shallow, dilute condensate and underlying acidic brine fluids. Source components for the spring fluids include magmatic vapour, dissolved andesitic host rocks, seawater and meteoric water. Lake waters, on the other hand

Calculation of area and volume for the south part of Great Salt Lake, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baskin, Robert L.

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife Resources, collected bathymetric data for the south part of Great Salt Lake during 2002-04 using a single-beam, high-definition fathometer and real-time differential global positioning system. About 7.6 million depth measurements were collected along more than 930 miles (1,690 kilometers) of survey transects. Sound-velocity profiles were obtained in conjunction with the bathymetric data to provide time-of-travel corrections to the depth calculations. Data were processed with commercial hydrographic software and exported into geographic information system (GIS) software for mapping and calculation of area and volume. Area and volume calculations show a maximum area of about 508,000 acres (2,056 square kilometers) and a maximum volume of about 9,257,000 acre-feet (11.42 cubic kilometers) at a water-surface altitude of 4,200 feet (1,280 meters). Minimum water-surface altitude of the south part of Great Salt Lake is just below 4,167 feet (1,279 meters) in the area just south of the Union Pacific railroad causeway halfway between Promontory Point and the western edge of the lake. At this altitude, and continuing up to about 4,176 feet (1,279 meters), the south part of the lake is separated into two areas by a ridge extending from Promontory Point to Hat Island. Calculations for area and volume are based on a low altitude of 4,167 feet (1,279 meters) to a high altitude of 4,200 feet (1,280 meters).

Sequence of infilling events in Gale Crater, Mars: Results from morphology, stratigraphy, and mineralogy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Deit, Laetitia; Hauber, Ernst; Fueten, Frank; Pondrelli, Monica; Rossi, Angelo Pio; Jaumann, Ralf

2013-12-01

Crater is filled by sedimentary deposits including a mound of layered deposits, Aeolis Mons. Using orbital data, we mapped the crater infillings and measured their geometry to determine their origin. The sediment of Aeolis Mons is interpreted to be primarily air fall material such as dust, volcanic ash, fine-grained impact products, and possibly snow deposited by settling from the atmosphere, as well as wind-blown sands cemented in the crater center. Unconformity surfaces between the geological units are evidence for depositional hiatuses. Crater floor material deposited around Aeolis Mons and on the crater wall is interpreted to be alluvial and colluvial deposits. Morphologic evidence suggests that a shallow lake existed after the formation of the lowermost part of Aeolis Mons (the Small yardangs unit and the mass-wasting deposits). A suite of several features including patterned ground and possible rock glaciers are suggestive of periglacial processes with a permafrost environment after the first hundreds of thousands of years following its formation, dated to ~3.61 Ga, in the Late Noachian/Early Hesperian. Episodic melting of snow in the crater could have caused the formation of sulfates and clays in Aeolis Mons, the formation of rock glaciers and the incision of deep canyons and valleys along its flanks as well as on the crater wall and rim, and the formation of a lake in the deepest portions of Gale.

Perspective View with Landsat Overlay, Salt Lake City, Utah

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Most of the population of Utah lives just west of the Wasatch Mountains in the north central part of the state. This broad east-northeastward view shows that region with the cities of Ogden, Salt Lake City, and Provo seen from left to right. The Great Salt Lake (left) and Utah Lake (right) are quite shallow and appear greenish in this enhanced natural color view. Thousands of years ago ancient Lake Bonneville covered all of the lowlands seen here. Its former shoreline is clearly seen as a wave-cut bench and/or light colored 'bathtub ring' at several places along the base of the mountain front - evidence seen from space of our ever-changing planet.

This 3-D perspective view was generated using topographic data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), a Landsat 5 satellite image mosaic, and a false sky. Topographic expression is exaggerated four times.

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 will substantially help in analyzing the large and growing Landsat image archive, managed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Elevation data used in this image was acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on Feb. 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 the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect 3-D measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter (approximately 200-foot) mast, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between 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

Mars 2020 Candidate Landing Site in McLaughlin Crater

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-01-14

McLaughlin Crater (21.9 N, 337.6 E) is a large, approximately 95-kilometer diameter impact crater located north of Mawrth Vallis, in Arabia Terra, a region that was made famous by the book and movie "The Martian" by Andy Weir. McLaughlin Crater straddles three major terrain types: the Northern lowlands, the Southern highlands and the Mawrth Vallis region. The crater floor is thought to be covered by clays and carbonates that were deposited in a deep lake at least 3.8 billion years ago perhaps by ground water upwelling from beneath the crater floor (Michalski et al., 2013, Nature Geoscience). McLaughlin Crater is listed as a candidate landing site for the 2020 Mars surface mission. Although it is described as a "flat, low-risk and low-elevation landing zone," the region in this image on the southern floor of the crater shows a complex surface of eroded layers that are rough in places. An unusual feature is a straight fracture cutting diagonally across the layered material at the bottom portion of the image that may be a fault line. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20338

Diagram of Lake Stratification on Mars

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-06-01

This diagram presents some of the processes and clues related to a long-ago lake on Mars that became stratified, with the shallow water richer in oxidants than deeper water was. The sedimentary rocks deposited within a lake in Mars' Gale Crater more than three billion years ago differ from each other in a pattern that matches what is seen in lakes on Earth. As sediment-bearing water flows into a lake, bedding thickness and particle size progressively decrease as sediment is deposited in deeper and deeper water as seen in examples of thick beds (PIA19074) from shallowest water, thin beds (PIA19075) from deeper water and even thinner beds (PIA19828) from deepest water. At sites on lower Mount Sharp, inside the crater, measurements of chemical and mineral composition by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover reveal a clear correspondence between the physical characteristics of sedimentary rock from different parts of the lake and how strongly oxidized the sediments were. Rocks with textures indicating that the sediments were deposited near the edge of a lake have more strongly oxidized composition than rocks with textures indicating sedimentation in deep water. For example, the iron mineral hematite is more oxidized than the iron mineral magnetite. An explanation for why such chemical stratification occurs in a lake is that the water closer to the surface is more exposed to oxidizing effects of oxygen in the atmosphere and ultraviolet light. On Earth, a stratified lake with a distinct boundary between oxidant-rich shallows and oxidant-poor depths provides a diversity of environments suited to different types of microbes. If Mars has ever hosted microbial live, the stratified lake at Gale Crater may have similarly provided a range of different habitats for life. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21500

Hydrothermal and tectonic activity in northern Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, S.Y.; Stephenson, W.J.; Morgan, L.A.; Shanks, Wayne C.; Pierce, K.L.

2003-01-01

Yellowstone National Park is the site of one of the world's largest calderas. The abundance of geothermal and tectonic activity in and around the caldera, including historic uplift and subsidence, makes it necessary to understand active geologic processes and their associated hazards. To that end, we here use an extensive grid of high-resolution seismic reflection profiles (???450 km) to document hydrothermal and tectonic features and deposits in northern Yellowstone Lake. Sublacustrine geothermal features in northern Yellowstone Lake include two of the largest known hydrothermal explosion craters, Mary Bay and Elliott's. Mary Bay explosion breccia is distributed uniformly around the crater, whereas Elliott's crater breccia has an asymmetric distribution and forms a distinctive, ???2-km-long, hummocky lobe on the lake floor. Hydrothermal vents and low-relief domes are abundant on the lake floor; their greatest abundance is in and near explosion craters and along linear fissures. Domed areas on the lake floor that are relatively unbreached (by vents) are considered the most likely sites of future large hydrothermal explosions. Four submerged shoreline terraces along the margins of northern Yellowstone Lake add to the Holocene record or postglacial lake-level fluctuations attributed to "heavy breathing" of the Yellowstone magma reservoir and associated geothermal system. The Lake Hotel fault cuts through northwestern Yellowstone Lake and represents part of a 25-km-long distributed extensional deformation zone. Three postglacial ruptures indicate a slip rate of ???0.27 to 0.34 mm/yr. The largest (3.0 m slip) and most recent event occurred in the past ???2100 yr. Although high heat flow in the crust limits the rupture area of this fault zone, future earthquakes of magnitude ???5.3 to 6.5 are possible. Earthquakes and hydrothermal explosions have probably triggered landslides, common features around the lake margins. Few high-resolution seismic reflection surveys have

Geology of McLaughlin Crater, Mars: A Unique Lacustrine Setting with Implications for Astrobiology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Michalski, J. R.; Niles, P. B.; Rogers, A. D.; Johnson, S. S.; Ashley, J. W.; Golombek, M. P.

2016-01-01

McLaughlin crater is a 92-kmdiameter Martian impact crater that contained an ancient carbonate- and clay mineral-bearing lake in the Late Noachian. Detailed analysis of the geology within this crater reveals a complex history with important implications for astrobiology [1]. The basin contains evidence for, among other deposits, hydrothermally altered rocks, delta deposits, deep water (>400 m) sediments, and potentially turbidites. The geology of this basin stands in stark contrast to that of some ancient basins that contain evidence for transient aqueous processes and airfall sediments (e.g. Gale Crater [2-3]).

Large Salt Dust Storms Follow a 30-Year Rainfall Cycle in the Mar Chiquita Lake (Córdoba, Argentina)

PubMed Central

Stein, Ariel F.

2016-01-01

Starting in 2006, a new source of intense salt dust storms developed in Mar Chiquita (Córdoba, Argentina), the largest saline lake in South America. Storms originate from vast mudflats left by a 30-year expansion-retreat cycle of the lake due to changes in the regional rainfall regime. The annual frequency of salt dust storms correlated with the size of the salt mudflats. Events were restricted to the coldest months, and reached up to 800 km from the source. Occurrence of dust storms was associated with specific surface colors and textures easily identifiable in satellite images. High-emission surfaces were characterized by the presence of sodium sulfate hydrous/anhydrous crystals (mirabilite and thenardite), and a superficial and variable water table, which may result in the periodic development of a characteristic “fluffy” surface derived from salt precipitation-dissolution processes. HYSPLIT model simulation estimates a deposition maximum near the sources (of about 2.5 kg/ha/yr), and a decreasing trend from the emission area outwards, except for the relative secondary maximum modeled over the mountain ranges in southern Bolivia and northern Argentina due to an orographic effect. The 2009 total deposition of salt dust generated in Mar Chiquita was estimated at 6.5 million tons. PMID:27258088

Large Salt Dust Storms Follow a 30-Year Rainfall Cycle in the Mar Chiquita Lake (Córdoba, Argentina).

PubMed

Bucher, Enrique H; Stein, Ariel F

2016-01-01

Starting in 2006, a new source of intense salt dust storms developed in Mar Chiquita (Córdoba, Argentina), the largest saline lake in South America. Storms originate from vast mudflats left by a 30-year expansion-retreat cycle of the lake due to changes in the regional rainfall regime. The annual frequency of salt dust storms correlated with the size of the salt mudflats. Events were restricted to the coldest months, and reached up to 800 km from the source. Occurrence of dust storms was associated with specific surface colors and textures easily identifiable in satellite images. High-emission surfaces were characterized by the presence of sodium sulfate hydrous/anhydrous crystals (mirabilite and thenardite), and a superficial and variable water table, which may result in the periodic development of a characteristic "fluffy" surface derived from salt precipitation-dissolution processes. HYSPLIT model simulation estimates a deposition maximum near the sources (of about 2.5 kg/ha/yr), and a decreasing trend from the emission area outwards, except for the relative secondary maximum modeled over the mountain ranges in southern Bolivia and northern Argentina due to an orographic effect. The 2009 total deposition of salt dust generated in Mar Chiquita was estimated at 6.5 million tons.

A Dendroclimatic Analysis of Fluctuations in the Great Salt Lake.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-01-01

in the Great Salt Lake drainage basin , and are therefore only an estimate of the amount of precipitation falling there; Tree ring indices end, for the...Express Nevada PONY Pinyon Pine 30 39 49’N 114 37’W 1400 - 1982 Uinta Mountains, Site D Utah UINTAD Pinyon Pine 8 40 37’N 109 57’W 1430 - 1971 Conners Pass...Single Leaf Pinyon 14 39 16’N 114 07’W 1610 - 1978 Uinta Mountains, North Utah UINTAN Englemann Spruce 18 40 57’N 110 26’W 1610 - 1971 Uinta Mountains

Evaluation, Proposed Solution and Current Status of the Crater Lake Breakout Problem, Mount Pinatubo, Philippines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bornas, M. A.

2001-12-01

Rapid rise of Mount Pinatubo's crater lake and recent geological assessments of the crater's lowest point, the Maraunot Notch, raised concern about a breakout lahar down the northwestern slope of the volcano. Three factors indicated a serious hazard. First, the lake rose about 50 m from May 98-August 2001 and was expected to overtop the Maraunot Notch within the last trimester 2001. Overtopping might well have occurred at the height of a strong typhoon or under heavy monsoonal rainstorms. Second, the uppermost 10-20 m of "dam" was erodible ash and poorly indurated coarse breccia, susceptible to failure by overtopping and erosion as at many landslide and other natural dams. Third, the volumes of lake discharge corresponding to 10 and 20 m of erosion would have been 28 and 55 million m3; peak discharges at a breach could have been as high as 3,200 m3/sec to 11,000 m3/sec, respectively. These discharges would have eroded 1991 pyroclastic and lahar material on the volcano's slopes, increased the flow volume by 3-6x, and entered the Bucao River as a large-magnitude lahar. The Municipality of Botolan (pop. ca. 40,000) lies on the delta of the Bucao River valley some 40 km downriver from the notch, and could have been at great risk. Given this potential risk, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) in early August 2001 advocated three actions. (1) An intentional breaching of the Maraunot Notch by the construction of a spillway or canal, by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Early breaching would limit further rise of the lake and thus reduce the magnitude of potential flood. Also, breaching would be scheduled during good weather to eliminate the danger of overtopping at an unknown time and/or under typhoon/rainstorm conditions. (2) An information campaign in Botolan in order to educate and prepare residents for breaching. (3) Evacuation of people at risk, one day before the scheduled breaching. A spillway was excavated by as many

Microbial community dynamics in Inferno Crater Lake, a thermally fluctuating geothermal spring

PubMed Central

Ward, Laura; Taylor, Michael W; Power, Jean F; Scott, Bradley J; McDonald, Ian R; Stott, Matthew B

2017-01-01

Understanding how microbial communities respond and adjust to ecosystem perturbation is often difficult to interpret due to multiple and often simultaneous variations in observed conditions. In this research, we investigated the microbial community dynamics of Inferno Crater Lake, an acidic geothermal spring in New Zealand with a unique thermal cycle that varies between 30 and 80 °C over a period of 40–60 days. Using a combination of next-generation sequencing, geochemical analysis and quantitative PCR we found that the microbial community composition was predominantly chemolithotrophic and strongly associated with the thermal cycle. At temperatures >65 °C, the microbial community was dominated almost exclusively by sulphur-oxidising archaea (Sulfolobus-like spp.). By contrast, at mesophilic temperatures the community structure was more mixed, comprising both archaea and bacteria but dominated primarily by chemolithotrophic sulphur and hydrogen oxidisers. Multivariate analysis of physicochemical data confirmed that temperature was the only significant variable associated with community turnover. This research contributes to our understanding of microbial community dynamics in variable environments, using a naturally alternating system as a model and extends our limited knowledge of acidophile ecology in geothermal habitats. PMID:28072418

Microbial community dynamics in Inferno Crater Lake, a thermally fluctuating geothermal spring.

PubMed

Ward, Laura; Taylor, Michael W; Power, Jean F; Scott, Bradley J; McDonald, Ian R; Stott, Matthew B

2017-05-01

Understanding how microbial communities respond and adjust to ecosystem perturbation is often difficult to interpret due to multiple and often simultaneous variations in observed conditions. In this research, we investigated the microbial community dynamics of Inferno Crater Lake, an acidic geothermal spring in New Zealand with a unique thermal cycle that varies between 30 and 80 °C over a period of 40-60 days. Using a combination of next-generation sequencing, geochemical analysis and quantitative PCR we found that the microbial community composition was predominantly chemolithotrophic and strongly associated with the thermal cycle. At temperatures >65 °C, the microbial community was dominated almost exclusively by sulphur-oxidising archaea (Sulfolobus-like spp.). By contrast, at mesophilic temperatures the community structure was more mixed, comprising both archaea and bacteria but dominated primarily by chemolithotrophic sulphur and hydrogen oxidisers. Multivariate analysis of physicochemical data confirmed that temperature was the only significant variable associated with community turnover. This research contributes to our understanding of microbial community dynamics in variable environments, using a naturally alternating system as a model and extends our limited knowledge of acidophile ecology in geothermal habitats.

Great Salt Lake Composition and Rare Earth Speciation Analysis

DOE Data Explorer

Jiao, Yongqin; Lammers, Laura; Brewer, Aaron

2017-04-19

We have conducted aqueous speciation analyses of the Great Salt Lake (GSL) brine sample (Table 1) and a mock geo sample (Table 2) spiked with 1 ppb Tb and 100 ppb Tb. The GSL speciation (Figure 1) aligns with our basic speciation expectations that strong carbonate complexes would form at mid to higher pH's. Although we expected strong aqueous complexes with fluorides at neutral pH and with chlorides, and hydroxides at low pH, we observe that the dominant species in the low to mid pH range to be Tb3+ as a free ion. Still, we do see the presence of fluoride and chloride complexes within the expected low to mid pH range.

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.

