Development of Systematic Approaches for Calibration of Subsurface Transport Models Using Hard and Soft Data on System Characteristics and Behavior

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-02

who graduated during this period and will receive scholarships or fellowships for further studies in science, mathematics, engineering or technology...nature or are collected at discrete points or localized areas in the system. The qualitative data includes, geology , large-scale stratigraphy and

Continuity of Permian Mengkareng formation through GPR interpretation in Merangin Geopark

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanif, F.; Syahputra, R.; Kristyanto, T. H. W.; Tempessy, A. S.; Rokhmatuloh

2017-07-01

The Permian Mengkarang Formation was a part of the continental margin (Gondwana Land) which separated in the Devon Period. In this period, Gondwana Land experienced glaciation at the Paleo South Pole. However, the fossils found in Mengkarang Formation were tropical flora, had made the Merangin to be certified as one of the national geoparks. It also shows that the geological process (stratigraphy and tectonic) in the Merangin has occurred before the Indonesian archipelago was formed: namely the Permian to Triassic period. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) was chosen as an effective geophysical method to study shallow subsurface geology. GPR and seismic reflection method have the same common principle to identify the facies and sub-sequence stratigraphy but they are different in implementation. Therefore, this study aims to deliver the vertical continuity of the Permian Mengkarang Formation in high resolution unit. The GPR result showing the subsurface image is based on dielectric of the rock layers. The GPR sections show the absence of the unconformity delivered in the intercalation between mudstone, sandstone, and tuff. Thus, it can be concluded that the Permian Mengkareng Formation continues up to 20 m depth.

Sculpting Mountains: Interactive Terrain Modeling Based on Subsurface Geology.

PubMed

Cordonnier, Guillaume; Cani, Marie-Paule; Benes, Bedrich; Braun, Jean; Galin, Eric

2018-05-01

Most mountain ranges are formed by the compression and folding of colliding tectonic plates. Subduction of one plate causes large-scale asymmetry while their layered composition (or stratigraphy) explains the multi-scale folded strata observed on real terrains. We introduce a novel interactive modeling technique to generate visually plausible, large scale terrains that capture these phenomena. Our method draws on both geological knowledge for consistency and on sculpting systems for user interaction. The user is provided hands-on control on the shape and motion of tectonic plates, represented using a new geologically-inspired model for the Earth crust. The model captures their volume preserving and complex folding behaviors under collision, causing mountains to grow. It generates a volumetric uplift map representing the growth rate of subsurface layers. Erosion and uplift movement are jointly simulated to generate the terrain. The stratigraphy allows us to render folded strata on eroded cliffs. We validated the usability of our sculpting interface through a user study, and compare the visual consistency of the earth crust model with geological simulation results and real terrains.

Regional Big Injun (Price/Pocono) subsurface stratigraphy of West Virginia

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

Donaldson, A.C.; Zou, Xiangdong

1992-01-01

The lower Big Injun (Lower Mississippian) is the oil reservoir of the Granny Creek and Rock Creek fields and consists of multiple sandstones that were deposited in different fluvial-deltaic depositional environments. These multiple sandstones became amalgamated and now appear as a widespread blanket sandstone as a result of ancient cut and fill processes associated with river-channel sedimentation. The regional study of this Price Formation subsurface equivalent considers the continuity and thickness variations of the composite sandstones of the Big Injun mainly within western West Virginia. The major fluvial drainage system apparently flowed southward through Ohio (much of it later erodedmore » by the pre-Pottsville unconformity) during Big Injun time (and earlier) and part of the system was diverted into southwestern West Virginia as vertically stacked channel and river-mouth bar deposits (Rock Creek field). This ancient Ontario River system apparently drained a huge area including the northern craton as well as the orogenic belt. The emerging West Virginia Dome probably sourced the sediment transported by small rivers developing southwestward prograding deltas across Clay County (Granny Creek field). Sedimentation was affected by differential subsidence in the basin. Paleovalley fill was considered for areas with vertically stacked sandstones, but evidence for their origin is not convincing. Oil-reservoir sandstones are classified as dip-trending river channel (D1) and deltaic shoreline (D2) deposits.« less

SHUTTLE IMAGING RADAR: PHYSICAL CONTROLS ON SIGNAL PENETRATION AND SUBSURFACE SCATTERING IN THE EASTERN SAHARA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schaber, Gerald G.; McCauley, John F.; Breed, Carol S.; Olhoeft, Gary R.

1986-01-01

It is found that the Shuttle Imaging Radar A (SIR-A) signal penetration and subsurface backscatter within the upper meter or so of the sediment blanket in the Eastern Sahara of southern Egypt and northern Sudan are enhanced both by radar sensor parameters and by the physical and chemical characteristics of eolian and alluvial materials. The near-surface stratigraphy, the electrical properties of materials, and the types of radar interfaces found to be responsible for different classes of SIR-A tonal response are summarized. The dominant factors related to efficient microwave signal penetration into the sediment blanket include 1) favorable distribution of particle sizes, 2) extremely low moisture content and 3) reduced geometric scattering at the SIR-A frequency (1. 3 GHz). The depth of signal penetration that results in a recorded backscatter, called radar imaging depth, was documented in the field to be a maximum of 1. 5 m, or 0. 25 times the calculated skin depth, for the sediment blanket. The radar imaging depth is estimated to be between 2 and 3 m for active sand dune materials.

Yucatan Subsurface Stratigraphy from Geophysical Data, Well Logs and Core Analyses in the Chicxulub Impact Crater and Implications for Target Heterogeneities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canales, I.; Fucugauchi, J. U.; Perez-Cruz, L. L.; Camargo, A. Z.; Perez-Cruz, G.

2011-12-01

Asymmetries in the geophysical signature of Chicxulub crater are being evaluated to investigate on effects of impact angle and trajectory and pre-existing target structural controls for final crater form. Early studies interpreted asymmetries in the gravity anomaly in the offshore sector to propose oblique either northwest- and northeast-directed trajectories. An oblique impact was correlated to the global ejecta distribution and enhanced environmental disturbance. In contrast, recent studies using marine seismic data and computer modeling have shown that crater asymmetries correlate with pre-existing undulations of the Cretaceous continental shelf, suggesting a structural control of target heterogeneities. Documentation of Yucatan subsurface stratigraphy has been limited by lack of outcrops of pre-Paleogene rocks. The extensive cover of platform carbonate rocks has not been affected by faulting or deformation and with no rivers cutting the carbonates, information comes mainly from the drilling programs and geophysical surveys. Here we revisit the subsurface stratigraphy in the crater area from the well log data and cores retrieved in the drilling projects and marine seismic reflection profiles. Other source of information being exploited comes from the impact breccias, which contain a sampling of disrupted target sequences, including crystalline basement and Mesozoic sediments. We analyze gravity and seismic data from the various exploration surveys, including multiple Pemex profiles in the platform and the Chicxulub experiments. Analyses of well log data and seismic profiles identify contacts for Lower Cretaceous, Cretaceous/Jurassic and K/Pg boundaries. Results show that the Cretaceous continental shelf was shallower on the south and southwest than on the east, with emerged areas in Quintana Roo and Belize. Mesozoic and upper Paleozoic sediments show variable thickness, possibly reflecting the crystalline basement regional structure. Paleozoic and Precambrian basement outcrops are located farther to the southeast in Belize and northern Guatemala. Inferred shelf paleo-bathymetry supports existence of a sedimentary basin extending to the northeast, where crater rim and terrace zones are subdued in the seismic images.

Tecuamburro Volcano, Guatemala: exploration geothermal gradient drilling and results

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goff, S.J.; Goff, F.; Janik, C.J.

1992-01-01

Results of geological, volcanological, hydrogeochemical, and geophysical field studies conducted in 1988 and 1989 at the Tecuamburro geothermal site, Guatemala, indicate that there is a substantial shallow heat source beneath the area of youngest volcanism. Gases from acid-sulfate springs near Laguna Ixpaco consistently yield maximum estimated subsurface temperatures of 300??C. To obtain information on subsurface temperatures and temperature gradients, stratigraphy, fracturing, hydrothermal alteration, and hydrothermal fluids, a geothermal gradient core hole (TCB-1) was drilled to 808 m low on the northern flank of the Tecuamburro Volcano complex. The hole is located 300 m south of a 300m-diameter phreatic crater. Laguna Ixpaco, dated at 2910 years. TCB-1 temperature logs do not indicate isothermal conditions at depth and the calculated thermal gradient from 500-800 m is 230??C/km. Bottom hole temperature is close to 240??C. Calculated heat flow values are around 350-400 mW/m2. Fluid-inclusion and secondary-alteration studies indicate that veins and secondary minerals were formed at temperatures equal to or slightly less than present temperatures; thus, the Tecuamburro geothermal system may still be heating up. The integration of results from the TCB-1 gradient core hole with results from field studies provides strong evidence that the Tecuamburro area holds great promise for geothermal resource development. ?? 1992.

Moon Diver: A Discovery Mission Concept for Understanding the History of the Mare Basalts Through the Exploration of a Lunar Mare Pit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerber, L.; Nesnas, I.; Keszthelyi, L.; Head, J. W.; Denevi, B.; Hayne, P. O.; Mitchell, K.; Ashley, J. W.; Whitten, J. L.; Stickle, A. M.; Parness, A.; McGarey, P.; Paton, M.; Donaldson-Hanna, K.; Anderson, R. C.; Needham, D.; Isaacson, P.; Jozwiak, L.; Bleacher, J.; Parcheta, C.

2018-04-01

Moon Diver is a Discovery-class mission concept designed to explore a lunar mare pit. It would be the first mission to examine an in-place bedrock stratigraphy on the Moon, and the first to venture into the subsurface of another planetary body.

Stratigraphy and Structure of the Subsurface Cambrian and Ordovician Carbonates of New York.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rickard, Lawrence V.

This publication presents a description of 137 wells in New York State and adjacent parts of Pennsylvania. Correlations with surface exposures are established. Maps and cross sections display the thickness, structure, and stratigraphic relationships of the carbonates described. A paleogeologic map of New York State at the end of the Early…

Mini-RF and LROC observations of mare crater layering relationships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stickle, A. M.; Patterson, G. W.; Cahill, J. T. S.; Bussey, D. B. J.

2016-07-01

The lunar maria cover approximately 17% of the Moon's surface. Discerning discrete subsurface layers in the mare provides some constraints on thickness and volume estimates of mare volcanism. Multiple types of data and measurement techniques allow probing the subsurface and provide insights into these layers, including detailed examination of impact craters, mare pits and sinuous rilles, and radar sounders. Unfortunately, radar sounding includes many uncertainties about the material properties of the lunar surface that may influence estimates of layer depth and thickness. Because they distribute material from depth onto the surface, detailed examination of impact ejecta blankets provides a reliable way to examine deeper material using orbital instruments such as cameras, spectrometers, or imaging radars. Here, we utilize Miniature Radio Frequency (Mini-RF) data to investigate the scattering characteristics of ejecta blankets of young lunar craters. We use Circular Polarization Ratio (CPR) information from twenty-two young, fresh lunar craters to examine how the scattering behavior changes as a function of radius from the crater rim. Observations across a range of crater size and relative ages exhibit significant diversity within mare regions. Five of the examined craters exhibit profiles with no shelf of constant CPR near the crater rim. Comparing these CPR profiles with LROC imagery shows that the magnitude of the CPR may be an indication of crater degradation state; this may manifest differently at radar compared to optical wavelengths. Comparisons of radar and optical data also suggest relationships between subsurface stratigraphy and structure in the mare and the block size of the material found within the ejecta blanket. Of the examined craters, twelve have shelves of approximately constant CPR as well as discrete layers outcropping in the subsurface, and nine fall along a trend line when comparing shelf-width with thickness of subsurface layers. These observations suggest that surface CPR measurements may be used to identify near-surface layering. Here, we use ejected material to probe the subsurface, allowing observations of near-surface stratigraphy that may be otherwise hidden by layers higher from remote observations.

Layering extraction from subsurface radargrams over Greenland and the Martian NPLD by combining wavelet analysis with Hough transforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Si-Ting; Muller, Jan-Peter

2017-04-01

Extracting lines from an imagery is a solved problem in the field of edge detection. Different to images taken by camera, radargrams are a set of radar echo profiles, which record wave energy reflected by subsurface reflectors, at each location of a radar footprint along the satellite's ground track. The radargrams record where there is a dielectric contrast caused by different deposits, and other subsurface features, such as facies, and internal distributions like porosity and fluids. Among the subsurface features, layering is an important one which reflect the sequence of seasonal or yearly deposits on the ground [1-2]. In the field of image processing, line detection methods, such as the Radon Transform or Hough Transform, are able to extract these subsurface layers from rasterised versions of the echograms. However, due to the attenuation of radar waves whilst propagating through geological media, radargrams sometimes suffer from gradient and high background noise. These attributes of radargrams cause errors in detection when conventional line detection methods are directly applied. In this study, we have developed a continuous wavelet analysis technique to be applied directly to the radar echo profiles in a radargram in order to detect segmented lines, and then a conventional line detection method, such as a Hough transform can be applied to connect these segmented lines. This processing chain is tested by using datasets from a radargram acquired by the Multi-channel Coherent Radar Depth Sounder (MCoRDS) on an airborne platform in Greenland and a radargram acquired by the SHAllow RADar (SHARAD) on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) [3] over Martian North Polar Layered Deposits (NPLD). Keywords: Subsurface mapping, Radargram, SHARAD, Greenland, Martian NPLD, Subsurface layering, line detection References: [1] Phillips, R. J., et al. "Mars north polar deposits: Stratigraphy, age, and geodynamical response." Science 320.5880 (2008): 1182-1185. [2] Cutts, James A., and Blake H. Lewis. "Models of climate cycles recorded in Martian polar layered deposits." Icarus 50.2 (1982): 216-244. [3] Plaut J J, Picardi G, Safaeinili A, et al. Subsurface radar sounding of the south polar layered deposits of Mars[J]. science, 2007, 316(5821): 92-95. Acknowledgements: Part of the research leading to these results has received funding from the STFC "MSSL Consolidated Grant" ST/K000977/1 and partial support from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under iMars grant agreement No. 607379 as well as from the China Scholarship Council and the UCL Dean of MAPS fund.

Subsurface geometry and evolution of the Seattle fault zone and the Seattle Basin, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

ten Brink, Uri S.; Molzer, P.C.; Fisher, M.A.; Blakely, R.J.; Bucknam, R.C.; Parsons, T.; Crosson, R.S.; Creager, K.C.

2002-01-01

The Seattle fault, a large, seismically active, east-west-striking fault zone under Seattle, is the best-studied fault within the tectonically active Puget Lowland in western Washington, yet its subsurface geometry and evolution are not well constrained. We combine several analysis and modeling approaches to study the fault geometry and evolution, including depth-converted, deep-seismic-reflection images, P-wave-velocity field, gravity data, elastic modeling of shoreline uplift from a late Holocene earthquake, and kinematic fault restoration. We propose that the Seattle thrust or reverse fault is accompanied by a shallow, antithetic reverse fault that emerges south of the main fault. The wedge enclosed by the two faults is subject to an enhanced uplift, as indicated by the boxcar shape of the shoreline uplift from the last major earthquake on the fault zone. The Seattle Basin is interpreted as a flexural basin at the footwall of the Seattle fault zone. Basin stratigraphy and the regional tectonic history lead us to suggest that the Seattle fault zone initiated as a reverse fault during the middle Miocene, concurrently with changes in the regional stress field, to absorb some of the north-south shortening of the Cascadia forearc. Kingston Arch, 30 km north of the Seattle fault zone, is interpreted as a more recent disruption arising within the basin, probably due to the development of a blind reverse fault.

Wave equation datuming applied to S-wave reflection seismic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tinivella, U.; Giustiniani, M.; Nicolich, R.

2018-05-01

S-wave high-resolution reflection seismic data was processed using Wave Equation Datuming technique in order to improve signal/noise ratio, attenuating coherent noise, and seismic resolution and to solve static corrections problems. The application of this algorithm allowed obtaining a good image of the shallow subsurface geological features. Wave Equation Datuming moves shots and receivers from a surface to another datum (the datum plane), removing time shifts originated by elevation variation and/or velocity changes in the shallow subsoil. This algorithm has been developed and currently applied to P wave, but it reveals the capacity to highlight S-waves images when used to resolve thin layers in high-resolution prospecting. A good S-wave image facilitates correlation with well stratigraphies, optimizing cost/benefit ratio of any drilling. The application of Wave Equation Datuming requires a reliable velocity field, so refraction tomography was adopted. The new seismic image highlights the details of the subsoil reflectors and allows an easier integration with borehole information and geological surveys than the seismic section obtained by conventional CMP reflection processing. In conclusion, the analysis of S-wave let to characterize the shallow subsurface recognizing levels with limited thickness once we have clearly attenuated ground roll, wind and environmental noise.

The WISDOM Radar: Unveiling the Subsurface Beneath the ExoMars Rover and Identifying the Best Locations for Drilling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciarletti, Valérie; Clifford, Stephen; Plettemeier, Dirk; Le Gall, Alice; Hervé, Yann; Dorizon, Sophie; Quantin-Nataf, Cathy; Benedix, Wolf-Stefan; Schwenzer, Susanne; Pettinelli, Elena; Heggy, Essam; Herique, Alain; Berthelier, Jean-Jacques; Kofman, Wlodek; Vago, Jorge L.; Hamran, Svein-Erik; WISDOM Team

2017-07-01

The search for evidence of past or present life on Mars is the principal objective of the 2020 ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars Rover mission. If such evidence is to be found anywhere, it will most likely be in the subsurface, where organic molecules are shielded from the destructive effects of ionizing radiation and atmospheric oxidants. For this reason, the ExoMars Rover mission has been optimized to investigate the subsurface to identify, understand, and sample those locations where conditions for the preservation of evidence of past life are most likely to be found. The Water Ice Subsurface Deposit Observation on Mars (WISDOM) ground-penetrating radar has been designed to provide information about the nature of the shallow subsurface over depth ranging from 3 to 10 m (with a vertical resolution of up to 3 cm), depending on the dielectric properties of the regolith. This depth range is critical to understanding the geologic evolution stratigraphy and distribution and state of subsurface H2O, which provide important clues in the search for life and the identification of optimal drilling sites for investigation and sampling by the Rover's 2-m drill. WISDOM will help ensure the safety and success of drilling operations by identification of potential hazards that might interfere with retrieval of subsurface samples.

Modeling the climatic and subsurface stratigraphy controls on the hydrology of a Carolina bay wetland in South Carolina, USA

Treesearch

Ge Sun; Timothy J. Callahan; Jennifer E. Pyzoha; Carl C. Trettin

2006-01-01

Restoring depressional wetlands or geographically isolated wetlands such as cypress swamps and Carolina bays on the Atlantic Coastal Plains requires a clear understanding of the hydrologic processes and water balances. The objectives of this paper are to (1) test a distributed forest hydrology model, FLATWOODS, for a Carolina bay wetland system using seven years of...

Modeling the climatic and subsurface stratigraphy controls on the hydrology of a Carolina Bay wetland in South Carolina, USA

Treesearch

Ge Sun; Timothy J. Callahan; Jennifer E. Pyzoha; Carl C. Trettin

2006-01-01

Restoring depressional wetlands or geographically isolated wetlands such as cypress swamps and Carolina bays on the Atlantic Coastal Plains requires a clear understanding of the hydrologic processes and water balances. The objectives of this paper are to (1) test a distributed forest hydrology model, FLATWOODS, for a Carolina bay wetland system using seven years of...

Direct current resistivity profiling to study distribution of water in the unsaturated zone near the Amargosa Desert Research Site, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Abraham, Jared D.; Lucius, Jeffrey E.

2004-01-01

In order to study the distribution of water in the unsaturated zone and potential for ground-water recharge near the Amargosa Desert Research Site south of Beatty, Nevada, the U.S. Geological Survey collected direct-current resistivity measurements along three profiles in May 2003 using an eight-channel resistivity imaging system. Resistivity data were collected along profiles across the ADRS, across a poorly incised (distributary) channel system of the Amargosa River southwest of the ADRS, and across a well-incised flood plain of the Amargosa River northwest of the ADRS.This report describes results of an initial investigation to estimate the distribution of water in the unsaturated zone and to evaluate the shallow subsurface stratigraphy near the ADRS. The geophysical method of dc resistivity was employed by using automated data collection with numerous electrodes. "Cross sections" of resistivity, produced by using an inversion algorithm on the field data, at the three field sites are presented and interpreted.

Architectural element analysis within the Kayenta Formation (Lower Jurassic) using ground-probing radar and sedimentological profiling, southwestern Colorado

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephens, Mark

1994-05-01

A well exposed outcrop in the Kayenta Formation (Lower Jurassic) in southwestern Colorado was examined in order to delineate the stratigraphy in the subsurface and test the usefulness of ground-probing radar (GPR) in three-dimensional architectural studies. Two fluvial styles are present within the Kayenta Formation. Sandbodies within the lower third of the outcrop are characterized by parallel laminations that can be followed in the cliff-face for well over 300 m. These sandbodies are sheet-like in appearance, and represent high-energy flood deposits that most likely resulted from episodic floods. The remainder of the outcrop is characterized by concave-up channel deposits with bank-attached and mid-channel macroforms. Their presence suggests a multiple channel river system. The GPR data collected on the cliff-top, together with sedimentological data, provided a partial three-dimensional picture of the paleo-river system within the Kayenta Formation. The 3-D picture consists of stacked channel-bar lenses approximately 50 m in diameter. The GPR technique offers a very effective means of delineating the subsurface stratigraphy. Its high resolution capabilities, easy mobility, and rapid rate of data collection make it a useful tool. Its shallow penetration depth and limitation to low-conductivity environments are its only drawbacks.

Stratigraphic and structural characterization of the OU-1 area at the former George Air Force Base, Adelanto, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Catchings, R.D.; Gandhok, G.; Goldman, M.R.

2001-01-01

The former George Air Force Base (GAFB), now known as the Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA), is located in the town of Adelanto, approximately 100 km northeast of Los Angeles, California (Fig. 1). In this report, we present acquisition parameters, data, and interpretations of seismic images that were acquired in the OU-1 area of GAFB during July 1999 (Fig. 2). GAFB is scheduled for conversion to civilian use, however, during its years as an Air Force base, trichlorethylene (TCE) was apparently introduced into the subsurface as a result of spills during normal aircraft maintenance operations. To comply with congressional directives, TCE contaminant removal has been ongoing since the early-tomid 1990s. However, only a small percentage of the TCE believed to have been introduced into the subsurface has been recovered, due largely to difficulty in locating the TCE within the subsurface. Because TCE migrates within the subsurface by ground water movement, attempts to locate the TCE contaminants in the subsurface have employed an array of ground-water monitoring and extraction wells. These wells primarily sample within a shallow-depth (~40 m) aquifer system. Cores obtained from the monitoring and extraction wells indicate that the aquifer, which is composed of sand and gravel channels, is bounded by aquitards composed largely of clay and other fine-grained sediments. Based on well logs, the aquifer is about 3 to 5 m thick along the seismic profiles. A more thorough understanding of the lateral variations in the depth and thickness of the aquifer system may be a key to finding and removing the remaining TCE. However, due to its complex depositional and tectonic history, the structural and stratigraphic sequences are not easily characterized. An indication of the complex nature of the structure and stratigraphy is the appreciable variation in stratigraphic sequences observed in some monitoring wells that are only a few tens of meters apart. To better characterize the shallow (upper 100 m) stratigraphy beneath GAFB, the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) contracted the US Geological Survey (USGS) to acquire three seismic reflection/refraction profiles within an area known as Operational Unit #1 (OU-1). The principal objective of the seismic survey was to laterally characterize the subsurface with respect to structure and stratigraphy. In particular, we desired to (1) laterally “map” stratigraphic units (particularly aquifer layers) that were previously identified in monitoring wells within the OU-1 area and (2) identify structures, such as faults and folds, that affect the movement of ground water. Knowledge of lateral variations in stratigraphic units and structures that may affect those units is useful in constructing ground-water flow models, which aid in identifying possible TCE migration paths within the subsurface. Stratigraphic and structural characterization may also be useful in identifying surface locations and target depths for future wells (Catchings et al., 1996). Proper siting of wells is important because a welldefined aquifer is apparently not present in all locations at GAFB, as indicated by lithologic logs from existing wells (Montgomery Watson, 1995). Proper depth placement of monitoring and extraction wells is important because wells that are too shallow will not sample within the aquifer, and wells that are too deep risk puncturing the aquitard and allowing contaminants to flow to deeper levels.

Structural stratigraphy of Austin Chalk

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

Corbett, K.P.; Friedman, M.

1983-03-01

The mechanical behavior (structural stratigraphy) of the Upper Cretaceous Austin Chalk is established from the study of fracture intensity along its outcrop trend from Dallas to San Antonio and westward to Langtry, Texas, and in the subsurface from the study of core and/or fracture identification logs from 39 wells. Three mechanical-stratigraphic units are recognized as: (1) an upper, fractured massive chalk corresponding to the Bid House Chalk Member, (2) a middle, ductile chalk-marl corresponding to the Dessau Chalk and Burditt Marl Members, and (3) a lower, fractured massive chalk corresponding to the Atco Chalk Member. Representative samples from these unitsmore » were experimentally shortened dry, at 10, 17 34, and 70-MPa confining pressure, 24/sup 0/C (75/sup 0/F), and at 2.5 x 10/sup -4/ s/sup -1/ to determine if the relative mechanical behavior observed at the surface could be extrapolated into the subsurface at different simulated depths of burial. The experimentally determined ductilities do parallel those determined from outcrop and subsurface studies. Through multiple linear regression analyses of strength versus intrinsic rock properties and environmental parameters, it appears that first porosity and then smectite-content are most strongly correlated with strength. For low-porosity specimens (9 to 13.5%) smectite present in amounts as little as 1% by volume has the highest correlation with strength accounting for 83% of its variability. SEM photomicrographs show that the clays are smeared-out along the induced shear fracture surfaces where they are greatly reduced in grain-size. These observations suggest that the smectite acts mechanically as a soft-inclusion, localizing shear failure and correspondingly weakening the material.« less

Quaternary history of the Kiseiba Oasis region, southern Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maxwell, Ted A.; Haynes, C. Vance; Nicoll, Kathleen; Johnston, Andrew K.; Grant, John A.; Kilani, Ali

2017-12-01

Kiseiba Oasis and depression are located in southern Egypt between the Selima Sand Sheet to the west and the Nile to the east, an important area that hosted Late Cenozoic drainage, Middle Pleistocene lakes, and numerous Paleolithic and Neolithic cultural sites. A synthesis of orbital data, field surveying and near-surface stratigraphy provides new insights into the Quaternary history of this region. Shuttle Imaging Radar data show a complex of fluvial channels that are due to stringers of surficial fluvial lag, subsurface fluvial deposits, and areas of deep alluvium. Three topographic surfaces are described: 1) the Atmur El-Kibeish, above 230 m elevation, which displays a linear pattern of light radar returns, possibly formed from northeast drainage; 2) the Acheulean Surface, at 200 m elevation, that has dark radar patterns resulting from thick alluvium bounded by pebble sand and calcrete strata, and 3) the Kiseiba Surface, below 190 m, that has a complex series of surface and subsurface fluvial and aeolian sediments. Initial drainage from the Early through Middle Pleistocene was to the northeast, which may have lasted through the Last Interglacial. Later reworking of sediments during the Last Glacial Maximum and the Holocene resulted in topographic inversion, with any subsequent local drainage on the Kiseiba Surface to the southwest, towards the Kiseiba Scarp.

Coastal barrier stratigraphy for Holocene high-resolution sea-level reconstruction

PubMed Central

Costas, Susana; Ferreira, Óscar; Plomaritis, Theocharis A.; Leorri, Eduardo

2016-01-01

The uncertainties surrounding present and future sea-level rise have revived the debate around sea-level changes through the deglaciation and mid- to late Holocene, from which arises a need for high-quality reconstructions of regional sea level. Here, we explore the stratigraphy of a sandy barrier to identify the best sea-level indicators and provide a new sea-level reconstruction for the central Portuguese coast over the past 6.5 ka. The selected indicators represent morphological features extracted from coastal barrier stratigraphy, beach berm and dune-beach contact. These features were mapped from high-resolution ground penetrating radar images of the subsurface and transformed into sea-level indicators through comparison with modern analogs and a chronology based on optically stimulated luminescence ages. Our reconstructions document a continuous but slow sea-level rise after 6.5 ka with an accumulated change in elevation of about 2 m. In the context of SW Europe, our results show good agreement with previous studies, including the Tagus isostatic model, with minor discrepancies that demand further improvement of regional models. This work reinforces the potential of barrier indicators to accurately reconstruct high-resolution mid- to late Holocene sea-level changes through simple approaches. PMID:27929122

Coastal barrier stratigraphy for Holocene high-resolution sea-level reconstruction.