Microbial Diversity and Cyanobacterial Production in Dziani Dzaha Crater Lake, a Unique Tropical Thalassohaline Environment

PubMed Central

Carré, Claire; Cellamare, Maria; Duval, Charlotte; Intertaglia, Laurent; Lavergne, Céline; Roques, Cécile

2017-01-01

This study describes, for the first time, the water chemistry and microbial diversity in Dziani Dzaha, a tropical crater lake located on Mayotte Island (Comoros archipelago, Western Indian Ocean). The lake water had a high level of dissolved matter and high alkalinity (10.6–14.5 g L-1 eq. CO32-, i.e. 160–220 mM compare to around 2–2.5 in seawater), with salinity up to 52 psu, 1.5 higher than seawater. Hierarchical clustering discriminated Dziani Dzaha water from other alkaline, saline lakes, highlighting its thalassohaline nature. The phytoplankton biomass was very high, with a total chlorophyll a concentration of 524 to 875 μg chl a L-1 depending on the survey, homogeneously distributed from surface to bottom (4 m). Throughout the whole water column the photosynthetic biomass was dominated (>97% of total biovolume) by the filamentous cyanobacteria Arthrospira sp. with a straight morphotype. In situ daily photosynthetic oxygen production ranged from 17.3 to 22.2 g O2 m-2 d-1, consistent with experimental production / irradiance measurements and modeling. Heterotrophic bacterioplankton was extremely abundant, with cell densities up to 1.5 108 cells mL-1 in the whole water column. Isolation and culture of 59 Eubacteria strains revealed the prevalence of alkaliphilic and halophilic organisms together with taxa unknown to date, based on 16S rRNA gene analysis. A single cloning-sequencing approach using archaeal 16S rDNA gene primers unveiled the presence of diverse extremophilic Euryarchaeota. The water chemistry of Dziani Dzaha Lake supports the hypothesis that it was derived from seawater and strongly modified by geological conditions and microbial activities that increased the alkalinity. Dziani Dzaha has a unique consortium of cyanobacteria, phytoplankton, heterotrophic Eubacteria and Archaea, with very few unicellular protozoa, that will deserve further deep analysis to unravel its uncommon diversity. A single taxon, belonging to the genus Arthrospira, was

Cratering on Titan: A Pre-Cassini Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lorenz, R. D.

1997-01-01

. blankets may involve the atmosphere in a significant way, both by restraining the expansion of the ejecta cloud and by influencing the thermal history of the ejecta. Compared with Venus, Titan's atmosphere will chill an impact melt somewhat quickly, so the long ejecta flows seen on Venus seem less likely, detailed modeling needs to be performed to determine the impact melt production. Crater topography on Titan may be highlighted by the influence of liquids forming crater lakes. Craters with central peaks will typically form ring-shaped lakes, although horseshoe-shaped takes may be common; domed craters with central pits may even form bullseye lakes with islands with central ponds. If liquids have covered a substantial part of Titan's surface for a substantial period, hydroblemes and tsunami deposits may be common.

Cratering on Titan: A Pre-Cassini Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorenz, R. D.

1997-01-01

. blankets may involve the atmosphere in a significant way, both by restraining the expansion of the ejecta cloud and by influencing the thermal history of the ejecta. Compared with Venus, Titan's atmosphere will chill an impact melt somewhat quickly, so the long ejecta flows seen on Venus seem less likely, detailed modeling needs to be performed to determine the impact melt production. Crater topography on Titan may be highlighted by the influence of liquids forming crater lakes. Craters with central peaks will typically form ring-shaped lakes, although horseshoe-shaped takes may be common; domed craters with central pits may even form bullseye lakes with islands with central ponds. If liquids have covered a substantial part of Titan's surface for a substantial period, hydroblemes and tsunami deposits may be common.

Marine-target craters on Mars? An assessment study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ormo, J.; Dohm, J.M.; Ferris, J.C.; Lepinette, A.; Fairen, A.G.

2004-01-01

Observations of impact craters on Earth show that a water column at the target strongly influences lithology and morphology of the resultant crater. The degree of influence varies with the target water depth and impactor diameter. Morphological features detectable in satellite imagery include a concentric shape with an inner crater inset within a shallower outer crater, which is cut by gullies excavated by the resurge of water. In this study, we show that if oceans, large seas, and lakes existed on Mars for periods of time, marine-target craters must have formed. We make an assessment of the minimum and maximum amounts of such craters based on published data on water depths, extent, and duration of putative oceans within "contacts 1 and 2," cratering rate during the different oceanic phases, and computer modeling of minimum impactor diameters required to form long-lasting craters in the seafloor of the oceans. We also discuss the influence of erosion and sedimentation on the preservation and exposure of the craters. For an ocean within the smaller "contact 2" with a duration of 100,000 yr and the low present crater formation rate, only ???1-2 detectable marine-target craters would have formed. In a maximum estimate with a duration of 0.8 Gyr, as many as 1400 craters may have formed. An ocean within the larger "contact 1-Meridiani," with a duration of 100,000 yr, would not have received any seafloor craters despite the higher crater formation rate estimated before 3.5 Gyr. On the other hand, with a maximum duration of 0.8 Gyr, about 160 seafloor craters may have formed. However, terrestrial examples show that most marine-target craters may be covered by thick sediments. Ground penetrating radar surveys planned for the ESA Mars Express and NASA 2005 missions may reveal buried craters, though it is uncertain if the resolution will allow the detection of diagnostic features of marine-target craters. The implications regarding the discovery of marine-target craters on

Investigation of salt loss from the Bonneville Salt Flats, northwestern Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mason, James L.; Kipp, Kenneth L.

1997-01-01

The Bonneville Salt Flats study area is located in the western part of the Great Salt Lake Desert in northwestern Utah, about 110 miles west of Salt Lake City. The salt crust covers about 50 square miles, but the extent varies yearly as a result of salt being dissolved by the formation and movement of surface ponds during the winter and redeposited with the evaporation of these ponds during the summer.A decrease in thickness and extent of the salt crust on the Bonneville Salt Flats has been documented during 1960-88 (S. Brooks, Bureau of Land Management, written commun., 1989). Maximum salt-crust thickness was 7 feet in 1960 and 5.5 feet in 1988. No definitive data are available to identify and quantify the processes that cause salt loss. More than 55 million tons of salt are estimated to have been lost from the salt crust during the 28-year period. The Bureau of Land Management needs to know the causes of salt loss to make appropriate management decisions.

Wintertime Reactive Chlorine Sources and Speciation in the Great Salt Lake, UT Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldberger, L.; Franchin, A.; Middlebrook, A. M.; Brown, S.; Womack, C.; Moravek, A.; McDuffie, E. E.; Fibiger, D. L.; Baasandorj, M.; Thornton, J. A.

2017-12-01

Several chlorine species were measured in both gas and particle phase using a high-resolution time of flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer (HRToF-CIMS) and an Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the NOAA Twin Otter aircraft as part of the Utah Winter Fine Particle Study (UWFPS). The abundance and speciation of gas-phase reactive chlorine species are presented, evaluated during both night and day flights across a range of meteorological conditions and repeated flight paths conducted over the Great Salt Lake region from January 16th to February 12th 2017. Mean, or background, concentrations of HCl, Cl2, ClNO2, and HOCl are measured near zero or on order of tens of ppt. Maximum concentrations of these species are found consistently in Tooele County on order of several ppb to ppm. Elevated levels of HCl and ClNO2 (at night) on order of hundreds of ppt have been observed over urban areas in Salt Lake and Utah Counties as well. Both of these species can form by heterogeneous reactions of acidic gases with sodium chloride in salt particles. The high concentrations of HCl and ClNO2 indicate large point sources of these species or acidic gases in the region, which are characterized by enhancement ratios of species to NOx and SO2 measured by the CIMS and a cavity ring down spectrometer also on board the aircraft. The emission fluxes of these point sources are characterized and their contribution to the regional background of reactive chlorine are evaluated.

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.

Crater Highlands, Tanzania

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), flown aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour in February 2000, acquired elevation measurements for nearly all of Earth's landmass between 60oN and 56oS latitudes. For many areas of the world SRTM data provide the first detailed three-dimensional observation of landforms at regional scales. SRTM data were used to generate this view of the Crater Highlands along the East African Rift in Tanzania. Landforms are depicted with colored height and shaded relief, using a vertical exaggeration of 2X and a southwestwardly look direction.

Lake Eyasi is depicted in blue at the top of the image, and a smaller lake occurs in Ngorongoro Crater. Near the image center, elevations peak at 3648 meters (11,968 feet) at Mount Loolmalasin, which is south of Ela Naibori Crater. Kitumbeine (left) and Gelai (right) are the two broad mountains rising from the rift lowlands. Mount Longido is seen in the lower left, and the Meto Hills are in the right foreground.

Tectonics, volcanism, landslides, erosion and deposition -- and their interactions -- are all very evident in this view. The East African Rift is a zone of spreading between the African (on the west) and Somali (on the east) crustal plates. Two branches of the rift intersect here in Tanzania, resulting in distinctive and prominent landforms. One branch trends nearly parallel the view and includes Lake Eyasi and the very wide Ngorongoro Crater. The other branch is well defined by the lowlands that trend left-right across the image (below center, in green). Volcanoes are often associated with spreading zones where magma, rising to fill the gaps, reaches the surface and builds cones. Craters form if a volcano explodes or collapses. Later spreading can fracture the volcanoes, which is especially evident on Kitumbeine and Gelai Mountains (left and right, respectively, lower center).

The Crater Highlands rise far above the adjacent savannas, capture moisture from passing air masses

A Periglacial Analog for Landforms in Gale Crater, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oehler, Dorothy Z.

2013-01-01

Several features in a high thermal inertia (TI) unit at Gale crater can be interpreted within a periglacial framework. These features include polygonally fractured terrain (cf. ice-wedge polygons), circumferential patterns of polygonal fractures (cf. relict pingos with ice-wedge polygons on their surfaces), irregularly-shaped and clustered depressions (cf. remnants of collapsed pingos and ephemeral lakes), and a general hummocky topography (cf. thermokarst). This interpretation would imply a major history of water and ice in Gale crater, involving permafrost, freeze-thaw cycles, and perhaps ponded surface water.

A Trail of Salts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

This graph shows the relative abundances of sulfur (in the form of sulfur tri-oxide) and chlorine at three Meridiani Planum sites: soil measured in the small crater where Opportunity landed; the rock dubbed 'McKittrick' in the outcrop lining the inner edge of the crater; and the rock nicknamed 'Guadalupe,' also in the outcrop. The 'McKittrick' data shown here were taken both before and after the rover finished grinding the rock with its rock abrasion tool to expose fresh rock underneath. The 'Guadalupe' data were taken after the rover grounded the rock. After grinding both rocks, the sulfur abundance rose to high levels, nearly five times higher than that of the soil. This very high sulfur concentration reflects the heavy presence of sulfate salts (approximately 30 percent by weight) in the rocks. Chloride and bromide salts are also indicated. Such high levels of salts strongly suggest the rocks contain evaporite deposits, which form when water evaporates or ice sublimes into the atmosphere.

78 FR 2434 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Natural History Museum of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-11

... Inventory Completion: Natural History Museum of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Natural History Museum of Utah has completed an inventory of human... culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary objects may contact the Natural History...

78 FR 2430 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Natural History Museum of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-11

... Inventory Completion: Natural History Museum of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Natural History Museum of Utah has completed an inventory of human... culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary objects may contact the Natural History...

Depositional history and neotectonics in Great Salt Lake, Utah, from high-resolution seismic stratigraphy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Colman, Steven M.; Kelts, K.R.; Dinter, D.A.

2002-01-01

High-resolution seismic-reflection data from Great Salt Lake show that the basinal sediment sequence is cut by numerous faults with N-S and NE-SW orientations. This faulting shows evidence of varied timing and relative offsets, but includes at least three events totaling about 12 m following the Bonneville phase of the lake (since about 13.5 ka). Several faults displace the uppermost sediments and the lake floor. Bioherm structures are present above some faults, which suggests that the faults served as conduits for sublacustrine discharge of fresh water. A shallow, fault-controlled ridge between Carrington Island and Promontory Point, underlain by a well-cemented pavement, separates the main lake into two basins. The pavement appears to be early Holocene in age and younger sediments lap onto it. Onlap-offlap relationships, reflection truncations, and morphology of the lake floor indicate a low lake, well below the present level, during the early Holocene, during which most of the basin was probably a playa. This low stand is represented by irregular reflections in seismic profiles from the deepest part of the basin. Other prominent reflectors in the profiles are correlated with lithologic changes in sediment cores related to the end of the Bonneville stage of the lake, a thick mirabilite layer in the northern basin, and the Mazama tephra. Reflections below those penetrated by sediment cores document earlier lacustrine cycles. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Late quaternary geomorphology of the Great Salt Lake region, Utah, and other hydrographically closed basins in the western United States: A summary of observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Currey, Donald R.

1989-01-01

Attributes of Quaternary lakes and lake basins which are often important in the environmental prehistory of semideserts are discussed. Basin-floor and basin-closure morphometry have set limits on paleolake sizes; lake morphometry and basin drainage patterns have influenced lacustrine processes; and water and sediment loads have influenced basin neotectonics. Information regarding inundated, runoff-producing, and extra-basin spatial domains is acquired directly from the paleolake record, including the littoral morphostratigraphic record, and indirectly by reconstruction. Increasingly detailed hypotheses regarding Lake Bonneville, the largest late Pleistocene paleolake in the Great Basin, are subjects for further testing and refinement. Oscillating transgression of Lake Bonneville began about 28,000 yr B.P.; the highest stage occurred about 15,000 yr B.P., and termination occurred abruptly about 13,000 yr B.P. A final resurgence of perennial lakes probably occurred in many subbasins of the Great Basin between 11,000 and 10,000 yr B.P., when the highest stage of Great Salt Lake (successor to Lake Bonneville) developed the Gilbert shoreline. The highest post-Gilbert stage of Great Salt Lake, which has been one of the few permanent lakes in the Great Basin during Holocene time, probably occurred between 3,000 and 2,000 yr B.P.

The water balance of the urban Salt Lake Valley: a multiple-box model validated by observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stwertka, C.; Strong, C.

2012-12-01

A main focus of the recently awarded National Science Foundation (NSF) EPSCoR Track-1 research project "innovative Urban Transitions and Arid-region Hydro-sustainability (iUTAH)" is to quantify the primary components of the water balance for the Wasatch region, and to evaluate their sensitivity to climate change and projected urban development. Building on the multiple-box model that we developed and validated for carbon dioxide (Strong et al 2011), mass balance equations for water in the atmosphere and surface are incorporated into the modeling framework. The model is used to determine how surface fluxes, ground-water transport, biological fluxes, and meteorological processes regulate water cycling within and around the urban Salt Lake Valley. The model is used to evaluate the hypotheses that increased water demand associated with urban growth in Salt Lake Valley will (1) elevate sensitivity to projected climate variability and (2) motivate more attentive management of urban water use and evaporative fluxes.

Mineralogy of Mudstone at Gale Crater, Mars: Evidence for Dynamic Lacustrine Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rampe, E. B.; Ming, D. W.; Grotzinger, J. P.; Morris, R. V.; Blake, D. F.; Vaniman, D. T.; Bristow, T. F.; Yen, A. S.; Chipera, S. J.; Morrison, S. M.;

Analysis and Application of Airborne Thermal Data at the Local Level Salt Lake City, Utah

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dudley-Murphy, Elizabeth A.

1999-01-01

Expanding cities are transforming periurban environments such as agricultural land, natural grasslands, forests, wetlands, and and land, into urban surfaces, such as asphalt and concrete. This transformation is part of a process defined as "urban heat island". The urban surfaces get much hotter during the daylight hours in the summer than the natural or vegetated environment. The heat builds up creating a dome effect over the city making it many degrees hotter than it's surrounding area. The impacts from this, which include higher usage of air conditioners, water, etc., are numerous and costly. As cities expand, this problem is exacerbated. It is necessary to incorporate better quality data into urban analysis and for establishing methods that systematically and objectively monitor growth and change due to increased urbanization. NASA initiated Project Atlanta in 1997 "as an interdisciplinary remote sensing study to observe and measure the growth and development of the urban heat island effect over Atlanta, and its associated impacts". This project has recently included Salt Lake City, among others, in the study of the development and effects of "urban heat islands". NASA has made available to Salt Lake City, high resolution, 10 meter, multispectral thermal data collected in June 1998. The data collection was part of a special NASA over-flight, a mission supported by the U.S. EPA in conjunction with their Urban Heat Island (UHI) Mitigation Initiative. Salt Lake City is one of three pilot cities selected to participate in this unique initiative. Hence, this project constitutes a rare opportunity to capitalize upon state-of-the-art NASA technology and link it to an urban community very concerned about rapid growth and development. This data will enhance existing data and be used for improving technical tools used to plan for Utah's future.

Characterizing the fabric of the urban environment: A case study of Salt Lake City, Utah

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

Akbari, Hashem; Rose, L. Shea

2001-02-28

Urban fabric data are needed in order to estimate the impact of light-colored surfaces (roofs and pavements) and urban vegetation (trees, grass, shrubs) on the meteorology and air quality of a city, and to design effective implementation programs. In this report, we discuss the result of a semi-automatic Monte-Carlo statistical approach used to develop data on surface-type distribution and city-fabric makeup (percentage of various surface-types) using aerial color orthophotography. The digital aerial photographs for Salt Lake City covered a total of about 34 km2 (13 mi2). At 0.50-m resolution, there were approximately 1.4 x 108 pixels of data. Four majormore » land-use types were examined: (1) commercial, (2) industrial, (3) educational, and (4) residential. On average, for the areas studied, vegetation covers about 46 percent of the area (ranging 44-51 percent), roofs cover about 21 percent (ranging 15-24 percent), and paved surfaces about 26 percent (ranging 21-28 percent). For the most part, trees shade streets, parking lots, grass, and sidewalks. In most non-residential areas, paved surfaces cover 46-66 percent of the area. In residential areas, on average, paved surfaces cover about 32 percent of the area. Land-use/land-cover (LU/LC) data from the United States Geological Survey were used to extrapolate these results from neighborhood scales to metropolitan Salt Lake City. In an area of roughly 560 km2, defining most of metropolitan Salt Lake City, over 60 percent is residential. The total roof area is about 110 km2, and the total paved surface area (roads, parking areas, sidewalks) covers about 170 km2. The total vegetated area covers about 230 km2.« less

Physical Monitoring of Flow Into and Within Great Salt Lake, Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenney, T. A.; Naftz, D. L.; Perschon, W. C.