PubMed

Costas, Susana; Ferreira, Óscar; Plomaritis, Theocharis A; Leorri, Eduardo

2016-12-08

The uncertainties surrounding present and future sea-level rise have revived the debate around sea-level changes through the deglaciation and mid- to late Holocene, from which arises a need for high-quality reconstructions of regional sea level. Here, we explore the stratigraphy of a sandy barrier to identify the best sea-level indicators and provide a new sea-level reconstruction for the central Portuguese coast over the past 6.5 ka. The selected indicators represent morphological features extracted from coastal barrier stratigraphy, beach berm and dune-beach contact. These features were mapped from high-resolution ground penetrating radar images of the subsurface and transformed into sea-level indicators through comparison with modern analogs and a chronology based on optically stimulated luminescence ages. Our reconstructions document a continuous but slow sea-level rise after 6.5 ka with an accumulated change in elevation of about 2 m. In the context of SW Europe, our results show good agreement with previous studies, including the Tagus isostatic model, with minor discrepancies that demand further improvement of regional models. This work reinforces the potential of barrier indicators to accurately reconstruct high-resolution mid- to late Holocene sea-level changes through simple approaches.

Astrobiology Exploration Strategies for the Mars Polar Regions Using Balloon Platforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahaffy, P. R.; Atreya, S. A.; Fairbrother, D. A.; Farrell, W. M.; Gorevan, S.; Jones, J.; Mitrofanov, I.; Scott, J.

2003-01-01

Montgolfiere balloons can provide a unique near-surface platform for an extended traverse over the polar regions of Mars. During the polar summer, such solar powered balloons would remain in the constant sun of the polar summer and could remain airborne for many weeks or even months as the atmospheric circulation would drive the balloons around the polar region many times before the balloon would cross the terminator. Such a platform for scientific measurements could provide in situ sampling of the atmosphere for trace disequilibrium species that might be indicators of present geological or biological activity in this region. It could furthermore provide high resolution imaging, deep electromagnetic (EM) sounding for subsurface stratigraphy and liquid water, and high spatial resolution neutron measurements of subsurface ice. Technologies for robust balloon deployment on entry and controlled encounters with the surface and near subsurface for sample acquisition in otherwise inaccessible regions are presently being studied and developed with support from NASA.

Astrobiology Exploration Strategies for the Mars Polar Regions Using Balloon Platforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahaffy, P. R.; Atreya, S. A.; Fairbrother, D. A.; Farrell, W. M.; Gorevan, S.; Jones, J.; Mitrofanov, I.; Scott, J.

2003-01-01

Montgolfiere balloons can provide a unique near-surface platform for an extended traverse over the polar regions of Mars. During the polar summer, such solar powered balloons would remain in the constant sun of the polar summer and could remain airborne for many weeks or even months as the atmospheric circulation would drive the balloons around the polar region many times before the balloon would cross the terminator. Such a platform for scientific measurements could provide in situ sampling of the atmosphere for trace disequilibrium species that might be indicators of present geological or biological activity in this regon. It could furthermore provide high resolution imaging, deep electromagnetic (EM) sounding for subsurface stratigraphy and liquid water, and high spatial resolution neutron measurements of subsurface ice. Technologies for robust balloon deployment on entry and controlled encounters with the surface and near subsurface for sample acquisition in otherwise inaccessible regions are presently being studied and developed with support from NASA.

The WISDOM Radar: Unveiling the Subsurface Beneath the ExoMars Rover and Identifying the Best Locations for Drilling

PubMed Central

Clifford, Stephen; Plettemeier, Dirk; Le Gall, Alice; Hervé, Yann; Dorizon, Sophie; Quantin-Nataf, Cathy; Benedix, Wolf-Stefan; Schwenzer, Susanne; Pettinelli, Elena; Heggy, Essam; Herique, Alain; Berthelier, Jean-Jacques; Kofman, Wlodek; Vago, Jorge L.; Hamran, Svein-Erik

2017-01-01

Abstract The search for evidence of past or present life on Mars is the principal objective of the 2020 ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars Rover mission. If such evidence is to be found anywhere, it will most likely be in the subsurface, where organic molecules are shielded from the destructive effects of ionizing radiation and atmospheric oxidants. For this reason, the ExoMars Rover mission has been optimized to investigate the subsurface to identify, understand, and sample those locations where conditions for the preservation of evidence of past life are most likely to be found. The Water Ice Subsurface Deposit Observation on Mars (WISDOM) ground-penetrating radar has been designed to provide information about the nature of the shallow subsurface over depth ranging from 3 to 10 m (with a vertical resolution of up to 3 cm), depending on the dielectric properties of the regolith. This depth range is critical to understanding the geologic evolution stratigraphy and distribution and state of subsurface H2O, which provide important clues in the search for life and the identification of optimal drilling sites for investigation and sampling by the Rover's 2-m drill. WISDOM will help ensure the safety and success of drilling operations by identification of potential hazards that might interfere with retrieval of subsurface samples. Key Words: Ground penetrating radar—Martian shallow subsurface—ExoMars. Astrobiology 17, 565–584.

Application of Multivariate Statistical Analysis to Biomarkers in Se-Turkey Crude Oils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gürgey, K.; Canbolat, S.

2017-11-01

Twenty-four crude oil samples were collected from the 24 oil fields distributed in different districts of SE-Turkey. API and Sulphur content (%), Stable Carbon Isotope, Gas Chromatography (GC), and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) data were used to construct a geochemical data matrix. The aim of this study is to examine the genetic grouping or correlations in the crude oil samples, hence the number of source rocks present in the SE-Turkey. To achieve these aims, two of the multivariate statistical analysis techniques (Principle Component Analysis [PCA] and Cluster Analysis were applied to data matrix of 24 samples and 8 source specific biomarker variables/parameters. The results showed that there are 3 genetically different oil groups: Batman-Nusaybin Oils, Adıyaman-Kozluk Oils and Diyarbakir Oils, in addition to a one mixed group. These groupings imply that at least, three different source rocks are present in South-Eastern (SE) Turkey. Grouping of the crude oil samples appears to be consistent with the geographic locations of the oils fields, subsurface stratigraphy as well as geology of the area.

Audiomagnetotelluric data from Spring, Cave, and Coyote Spring Valleys, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

McPhee, Darcy K.; Chuchel, Bruce A.; Pellerin, Louise

2006-01-01

Audiomagnetotelluric (AMT) data along four profiles in Spring, Cave, and Coyote Spring Valleys are presented here. The AMT method is used to estimate the electrical resistivity of the earth over depth ranges of a few meters to greater than one kilometer. This method is a valuable tool for revealing subsurface structure and stratigraphy within the Basin and Range of eastern Nevada, therefore helping to define the geohydrologic framework in this region. We collected AMT data using the Geometrics StrataGem EH4 system, a four-channel, natural and controlled- source tensor system recording in the range of 10 to 92,000 Hz. To augment the low signal in the natural field, an unpolarized transmitter comprised of two horizontal-magnetic dipoles was used from 1,000 to 70,000 Hz. Profiles were 1.4 - 12.6 km in length with station spacing of 100-400 m. Data were recorded with the electrical (E) field parallel to and perpendicular to the regional geologic strike direction. Station locations and sounding curves, showing apparent resistivity, phase data, and coherency data, are presented here.

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2017-08-17

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

Terahertz imaging for subsurface investigation of art paintings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Locquet, A.; Dong, J.; Melis, M.; Citrin, D. S.

2017-08-01

Terahertz (THz) reflective imaging is applied to the stratigraphic and subsurface investigation of oil paintings, with a focus on the mid-20th century Italian painting, `After Fishing', by Ausonio Tanda. THz frequency-wavelet domain deconvolution, which is an enhanced deconvolution technique combining frequency-domain filtering and stationary wavelet shrinkage, is utilized to resolve the optically thin paint layers or brush strokes. Based on the deconvolved terahertz data, the stratigraphy of the painting including the paint layers is reconstructed and subsurface features are clearly revealed. Specifically, THz C-scans and B-scans are analyzed based on different types of deconvolved signals to investigate the subsurface features of the painting, including the identification of regions with more than one paint layer, the refractive-index difference between paint layers, and the distribution of the paint-layer thickness. In addition, THz images are compared with X-ray images. The THz image of the thickness distribution of the paint exhibits a high degree of correlation with the X-ray transmission image, but THz images also reveal defects in the paperboard that cannot be identified in the X-ray image. Therefore, our results demonstrate that THz imaging can be considered as an effective tool for the stratigraphic and subsurface investigation of art paintings. They also open up the way for the use of non-ionizing THz imaging as a potential substitute for ionizing X-ray analysis in nondestructive evaluation of art paintings.

High-Resolution Subsurface Imaging and Stratigraphy of Quaternary Deposits, Marapanim Estuary, Northern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, C. A.; Souza Filho, P. M.; Gouvea Luiz, J.

2007-05-01

The Marapanim estuary is situated in the Para Coastal Plain, North Brazil. It is characterized by an embayed coastline developed on Neogene and Quaternary sediments of the Barreiras and Pos-Barreiras Group. This system is strongly influenced by macrotidal regimes with semidiurnal tides and by humid tropical climate conditions. The interpretation of GPR-reflections presented in this paper is based on correlation of the GPR signal with stratigraphic data acquired on the coastal plain through five cores that were taken along GPR survey lines from the recent deposits and outcrops observed along to the coastal area. The profiles were obtained using a Geophysical Survey Systems Inc., Model YR-2 GPR, with monostatic 700 MHz antenna that permitted to get records of subsurface deposits at 20m depth. Were collected 54 radar sections completing a total of 4.360m. The field data were analyzed using a RADAN software and applying different filters. The interpretation of radar facies following the principles of seismic stratigraphy that permitted analyze the sedimentary facies and facies architecture in order to understand the lithology, depositional environments and stratigraphic evolution of this sedimentary succession as well as to leading to a more precise stratigraphic framework for the Neogene to Quaternary deposits at Marapanim coastal plain. Facies characteristics and sedimentologic analysis (i.e., texture, composition and structure aspects) were investigated from five cores collected through a Rammkernsonde system. The locations were determined using a Global Positioning System. Remote sensing images (Landsat-7 ETM+ and RADARSAT-1 Wide) and SRTM elevation data were used to identify and define the distribution of the different morphologic units. The Coastal Plain extends west-east of the mouth of the Marapanim River, where were identified six morphologic units: paleodune, strand plain, recent coastal dune, macrotidal sandy beach, mangrove and salt marsh. The integration of GPR profiles and stratigraphy data allowed for the recognition of paleochannel geometry, with width of 150m and depth of 20m, developed on Barreiras Group, two discontinuity surfaces and three facies associations organized into sedimentary facies: (i) Tidal channel with mottled sand, Conglomerate with clay pebble and Ophiomorpha/linear Skolithos, channel-fill and tabular cross-bedding sand and sand/mud interlayer facies. (ii) Dune/interdune with wavy bedding and cross-bedding sand and planar bedding and tabular cross-bedding sand facies. (iii) infilled tidal channel with mottled sand, planar/flaser bedding sand, lenticular bedding clay and sand/mud interlayer facies. The present study demonstrates that some facies associations occur restricts to tidal paleochannels and shows features well preserved that are very important to reconstruction of the relative sea-level history in the Marapanim Estuary.

Archeological Testing of the North Bend Site (16SMY132) and Survey of the Todd Area Levee, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-07-01

borings and from the drilling of vibracore or hand auger holes for a specific project. The terrane is the unit used to map the subsurface distribution...three pieces of amethyst glass and a piece of dark green bottle glass. Two pieces of coal, one indeterminate nail fragment and a 12- gauge shotgun shell...and three pieces of indeterminate iron. Also recovered were a 12- gauge shotgun shell base, and one brick fragment. Based on the stratigraphy all were

WISDOM GPR aboard the ExoMars rover : a powerful instrument to investigate the state and distribution of water in the Martian shallow subsurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorizon, S.; Ciarletti, V.; Clifford, S. M.; Plettemeier, D.

2013-12-01

The Water Ice Subsurface Deposits Observation on Mars (WISDOM) Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) has been selected as part of the Pasteur payload for the European Space Agency (ESA) ExoMars 2018 mission. The main scientific objectives of the mission are to search for evidence of past or present life and to characterize the water/geochemical environment as a function of depth in the shallow subsurface. A rover equipped with a 2 meters capacity drill and a suite of instruments will land on Mars in 2018, collect and analyze samples from outcrops and at depth. The WISDOM GPR will support these activities by sounding the subsurface and provide understanding of the geologic context and evolution of the local environment. When operated on the ExoMars rover, WISDOM will offer the possibility to understand the 3D geology in terms of stratigraphy and structure, spatial heterogeneities as well as the compositional and electromagnetic properties of the subsurface. According to these scientific objectives, this radar has been designed as a polarimetric step frequency GPR, operating from 0.5 GHz to 3GHz, which allows the sounding of the first 3 meters of the subsurface with a vertical resolution of a few centimeters. The importance of this GPR is particularly enhanced by its ability to investigate the water content, state (ice or liquid) and distribution in the subsurface, which are crucial clues to constrain the possibility of life traces evidence. In addition, WISDOM will be operated at a distance of 30 cm above the ground. This configuration allows the monitoring of potential transient liquid water that could appear on Mars surface. Results from several laboratory tests and a campaign in alpine ice caves in Austria are consistent with the expected performances of WISDOM regarding the question of water characterization. The specific configuration of the antennas allows the retrieval of the first layer permittivity value from the surface echo, which is related to the water content. The differentiation between segregated ice and other medium is done using a textural approach, and the determinations of stratum thickness are inferred from the permittivity values estimations. We double check and validate this approach with a 2D model simulating WISDOM in interaction with different environments. Perspectives are numerous to take the best from this instrument, starting with processing and modeling improvement, added on other field and laboratory tests to validate our methods. Radargrams from measurements with WISDOM in Alpine ice caves, Dachstein, Austria. a) at high frequencies; b) at low frequencies

Design and Evaluation of a Fiber Optic Probe as a means of Subsurface Planetary Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilgrim, Robert Paul

The Optical Probe for Regolith Analysis (OPRA) is an instrumentation concept designed to provide spectroscopic analysis of the near subsurface of unconsolidated regolith on bodies such as moons, asteroids and planets. Below a chemically altered surface may lay the geological history in the form of stratigraphy that is shielded from degradation due to harsh external environments. Most of what we know about our solar system comes from remote platforms, such as satellites that are deployed into orbit around the target body. In the case of Mars, we have had several successful landers and rovers however, with the exception of the Mars Science Laboratory that just drilled its first hole, the complexity of subsurface excavation has limited the extent of subsurface exploration to simple scoops deployed on the ends of robotic arms which, by their very nature, will erase any stratigraphy that it may be digging into. The OPRA instrumentation concept allows for an integrated, lightweight and simple apparatus for subsurface exploration via a small, spike like structure which contains integrated optical fibers coupled to small windows running down the length of the probe. Each window is connected to a spectrometer housed onboard the deploying spacecraft. Each window is separately interrogated via the spectrometer over the wavelength range 1-2.5 nm to produce a spectroscopic profile as a function of depth. This project takes the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the OPRA instrumentation concept to level 3, which is defined by NASA to be the demonstration either analytically or experimentally of the proof of concept for critical functions of the proposed instrument. Firstly, to demonstrate that optical fibers are feasible for this type of application, we report on the techniques used by NASA to space qualify optical fibers. We investigate the optical performance of several fiber optic bundle configurations, both experimentally and numerically, to help optimize bundle performance. Optical bundles were then spectrally validated via a series of spectral comparisons between standardized reflectance spectroscopy targets and spectra obtained with the bundles. We also report on the integration of fiber optical bundles into other research and experimental results from several other groups within our research teams to obtain spectra under a more "space like" environment. Finally, the probe housing structural performance was investigated via finite element analysis, using probe penetration forces derived from data analysis of experimentation conducted by the Apollo lunar missions, and investigations into a mechanical analogue for the Martian regolith.

Depositional systems and stratigraphy of Paleozoic and Lower Mesozoic rocks in outcrop, Tassili region, southwest Algeria

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

Hertig, S.P.; Tye, R.S.; Coffield, D.Q.

1991-08-01

Paleozoic to Lower Mesozoic strata of the southeastern Algerian Tassili are traditionally subdivided by regionally extensive unconformities such as the Pan African, Taconic, Caledonian, and Hercynian. Using outcrop data from southeastern Algeria, this classic approach is modified by reinterpreting the genesis of these unconformities and rock sequences. Five prominent sequences, defined within the Paleozoic and lower Mesozoic section, usually consist of a succession of lowstand, transgressive, and highstand system tracts separated by sequence boundaries or transgressive surfaces. The Pan-African, Taconic, Caledonian, and Hercynian unconformities are sequence boundaries. Important sequence boundaries also occur within the Ordovician and Silurian sections. These sequencesmore » correlate with subsurface data in the Illizi basin and provide a framework for renewed exploration in the subsurface of the Algerian Sahara, where more than 30 billion bbl of recoverable oil and oil equivalent have been generated and trapped.« less

Science goals for a Mars Polar Cap subsurface mission : optical approaches for investiagations of inclusions in ice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mogensen, Claus T.; Carsey, Frank D.; Behar, Alberto; Engelhardt, Hermann; Lane, Arthur L.

2002-01-01

The Mars Polar Caps are highly interesting features of Mars and have received much recent attention with new and exciting data on morphology, basal units, and layered outcroppings. We have examined the climatological, glaciological, and geological issues associated with a subsurface exploration of the Mars North Polar Cap and have determined that a finescale optical examination of ice in a borehole, to examine the stratigraphy, geochemistry and geochronology of the ice, is feasible. This information will enable reconstruction of the development of the cap as well as predication of the properties of its ice. We present visible imagery taken of dust inclusions in archived Greenland ice cores as well as in-situ images of accreted lithologic inclusions in West Antarctica, and we argue for use of this kind of data in Mars climate reconstruction as has been successful with Greenland and Antarctic ice core anlaysis.

Science goals for a Mars Polar Cap subsurface mission : optical approaches for investigations of inclusions in ice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carsey, Frank; Mogensen, Claus T.; Behar, Alberto; Engelhardt, Hermann; Lane, Arthur L.

2002-01-01

The Mars Polar Caps are highly interesting features of Mars and have received much recent attention with new and exciting data on morphology, basal units, and layered outcroppings. We have examined the climatological, glaciological, and geological issues associated with a subsurface exploration of the Mars North Polar Cap and have determined that a finescale optical examination of ice in a borehole, to examine the stratigraphy, geochemistry and geochronology of the ice, is feasible. This information will enable reconstruction of the development of the cap as well as prediction of the properties of its ice. We present visible imagery taken of dust inclusions in archived Greenland ice cores as well as in-situ images of accreted lithologic inclusions in West Antarctica, and we argue for use of this kind of data in Mars climate reconstruction as has been successful with Greenland and Antarctic ice core analysis. .

Fuzzy inference system for identification of geological stratigraphy off Prydz Bay, East Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Upendra K.

2011-12-01

The analysis of well logging data plays key role in the exploration and development of hydrocarbon reservoirs. Various well log parameters such as porosity, gamma ray, density, transit time and resistivity, help in classification of strata and estimation of the physical, electrical and acoustical properties of the subsurface lithology. Strong and conspicuous changes in some of the log parameters associated with any particular geological stratigraphy formation are function of its composition, physical properties that help in classification. However some substrata show moderate values in respective log parameters and make difficult to identify the kind of strata, if we go by the standard variability ranges of any log parameters and visual inspection. The complexity increases further with more number of sensors involved. An attempt is made to identify the kinds of stratigraphy from well logs over Prydz bay basin, East Antarctica using fuzzy inference system. A model is built based on few data sets of known stratigraphy and further the network model is used as test model to infer the lithology of a borehole from their geophysical logs, not used in simulation. Initially the fuzzy based algorithm is trained, validated and tested on well log data and finally identifies the formation lithology of a hydrocarbon reservoir system of study area. The effectiveness of this technique is demonstrated by the analysis of the results for actual lithologs and coring data of ODP Leg 188. The fuzzy results show that the training performance equals to 82.95% while the prediction ability is 87.69%. The fuzzy results are very encouraging and the model is able to decipher even thin layer seams and other strata from geophysical logs. The result provides the significant sand formation of depth range 316.0- 341.0 m, where core recovery is incomplete.

Exploring the Martian Highlands using a Rover-Deployed Ground Penetrating Radar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grant, J. A.; Schutz, A. E.; Campbell, B. A.

2001-01-01

The Martian highlands record a long and often complex history of geologic activity that has shaped the planet over time. Results of geologic mapping and new data from the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft reveal layered surfaces created by multiple processes that are often mantled by eolian deposits. Knowledge of the near-surface stratigraphy as it relates to evolution of surface morphology will provide critical context for interpreting rover/lander remote sensing data and for defining the geologic setting of a highland lander. Rover-deployed ground penetrating radar (GPR) can directly measure the range and character of in situ radar properties, thereby helping to constrain near-surface geology and structure. As is the case for most remote sensing instruments, a GPR may not detect water unambiguously on Mars. Nevertheless, any local, near-surface occurrence of liquid water will lead to large, easily detected dielectric contrasts. Moreover, definition of stratigraphy and setting will help in evaluating the history of aqueous activity and where any water might occur and be accessible. GPR data can also be used to infer the degree of any post-depositional pedogenic alteration or weathering, thereby enabling assessment of pristine versus secondary morphology. Most importantly perhaps, GPR can provide critical context for other rover and orbital instruments/data sets. Hence, rover-deployment of a GPR deployment should enable 3-D mapping of local stratigraphy and could guide subsurface sampling.

Seismic sequence stratigraphy of Miocene deposits related to eustatic, tectonic and climatic events, Cap Bon Peninsula, northeastern Tunisia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gharsalli, Ramzi; Zouaghi, Taher; Soussi, Mohamed; Chebbi, Riadh; Khomsi, Sami; Bédir, Mourad

2013-09-01

The Cap Bon Peninsula, belonging to northeastern Tunisia, is located in the Maghrebian Alpine foreland and in the North of the Pelagian block. By its paleoposition, during the Cenozoic, in the edge of the southern Tethyan margin, this peninsula constitutes a geological entity that fossilized the eustatic, tectonic and climatic interactions. Surface and subsurface study carried out in the Cap Bon onshore area and surrounding offshore of Hammamet interests the Miocene deposits from the Langhian-to-Messinian interval time. Related to the basin and the platform positions, sequence and seismic stratigraphy studies have been conducted to identify seven third-order seismic sequences in subsurface (SM1-SM7), six depositional sequences on the Zinnia-1 petroleum well (SDM1-SDM6), and five depositional sequences on the El Oudiane section of the Jebel Abderrahmane (SDM1-SDM5). Each sequence shows a succession of high-frequency systems tract and parasequences. These sequences are separated by remarkable sequence boundaries and maximum flooding surfaces (SB and MFS) that have been correlated to the eustatic cycles and supercycles of the Global Sea Level Chart of Haq et al. (1987). The sequences have been also correlated with Sequence Chronostratigraphic Chart of Hardenbol et al. (1998), related to European basins, allows us to arise some major differences in number and in size. The major discontinuities, which limit the sequences resulted from the interplay between tectonic and climatic phenomena. It thus appears very judicious to bring back these chronological surfaces to eustatic and/or local tectonic activity and global eustatic and climatic controls.

Subsidence and Rebound in California's Central Valley: Effects of Pumping, Geology, and Precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farr, T. G.; Fairbanks, A.

2017-12-01

Recent rains in California caused a pause, and even a reversal in some areas, of the subsidence that has plagued the Central Valley for decades. The 3 main drivers of surface deformation in the Central Valley are: Subsurface hydro-geology, precipitation and surface water deliveries, and groundwater pumping. While the geology is relatively fixed in time, water inputs and outputs vary greatly both in time and space. And while subsurface geology and water inputs are reasonably well-known, information about groundwater pumping amounts and rates is virtually non-existent in California. We have derived regional maps of surface deformation in the region for the period 2006 - present which allow reconstruction of seasonal and long-term changes. In order to understand the spatial and temporal patterns of subsidence and rebound in the Central Valley, we have been compiling information on the geology and water inputs and have attempted to infer pumping rates using maps of fallowed fields and published pumping information derived from hydrological models. In addition, the spatial and temporal patterns of hydraulic head as measured in wells across the region allow us to infer the spatial and temporal patterns of groundwater pumping and recharge more directly. A better understanding of how different areas (overlying different stratigraphy) of the Central Valley respond to water inputs and outputs will allow a predictive capability, potentially defining sustainable pumping rates related to water inputs. * work performed under contract to NASA and the CA Dept. of Water Resources

Shuttle Imaging Radar - Physical controls on signal penetration and subsurface scattering in the Eastern Sahara

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaber, G. G.; Mccauley, J. F.; Breed, C. S.; Olhoeft, G. R.

1986-01-01

Interpretation of Shuttle Imaging Radar-A (SIR-A) images by McCauley et al. (1982) dramatically changed previous concepts of the role that fluvial processes have played over the past 10,000 to 30 million years in shaping this now extremely flat, featureless, and hyperarid landscape. In the present paper, the near-surface stratigraphy, the electrical properties of materials, and the types of radar interfaces found to be responsible for different classes of SIR-A tonal response are summarized. The dominant factors related to efficient microwave signal penetration into the sediment blanket include (1) favorable distribution of particle sizes, (2) extremely low moisture content and (3) reduced geometric scattering at the SIR-A frequency (1.3 GHz). The depth of signal penetration that results in a recorded backscatter, here called 'radar imaging depth', was documented in the field to be a maximum of 1.5 m, or 0.25 of the calculated 'skin depth', for the sediment blanket. Radar imaging depth is estimated to be between 2 and 3 m for active sand dune materials. Diverse permittivity interfaces and volume scatterers within the shallow subsurface are responsible for most of the observed backscatter not directly attributable to grazing outcrops. Calcium carbonate nodules and rhizoliths concentrated in sandy alluvium of Pleistocene age south of Safsaf oasis in south Egypt provide effective contrast in premittivity and thus act as volume scatterers that enhance SIR-A portrayal of younger inset stream channels.

Shallow geology, sea-floor texture, and physiographic zones of Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foster, David S.; Baldwin, Wayne E.; Barnhardt, Walter A.; Schwab, William C.; Ackerman, Seth D.; Andrews, Brian D.; Pendleton, Elizabeth A.

2015-01-07

Geologic, sediment texture, and physiographic zone maps characterize the sea floor of Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. These maps were derived from interpretations of seismic-reflection profiles, high-resolution bathymetry, acoustic-backscatter intensity, bottom photographs, and surficial sediment samples. The interpretation of the seismic stratigraphy and mapping of glacial and Holocene marine units provided a foundation on which the surficial maps were created. This mapping is a result of a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management to characterize the surface and subsurface geologic framework offshore of Massachusetts.

Mountain Home Well - Photos

DOE Data Explorer

Shervais, John

2012-01-11

The Snake River Plain (SRP), Idaho, hosts potential geothermal resources due to elevated groundwater temperatures associated with the thermal anomaly Yellowstone-Snake River hotspot. Project HOTSPOT has coordinated international institutions and organizations to understand subsurface stratigraphy and assess geothermal potential. Over 5.9km of core were drilled from three boreholes within the SRP in an attempt to acquire continuous core documenting the volcanic and sedimentary record of the hotspot: (1) Kimama, (2) Kimberly, and (3) Mountain Home. The Mountain Home drill hole is located along the western plain and documents older basalts overlain by sediment. Data submitted by project collaborator Doug Schmitt, University of Alberta

Aquifer configuration and geostructural links control the groundwater quality in thin-bedded carbonate-siliciclastic alternations of the Hainich CZE, central Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohlhepp, Bernd; Lehmann, Robert; Seeber, Paul; Küsel, Kirsten; Trumbore, Susan E.; Totsche, Kai U.