2006-12-01

Great Salt Lake (GSL) is the hydrologic terminus for the eastern part of the Great Basin. As the largest inland waterbody in the Western United States, GSL plays a critical ecologic role for many migratory bird species. In terms of harvest quantity and quality, the brine shrimp (Artemia) fishery of GSL is among the strongest in the world. The characteristic of GSL as a hydrologic sink amplifies anthropogenic activities throughout the basin, most specifically activities that occur along its eastern and southern shores, the urban corridor of the Wasatch Front. In 1959 GSL was divided into north and south parts by a rock-fill railroad causeway. Since then, an extreme density gradient between the north and south part exists as a result of limited conveyance of water from the south part where more than 95 percent of the total freshwater input occurs (Loving, and others, 2000). To date, little is known about the loading and cycling of various chemical constituents associated with human activities including nutrients, selenium, and mercury. Hydroacoustic technology, specifically acoustic Doppler technology, is currently being used to obtain a better physical understanding of GSL. Since 1999, stratified bi-directional discharge has been measured at the causeway breach with an acoustic Doppler current profiler. From these measurements, net flow components to the north and south have been used to assess the movement of water and salt through the causeway. Low hydraulic gradients and variable backwater conditions at the two largest inflows to GSL required the deployment of in-situ acoustic Doppler velocity meters to accurately compute continuous discharge, critical for constituent loading analyses. These discharge records, computed using the index velocity method, show sensitivity to large wind events that can lead to a complete reversal of flow. Velocity profiles acquired during two multi-day water-quality synoptic sampling runs with acoustic Doppler current profilers have

Eruptive history of Mount Mazama and Crater Lake Caldera, Cascade Range, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bacon, C.R.

1983-01-01

New investigations of the geology of Crater Lake National Park necessitate a reinterpretation of the eruptive history of Mount Mazama and of the formation of Crater Lake caldera. Mount Mazama consisted of a glaciated complex of overlapping shields and stratovolcanoes, each of which was probably active for a comparatively short interval. All the Mazama magmas apparently evolved within thermally and compositionally zoned crustal magma reservoirs, which reached their maximum volume and degree of differentiation in the climactic magma chamber ??? 7000 yr B.P. The history displayed in the caldera walls begins with construction of the andesitic Phantom Cone ??? 400,000 yr B.P. Subsequently, at least 6 major centers erupted combinations of mafic andesite, andesite, or dacite before initiation of the Wisconsin Glaciation ??? 75,000 yr B.P. Eruption of andesitic and dacitic lavas from 5 or more discrete centers, as well as an episode of dacitic pyroclastic activity, occurred until ??? 50,000 yr B.P.; by that time, intermediate lava had been erupted at several short-lived vents. Concurrently, and probably during much of the Pleistocene, basaltic to mafic andesitic monogenetic vents built cinder cones and erupted local lava flows low on the flanks of Mount Mazama. Basaltic magma from one of these vents, Forgotten Crater, intercepted the margin of the zoned intermediate to silicic magmatic system and caused eruption of commingled andesitic and dacitic lava along a radial trend sometime between ??? 22,000 and ??? 30,000 yr B.P. Dacitic deposits between 22,000 and 50,000 yr old appear to record emplacement of domes high on the south slope. A line of silicic domes that may be between 22,000 and 30,000 yr old, northeast of and radial to the caldera, and a single dome on the north wall were probably fed by the same developing magma chamber as the dacitic lavas of the Forgotten Crater complex. The dacitic Palisade flow on the northeast wall is ??? 25,000 yr old. These relatively

A Closer Look at Holden Crater

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-15

Holden Crater in southern Margaritifer Terra displays a series of finely layered deposits on its floor. The layered deposits are especially well exposed in the southwestern section of the crater where erosion by water flowing through a breach in the crater rim created spectacular outcrops. In this location, the deposits appear beneath a cap of alluvial fan materials (tan to brown in this image). Within the deposits, individual layers are nearly flat-lying and can be traced for hundreds of meters to kilometers. Information from the CRISM instrument on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter suggests that at least some of these beds contain clays. By contrast, the beds in the overlying alluvial fan are less continuous and dip in varying directions, showing less evidence for clays. Collectively, the characteristics of the finely bedded deposits suggest they may have been deposited into a lake on the crater floor, perhaps fed by runoff related to formation of the overlying fans. The map is projected here at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. [The original image scale is 25.9 centimeters (10.2 inches) per pixel (with 1 x 1 binning); objects on the order of 78 centimeters (30.7 inches) across are resolved.] North is up. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21561

The Carancas meteorite impact crater, Peru: Geologic surveying and modeling of crater formation and atmospheric passage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenkmann, T.; Artemieva, N. A.; Wünnemann, K.; Poelchau, M. H.; Elbeshausen, D.; Núñez Del Prado, H.

2009-08-01

The recent Carancas meteorite impact event caused a worldwide sensation. An H4-5 chondrite struck the Earth south of Lake Titicaca in Peru on September 15, 2007, and formed a crater 14.2 m across. It is the smallest, youngest, and one of two eye-witnessed impact crater events on Earth. The impact violated the hitherto existing view that stony meteorites below a size of 100 m undergo major disruption and deceleration during their passage through the atmosphere and are not capable of producing craters. Fragmentation occurs if the strength of the meteoroid is less than the aerodynamic stresses that occur in flight. The small fragments that result from a breakup rain down at terminal velocity and are not capable of producing impact craters. The Carancas cratering event, however, demonstrates that meter-sized stony meteoroids indeed can survive the atmospheric passage under specific circumstances. We present results of a detailed geologic survey of the crater and its ejecta. To constrain the possible range of impact parameters we carried out numerical models of crater formation with the iSALE hydrocode in two and three dimensions. Depending on the strength properties of the target, the impact energies range between approximately 100-1000 MJ (0.024- 0.24 t TNT). By modeling the atmospheric traverse we demonstrate that low cosmic velocities (12- 14 kms-1) and shallow entry angles (<20°) are prerequisites to keep aerodynamic stresses low (<10 MPa) and thus to prevent fragmentation of stony meteoroids with standard strength properties. This scenario results in a strong meteoroid deceleration, a deflection of the trajectory to a steeper impact angle (40-60°), and an impact velocity of 350-600 ms-1, which is insufficient to produce a shock wave and significant shock effects in target minerals. Aerodynamic and crater modeling are consistent with field data and our microscopic inspection. However, these data are in conflict with trajectories inferred from the analysis of

Microplastic Pollution in Table Salts from China.

PubMed

Yang, Dongqi; Shi, Huahong; Li, Lan; Li, Jiana; Jabeen, Khalida; Kolandhasamy, Prabhu

2015-11-17

Microplastics have been found in seas all over the world. We hypothesize that sea salts might contain microplastics, because they are directly supplied by seawater. To test our hypothesis, we collected 15 brands of sea salts, lake salts, and rock/well salts from supermarkets throughout China. The microplastics content was 550-681 particles/kg in sea salts, 43-364 particles/kg in lake salts, and 7-204 particles/kg in rock/well salts. In sea salts, fragments and fibers were the prevalent types of particles compared with pellets and sheets. Microplastics measuring less than 200 μm represented the majority of the particles, accounting for 55% of the total microplastics, and the most common microplastics were polyethylene terephthalate, followed by polyethylene and cellophane in sea salts. The abundance of microplastics in sea salts was significantly higher than that in lake salts and rock/well salts. This result indicates that sea products, such as sea salts, are contaminated by microplastics. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on microplastic pollution in abiotic sea products.

Origin of the lethal gas burst from Lake Monoun, Cameroun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sigurdsson, H.; Devine, J. D.; Tchua, F. M.; Presser, F. M.; Pringle, M. K. W.; Evans, W. C.

1987-03-01

On 15 August, 1984, a lethal gas burst issued from a submerged 96-m-deep crater in Lake Monoun in Cameroun, western Africa, killing 37 people. The event was associated with a landslide from the eastern crater rim, which slumped into deep water. Waters below 50 m are anoxic, dominated by high Fe 2+ (˜600 mg/l) and HCO 3- (≥ 1900 mg/l), anoxic and supersaturated with siderite, which is a major component of the crater floor sediments. The unusually high Fe 2+ levels are attributed to reduction of laterite-derived ferric iron gradually brought into the lake as loess and in river input. Sulfur compounds are below detection limits in both water and gas. Gases effervescing from depressurized deep waters are dominantly CO 2 with minor CH 4, having δ 13C of -7.18 and -54.8 per mil, respectively. Bacterial decomposition of organic matter may account for the methane, but 14C of lake water indicates that only 10% of the carbon is modern, giving an apparent age of 18,000 years. The dominant source of carbon is therefore attributed to long-term emission of CO 2 as volcanic exhalation from vents within the crater, which led to gradual build-up of HCO 3- in the lake. The density stratification of the lake may have been upset by an earthquake and underwater landslide on 15 August, which triggered overturn of the lake and caused nucleation of CO 2 in the deep water. The resultant ebullition of CO 2 from deep lake waters led to a gas burst at the surface and locally generated a water wave up to 5 m high. People travelling through the gas cloud were asphyxiated, presumably from CO 2, and suffered skin discoloration from unidentified components.

Origin of the lethal gas burst from Lake Monoun, Cameroun

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sigurdsson, Haraldur; Devine, J.D.; Tchua, F.M.; Presser, F.M.; Pringle, M.K.W.; Evans, William C.

1987-01-01

On 15 August, 1984, a lethal gas burst issued from a submerged 96-m-deep crater in Lake Monoun in Cameroun, western Africa, killing 37 people. The event was associated with a landslide from the eastern crater rim, which slumped into deep water. Waters below 50 m are anoxic, dominated by high Fe2+ (???600 mg/l) and HCO3- (??? 1900 mg/l), anoxic and supersaturated with siderite, which is a major component of the crater floor sediments. The unusually high Fe2+ levels are attributed to reduction of laterite-derived ferric iron gradually brought into the lake as loess and in river input. Sulfur compounds are below detection limits in both water and gas. Gases effervescing from depressurized deep waters are dominantly CO2 with minor CH4, having ??13C of -7.18 and -54.8 per mil, respectively. Bacterial decomposition of organic matter may account for the methane, but 14C of lake water indicates that only 10% of the carbon is modern, giving an apparent age of 18,000 years. The dominant source of carbon is therefore attributed to long-term emission of CO2 as volcanic exhalation from vents within the crater, which led to gradual build-up of HCO3- in the lake. The density stratification of the lake may have been upset by an earthquake and underwater landslide on 15 August, which triggered overturn of the lake and caused nucleation of CO2 in the deep water. The resultant ebullition of CO2 from deep lake waters led to a gas burst at the surface and locally generated a water wave up to 5 m high. People travelling through the gas cloud were asphyxiated, presumably from CO2, and suffered skin discoloration from unidentified components. ?? 1987.

Intelligent transportation systems at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games : traffic management and traveler information case study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-04-01

Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) contracted for a series of evaluation efforts associated with the development, deployment, and operation of their Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in the Salt Lake City Region, which are known as the C...

75 FR 57288 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City, UT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-20

... the human remains was made by the Utah Museum of Natural History professional staff and a report sent... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service Notice of Inventory Completion: Utah Museum of... possession and control of the Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City, UT. The human remains and...

Questioning the Origin of the Great Salt Lake "Microbialites"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frantz, C.; Matyjasik, M.; Newell, D. L.; Vanden Berg, M. D.; Park, C.

2017-12-01

The Great Salt Lake (GSL) of Utah contains abundant carbonate mounds that have been described in the literature as "biostromes", "bioherms", "stromatolites", and "microbialites". The structures are commonly cited as being rare examples of modern lacustrine microbialites, which implies that they are actively-forming and biogenic. Indeed, at least in some regions of the lake, the mounds are covered in a mixed community of cyanobacteria, algae, insect larval casings, microbial heterotrophs, and other organisms that is thought to contribute significantly to benthic primary productivity in GSL. However, the presence of a modern surface microbial community does not implicate a biogenic or modern origin for the mounds. The few studies to date GSL microbialites indicate that they are ancient, with radiocarbon calendar ages in the late Pleistocene and Holocene ( 13 - 3 cal ka). However, could they still be actively growing, and are the surface microbial communities playing a role? Here, we present results of a suite geochemical measurements used to constrain parameters—including groundwater seepage—influencing carbonate saturation and precipitation in the vicinity of one currently-submerged "microbialite reef" on the northern shore of Antelope Island in the South Arm of GSL. Our data suggests that calcium-charged brackish groundwater input to the lake through a permeable substratum in this location results in locally supersaturated conditions for aragonite, which could lead to modern, abiogenic mineralization. In addition, a series of laboratory experiments suggest that the modern surface microbial communities that coat the mounds do not appreciably facilitate carbonate precipitation in simulated GSL conditions, although they may serve as a template for precipitation when local waters become supersaturated.

Salt budget for West Pond, Utah, April 1987 to June 1989

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wold, S.R.; Waddell, K.M.

1994-01-01

During operation of the West Desert pumping project, April 10. 1987, to June 30, 1989, data were collected as part of a monitoring program to evaluate the effects of pumping brine from Great Salt Lake into West Pond in northern Utah. The removal of brine from Great Sail was part of an effort to lower the level of Great Salt Lake when the water level was at a high in 1986. These data were used to prepare a salt budget that indicates about 695 million tons of salt or about 14.2 percent of salt contained in Great Salt Lake was pumped into West Pond. Of the 695 million tons of salt pumped into West Pond, 315 million tons (45 percent) were dissolved in West Pond, 71 million tons (10.2 percent) formed a salt crust at the bottom of the pond, 10 million tons (1.4 percent) infiltrated the subsurface areas inundated by storage in the pond, 88 million tons (12.7 percent) were withdrawn by American Magnesium Corporation, and 123 million tons (17.7 percent) discharged from the pond through the Newfoundland weir. About 88 million tons (13 percent) of the salt pumped from the lake could not be accounted for in the salt budget. About 94 million tons of salt (1.9 percent of the total salt in Great Salt Lake) flowed back to Great Salt Lake.

Design and evaluation of expanded polystyrene geofoam embankments for the I-15 reconstruction project, Salt Lake City, Utah.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-10-01

The report discusses the design and 10-year performance evaluations of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Geofoam embankment constructed for the I-15 Reconstruction Project in Salt Lake City, Utah between 1998 and 2002. It contains methods to evaluate the al...

Surface morphology of caldera-forming eruption deposits revealed by lidar mapping of Crater Lake National Park, Oregon- Implications for emplacement and surface modification

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, Joel E.; Bacon, Charles R.; Major, Jon J.; Wright, Heather M.; Vallance, James W.

2017-01-01

Large explosive eruptions of silicic magma can produce widespread pumice fall, extensive ignimbrite sheets, and collapse calderas. The surfaces of voluminous ignimbrites are rarely preserved or documented because most terrestrial examples are heavily vegetated, or severely modified by post-depositional processes. Much research addresses the internal sedimentary characteristics, flow processes, and depositional mechanisms of ignimbrites, however, surface features of ignimbrites are less well documented and understood, except for comparatively small-volume deposits of historical eruptions. The ~7,700 calendar year B.P. climactic eruption of Mount Mazama, USA vented ~50 km3 of magma, deposited first as rhyodacite pumice fall and then as a zoned rhyodacite-to-andesite ignimbrite as Crater Lake caldera collapsed. Lidar collected during summer 2010 reveals the remarkably well-preserved surface of the Mazama ignimbrite and related deposits surrounding Crater Lake caldera in unprecedented detail despite forest cover. The ±1 m lateral and ±4 cm vertical resolution lidar allows surface morphologies to be classified. Surface morphologies are created by internal depositional processes and can point to the processes at work when pyroclastic flows come to rest. We describe nine surface features including furrow-ridge sets and wedge-shaped mounds in pumice fall eroded by high-energy pyroclastic surges, flow- parallel ridges that record the passage of multiple pyroclastic flows, perched benches of marginal deposits stranded by more-mobile pyroclastic-flow cores, hummocks of dense clasts interpreted as lag deposit, transverse ridges that mark the compression and imbrication of flows as they came to rest, scarps indicating ignimbrite remobilization, fields of pit craters caused by phreatic explosions, fractures and cracks caused by extensional processes resulting from ignimbrite volume loss, and stream channels eroded in the newly formed surface. The nine morphologies presented

a Map Mash-Up Application: Investigation the Temporal Effects of Climate Change on Salt Lake Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirtiloglu, O. S.; Orhan, O.; Ekercin, S.

2016-06-01

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate climate change effects that have been occurred at the beginning of the twenty-first century at the Konya Closed Basin (KCB) located in the semi-arid central Anatolian region of Turkey and particularly in Salt Lake region where many major wetlands located in and situated in KCB and to share the analysis results online in a Web Geographical Information System (GIS) environment. 71 Landsat 5-TM, 7-ETM+ and 8-OLI images and meteorological data obtained from 10 meteorological stations have been used at the scope of this work. 56 of Landsat images have been used for extraction of Salt Lake surface area through multi-temporal Landsat imagery collected from 2000 to 2014 in Salt lake basin. 15 of Landsat images have been used to make thematic maps of Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in KCB, and 10 meteorological stations data has been used to generate the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), which was used in drought studies. For the purpose of visualizing and sharing the results, a Web GIS-like environment has been established by using Google Maps and its useful data storage and manipulating product Fusion Tables which are all Google's free of charge Web service elements. The infrastructure of web application includes HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, Google Maps API V3 and Google Fusion Tables API technologies. These technologies make it possible to make effective "Map Mash-Ups" involving an embedded Google Map in a Web page, storing the spatial or tabular data in Fusion Tables and add this data as a map layer on embedded map. The analysing process and map mash-up application have been discussed in detail as the main sections of this paper.

Trend Analysis of Soil Salinity in Different Land Cover Types Using Landsat Time Series Data (case Study Bakhtegan Salt Lake)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taghadosi, M. M.; Hasanlou, M.

2017-09-01

Soil salinity is one of the main causes of desertification and land degradation which has negative impacts on soil fertility and crop productivity. Monitoring salt affected areas and assessing land cover changes, which caused by salinization, can be an effective approach to rehabilitate saline soils and prevent further salinization of agricultural fields. Using potential of satellite imagery taken over time along with remote sensing techniques, makes it possible to determine salinity changes at regional scales. This study deals with monitoring salinity changes and trend of the expansion in different land cover types of Bakhtegan Salt Lake district during the last two decades using multi-temporal Landsat images. For this purpose, per-pixel trend analysis of soil salinity during years 2000 to 2016 was performed and slope index maps of the best salinity indicators were generated for each pixel in the scene. The results of this study revealed that vegetation indices (GDVI and EVI) and also salinity indices (SI-1 and SI-3) have great potential to assess soil salinity trends in vegetation and bare soil lands respectively due to more sensitivity to salt features over years of study. In addition, images of May had the best performance to highlight changes in pixels among different months of the year. A comparative analysis of different slope index maps shows that more than 76% of vegetated areas have experienced negative trends during 17 years, of which about 34% are moderately and highly saline. This percent is increased to 92% for bare soil lands and 29% of salt affected soils had severe salinization. It can be concluded that the areas, which are close to the lake, are more affected by salinity and salts from the lake were brought into the soil which will lead to loss of soil productivity ultimately.

A Possible Landing Site for the 2020 Mission: Jezero Crater

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-03-04

This image shows a possible landing site for the 2020 Mission: Jezero Crater, as seen by NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. It's not only when trying to find a scientifically interesting place to land that the high-resolution images from HiRISE come in handy: it's also to identify potential hazards within a landing ellipse. This is one of the trickier aspects of selecting landing sites on Mars: a place to do good science but also where the risks of landing are low. Jezero Crater is an ancient crater where clay minerals have been detected, and with a delta deposit indicating that water was once flowing into a lake. Since clays form the in presence of water, this crater would be a very good candidate for a lander to explore and build on what we've learned from the Mars Science Laboratory. Could some form of ancient life have existed here and for how long? http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19303

The Context of Carbonates in Gusev and Jezero Craters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruff, S. W.; Hamilton, V. E.

2017-12-01

Gusev and Jezero are Noachian-aged craters with evidence of a lake in early Mars history. Both are among three remaining candidates for the Mars 2020 rover mission, which is intended to collect and cache rock samples for possible future return to Earth. Gusev was explored by the Spirit rover from 2004 to 2010, revealing outcrops dubbed Comanche composed of olivine-rich volcanic tephra that hosts up to 30% Mg-Fe carbonate, clear evidence for the role of near-neutral pH fluids [1]. Jezero also displays evidence for olivine- and carbonate-bearing materials, likely Mg-carbonate based on orbital spectral observations [2]. In both craters, the carbonates occur in materials that are among the oldest stratigraphic units in each, perhaps an indication of more clement climatic conditions on early Mars compared to those that prevailed for most of its history. We are undertaking investigations of various rover-based and orbital measurements of the carbonates in Gusev to better understand their geologic context and origin. In doing so, the results shed light on carbonate occurrences in Jezero. The Comanche outcrops are contained in the Columbia Hills, which represent a kipuka or island of eroded older terrain fully encircled by lava flows, here with a crater retention age of 3.65 Ga (Fig. 1). In situ and orbital observations [3] demonstrate that carbonate-bearing outcrops extend beyond those visited by Spirit. The distinctive morphology and thermal inertia signature of these outcrops and their unaltered host rocks are recognizable in other kipukas on the floor of Gusev [4]. Carbonate also occurs in kipukas in Jezero (Fig. 2), but larger occurrences extend beyond the crater rim and in isolated places among the delta fan deposits [2]. The presence of carbonates outside of the crater suggests an origin unrelated to a former lake, unlike the Comanche carbonates, which may have arisen through evaporation of dilute brines from an ephemeral lake in Gusev [4]. In both cases, the clear

Chemical variations observed on Aeolis Mons in Gale Crater, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frydenvang, Jens; Gasda, Patrick J.; Thompson, Lucy; Hurowitz, Joel; Grotzinger, John P.; Blaney, Diana L.; Gellert, Ralf; Wiens, Roger; Vasavada, Ashwin R.; MSL Science Team

2016-10-01

The extraordinarily extensive exposure of hematite-, clay-, sulfate-bearing stratigraphic layers in the lower part of Aeolis Mons was the primary reason Gale Crater was selected as the landing site for the Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity. 753 martian solar days (sols) after the Curiosity rover landed in Gale Crater in August 2012, and after driving more than 9 km, the Curiosity rover arrived at the first exposure of the Murray formation, the basal layer of Aeolis Mons. The Murray formation is a thinly laminated lacustrine mudstone showing stratification down to the millimeter scale. This supports the idea that the stratigraphic layers of Aeolis Mons are sedimentary, and likely deposited in a series of long-lived lakes extending into the early Hesperian time, as recently described by Grotzinger et al. (Science, vol. 350, 2015). The chemical variations observed throughout the Murray formation by the ChemCam and APXS instruments in the 600+ sols since first arriving at Aeolis Mons will be presented. While Murray remains thinly laminated throughout the 30+ vertical meters of stratigraphy explored, large chemical variations are observed. The most extreme variations arise from likely co-located detrital and diagenetic silica enrichments in Murray. Remarkably, an associated diagenetic silica enrichment is also observed in the unconformably overlying eolian sandstone of the Stimson formation in that location. The detrital enrichment provides evidence of how the source region chemistry varied as the sedimentary layers of Aeolis Mons were deposited. Conversely, the diagenetic enrichment observed across both the Murray and Stimson formations provides compelling evidence for the presence of subsurface fluids in Gale Crater, thousands to millions of years after the crater lakes disappeared. This evidence of liquid water greatly extends the timescale in which Gale Crater might have been habitable.

Halotolerant extremophile bacteria from the Great Salt Lake for recycling pollutants in microbial fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grattieri, Matteo; Suvira, Milomir; Hasan, Kamrul; Minteer, Shelley D.

2017-07-01

The treatment of hypersaline wastewater (approximately 5% of the wastewater worldwide) cannot be performed by classical biological techniques. Herein the halotolerant extremophile bacteria obtained from the Great Salt Lake (Utah) were explored in single chamber microbial fuel cells with Pt-free cathodes for more than 18 days. The bacteria samples collected in two different locations of the lake (Stansbury Bay and Antelope Island) showed different electrochemical performances. The maximum achieved power output of 36 mW m-2 was from the microbial fuel cell based on the sample originated from Stansbury Bay, at a current density of 820 mA m-2. The performances throughout the long-term operation are discussed and a bioelectrochemical mechanism is proposed.

Contamination of table salts from Turkey with microplastics.

PubMed

Gündoğdu, Sedat

2018-05-01

Microplastics (MPs) pollution has become a problem that affects all aquatic, atmospheric and terrestial environments in the world. In this study, we looked into whether MPs in seas and lakes reach consumers through table salt. For this purpose, we obtained 16 brands of table salts from the Turkish market and determined their MPs content with microscopic and Raman spectroscopic examination. According to our results, the MP particle content was 16-84 item/kg in sea salt, 8-102 item/kg in lake salt and 9-16 item/kg in rock salt. The most common plastic polymers were polyethylene (22.9%) and polypropylene (19.2%). When the amounts of MPs and the amount of salt consumed by Turkish consumers per year are considered together, if they consume sea salt, lake salt or rock salt, they consume 249-302, 203-247 or 64-78 items per year, respectively. This is the first time this concerning level of MPs content in table salts in the Turkish market has been reported.

Hailar crater - A possible impact structure in Inner Mongolia, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Zhiyong; Chen, Zhaoxu; Pu, Jiang; Xiao, Xiao; Wang, Yichen; Huang, Jun

2018-04-01

Hailar crater, a probable impact structure, is a circular depression about 300 m diameter in Inner Mongolia, northeast China. With broad elevated rims, the present rim-to-floor depth is 8-20 m. Regional geological background and geomorphological comparison suggest that this feature is likely not formed by surface processes such as salt diapir, karst, aeolian, glacial, or volcanic activity. Its unique occurrence in this region and well-preserved morphology are most consistent with it being a Cenozoic impact crater. Two field expeditions in 2016 and 2017 investigated the origin of this structure, recognizing that (1) no additional craters were identified around Hailar crater in the centimeter-scale digital topography models that were constructed using a drone imaging system and stereo photogrammetry; (2) no bedrock exposures are visible within or adjacent to the crater because of thick regolith coverage, and only small pieces of angular unconsolidated rocks are present on the crater wall and the gently-sloped crater rim, suggesting recent energetic formation of the crater; (3) most samples collected from the crater have identical lithology and petrographic characteristics with the background terrain, but some crater samples contain more abundant clasts and silicate hydrothermal veins, indicating that rocks from depths have been exposed by the crater; (4) no shock metamorphic features were found in the samples after thin section examinations; and (5) a systematic sample survey and iron detector scan within and outside of the crater found no iron-rich meteorites larger than 2 cm in size in a depth of 30 cm. Although no conclusive evidence for an impact origin is found yet, Hailar crater was most likely formed by an impact based on its unique occurrence and comparative geomorphologic study. We suggest that drilling in the crater center is required to verify the impact origin, where hypothesized melt-bearing impactites may be encountered.

Lacustine conditions at Gale crater, Mars: A cold and wet hypothesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kling, A.; Haberle, R. M.; McKay, C. P.; Bristow, T.; Rivera-Hernandez, F.

2017-12-01

Sedimentary deposits observed by the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) provide evidence that Gale crater may have intermittently hosted a fluvio-lacustine environment during the Hesperian. (Grotzinger et al., Science, 350 (6257). However, estimates of the CO2 content of the atmosphere derived from sedimentary environmental data measured by MSL are in the 10's mbar range, (Bristow et al, PNAS 114, No 9, (2166-2170), 2017). Surface pressures this low are unable to sustain warm enough temperatures to permit liquid lakes within Gale crater. Lake Untersee, Antarctica, however, is an interesting example of how an aqueous environment can be sustained in an perenially-covered lake for an extended period of time in a place where the daily average temperatures never reach 273K. Interestingly, Lake Untersee is not in equilibrium with the atmosphere but is instead supersatured in oxygen, in part because of an effective sealing action of the lake by the ice cover (Wand et al, Antarctic Science, 9 (43-45), 1997). Since this natural decoupling between the atmosphere and the lake's water provides an answer to the lack of carbonate precipitation in Gale's sediments, we have explored the possibility that lacustine conditions at Gale were preserved during the Hesperian in the form of ice covered lakes. Our calculations show that for certain range of conditions, a large body of water within Gale during the Hesperian will not freeze solid and geological features associated with aqueous environments may still be possible on a cold, yet wet planet. We find that for mean annual temperature of 245-255K ice thicknesses can be comparable values to the range of those for the Antarctic lakes (2-7m). The Antarctic lakes model is attractive as it relaxes the requirement for a long-lived active hydrological cycle involving rainfall and runoff, can explain the low abundance of carbonate in sediments, and the recently deduced redox stratification of the lake. However, it does require warmer

Weather and eared grebe winter migration near the Great Salt Lake, Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Augusta A.; Laird, Neil F.

2018-03-01

This study provides insight from the use of weather radar observations to understand the characteristics of the eared grebe migration near the Great Salt Lake (GSL) and provides unique information on weather conditions connected to these migration events. Doppler weather radar measurements from the Salt Lake City, Utah WSR-88D radar site (KMTX), along with meteorological surface and rawinsonde data, were used to identify and examine 281 eared grebe migration events across 15 winters from 1997/1998 through 2011/2012. An average of about 19 migration events occurred each winter with considerable interannual variability, as well as large variance in the spatial area and number of birds departing the GSL during each event. The migration events typically occurred during clear sky conditions in the presence of surface high pressure and colder than average surface temperatures. Migration events began 55 min after sunset, on average across the winter seasons, and in one case we demonstrate that an extended, nonstop flight was initiated of the departing eared grebes to northern Mexico. Eared grebes leaving the GSL largely flew above the freezing level with a mean northerly tailwind at flight altitude of 3.1 m s-1 and a westerly, cross-flight wind of 5.0 m s-1 while having an average flight speed at cruising altitude of 16.9 m s-1, or 61 km h-1. In addition to determining the variability of meteorological conditions during migration events across the 15 winters, atmospheric conditions during the largest migration event observed are presented and discussed.

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.

Total Mercury and Methylmercury Response in Water, Sediment, and Biota to Destratification of the Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States.

PubMed

Valdes, Carla; Black, Frank J; Stringham, Blair; Collins, Jeffrey N; Goodman, James R; Saxton, Heidi J; Mansfield, Christopher R; Schmidt, Joshua N; Yang, Shu; Johnson, William P

2017-05-02

Measurements of chemical and physical parameters made before and after sealing of culverts in the railroad causeway spanning the Great Salt Lake in late 2013 documented dramatic alterations in the system in response to the elimination of flow between the Great Salt Lake's north and south arms. The flow of denser, more-saline water through the culverts from the north arm (Gunnison Bay) to the south arm (Gilbert Bay) previously drove the perennial stratification of the south arm and the existence of oxic shallow brine and anoxic deep brine layers. Closure of the causeway culverts occurred concurrently with a multiyear drought that resulted in a decrease in the lake elevation and a concomitant increase in top-down erosion of the upper surface of the deep brine layer by wind-forced mixing. The combination of these events resulted in the replacement of the formerly stratified water column in the south arm with one that was vertically homogeneous and oxic. Total mercury concentrations in the deep waters of the south arm decreased by approximately 81% and methylmercury concentrations in deep waters decreased by roughly 86% due to destratification. Methylmercury concentrations decreased by 77% in underlying surficial sediment, whereas there was no change observed in total mercury. The dramatic mercury loss from deep waters and methylmercury loss from underlying sediment in response to causeway sealing provides new understanding of the potential role of the deep brine layer in the accumulation and persistence of methylmercury in the Great Salt Lake. Additional mercury measurements in biota appear to contradict the previously implied connection between elevated methylmercury concentrations in the deep brine layer and elevated mercury in avian species reported prior to causeway sealing.

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.

Secondary Craters

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-12-21

This image of a southern mid-latitude crater was intended to investigate the lineated material on the crater floor. At the higher resolution of HiRISE, the image reveals a landscape peppered by small impact craters. These craters range from about 30 meters in diameter down to the resolution limit (about 2 meter diameter in this image acquired by averaging 2x2 picture elements). Such dense clusters of small craters are frequently formed by secondary craters, caused by the impact of material that was excavated and ejected from the surface of Mars during the creation of a larger nearby crater by the impact of a comet or an asteroid. Secondary impact craters are both interesting and vexing. They are interesting because they show the trajectories of the material that was ejected from the primary impact with the greatest speeds, typically material from near the surface of the blast zone. Secondary craters are often found along the traces of crater rays, linear features that extend radially from fresh impact craters and can reach many crater diameters in length. Secondary craters can be useful when crater rays are visible and the small craters can be associated with a particular primary impact crater. They can be used to constrain the age of the surface where they fell, since the surface must be older than the impact event. The age of the crater can be approximately estimated from the probability of an impact that produced a crater of such a size within a given area of Mars over a given time period. But these secondary craters can also be perplexing when no crater rays are preserved and a source crater is not easily identifiable, as is the case here. The impact that formed these secondary craters took place long enough ago that their association with a particular crater has been erased. They do not appear along the trace of a crater ray that is still apparent in visible or thermal infrared observations. These secondary craters complicate the task of estimating the age of

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.

Crater Lakes on Mars: Development of Quantitative Thermal and Geomorphic Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnhart, C. J.; Tulaczyk, S.; Asphaug, E.; Kraal, E. R.; Moore, J.

2005-01-01

Impact craters on Mars have served as catchments for channel-eroding surface fluids, and hundreds of examples of candidate paleolakes are documented [1,2] (see Figure 1). Because these features show similarity to terrestrial shorelines, wave action has been hypothesized as the geomorphic agent responsible for the generation of these features [3]. Recent efforts have examined the potential for shoreline formation by wind-driven waves, in order to turn an important but controversial idea into a quantitative, falsifiable hypothesis. These studies have concluded that significant wave-action shorelines are unlikely to have formed commonly within craters on Mars, barring Earth-like weather for approx.1000 years [4,5,6].

Evaluation of transit signal priority strategies for 400 south light rail line in Salt Lake County, UT : part II.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-11-01

The goal of this study is to evaluate light rail priority strategies along the 400 S / 500 S corridor in Salt Lake County through analyzing benefits and impacts of the priority on transit and vehicular traffic through microsimulation. The field of st...

Prolonged Ponding Episode in C-Newton Crater in Recent Geological Times on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grin, E. A.; Cabrol, N. A.; Wynn-Williams, D. D.

2001-01-01

We present the morphological evidence that supports the existence of a lake in a recent past in C-Newton crater. We assess the astrobiological potential of this environment. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Calculating salt loads to Great Salt Lake and the associated uncertainties for water year 2013; updating a 48 year old standard

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shope, Christopher L.; Angeroth, Cory E.