2017-12-01

The quality of near-surface groundwater reservoirs is controlled, but also threatened, by manifold surface-subsurface interactions. Vulnerability studies typically evaluate the variable interplay of surface factors (land management, infiltration patterns) and subsurface factors (hydrostratigraphy, flow properties) in a thorough way, but disregard the resulting groundwater quality. Conversely, hydrogeochemical case studies that address the chemical evolution of groundwater often lack a comprehensive analysis of the structural buildup. In this study, we aim to reconstruct the actual spatial groundwater quality pattern from a synoptic analysis of the hydrostratigraphy, lithostratigraphy, pedology and land use in the Hainich Critical Zone Exploratory (Hainich CZE). This CZE represents a widely distributed yet scarcely described setting of thin-bedded mixed carbonate-siliciclastic strata in hillslope terrains. At the eastern Hainich low-mountain hillslope, bedrock is mainly formed by alternated marine sedimentary rocks of the Upper Muschelkalk (Middle Triassic) that partly host productive groundwater resources. Spatial patterns of the groundwater quality of a 5.4 km long well transect are derived by principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. Aquifer stratigraphy and geostructural links were deduced from lithological drill core analysis, mineralogical analysis, geophysical borehole logs and mapping data. Maps of preferential recharge zones and recharge potential were deduced from digital (soil) mapping, soil survey data and field measurements of soil hydraulic conductivities (Ks). By attributing spatially variable surface and subsurface conditions, we were able to reconstruct groundwater quality clusters that reflect the type of land management in their preferential recharge areas, aquifer hydraulic conditions and cross-formational exchange via caprock sinkholes or ascending flow. Generally, the aquifer configuration (spatial arrangement of strata, valley incision/outcrops) and related geostructural links (enhanced recharge areas, karst phenomena) control the role of surface factors (input quality and locations) vs. subsurface factors (water-rock interaction, cross-formational flow) for groundwater quality in the multi-layered aquifer system. Our investigation reveals general properties of alternating sequences in hillslope terrains that are prone to forming multi-layered aquifer systems. This synoptic analysis is fundamental and indispensable for a mechanistic understanding of ecological functioning, sustainable resource management and protection.

Fuzzy Logic Modelling and Hidden Geodynamic Parameters of Earth: What is the role of Fluid Pathaways and Hydrothermal Stages on the Mineralization Variations of Kozbudaklar Pluton over Southern Uludag

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kocaturk, Huseyin; Kumral, Mustafa

2016-04-01

Plate tectonics is one of the most illustrated theory and biggest geo-dynamic incident on earth surface and sub-surface for the earth science. Tectonic settlement, rock forming minerals, form of stratigraphy, ore genesis processes, crystal structures and even rock textures are all related with plate tectonic. One of the most known region of Turkey is Southern part of Uludaǧ and has been defined with three main lithological union. Region is formed with metamorphics, ophiolites and magmatic intrusions which are generally I-type granodiorites. Also these intrusion related rocks has formed and altered by high grade hydrothermal activity. This study approaches to understand bigger to smaller frameworks of these processes which between plate tectonics and fluid pathways. Geodynamic related fuzzy logic modelling is present us compact conclusion report about structural associations for the economic generations. Deformation structures and fluid pathways which related with plate tectonics progressed on our forearc system and each steps of dynamic movements of subducting mechanism has been seemed affect both hydrothermal stages and mineral variations together. Types of each deformation structure and mineral assemblages has characterized for flux estimations which can be useful for subsurface mapping. Geoanalytical results showed us clear characteristic stories for mutual processes. Determined compression and release directions on our map explains not only hydrothermal stages but also how succesion of intrusions changes. Our fuzzy logic models intersect sections of physical and chemical interactions of study field. Researched parameters like mafic minerals and enclave ratios on different deformation structures, cross sections of structures and relative existing sequence are all changes with different time periods like geochemical environment and each vein. With the combined informations in one scene we can transact mineralization processes about region which occurs in different stages such as subducting slabs, arc volcanism, subsurface flux estimates related orogenic processes, and other geochemical effects of plate movements. Keywords: Hydrothermal Stages, Flux Estimate, Southern Region of Uludaǧ, Subsurface Mapping

Marine Subsurface Microbial Communities Across a Hydrothermal Gradient in Okinawa Trough Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandt, L. D.; Hser Wah Saw, J.; Ettema, T.; House, C. H.

2015-12-01

IODP Expedition 331 to the Okinawa backarc basin provided an opportunity to study the microbial stratigraphy within the sediments surrounding a hydrothermal vent. The Okinawa backarc basin is a sedimented region of the seafloor located on a continental margin, and also hosts a hydrothermal network within the subsurface. Site C0014 within the Iheya North hydrothermal field is located 450 m east of the active vent and has a surface temperature of 5°C with no evidence of hydrothermal alteration within the top 10 meters below sea floor (mbsf). Temperature increases with depth at an estimated rate of 3°C/m and transitions from non-hydrothermal margin sediments to a hydrothermally altered regime below 10 mbsf. In this study, we utilized deep 16S rRNA sequencing of DNA from IODP Expedition 331 Site C0014 sediment horizons in order to assess diversity throughout the sediment column as well as determine the potential limits of the biosphere. Analysis of the amplicon data shows a shift over 15 mbsf from a heterogeneous community of cosmopolitan marine subsurface taxa toward an archaeal-dominated community in the deepest horizons of the predicted biosphere. Notably, the phylum Chloroflexi represents a substantial taxon through most horizons, where it appears to be replaced below 10 mbsf by punctuations of thermophilic and methanotrophic Archaea and Miscellaneous Crenarchaeotic Group abundances. DNA from the aforementioned transition horizons was further analyzed using metagenomic sequencing. Preliminary taxonomic analysis of the metagenomic data agrees well with amplicon data in capturing the shift in relative abundance of Archaea increasing with depth. Additionally, reverse gyrase, a gene found exclusively in hyperthermophilic microorganisms, was recovered only in the metagenome of the deepest horizon. A BLAST search of this protein sequence against the GenBank non-redudnant protein database produced top hits with reverse gyrase from Thermococcus and Pyrococcus, which are known thermophiles. Up until now, thermophiles and hyperthermophiles have been studied in cultured hydrothermal vent fluid samples, or have been identified from 16S rRNA taxonomic analyses. These recovered genes provide direct evidence for a pervasive subsurface hyperthermophilic biosphere in off-axis hydrothermal sediments.

Geologic structure and occurrence of gas in part of southwestern New York. Part 2, Subsurface structure inpart of southwestern New York and mode of occurrence of gas in the Medina group

USGS Publications Warehouse

Richardson, G.B.

1941-01-01

Based on the records of several hundred deep wells, contour maps have been prepared showing the monoclinal structure of part of western New York, and isopach lines have been drawn showing the westward convergence of the rocks. The mode of occurrence of natural gas in the Medina group is briefly discussed. The location of the gas fields has not been determined by structural traps, but rather stratigraphy and lithology are the controlling factors in trapping the gas, which occurs in porous lenses and streaks of sandstone sealed within impermeable beds. This mode of occurrences of the Medina gas makes the search for new fields in western New York more hazardous than in most natural gas regions. As structure has not formed traps for the gas there is no surface guide to favorable sites for testing, and new fields are found by haphazard drilling. It would be helpful, however, when wells are sunk, to study the lithology of the gas-bearing zone by an examination of the drill cuttings and core samples of the sand and to have electrical logs made of the wells to obtain measurements of permeability and porosity. Such tests may indicate the direction of greatest porosity in which the sand is more likely to contain gas.

pynoddy 1.0: an experimental platform for automated 3-D kinematic and potential field modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Florian Wellmann, J.; Thiele, Sam T.; Lindsay, Mark D.; Jessell, Mark W.

2016-03-01

We present a novel methodology for performing experiments with subsurface structural models using a set of flexible and extensible Python modules. We utilize the ability of kinematic modelling techniques to describe major deformational, tectonic, and magmatic events at low computational cost to develop experiments testing the interactions between multiple kinematic events, effect of uncertainty regarding event timing, and kinematic properties. These tests are simple to implement and perform, as they are automated within the Python scripting language, allowing the encapsulation of entire kinematic experiments within high-level class definitions and fully reproducible results. In addition, we provide a link to geophysical potential-field simulations to evaluate the effect of parameter uncertainties on maps of gravity and magnetics. We provide relevant fundamental information on kinematic modelling and our implementation, and showcase the application of our novel methods to investigate the interaction of multiple tectonic events on a pre-defined stratigraphy, the effect of changing kinematic parameters on simulated geophysical potential fields, and the distribution of uncertain areas in a full 3-D kinematic model, based on estimated uncertainties in kinematic input parameters. Additional possibilities for linking kinematic modelling to subsequent process simulations are discussed, as well as additional aspects of future research. Our modules are freely available on github, including documentation and tutorial examples, and we encourage the contribution to this project.

pynoddy 1.0: an experimental platform for automated 3-D kinematic and potential field modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wellmann, J. F.; Thiele, S. T.; Lindsay, M. D.; Jessell, M. W.

2015-11-01

We present a novel methodology for performing experiments with subsurface structural models using a set of flexible and extensible Python modules. We utilise the ability of kinematic modelling techniques to describe major deformational, tectonic, and magmatic events at low computational cost to develop experiments testing the interactions between multiple kinematic events, effect of uncertainty regarding event timing, and kinematic properties. These tests are simple to implement and perform, as they are automated within the Python scripting language, allowing the encapsulation of entire kinematic experiments within high-level class definitions and fully reproducible results. In addition, we provide a~link to geophysical potential-field simulations to evaluate the effect of parameter uncertainties on maps of gravity and magnetics. We provide relevant fundamental information on kinematic modelling and our implementation, and showcase the application of our novel methods to investigate the interaction of multiple tectonic events on a pre-defined stratigraphy, the effect of changing kinematic parameters on simulated geophysical potential-fields, and the distribution of uncertain areas in a full 3-D kinematic model, based on estimated uncertainties in kinematic input parameters. Additional possibilities for linking kinematic modelling to subsequent process simulations are discussed, as well as additional aspects of future research. Our modules are freely available on github, including documentation and tutorial examples, and we encourage the contribution to this project.

Seismic sequence stratigraphy and platform to basin reservoir structuring of Lower Cretaceous deposits in the Sidi Aïch-Majoura region (Central Tunisia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azaïez, Hajer; Bédir, Mourad; Tanfous, Dorra; Soussi, Mohamed

2007-05-01

In central Tunisia, Lower Cretaceous deposits represent carbonate and sandstone reservoir series that correspond to proven oil fields. The main problems for hydrocarbon exploration of these levels are their basin tectonic configuration and their sequence distribution in addition to the source rock availability. The Central Atlas of Tunisia is characterized by deep seated faults directed northeast-southwest, northwest-southeast and north-south. These faults limit inherited tectonic blocks and show intruded Triassic salt domes. Lower Cretaceous series outcropping in the region along the anticline flanks present platform deposits. The seismic interpretation has followed the Exxon methodologies in the 26th A.A.P.G. Memoir. The defined Lower Cretaceous seismic units were calibrated with petroleum well data and tied to stratigraphic sequences established by outcrop studies. This allows the subsurface identification of subsiding zones and thus sequence deposit distribution. Seismic mapping of these units boundary shows a structuring from a platform to basin blocks zones and helps to understand the hydrocarbon reservoir systems-tract and horizon distribution around these domains.

Identification of coal seam strata from geophysical logs of borehole using Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yegireddi, Satyanarayana; Uday Bhaskar, G.

2009-01-01

Different parameters obtained through well-logging geophysical sensors such as SP, resistivity, gamma-gamma, neutron, natural gamma and acoustic, help in identification of strata and estimation of the physical, electrical and acoustical properties of the subsurface lithology. Strong and conspicuous changes in some of the log parameters associated with any particular stratigraphy formation, are function of its composition, physical properties and help in classification. However some substrata show moderate values in respective log parameters and make difficult to identify or assess the type of strata, if we go by the standard variability ranges of any log parameters and visual inspection. The complexity increases further with more number of sensors involved. An attempt is made to identify the type of stratigraphy from borehole geophysical log data using a combined approach of neural networks and fuzzy logic, known as Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System. A model is built based on a few data sets (geophysical logs) of known stratigraphy of in coal areas of Kothagudem, Godavari basin and further the network model is used as test model to infer the lithology of a borehole from their geophysical logs, not used in simulation. The results are very encouraging and the model is able to decipher even thin cola seams and other strata from borehole geophysical logs. The model can be further modified to assess the physical properties of the strata, if the corresponding ground truth is made available for simulation.

Sequence Stratigraphy of the Dakota Sandstone, Eastern San Juan Basin, New Mexico, and its Relationship to Reservoir Compartmentalization

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

Varney, Peter J.

2002-04-23

This research established the Dakota-outcrop sequence stratigraphy in part of the eastern San Juan Basin, New Mexico, and relates reservoir quality lithologies in depositional sequences to structure and reservoir compartmentalization in the South Lindrith Field area. The result was a predictive tool that will help guide further exploration and development.

Correlation of sea level falls interpreted from atoll stratigraphy with turbidites in adjacent basins

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

Lincoln, J.M.

Past sea levels can be derived from any atoll subsurface sediments deposited at or near sea level by determining the ages of deposition and correcting the present depths to the sediments for subsidence of the underlying edifice since the times of deposition. A sea level curve constructed by this method consists of discontinuous segments, each corresponding to a period of rising relative sea level and deposition of a discrete sedimentary package. Discontinuities in the sea level curve derived by this method correspond to relative sea level falls and stratigraphic hiatuses in the atoll subsurface. During intervals of relative sea levelmore » fall an atoll emerges to become a high limestone island. Sea level may fluctuate several times during a period of atoll emergence to become a high limestone island. Sea level may fluctuate several times during a period of atoll emergence without depositing sediments on top of the atoll. Furthermore, subaerial erosion may remove a substantial part of the depositional record of previous sea level fluctuations. For these reasons the authors must look to the adjacent basins to complement the incomplete record of sea level change recorded beneath atolls. During lowstands of sea level, faunas originally deposited near sea level on an atoll may be eroded and redeposited as turbidites in deep adjacent basins. Three such turbidites penetrated during deep-sea drilling at Sites 462 and 315 in the central Pacific correlate well with a late Tertiary sea level curve based on biostratigraphic ages and {sup 87}Sr/{sup 86}Sr chronostratigraphy for core from Enewetak Atoll in the northern Marshall Islands. Further drilling of the archipelagic aprons adjacent to atolls will improve the sea level history that may be inferred from atoll stratigraphy.« less

Digital Tabulation of Geologic and Hydrologic Data from Water Wells in the Northern San Francisco Bay Region, Northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sweetkind, D.S.; Taylor, E.M.

2010-01-01

Downhole lithologic information and aquifer pumping test data are reported from 464 wells from a broad area of the northern part of the Coast Ranges in California. These data were originally published in paper form as numerous tables within three USGS Water-Supply Papers describing geology and groundwater conditions in Napa and Sonoma Valleys, the Santa Rosa and Petaluma Valley areas, and in the Russian River Valley and areas in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, Calif. The well data are compiled in this report in digital form suitable for use in a digital mapping environment. These data, although mostly from relatively shallow water wells, provide important subsurface information that displays the disposition and facies transition of lithologic units throughout this broad area. Well lithologic data themselves and simple three-dimensional interpolation of those data show distinct spatial patterns that are linked to subsurface stratigraphy and structure and can be used to aid in the assessment of the groundwater resources.

Regional stratigraphy and subsurface geology of Cenozoic deposits, Gulf Coastal Plain, south-central United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hosman, R.L.

1991-01-01

Although Cenozoic deposits are not uniformly differentiated, interstate correlations of major Paleocene and Eocene units are generally established throughout the area. Younger deposits are not as well differentiated. Some stratigraphic designations made at surface exposures cannot be extended into the sub-surface, and the scarcity of distinct geologic horizons has hampered differentiation on a regional scale. The complexities of facies development in Oligocene and younger coastal deposits preclude the development of extensive recognizable horizons needed for stratigraphic applications. Coastal deposits are a heterogeneous assemblage of deltaic, lagoonal, lacustrine, palustrine, eolian, and fluvial clastic facies and local calcareous reef facies. Even major time boundaries, as between geologic series, are not fully resolved. Surficial Quaternary deposits overlie the truncated subcrops of Tertiary strata and generally are distinguishable, although some contacts between Pleistocene and underlying Pliocene deposits have been a ?lstoncal source of controversy. Glacially related terraces are characteristic of the Pleistocene Epoch, and alluvium of aggrading streams typifies the Holocene. 

VNIR spectroscopy of Mars Analogues with the ExoMars-Ma_Miss instrument .

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Angelis, S.; De Sanctis, M. C.; Ammannito, E.; Di Iorio, T.; Carli, C.; Frigeri, A.; Capria, M. T.; Federico, C.; Boccaccini, A.; Capaccioni, F.; Giardino, M.; Cerroni, P.; Palomba, E.; Piccioni, G.

The ExoMars 2018 mission will investigate the Martian surface environment with the aim of searching for eventual present or past signs of life, and to obtain a characterization of Martian soil and subsoil. The investigation of the near-surface environment and of the shallow subsurface with complementary techniques, will provide insights on the chemical and mineralogical composition, material grain size, the litotypes, the stratigraphy: these information will help us to understand the geologic processes that characterized the history of the Martian crust. The Ma_Miss (Mars Multispectral Imager for Subsurface Studies) instrument \\citep{coradini01} is a miniaturized visible and near-infrared spectrometer, integrated in the ExoMars Pasteur Rover Drill: it will acquire spectra of the borehole wall performed by the Drill, down to a depth up to two meters. Spectroscopic tests have been performed with the laboratory model (breadboard) on spectral targets and rock samples; furtherly, an activity of VNIR reflectance spectroscopy of Mars analogues has been begun with the breadboard to build a spectral library.

A High-Sensitivity Broad-Band Seismic Sensor for Shallow Seismic Sounding of the Lunar Regolith

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pike, W. Thomas; Standley, Ian M.; Banerdt, W. Bruce

2005-01-01

The recently undertaken Space Exploration Initiative has prompted a renewed interest in techniques for characterizing the surface and shallow subsurface (0-10s of meters depth) of the Moon. There are several reasons for this: First, there is an intrinsic scientific interest in the subsurface structure. For example the stratigraphy, depth to bedrock, density/porosity, and block size distribution all have implications for the formation of, and geological processes affecting the surface, such as sequential crater ejecta deposition, impact gardening, and seismic settling. In some permanently shadowed craters there may be ice deposits just below the surface. Second, the geotechnical properties of the lunar surface layers are of keen interest to future mission planners. Regolith thickness, strength, density, grain size and compaction will affect construction of exploration infrastructure in terms of foundation strength and stability, ease of excavation, radiation shielding effectiveness, as well as raw material handling and processing techniques for resource extraction.

Remanent magnetization stratigraphy of lunar cores

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banerjee, S. K.; Gingrich, D.; Marvin, J. A.

1977-01-01

Depth dependent fluctuations have been observed in the natural remanent magnetizations (NRM) of drive cores and drill strings from Apollo 16 and 17 missions. Partial demagnetization of unstable secondary magnetizations and identification of characteristic error signals from a core which is known to have been recently disturbed allow us to identify and isolate the stable NRM stratigraphy in double drive core 60010/60009 and drill strings 60002-60004. The observed magnetization fluctuations persist after normalization to take into account depth dependent variations in the carriers of stable NRM. We tentatively ascribe the stable NRM stratigraphy to instantaneous records of past magnetic fields at the lunar surface and suggest that the stable NRM stratigraphy technique could develop as a new relative time-stratigraphic tool, to be used with other physical measurements such as relative intensity of ferromagnetic resonance and charged particle track density to study the evolution of the lunar regolith.

Paleomagnetic and Magnetostratigraphic Studies in Drilling Projects of Impact Craters - Recent Studies, Challenges and Perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fucugauchi, J. U.; Velasco-Villarreal, M.; Perez-Cruz, L. L.

2013-05-01

Paleomagnetic studies have long been successfully carried out in drilling projects, to characterize the borehole columns and to investigate the subsurface structure and stratigraphy. Magnetic susceptibility logging and magnetostratigraphic studies provide data for lateral correlation, formation evaluation, azimuthal core orientation, physical properties, etc., and are part of the tools available in the ocean and continental drilling programs. The inclusion of continuous core recovery in scientific drilling projects have greatly expanded the range of potential applications of paleomagnetic and rock magnetic studies, by allowing laboratory measurements on core samples. For this presentation, we concentrate on drilling studies of impact structures and their usefulness for documenting the structure, stratigraphy and physical properties at depth. There are about 170-180 impact craters documented in the terrestrial record, which is a small number compared to what is observed in the Moon, Mars, Venus and other bodies of the solar system. Of the terrestrial impact craters, only a few have been studied by drilling. Some craters have been drilled as part of industry exploration surveys and/or academic projects, including notably the Sudbury, Ries, Vredefort, Manson and many other craters. As part of the Continental ICDP program, drilling projects have been conducted on the Chicxulub, Bosumtwi, Chesapeake and El gygytgyn craters. Drilling of terrestrial craters has proved important in documenting the shallow stratigraphy and structure, providing insight on the cratering and impact dynamics. Questions include several that can only be addressed by retrieving core samples and laboratory analyses. Paleomagnetic, rock magnetic and fabric studies have been conducted in the various craters, which are here summarized with emphasis on the Chicxulub crater and Yucatan carbonate platform. Chicxulub is buried under a kilometer of younger sediments, making drilling an essential tool. Oil exploration included several boreholes, and additionally we have drilled 11 boreholes with continuous core recovery. Contributions and limitations of paleomagnetism for investigating the impact age, crater stratigraphy, cratering, ejecta emplacement, impact dynamics, hydrothermal system and post-impact processes are discussed.

Improving the Hydro-stratigraphic Model of the Oxnard Forebay, Ventura County, California, using Transient Electromagnetic Surveying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quady, Maura Colleen

2013-01-01

To characterize the hydro-stratigraphy of an area, drilling and well logs provide high resolution electrical resistivity data, albeit for limited areas (points). The expense of drilling indirectly leads to sparse data and it is necessary to assume lateral homogeneity between wells when creating stratigraphic maps. Unfortunately, this assumption may not apply to areas in complex depositional and tectonically active settings. The goal of this study is to fill in data gaps between wells in a groundwater basin in order to better characterize the hydro-stratigraphy under existing and potential sites for managed aquifer recharge. Basins in the southern California study area have been used for decades to recharge surface water to an upper aquifer system; this work also addresses whether the local hydro-stratigraphy favors surface infiltration as a means to recharge water to the lower aquifer system. Here, soundings of transient electromagnetism (TEM), a surface geophysical method, are correlated with nearby down-hole resistivity and lithology well logs for grain size interpretations of the subsurface in unsaturated conditions. Grain size is used as a proxy for permeability (hydraulic conductivity), with resistivity contrasts highlighting variations in the media, which would affect groundwater flow in both vertical and horizontal directions. Results suggest a nearly horizontal, extensive, low permeability layer exists in the area and only a few noted locations are favorable for surface -to-lower aquifer system recharge. Furthermore, zones of higher permeability deeper than the upper aquifer system are discontinuous and isolated among lower permeability zones. However, the TEM profiles show areas where lower permeability zones are thin, and where alternatives to surface percolation methods could be explored. In addition, the survey adds information about the transition between the upper and lower aquifer systems, and adds detail to the topography of the base of freshwater. Finally, this work effectively decreases the interpolation distance between data points of wellbores, and when viewed in sequence the TEM profiles present a 3D depiction of basin hydro-stratigraphy.

Detroit River group in the Michigan basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landes, Kenneth K.

1951-01-01

This report attempts to correlate the outcropping rocks in the type locality of the Detroit River group with the thick sequence of rocks that has been explored by many drilled wells in the Michigan Basin during the last twenty years. The surface nomenclature as recently revised (Ehlers, 1950) is suggested for the subsurface section in place of the heterogeneous collection of names now used. The present work revises earlier reports by the writer (1945, a, b, c).During the preparation of this report the samples have been examined from more than 300 wells and cores from 9 wells. The writer has also drawn upon the work of Enyert (1949) who wrote a Doctoral thesis on the sandstones of the Detroit River group, and upon Master's theses on various phases of Detroit River stratigraphy written by Cooley (1947), Saunders .(1948), and Tharp (1944). Finally the writer has had the advantage of many consultations in office and field with George V. Cohee of the U. S. Geological Survey, Professors G. M. Ehlers and E. C. Stumm of the University of Michigan, and with other geologists of Michigan and Ontario, especially George D. Lindberg (Sun Oil Company, Toledo), E. J. Baltrusaitis and K. A. Gravelle (Gulf Refining Company, Saginaw), Willard A. Sanger (Pure Oil Company, Clare), Joseph Lindsay and George WinSton (Carter Oil Co. , Grand Rapids), and Charles S. Evans (Union Gas Co. , Chatham, Ontario). It is a pleasure to acknowledge the help received from these geologists and to thank them for it.The surface and subsurface sections through the Detroit River group in Canada are not included in this report.

Kimberly Well - Photos

DOE Data Explorer

Shervais, John

2011-06-16

The Snake River Plain (SRP), Idaho, hosts potential geothermal resources due to elevated groundwater temperatures associated with the thermal anomaly Yellowstone-Snake River hotspot. Project HOTSPOT has coordinated international institutions and organizations to understand subsurface stratigraphy and assess geothermal potential. Over 5.9km of core were drilled from three boreholes within the SRP in an attempt to acquire continuous core documenting the volcanic and sedimentary record of the hotspot: (1) Kimama, (2) Kimberly, and (3) Mountain Home. The Kimberly drill hole was selected to document continuous volcanism when analysed in conjunction with the Kimama and is located near the margin of the plain. Data submitted by project collaborator Doug Schmitt, University of Alberta

Mountain Home Well - Borehole Geophysics Database

DOE Data Explorer

Shervais, John

2012-11-11

The Snake River Plain (SRP), Idaho, hosts potential geothermal resources due to elevated groundwater temperatures associated with the thermal anomaly Yellowstone-Snake River hotspot. Project HOTSPOT has coordinated international institutions and organizations to understand subsurface stratigraphy and assess geothermal potential. Over 5.9km of core were drilled from three boreholes within the SRP in an attempt to acquire continuous core documenting the volcanic and sedimentary record of the hotspot: (1) Kimama, (2) Kimberly, and (3) Mountain Home. The Mountain Home drill hole is located along the western plain and documents older basalts overlain by sediment. Data submitted by project collaborator Doug Schmitt, University of Alberta

Kimberly Well - Borehole Geophysics Database

DOE Data Explorer

Shervais, John

2011-07-04

The Snake River Plain (SRP), Idaho, hosts potential geothermal resources due to elevated groundwater temperatures associated with the thermal anomaly Yellowstone-Snake River hotspot. Project HOTSPOT has coordinated international institutions and organizations to understand subsurface stratigraphy and assess geothermal potential. Over 5.9km of core were drilled from three boreholes within the SRP in an attempt to acquire continuous core documenting the volcanic and sedimentary record of the hotspot: (1) Kimama, (2) Kimberly, and (3) Mountain Home. The Kimberly drill hole was selected to document continuous volcanism when analysed in conjunction with the Kimama and is located near the margin of the plain. Data submitted by project collaborator Doug Schmitt, University of Alberta

Electromagnetic signal penetration in a planetary soil simulant: Estimated attenuation rates using GPR and TDR in volcanic deposits on Mount Etna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauro, S. E.; Mattei, E.; Cosciotti, B.; Di Paolo, F.; Arcone, S. A.; Viccaro, M.; Pettinelli, E.

2017-07-01

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a well-established geophysical terrestrial exploration method and has recently become one of the most promising for planetary subsurface exploration. Several future landing vehicles like EXOMARS, 2020 NASA ROVER, and Chang'e-4, to mention a few, will host GPR. A GPR survey has been conducted on volcanic deposits on Mount Etna (Italy), considered a good analogue for Martian and Lunar volcanic terrains, to test a novel methodology for subsoil dielectric properties estimation. The stratigraphy of the volcanic deposits was investigated using 500 MHz and 1 GHz antennas in two different configurations: transverse electric and transverse magnetic. Sloping discontinuities have been used to estimate the loss tangents of the upper layer of such deposits by applying the amplitude-decay and frequency shift methods and approximating the GPR transmitted signal by Gaussian and Ricker wavelets. The loss tangent values, estimated using these two methodologies, were compared and validated with those retrieved from time domain reflectometry measurements acquired along the radar profiles. The results show that the proposed analysis, together with typical GPR methods for the estimation of the real part of permittivity, can be successfully used to characterize the electrical properties of planetary subsurface and to define some constraints on its lithology of the subsurface.

Imaging of Subsurface Corrosion Using Gradient-Field Pulsed Eddy Current Probes with Uniform Field Excitation

PubMed Central

Ren, Shuting; Yan, Bei; Zainal Abidin, Ilham Mukriz; Wang, Yi

2017-01-01

A corrosive environment leaves in-service conductive structures prone to subsurface corrosion which poses a severe threat to the structural integrity. It is indispensable to detect and quantitatively evaluate subsurface corrosion via non-destructive evaluation techniques. Although the gradient-field pulsed eddy current technique (GPEC) has been found to be superior in the evaluation of corrosion in conductors, it suffers from a technical drawback resulting from the non-uniform field excited by the conventional pancake coil. In light of this, a new GPEC probe with uniform field excitation for the imaging of subsurface corrosion is proposed in this paper. The excited uniform field makes the GPEC signal correspond only to the field perturbation due to the presence of subsurface corrosion, which benefits the corrosion profiling and sizing. A 3D analytical model of GPEC is established to analyze the characteristics of the uniform field induced within a conductor. Following this, experiments regarding the imaging of subsurface corrosion via GPEC have been carried out. It has been found from the results that the proposed GPEC probe with uniform field excitation not only applies to the imaging of subsurface corrosion in conductive structures, but provides high-sensitivity imaging results regarding the corrosion profile and opening size. PMID:28758985

Imaging of Subsurface Corrosion Using Gradient-Field Pulsed Eddy Current Probes with Uniform Field Excitation.