2015-01-01

Effective management of surface waters requires a robust understanding of spatiotemporal constituent loadings from upstream sources and the uncertainty associated with these estimates. We compared the total dissolved solids loading into the Great Salt Lake (GSL) for water year 2013 with estimates of previously sampled periods in the early 1960s.We also provide updated results on GSL loading, quantitatively bounded by sampling uncertainties, which are useful for current and future management efforts. Our statistical loading results were more accurate than those from simple regression models. Our results indicate that TDS loading to the GSL in water year 2013 was 14.6 million metric tons with uncertainty ranging from 2.8 to 46.3 million metric tons, which varies greatly from previous regression estimates for water year 1964 of 2.7 million metric tons. Results also indicate that locations with increased sampling frequency are correlated with decreasing confidence intervals. Because time is incorporated into the LOADEST models, discrepancies are largely expected to be a function of temporally lagged salt storage delivery to the GSL associated with terrestrial and in-stream processes. By incorporating temporally variable estimates and statistically derived uncertainty of these estimates,we have provided quantifiable variability in the annual estimates of dissolved solids loading into the GSL. Further, our results support the need for increased monitoring of dissolved solids loading into saline lakes like the GSL by demonstrating the uncertainty associated with different levels of sampling frequency.

Great Salt Lake basins study unit

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waddell, Kidd M.; Baskin, Robert L.

1994-01-01

In 1991, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began implementing a full-scale National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program.The long-term goals of the NAWQA Program are to describe the status and trends in the quality of a large, representative part of the Nation’s surface- and ground-water resources and to provide a sound, scientific understanding of the primary natural and human factors that affect the quality of these resources. In meeting these goals, the program will produce a wealth of water-quality information that will be useful to policy makers and managers at Federal, State, and local levels.A major design feature of the NAWQA Program will enable water-quality information at different areal scales to be integrated. A major component of the program is study-unit investigations, which ae the principal building blocks of the program upon which national-level assessment activities will be based. The 60 study-unit investigations that make up the program are hydrologic systems that include principal river basins and aquifer systems throughout the Nation. These study units cover areas from less than 1.000 to greater than 60,000 mi2 and incorporate from about 60 to 70 percent of the Nation’s water use and population served by public water supply. In 1993, assessment activities began in the Great Salt Lake Basins NAWQA study unit.

Aqueous origins of bright salt deposits on Ceres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zolotov, Mikhail Yu.

2017-11-01

Bright materials have been reported in association with impact craters on Ceres. The abundant Na2CO3 and some ammonium salts, NH4HCO3 and/or NH4Cl, were detected in bright deposits within Occator crater with Dawn near infrared spectroscopy. The composition and appearance of the salts suggest their aqueous mobilization and emplacement after formation of the crater. Here we consider origins of the bright deposits through calculation of speciation in the H-C-N-O-Na-Cl water-salt type system constrained by the mass balance of observed salts. Calculations of chemical equilibria show that initial solutions had the pH of ∼10. The temperature and salinity of solutions could have not exceeded ∼273 K and ∼100 g per kg H2O, respectively. Freezing models reveal an early precipitation of Na2CO3·10H2O followed by minor NaHCO3. Ammonium salts precipitate near eutectic from brines enriched in NH4+, Cl- and Na+. A late-stage precipitation of NaCl·2H2O is modeled for solution compositions with added NaCl. Calculated eutectics are above 247 K. The apparently unabundant ammonium and chloride salts in Occator's deposits imply a rapid emplacement without a compositional evolution of solution. Salty ice grains could have deposited from post-impact ballistic plumes formed through low-pressure boiling of subsurface solutions. Hydrated and ammonium salts are unstable at maximum temperatures of Ceres' surface and could decompose through space weathering. Occator's ice-free salt deposits formed through a post-depositional sublimation of ice followed by dehydration of Na2CO3·10H2O and NaHCO3 to Na2CO3. In other regions, excavated and exposed bright materials could be salts initially deposited from plumes and accumulated at depth via post-impact boiling. The lack of detection of sulfates and an elevated carbonate/chloride ratio in Ceres' materials suggest an involvement of compounds abundant in the outer solar system.

Eruptive history and geochronology of Mount Mazama and the Crater Lake region, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bacon, Charles R.; Lanphere, Marvin A.

2006-01-01

Geologic mapping, K-Ar, and 40Ar/39Ar age determinations, supplemented by paleomagnetic measurements and geochemical data, are used to quantify the Quaternary volcanic history of the Crater Lake region in order to define processes and conditions that led to voluminous explosive eruptions. The Cascade arc volcano known as Mount Mazama collapsed during its climactic eruption of ∼50 km3 of mainly rhyodacitic magma ∼7700 yr ago to form Crater Lake caldera. The Mazama edifice was constructed on a Pleistocene silicic lava field, amidst monogenetic and shield volcanoes ranging from basalt to andesite similar to parental magmas for Mount Mazama. Between 420 ka and 35 ka, Mazama produced medium-K andesite and dacite in 2:1 proportion. The edifice was built in many episodes; some of the more voluminous occurred approximately coeval with volcanic pulses in the surrounding region, and some were possibly related to deglaciation following marine oxygen isotope stages (MIS) 12, 10, 8, 6, 5.2, and 2. Magmas as evolved as dacite erupted many times, commonly associated with or following voluminous andesite effusion. Establishment of the climactic magma chamber was under way when the first preclimactic rhyodacites vented ca. 27 ka. The silicic melt volume then grew incrementally at an average rate of 2.5 km3 k.y.−1 for nearly 20 k.y. The climactic eruption exhausted the rhyodacitic magma and brought up crystal-rich andesitic magma, mafic cumulate mush, and wall-rock granodiorite. Postcaldera volcanism produced 4 km3 of andesite during the first 200–500 yr after collapse, followed at ca. 4800 yr B.P. by 0.07 km3 of rhyodacite. The average eruption rate for all Mazama products was ∼0.4 km3 k.y.−1, but major edifice construction episodes had rates of ∼0.8 km3 k.y.−1. The long-term eruption rate for regional monogenetic and shield volcanoes was d∼0.07 km3 k.y.−1, but only ∼0.02 km3 k.y.−1 when the two major shields are excluded. Plutonic xenoliths and evidence for

Ecophysiology of "Halarsenatibacter silvermanii" strain SLAS-1T, gen. nov., sp. nov., a facultative chemoautotrophic arsenate respirer from salt-saturated Searles Lake, California.

PubMed

Blum, Jodi Switzer; Han, Sukkyun; Lanoil, Brian; Saltikov, Chad; Witte, Brian; Tabita, F Robert; Langley, Sean; Beveridge, Terry J; Jahnke, Linda; Oremland, Ronald S

2009-04-01

Searles Lake occupies a closed basin harboring salt-saturated, alkaline brines that have exceptionally high concentrations of arsenic oxyanions. Strain SLAS-1(T) was previously isolated from Searles Lake (R. S. Oremland, T. R. Kulp, J. Switzer Blum, S. E. Hoeft, S. Baesman, L. G. Miller, and J. F. Stolz, Science 308:1305-1308, 2005). We now describe this extremophile with regard to its substrate affinities, its unusual mode of motility, sequenced arrABD gene cluster, cell envelope lipids, and its phylogenetic alignment within the order Halanaerobacteriales, assigning it the name "Halarsenatibacter silvermanii" strain SLAS-1(T). We also report on the substrate dynamics of an anaerobic enrichment culture obtained from Searles Lake that grows under conditions of salt saturation and whose members include a novel sulfate reducer of the order Desulfovibriales, the archaeon Halorhabdus utahensis, as well as a close homolog of strain SLAS-1(T).

Microbial life in the Lake Medee, the largest deep-sea salt-saturated formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yakimov, Michail M.; La Cono, Violetta; Slepak, Vladlen Z.; La Spada, Gina; Arcadi, Erika; Messina, Enzo; Borghini, Mireno; Monticelli, Luis S.; Rojo, David; Barbas, Coral; Golyshina, Olga V.; Ferrer, Manuel; Golyshin, Peter N.; Giuliano, Laura

2013-12-01

Deep-sea hypersaline anoxic lakes (DHALs) of the Eastern Mediterranean represent some of the most hostile environments on our planet. We investigated microbial life in the recently discovered Lake Medee, the largest DHAL found to-date. Medee has two unique features: a complex geobiochemical stratification and an absence of chemolithoautotrophic Epsilonproteobacteria, which usually play the primary role in dark bicarbonate assimilation in DHALs interfaces. Presumably because of these features, Medee is less productive and exhibits reduced diversity of autochthonous prokaryotes in its interior. Indeed, the brine community almost exclusively consists of the members of euryarchaeal MSBL1 and bacterial KB1 candidate divisions. Our experiments utilizing cultivation and [14C]-assimilation, showed that these organisms at least partially rely on reductive cleavage of osmoprotectant glycine betaine and are engaged in trophic cooperation. These findings provide novel insights into how prokaryotic communities can adapt to salt-saturated conditions and sustain active metabolism at the thermodynamic edge of life.

On the Salt Water Intrusion into the Durusu Lake, Istanbul: A Joint Central Loop TEM And Multi-Electrode ERT Field Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardali, Ayça Sultan; Tezkan, Bülent; Gürer, Aysan

2018-02-01

Durusu Lake is the biggest and most important freshwater source supplying drinking water to the European side of Istanbul. In this study, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and transient electromagnetic (TEM) measurements were applied to detect a possible salt water intrusion into the lake and to delineate the subsurface structure in the north of Durusu Lake. The ERT and TEM measurements were carried out along six parallel profiles extending from the sea coast to the lake shore on the dune barrier. TEM data were interpreted using different 1-D inversion methods such as Occam, Marquardt, and laterally constrained inversion (LCI). ERT data were interpreted using 2-D inversion techniques. The inversion results of ERT and TEM data were shown as resistivity depth sections including topography. The sand layer spreading over the basin has a resistivity of 150-400 Ωm with a thickness of 5-10 m. The sandy layer with clay, silt, and gravel has a resistivity of 15-100 Ωm and a thickness of 10-40 m followed by a clay layer of a resistivity below 10 Ωm. When the inversion of these data is interpreted along with the hydrogeology of the area, it is concluded that the salt water intrusion along the dune barrier is not common and occurs at a particular area where the distance between lake and sea is very close. Using information from boreholes around the lake, it was verified that the common conductive region at depths of 30 m or more consists of clay layers and clay lenses.

Tropical Pacific climate variability over the last 6000 years as recorded in Bainbridge Crater Lake, Galápagos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Diane M.; Conroy, Jessica L.; Collins, Aaron; Hlohowskyj, Stephan R.; Overpeck, Jonathan T.; Riedinger-Whitmore, Melanie; Cole, Julia E.; Bush, Mark B.; Whitney, H.; Corley, Timothy L.; Kannan, Miriam Steinitz

2017-08-01

Finely laminated sediments within Bainbridge Crater Lake, Galápagos, provide a record of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events over the Holocene. Despite the importance of this sediment record, hypotheses for how climate variability is preserved in the lake sediments have not been tested. Here we present results of long-term monitoring of the local climate and limnology and a revised interpretation of the sediment record. Brown-green, organic-rich, siliciclastic laminae reflect warm, wet conditions typical of El Niño events, whereas carbonate and gypsum precipitate during cool, dry La Niña events and persistent dry periods, respectively. Applying this new interpretation, we find that ENSO events of both phases were generally less frequent during the mid-Holocene ( 6100-4000 calendar years B.P.) relative to the last 1500 calendar years. Abundant carbonate laminations between 3500 and 3000 calendar years B.P. imply that conditions in the Galápagos region were cool and dry during this period when the tropical Pacific E-W sea surface temperature (SST) gradient likely strengthened. The frequency of El Niño and La Niña events then intensified dramatically around 1750-2000 calendar years B.P., consistent with a weaker SST gradient and an increased frequency of ENSO events in other regional records. This strong interannual variability persisted until 700 calendar years B.P., when ENSO-related variability at the lake decreased as the SST gradient strengthened. Persistent, dry conditions then dominated between 300 and 50 calendar years B.P. (A.D. 1650-1900, ± 100 years), whereas wetter conditions and frequent El Niño events dominated in the most recent century.

Weather and eared grebe winter migration near the Great Salt Lake, Utah.

PubMed

Williams, Augusta A; Laird, Neil F

2018-03-01

This study provides insight from the use of weather radar observations to understand the characteristics of the eared grebe migration near the Great Salt Lake (GSL) and provides unique information on weather conditions connected to these migration events. Doppler weather radar measurements from the Salt Lake City, Utah WSR-88D radar site (KMTX), along with meteorological surface and rawinsonde data, were used to identify and examine 281 eared grebe migration events across 15 winters from 1997/1998 through 2011/2012. An average of about 19 migration events occurred each winter with considerable interannual variability, as well as large variance in the spatial area and number of birds departing the GSL during each event. The migration events typically occurred during clear sky conditions in the presence of surface high pressure and colder than average surface temperatures. Migration events began 55 min after sunset, on average across the winter seasons, and in one case we demonstrate that an extended, nonstop flight was initiated of the departing eared grebes to northern Mexico. Eared grebes leaving the GSL largely flew above the freezing level with a mean northerly tailwind at flight altitude of 3.1 m s -1 and a westerly, cross-flight wind of 5.0 m s -1 while having an average flight speed at cruising altitude of 16.9 m s -1 , or 61 km h -1 . In addition to determining the variability of meteorological conditions during migration events across the 15 winters, atmospheric conditions during the largest migration event observed are presented and discussed.

Water-quality data for aquifers, streams, and lakes in the vicinity of Keechi, Mount Sylvan, Oakwood, and Palestine salt domes, northeast Texas salt-dome basin

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

Carr, J.E.; Halasz, S.J.; Liscum, F.

1980-11-01

This report contains water-quality data for aquifers, streams, and lakes in the vicinity of Keechi, Mount Sylvan, Oakwood, and Palestine Salt Domes in the northeast Texas salt-dome basin. Water-quality data were compiled for aquifers in the Wilcox Group, the Carrizo Sand, and the Queen City Sand. The data include analyses for dissolved solids, pH, temperature, hardness, calcium, magnesium, sodium, bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate. Water-quality and streamflow data were obtained from 63 surface-water sites in the vicinity of the domes. These data include water discharge, specific conductance, pH, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen. Samples were collected at selected sites for analysismore » of principal and selected minor dissolved constituents.« less

Water-quality data for aquifers, streams, and lakes in the vicinity of Keechi, Mount Sylvan, Oakwood, and Palestine salt domes, northeast Texas salt-dome basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, Jerry E.; Halasz, Stephen J.; Liscum, Fred

1980-01-01

This report contains water-quality data for aquifers, streams, and lakes in the vicinity of Keechi, Mount Sylvan, Oakwood, and Palestine Salt Domes, in the northeast Texas salt-dome basin. Water-quality data were compiled for aquifers in the Wilcox Group, the Carrizo Sand, and the Queen City Sand. The data include analyses for dissolved solids, pH, temperature, hardness, calcium, magnesium, sodium, bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate. Water-quality and streamflow data were obtained from 63 surface-water sites in the vicinity of the domes. These data include water discharge, specific conductance, pH, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen. Samples were collected at selected sites for analysis of principal and selected minor dissolved constituents.

Understanding the behavior of carbon dioxide and surface energy fluxes in semiarid Salt Lake Valley, Utah, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramamurthy, Prathap

This dissertation reports the findings from the Salt Lake Valley flux study. The Salt Lake Valley flux study was designed to improve our understanding of the complex land-atmosphere interactions in urban areas. The flux study used the eddy covariance technique to quantify carbon dioxide and surface energy budget in the semiarid Salt Lake Valley. Apart from quantifying fluxes, the study has also added new insight into the nature of turbulent scalar transport in urban areas and has addressed some of the complications in using Eddy Covariance technique in urban areas. As part of this experiment, eddy fluxes of CO2 and surface energy fluxes were measured at two sites, with distinct urban landforms; One site was located in a suburban neighborhood with substantial vegetative cover, prototypical of many residential neighborhoods in the valley. The other CO2 site was in a preurban surrounding that resembled the Salt Lake Valley before it was urbanized. The two sites were intentionally chosen to illustrate the impact of urbanization on CO 2 and surface energy flux cycles. Results indicate that the suburban site acted as a sink of CO2 during the midday period due to photosynthesis and acted as a source of CO2 during the evening and nighttime periods. The vegetative cover around the suburban site also had a significant impact on the surface energy fluxes. Contribution from latent heat flux was substantially high at the suburban site during the summer months compared to sensible heat. The turbulence investigation found that the general behavior of turbulence was very much influenced by local factors and the statistics did not always obey Monin-Obukhov Similarity parameters. This investigation also found that the scalar (co)spectra observed at the suburban site were characterized by multiple peaks and were different compared to (co)spectra reported over forest and crop canopies. The study also observed multiscale CO2 transport at the suburban site during the convective period

A viable microbial community in a subglacial volcanic crater lake, Iceland.

PubMed

Gaidos, Eric; Lanoil, Brian; Thorsteinsson, Thorsteinn; Graham, Andrew; Skidmore, Mark; Han, Suk-Kyun; Rust, Terri; Popp, Brian

2004-01-01

We describe a viable microbial community in a subglacial lake within the Grímsvötn volcanic caldera, Iceland. We used a hot water drill to penetrate the 300-m ice shelf and retrieved lake water and volcanic tephra sediments. We also acquired samples of borehole water before and after penetration to the lake, overlying glacial ice and snow, and water from a nearby subaerial geothermal lake for comparative analyses. Lake water is at the freezing point and fresh (total dissolved solids = 260 mg L(-1)). Detectable numbers of cells were found in samples of the lake water column and tephra sediments: 2 x 10(4) ml(-1) and 4 x 10(7) g(-1), respectively. Plate counts document abundant cold-adapted cultivable organisms in the lake water, but not in the borehole (before penetration) or glacial ice. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of 16S rRNA gene fragments amplified from genomic DNA extracted from Grímsvötn samples indicates that the lake community is distinct from the assemblages of organisms in borehole water (before penetration) and the overlying ice and snow. Sequencing of selected DGGE bands revealed that many sequences are highly similar to known psychrophilic organisms or cloned DNA from other cold environments. Significant uptake of 14C-labeled bicarbonate occurred in dark, low-temperature incubations of lake water samples, indicating the presence of autotrophs. Acetylene reduction assays under similar incubation conditions showed no significant nitrogen fixation potential by lake water samples. This may be a consequence of the inhibition of diazotrophy by nitrogen in the lake.

Hydrogeology of shallow basin-fill deposits in areas of Salt Lake Valley, Salt Lake County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thiros, Susan A.

2003-01-01

A study of recently developed residential/commercial areas of Salt Lake Valley, Utah, was done from 1999 to 2001 in areas in which shallow ground water has the potential to move to a deeper aquifer that is used for public supply. Thirty monitoring wells were drilled and sampled in 1999 as part of the study. The ground water was either under unconfined or confined conditions, depending on depth to water and the presence or absence of fine-grained deposits. The wells were completed in the shallowest water-bearing zone capable of supplying water. Monitoring-well depths range from 23 to 154 feet. Lithologic, geophysical, hydraulic-conductivity, transmissivity, water-level, and water-temperature data were obtained for or collected from the wells.Silt and clay layers noted on lithologic logs correlate with increases in electrical conductivity and natural gamma radiation shown on many of the electromagnetic-induction and natural gamma logs. Relatively large increases in electrical conductivity, determined from the electromagnetic-induction logs, with no major changes in natural gamma radiation are likely caused by increased dissolved-solids content in the ground water. Some intervals with high electrical conductivity correspond to areas in which water was present during drilling.Unconfined conditions were present at 7 of 20 monitoring wells on the west side and at 2 of 10 wells on the east side of Salt Lake Valley. Fine-grained deposits confine the ground water. Anthropogenic compounds were detected in water sampled from most of the wells, indicating a connection with the land surface. Data were collected from 20 of the monitoring wells to estimate the hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity of the shallow ground-water system. Hydraulic-conductivity values of the shallow aquifer ranged from 30 to 540 feet per day. Transmissivity values of the shallow aquifer ranged from 3 to 1,070 feet squared per day. There is a close linear relation between transmissivity determined

Ecophysiology of "halarsenatibacter silvermanii" strain SLAS-1T, gen. nov., sp. nov., a facultative chemoautotrophic arsenate respirer from salt-saturated Searles Lake, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blum, J.S.; Han, S.; Lanoil, B.; Saltikov, C.; Witte, B.; Tabita, F.R.; Langley, S.; Beveridge, T.J.; Jahnke, L.; Oremland, R.S.

2009-01-01

Searles Lake occupies a closed basin harboring salt-saturated, alkaline brines that have exceptionally high concentrations of arsenic oxyanions. Strain SLAS-1T was previously isolated from Searles Lake (R. S. Oremland, T. R. Kulp, J. Switzer Blum, S. E. Hoeft, S. Baesman, L. G. Miller, and J. F. Stolz, Science 308:1305-1308, 2005). We now describe this extremophile with regard to its substrate affinities, its unusual mode of motility, sequenced arrABD gene cluster, cell envelope lipids, and its phylogenetic alignment within the order Halanaero-bacteriales, assigning it the name "Halarsenatibacter silvermanii" strain SLAS-1T. We also report on the substrate dynamics of an anaerobic enrichment culture obtained from Searles Lake that grows under conditions of salt saturation and whose members include a novel sulfate reducer of the order Desulfovibriales, the archaeon Halorhabdus utahensis, as well as a close homolog of strain SLAS-1T. Copyright ?? 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Monitoring the cooling of the 1959 Kīlauea Iki lava lake using surface magnetic measurements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gailler, Lydie; Kauahikaua, James P.

2017-01-01

Lava lakes can be considered as proxies for small magma chambers, offering a unique opportunity to investigate magma evolution and solidification. Repeated magnetic ground surveys over more than 50 years each show a large vertical magnetic intensity anomaly associated with Kīlauea Iki Crater, partly filled with a lava lake during the 1959 eruption of Kīlauea Volcano (Island of Hawai’i). The magnetic field values recorded across the Kīlauea Iki crater floor and the cooling lava lake below result from three simple effects: the static remnant magnetization of the rocks forming the steep crater walls, the solidifying lava lake crust, and the hot, but shrinking, paramagnetic non-magnetic lens (>540 °C). We calculate 2D magnetic models to reconstruct the temporal evolution of the geometry of this non-magnetic body, its depth below the surface, and its thickness. Our results are in good agreement with the theoretical increase in thickness of the solidifying crust with time. Using the 2D magnetic models and the theoretical curve for crustal growth over a lava lake, we estimate that the former lava lake will be totally cooled below the Curie temperature in about 20 years. This study shows the potential of magnetic methods for detecting and monitoring magmatic intrusions at various scales.

Monitoring the cooling of the 1959 Kīlauea Iki lava lake using surface magnetic measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gailler, Lydie; Kauahikaua, Jim

2017-06-01

Lava lakes can be considered as proxies for small magma chambers, offering a unique opportunity to investigate magma evolution and solidification. Repeated magnetic ground surveys over more than 50 years each show a large vertical magnetic intensity anomaly associated with Kīlauea Iki Crater, partly filled with a lava lake during the 1959 eruption of Kīlauea Volcano (Island of Hawai'i). The magnetic field values recorded across the Kīlauea Iki crater floor and the cooling lava lake below result from three simple effects: the static remnant magnetization of the rocks forming the steep crater walls, the solidifying lava lake crust, and the hot, but shrinking, paramagnetic non-magnetic lens (>540 °C). We calculate 2D magnetic models to reconstruct the temporal evolution of the geometry of this non-magnetic body, its depth below the surface, and its thickness. Our results are in good agreement with the theoretical increase in thickness of the solidifying crust with time. Using the 2D magnetic models and the theoretical curve for crustal growth over a lava lake, we estimate that the former lava lake will be totally cooled below the Curie temperature in about 20 years. This study shows the potential of magnetic methods for detecting and monitoring magmatic intrusions at various scales.

Geology of the Side Crater of the Erebus volcano, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panter, Kurt S.; Winter, Brian

2008-11-01

The summit cone of the Erebus volcano contains two craters. The Main crater is roughly circular (˜ 500 m diameter) and contains an active persistent phonolite lava lake ˜ 200 m below the summit rim. The Side Crater is adjacent to the southwestern rim of the Main Crater. It is a smaller spoon-shaped Crater (250-350 m diameter, 50-100 m deep) and is inactive. The floor of the Side Crater is covered by snow/ice, volcanic colluvium or weakly developed volcanic soil in geothermal areas (a.k.a. warm ground). But in several places the walls of the Side Crater provide extensive vertical exposure of rock which offers an insight into the recent eruptive history of Erebus. The deposits consist of lava flows with subordinate volcanoclastic lithologies. Four lithostratigraphic units are described: SC 1 is a compound lava with complex internal flow fabrics; SC 2 consists of interbedded vitric lavas, autoclastic and pyroclastic breccias; SC 3 is a thick sequence of thin lavas with minor autoclastic breccias; SC 4 is a pyroclastic fall deposit containing large scoriaceous lava bombs in a matrix composed primarily of juvenile lapilli-sized pyroclasts. Ash-sized pyroclasts from SC 4 consist of two morphologic types, spongy and blocky, indicating a mixed strombolian-phreatomagmatic origin. All of the deposits are phonolitic and contain anorthoclase feldspar. The stratigraphy and morphology of the Side Crater provides a record of recent volcanic activity at the Erebus volcano and is divided into four stages. Stage I is the building of the main summit cone and eruption of lavas (SC 1 and SC 3) from Main Crater vent(s). A secondary cone was built during Stage II by effusive and explosive activity (SC 2) from the Side Crater vent. A mixed strombolian and phreatomagmatic eruption (SC 4) delimits Stage III. The final stage (IV) represents a period of erosion and enlargement of the Side Crater.

Depositional dynamics in the El'gygytgyn Crater margin: implications for the 3.6 Ma old sediment archive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwamborn, G.; Fedorov, G.; Ostanin, N.; Schirrmeister, L.; Andreev, A.; El'gygytgyn Scientific Party, the

2012-11-01

The combination of permafrost history and dynamics, lake level changes and the tectonical framework is considered to play a crucial role for sediment delivery to El'gygytgyn Crater Lake, NE Russian Arctic. The purpose of this study is to propose a depositional framework based on analyses of the core strata from the lake margin and historical reconstructions from various studies at the site. A sedimentological program has been conducted using frozen core samples from the 141.5 m long El'gygytgyn 5011-3 permafrost well. The drill site is located in sedimentary permafrost west of the lake that partly fills the El'gygytgyn Crater. The total core sequence is interpreted as strata building up a progradational alluvial fan delta. Four macroscopically distinct sedimentary units are identified. Unit 1 (141.5-117.0 m) is comprised of ice-cemented, matrix-supported sandy gravel and intercalated sandy layers. Sandy layers represent sediments which rained out as particles in the deeper part of the water column under highly energetic conditions. Unit 2 (117.0-24.25 m) is dominated by ice-cemented, matrix-supported sandy gravel with individual gravel layers. Most of the Unit 2 diamicton is understood to result from alluvial wash and subsequent gravitational sliding of coarse-grained (sandy gravel) material on the basin slope. Unit 3 (24.25-8.5 m) has ice-cemented, matrix-supported sandy gravel that is interrupted by sand beds. These sandy beds are associated with flooding events and represent near-shore sandy shoals. Unit 4 (8.5-0.0 m) is ice-cemented, matrix-supported sandy gravel with varying ice content, mostly higher than below. It consists of slope material and creek fill deposits. The uppermost metre is the active layer (i.e. the top layer of soil with seasonal freeze and thaw) into which modern soil organic matter has been incorporated. The nature of the progradational sediment transport taking place from the western and northern crater margins may be related to the

The Calvin impact crater and its associated oil production, Cass County, Michigan

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

Milstein, R.L.

1996-01-01

The Calvin impact crater is an isolated, nearly circular subsurface structure of Late Ordovician age in southwestern Michigan. The crater is defined by 110 oil and gas test wells, has a diameter of 6.2 km, and consists of a central dome exhibiting 415 m of structural uplift, an annular depression, and an encircling anticlinal rim. Exploration and development of three Devonian oil fields associated wit this structure provide all available subsurface data. All oil production is from the Middle Devonian Traverse Limestone, with the exception of one well producing from the Middle Devonian Sylvania Sandstone. This study models the grossmore » morphology of the Calvin structure using multiple tools and compares the results to known impact craters. Combined results of reflection seismic, gravity, magnetic, and resistivity data, as well as organized relationships between stratigraphic displacement and structural diameters observed in complex impact craters, suggest the Calvin structure is morphologically similar to recognized complex impact craters in sedimentary targets. In addition, individual quartz grains recovered from the Calvin structure exhibit decorated shock lamellae, Boehm lamellae, rhombohederal cleavage, and radiating concussion fractures. Based on the available data, I conclude the Calvin structure is a buried complex impact crater and that the trapping and reservoir characteristics of the associated Calvin 20, Juno Lake, and Calvin 28 oil fields are resultant of the craters morphology.« less

The Calvin impact crater and its associated oil production, Cass County, Michigan

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

Milstein, R.L.

1996-12-31

The Calvin impact crater is an isolated, nearly circular subsurface structure of Late Ordovician age in southwestern Michigan. The crater is defined by 110 oil and gas test wells, has a diameter of 6.2 km, and consists of a central dome exhibiting 415 m of structural uplift, an annular depression, and an encircling anticlinal rim. Exploration and development of three Devonian oil fields associated wit this structure provide all available subsurface data. All oil production is from the Middle Devonian Traverse Limestone, with the exception of one well producing from the Middle Devonian Sylvania Sandstone. This study models the grossmore » morphology of the Calvin structure using multiple tools and compares the results to known impact craters. Combined results of reflection seismic, gravity, magnetic, and resistivity data, as well as organized relationships between stratigraphic displacement and structural diameters observed in complex impact craters, suggest the Calvin structure is morphologically similar to recognized complex impact craters in sedimentary targets. In addition, individual quartz grains recovered from the Calvin structure exhibit decorated shock lamellae, Boehm lamellae, rhombohederal cleavage, and radiating concussion fractures. Based on the available data, I conclude the Calvin structure is a buried complex impact crater and that the trapping and reservoir characteristics of the associated Calvin 20, Juno Lake, and Calvin 28 oil fields are resultant of the craters morphology.« less

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.

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

Lakes and lake-like waters of the Hawaiian Archipelago

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maciolek, J.A.

1982-01-01

This summary of Hawaiian lacustrine limnology is based on 12 years of field and literature surveys of archipelagic inland waters. Lakes here are distinguished from other standing waters by limits on surface oceanic area (> 0.1 ha) and depth (> 2 m), and by the absence of flatural surface oceanic connection. A variety of extinct and existing water bodies, sometimes referred to as lakes, are noted. Six lakes are described. Five of them are in crater basins, 3 are freshwater, and 2 are elevated (highest = 3969 m). The scarcity of elevated lakes results from general permeability of the substrata. Among the 6 lakes, surface areas range from 0.22 to 88 ha and maximum depths from 3 to 248 m. Naturally occurring aquatic biota generally is low in species diversity except for phytoplankton; fishes and submersed vascular plants are absent. Two lowland lakes, freshwater Green (Wai a Pele) and saline Kauhak6, are described for the first time. Profundal Kauhak6, 248 m deep, has a surface area of only 0.35 ha, which results in an extraordinary relative depth of 370%. It is permanently stratified, a condition apparently due primarily to the unique morphometry of its basin. 

New explorations along the northern shores of Lake Bonneville

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oviatt, Charles G.; Miller, D.M.

1997-01-01

This field trip begins in Salt Lake City and makes a clockwise circuit of Great Salt Lake, with primary objectives to observe stratigraphie and geomorphic records of Lake Bonneville. Stops include Stansbury Island, Puddle Valley, gravel pits at Lakeside and the south end of the Hogup Mountains, several stops in Curlew Valley and Hansel Valley, and a final stop at the north end of Great Salt Lake east of the Promontory Mountains. Stratigraphie observations at gravel-pit and natural exposures will be linked to interpretations of lake-level change, which were caused by climate change. Evidence of paleoseismic and volcanic activity will be discussed at several sites, and will be tied to the lacustrine stratigraphic record. The trip provides an overview of the history of Lake Bonneville and introduces participants to some new localities with excellent examples of Lake Bonneville landforms and stratigraphy.

Crater studies: Part A: lunar crater morphometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pike, Richard J.

1973-01-01

Morphometry, the quantitative study of shape, complements the visual observation and photointerpretation in analyzing the most outstanding landforms of the Moon, its craters (refs. 32-1 and 32-2). All three of these interpretative tools, which were developed throughout the long history of telescopic lunar study preceding the Apollo Program, will continue to be applicable to crater analysis until detailed field work becomes possible. Although no large (>17.5 km diameter) craters were examined in situ on any of the Apollo landings, the photographs acquired from the command modules will markedly strengthen results of less direct investigations of the craters. For morphometry, the most useful materials are the orbital metric and panoramic photographs from the final three Apollo missions. These photographs permit preparation of contour maps, topographic profiles, and other numerical data that accurately portray for the first time the surface geometry of lunar craters of all sizes. Interpretations of craters no longer need be compromised by inadequate topographic data. In the pre-Apollo era, hypotheses for the genesis of lunar craters usually were constructed without any numerical descriptive data. Such speculations will have little credibility unless supported by accurate, quantitative data, especially those generated from Apollo orbital photographs. This paper presents a general study of the surface geometry of 25 far-side craters and a more detailed study of rim-crest evenness for 15 near-side and far-side craters. Analysis of this preliminary sample of Apollo 15 and 17 data, which includes craters between 1.5 and 275 km in diameter, suggests that most genetic interpretations of craters made from pre-Apollo topographic measurements may require no drastic revision. All measurements were made from topographic profiles generated on a stereoplotter at the Photogrammetric Unit of the U.S. Geological Survey, Center of Astrogeology, Flagstaff, Arizona.

Water chemistry of Lake Quilotoa (Ecuador) and assessment of natural hazards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguilera, E.; Chiodini, G.; Cioni, R.; Guidi, M.; Marini, L.; Raco, B.

2000-04-01

A geochemical survey carried out in November 1993 revealed that Lake Quilotoa was composed by a thin (˜14 m) oxic epilimnion overlying a ˜200 m-thick anoxic hypolimnion. Dissolved CO2 concentrations reached 1000 mg/kg in the lower stratum. Loss of CO2 from epilimnetic waters, followed by calcite precipitation and a consequent lowering in density, was the apparent cause of the stratification. The Cl, SO4 and HCO3 contents of Lake Quilotoa are intermediate between those of acid-SO4-Cl Crater lakes and those of neutral-HCO3 Crater lakes, indicating that Lake Quilotoa has a 'memory' of the inflow and absorption of HC1- and S-bearing volcanic (magmatic) gases. The Mg/Ca ratios of the lake waters are governed by dissolution of local volcanic rocks or magmas, but K/Na ratios were likely modified by precipitation of alunite, a typical mineral in acid-SO4-Cl Crater lakes. The constant concentrations of several conservative chemical species from lake surface to lake bottom suggest that physical, chemical and biological processes did not have enough time, after the last overturn, to cause significant changes in the contents of these chemical species. This lapse of time might be relatively large, but it cannot be established on the basis of available data. Besides, the lake may not be close to steady state. Mixing of Lake Quilotoa waters could presently be triggered by either cooling epilimnetic waters by ˜4°C or providing heat to hypolimnetic waters or by seismic activity. Although Quilotoa lake contains a huge amount of dissolved CO2(˜3×1011 g), at present the risk of a dangerous limnic eruption seems to be nil even though some gas exsolution might occur if deep lake waters were brought to the surface. Carbon dioxide could build up to higher levels in deep waters than at present without any volcanic re-awakening, due to either a large inflow of relatively cool CO2-rich gases, or possibly a long interval between overturns. Periodical geochemical surveys of Lake Quilotoa

Formation of Particulate Matter during Wintertime Inversions in the Salt Lake Valley.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hrdina, A. I. H.; Baasandorj, M.; Lin, J. C.; Murphy, J. G.; McKeen, S. A.