PubMed

Li, Yong; Ren, Shuting; Yan, Bei; Zainal Abidin, Ilham Mukriz; Wang, Yi

2017-07-31

A corrosive environment leaves in-service conductive structures prone to subsurface corrosion which poses a severe threat to the structural integrity. It is indispensable to detect and quantitatively evaluate subsurface corrosion via non-destructive evaluation techniques. Although the gradient-field pulsed eddy current technique (GPEC) has been found to be superior in the evaluation of corrosion in conductors, it suffers from a technical drawback resulting from the non-uniform field excited by the conventional pancake coil. In light of this, a new GPEC probe with uniform field excitation for the imaging of subsurface corrosion is proposed in this paper. The excited uniform field makes the GPEC signal correspond only to the field perturbation due to the presence of subsurface corrosion, which benefits the corrosion profiling and sizing. A 3D analytical model of GPEC is established to analyze the characteristics of the uniform field induced within a conductor. Following this, experiments regarding the imaging of subsurface corrosion via GPEC have been carried out. It has been found from the results that the proposed GPEC probe with uniform field excitation not only applies to the imaging of subsurface corrosion in conductive structures, but provides high-sensitivity imaging results regarding the corrosion profile and opening size.

Shallow characterization of the subsurface for the 2018 Mission to Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciarletti, V.; plettemeier, D.; Vieau, A. J.; Hassen-Khodja, R.; Lustrement, B.; Cais, P.; Clifford, S.

2012-04-01

The highest priority scientific objectives of the revised 2018 mission to Mars are (1) to search for evidence of past or present life, (2) to identify the samples that are most likely to preserve potential evidence of life and the nature of the early Martian environment that might have given rise to it and (3) to cache them for later retrieval back to Earth for more detailed analyses than can be performed by the rover's onboard analytical laboratory. WISDOM is a ground penetrating radar that has been designed to investigate the near subsurface of Mars down to a depth of ~2-3 m, with a vertical resolution of several centimeters - commensurate with the sampling capabilities of the ExoMars onboard drill. The ability of WISDOM to investigate the geology of the landing site in 3-dimensions will permit direct correlations between subsurface layers and horizons with those exposed in nearby outcrops and the interior of impact craters. By combining periodic soundings conducted during a Rover traverse with targeted, high density grid-type soundings of areas of potential scientific interest, it will be possible to construct a 3-dimensional map of the local radar stratigraphy. Of all of the Pasteur Payload instruments, only WISDOM has the ability to investigate and characterize the nature of the subsurface remotely. Moreover, the geoelectrical properties of H2O make WISDOM a powerful tool to understand the local distribution and state of subsurface H2O, including the potential presence of segregated ground ice and the persistent or transient occurrence of liquid water/brine. A WISDOM prototype, representative of the final flight model is now being tested. A series of calibrations and verifications have been initiated. The real performance of the instrument is currently assessed for various test environments. Results about the resolution and sensitivity achieved are presented as well as 3D representations of detected subsurface structures. Preliminary estimates of permittivity values are also shown.

The Simulation of Temperature Field Based on 3D Modeling and Its Comparison versus Measured Temperature Distribution of Daqing Oilfield, NE China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Y.; Jiang, G.; Hu, S.

2017-12-01

Daqing, as the largest oil field of China with more than 50 years of exploration and production history for oil and gas, its geothermal energy utilization was started in 2000, with a main focus on district heating and direct use. In our ongoing study, data from multiple sources are collected, including BHT, DST, steady state temperature measurements in deep wells and thermophysical properties of formations. Based on these measurements, an elaborate investigation of the temperature field of Daqing Oilfield is made. Moreover, through exploration for oil and gas, subsurface geometry, depth, thickness and properties of the stratigraphic layers have been extensively delineated by well logs and seismic profiles. A 3D model of the study area is developed incorporating the information of structure, stratigraphy, basal heat flow, and petrophysical and thermophysical properties of strata. Based on the model, a simulation of the temperature field of Daqing Oilfield is generated. A purely conductive regime is presumed, as demonstrated by measured temperature log in deep wells. Wells W1, W2 and SK2 are used as key wells for model calibration. Among them, SK2, as part of the International Continental Deep Drilling Program, has a designed depth of 6400m, the steady state temperature measurement in the borehole has reached the depth of 4000m. The results of temperature distribution generated from simulation and investigation are compared, in order to evaluate the potential of applying the method to other sedimentary basins with limited borehole temperature measurements but available structural, stratigraphic and thermal regime information.

Leachate plume delineation and lithologic profiling using surface resistivity in an open municipal solid waste dumpsite, Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Wijesekara, Hasintha Rangana; De Silva, Sunethra Nalin; Wijesundara, Dharani Thanuja De Silva; Basnayake, Bendict Francis Antony; Vithanage, Meththika Suharshini

2015-01-01

This study presents the use of direct current resistivity techniques (DCRT) for investigation and characterization of leachate-contaminated subsurface environment of an open solid waste dumpsite at Kandy, Sri Lanka. The particular dumpsite has no liner and hence the leachate flows directly to the nearby river via subsurface and surface channels. For the identification of possible subsurface flow paths and the direction of the leachate, DCRT (two-dimensional, three-dimensional and vertical electrical sounding) have been applied. In addition, the physico-chemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), alkalinity, hardness, chloride, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC) of leachate collected from different points of the solid waste dumping area and leachate drainage channel were analysed. Resistivity data confirmed that the leachate flow is confined to the near surface and no separate plume is observed in the downstream area, which may be due to the contamination distribution in the shallow overburden thickness. The stratigraphy with leachate pockets and leachate plume movements was well demarcated inside the dumpsite via low resistivity zones (1-3 Ωm). The recorded EC, alkalinity, hardness and chloride contents in leachate were averaged as 14.13 mS cm⁻¹, 3236, 2241 and 320 mg L⁻¹, respectively, which confirmed the possible causes for low resistivity values. This study confirms that DCRT can be effectively utilized to assess the subsurface characteristics of the open dumpsites to decide on corridor placement and depth of permeable reactive barriers to reduce the groundwater contamination.

An open, object-based modeling approach for simulating subsurface heterogeneity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, J.; Ross, M.; Haslauer, C. P.; Cirpka, O. A.

2017-12-01

Characterization of subsurface heterogeneity with respect to hydraulic and geochemical properties is critical in hydrogeology as their spatial distribution controls groundwater flow and solute transport. Many approaches of characterizing subsurface heterogeneity do not account for well-established geological concepts about the deposition of the aquifer materials; those that do (i.e. process-based methods) often require forcing parameters that are difficult to derive from site observations. We have developed a new method for simulating subsurface heterogeneity that honors concepts of sequence stratigraphy, resolves fine-scale heterogeneity and anisotropy of distributed parameters, and resembles observed sedimentary deposits. The method implements a multi-scale hierarchical facies modeling framework based on architectural element analysis, with larger features composed of smaller sub-units. The Hydrogeological Virtual Reality simulator (HYVR) simulates distributed parameter models using an object-based approach. Input parameters are derived from observations of stratigraphic morphology in sequence type-sections. Simulation outputs can be used for generic simulations of groundwater flow and solute transport, and for the generation of three-dimensional training images needed in applications of multiple-point geostatistics. The HYVR algorithm is flexible and easy to customize. The algorithm was written in the open-source programming language Python, and is intended to form a code base for hydrogeological researchers, as well as a platform that can be further developed to suit investigators' individual needs. This presentation will encompass the conceptual background and computational methods of the HYVR algorithm, the derivation of input parameters from site characterization, and the results of groundwater flow and solute transport simulations in different depositional settings.

The snake geothermal drilling project. Innovative approaches to geothermal exploration

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

Shervais, John W.; Evans, James P.; Liberty, Lee M.

2014-02-21

The goal of our project was to test innovative technologies using existing and new data, and to ground-truth these technologies using slim-hole core technology. The slim-hole core allowed us to understand subsurface stratigraphy and alteration in detail, and to correlate lithologies observed in core with surface based geophysical studies. Compiled data included geologic maps, volcanic vent distribution, structural maps, existing well logs and temperature gradient logs, groundwater temperatures, and geophysical surveys (resistivity, magnetics, gravity). New data included high-resolution gravity and magnetic surveys, high-resolution seismic surveys, three slimhole test wells, borehole wireline logs, lithology logs, water chemistry, alteration mineralogy, fracture distribution,more » and new thermal gradient measurements.« less

Kimama Well - Borehole Geophysics Database

DOE Data Explorer

Shervais, John

2011-07-04

The Snake River Plain (SRP), Idaho, hosts potential geothermal resources due to elevated groundwater temperatures associated with the thermal anomaly Yellowstone-Snake River hotspot. Project HOTSPOT has coordinated international institutions and organizations to understand subsurface stratigraphy and assess geothermal potential. Over 5.9km of core were drilled from three boreholes within the SRP in an attempt to acquire continuous core documenting the volcanic and sedimentary record of the hotspot: (1) Kimama, (2) Kimberly, and (3) Mountain Home. The Kimama drill site was set up to acquire a continuous record of basaltic volcanism along the central volcanic axis and to test the extent of geothermal resources beneath the Snake River aquifer. Data submitted by project collaborator Doug Schmitt, University of Alberta

Kimama Well - Photos

DOE Data Explorer

Shervais, John

2011-01-16

The Snake River Plain (SRP), Idaho, hosts potential geothermal resources due to elevated groundwater temperatures associated with the thermal anomaly Yellowstone-Snake River hotspot. Project HOTSPOT has coordinated international institutions and organizations to understand subsurface stratigraphy and assess geothermal potential. Over 5.9km of core were drilled from three boreholes within the SRP in an attempt to acquire continuous core documenting the volcanic and sedimentary record of the hotspot: (1) Kimama, (2) Kimberly, and (3) Mountain Home. The Kimama drill site was set up to acquire a continuous record of basaltic volcanism along the central volcanic axis and to test the extent of geothermal resources beneath the Snake River aquifer. Data submitted by project collaborator Doug Schmitt, University of Alberta

Accumulation and erosion of Mars' south polar layered deposits.

PubMed

Seu, Roberto; Phillips, Roger J; Alberti, Giovanni; Biccari, Daniela; Bonaventura, Francesco; Bortone, Marco; Calabrese, Diego; Campbell, Bruce A; Cartacci, Marco; Carter, Lynn M; Catallo, Claudio; Croce, Anna; Croci, Renato; Cutigni, Marco; Di Placido, Antonio; Dinardo, Salvatore; Federico, Costanzo; Flamini, Enrico; Fois, Franco; Frigeri, Alessandro; Fuga, Oreste; Giacomoni, Emanuele; Gim, Yonggyu; Guelfi, Mauro; Holt, John W; Kofman, Wlodek; Leuschen, Carlton J; Marinangeli, Lucia; Marras, Paolo; Masdea, Arturo; Mattei, Stefania; Mecozzi, Riccardo; Milkovich, Sarah M; Morlupi, Antonio; Mouginot, Jérémie; Orosei, Roberto; Papa, Claudio; Paternò, Tobia; Persi del Marmo, Paolo; Pettinelli, Elena; Pica, Giulia; Picardi, Giovanni; Plaut, Jeffrey J; Provenziani, Marco; Putzig, Nathaniel E; Russo, Federica; Safaeinili, Ali; Salzillo, Giuseppe; Santovito, Maria Rosaria; Smrekar, Suzanne E; Tattarletti, Barbara; Vicari, Danilo

2007-09-21

Mars' polar regions are covered with ice-rich layered deposits that potentially contain a record of climate variations. The sounding radar SHARAD on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mapped detailed subsurface stratigraphy in the Promethei Lingula region of the south polar plateau, Planum Australe. Radar reflections interpreted as layers are correlated across adjacent orbits and are continuous for up to 150 kilometers along spacecraft orbital tracks. The reflectors are often separated into discrete reflector sequences, and strong echoes are seen as deep as 1 kilometer. In some cases, the sequences are dipping with respect to each other, suggesting an interdepositional period of erosion. In Australe Sulci, layers are exhumed, indicating recent erosion.

Huygens Crater: Insights into Noachian Volcanism, Stratigraphy, and Aqueous Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ackiss, S. E.; Wray, J. J.; Seelos, K. D.; Niles, P. B.

2015-01-01

Huygens crater is a well preserved peak ring structure on Mars centered at 13.5 deg S, 55.5 deg E in the Noachian highlands between Terras Tyrrhena and Sabaea near the NW rim of Hellas basin. With a diameter of approximately 470 km, it uplifted and exhumed pre-Noachian crustal materials from depths greater than 25 km, penetrating below the thick, ubiquitous layer of Hellas ejecta. In addition, Huygens served as a basin for subsequent aqueous activity, including erosion/deposition by fluvial valley networks and subsurface alteration that is now exposed by smaller impacts. Younger mafic-bearing plains that partially cover the basin floor and surrounding intercrater areas were likely emplaced by later volcanism.

Shallow geology, sea-floor texture, and physiographic zones of Vineyard and western Nantucket Sounds, Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldwin, Wayne E.; Foster, David S.; Pendleton, Elizabeth A.; Barnhardt, Walter A.; Schwab, William C.; Andrews, Brian D.; Ackerman, Seth D.

2016-09-02

Geologic, sediment texture, and physiographic zone maps characterize the sea floor of Vineyard and western Nantucket Sounds, Massachusetts. These maps were derived from interpretations of seismic-reflection profiles, high-resolution bathymetry, acoustic-backscatter intensity, bottom photographs/video, and surficial sediment samples collected within the 494-square-kilometer study area. Interpretations of seismic stratigraphy and mapping of glacial and Holocene marine units provided a foundation on which the surficial maps were created. This mapping is a result of a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management to characterize the surface and subsurface geologic framework offshore of Massachusetts.

Unraveling the Diversity of Early Aqueous Environments and Climate on Mars Through the Phyllosilicate Record

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bishop, J. L.; Baker, L. L.; Fairén, A. G.; Gross, C.; Velbel, M. A.; Rampe, E. B.; Michalski, J. R.

2017-01-01

Were Martian phyllosilicates formed on the surface or subsurface? Was early Mars warm or cold? How long was liquid water present on the surface of Mars? These are some of the many open questions about our neighboring planet. We propose that the mineralogy of the clay-bearing outcrops on Mars can help address these questions. Abundant phyllosilicates and aqueous minerals are observed nearly everywhere we can see the ancient rocks on Mars. Most bountiful among these is Fe/Mg-smectite. In this study we evaluate the nature and stratigraphy of clay outcrops observed on Mars and the presence of mixtures of other clays or other minerals with the ubiquitous Fe/Mg-smectite.

Lunar regolith stratigraphy analysis based on the simulation of lunar penetrating radar signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Jialong; Xu, Yi; Zhang, Xiaoping; Tang, Zesheng

2017-11-01

The thickness of lunar regolith is an important index of evaluating the quantity of lunar resources such as 3He and relative geologic ages. Lunar penetrating radar (LPR) experiment of Chang'E-3 mission provided an opportunity of in situ lunar subsurface structure measurement in the northern mare imbrium area. However, prior work on analyzing LPR data obtained quite different conclusions of lunar regolith structure mainly because of the missing of clear interface reflectors in radar image. In this paper, we utilized finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method and three models of regolith structures with different rock density, number of layers, shapes of interfaces, and etc. to simulate the LPR signals for the interpretation of radar image. The simulation results demonstrate that the scattering signals caused by numerous buried rocks in the regolith can mask the horizontal reflectors, and the die-out of radar echo does not indicate the bottom of lunar regolith layer and data processing such as migration method could recover some of the subsurface information but also result in fake signals. Based on analysis of simulation results, we conclude that LPR results uncover the subsurface layered structure containing the rework zone with multiple ejecta blankets of small crater, the ejecta blanket of Chang'E-3 crater, and the transition zone and estimate the thickness of the detected layer is about 3.25 m.

A History of Repeated Failures: Stratigraphy of the Currituck and Cape Fear Slide Complexes on the Central U.S. Atlantic Margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, J. C.; Brothers, D. S.; Ten Brink, U. S.

2016-12-01

The Currituck and Cape Fear Slide complexes, offshore of North Carolina, are two of the largest (>150 km3) submarine slope failure provinces on the U.S. Atlantic margin. Detailed stratigraphy of these slides and the surrounding regions is derived from a combination of high-resolution sparker multichannel seismic (MCS) data collected by the USGS in 2012, airgun MCS collected as part of the NSF GeoPRISMs Community Seismic Experiment in 2014 & legacy industry airgun MCS data collected in 1970s and 80s. Both the Currituck and Cape Fear Slide complexes are located in regions with high sediment input that resulted in the development of a broad, low gradient (<6°) margin with thick slope sediment accumulation since at least the Miocene. Bedding parallel failure planes highlight the influence of subsurface stratigraphy here. Differential compaction across buried scarps and other erosional surfaces found in proximity to many of the headwalls may have contributed to excess pore pressure in these zones, setting the stage for repeated failures. Within the Currituck Slide complex, there appear to be several buried mass transport deposits (MTDs) within both the Quaternary and Pliocene sections that may be related to buried scarps found beneath both the upper and lower headwalls. At the Cape Fear Slide, the Quaternary section upslope of a large salt diapir displays evidence of possible downslope creep folding within strata that downlap onto a possible buried failure plane. While submarine slope failure along this portion of the margin has long been linked with hydrate dissociation and/or salt tectonics, features that are pervasive along the margin, our new stratigraphic analyses suggest that antecedent margin physiography and sediment loading may be critical factors in determining the locations of large-scale slope failures.

Preliminary three-dimensional geohydrologic framework of the San Antonio Creek Groundwater Basin, Santa Barbara County, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cromwell, G.; Sweetkind, D. S.; O'leary, D. R.

2017-12-01

The San Antonio Creek Groundwater Basin is a rural agricultural area that is heavily dependent on groundwater to meet local water demands. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is working cooperatively with Santa Barbara County and Vandenberg Air Force Base to assess the quantity and quality of the groundwater resources within the basin. As part of this assessment, an integrated hydrologic model that will help stakeholders to effectively manage the water resources in the basin is being developed. The integrated hydrologic model includes a conceptual model of the subsurface geology consisting of stratigraphy and variations in lithology throughout the basin. The San Antonio Creek Groundwater Basin is a relatively narrow, east-west oriented valley that is structurally controlled by an eastward-plunging syncline. Basin-fill material beneath the valley floor consists of relatively coarse-grained, permeable, marine and non-marine sedimentary deposits, which are underlain by fine-grained, low-permeability, marine sedimentary rocks. To characterize the system, surficial and subsurface geohydrologic data were compiled from geologic maps, existing regional geologic models, and lithology and geophysical logs from boreholes, including two USGS multiple-well sites drilled as part of this study. Geohydrologic unit picks and lithologic variations are incorporated into a three-dimensional framework model of the basin. This basin (model) includes six geohydrologic units that follow the structure and stratigraphy of the area: 1) Bedrock - low-permeability marine sedimentary rocks; 2) Careaga Formation - fine to coarse grained near-shore sandstone; 3) Paso Robles Formation, lower portion - sandy-gravely deposits with clay and limestone; 4) Paso Robles Formation, middle portion - clayey-silty deposits; 5) Paso Robles Formation, upper portion - sandy-gravely deposits; and 6) recent Quaternary deposits. Hydrologic data show that the upper and lower portions of the Paso Robles Formation are the primary grou­ndwater-bearing units within the basin, and that the fine-grained layer within this Formation locally restricts vertical groundwater flow.

Seismic reflection results of the GYRE 1997 Cruise at the Bryant Canyon of the Louisiana Gulf Coast

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nealon, Jeffrey W.; Dillon, William P.; Twichell, David

2000-01-01

The TexasLouisiana continental slope is one of the few remaining frontiers for hydrocarbon exploration within the US Exclusive Economic Zone.  This area has a complex seafloor morphology and highly discontinuous shallow stratigraphy that are the result of deformation by the highly mobile Louann salt that underlies much of this margin shoreward of the Sigsbee Escarpment.Gas hydrates exist both on the sea floor and at depth throughout the gas hydrate stability zone which extends to several hundred meters beneath the sea floor at greater water depths.  Multibeam bathymetry, GLORIA sidescan sonar imagery, and site-specific studies have identified the presence of faults, mass-wasting deposits, variable sediment types, and gas hydrates exposed on the seafloor.  The expression of these features on the seafloor suggests a tectonically active area.  The distribution of these different processes and their relation to the subsurface stratigraphy and tectonic setting are not well understood, yet an understanding of these issues is essential as exploration extends into this deep-water area.To address the questions of surficial processes and their connection with deeper structures underlying this continental margin, a three-week cruise was conducted by the USGS in April, 1997 aboard the RV GYRE. The study area focussed on Bryant Canyon, a former submarine canyon, through which turbidity currents transported sands from a shelf-edge delta upslope of the study area to the Bryant Fan on the rise seaward of the base of the slope.  The cruise was divided into two parts.  The first part was devoted to collecting seismic-reflection profiles across parts of the canyon system to define the shallow stratigraphy and to determine the presence and distribution of gas hydrates in this area.  Approximately 555 km of single-channel seismic-reflection data were collected during this first part of the cruise.  A track map showing the locations of the profiles, low-resolution images of the profiles, and the SEG-Y format of these data are all presented on this CD-ROM.  During the second part of the cruise, 38 piston cores were collected to describe the shallow subsurface facies of the study area. The coring data will be availible in an open file report to be published by Hans Nelson.We acknowledge the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy, which provided partial support for seismic data gathering and processing.

Impact penetrometry of analogue planetary regoliths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paton, M. D.; Green, S. F.; Ball, A. J.

2013-09-01

Erosion and deposition processes on major and minor planetary bodies generate layers of loose broken up material on the surface. Due to the long period over which these processes have been active, the material in these layers can be, depending on the bodies' size, finely ground into grains similar in size to sand or a finer power such as found on the lunar surface. The subsurface stratigraphy of an asteroid, for example, could help characterise and understand the variety of geological features and granular processes on asteroids, e.g. see [1]. The microstructural properties of the asteroid's surface are also important for understanding the impact history of the asteroid, the interpretation of light scattering observations and thermal modelling. As the surface of an asteroid or planet will most likely be granular and loose it is then easy to penetrate, for example by using a cylindrical body tipped with a conical or other shaped tip. Such a device, fitted with a force sensor, that measures the resistance to penetration, can then be used to infer the physical properties of the target, in a similar way to penetrometers used on Earth. These instruments can be made small enough to be deployed by spacecraft to investigate extraterrestrial surfaces as with the Huygens penetrometer that investigated the surface of Titan [2]. A prototype impact penetrometer (fig. 1), based on a standard instrument used for making such measurements on Earth, is introduced. For detailed characterisation of the local stratigraphy penetrometry is usually conducted on the Earth using such a standardised penetrometer inserted slowly and at constant speed into the subsurface. Consequently there is an established and extensive library of publications available for the interpretation of this type of instrument. Impact penetrometry, as the name suggests, is conducted during the impact of a projectile. This type of penetrometry has not been so well characterised and interpreting the results, in terms of stratigraphy, is made difficult due to dynamic effects such as variation in friction and drag coefficient with speed. Here we investigate speed-dependent effects with depth of penetration (see fig. 2) and compare them with the effects of layered material (see fig. 3). We combine a microstructural model [3] with a macroscale model of penetration (see fig. 6) to investigate the importance of momentum effects with impact speed and grain size relative to penetrometer size.We assess the penetrometer for detection of microstructural properties of the regolith such as particle size (see fig. 5) and mass and make recommendations, building on our previous work, for further refinement of an asteroid penetrometer.

Upside-down sequence stratigraphy, sandy highstands, and muddy prograding complexes in the Surma Basin, Bangladesh

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

Radovich, B.J.; Hoffman, M.W.; Perlmutter, M.A.

1995-12-31

Several large, TCF-size gas fields have been discovered in the Surma Basin, Bangladesh. Detailed sequence stratigraphy was performed on log and seismic data to study these fields and future potential of the area. The prospective section is Upper Miocene sands caught up in a series of younger compressional fault-related folds caused by the Indian Plate colliding with S.E. Asia in the late Tertiary. World-class gas/water contacts are observed on the seismic data over the fields. Sequence stratigraphic techniques reveal an ordered, predictable stratigraphic architecture of sandy highstands and transgressions, and muddy aggraded prograding complexes with deep incisions at each sequencemore » boundary. This serves as a framework to understand the hydrocarbon accumulations in the area. Cyclostratigraphy is used to understand the unusual lithology distributions in the basin.« less

Subsurface control on seafloor erosional processes offshore of the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Twichell, David; Pendleton, Elizabeth; Baldwin, Wayne; Flocks, James

2009-12-01

The Chandeleur Islands lie on the eastern side of the modern Mississippi River delta plain, near the edge of the St. Bernard Delta complex. Since abandonment approximately 2,000 years b.p., this delta complex has undergone subsidence and ravinement as the shoreline has transgressed across it. High-resolution seismic-reflection, sidescan-sonar, and bathymetry data show that seafloor erosion is influenced by locally variable shallow stratigraphy. The data reveal two general populations of shallow erosional depressions, either linear or subcircular in shape. Linear depressions occur primarily where sandy distributary-channel deposits are exposed on the seafloor. The subcircular pits are concentrated in areas where delta-front deposits crop out, and occasional seismic blanking indicates that gas is present. The difference in erosional patterns suggests that delta-front and distributary-channel deposits respond uniquely to wave and current energy expended on the inner shelf, particularly during stormy periods. Linear depressions may be the result of the sandy distributary-channel deposits eroding more readily by waves and coastal currents than the surrounding delta-front deposits. Pits may develop as gas discharge or liquefaction occurs within fine-grained delta-front deposits, causing seafloor collapse. These detailed observations suggest that ravinement of this inner shelf surface may be ongoing, is controlled by the underlying stratigraphy, and has varied morphologic expression.

Subsurface control on seafloor erosional processes offshore of the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Twichell, David; Pendleton, Elizabeth A.; Baldwin, Wayne E.; Flocks, James G.

2009-01-01

The Chandeleur Islands lie on the eastern side of the modern Mississippi River delta plain, near the edge of the St. Bernard Delta complex. Since abandonment approximately 2,000 years b.p., this delta complex has undergone subsidence and ravinement as the shoreline has transgressed across it. High-resolution seismic-reflection, sidescan-sonar, and bathymetry data show that seafloor erosion is influenced by locally variable shallow stratigraphy. The data reveal two general populations of shallow erosional depressions, either linear or subcircular in shape. Linear depressions occur primarily where sandy distributary-channel deposits are exposed on the seafloor. The subcircular pits are concentrated in areas where delta-front deposits crop out, and occasional seismic blanking indicates that gas is present. The difference in erosional patterns suggests that delta-front and distributary-channel deposits respond uniquely to wave and current energy expended on the inner shelf, particularly during stormy periods. Linear depressions may be the result of the sandy distributary-channel deposits eroding more readily by waves and coastal currents than the surrounding delta-front deposits. Pits may develop as gas discharge or liquefaction occurs within fine-grained delta-front deposits, causing seafloor collapse. These detailed observations suggest that ravinement of this inner shelf surface may be ongoing, is controlled by the underlying stratigraphy, and has varied morphologic expression.

High-resolution multi-channel seismic images of the Queen Charlotte Fault system offshore southeastern Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, N. C.; Brothers, D. S.; Kluesner, J.; Balster-Gee, A.; Ten Brink, U. S.; Andrews, B. D.; Haeussler, P. J.; Watt, J. T.; Dartnell, P.; East, A. E.

2016-12-01

We present high-resolution multi-channel seismic (MCS) images of fault structure and sedimentary stratigraphy along the southeastern Alaska margin, where the northern Queen Charlotte Fault (QCF) cuts the shelf-edge and slope. The QCF is a dominantly strike slip system that forms the boundary between the Pacific (PA) and North American (NA) plates offshore western Canada and southeastern Alaska. The data were collected using a 64 channel, 200 m digital streamer and a 0.75-3 kJ sparker source aboard the R/V Norseman in August 2016. The survey was designed to cross a seafloor fault trace recently imaged by multibeam sonar (see adjacent poster by Brothers et al.) and to extend the subsurface information landward and seaward from the fault. Analysis of these MCS and multibeam data focus on addressing key questions that have significant implications for the kinematic and geodynamic history of the fault, including: Is the imaged surface fault in multibeam sonar the only recently-active fault trace? What is the shallow fault zone width and structure, is the internal structure of the recently-discovered pull-apart basin a dynamically developing structure? How does sediment thickness vary along the margin and how does this variation affect the fault expression? Can previous glacial sequences be identified in the stratigraphy?