2017-12-01

In the wintertime, the air quality in Salt Lake City is frequently impacted by inversions that cause high levels of particulate matter. An inversion describes a highly stable air mass, where a cold air pool (CAP) is trapped by warmer air aloft. In the right conditions, these CAPs can persist for several days allowing the accumulation of various pollutants, such as NOx and NH3, leading to secondary particle formation. Concentrations of reactive trace gases (HCl, HNO3, HONO, NH3, SO2) and particle phase constituents (Cl-, NO2-, NO3-, SO42-, Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+) from particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) were continuously measured using an online ambient ion monitor ion chromatograph (AIM-IC) within the Salt Lake Valley, Utah, from Jan 17 - Feb 21 2017, as part of the Utah Fine Particulate Study (UWFPS 2017). A consistent diurnal pattern of ammonia mixing ratios was observed, with mixing ratios ranging from 0.1 - 7 ppb. Two persistent cold air pool events occurred during the measurement period during which the suppression of vertical mixing led to the buildup of PM2.5 in the valley. The total PM2.5 level in the valley was as high as 60 μg m-3 and was dominated by ammonium nitrate. The air pollution transport within the valley during the entire campaign period was examined using Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport (STILT) model. Calculated flux footprints, based on back-trajectories with 15 minute time steps at a grid resolution of 0.1 degree, highlight the potential source regions for PM2.5 precursors during the observed PCAP events. Observations were also compared to output from the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with chemistry (WRF-Chem) simulations of the UWFPS campaign.

Open Access Discovery of alunite in Cross crater, Terra Sirenum, Mars: Evidence for acidic, sulfurous waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ehlmann, Bethany L.; Swayze, Gregg A.; Milliken, Ralph E.; Mustard, John F.; Clark, Roger N.; Murchie, Scott L.; Breit, George N.; Wray, James J.; Gondet, Brigitte; Poulet, Francois; Carter, John; Calvin, Wendy M.; Benzel, William M.; Seelos, Kimberly D.

2016-01-01

Cross crater is a 65 km impact crater, located in the Noachian highlands of the Terra Sirenum region of Mars (30°S, 158°W), which hosts aluminum phyllosilicate deposits first detected by the Observatoire pour la Minéralogie, L’Eau, les Glaces et l’Activitié (OMEGA) imaging spectrometer on Mars Express. Using high-resolution data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, we examine Cross crater’s basin-filling sedimentary deposits. Visible/shortwave infrared (VSWIR) spectra from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) show absorptions diagnostic of alunite. Combining spectral data with high-resolution images, we map a large (10 km × 5 km) alunite-bearing deposit in southwest Cross crater, widespread kaolin-bearing sediments with variable amounts of alunite that are layered in <10 m scale beds, and silica- and/or montmorillonite-bearing deposits that occupy topographically lower, heavily fractured units. The secondary minerals are found at elevations ranging from 700 to 1550 m, forming a discontinuous ring along the crater wall beneath darker capping materials. The mineralogy inside Cross crater is different from that of the surrounding terrains and other martian basins, where Fe/Mg-phyllosilicates and Ca/Mg-sulfates are commonly found. Alunite in Cross crater indicates acidic, sulfurous waters at the time of its formation. Waters in Cross crater were likely supplied by regionally upwelling groundwaters as well as through an inlet valley from a small adjacent depression to the east, perhaps occasionally forming a lake or series of shallow playa lakes in the closed basin. Like nearby Columbus crater, Cross crater exhibits evidence for acid sulfate alteration, but the alteration in Cross is more extensive/complete. The large but localized occurrence of alunite suggests a localized, high-volume source of acidic waters or vapors, possibly supplied by sulfurous (H2S- and/or SO2-bearing) waters in contact with a magmatic source, upwelling

Geological applications of LANDSAT-1 imagery to the Great Salt Lake area

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, A. T.; Smith, A. F.

1975-01-01

The ERTS program has been designed as a research and development tool to demonstrate that remote sensing from orbital altitudes is a feasible and practical approach to efficient management of earth resources. From this synoptic view and repetitive coverage provided by ERTS imagery of the Great Salt Lake area, large geological and structural features, trends, and patterns have been identified and mapped. A comparative analysis of lineaments observed in September and December data was conducted, existing mineral locations were plotted, and areas considered prospective for mineralization based on apparent structure-mineralization relationships were defined. The additional information obtained using ERTS data provides an added source of information to aid in the development of more effective mineral exploration programs.

An Equation of State for Hypersaline Water in Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Naftz, D.L.; Millero, F.J.; Jones, B.F.; Green, W.R.

2011-01-01

Great Salt Lake (GSL) is one of the largest and most saline lakes in the world. In order to accurately model limnological processes in GSL, hydrodynamic calculations require the precise estimation of water density (??) under a variety of environmental conditions. An equation of state was developed with water samples collected from GSL to estimate density as a function of salinity and water temperature. The ?? of water samples from the south arm of GSL was measured as a function of temperature ranging from 278 to 323 degrees Kelvin (oK) and conductivity salinities ranging from 23 to 182 g L-1 using an Anton Paar density meter. These results have been used to develop the following equation of state for GSL (?? = ?? 0.32 kg m-3): ?? - ??0 = 184.01062 + 1.04708 * S - 1.21061*T + 3.14721E - 4*S2 + 0.00199T2 where ??0 is the density of pure water in kg m-3, S is conductivity salinity g L-1, and T is water temperature in degrees Kelvin. ?? 2011 U.S. Government.

Spatiotemporal Patterns of Urban Trace Gases and Pollutants Observed with a Light Rail Vehicle Platform in Salt Lake City, UT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, L.; Crosman, E.; Fasoli, B.; Leclair-Marzolf, L.; Jacques, A.; Horel, J.; Lin, J. C.; Bowling, D. R.; Ehleringer, J. R.

2015-12-01

Urban environments are characterized by both spatial complexity and temporal variability, each of which present challenges for measurement strategies aimed at constraining estimates of greenhouse gas emissions and air quality. To address these challenges we initiated a project in December 2014 to measure trace species (CO2, CH4, O3, and Particulate Matter) by way of a Utah Transit Authority (UTA) light rail vehicle whose route traverses the Salt Lake Valley in Utah on an hourly basis, retracing the same route through commercial, residential, suburban, and rural typologies. Light rail vehicles present advantages as a measurement platform, including the absence of in-situ fossil fuel emissions, repeated transects across a urban region that provides both spatial and temporal information, and relatively low operating costs. We present initial results from the first year of operations including the spatiotemporal patterns of greenhouse gases and pollutants across Salt Lake City, UT with an emphasis on criteria pollutants, identification of sources, and future applications of this measurement platform.

What Do We Know About the "Carancas-Desaguadero" Fireball, Meteorite and Impact Crater?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tancredi, G.; Ishitsuka, J.; Rosales, D.; Vidal, E.; Dalmau, A.; Pavel, D.; Benavente, S.; Miranda, P.; Pereira, G.; Vallejos, V.; Varela, M. E.; Brandstätter, F.; Schultz, P. H.; Harris, R. S.; Sánchez, L.

2008-03-01

On September 15, 2007, at noon local time, a fireball was observed and heard in the southern shore of the Lake Titicaca, close to the border between Peru and Bolivia. A crater was formed due to the impact of a chondrite meteorite weighing more than 2 tons.

Why do complex impact craters have elevated crater rims?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenkmann, Thomas; Sturm, Sebastian; Krueger, Tim

2014-05-01

Most of the complex impact craters on the Moon and on Mars have elevated crater rims like their simple counterparts. The raised rim of simple craters is the result of (i) the deposition of a coherent proximal ejecta blanket at the edge of the transient cavity (overturned flap) and (ii) a structural uplift of the pre-impact surface near the transient cavity rim during the excavation stage of cratering [1]. The latter occurs either by plastic thickening or localized buckling of target rocks, as well as by the emplacement of interthrust wedges [2] or by the injection of dike material. Ejecta and the structural uplift contribute equally to the total elevation of simple crater rims. The cause of elevated crater rims of large complex craters [3] is less obvious, but still, the rim height scales with the final crater diameter. Depending on crater size, gravity, and target rheology, the final crater rim of complex craters can be situated up to 1.5-2.0 transient crater radii distance from the crater center. Here the thickness of the ejecta blanket is only a fraction of that occurring at the rim of simple craters, e.g. [4], and thus cannot account for a strong elevation. Likewise, plastic thickening including dike injection of the underlying target may not play a significant role at this distance any more. We started to systematically investigate the structural uplift and ejecta thickness along the rim of complex impact craters to understand the cause of their elevation. Our studies of two lunar craters (Bessel, 16 km diameter and Euler, 28 km diameter) [5] and one unnamed complex martian crater (16 km diameter) [6] showed that the structural uplift at the final crater rim makes 56-67% of the total rim elevation while the ejecta thickness contributes 33-44%. Thus with increasing distance from the transient cavity rim, the structural uplift seems to dominate. As dike injection and plastic thickening are unlikely at such a distance from the transient cavity, we propose that

A new Rhizobium species isolated from the water of a crater lake, description of Rhizobium aquaticum sp. nov.

PubMed

Máthé, István; Tóth, Erika; Mentes, Anikó; Szabó, Attila; Márialigeti, Károly; Schumann, Peter; Felföldi, Tamás

2018-06-07

A novel isolate, strain SA-276 T , was isolated from the water of Lake St. Ana, a crater lake which is located in Romania. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene revealed that the new strain is a member of the family Rhizobiaceae, showing a high pairwise similarity value (97.65%) to Rhizobium tubonense CCBAU 85046 T (= DSM 25379 T ), Rhizobium leguminosarum USDA 2370 T (= LMG 14904 T ), Rhizobium anhuiense CCBAU 23252 T and Rhizobium laguerreae FB206 T . Cells of strain SA-276 T were rod-shaped, motile, oxidase negative and weakly catalase positive. The predominant fatty acids were C 18:1 ω7c and cyclo C 19:0 ω8c, the major respiratory quinones were Q-10 and Q-9, and the main polar lipids were phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine. The G + C content of the genomic DNA of strain SA-276 T was 60.8 mol%. The novel isolate can be distinguished from the closest related type strain R. tubonense DSM 25379 T based on its broader substrate specificity and positive trypsin enzyme activity. On the basis of the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular data, strain SA-276 T is considered to represent a new species, for which the name Rhizobium aquaticum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SA-276 T (= DSM 29780 T  = JCM 31760 T ).

Enigmatic Sedimentary Deposits Within Partially Exhumed Impact Craters in the Aeolis Dorsa Region, Mars: Evidence for Past Crater Lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peel, S. E.; Burr, D. M.

2018-06-01

We mapped enigmatic sedimentary deposits within five partially exhumed impact craters within the Aeolis Dorsa Region of Mars. Ten units have been identified and are found to be consistent with deposition within and adjacent to lacustrine systems.

Decadal-to-centennial-scale climate variability: Insights into the rise and fall of the Great Salt Lake

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mann, Michael E.; Lall, Upmanu; Saltzman, Barry

1995-01-01

We demonstrate connections between decadal and secular global climatic variations, and historical variations in the volume of the Great Salt Lake. The decadal variations correspond to a low-frequency shifting of storm tracks which influence winter precipitation and explain nearly 18% of the interannual and longer-term variance in the record of monthly volume change. The secular trend accounts for a more modest approximately 1.5% of the variance.

Interpreting Precambrian δ15N: lessons from a new modern analogue, the volcanic crater lake Dziani Dzaha

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ader, M.; Cadeau, P.; Jezequel, D.; Chaduteau, C.; Fouilland, E.; Bernard, C.; Leboulanger, C.

2017-12-01

Precambrian nitrogen biogeochemistry models rely on δ15N signatures in sedimentary rocks, but some of the underlying assumptions still need to be more robustly established. Especially when measured δ15N values are above 3‰. Several processes have been proposed to explain these values: non-quantitative reduction of nitrate to N2O/N2 (denitrification), non-quantitative oxidation of ammonium to N2O/N2, or ammonia degassing to the atmosphere. The denitrification hypothesis implies oxygenation of part the water column, allowing nitrate to accumulate. The ammonium oxidation hypothesis implies a largely anoxic water column, where ammonium can accumulates, with limited oxygenation of surface waters. This hypothesis is currently lacking modern analogues to be supported. We propose here that the volcanic crater lake Dziani Dzaha (Mayotte, Indian Ocean) might be one of them, on the basis of several analogies including: permanently anoxic conditions at depth in spite of seasonal mixing; nitrate content below detection limit in the oxic surface waters; accumulation of ammonium at depth during the stratified season; primary productivity massively dominated by cyanobacteria. One aspect may restrict the analogy: the pH value of 9-9.5. In this lake, δ15N values of primary producers and ammonium range from 6 to 9‰ and are recorded with a positive offset in the sediments (9<δ15N<13‰). Because N-sources to the system present more negative δ15N values, such positive values can only be achieved if 14N-enriched N is lost from the lake. Although NH3 degassing might play a small role, the main pathway envisaged for this N-loss is NH4+ oxidation to N2O/N2. If confirmed, this would provide strong support for the hypothesis that positive δ15N values in Precambrian rocks may indicate dominantly anoxic oceans, devoid of nitrate, in which ammonium was partly oxidized to N2O/N2.

Radial ooids from Great Salt Lake (Utah) as paleoenvironmental archives: Insights from radiocarbon chronology and stable isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paradis, O. P.; Corsetti, F. A.; Bardsley, A.; Hammond, D. E.; Xu, X.; Walker, J. C.

2017-12-01

Ooids (laminated, carbonate coated grains) are ubiquitous in the geologic record in marine and lacustrine settings, and thus remain a common target for geochemical analysis to understand modern and ancient aqueous environments. However, the processes governing ooid formation remain unclear. Recently, radiocarbon dating has revealed that modern marine ooids grow slowly (Beaupre et al. 2015), and laboratory experiments have highlighted the importance of sediment transport and abrasion on net growth rates and ooid size (Trower et al. 2017). Ooid cortex structure includes micritic, tangential and/or radially oriented fabrics. Most modern marine ooids have tangential or micritic cortices, whereas many ancient ooids have radial cortices—thus, there is a need to understand how radial ooids in ancient rocks might inform us about their depositional environment. The Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah, provides a unique environment to assess the growth rate of primary radial aragonitic ooids. Ooids collected near Antelope Island in the south arm of GSL were sieved, the 355-500 µm fraction was sequentially leached, and 14C of the evolved gas was analyzed to provide a time series of growth. The oldest inorganic carbon of this size fraction has an apparent 14C age of 6600 yr BP, with subsequent growth spanning over 6,000 years. Closed-basin lakes are particularly susceptible to a "reservoir effect" which results in anomalously old apparent radiocarbon ages. The 14C age of the modern dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) of the south arm was measured to be 295 yr BP, a reservoir age comparable to estimates from lacustrine cave carbonates (McGee et al. 2012). Net growth rate of south arm ooids ranges between 0.01-0.025 µm per year. The δ13C of the outermost cortex suggests that the ooids resemble the modern DIC in the south arm water, suggesting ooids precipitate in equilibrium with lake water. Finer-scale structure in the δ13C of the ooid cortex through time suggests lake level changed

Crater gradation in Gusev crater and Meridiani Planum, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grant, J. A.; Arvidson, R. E.; Crumpler, L.S.; Golombek, M.P.; Hahn, B.; Haldemann, A.F.C.; Li, R.; Soderblom, L.A.; Squyres, S. W.; Wright, S.P.; Watters, W.A.

2006-01-01

The Mars Exploration Rovers investigated numerous craters in Gusev crater and Meridiani Planum during the first ???400 sols of their missions. Craters vary in size and preservation state but are mostly due to secondary impacts at Gusev and primary impacts at Meridiani. Craters at both locations are modified primarily by eolian erosion and infilling and lack evidence for modification by aqueous processes. Effects of gradation on crater form are dependent on size, local lithology, slopes, and availability of mobile sediments. At Gusev, impacts into basaltic rubble create shallow craters and ejecta composed of resistant rocks. Ejecta initially experience eolian stripping, which becomes weathering-limited as lags develop on ejecta surfaces and sediments are trapped within craters. Subsequent eolian gradation depends on the slow production of fines by weathering and impacts and is accompanied by minor mass wasting. At Meridiani the sulfate-rich bedrock is more susceptible to eolian erosion, and exposed crater rims, walls, and ejecta are eroded, while lower interiors and low-relief surfaces are increasingly infilled and buried by mostly basaltic sediments. Eolian processes outpace early mass wasting, often produce meters of erosion, and mantle some surfaces. Some small craters were likely completely eroded/buried. Craters >100 m in diameter on the Hesperian-aged floor of Gusev are generally more pristine than on the Amazonian-aged Meridiani plains. This conclusion contradicts interpretations from orbital views, which do not readily distinguish crater gradation state at Meridiani and reveal apparently subdued crater forms at Gusev that may suggest more gradation than has occurred. Copyright 2006 by the American Geophysical Union.

Crater gradation in Gusev crater and Meridiani Planum, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grant, J. A.; Arvidson, R. E.; Crumpler, L. S.; Golombek, M. P.; Hahn, B.; Haldemann, A. F. C.; Li, R.; Soderblom, L. A.; Squyres, S. W.; Wright, S. P.; Watters, W. A.

2006-01-01

The Mars Exploration Rovers investigated numerous craters in Gusev crater and Meridiani Planum during the first ~400 sols of their missions. Craters vary in size and preservation state but are mostly due to secondary impacts at Gusev and primary impacts at Meridiani. Craters at both locations are modified primarily by eolian erosion and infilling and lack evidence for modification by aqueous processes. Effects of gradation on crater form are dependent on size, local lithology, slopes, and availability of mobile sediments. At Gusev, impacts into basaltic rubble create shallow craters and ejecta composed of resistant rocks. Ejecta initially experience eolian stripping, which becomes weathering-limited as lags develop on ejecta surfaces and sediments are trapped within craters. Subsequent eolian gradation depends on the slow production of fines by weathering and impacts and is accompanied by minor mass wasting. At Meridiani the sulfate-rich bedrock is more susceptible to eolian erosion, and exposed crater rims, walls, and ejecta are eroded, while lower interiors and low-relief surfaces are increasingly infilled and buried by mostly basaltic sediments. Eolian processes outpace early mass wasting, often produce meters of erosion, and mantle some surfaces. Some small craters were likely completely eroded/buried. Craters >100 m in diameter on the Hesperian-aged floor of Gusev are generally more pristine than on the Amazonian-aged Meridiani plains. This conclusion contradicts interpretations from orbital views, which do not readily distinguish crater gradation state at Meridiani and reveal apparently subdued crater forms at Gusev that may suggest more gradation than has occurred.

Where Does Road Salt Go - a Static Salt Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, C. W.; Liu, F.; Moriarty, V. W.

2017-12-01

Each winter, more than 15 million tons of road salt is applied in the United States for the de-icing purpose. Considerable amount of chloride in road salt flows into streams/drainage systems with the snow melt runoff and spring storms, and eventually goes into ecologically sensitive low-lying areas in the watershed, such as ponds and lakes. In many watersheds in the northern part of US, the chloride level in the water body has increased significantly in the past decades, and continues an upward trend. The environmental and ecological impact of the elevated chloride level can no longer be ignored. However although there are many studies on the biological impact of elevated chloride levels, there are few investigations on how the spatially distributed road salt application affects various parts of the watershed. In this presentation, we propose a static road salt model as a first-order metric to address spacial distribution of salt loading. Derived from the Topological Wetness Index (TWI) in many hydrological models, this static salt model provides a spatial impact as- sessment of road salt applications. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the static model, National Elevation Dataset (NED) of ten-meter resolution of Lake George watershed in New York State is used to generate the TWI, which is used to compute a spatially dis- tributed "salt-loading coefficient" of the whole watershed. Spatially varying salt applica- tion rate is then aggregated, using the salt-loading coefficients as weights, to provide salt loading assessments of streams in the watershed. Time-aggregated data from five CTD (conductivity-temperature-depth) sensors in selected streams are used for calibration. The model outputs and the sensor data demonstrate a strong linear correlation, with the R value of 0.97. The investigation shows that the static modeling approach may provide an effective method for the understanding the input and transport of road salt to within watersheds.

Estimating selenium removal by sedimentation from the Great Salt Lake, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oliver, W.; Fuller, C.; Naftz, D.L.; Johnson, W.P.; Diaz, X.

2009-01-01

The mass of Se deposited annually to sediment in the Great Salt Lake (GSL) was estimated to determine the significance of sedimentation as a permanent Se removal mechanism. Lake sediment cores were used to qualitatively delineate sedimentation regions (very high to very low), estimate mass accumulation rates (MARs) and determine sediment Se concentrations. Sedimentation regions were defined by comparison of isopach contours of Holocene sediment thicknesses to linear sedimentation rates determined via analysis of 210Pb, 226Ra, 7Be and 137Cs activity in 20 short cores (<5 cm), yielding quantifiable results in 13 cores. MARs were developed via analysis of the same radioisotopes in eight long cores (>10 cm). These MARs in the upper 1-2 cm of each long core ranged from 0.019 to 0.105 gsed/cm2/a. Surface sediment Se concentrations in the upper 1 or 2 cm of each long core ranged from 0.79 to 2.47 mg/kg. Representative MARs and Se concentrations were used to develop mean annual Se removal by sedimentation in the corresponding sedimentation region. The spatially integrated Se sedimentation rate was estimated to be 624 kg/a within a range of uncertainty between 285 and 960 kg/a. Comparison to annual Se loading and other potential removal processes suggests burial by sedimentation is not the primary removal process for Se from the GSL. ?? 2009 Elsevier Ltd.

Tracking Changes in Iron Mineralogy Through Time in Gale Crater and Terrestrial Analogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheppard, R.; Milliken, R.; Russell, J. M.

2017-12-01

Iron and other redox-sensitive elements measured in ancient mudstones of Gale Crater, Mars by the Curiosity rover can provide information on past climate and interactions between water and the early atmosphere. Preserved ferrous mineralogy can constrain lake bottom water conditions and potentially the relative position of the oxycline and/or shoreline through the stratigraphic section. Multiple oxidation states in a given assemblage may also indicate a potential energy source for microbes. The X-ray amorphous fraction of all rocks measured in Gale Crater to date is also enigmatic: it can constitute up to 50 wt% of the sediment but the precise composition and formation conditions are unknown. Features similar to those in the martian mudstones are seen in sediments from the terrestrial redox-stratified Lake Towuti, including alternating ferrous and ferric mineralogy and an abundant Fe-rich X-ray amorphous phase. To constrain conditions in the water column and early diagenetic processes, we present trends in chemistry and mineralogy for sediment acquired from soils in the mafic/ultramafic catchment and lake bottom/core samples. The soils contain high abundances of crystalline Fe-oxides (e.g. magnetite, goethite, hematite), whereas sediment from the very surface of the lake bottom maintain high Fe but not in crystalline form based on XRD. This suggests Fe is being rapidly cycled to form amorphous phases after entering the lake. Sequential extractions to isolate highly reactive iron (e.g. ferrihydrite) will be used to confirm the relative abundance of poorly crystalline phases in catchment versus lake sediment. Sediments from a 150 m core representing 1 Myr lake history also maintain high Fe content and distinct alternating bands of red and green sediment, but there are no crystalline Fe-oxides discernible in XRD data. The process(es) and timescale for this switching is not yet known, but understanding the conditions that allow ferrous vs. ferric iron to form, and what

Assessing Layered Materials in Gale Crater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridges, N. T.

2001-01-01

The recent analysis of high resolution Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images of layered outcrops in equatorial regions reinforces two important ideas, which will probably eventually become paradigms, about Mars: 1) It has had a long, complex geologic history marked by change, as manifested in the different layers observed, and 2) Standing bodies of water existed for substantial lengths of time, indicating clement conditions possibly conducive to life. Although observations of layering and evidence for lakes and oceans has been reported for years based on Mariner 9 and Viking data, the MOC data show that this layering is much more pervasive and complex than previously thought. These layered sites are ideal for studying the geologic, and possibly biologic, history of Mars. Here, a layered site within Gale Crater is advocated as a Mars Exploration Rover (MER) target. This is one of the few layered areas within closed depressions (e.g., other craters and Vallis Marineris) that meets the landing site constraints and is accessible to both MER A and B.

Future volcanic lake research: revealing secrets from poorly studied lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouwet, D.; Tassi, F.; Mora-Amador, R. A.

2012-04-01

Volcanic lake research boosted after the 1986 Lake Nyos lethal gas burst, a limnic rather than volcanic event. This led to the formation of the IAVCEI-Commission on Volcanic Lakes, which grew out into a multi-disciplinary scientific community since the 1990's. At Lake Nyos, a degassing pipe is functional since 2001, and two additional pipes were added in 2011, aimed to prevent further limnic eruption events. There are between 150 and 200 volcanic lakes on Earth. Some acidic crater lakes topping active magmatic-hydrothermal systems are monitored continuously or discontinuously. Such detailed studies have shown their usefulness in volcanic surveillance (e.g. Ruapehu, Yugama-Kusatsu-Shiran, Poás). Others are "Nyos-type" lakes, with possible gas accumulation in bottom waters and thus potentially hazardous. "Nyos-type" lakes tend to remain stably stratified in tropical and sub-tropical climates (meromictic), leading to long-term gas build-up and thus higher potential risk. In temperate climates, such lakes tend to turn over in winter (monomictic), and thus liberating its gas charge yearly. We line out research strategies for the different types of lakes. We believe a complementary, multi-disciplinary approach (geochemistry, geophysics, limnology, biology, statistics, etc.) will lead to new insights and ideas, which can be the base for future following-up and monitoring. After 25 years of pioneering studies on rather few lakes, the scientific community should be challenged to study the many poorly studied volcanic lakes, in order to better constrain the related hazard, based on probabilistic approaches.

75 FR 73983 - Proposed Modification of the Salt Lake City, UT, Class B Airspace Area; Public Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-30

...This notice announces three fact-finding informal airspace meetings to solicit information from airspace users and others concerning a proposal to revise the Class B airspace area at Salt Lake City, UT. The purpose of these meetings is to provide interested parties an opportunity to present views, recommendations, and comments on the proposal. All comments received during these meetings will be considered prior to any revision or issuance of a notice of proposed rulemaking.

The distribution, structure, and composition of freshwater ice deposits in Bolivian salt lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hurlbert, S.H.; Chang, Cecily C.Y.

1988-01-01

Freshwater ice deposits are described from seven, high elevation (4117-4730 m), shallow (mean depth <30 cm), saline (10-103 g l-1) lakes in the southwestern corner of Bolivia. The ice deposits range to several hundred meters in length and to 7 m in height above the lake or playa surface. They are located near the lake or salar margins; some are completely surrounded by water, others by playa deposits or salt crusts. Upper surfaces and sides of the ice deposits usually are covered by 20-40 cm of white to light brown, dry sedimentary materials. Calcite is the dominant crystalline mineral in these, and amorphous materials such as diatom frustules and volcanic glass are also often abundant. Beneath the dry overburden the ice occurs primarily as horizontal lenses 1-1000 mm thick, irregularly alternating with strata of frozen sedimentary materials. Ice represents from 10 to 87% of the volume of the deposits and yields freshwater (TFR <3 g l-1) when melted. Oxygen isotope ratios for ice are similar to those for regional precipitation and shoreline seeps but much lower than those for the lakewaters. Geothermal flux is high in the region as evidenced by numerous hot springs and deep (3.0-3.5 m) sediment temperatures of 5-10??C. This flux is one cause of the present gradual wasting away of these deposits. Mean annual air temperatures for the different lakes probably are all in the range of -2 to 4??C, and mean midwinter temperatures about 5??C lower. These deposits apparently formed during colder climatic conditions by the freezing of low salinity porewaters and the building up of segregation ice lenses. ?? 1988 Dr W. Junk Publishers.

Multivariate analyses of crater parameters and the classification of craters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegal, B. S.; Griffiths, J. C.

1974-01-01

Multivariate analyses were performed on certain linear dimensions of six genetic types of craters. A total of 320 craters, consisting of laboratory fluidization craters, craters formed by chemical and nuclear explosives, terrestrial maars and other volcanic craters, and terrestrial meteorite impact craters, authenticated and probable, were analyzed in the first data set in terms of their mean rim crest diameter, mean interior relief, rim height, and mean exterior rim width. The second data set contained an additional 91 terrestrial craters of which 19 were of experimental percussive impact and 28 of volcanic collapse origin, and which was analyzed in terms of mean rim crest diameter, mean interior relief, and rim height. Principal component analyses were performed on the six genetic types of craters. Ninety per cent of the variation in the variables can be accounted for by two components. Ninety-nine per cent of the variation in the craters formed by chemical and nuclear explosives is explained by the first component alone.

Hydrological Modeling of the Jezero Crater Outlet-Forming Flood

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

2017-01-01

Abundant evidence exists for lakes on Mars both from orbital observations [e.g., 1-3] and in situ exploration [e.g., 4-5]. These lakes can be divided into two classes: those that were hydrologically closed, so their source valley(s) terminated at the basin [3], and those that were hydrologically open, where there was sufficient flow from inlet valley(s) to cause the lake to breach and form an outlet valley [2]. It is easier to be confident from orbital data alone that a standing body of water must have existed in open basins, because there is no other way for their perched outlet valleys to form. The majority of basins fed by valley networks, rather than by isolated inlet valleys, are open [6], with some important exceptions (e.g., Gale Crater). Jezero crater (Fig. 1) is one of the most well-studied open basin paleolakes on Mars, with a breach that re-mains well above the lowest part of the crater floor, and two sedimentary fans at its northwestern margin that are likely deltaic in origin [7-9]. CRISM observations of these sediments indicate they host a variety of alteration minerals [9-11], including smectite and carbonate, and both the mineralogy of the sediments and their settings suggest they have a strong potential for preserving organic materials [10]. As a result, Jezero is a strong candidate landing site for the Mars 2020 rover. Approximate formative discharges have been estimated for its well-preserved western fan (Q approximately 500m3/s) [7], but to our knowledge, no estimates for the dis-charges associated with formation and incision of its outlet valley have been presented. Indeed, only a few studies [e.g., 12-14] have attempted to reconstruct the formation of outlet breaches broadly similar to Jezero anywhere on Mars, despite the apparent commonality of basins with large outlets [e.g., 2]. The outlet valley formed as a dam breach when the lake overflowed. In such an event, the growth and incision of the breach is directly coupled to flood discharge

Wet trend continues for lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katzoff, Judith A.

About 20% of the United States, including the regions of the Great Lakes and the Great Salt Lake, has entered a fourth year of record and near-record streamflow and lake levels, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). From June 3 until June 8, 1986, the Great Salt Lake stood at 1283.77 m above sea level, 0.076 m above the previous record, which was set in 1873. (Records have been kept for the lake since 1847.) On June 8, a dike south of the lake gave way during a windstorm, causing flooding of evaporation ponds used for mineral recovery.As a result of the breach, the lake's level dropped to 1283.65 m above sea level by June 10 but rose to 1283.68 m by June 20. The latest official reading, made on June 30, showed that the lake's level had dropped to 1283.63 m above sea level. According to Tom Ross, chief of the Current Water Conditions Group at the USGS National Center in Reston, Va., this drop represents “a normal seasonal decline brought on by evaporation.”

Columbus crater and other possible groundwater-fed paleolakes of Terra Sirenum, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wray, J.J.; Milliken, R.E.; Dundas, C.M.; Swayze, G.A.; Andrews-Hanna, J. C.; Baldridge, A.M.; Chojnacki, M.; Bishop, J.L.; Ehlmann, B.L.; Murchie, S.L.; Clark, R.N.; Seelos, F.P.; Tornabene, L.L.; Squyres, S. W.

2011-01-01

Columbus crater in the Terra Sirenum region of the Martian southern highlands contains light-toned layered deposits with interbedded sulfate and phyllosilicate minerals, a rare occurrence on Mars. Here we investigate in detail the morphology, thermophysical properties, mineralogy, and stratigraphy of these deposits; explore their regional context; and interpret the crater's aqueous history. Hydrated mineral-bearing deposits occupy a discrete ring around the walls of Columbus crater and are also exposed beneath younger materials, possibly lava flows, on its floor. Widespread minerals identified in the crater include gypsum, polyhydrated and monohydrated Mg/Fe-sulfates, and kaolinite; localized deposits consistent with montmorillonite, Fe/Mg-phyllosilicates, jarosite, alunite, and crystalline ferric oxide or hydroxide are also detected. Thermal emission spectra suggest abundances of these minerals in the tens of percent range. Other craters in northwest Terra Sirenum also contain layered deposits and Al/Fe/Mg-phyllosilicates, but sulfates have so far been found only in Columbus and Cross craters. The region's intercrater plains contain scattered exposures of Al-phyllosilicates and one isolated mound with opaline silica, in addition to more common Fe/Mg-phyllosilicates with chlorides. A Late Noachian age is estimated for the aqueous deposits in Columbus, coinciding with a period of inferred groundwater upwelling and evaporation, which (according to model results reported here) could have formed evaporites in Columbus and other craters in Terra Sirenum. Hypotheses for the origin of these deposits include groundwater cementation of crater-filling sediments and/or direct precipitation from subaerial springs or in a deep (???900 m) paleolake. Especially under the deep lake scenario, which we prefer, chemical gradients in Columbus crater may have created a habitable environment at this location on early Mars. ?? 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.

Identification of craters on Moon using Crater Density Parameter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vandana, Vandana

2016-07-01

Lunar craters are the most noticeable features on the face of the moon. They take up 40.96% of the lunar surface and, their accumulated area is approximately three times as much as the lunar surface area. There are many myths about the moon. Some says moon is made of cheese. The moon and the sun chase each other across the sky etc. but scientifically the moon are closest and are only natural satellite of earth. The orbit plane of the moon is tilted by 5° and orbit period around the earth is 27-3 days. There are two eclipse i.e. lunar eclipse and solar eclipse which always comes in pair. Moon surface has 3 parts i.e. highland, Maria, and crater. For crater diagnostic crater density parameter is one of the means for measuring distance can be easily identity the density between two craters. Crater size frequency distribution (CSFD) is being computed for lunar surface using TMC and MiniSAR image data and hence, also the age for the selected test sites of mars is also determined. The GIS-based program uses the density and orientation of individual craters within LCCs (as vector points) to identify potential source craters through a series of cluster identification and ejection modeling analyses. JMars software is also recommended and operated only the time when connected with server but work can be done in Arc GIS with the help of Arc Objects and Model Builder. The study plays a vital role to determine the lunar surface based on crater (shape, size and density) and exploring affected craters on the basis of height, weight and velocity. Keywords: Moon; Crater; MiniSAR.