Rover mounted ground penetrating radar as a tool for investigating the near-surface of Mars and beyong

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grant, J. A.; Schultz, P. H.

1993-01-01

In spite of the highly successful nature of recent planetary missions to the terrestrial planets and outer satellites a number of questions concerning the evolution of their surfaces remain unresolved. For example, knowledge of many characteristics of the stratigraphy and soils comprising the near-surface on Mars remains largely unknown, but is crucial in order to accurately define the history of surface processes and near-surface sedimentary record. Similar statements can be made regarding our understanding of near-surface stratigraphy and processes on other extraterrestrial planetary bodies. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a proven and standard instrument capable of imaging the subsurface at high resolution to 10's of meters depth in a variety of terrestrial environments. Moreover, GPR is portable and easily modified for rover deployment. Data collected with a rover mounted GPR could resolve a number of issues related to planetary surface evolution by defining shallow stratigraphic records and would provide context for interpreting results of other surface analyses (e.g. elemental or mineralogical). A discussion of existing GPR capabilities is followed first by examples of how GPR might be used to better define surface evolution on Mars and then by a brief description of possible GPR applications to the Moon and other planetary surfaces.

Lateral, vertical, and longitudinal connectivity of runoff source areas drive stream hydro-biogeochemical signals across a low relief drainage network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmer, M. A.; McGlynn, B. L.

2017-12-01

Our understanding of the balance between longitudinal, lateral, and vertical expansion and contraction of reactive flowpaths and source areas in headwater catchments is limited. To address this, we utilized an ephemeral-to-perennial stream network in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, USA to gain new understanding about critical zone mechanisms that drive runoff generation and biogeochemical signals in both groundwater and stream water. Here, we used chemical and hydrometric data collected from zero through second order catchments to characterize spatial and temporal runoff and overland, shallow soil, and deep subsurface flow across characteristic landscape positions. Our results showed that the active stream network was driven by two superimposed runoff generation regimes that produced distinct hydro-biogeochemical signals at the catchment outlet. The baseflow runoff generation regime expanded and contracted the stream network seasonally through the rise and fall of the seasonal water table. Superimposed on this, event-activated source area contributions were driven by surficial and shallow subsurface flowpaths. The subsurface critical zone stratigraphy in this landscape coupled with the precipitation regime activated these shallow flowpaths frequently. This drove an increase in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations with increases in runoff across catchment scales. DOC-runoff relationship variability and spread was driven by the balance between runoff regimes as well as a seasonal depletion of DOC from shallow subsurface flowpath activation and annual replenishment from litterfall. From this, we suggest that the hydro-biogeochemical signals at larger catchment outlets can be driven by a balance of longitudinal, lateral, and vertical source area contributions, critical zone structure, and complex hydrological processes.

Occurence of ore metals in some terrestrial geothermal systems

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

Browne, P.

1984-02-01

Drilling programs and the study of active geothermal systems have shown that the reservoir rocks in many fields contain minor quantities of base and precious metals. Commonly, base-metal sulfides occur in the subsurface but, where present, Au, Ag, Hg, As, Tl and Sb rich precipitates deposit near, or at, the surface. Although in some fields (Geysers, Larderello, Tongonan) some of the ore minerals (and others) are relict, there is evidence that they are now depositing in a few systems. Recent work on active hydrothermal systems in New Zealand shows that: (1) Sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite (forming veins and disseminated discrete crystals)more » plus rare pentlandite, cobaltite and arsenopyrite, occur at Broadlands, NZ. Rare quantities of base-metal sulfides also occur in cores and cuttings from the geothermal fields of Waiotapu, Kawerau, Tauhara, and Ngawha. Further, Kakimoto (1983) has identified cassiterite, native silver, and trace gold in cores from Tauhara, in the south-eastern part of the Wairakei field. Bore temperatures at the depths from which these minerals were recovered are mostly between 220/sup 0/ and 300/sup 0/C, but at Broadlands are locally as low as 120/sup 0/C. The host rocks are Quaternary calc-alkali, silicic lavas and pyroclastic rocks, andesites, dacite and deep Mesozoic greywackes and argillites; however, there is no obvious relationship between mineralization and stratigraphy, permeability or well output. The deposition of amorphous precious metal precipitates (Au, Ag, Hg, As, Sb, Tl) from hot springs and well discharges has taken place at Broadlands, Waiotapu and Rotokawa; it also occurs at Kawerau. Water discharging from Frying Pan Lake, Waimangu, is presently depositing siliceous sinter containing up to 4.1% tungsten.« less

Hillslope characterization in terms of geophysical units based on the joint interpretation of electrical resistivity and seismic velocity data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feskova, Tatiana; Dietrich, Peter

2015-04-01

Hydrological conditions in a catchment depend on many factors such as climatic, geological, geomorphological, biological and human, which interact with each other and influence water balance in a catchment. This interaction leads to the subordination in the landscape structure, namely the weak elements subordinate to the powerful elements. Thereby, geological and geomorphological factors play an essential role in catchment development and organization. A hillslope consequently can be allocated to one class of the representative units because the important flow processes run at the hillslope. Moreover, a hillslope can be subdivided into stratigraphic subsurface units and significant hillslope areas based on the lithological change of contrasting interfaces. The knowledge of subsurface structures is necessary to understand and predicate complex hydrological processes in a catchment. Geophysical techniques provide a good opportunity to explore the subsurface. A complete geophysical investigation of subsurface in a catchment with difficult environmental conditions never will be achieved because of large time effort in the field, equipment logistic, and ambiguity in the data interpretation. The case study demonstrates how a catchment can be investigated using geophysical methods in an effective manner in terms of characterization of representative units with respect to a functional role in the catchment. This case study aims to develop combined resistivity and seismic velocity hillslope subsurface models for the distinction of representative functional units. In order to identify the contrasting interfaces of the hillslope, to localize significant hillslope areas, and to address the ambiguity in the geophysical data interpretation, the case study combined resistivity surveys (vertical electrical soundings and electrical resistivity tomography) with refraction seismic method, and conducted these measurements at one single profile along the hillslope transect and perpendicular to this transect. The measurements along the hillslope transect deliver the two-dimensional hillslope section of resistivity and seismic velocity distribution with contrasting stratigraphic interfaces, whereas the measurements perpendicular to the hillslope transect obtained from vertical electrical soundings survey localize significant hillslope areas indicating existence of two-dimensional features in the subsurface. To demonstrate the suitability of the suggested approach, resistivity and refraction seismic measurements were carried out at the forested gently inclined hillslope in the Weierbach catchment, which belongs to the hydrological observatory Attert Basin locating in the mid-western part of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. This hillslope is characterized by Pleistocene periglacial slope deposits, which plays an important role in the ecosystem functioning. The obtained resistivity and seismic hillslope models of the Weierbech catchment complement well one another. The hillslope models identify three significant hillslope areas along the hillslope called as elementary functional units, and four electrical vertical stratigraphic units and two seismic vertical stratigraphic units that agree with lithological stratigraphy of this study site. In conclusions, the suggested geophysical approach is suitable to characterise a hillslope as the representative unit only at a single transect in the efficient manner in contrast to the expensive 3D-measurements.

Discovering buried channels of the Yamuna in alluvial plains of NW India using geophysical investigations: implications for major drainage reorganization during Late Quaternary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, D.; Khan, I.; Sinha, R.

2016-12-01

Climatic changes and active tectonic movements in the northwestern plains of India during the Late Quaternary have led to the migration and abandonment of drainage systems and formation of a large number of palaeochannels. It has been postulated by previous workers that the Yamuna was flowing along the present-day dry palaeochannels of Ghaggar-Hakra riverbed >120 Ka ago and was relocated to its current position only during the Late Quaternary. However, till date, no conclusive evidence has been provided as to when and why the Yamuna avulsion occurred. This study aims to establish sub-surface existence of buried channels of paleo-Yamuna as possible courses of the paleo-Ghaggar river. Geo-electric studies using vertical electrical resistivity soundings (1D-VES), multi electrode electrical resistivity tomography (2D-ERT) and multi probe well log surveys have been carried out in one of the paleochannels of the Yamuna to map the large-scale geometry and architecture of the palaeochannel system in the subsurface. The main objective is to reconstruct the shallow subsurface stratigraphy and alluvial architecture of the interfluve between the modern Yamuna and Sutlej Rivers, in particular the linkage of the paleocourses of the Yamuna River to the drainage network of the northwestern alluvial plains. The geophysical signatures recorded as VES on two transects trending NW-SE in Karnal and Kaithal districts of Haryana at 9 and 13 locations respectively along with continuous ERT reveals the presence of subsurface fine to coarse sand bodies (20 to 30m thick) interbedded with silty clay layers that are laterally stacked. The occurrence of thick and wide subsurface sand bodies in the subsurface implies that these are the deposits of a large river system and suggests that the Yamuna was connected to the paleo-Ghaggar River as hypothesized by earlier workers based on remote sensing techniques. However, detailed sedimentological and chronological constraints are required to establish such links to unravel the stratigraphic manifestation of the buried channels, their sediment provenance and paleoclimatic conditions during the period when these river systems were active.

Morphology, stratigraphy, and surface roughness properties of Venusian lava flow fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byrnes, Jeffrey M.; Crown, David A.

2002-10-01

Morphologic characteristics, flow stratigraphy, and radar backscatter properties of five lava flow fields on Venus (Turgmam Fluctus, Zipaltonal Fluctus, Tuli Mons/Uilata Fluctus, Var Mons, and Mylitta Fluctus) were examined to understand flow field emplacement mechanisms and relationships to other surface processes. These analyses indicate that the flow fields studied developed through emplacement of numerous, thin flow units, presumably over extended periods of time. Although the Venusian fields display flow morphologies similar to those observed within terrestrial flow fields, the Venusian flow units are significantly larger and have a larger range of radar backscatter coefficients. Both simple and compound flow emplacement appear to have occurred within the flow fields. A potential correlation between flow rheology and radar brightness is suggested by differences in planform morphology, apparent flow thickness, and apparent sensitivity to topography between bright and dark flows. Distributary flow morphologies may result from tube-fed flows, and postemplacement modification by processes such as flow inflation and crustal foundering is consistent with discrete zones of increased radar brightness within individual flow lobes. Mapping of these flow fields does not indicate any simple evolutionary trend in eruptive/resurfacing style within the flow fields, or any consistent temporal sequence relative to other tectonic and volcanic features.

Geometry and controls on the development of igneous sill-related forced folds: 2D seismic reflection case study from offshore Southern Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Christopher; Schofield, Nick; Magee, Craig; Golenkov, Bogdan

2017-04-01

Emplacement of magma in the shallow subsurface can result in the development of dome-shaped folds at the Earth's surface. These so-called 'forced folds' have been described in the field and in subsurface datasets, although the exact geometry of the folds and the nature of their relationship to underlying sills remains unclear and, in some cases, controversial. As a result, the utility of these features in tracking the subsurface movement of magma, and predicting the potential size and location of potentially hazardous volcanic eruptions, is uncertain. Here we use high-quality, 2D seismic reflection and borehole data from the Ceduna sub-basin, offshore southern Australia to describe the structure and infer the evolution of igneous sill-related forced folds in the Bight Basin Igneous Complex (BBIC). We mapped 33 igneous sills, which were emplaced 200-1500 m below the palaeo-seabed in an Upper Cretaceous, coal-bearing, predominantly coastal-plain succession. The intrusions, which are expressed as packages of high-amplitude reflections, are 32-250 m thick and 7-19 km in diameter. They are overlain by dome-shaped folds, which are up to 17 km wide and display up to 210 m of relief. The edges of these folds coincide with the margins of the underlying sills and the folds display the greatest relief where the underlying sills are thickest; the folds are therefore interpreted as forced folds that formed in response to emplacement of magma in the shallow subsurface. The folds are onlapped by Lutetian (middle Eocene) strata, indicating they formed and the intrusions were emplaced during the latest Ypresian (c. 48 Ma). We demonstrate that fold amplitude is typically less than sill thickness even for sills with very large diameter-to-depth ratios, suggesting that pure elastic bending (forced folding) of the overburden is not the only process accommodating magma emplacement, and that supra-sill compaction may be important even at relatively shallow depths. Based on the observation that the sills intruded a shallowly-buried succession, the discrepancy between fold amplitude and sill thickness may reflect loss of host rock volume by fluidisation and pore fluid expulsion from poorly-lithified, water-rich beds. This study indicates that host rock composition, emplacement depth and deformation mechanisms are important controls on the style of deformation that occurs during intrusive igneous activity, and that forced fold amplitude may not always reflect the thickness of an underlying igneous intrusion. In addition, the results of this study suggest that physical and numerical models need to model more complex host rock stratigraphies and rheologies if they wish to capture the full range of deformation mechanisms that occur during magma emplacement in the Earth's shallow subsurface.

A field study of the confluence between Negro and Solimões Rivers. Part 2: Bed morphology and stratigraphy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ianniruberto, Marco; Trevethan, Mark; Pinheiro, Arthur; Andrade, Joao Fernando; Dantas, Elton; Filizola, Naziano; Santos, André; Gualtieri, Carlo

2018-01-01

The confluence of the Negro and Solimões Rivers is an interesting study area under several points of view: it represents the second largest river confluence of the Amazon Basin; the rivers are characterized by very distinct hydrologic behaviour; and it is situated in a peculiar tectonic setting. A field investigation was undertaken to study the characteristics of this confluence, aiming to better understand the bed morphology and stratigraphy resulting from the complex interaction of geological setting, hydrodynamics, and sediment load. Two field campaigns were carried out, during low- and high-flow conditions, using high-resolution seismic, echosounding, and acoustic Doppler current profiling. A third campaign was carried out just in a limited area of the confluence, with a multi-beam echosounder. The results of these surveys provided a more detailed view of the geology, morphology and sediment distribution about the confluence.

Improved Quaternary North Atlantic stratigraphy using relative paleointensity (RPI), oxygen isotopes, and magnetic excursions (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Channell, J. E.

2013-12-01

Improving the resolution of Quaternary marine stratigraphy is one of the major challenges in paleoceanography. IODP Expedition 303/306, and ODP Legs 162 and 172, have yielded multiple high-resolution records (mean sedimentation rates in the 7-20 cm/kyr range) of relative paleointensity (RPI) that are accompanied by oxygen isotope data and extend through much of the Quaternary. Tandem fit of RPI and oxygen isotope data to calibrated templates (LR04 and PISO), using the Match protocol, yields largely consistent stratigraphies, implying that both RPI and oxygen isotope data are dominated by regional/global signals. Based on the recent geomagnetic field, RPI can be expected to be a global signal (i.e. dominated by the axial dipole field) when recorded at sedimentation rates less than several decimeters/kyr. Magnetic susceptibility, on the other hand, is a local/regional lithologic signal, and therefore less useful for long-distance correlation. Magnetic excursions are directional phenomena and, when adequately recorded, are manifest as paired reversals in which the virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs) reach high latitudes in the opposite hemisphere, and they occupy minima in RPI records. Reversed VGPs imply that excursions are attributable to the main axial dipole, and therefore provide global stratigraphy. The so-called Iceland Basin excursion is recorded at many IODP/ODP sites and lies at the MIS 6/7 boundary at ~188 ka, with a duration of 2-3 kyr. Other excursions in the Brunhes chron are less commonly recorded because their duration (perhaps <~1 kyr) requires sedimentation rates >20 cm/kyr to be adequately recorded. On the other hand, several excursions within the Matuyama Chron are more commonly recorded in North Atlantic drift sediments due to relatively elevated durations. With some notable exceptions (e.g. Iberian Margin), high quality RPI records from North Atlantic sediments, together with magnetic excursions, can be used in tandem with oxygen isotope data to strengthen Quaternary (North Atlantic) stratigraphy.

Predicting Short Term Runoff Efficiency Using Antecedent Soil Moisture Estimates From Ground Penetrating Radar Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermance, J. F.; Bohidar, R. N.

2002-05-01

Hydrologists universally recognize the importance of antecedent soil moisture conditions for predicting the response of catchments to storm events. We describe a pilot study involving a series of repeat geophysical measurements over a 5 month period to determine the water content of the subsurface immediately before a sequence of precipitation events. We correlate the resultant streamflow "response" of the local catchment to each event with the antecedent soil moisture at our reference site using a metric commonly employed by hydrologists: the ratio Qef/W, referred to here as the "short term runoff efficiency", which is simply the time-integrated volume of event flow (Qef) at the catchment's outflow point normalized by the volume of total precipitation (W) over its area. To determine the volumetric water content (Cw) of soils, past studies suggest the effectiveness of pulsed radio frequency methods, such as time domain reflectometry (TDR), or ground-penetrating radar (GPR). To first order, for typical field conditions and procedures, the velocity of a radio pulse in the subsurface is inversely proportional to the square root of the bulk dielectric constant, which in turn is proportional to the soil's water content. For this study, the advantage of GPR over conventional TDR measurements is that the GPR procedure determines average velocities from two-way traveltimes to an interface at depth, resulting in estimates of average physical properties over much larger volumes of the subsurface than would TDR. Our hydrologic data are USGS daily averaged discharges from the Ten Mile River (watershed area = 138 km2; 53.2 mi2) in southern New England. Daily values of precipitation were provided by personnel from the Seekonk Water District Office (MA) adjacent to the field site. Our hydrograph separation was facilitated by the observation that the event flow seems to be adequately represented by a simple composite cascaded linear reservoir model. The GPR data involved a series of repeated wide-angle reflection "soundings" on a typical stratified glacial drift deposit, with velocities determined using both hand-picks and normal moveout velocity scans. In addition, on each day soil samples were collected and analyzed in the lab for volumetric water. GPR velocities were reduced to estimates of soil water concentrations using published mixing relations; of these we elected the conventional Topp relation as our provisional standard. A preliminary comparison of soil water content derived from our GPR data with analyses of field samples in the lab using the gravimetric method yields a correlation coefficient of R2 ~ 0.97. Selecting 5 cases during the early spring and summer of 2000, when storm events occurred within a few days following each respective measurement, a simple regression provides a relation whereby short term runoff efficiencies over the range of 0.03 (3%) to 0.25 (25%), respectively, appear to be linearly related to soil moisture contents over the range of 0.13 (13%) to 0.22 (22%) through a relation of the form Qef/W = 2.42Cw - 0.284, with a correlation coefficient of R2 ~ 0.95. Thus, estimates of soil moisture based on estimates from GPR velocities is promising for predicting runoff from small catchments - it is imperative, however, that such studies be paralleled by careful attention to the acquisition, conditioning and analysis of GPR data, as well as by knowledge of the subsurface stratigraphy of the field area.

Surface geology of the northern Midway-Sunset Field and adjacent Temblor Range, Kern County, California

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

Wylie, A.S. Jr.; Sturm, D.H.; Gardiner, R.L.

1996-01-01

New surface mapping at a 1:12000 scale adjacent to the 2 billion barrel Midway Sunset Field has revealed complex intraformational stratigraphy within the upper Miocene Santa Margarita Formation (Tms). Locally known as the Potter and Spellacy Formations in the subsurface, these sandstone and conglomerate heavy oil reservoirs produce the majority of Midway Sunset daily production of 164,000 barrels of oil via thermal EOR processes. The Tms consists mostly of conglomerate inserted into the Belridge Diatomite (Tmb) interval. The stratigraphically lower intervals of the Tms clearly fill deeply incised valleys or submarine canyons cut into Tmb and locally into the underlyingmore » Antelope Shale (Tma). The basal intervals of Tms; are very coarse grained, containing boulders of granitic and metamorphic rock as large as 4 meters that were derived from the Salinian block west of the San Andreas Fault. The upper intervals of Tms are more sheet-like and interbedded containing clasts less than 50 cm in length. The incised valleys have a spacing of about one mile in outcrop, with a gap located in the area of the older Republic Sandstone (Tmr). Paleocurrents from Tms regionally suggest sediment transport to the northeast. The sedimentary structures of Tms suggest deposition in deep-water conditions, probably a slope (bathyal) setting. Shelf environments should have been present to the southwest (now stripped away by erosion) and submarine-fan and basin-floor environments to the northeast.« less

Surface geology of the northern Midway-Sunset Field and adjacent Temblor Range, Kern County, California

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

Wylie, A.S. Jr.; Sturm, D.H.; Gardiner, R.L.

1996-12-31

New surface mapping at a 1:12000 scale adjacent to the 2 billion barrel Midway Sunset Field has revealed complex intraformational stratigraphy within the upper Miocene Santa Margarita Formation (Tms). Locally known as the Potter and Spellacy Formations in the subsurface, these sandstone and conglomerate heavy oil reservoirs produce the majority of Midway Sunset daily production of 164,000 barrels of oil via thermal EOR processes. The Tms consists mostly of conglomerate inserted into the Belridge Diatomite (Tmb) interval. The stratigraphically lower intervals of the Tms clearly fill deeply incised valleys or submarine canyons cut into Tmb and locally into the underlyingmore » Antelope Shale (Tma). The basal intervals of Tms; are very coarse grained, containing boulders of granitic and metamorphic rock as large as 4 meters that were derived from the Salinian block west of the San Andreas Fault. The upper intervals of Tms are more sheet-like and interbedded containing clasts less than 50 cm in length. The incised valleys have a spacing of about one mile in outcrop, with a gap located in the area of the older Republic Sandstone (Tmr). Paleocurrents from Tms regionally suggest sediment transport to the northeast. The sedimentary structures of Tms suggest deposition in deep-water conditions, probably a slope (bathyal) setting. Shelf environments should have been present to the southwest (now stripped away by erosion) and submarine-fan and basin-floor environments to the northeast.« less

Investigation of an alpine ice cave in Austria with the EXOMARS WISDOM GPR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciarletti, Valerie; Clifford, Stephen; Plettemeier, Dirk; Dorizon, Sophie; Statz, Christoph; Lustrement, Benjamin; Humeau, Olivier; Hassen-Khodja, Rafik; Galic, Alexandre; Cais, Philippe

2013-04-01

The WISDOM (Water Ice Subsurface Deposit Observations on Mars) Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is among the instruments selected as part of ESA's 2018 ExoMars Rover mission, whose scientific objectives are to search for signs of past and present life and to investigate the planet's subsurface. Combined with the rover, the GPR will provide high resolution observations of the structure of the shallow subsurface and assist in the identification and location of sedimentary layers or massive ice deposits, where organic molecules are the most likely to be found and well-preserved. The resulting data sets will also be a valuable tool for determining the nature, location and extent of potential targets for drilling. WISDOM prototypes, representative of the final flight model, are currently being field tested in various Mars analogue and cold-climate environments. In April 2012, members of the WISDOM team brought two development prototypes to an Alpine ice cave in Dachstein, Austria, to field test the instrument and participate in the Mars Simulation organized by the Austrian Space Forum. The GPRs were tested on 3 different platforms including the radio-controlled "Magma White" Rover from ABM Space Education in Poland. Radar investigations were conducted in four different cave environments, measuring ice thickness, stratigraphy, fracture geometry, and basal topography. Data sets processed and analyzed prove to be in agreement with the shallow environment characteristics determined by direct observation and previously obtained with commercial GPRs. From a geoelectrical point of view, massive ice containing a small amount of impurities can be approximate as a rather homogeneous medium. A massive ice unit will appear on a radargram as an area with no noticeable signal return, due to the little backscattered signal. Ice is also a low conductivity medium which leads to a deep penetration of the electromagnetic waves. The radargrams obtained from WISDOM data are consistent with those features. Deep and strong reflections can be observed from single scattered embedded in the ice or from interfaces below the ice unit. The wave velocity and thus the depth and the real permittivity values can be retrieved using individual reflectors' signature (hyperbolic shape) or the estimated reflection coefficient in case of a flat and smooth interface between a known material (air for example) and ice. Because of variations in fracture width, density and orientation, determining fracture geometry is the most challenging task among the retrieval of the other characteristics. The radar-derived 2- and 3-D reconstructions of the internal characteristics of the ice deposits and cave floor seem yet to be consistent with the observations. Additional field investigations, conducted in a wide variety of simulated and natural cold environments, are planned to build a database of well-characterized ice-rich terrestrial environments and improve our ability to characterize them. A more detailed discussion of these field results is currently in preparation.

Characterizing 2-D snow stratigraphy in forests based on high-resolution snow penetrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teich, M.; Loewe, H.; Jenkins, M. J.; Schneebeli, M.

2016-12-01

Snow stratigraphy, the characteristic layering within a seasonal snowpack, has important implications for snow remote sensing, hydrology and avalanches. Forests modify snowpack properties through interception of falling snow by tree crowns, the reduction of near-surface wind speeds, and changes to the energy balance beneath and around trees leading to a highly variable stratigraphy in space and time. The lack of snowpack observations in forests limits our ability to understand the spatio-temporal evolution of snow stratigraphy as a function of forest structure and to observe snowpack response to changes in forest cover. We examined the snowpack in field campaigns using the SnowMicroPen (SMP) under tree canopies in an Engelmann spruce forest in the central Rocky Mountains in Utah, USA. Data were collected in plots beneath canopies of undisturbed, bark beetle-disturbed and salvage logged forest stands, and a non-forested meadow. In 2015 weekly-repeated SMP penetration measurements were taken along 10 m transects at 0.3 m intervals. In the winter of 2016 bi-weekly measurements were collected along 20 m transects every 0.5 m. Using a statistical model, we derived 2-D snow density profiles as a measure of stratigraphy. The small-scale patterns in snow density revealed a more heterogeneous stratigraphy in undisturbed dense stands and also beneath bark beetle-disturbed forest. In contrast, snow stratigraphy was more homogeneous in the harvested plot despite standing small diameter trees and woody debris with effective heights up to 95 cm. As expected, snow depth and layering in non-forested plots varied only slightly over the small spatial extent sampled. Observed patterns changed throughout the snow season dependent upon snow and meteorological conditions. The results contribute to the general understanding of forest-snowpack interactions at high spatial resolution, and can be used to validate snowpack and microwave models for avalanche formation processes and SWE retrieval in forests.

Constraints on the age of the Great Sand Dunes, Colorado, from subsurface stratigraphy and OSL dates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madole, Richard F.; Mahan, Shannon; Romig, Joseph H.; Havens, Jeremy C.

2013-01-01

The age of the Great Sand Dunes has been debated for nearly 150 yr. Seven ages ranging from Miocene to late Holocene have been proposed for them. This paper presents new information—chiefly subsurface stratigraphic data, OSL dates, and geomorphic evidence—that indicates that the Great Sand Dunes began to form in the latter part of the middle Pleistocene. The dunes overlie a thick wedge of piedmont-slope deposits, which in turn overlies sediment of Lake Alamosa, a paleolake that began to drain about 440 ka. The wedge of piedmont-slope deposits extends westward for at least 23 km and is as much as 60 m thick at a distance of 10 km from the Sangre de Cristo Range. Ostracodes from one well indicate that the eastern shoreline of Lake Alamosa extended to within 4.3 km of where the Great Sand Dunes eventually formed. The time represented by the wedge of piedmont-slope deposits is not known exactly, but the wedge post-dates 440 ka and was in place prior to 130 ka because by then the dunes overlying it were sufficiently close and tall enough to obstruct streams draining from the Sangre de Cristo Range.

Comment on "The May 20 (MW 6.1) and 29 (MW 6.0), 2012, Emilia (Po Plain, Northern Italy) earthquakes: New seismotectonic implications from subsurface geology and high-quality hypocenter location" by Carannante et al., 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonini, Lorenzo; Toscani, Giovanni; Seno, Silvio

2016-10-01

Carannante et al. (2015) proposed an original seismotectonic interpretation of the Ferrara arc in the Po Plain (Italy) based on an accurate hypocenter relocation of the 2012 Emilia earthquake sequence and on structural analyses of sub-surface data. They contend that the causative faults of the 2012 sequence do not belong to the fold-and-thrusts system comprising the Ferrara Arc but in fact are located in the underlying basement. In our view this interpretation does not agree with observations, including: 1) the structural interpretation of the seismic reflection lines, that contrasts with some of the available data, e.g. the stratigraphy inferred from deep wells; 2) the seismotectonic setting, that is based exclusively on the correlation between inferred structural features and the location of late aftershocks; and 3) the inconsistency of the proposed seismogenic sources with the elevation changes caused by the sequence. All these points compromise the Carannante et al.'s interpretation and, as a consequence, previously proposed seismotectonic models are still valid.

Aeromagnetic Map with Geology of the Los Angeles 30 x 60 Minute Quadrangle, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langenheim, V.E.; Hildenbrand, T.G.; Jachens, R.C.; Campbell, R.H.; Yerkes, R.F.

2006-01-01

Introduction: An important objective of geologic mapping is to project surficial structures and stratigraphy into the subsurface. Geophysical data and analysis are useful tools for achieving this objective. This aeromagnetic anomaly map provides a three-dimensional perspective to the geologic mapping of the Los Angeles 30 by 60 minute quadrangle. Aeromagnetic maps show the distribution of magnetic rocks, primarily those containing magnetite (Blakely, 1995). In the Los Angeles quadrangle, the magnetic sources are Tertiary and Mesozoic igneous rocks and Precambrian crystalline rocks. Aeromagnetic anomalies mark abrupt spatial contrasts in magnetization that can be attributed to lithologic boundaries, perhaps caused by faulting of these rocks or by intrusive contacts. This aeromagnetic map overlain on geology, with information from wells and other geophysical data, provides constraints on the subsurface geology by allowing us to trace faults beneath surficial cover and estimate fault dip and offset. This map supersedes Langenheim and Jachens (1997) because of its digital form and the added value of overlaying the magnetic data on a geologic base. The geologic base for this map is from Yerkes and Campbell (2005); some of their subunits have been merged into one on this map.

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.

Fluid circulation and structural system of Cerritos Colorados geothermal field in La Primavera volcanic caldera (Mexico) inferred from geophysical surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolós, X.; Cifuentes-Nava, G.; Macias, J. L.; Sosa-Ceballos, G.; García-Tenorio, F.; Albor, M., III; Juarez, M.; Gamez, V.

2017-12-01

Hydrothermal activity in volcanic calderas is the consequence of energy transfer between deep magmatic chambers and subsurface layers saturated in water. This hydrothermal system is generated by convection of the groundwater supplied by meteoric water recharged and the ascent of hot volcanic gasses exsolved from deep magma reservoirs. Calderas are heterogeneous geological structures that due to their formation and evolution produced a complex stratigraphy. All of these heterogeneities can be affected by deformation and also by the presence of fractures and faults which constitute the main pathways whereby hydrothermal fluids can move easily through the surface as spring discharges and fumarolic activity. Geophysical methods have been used in the last decades to investigate the relationship between structural geology and hydrothermal systems in different volcanic areas around the world. In this work, we have focused on the role of subsurface structures to understand and localize the pathways of fluids related to the hydrothermal system of the Cerritos Colorados geothermal field. We focused in the central area of the caldera (P12 well and Cerritos Colorados graben), where active hydrothermal activity is evidenced by fumaroles, thermal anomalies, CO2 diffuse emission, and sulfur precipitation. We have applied a self-potential method (SP) that combined with temperature measurements that allowed to identify the main infiltration and ascending fluid zones in the area, and their specific surface temperature coinciding with fumarolic activity. From this data we an applied Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) survey in two selected places. One ERT profile (1.2 km in length) was located in the P12 well area. A 3D resistivity model used with the equatorial method was carried out on the Cerritos Colorados graben area. Combining the results of the SP, TºC, and ERT data with a detailed structural map we identified the main degassing zones (i.e. fumaroles) that correspond to higher permeability zones located along normal and strike-slip faults. In conclusion, a strong structural control of the surface manifestation of these hydrothermal systems is deduced from our new data. Then, our results emphasize the importance of old structural boundaries that are controlled by intra-caldera tectonic structures.

New perspectives on interdisciplinary earth science at the Dead Sea: The DESERVE project.

PubMed

Kottmeier, Christoph; Agnon, Amotz; Al-Halbouni, Djamil; Alpert, Pinhas; Corsmeier, Ulrich; Dahm, Torsten; Eshel, Adam; Geyer, Stefan; Haas, Michael; Holohan, Eoghan; Kalthoff, Norbert; Kishcha, Pavel; Krawczyk, Charlotte; Lati, Joseph; Laronne, Jonathan B; Lott, Friederike; Mallast, Ulf; Merz, Ralf; Metzger, Jutta; Mohsen, Ayman; Morin, Efrat; Nied, Manuela; Rödiger, Tino; Salameh, Elias; Sawarieh, Ali; Shannak, Benbella; Siebert, Christian; Weber, Michael

2016-02-15

The Dead Sea region has faced substantial environmental challenges in recent decades, including water resource scarcity, ~1m annual decreases in the water level, sinkhole development, ascending-brine freshwater pollution, and seismic disturbance risks. Natural processes are significantly affected by human interference as well as by climate change and tectonic developments over the long term. To get a deep understanding of processes and their interactions, innovative scientific approaches that integrate disciplinary research and education are required. The research project DESERVE (Helmholtz Virtual Institute Dead Sea Research Venue) addresses these challenges in an interdisciplinary approach that includes geophysics, hydrology, and meteorology. The project is implemented by a consortium of scientific institutions in neighboring countries of the Dead Sea (Israel, Jordan, Palestine Territories) and participating German Helmholtz Centres (KIT, GFZ, UFZ). A new monitoring network of meteorological, hydrological, and seismic/geodynamic stations has been established, and extensive field research and numerical simulations have been undertaken. For the first time, innovative measurement and modeling techniques have been applied to the extreme conditions of the Dead Sea and its surroundings. The preliminary results show the potential of these methods. First time ever performed eddy covariance measurements give insight into the governing factors of Dead Sea evaporation. High-resolution bathymetric investigations reveal a strong correlation between submarine springs and neo-tectonic patterns. Based on detailed studies of stratigraphy and borehole information, the extension of the subsurface drainage basin of the Dead Sea is now reliably estimated. Originality has been achieved in monitoring flash floods in an arid basin at its outlet and simultaneously in tributaries, supplemented by spatio-temporal rainfall data. Low-altitude, high resolution photogrammetry, allied to satellite image analysis and to geophysical surveys (e.g. shear-wave reflections) has enabled a more detailed characterization of sinkhole morphology and temporal development and the possible subsurface controls thereon. All the above listed efforts and scientific results take place with the interdisciplinary education of young scientists. They are invited to attend joint thematic workshops and winter schools as well as to participate in field experiments. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Field Evaluation of Advanced Methods of Subsurface Exploration for Transit Tunneling

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1980-06-01

This report presents the results of a field evaluation of advanced methods of subsurface exploration on an ongoing urban rapid transit tunneling project. The objective of this study is to evaluate, through a field demonstration project, the feasibili...

Formation of the Orientale lunar multiring basin.

PubMed

Johnson, Brandon C; Blair, David M; Collins, Gareth S; Melosh, H Jay; Freed, Andrew M; Taylor, G Jeffrey; Head, James W; Wieczorek, Mark A; Andrews-Hanna, Jeffrey C; Nimmo, Francis; Keane, James T; Miljković, Katarina; Soderblom, Jason M; Zuber, Maria T

2016-10-28

Multiring basins, large impact craters characterized by multiple concentric topographic rings, dominate the stratigraphy, tectonics, and crustal structure of the Moon. Using a hydrocode, we simulated the formation of the Orientale multiring basin, producing a subsurface structure consistent with high-resolution gravity data from the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft. The simulated impact produced a transient crater, ~390 kilometers in diameter, that was not maintained because of subsequent gravitational collapse. Our simulations indicate that the flow of warm weak material at depth was crucial to the formation of the basin's outer rings, which are large normal faults that formed at different times during the collapse stage. The key parameters controlling ring location and spacing are impactor diameter and lunar thermal gradients. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Failure of cap-rock seals as determined from mechanical stratigraphy, stress history, and tensile-failure analysis of exhumed analogs

DOE PAGES

Petrie, E. S.; Evans, J. P.; Bauer, S. J.

2014-11-01

In this study, the sedimentologic and tectonic histories of clastic cap rocks and their inherent mechanical properties control the nature of permeable fractures within them. The migration of fluid through mm- to cm-scale fracture networks can result in focused fluid flow allowing hydrocarbon production from unconventional reservoirs or compromising the seal integrity of fluid traps. To understand the nature and distribution of subsurface fluid-flow pathways through fracture networks in cap-rock seals we examine four exhumed Paleozoic and Mesozoic seal analogs in Utah. We combine these outcrop analyses with subsidence analysis, paleoloading histories, and rock-strength testing data in modified Mohr–Coulomb–Griffith analysesmore » to evaluate the effects of differential stress and rock type on fracture mode.« less

A Combined Study of Photospheric Magnetic and Current Helicities and Subsurface Kinetic Helicities of Solar Active Regions during 2006-2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seligman, D.; Petrie, G. J. D.; Komm, R.

2014-11-01

We compare the average photospheric current helicity Hc , photospheric twist parameter α (a well-known proxy for the full relative magnetic helicity), and subsurface kinetic helicity Hk for 194 active regions observed between 2006-2013. We use 2440 Hinode photospheric vector magnetograms, and the corresponding subsurface fluid velocity data derived from GONG (2006-2012) and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (2010-2013) dopplergrams. We find a significant hemispheric bias in all three parameters. The subsurface kinetic helicity is preferentially positive in the southern hemisphere and negative in the northern hemisphere. The photospheric current helicity and the α parameter have the same bias for strong fields (|B| > 1000 G) and no significant bias for weak fields (100 G <|B| < 500 G). We find no significant region-by-region correlation between the subsurface kinetic helicity and either the strong-field current helicity or α. Subsurface fluid motions of a given handedness correspond to photospheric helicities of both signs in approximately equal numbers. However, common variations appear in annual averages of these quantities over all regions. Furthermore, in a subset of 77 regions, we find significant correlations between the temporal profiles of the subsurface and photospheric helicities. In these cases, the sign of the linear correlation coefficient matches the sign relationship between the helicities, indicating that the photospheric magnetic field twist is sensitive to the twisting motions below the surface.

Importance of solar subsurface heating in ocean general circulation models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rochford, Peter A.; Kara, A. Birol; Wallcraft, Alan J.; Arnone, Robert A.

2001-12-01

The importance of subsurface heating on surface mixed layer properties in an ocean general circulation model (OGCM) is examined using attenuation of solar irradiance with depth below the ocean surface. The depth-dependent attenuation of subsurface heating is given by global monthly mean fields for the attenuation of photosynthetically available radiation (PAR), kPAR. These global fields of kPAR are derived from Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) data on the spectral diffuse attenuation coefficient at 490 nm (k490), and have been processed to have the smoothly varying and continuous coverage necessary for use in OGCM applications. These monthly fields provide the first complete global data sets of subsurface optical fields that can be used for OGCM applications of subsurface heating and bio-optical processes. The effect on global OGCM prediction of sea surface temperature (SST) and surface mixed layer depth (MLD) is examined when solar heating, as given by monthly mean kPAR and PAR fields, is included in the model. It is found that subsurface heating yields a marked increase in the SST predictive skill of the OGCM at low latitudes. No significant improvement in MLD predictive skill is obtained when including subsurface heating. Use of the monthly mean kPAR produces an SST decrease of up to 0.8°C and a MLD increase of up to only 4-5 m for climatological surface forcing, with this primarily confined to the equatorial regions. Remarkably, a constant kPAR value of 0.06 m-1, which is indicative of optically clear open ocean conditions, is found to serve very well for OGCM prediction of SST and MLD over most of the global ocean.

Some New Constraints On The Stratigraphic And Structural Setting Of The Soda Lake Geothermal Field, Churchill County, Nevada - McLACHLAN, Holly S. and FAULDS, James E., Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLachlan, H. S.

2012-12-01

Our research group is currently conducting a regional survey to identify favorable structural settings of producing and prospective geothermal fields in the Great Basin. The Soda Lake geothermal field - one of the oldest consistently producing fields in this study region - is located in west-central Nevada near the heart of the Carson Sink. Producing and prospective geothermal fields in the surrounding highlands are hosted in 1) fault termination zones (Desert Queen), 2) accommodation zones (Brady's Hot Springs) and 3) fault step-overs (Desert Peak). However, the structural setting is challenging to identify at the Soda Lake field, because it lies in the central part of a large basin with no nearby bedrock exposures. The well field at Soda Lake is centered ~3.5 km NNE of the Holocene Soda Lake maar, from which it takes its name. The geothermal field was identified serendipitously during the drilling of an irrigation survey well in the early 20th century. Modern exploratory drilling at the field began in the mid-1970s and has continued sporadically to the present. There are currently more than 28 500+ m wells at and near the production site. The exceptional drilling density at Soda Lake allows for comparatively reliable correlation of stratigraphy in the subsurface below the feature-poor Carson Sink. Stratigraphy in the Soda Lake geothermal area is relatively "layer cake" at the scale of the well field. Unconsolidated sediments extend more than 1000 m below surface. The upper few hundred meters are composed of fluvial and lacustrine sediments derived from Sierran batholith source rocks. The deeper basin fill derives from more proximal mafic to felsic Miocene volcanic rocks along the basin margins. At ~450-650 m depth, basin sediments are interrupted by a 5.11 Ma trachytic basalt of restricted lateral extent and variable thickness. Most wells intercept ~50-250 m of fine lacustrine sediments below this basalt body before intercepting the basin floor. Basin floor rocks consist of a thick (>1500 m) package of fine-grained altered basalts and interbedded sedimentary rocks. Within this package, in the central portion of the well field, a ~300-500 m thick marker of laminated siltstones + coarse-grained, porphyritic plagioclase basalt has been identified in cuttings. Variations in thickness within the marker suggest older faults with significant throw were primarily northwest striking. Large local variations in the thickness of the 5.11 Ma trachytic basalt body support this interpretation and indicate NW-striking faulting likely continued through ~5 Ma B.P. However, all evidence indicates near-surface (<1000 m depth) faults at the Soda Lake geothermal field strike NNE, perpendicular to the contemporary extension direction. Structural interpretation is in progress for the Soda Lake geothermal field. In conjunction with recently obtained 3D seismic and microgravity surveys, stratigraphic information obtained from cuttings broadly constrains the structural setting. These data may permit determination of the specific structural host environment and should allow for assessment of how the prevailing faults at the site correlate with regional scale trends.

[open quotes]Rejuvenation[close quotes] of a very mature productive area: Application of sequence stratigraphy, depositional facies and reservoir architectural studies in inactive old fields - Dorsal de Huincul - Neuquen Basin, Argentina

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

Kokogian, D.A.; Vasquez, J.R.

1996-01-01

The project objectives were to define the upside potential and identified drilling locations, both for exploratory and development wells, in Loma Negra-Nl-Huincul old fields, inactive due to pressure depletion Fields are located in Dorsal de Huincul area (Huincul Range) which is a highly complex structure associated with a major transtensive-transpressive wrench system. Several angular unconformities are very noticeable, having eroded hundreds of meters of the stratigraphic column. Study was focused on the fluvial-deltaic sediments of the Cuyo Group (Bajocian-Bathonian), the main productive levels in the area. An understanding of the stratigraphic units, visible at outcrop, seismic and well scales, providedmore » the appropriated framework for the analysis. Seismic facies, detailed log and core analysis allowed us to generate paleogeographic maps and predict the reservoir distribution into each individual stratigraphic unit, Fluvial channels, overbank, crevasses splay, mouth-bar, interdistributary and delta front facies were recognized. Finally, the integrated model was compared and adjusted with the outcrop data. As a result of this study, exploratory and development wells were proposed, being all of them productive either gas or oil. Several of the new drilled wells found new productive horizons with original reservoir pressure, proving the presence of different tanks predicted by the model. This fact encourages the evaluation of the whole adjacent areas. Summing up, this integrated approach using the best outputs of the geology and geophysics in subsurface as well as in surface has been proved as a powerful tool to explore and reactivate a very mature area.« less

{open_quotes}Rejuvenation{close_quotes} of a very mature productive area: Application of sequence stratigraphy, depositional facies and reservoir architectural studies in inactive old fields - Dorsal de Huincul - Neuquen Basin, Argentina

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

Kokogian, D.A.; Vasquez, J.R.

1996-12-31

The project objectives were to define the upside potential and identified drilling locations, both for exploratory and development wells, in Loma Negra-Nl-Huincul old fields, inactive due to pressure depletion Fields are located in Dorsal de Huincul area (Huincul Range) which is a highly complex structure associated with a major transtensive-transpressive wrench system. Several angular unconformities are very noticeable, having eroded hundreds of meters of the stratigraphic column. Study was focused on the fluvial-deltaic sediments of the Cuyo Group (Bajocian-Bathonian), the main productive levels in the area. An understanding of the stratigraphic units, visible at outcrop, seismic and well scales, providedmore » the appropriated framework for the analysis. Seismic facies, detailed log and core analysis allowed us to generate paleogeographic maps and predict the reservoir distribution into each individual stratigraphic unit, Fluvial channels, overbank, crevasses splay, mouth-bar, interdistributary and delta front facies were recognized. Finally, the integrated model was compared and adjusted with the outcrop data. As a result of this study, exploratory and development wells were proposed, being all of them productive either gas or oil. Several of the new drilled wells found new productive horizons with original reservoir pressure, proving the presence of different tanks predicted by the model. This fact encourages the evaluation of the whole adjacent areas. Summing up, this integrated approach using the best outputs of the geology and geophysics in subsurface as well as in surface has been proved as a powerful tool to explore and reactivate a very mature area.« less

Foldbelt exploration with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) in Papua New Guinea

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

Ellis, J.M.; Pruett, F.D.

1987-05-01

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is being successfully used within the southern fold and thrust belt of Papua New Guinea to map surface structure and stratigraphy and to help plan a hydrocarbon exploration program. The airborne SAR imagery, along with other surface data, is used as a primary exploration tool because acquisition of acceptable seismic data is extremely costly due to extensive outcrops of Tertiary Darai Limestone which develops rugged karst topography. Most anticlines in the licenses are capped with this deeply karstified limestone. The region is ideally suited to geologic analysis using remote sensing technology. The area is seldom cloudmore » free and is covered with tropical rain forest, and geologic field studies are limited. The widespread karst terrain is exceedingly dangerous, if not impossible, to traverse on the ground. SAR is used to guide ongoing field work, modeling of subsurface structure, and selection of well locations. SAR provides their explorationists with an excellent data base because (1) structure is enhanced with low illumination, (2) resolution is 6 x 12 m, (3) digital reprocessing is possible, (4) clouds are penetrated by the SAR, and (5) the survey was designed for stereoscopic photogeology. Landsat images and vertical aerial photographs complement SAR but provide subdued structural information because of minimal shadowing (due to high sun angles) and the jungle cover. SAR imagery reveals large-scale mass wasting that has led to a reevaluation of previously acquired field data. Lithologies can be recognized by textural and tonal changes on the SAR images despite near-continuous canopy of jungle. Reprocessing and contrast stretching of the digital radar imagery provide additional geologic information.« less

Fluid Inclusion Gas Analysis

DOE Data Explorer

Dilley, Lorie

2013-01-01

Fluid inclusion gas analysis for wells in various geothermal areas. Analyses used in developing fluid inclusion stratigraphy for wells and defining fluids across the geothermal fields. Each sample has mass spectrum counts for 180 chemical species.

Scientific Drilling of Impact Craters - Well Logging and Core Analyses Using Magnetic Methods (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fucugauchi, J. U.; Perez-Cruz, L. L.; Velasco-Villarreal, M.

2013-12-01

Drilling projects of impact structures provide data on the structure and stratigraphy of target, impact and post-impact lithologies, providing insight on the impact dynamics and cratering. Studies have successfully included magnetic well logging and analyses in core and cuttings, directed to characterize the subsurface stratigraphy and structure at depth. There are 170-180 impact craters documented in the terrestrial record, which is a small proportion compared to expectations derived from what is observed on the Moon, Mars and other bodies of the solar system. Knowledge of the internal 3-D deep structure of craters, critical for understanding impacts and crater formation, can best be studied by geophysics and drilling. On Earth, few craters have yet been investigated by drilling. Craters have been drilled as part of industry surveys and/or academic projects, including notably Chicxulub, Sudbury, Ries, Vredefort, Manson and many other craters. As part of the Continental ICDP program, drilling projects have been conducted on the Chicxulub, Bosumtwi, Chesapeake, Ries and El gygytgyn craters. Inclusion of continuous core recovery expanded the range of paleomagnetic and rock magnetic applications, with direct core laboratory measurements, which are part of the tools available in the ocean and continental drilling programs. Drilling studies are here briefly reviewed, with emphasis on the Chicxulub crater formed by an asteroid impact 66 Ma ago at the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary. Chicxulub crater has no surface expression, covered by a kilometer of Cenozoic sediments, thus making drilling an essential tool. As part of our studies we have drilled eleven wells with continuous core recovery. Magnetic susceptibility logging, magnetostratigraphic, rock magnetic and fabric studies have been carried out and results used for lateral correlation, dating, formation evaluation, azimuthal core orientation and physical property contrasts. Contributions of magnetic studies on impact age, cratering, target-impactite stratigraphy, ejecta, impact dynamics, hydrothermal alterations and post-impact processes are presented. The challenges and perspectives of drilling studies of impact craters are discussed.

Geochronology and subsurface stratigraphy of Pukapuka and Rakahanga atolls, Cook Islands: Late Quaternary reef growth and sea level history

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gray, S.C.; Hein, J.R.; Hausmann, R.; Radtke, U.

1992-01-01

Eustatic sea-level cycles superposed on thermal subsidence of an atoll produce layers of high sea-level reefs separated by erosional unconformities. Coral samples from these reefs from cores drilled to 50 m beneath the lagoons of Pukapuka and Rakahanga atolls, northern Cook Islands give electron spin resonance (ESR) and U-series ages ranging from the Holocene to 600,000 yr B.P. Subgroups of these ages and the stratigraphic position of their bounding unconformities define at least 5 periods of reef growth and high sea-level (0-9000 yr B.P., 125,000-180,000 yr B.P., 180,000-230,000 yr B.P., 300,000-460,000 yr B.P., 460,000-650,000 yr B.P.). Only two ages fall within error of the last interglacial high sea-level stand (???125,000-135,000 yr B.P.). This paucity of ages may result from extensive erosion of the last intergracial reef. In addition, post-depositional isotope exchange may have altered the time ages of three coral samples to apparent ages that fall within glacial stage 6. For the record to be preserved, vertical accretion during rising sea-level must compensate for surface lowering from erosion during sea-level lowstands and subsidence of the atoll; erosion rates (6-63 cm/1000 yr) can therefore be calculated from reef accretion rates (100-400 cm/1000 yr), subsidence rates (2-6 cm/1000 yr), and the duration of island submergence (8-15% of the last 600,000 yr). The stratigraphy of coral ages indicates island subsidence rates of 4.5 ?? 2.8 cm/1000 yr for both islands. A model of reef growth and erosion based on the stratigraphy of the Cook Islands atolls suggests average subsidence and erosion rates of between 3-6 and 15-20 cm/1000 yr, respectively. ?? 1992.

Guidebook for Field Trips in Virginia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Exline, Joseph D., Ed.

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

Near-Field Resonance Microwave Tomography and Holography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaikovich, K. P.; Smirnov, A. I.; Yanin, D. V.

2018-02-01

We develop the methods of electromagnetic computer near-field microwave tomography of distributed subsurface inhomogeneities of complex dielectric permittivity and of holography (shape retrieval) of internally homogeneous subsurface objects. The methods are based on the solution of the near-field inverse scattering problem from measurements of the resonance-parameter variations of microwave probes above the medium surface. The capabilities of the proposed diagnostic technique are demonstrated in the numerical simulation for sensors with a cylindrical capacitor as a probe element, the edge capacitance of which is sensitive to subsurface inhomogeneities.

Stratigraphy of the Caloris Basin, Mercury: Implications for Volcanic History and Basin Impact Melt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ernst, Carolyn M.; Denevi, Brett W.; Barnouin, Olivier S.; Klimczak, Christian; Chabot, Nancy L.; Head, James W.; Murchie, Scott L.; Neumann, Gregory A.; Prockter, Louis M.; Robinson, Mark S.;

Sequence stratigraphy and high-frequency cycles: New aspects for a quantitative evaluation of the Gulf of Suez basin, Egypt

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

Nio, S.D.; Yang, C.S.; Tewfik, N.

1993-09-01

A new development in the application of sequence stratigraphic concepts in marine as well as continental basins is the recognition of high-frequency cyclic patterns in rock successions in the subsurface. Studies of six wells from the northern, central, and southern parts of the Gulf of Suez show the presence of well-preserved, high-frequency cycles with periodicities similar to the orbitally forced Malankovitch parameters. Subsurface rock successions, third-order sequences, and high-frequency cycles were compared with outcrops. After establishing the biostratigraphic framework for the above-mentioned wells, a sequence analysis was performed. Sequence boundaries and maximum flooding positions in each well were calibrated withmore » the occurrences and evaluation of the high-frequency cycles. It became obvious that there is an intimate relationship between these high-frequency Milankovitch cycles and sequence organization. In addition, a close relationship can be observed in the subsurface as well as in outcrops between high-frequency climatic changes (connected to the Milankovitch cycles) and (litho)facies variability. Quantitative evaluations of each sequence and/or systems tract can be computed with the International Geoservices' cyclicity analysis tool (MILABAR). The results are summarized in a well composite chart, rate (NAR), and ratio of preserved time. In correlations between the wells, an accuracy of 500-100 Ka can be obtained. The quantitative evaluation of the sequence and high-frequency cycle analysis gave some new aspects concerning the (litho)facies and geodynamic development during the pre- as well as the synrift stages of the Gulf of Suez Basin.« less

Origin of pockmarks and chimney structures on the flanks of the Storegga Slide, offshore Norway

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paull, C.K.; Ussler, W.; Holbrook, W.S.; Hill, T.M.; Keaten, R.; Mienert, J.; Haflidason, H.; Johnson, J.E.; Winters, W.J.; Lorenson, T.D.

2008-01-01

Seafloor pockmarks and subsurface chimney structures are common on the Norwegian continental margin north of the Storegga Slide scar. Such features are generally inferred to be associated with fluid expulsion, and imply overpressures in the subsurface. Six long gravity and piston cores taken from the interior of three pockmarks were compared with four other cores taken from the same area but outside the pockmarks, in order to elucidate the origins and stratigraphy of these features and their possible association with the Storegga Slide event. Sulfate gradients in cores from within pockmarks are less steep than those in cores from outside the pockmarks, which indicates that the flux of methane to the seafloor is presently smaller within the pockmarks than in the adjacent undisturbed sediments. This suggests that these subsurface chimneys are not fluid flow conduits lined with gas hydrate. Methane-derived authigenic carbonates and Bathymodiolus shells obtained from a pockmark at >6.3 m below the seafloor indicate that methane was previously available to support a chemosynthetic community within the pockmark. AMS 14C measurements of planktonic Foraminifera overlying and interlayered with the shell-bearing sediment indicate that methane was present on the seafloor within the pockmark prior to 14 ka 14C years B.P., i.e., well before the last major Storegga Slide event (7.2 ka 14C years B.P., or 8.2 ka calendar years B.P.). These observations provide evidence that overpressured fluids existed within the continental margin sediments off Norway during the last major advance of Pleistocene glaciation. 

Archaeological recording and chemical stratigraphy applied to contaminated land studies.

PubMed

Photos-Jones, Effie; Hall, Allan J

2011-11-15

The method used by archaeologists for excavation and recording of the stratigraphic evidence, within trenches with or without archaeological remains, can potentially be useful to contaminated land consultants (CLCs). The implementation of archaeological practice in contaminated land assessments (CLAs) is not meant to be an exercise in data overkill; neither should it increase costs. Rather, we suggest, that if the excavation and recording, by a trained archaeologist, of the stratigraphy is followed by in-situ chemical characterisation then it is possible that much uncertainty associated with current field sampling practices, may be removed. This is because built into the chemical stratigraphy is the temporal and spatial relationship between different parts of the site reflecting the logic behind the distribution of contamination. An archaeological recording with chemical stratigraphy approach to sampling may possibly provide 'one method fits all' for potentially contaminated land sites (CLSs), just as archaeological characterisation of the stratigraphic record provides 'one method fits all' for all archaeological sites irrespective of period (prehistoric to modern) or type (rural, urban or industrial). We also suggest that there may be practical and financial benefits to be gained by pulling together expertise and resources stemming from different disciplines, not simply at the assessment phase, but also subsequent phases, in contaminated land improvement. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A combined study of photospheric magnetic and current helicities and subsurface kinetic helicities of solar active regions during 2006-2013

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

Seligman, D.; Petrie, G. J. D.; Komm, R.

2014-11-10

We compare the average photospheric current helicity H{sub c} , photospheric twist parameter α (a well-known proxy for the full relative magnetic helicity), and subsurface kinetic helicity H{sub k} for 194 active regions observed between 2006-2013. We use 2440 Hinode photospheric vector magnetograms, and the corresponding subsurface fluid velocity data derived from GONG (2006-2012) and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (2010-2013) dopplergrams. We find a significant hemispheric bias in all three parameters. The subsurface kinetic helicity is preferentially positive in the southern hemisphere and negative in the northern hemisphere. The photospheric current helicity and the α parameter have the same biasmore » for strong fields (|B| > 1000 G) and no significant bias for weak fields (100 G <|B| < 500 G). We find no significant region-by-region correlation between the subsurface kinetic helicity and either the strong-field current helicity or α. Subsurface fluid motions of a given handedness correspond to photospheric helicities of both signs in approximately equal numbers. However, common variations appear in annual averages of these quantities over all regions. Furthermore, in a subset of 77 regions, we find significant correlations between the temporal profiles of the subsurface and photospheric helicities. In these cases, the sign of the linear correlation coefficient matches the sign relationship between the helicities, indicating that the photospheric magnetic field twist is sensitive to the twisting motions below the surface.« less

A method for subsurface-banding poultry litter in plots not accessible with conventional field equipment

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Subsurface band application of poultry litter has been shown to be effective in reducing nutrients in runoff and leachate, relative to surface broadcast application of litter. Some field plot arrangements, such as plots having adjacent pits in the soil, prevent the use of conventional field equipme...

Active Region Formation and Subsurface Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stein, F.; Nordlund, Robert A.

2016-10-01

We present results from emerging magnetic flux simulations showing how several different active regions form and their very different subsurface structures. The simulations assumed an infinite sheet of uniform, untwisted, horizontal field advected into the computational domain by inflows at a depth of 20 Mm. Results from two different horizontal field strengths, 1 and 5 kG, will be presented. Convective up and down flows buckle the horizontal field into Omega and U loops. Upflows and magnetic buoyancy carry the field toward the surface, while fast downflows pin down the field. Small (granular) convective motions, near the surface, shred the emerging field into fine filaments that emerge as the observed "pepper and salt" pattern. The large (supergranular) motions, at depth, keep the overall loop structure intact, so that as the overall omega-loop emerges through the surface the opposite polarity fields counter-stream into large unipolar flux concentrations producing first pores which then coalesce into spots. These tend to be located over the supergranular downflow lanes near the bottom of the domain. The pores and spots exhibit a great variety of subsurface field structures - from monolithic but twisted bundles to intertwined separate spaghetti sturctures. We will show movies of the surface evolution of the field and emergent continuum intensity and of the subsurface evolution of the magnetic field lines.

Audiomagnetotelluric Data and Preliminary Two-Dimensional Models from Spring, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

McPhee, Darcy K.; Chuchel, Bruce A.; Pellerin, Louise

2008-01-01

This report presents audiomagnetotelluric (AMT) data along fourteen profiles in Spring, Delamar, and Dry Lake Valleys, and the corresponding preliminary two-dimensional (2-D) inverse models. The AMT method is a valuable tool for estimating the electrical resistivity of the Earth over depth ranges from a few meters to less than one kilometer, and it is important for revealing subsurface structure and stratigraphy within the Basin and Range province of eastern Nevada, which can be used to define the geohydrologic framework of the region. We collected AMT data by using the Geometrics StrataGem EH4 system. Profiles were 0.7 - 3.2 km in length with station spacing of 50-400 m. Data were recorded in a coordinate system parallel to and perpendicular to the regional geologic-strike direction with Z positive down. We show AMT station locations, sounding curves of apparent resistivity, phase, and coherency, and 2-D models of subsurface resistivity along the profiles. The 2-D inverse models are computed from the transverse electric (TE), transverse magnetic (TM), and TE+TM mode data by using a conjugate gradient, finite-difference method. Preliminary interpretation of the 2-D models defines the structural framework of the basins and the resistivity contrasts between alluvial basin-fill, volcanic units, and carbonate basement rocks.

Flynn Creek Impact Structure: New Insights from Breccias, Melt Features, Shatter Cones, and Remote Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evenick, J. C.; Lee, P.; Deane, B.

2004-01-01

The Flynn Creek impact structure is located in Tennessee, USA (36 deg.17 min.N, 85 deg.40 min.W). The structure was first mapped as a crypto-volcanic by Wilson and Born in 1936 [1]. Although they did not properly identify the stratigraphy within the crater or the causal mechanism, they did correctly define the horizontal extent of the crater. More detailed surface and subsurface research by Roddy (1979) accurately described the crater as being an impact structure with a diameter of 3.8 km. It formed around 360 Ma, which corresponds to the interval between the deposition of the Nashville Group and the Chattanooga Shale. Although there is limited rock outcrop in the area, there are exposed surface faults, folds, and large outcrops of impact breccia within the crater.

Preliminary report on radioactive conglomerates of Middle Precambrian age in the Sierra Madre and Medicine Bow Mountains of southeastern Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Houston, Robert Stroud; Graff, P.J.; Karlstrom, K.E.; Root, Forrest

1977-01-01

Middle Precambrian miogeosynclinal metasedimentary rocks o# the Sierra Madre and Medicine Bow Mountains of southeastern Wyoming contain radioactive quartz-pebble conglomerates of possible economic interest. These conglomerates do not contain ore-grade uranium in surface outcrops, but an earlier report on the geochemistry of the Arrastre Lake area of the Medicine Bow Mountains shows that ore-grade deposits may be present in the subsurface. This report describes the stratigraphy of the host metasedimentary rocks and the stratigraphic setting of the radioactive conglomerates in both the Sierra Madre and Medicine Bow Mountains, and compares these rock units with those of the Blind River-Elliot Lake uranium district in Canada. The location of radioactive .conglomerates is given so that further exploration may be undertaken by interested parties.

The Extraterrestrial Materials Simulation Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, J. R.

2001-01-01

In contrast to fly-by and orbital missions, in situ missions face an incredible array of challenges in near-target navigation, landing site selection, descent, landing, science operations, sample collection and handling, drilling, anchoring, subsurface descent, communications, and contamination. The wide range of materials characteristics and environments threaten mission safety and success. For example, many physical properties are poorly characterized, including strength, composition, heterogeneity, phase change, texture, thermal properties, terrain features, atmospheric interaction, and stratigraphy. Examples of the range of materials properties include, for example: (1) Comets, with a possible compressive strength ranging from a light fluff to harder than concrete: 10(exp 2) to 10 (exp 8) Pa; (2) Europa, including a possible phase change at the surface, unknown strength and terrain roughness; and (3) Titan, with a completely unknown surface and possible liquid ocean. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Effects of volcano topography on seismic broad-band waveforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neuberg, Jürgen; Pointer, Tim

2000-10-01

Volcano seismology often deals with rather shallow seismic sources and seismic stations deployed in their near field. The complex stratigraphy on volcanoes and near-field source effects have a strong impact on the seismic wavefield, complicating the interpretation techniques that are usually employed in earthquake seismology. In addition, as most volcanoes have a pronounced topography, the interference of the seismic wavefield with the stress-free surface results in severe waveform perturbations that affect seismic interpretation methods. In this study we deal predominantly with the surface effects, but take into account the impact of a typical volcano stratigraphy as well as near-field source effects. We derive a correction term for plane seismic waves and a plane-free surface such that for smooth topographies the effect of the free surface can be totally removed. Seismo-volcanic sources radiate energy in a broad frequency range with a correspondingly wide range of different Fresnel zones. A 2-D boundary element method is employed to study how the size of the Fresnel zone is dependent on source depth, dominant wavelength and topography in order to estimate the limits of the plane wave approximation. This approximation remains valid if the dominant wavelength does not exceed twice the source depth. Further aspects of this study concern particle motion analysis to locate point sources and the influence of the stratigraphy on particle motions. Furthermore, the deployment strategy of seismic instruments on volcanoes, as well as the direct interpretation of the broad-band waveforms in terms of pressure fluctuations in the volcanic plumbing system, are discussed.

DESIGN OF A SURFACTANT REMEDIATION FIELD DEMONSTRATION BASED ON LABORATORY AND MODELINE STUDIES

EPA Science Inventory

Surfactant-enhanced subsurface remediation is being evaluated as an innovative technology for expediting ground-water remediation. This paper reports on laboratory and modeling studies conducted in preparation for a pilot-scale field test of surfactant-enhanced subsurface remedia...

Subsurface Pressure-Temperature Conditions and H2(aq) Generation at the Piccard Hydro-Thermal Field, Mid-Cayman Rise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheuermann, P. P.; Seyfried, W. E.

2018-05-01

The subsurface pressure-temperature conditions at the Piccard hydrothermal field are constrained using the Si-Cl geothermobarometer. Ol-Mgt and Opx-Mgt are proposed as assemblages that buffer H2(aq) at Piccard.

The Effect of Projectile Density and Disruption on the Crater Excavation Flow-Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Jennifer L. B.; Schultz, P. H.

2005-01-01

The ejection parameters of material excavated by a growing crater directly relate to the subsurface excavation flow-field. The ejection angles and speeds define the end of subsurface material streamlines at the target surface. Differences in the subsurface flow-fields can be inferred by comparing observed ejection parameters of various impacts obtained using three-dimensional particle image velocimetry (3D PIV). The work presented here investigates the observed ejection speeds and angles of material ejected during vertical (90 impact angle) experimental impacts for a range of different projectile types. The subsurface flow-fields produced during vertical impacts are simple when compared with that of oblique impacts, affected primarily by the depth of the energy and momentum deposition of the projectile. This depth is highly controlled by the projectile/target density ratio and the disruption of the projectile (brittle vs. ductile deformation). Previous studies indicated that cratering efficiency and the crater diameter/depth ratio were affected by projectile disruption, velocity, and the projectile/target density ratio. The effect of these projectile properties on the excavation flow-field are examined by comparing different projectile materials.

Stratigraphy of Atlantic coastal margin of United States north of Cape Hatteras; brief survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Perry, W.J.; Minard, J.P.; Weed, E.G.A.; Robbins, E.I.; Rhodehamel, E.C.

1975-01-01

A synthesis of studies of sea-floor outcrops of the sedimentary wedge beneath the northeastern United States continental shelf and slope and a reassessment of coastal plain Mesozoic stratigraphy, particularly of the coastal margin, provide insight for estimating the oil and gas potential and provide geologic control for marine seismic investigations of the Atlantic continental margin. The oldest strata known to crop out on the continental slope are late Campanian in age. The Cretaceous-Tertiary contact along the slope ranges from a water depth of 0.6 to 1.5 km south of Georges Bank to 1.8 km in Hudson Canyon. Few samples are available from Tertiary and Late Cretaceous outcrops along the slope. Sediments of the Potomac Group, chiefly of Early Cretaceous age, constitute a major deltaic sequence in the emerged coastal plain. This thick sequence lies under coastal Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, southeastern New Jersey, and the adjacent continental shelf. Marine sands associated with this deltaic sequence may be present seaward under the outer continental shelf. South of the Norfolk arch, under coastal North Carolina, carbonate rocks interfinger with Lower Cretaceous clastic strata. From all available data, Mesozoic correlations in coastal wells between coastal Virginia and Long Island have been revised. The Upper-Lower Cretaceous boundary is placed at the transition between Albian and Cenomanian floras. Potential hydrocarbon source beds are present along the coast in the subsurface sediments of Cretaceous age. Potential reservoir sandstones are abundant in this sequence.

Yucatán subsurface stratigraphy: Implications and constraints for the Chicxulub impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, W. C.; Keller, G.; Stinnesbeck, W.; Adatte, T.

1995-10-01

Much of the discussion about the effects of an end-of-Cretaceous impact by a large extraterrestrial body in northwestern Yucatán has been done in the context of limited and partly erroneous published data on the Mesozoic stratigraphy of that area. Reexamination of cores and geophysical logs taken in several Pemex wells has produced improved lithologic and biostratigraphic correlation of the Jurassic to Maastrichtian section across the northern Yucatán peninsula. These data suggest that major disturbance of strata by an impact would have been confined to within about 100 km of the proposed impact center near Chicxulub. The only unusual lithologic unit is polymict breccia, which apparently was penetrated at or near the top of the Cretaceous section in all the deep wells of northern Yucatán. This breccia in Pemex wells Yucatán 1, 2, 4, 5A, and 6 is composed predominantly of detrital dolomite, limestone, and anhydrite clasts set in dolomitized carbonate mud matrix, which contains upper Maastrichtian foraminifers. These constituents, mixed with fragments of altered glass or melt rock, shocked quartz and feldspar, and basement rock, suggest an impact as the most likely origin for the breccia. The timing of brecciation is poorly constrained by biostratigraphic data. There is some evidence, however, that the breccia unit is overlain by about 18 m of uppermost Maastrichtian marls, suggesting an impact before the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. In addition, there may have been more than one episode of breccia deposition.

Debates - Stochastic subsurface hydrology from theory to practice: Introduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajaram, Harihar

2016-12-01

This paper introduces the papers in the "Debates - Stochastic Subsurface Hydrology from Theory to Practice" series. Beginning in the 1970s, the field of stochastic subsurface hydrology has been an active field of research, with over 3500 journal publications, of which over 850 have appeared in Water Resources Research. We are fortunate to have insightful contributions from four groups of distinguished authors who discuss the reasons why the advanced research framework established in stochastic subsurface hydrology has not impacted the practice of groundwater flow and transport modeling and design significantly. There is reasonable consensus that a community effort aimed at developing "toolboxes" for applications of stochastic methods will make them more accessible and encourage practical applications.

Structure and function of subsurface microbial communities affecting radionuclide transport and bioimmobilization

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

Kostka, Joel E.; Prakash, Om; Green, Stefan J.

2012-05-01

Our objectives were to: 1) isolate and characterize novel anaerobic prokaryotes from subsurface environments exposed to high levels of mixed contaminants (U(VI), nitrate, sulfate), 2) elucidate the diversity and distribution of metabolically active metal- and nitrate-reducing prokaryotes in subsurface sediments, and 3) determine the biotic and abiotic mechanisms linking electron transport processes (nitrate, Fe(III), and sulfate reduction) to radionuclide reduction and immobilization. Mechanisms of electron transport and U(VI) transformation were examined under near in situ conditions in sediment microcosms and in field investigations. Field sampling was conducted at the Oak Ridge Field Research Center (ORFRC), in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Themore » ORFRC subsurface is exposed to mixed contamination predominated by uranium and nitrate. In short, we effectively addressed all 3 stated objectives of the project. In particular, we isolated and characterized a large number of novel anaerobes with a high bioremediation potential that can be used as model organisms, and we are now able to quantify the function of subsurface sedimentary microbial communities in situ using state-of-the-art gene expression methods (molecular proxies).« less

Complete genome sequence of Anaeromyxobacter sp. Fw109-5, an Anaerobic, Metal-Reducing Bacterium Isolated from a Contaminated Subsurface Environment

DOE PAGES

Hwang, C.; Copeland, A.; Lucas, Susan; ...

2015-01-22

We report the genome sequence of Anaeromyxobacter sp. Fw109-5, isolated from nitrate- and uranium-contaminated subsurface sediment of the Oak Ridge Integrated Field-Scale Subsurface Research Challenge (IFC) site, Oak Ridge Reservation, TN. The bacterium’s genome sequence will elucidate its physiological potential in subsurface sediments undergoing in situ uranium bioremediation and natural attenuation.

Nutrient loss in leachate and surface runoff from surface-broadcast and subsurface-banded broiler litter

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Subsurface band application of poultry litter has been shown to reduce the transport of nutrients from fields in surface runoff, compared to the conventional surface broadcast application. Little in situ research has been conducted to determine effects of surface broadcast application and subsurfac...

Chronology of Fluctuating Sea Levels since the Triassic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haq, Bilal U.; Hardenbol, Jan; Vail, Peter R.

1987-03-01

Advances in sequence stratigraphy and the development of depositional models have helped explain the origin of genetically related sedimentary packages during sea level cycles. These concepts have provided the basis for the recognition of sea level events in subsurface data and in outcrops of marine sediments around the world. Knowledge of these events has led to a new generation of Mesozoic and Cenozoic global cycle charts that chronicle the history of sea level fluctuations during the past 250 million years in greater detail than was possible from seismic-stratigraphic data alone. An effort has been made to develop a realistic and accurate time scale and widely applicable chronostratigraphy and to integrate depositional sequences documented in public domain outcrop sections from various basins with this chronostratigraphic frame-work. A description of this approach and an account of the results, illustrated by sea level cycle charts of the Cenozoic, Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Triassic intervals, are presented.

Audiomagnetotelluric investigation of Snake Valley, eastern Nevada and western Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

McPhee, Darcy K.; Pari, Keith; Baird, Frank

2009-01-01

As support for an exploratory well-drilling and hydraulic-testing program, AMT data were collected using a Geometrics Stratagem EH4 system along four profiles that extend roughly east-west from the southern Snake Range into Snake Valley. The profiles range from 3 to 5 kilometers in length, and station spacing was 200 to 400 meters. Two-dimensional inverse models were computed using the data from the transverse-electric (TE), transverse-magnetic (TM), and combined (TE+TM) mode using a conjugate gradient, finite-difference method. Interpretation of the 2-D AMT models defines several faults, some of which may influence ground-water flow in the basins, as well as identify underlying Paleozoic carbonate and clastic rocks and the thickness of basin-fill sediments. These AMT data and models, coupled with the geologic mapping and other surface geophysical methods, form the basis for identifying potential well sites and defining the subsurface structures and stratigraphy within Snake Valley.

Subsurface stratigraphy of upper Devonian clastics in southern West Virginia

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

Neal, D.W.; Patchen, D.G.

Studies of upper Devonian shales and siltstones in southern West Virginia have resulted in a refinement of the stratigraphic framework used in characterizing the gas-producing Devonian shales. Gamma-ray log correlation around the periphery of the Appalachian Basin has extended the usage of New York stratigraphic nomenclature for the interval between the base of the Dunkirk shale and the top of the Tully limestone to southern West Virginia. Equivalents of the Dunkirk shale and younger rocks of New York are recognized in southwestern West Virginia and are named according to Ohio usage. Gas production is primarily from the basal black shalemore » member of the Ohio shale. Gas shows from older black shale units (Rhinestreet and Marcellus shales) are recorded from wells east of the major producing trend. Provided suitable stimulation techniques can be developed, these older and deeper black shales may prove to be another potential gas resource.« less

Geophysical and sampling data from the inner continental shelf: Duxbury to Hull, Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnhardt, Walter A.; Ackerman, Seth D.; Andrews, Brian D.; Baldwin, Wayne E.

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) have cooperated to map approximately 200 km² of the Massachusetts inner continental shelf between Duxbury and Hull. This report contains geophysical and geological data collected by the USGS on three cruises between 2006 and 2007. These USGS data are supplemented with a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) hydrographic survey conducted in 2003 to update navigation charts. The geophysical data include (1) swath bathymetry from interferometric sonar and multibeam echosounders, (2) acoustic backscatter from sidescan sonar and multibeam echosounders, and (3) subsurface stratigraphy and structure from seismic-reflection profilers. The geological data include sediment samples, seafloor photographs, and bottom videos. These spatial data support research on the influence sea-level change and sediment supply have on coastal evolution, and on efforts to understand the type, distribution, and quality of subtidal marine habitats in the Massachusetts coastal ocean.

Stratigraphy and structural evolution of southern Mare Serenitatis - A reinterpretation based on Apollo Lunar Sounder Experiment data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharpton, V. L.; Head, J. W., III

1983-01-01

Two subsurface reflecting horizons have been detected by the Apollo Lunar Sounder Experiment (ALSE) in the southern Mare Serenitatis which appear to be regolith layers more than 2 m thick, and are correlated with major stratigraphic boundaries in the southeastern Mare Serenitatis. The present stratigraphic boundaries in the southeastern Mare Serenitatis. The present analysis implies that the lower horizon represents the interface between the earliest mare unit and the modified Serenitatis basin material below. The depth of volcanic fill within Serenitatis is highly variable, with an average thickness of mare basalts under the ALSE ground track of 1.6 km. Comparisons with the Orientale basin topography suggests that a major increaae in load thickness could occur a few km basinward of the innermost extent of the traverse. The history of volcanic infilling of Mare Serenitatis was characterized by three major episodes of volcanism.

Airborne electromagnetic data and processing within Leach Lake Basin, Fort Irwin, California: Chapter G in Geology and geophysics applied to groundwater hydrology at Fort Irwin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bedrosian, Paul A.; Ball, Lyndsay B.; Bloss, Benjamin R.; Buesch, David C.

2014-01-01

From December 2010 to January 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted airborne electromagnetic and magnetic surveys of Leach Lake Basin within the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California. These data were collected to characterize the subsurface and provide information needed to understand and manage groundwater resources within Fort Irwin. A resistivity stratigraphy was developed using ground-based time-domain electromagnetic soundings together with laboratory resistivity measurements on hand samples and borehole geophysical logs from nearby basins. This report releases data associated with the airborne surveys, as well as resistivity cross-sections and depth slices derived from inversion of the airborne electromagnetic data. The resulting resistivity models confirm and add to the geologic framework, constrain the hydrostratigraphy and the depth to basement, and reveal the distribution of faults and folds within the basin.

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

Haq, B.U.; Hardenbol, J.; Vail, P.R.

Advances in sequence stratigraphy and the development of depositional models have helped explain the origin of genetically related sedimentary packages during sea level cycles. These concepts have provided the basis for the recognition of sea level events in subsurface data and in outcrops of marine sediments around the world. Knowledge of these events has led to a new generation of Mesozoic and Cenozoic global cycle charts that chronicle the history of sea level fluctuations during the past 250 million years in greater detail than was possible from seismic-stratigraphic data alone. An effort has been made to develop a realistic andmore » accurate time scale and widely applicable chronostratigraphy and to integrate depositional sequences documented in public domain outcrop sections from various basins with this chronostratigraphic framework. A description of this approach and an account of the results, illustrated by sea level cycle charts of the Cenozoic, Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Triassic intervals, are presented.« less

Robotic Range Clearance Competition (R2C2)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

unexploded ordnance (UXO). A large part of the debris field consists of ferrous metal objects that magnetic 39 Distribution A: Approved for public...was set at 7 degrees above horizontal based on terrain around the Base station. We used the BSUBR file for all fields except the Subsurface...and subsurface clearance test areas had numerous pieces of simulated unexploded ordinance (SUXO) buried at random locations around the field . These

Coupled Flow and Mechanics in Porous and Fractured Media*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, M. J.; Newell, P.; Bishop, J.

2012-12-01

Numerical models describing subsurface flow through deformable porous materials are important for understanding and enabling energy security and climate security. Some applications of current interest come from such diverse areas as geologic sequestration of anthropogenic CO2, hydro-fracturing for stimulation of hydrocarbon reservoirs, and modeling electrochemistry-induced swelling of fluid-filled porous electrodes. Induced stress fields in any of these applications can lead to structural failure and fracture. The ultimate goal of this research is to model evolving faults and fracture networks and flow within the networks while coupling to flow and mechanics within the intact porous structure. We report here on a new computational capability for coupling of multiphase porous flow with geomechanics including assessment of over-pressure-induced structural damage. The geomechanics is coupled to the flow via the variation in the fluid pore pressures, whereas the flow problem is coupled to mechanics by the concomitant material strains which alter the pore volume (porosity field) and hence the permeability field. For linear elastic solid mechanics a monolithic coupling strategy is utilized. For nonlinear elastic/plastic and fractured media, a segregated coupling is presented. To facilitate coupling with disparate flow and mechanics time scales, the coupling strategy allows for different time steps in the flow solve compared to the mechanics solve. If time steps are synchronized, the controller allows user-specified intra-time-step iterations. The iterative coupling is dynamically controlled based on a norm measuring the degree of variation in the deformed porosity. The model is applied for evaluation of the integrity of jointed caprock systems during CO2 sequestration operations. Creation or reactivation of joints can lead to enhanced pathways for leakage. Similarly, over-pressures can induce flow along faults. Fluid flow rates in fractures are strongly dependent on the effective hydraulic aperture, which is a non-linear function of effective normal stress. The dynamically evolving aperture field updates the effective, anisotropic permeability tensor, thus resulting in a highly coupled multiphysics problem. Two models of geomechanical damage are discussed: critical shear-slip criteria and a sub-grid joint model. Leakage rates through the caprock resulting from the joint model are compared to those assuming intact material, allowing a correlation between potential for leakage and injection rates/pressures, for various in-situ stratigraphies. *This material is based upon work supported as part of the Center for Frontiers of Subsurface Energy Security, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Award Number DE-SC0001114. Sandia is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energys National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Facies analysis, diagenesis and sequence stratigraphy of the carbonate-evaporite succession of the Upper Jurassic Surmeh Formation: Impacts on reservoir quality (Salman Oil Field, Persian Gulf, Iran)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beigi, Maryam; Jafarian, Arman; Javanbakht, Mohammad; Wanas, H. A.; Mattern, Frank; Tabatabaei, Amin

2017-05-01

This study aims to determine the depositional facies, diagenetic processes and sequence stratigraphic elements of the subsurface carbonate-evaporite succession of the Upper Jurassic (Kimmeridgian-Tithonian) Surmeh Formation of the Salman Oil Field (the Persian Gulf, Iran), in an attempt to explore their impacts on reservoir quality. The Surmeh Formation consists mainly of carbonate rocks, intercalated with evaporite layers. Petrographically, the Surmeh Formation consists of nine microfacies (MF1-MF9). These microfacies are grouped into three facies associations related to three depositional environments (peritidal flat, lagoon and high-energy shoal) sited on the inner part of a homoclinal carbonate ramp. The recorded diagenetic processes include dolomitization, anhydritization, compaction, micritization, neomorphism, dissolution and cementation. Vertical stacking patterns of the studied facies reveal the presence of three third-order depositional sequences, each of which consists of transgressive systems tract (TST) and highstand systems tract (HST). The TSTs comprise intertidal and lagoon facies whereas the HSTs include supratidal and shoal facies. In terms of their impacts on reservoir quality, the shoal facies represent the best reservoir quality, whereas the peritidal and lagoonal facies exhibit moderate to lowest reservoir quality. Also, poikilotopic anhydrite cement played the most significant role in declining the reservoir quality, whereas the widespread dissolution of labile grains and formation of moldic and vuggy pores contributed in enhancing the reservoir quality. In addition, the HSTs have a better reservoir quality than the TSTs. This study represents an approach to use the depositional facies, diagenetic alterations and sequence stratigraphic framework of carbonate -evaporite succession for a more successful reservoir characterization.

Restoration of original 3D sedimentary geometries in deformed basin fill supporting reservoir characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Back, S.

2009-04-01

A large progradational clastic system centred on Brunei Darussalam has been present on the NW Borneo margin since the early middle Miocene. This system has many sedimentary and structural similarities with major deltaic provinces such as the Niger and Nile. It differs from these systems by being affected in the hinterland by contemporaneous compressional tectonics. Uplift partially forced strong progradation of the clastic system, but also folded older deltaic units. Erosion and the exhumation of folded strata in the area of the Jerudong Anticline resulted in the exposure of large-scale prograding clinoforms and syn-sedimentary deltaic faults of middle Miocene age along a natural cross-section of several tens of kilometres in extent. Westward of the key outcrop sites on the Jerudong Anticline, the middle Miocene deltaic units are overlain by late Miocene, Pliocene and Quaternary clastics up to 3 kilometres thick. Both, the middle Miocene target units of this study as well as the late Miocene to recent overburden are recorded in the subsurface of the Belait Syncline on regional 2D seismic lines (total line length around 1400 km) and at 7 well locations. In this study, we integrate the available geophysical subsurface information with existing structural, sedimentological and geomorphological field data of the "classic" Jerudong Anticline exposures (e.g., Back et al. 2001, Morley et al. 2003, Back et al. 2005) into a static 3D surface-subsurface model that provides quantitative constraints on the structural and stratigraphic architecture of the Miocene Belait delta and the overlying units in three dimensions, supporting basin-scale as well as reservoir-scale analysis of the subsurface rock volume. Additionally, we use the static surface-subsurface model as input for a tectonic retro-deformation of the study area, in which the 3D paleo-relief of the middle Miocene Belait delta is restored by unfolding and fault balancing (Back et al. 2008). This kinematic reconstruction ultimately provides a detailed view into the stratal architecture of middle Miocene delta clinoforms, indicating a close relationship between delta-lobe activity, clinoform morphology, and the generation of slumps and turbidites. Literature BACK, S., MORLEY, C.K., SIMMONS, M.D. & LAMBIASE, J.J. (2001): Depositional environment and sequence stratigraphy of Miocene deltaic cycles exposed along the Jerudong anticline, Brunei Darussalam. - Journal of Sedimentary Research, 71: 915-923. BACK, S., TIOE HAK JING, TRAN XUAN THANG & MORLEY, C.K. (2005): Stratigraphic development of synkinematic deposits in a large growth-fault system, onshore Brunei Darussalam. - Journal of the Geological Society, London, 162: 243-258. BACK, S., STROZYK, F., KUKLA, P.A. & LAMBIASE, J.J. (2008): 3D restoration of original sedimentary geometries in deformed basin fill, onshore Brunei Darussalam, NW Borneo. Basin Research, 20: 99-117. MORLEY, C.K., BACK, S., VANRENSBERGEN, P., CREVELLO, P. & LAMBIASE, J.J. (2003): Characteristics of repeated, detached, Miocene -Pliocene tectonic inversion events, in a large delta province on an active margin, Brunei Darussalam, Borneo. - Journal of Structural Geology, 25: 1147-1169.

Results from Field Testing the RIMFAX GPR on Svalbard.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamran, S. E.; Amundsen, H. E. F.; Berger, T.; Carter, L. M.; Dypvik, H.; Ghent, R. R.; Kohler, J.; Mellon, M. T.; Nunes, D. C.; Paige, D. A.; Plettemeier, D.; Russell, P.

2017-12-01

The Radar Imager for Mars' Subsurface Experiment - RIMFAX is a Ground Penetrating Radar being developed for NASÁs MARS 2020 rover mission. The principal goals of the RIMFAX investigation are to image subsurface structures, provide context for sample sites, derive information regarding subsurface composition, and search for ice or brines. In meeting these goals, RIMFAX will provide a view of the stratigraphic section and a window into the geological and environmental history of Mars. To verify the design an Engineering Model (EM) of the radar was tested in the field in the spring 2017. Different sounding modes on the EM were tested in different types of subsurface geology on Svalbard. Deep soundings were performed on polythermal glaciers down to a couple of hundred meters. Shallow soundings were used to map a ground water table in the firn area of a glacier. A combination of deep and shallow soundings was used to image buried ice under a sedimentary layer of a couple of meters. Subsurface sedimentary layers were imaged down to more than 20 meters in sand stone permafrost. This presentation will give an overview of the RIMFAX investigation, describe the development of the radar system, and show results from field tests of the radar.

Exploration geothermal gradient drilling, Platanares, Honduras, Central America

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

Goff, S.J.; Laughlin, A.W.; Ruefenacht, H.D.

1988-01-01

This paper is a review and summary of the core drilling operations component of the Honduras Geothermal Resource Development Project at the Platanares geothermal prospect in Honduras, Central America. Three intermediate depth (428 to 679 m) coreholes are the first continuously cored geothermal exploration boreholes in Honduras. These coring operations are part of the Central America Energy Resource Project (CAERP) effort funded by the Agency for International Development (AID) and implemented by the Los Alamos National Laboratory (Los Alamos) in cooperation with the Empresa Nacional de Energia Electrica (ENEE) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). This report emphasizes coringmore » operations with reference to the stratigraphy, thermal gradient, and flow test data of the boreholes. The primary objectives of this coring effort were (1) to obtain quantitative information on the temperature distribution as a function of depth, (2) to recover fluids associated with the geothermal reservoir, (3) to recover 75% or better core from the subsurface rock units, and (4) to drill into the subsurface rock as deeply as possible in order to get information on potential reservoir rocks, fracture density, permeabilities, and alteration histories of the rock units beneath the site. The three exploration coreholes drilled to depths of 650, 428 and 679 m, respectively, encountered several hot water entries. Coring operations and associated testing began in mid-October 1986 and were completed at the end of June 1987.« less

Cretaceous biostratigraphy in the Wyoming thrust belt

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

Nichols, D.J.; Jacobson, S.R.

Biostratigraphy is essential to exploration for oil and gas in the Wyoming thrust belt because fossils provide a temporal framework for interpretation of events of faulting, erosion, sedimentation, and the development of hydrocarbon traps and migration pathways. In the Cretaceous section, fossils are especially useful for dating and correlating repetitive facies of different ages in structurally complex terrain. The biostratigraphic zonation for the region is based on megafossils (chiefly ammonites), which permit accurate dating and correlation of outcrop sections, and which have been calibrated with the radiometric time scale for the Western Interior. Molluscan and vertebrate zone fossils are difficultmore » to obtain from the subsurface, however, and ammonities are restricted to rocks of margin origin. Palynomorphs (plant microfossils) have proven to be the most valuable fossils in investigations of stratigraphy and structures in the subsurface of the thrust belt because palynomorphs can be recovered from drill cuttings. Palynomorphs also are found in both marine and nonmarine rocks and can be used for correlation between facies. In this paper, stratigraphic ranges of selected Cretaceous marine and nonmarine palynomorphs in previously designated reference sections in Fossil Basin, Wyoming, are correlated with the occurrence of ammonities and other zone fossils in the same sections. These correlations can be related to known isotopic ages, and they contribute to the calibration of palynomorph ranges in the Cretaceous of the Western Interior.« less

Stratigraphy and petrology of petroleum-producing Waulsortian-type carbonate mounds in Fort Payne formation (Lower Mississippian) of north-central Tennessee

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

MacQuown, W.C.; Perkins, J.H.

1982-08-01

The petroleum-producing subsurface mounds of the Fort Payne Formation (Lower Mississippian) in north-central Tennessee represent a facies that is generally absent or poorly developed in surface sections to the west, near the Cincinnati arch, and to the east, in the Appalachian fold belt. The cross section and isopach maps of the Fort Payne mound unit and submound unit, and a structural map of the underlying Chattanooga Shale provide evidence for predicting undiscovered mounds by interpolating and extrapolating along several northeast-southwest mound trends. Interpretations are based on subsurface data, and they are reinforced by a comparison with the analogous Waulsortian moundsmore » and lenses of the same age in Europe. Waulsortian-type mounds are widespread on the surface of western Europe and North America. However, differences in morphology, porosity development, and the emplacement of petroleum in Fort Payne mounds are related to local paleogeography in a shallow cratonic-shelf sea subjected to cyclic regression and transgression due to regional tectono-eustatic events. Fort Payne mounds produced more than 5.5 million bbl of oil through 1980. Although the source beds have not been identified, petroleum may have been derived from the submound or mound units of the Fort Payne Formation, or from the underlying Chattanooga Shale.« less

Avulsion Clusters in Alluvial Systems: An Example of Large-Scale Self-Organization in Ancient and Experimental Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hajek, E.; Heller, P.; Huzurbazar, S.; Sheets, B.; Paola, C.

2006-12-01

The stratigraphic record of at least some alluvial basins exhibits a spatial structure that may reflect long time- scale (103-105 yr in natural basins) autogenic organization of river avulsions. Current models of avulsion-dominated alluvial sequences emphasize the spatial and temporal distribution of coarse-grained channel-belt deposits amid fine-grained floodplain materials. These models typically assume that individual avulsions move, either randomly or deterministically, to low spots distributed throughout the model space. However, our observations of ancient deposits and experimental stratigraphy indicate a previously unrecognized pattern of channel-belt organization, where clusters of closely-spaced channel-belt deposits are separated from each other by extensive intervals of overbank deposits. We explore potential causes of and controls on avulsion clustering with outcrop and subsurface data from Late Cretaceous/Early Paleogene fluvial deposits in the Rocky Mountains (including the Ferris, Lance, and Fort Union formations of Wyoming) and results of physical stratigraphy experiments from the St. Anthony Falls Lab, University of Minnesota. We use Ripley's K-function to determine the degree and scales of clustering in these basins with results that show moderate statistical clustering in experimental deposits and strong clustering in the Ferris Formation (Hanna Basin, Wyoming). External controls (base level, subsidence rate, and sediment/water supplies) were not varied during the experiment, and therefore not factors in cluster formation. Likewise, the stratigraphic context of the ancient system (including the absence of incised valleys and lack of faulting) suggests that obvious extrinsic controls, such as base level change and local tectonics, were not major influences on the development of clusters. We propose that avulsion clusters, as seen in this study, reflect a scale of self-organization in alluvial basins that is not usually recognized in stratigraphy. However cursory examination of other ancient systems suggests that such structure may be common in the rock record. Understanding mechanisms driving avulsion clustering will shed light on the dominant processes in alluvial basins over long time scales. Furthermore, characterizing autogenic avulsion clusters will be an important factor to consider when interpreting allogenic signals in ancient basin fills.

Analysis of Fully Polarimetric Laboratory Measurements Performed with the WISDOM Radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plettemeier, D.; Ciarletti, V.; Cais, P.; Benedix, W.-S.; Zhang, H.; Hamran, S.-E.; Clifford, S.

2012-04-01

The Ground Penetrating Radar WISDOM (Water Ice Subsurface Deposit Observation on Mars) is one of the instruments selected to be part of the Pasteur payload of ESA's ExoMars Rover mission. The main scientific objectives of the Pasteur payload are to search for evidence of past and present life on Mars and to characterize the nature of the shallow subsurface. WISDOM is capable to obtain subsurface information along the rover path and to explore the first 3 meters of the soil with a vertical resolution of a few centimeters. WISDOM will help identify the location of sedimentary layers, where organic molecules are most likely to be found. By investigating geometry, location and properties of buried reflectors, WISDOM will contribute to the understanding of the 3D geological structure, electromagnetic nature, and, possibly, the state of water and ice in the shallow subsurface. WISDOM measurements will be performed 1) by conducting periodic soundings along the Rover traverse, which will provide a coarse, non-uniform, but positionally well-determined investigation of the landing site and 2) by selected high-resolution surveys of areas of strong scientific interest, which are identified for potential investigation and sampling by the Rover's drill. Such surveys will generally be conducted by acquiring a number of closely spaced parallel profiles. Supported by specific hardware features, like the arrangement of the fully polarimetric antenna system, an interpolated 3-D subsurface map of the local stratigraphy can be constructed from these radar measurements. Laboratory measurements are performed on a planar scanner in the anechoic chamber to simulate the closely spaced parallel profiles of selected high-resolution surveys. To characterize the performance of the radar and to be able to analyze the influence of radiation coupling effects between the rover and the antennas, the fully polarimetric WISDOM antenna system was mounted on a simple rover-like mockup. Calibration algorithms were applied to reduce the interference from radiation coupling and cross-talk between transmitting and receiving antenna. The analysis of the laboratory measurement will show features of the fully polarimetric radar system and quantify most of the important performance parameters. Synthetic aperture processing is implemented to increase the azimuth resolution of radar. The three dimensional reconstruction of the positioning of an arrangement of discrete objects will be shown.

Aminostratigraphy of surface and subsurface Quaternary sediments, North Carolina coastal plain, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wehmiller, John F.; Thieler, E. Robert; Miller, D.; Pellerito, V.; Bakeman, Keeney V.; Riggs, S.R.; Culver, S.; Mallinson, D.; Farrell, K.M.; York, L.L.; Pierson, J.; Parham, P.R.

2010-01-01

The Quaternary stratigraphy and geochronology of the Albemarle Embayment of the North Carolina (NC) Coastal Plain is examined using amino acid racemization (AAR) in marine mollusks, in combination with geophysical, lithologic, and biostratigraphic analysis of 28 rotasonic cores drilled between 2002 and 2006. The Albemarle Embayment is bounded by structural highs to the north and south, and Quaternary strata thin westward toward the Suffolk paleoshoreline, frequently referred to as the Suffolk Scarp. The Quaternary section is up to ∼90 m thick, consists of a variety of estuarine, shelf, back-barrier, and lagoonal deposits, and has been influenced by multiple sea-level cycles. The temporal resolution of the amino acid racemization method is tested statistically and with the stratigraphic control provided by this geologic framework, and it is then applied to the correlation and age estimation of subsurface units throughout the region. Over 500 specimens (primarily Mercenaria and Mulinia) from the subsurface section have been analyzed using either gas chromatographic (GC) or reverse-phase liquid chromatographic (RPLC) techniques. The subsurface stratigraphic data are compared with AAR results from numerous natural or excavated exposures from the surrounding region, as well as results from NC beach collections, to develop a comprehensive aminostratigraphic database for the entire Quaternary record within the NC coastal system. Age mixing, recognized in the beach collections, is also seen in subsurface sections, usually where major seismic reflections or core lithology indicate the presence of stratigraphic discontinuities. Kinetic models for racemization are tested within the regional stratigraphic framework, using either radiocarbon or U-series calibrations or comparison with regional biostratigraphy. Three major Pleistocene aminozones [AZ2, AZ3, and AZ4] are found throughout the region, all being found in superposition in several cores. Each can be subdivided, yielding a total of at least eight stratigraphically and statistically distinct aminozones. Kinetic modeling, supplemented with local calibration, indicates that these aminozones represent depositional events ranging from ∼80 ka to nearly 2 Ma. Three prominent seismic reflections are interpreted to represent the base of the early, middle, and late Pleistocene, respectively, roughly 2 Ma, 800 ka, and 130 ka. The large number of samples and the available stratigraphic control provide new insights into the capabilities and limitations of aminostratigraphic methods in assessing relative and numerical ages of Atlantic Coastal Plain Quaternary deposits.

The Mojave Subsurface Bio-Geochemistry Explorer (MOSBE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guerrero, J.; Beegle, L.; Abbey, W.; Bhartia, R.; Kounaves, S.; Russell, M.; Towles, D.

2012-01-01

The MOSBE Team has developed a terrestrial field campaign to explore two subsurface biological habitats under the Mojave Desert. This field campaign will not only help us understand terrestrial desert biology, but also will develop methodologies and strategies for potential future Mars missions that would seek to explore the Martian subsurface. We have proposed to the ASTEP program to integrate a suite of field demonstrated instruments with a 20 m subsurface drill as a coherent unit, the Mojave Subsurface Bio-geochemistry Explorer. The ATK Space Modular Planetary Drill System (MPDS) requires no drilling fluid, which allows aseptic sampling, can penetrate lithic ground up to 20 meters of depth, and utilizes less than 100 Watts throughout the entire depth. The drill has been developed and demonstrated in field testing to a depth of 10 meters in Arizona, December 2002. In addition to caching a continuous core throughout the drilling depth, it also generates and caches cuttings and fines that are strata-graphically correlated with the core. As a core segment is brought to the surface, it will be analyzed for texture and structure by a color microscopic imager and for relevant chemistry and mineralogy with a UV fluorescence/Raman spectrometer. Organic and soluble ionic species will be identified through two instruments -- a microcapillary electrophoresis, and an ion trap mass spectrometer that have been developed under PIDDP, ASTID and MIDP funding.

The emergence of hydrogeophysics for improved understanding of subsurface processes over multiple scales

DOE PAGES

Binley, Andrew; Hubbard, Susan S.; Huisman, Johan A.; ...

2015-06-15

Geophysics provides a multidimensional suite of investigative methods that are transforming our ability to see into the very fabric of the subsurface environment, and monitor the dynamics of its fluids and the biogeochemical reactions that occur within it. Here we document how geophysical methods have emerged as valuable tools for investigating shallow subsurface processes over the past two decades and offer a vision for future developments relevant to hydrology and also ecosystem science. The field of “hydrogeophysics” arose in the late 1990s, prompted, in part, by the wealth of studies on stochastic subsurface hydrology that argued for better field-based investigativemore » techniques. These new hydrogeophysical approaches benefited from the emergence of practical and robust data inversion techniques, in many cases with a view to quantify shallow subsurface heterogeneity and the associated dynamics of subsurface fluids. Furthermore, the need for quantitative characterization stimulated a wealth of new investigations into petrophysical relationships that link hydrologically relevant properties to measurable geophysical parameters. Development of time-lapse approaches provided a new suite of tools for hydrological investigation, enhanced further with the realization that some geophysical properties may be sensitive to biogeochemical transformations in the subsurface environment, thus opening up the new field of “biogeophysics.” Early hydrogeophysical studies often concentrated on relatively small “plot-scale” experiments. More recently, however, the translation to larger-scale characterization has been the focus of a number of studies. In conclusion, geophysical technologies continue to develop, driven, in part, by the increasing need to understand and quantify key processes controlling sustainable water resources and ecosystem services.« less

The emergence of hydrogeophysics for improved understanding of subsurface processes over multiple scales

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

Binley, Andrew; Hubbard, Susan S.; Huisman, Johan A.

Geophysics provides a multidimensional suite of investigative methods that are transforming our ability to see into the very fabric of the subsurface environment, and monitor the dynamics of its fluids and the biogeochemical reactions that occur within it. Here we document how geophysical methods have emerged as valuable tools for investigating shallow subsurface processes over the past two decades and offer a vision for future developments relevant to hydrology and also ecosystem science. The field of “hydrogeophysics” arose in the late 1990s, prompted, in part, by the wealth of studies on stochastic subsurface hydrology that argued for better field-based investigativemore » techniques. These new hydrogeophysical approaches benefited from the emergence of practical and robust data inversion techniques, in many cases with a view to quantify shallow subsurface heterogeneity and the associated dynamics of subsurface fluids. Furthermore, the need for quantitative characterization stimulated a wealth of new investigations into petrophysical relationships that link hydrologically relevant properties to measurable geophysical parameters. Development of time-lapse approaches provided a new suite of tools for hydrological investigation, enhanced further with the realization that some geophysical properties may be sensitive to biogeochemical transformations in the subsurface environment, thus opening up the new field of “biogeophysics.” Early hydrogeophysical studies often concentrated on relatively small “plot-scale” experiments. More recently, however, the translation to larger-scale characterization has been the focus of a number of studies. In conclusion, geophysical technologies continue to develop, driven, in part, by the increasing need to understand and quantify key processes controlling sustainable water resources and ecosystem services.« less

Preliminary Study of 2-D Time Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) Modeling to Analyze Subsurface Resistivity Distribution and its Application to the Geothermal Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aji Hapsoro, Cahyo; Purqon, Acep; Srigutomo, Wahyu

2017-07-01

2-D Time Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) has been successfully conducted to illustrate the value of Electric field distribution under the Earth surface. Electric field compared by magnetic field is used to analyze resistivity and resistivity is one of physical properties which very important to determine the reservoir potential area of geothermal systems as one of renewable energy. In this modeling we used Time Domain Electromagnetic method because it can solve EM field interaction problem with complex geometry and to analyze transient problems. TDEM methods used to model the value of electric and magnetic fields as a function of the time combined with the function of distance and depth. The result of this modeling is Electric field intensity value which is capable to describe the structure of the Earth’s subsurface. The result of this modeling can be applied to describe the Earths subsurface resistivity values to determine the reservoir potential of geothermal systems.

Washington Geothermal Play Fairway Analysis Data From Potential Field Studies

DOE Data Explorer

Anderson, Megan; Ritzinger, Brent; Glen, Jonathan; Schermerhorn, William

2017-12-20

A recent study which adapts play fairway analysis (PFA) methodology to assess geothermal potential was conducted at three locations (Mount Baker, Mount St. Helens seismic zone, and Wind River valley) along the Washington Cascade Range (Forson et al. 2017). Potential field (gravity and magnetic) methods which can detect subsurface contrasts in physical properties, provides a means for mapping and modeling subsurface geology and structure. As part of the WA-Cascade PFA project, we performed potential field studies by collecting high-resolution gravity and ground-magnetic data, and rock property measurements to (1) identify and constrain fault geometries (2) constrain subsurface lithologic distribution (3) study fault interactions (4) identify areas favorable to hydrothermal flow, and ultimately (5) guide future geothermal exploration at each location.

Geophysical framework of the southwestern Nevada volcanic field and hydrogeologic implications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grauch, V.J.; Sawyer, David A.; Fridrich, Chris J.; Hudson, Mark R.

1999-01-01

Gravity and magnetic data, when integrated with other geophysical, geological, and rock-property data, provide a regional framework to view the subsurface geology in the southwestern Nevada volcanic field. The region has been loosely divided into six domains based on structural style and overall geophysical character. For each domain, the subsurface tectonic and magmatic features that have been inferred or interpreted from previous geophysical work has been reviewed. Where possible, abrupt changes in geophysical fields as evidence for potential structural lithologic control on ground-water flow has been noted. Inferred lithology is used to suggest associated hydrogeologic units in the subsurface. The resulting framework provides a basis for investigators to develop hypotheses from regional ground-water pathways where no drill-hole information exists.

Geology and mineral resources of part of the Cumberland Gap coal field, Kentucky

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ashley, G.H.; Glenn, L.C.

1906-01-01

In this paper is described only the central part of the basin, or the area lying between Log Mountains at the head of Yell ow Creek of Cumberland and nearly north-south line about 10 miles east of Harlan, and while the data presented will give an idea of the general stratigraphy and structure of the whole field, they are not authoritative except within these limits.

Reconnecting tile drainage to riparian buffer hydrology for enhanced nitrate removal.

PubMed

Jaynes, D B; Isenhart, T M

2014-03-01

Riparian buffers are a proven practice for removing NO from overland flow and shallow groundwater. However, in landscapes with artificial subsurface (tile) drainage, most of the subsurface flow leaving fields is passed through the buffers in drainage pipes, leaving little opportunity for NO removal. We investigated the feasibility of re-routing a fraction of field tile drainage as subsurface flow through a riparian buffer for increasing NO removal. We intercepted an existing field tile outlet draining a 10.1-ha area of a row-cropped field in central Iowa and re-routed a fraction of the discharge as subsurface flow along 335 m of an existing riparian buffer. Tile drainage from the field was infiltrated through a perforated pipe installed 75 cm below the surface by maintaining a constant head in the pipe at a control box installed in-line with the existing field outlet. During 2 yr, >18,000 m (55%) of the total flow from the tile outlet was redirected as infiltration within the riparian buffer. The redirected water seeped through the 60-m-wide buffer, raising the water table approximately 35 cm. The redirected tile flow contained 228 kg of NO. On the basis of the strong decrease in NO concentrations within the shallow groundwater across the buffer, we hypothesize that the NO did not enter the stream but was removed within the buffer by plant uptake, microbial immobilization, or denitrification. Redirecting tile drainage as subsurface flow through a riparian buffer increased its NO removal benefit and is a promising management practice to improve surface water quality within tile-drained landscapes. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Extending RTM Imaging With a Focus on Head Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holicki, Max; Drijkoningen, Guy

2016-04-01

Conventional industry seismic imaging predominantly focuses on pre-critical reflections, muting post-critical arrivals in the process. This standard approach neglects a lot of information present in the recorded wave field. This negligence has been partially remedied with the inclusion of head waves in more advanced imaging techniques, like Full Waveform Inversion (FWI). We would like to see post-critical information leave the realm of labour-intensive travel-time picking and tomographic inversion towards full migration to improve subsurface imaging and parameter estimation. We present a novel seismic imaging approach aimed at exploiting post-critical information, using the constant travel path for head-waves between shots. To this end, we propose to generalize conventional Reverse Time Migration (RTM) to scenarios where the sources for the forward and backward propagated wave-fields are not coinciding. RTM functions on the principle that backward propagated receiver data, due to a source at some locations, must overlap with the forward propagated source wave field, from the same source location, at subsurface scatterers. Where the wave-fields overlap in the subsurface there is a peak at the zero-lag cross-correlation, and this peak is used for the imaging. For the inclusion of head waves, we propose to relax the condition of coincident sources. This means that wave-fields, from non-coincident-sources, will not overlap properly in the subsurface anymore. We can make the wave-fields overlap in the subsurface again, by time shifting either the forward or backward propagated wave-fields until the wave-fields overlap. This is the same as imaging at non-zero cross-correlation lags, where the lag is the travel time difference between the two wave-fields for a given event. This allows us to steer which arrivals we would like to use for imaging. In the simplest case we could use Eikonal travel-times to generate our migration image, or we exclusively image the subsurface with the head wave from the nth-layer. To illustrate the method we apply it to a layered Earth model with five layers and compare it to conventional RTM. We will show that conventional RTM highlights interfaces, while our head-wave based images highlight layers, producing fundamentally different images. We also demonstrate that our proposed imaging scheme is more sensitive to the velocity model than conventional RTM, which is important for improved velocity model building in the future.

Field-trip guide to the vents, dikes, stratigraphy, and structure of the Columbia River Basalt Group, eastern Oregon and southeastern Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Camp, Victor E; Reidel, Stephen P.; Ross, Martin E.; Brown, Richard J.; Self, Stephen

2017-06-22

The Columbia River Basalt Group covers an area of more than 210,000 km2 with an estimated volume of 210,000 km3. As the youngest continental flood-basalt province on Earth (16.7–5.5 Ma), it is well preserved, with a coherent and detailed stratigraphy exposed in the deep canyonlands of eastern Oregon and southeastern Washington. The Columbia River flood-basalt province is often cited as a model for the study of similar provinces worldwide.This field-trip guide explores the main source region of the Columbia River Basalt Group and is written for trip participants attending the 2017 International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI) Scientific Assembly in Portland, Oregon, USA. The first part of the guide provides an overview of the geologic features common in the Columbia River flood-basalt province and the stratigraphic terminology used in the Columbia River Basalt Group. The accompanying road log examines the stratigraphic evolution, eruption history, and structure of the province through a field examination of the lavas, dikes, and pyroclastic rocks of the Columbia River Basalt Group.

Regional stratigraphy of the south polar layered deposits (Promethei Lingula, Mars): "Discontinuity-bounded" units in images and radargrams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guallini, Luca; Rossi, Angelo Pio; Forget, François; Marinangeli, Lucia; Lauro, Sebastian Emanuel; Pettinelli, Elena; Seu, Roberto; Thomas, Nicolas

2018-07-01

The Mars South Polar Layered Deposits (SPLD) are the result of depositional and erosional events, which are marked by different stratigraphic sequences and erosional surfaces. To unambiguously define the stratigraphic units at regional scale, we mapped the SPLD on the basis of observed discontinuities (i.e., unconformities, correlative discontinuities and conformities), as commonly done in terrestrial modern stratigraphy. This methodology is defined as "Discontinuity-Bounded Units" or allostratigraphy, and is complemented by geomorphological mapping. Our study focuses on Promethei Lingula (PL) and uses both high-resolution images (CTX, HiRISE) and radargrams (SHARAD) to combine surface and sub-surface observations and obtain a 3D geological reconstruction of the SPLD. One regional discontinuity (named AUR1) was defined within the studied stratigraphic succession and is exposed in several non-contiguous outcrops around PL as well as observed at depth within the ice sheet. This is the primary contact between two major depositional sequences, showing a different texture at CTX resolution. The lower sequence is characterized mainly by a "ridge and trough" morphology (Ridge and Trough Sequence; RTS) and the upper sequence shows mainly by a "stair-stepped" morphology (Stair-Stepped Sequence; SSS). On the basis of the observations, we defined two regional "discontinuity-bounded" units in PL, respectively coinciding with RTS and SSS sequences. Our stratigraphic reconstruction provides new hints on the major scale events that shaped this region. Oscillations in Martian axial obliquity could have controlled local climate conditions in the past, affecting the PL geological record.

A Major Unconformity Between Permian and Triassic Strata at Cape Kekurnoi, Alaska Peninsula: Old and New Observations on Stratigraphy and Hydrocarbon Potential

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blodgett, Robert B.; Sralla, Bryan

2008-01-01

A major angular unconformity separates carbonates and shales of the Upper Triassic Kamishak Formation from an underlying unnamed sequence of Permian agglomerate, volcaniclastic rocks (sandstone), and limestone near Puale Bay on the Alaska Peninsula. For the first time, we photographically document the angular unconformity in outcrop, as clearly exposed in a seacliff ~1.3 mi (2.1 km) west of Cape Kekurnoi in the Karluk C?4 and C?5 1:63,360-scale quadrangles. This unconformity is also documented by examination of core chips, ditch cuttings, and (or) open-hole electrical logs in two deep oil-and-gas-exploration wells (Humble Oil & Refining Co.?s Bear Creek No. 1 and Standard Oil Co. of California?s Grammer No. 1) drilled along the Alaska Peninsula southwest of Puale Bay. A third well (Richfield Oil Corp.?s Wide Bay Unit No. 1), south of and structurally on trend with the other two wells, probed deeply into the Paleozoic basement, but Triassic strata are absent, owing to either a major unconformity or a large fault. Here we briefly review current and newly acquired data on Permian and Triassic rocks of the Puale Bay-Becharof Lake-Wide Bay area on the basis of an examination of surface and subsurface materials. The resulting reinterpretation of the Permian and Triassic stratigraphy has important economic ramifications for oil and gas exploration on the Alaska Peninsula and in the Cook Inlet basin. We also present a history of petroleum exploration targeting Upper Triassic reservoirs in the region.

Evaluation of seismic reflection data in the Davis and Lavender Canyons study area, Paradox Basin, Utah. [Faults, folds, joints, and collapse structures

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

Kitcho, C.A.; Wong, I.G.; Turcotte, F.T.

1986-08-01

Seismic reflection data purchased from petroleum industry brokers and acquired through group speculative surveys were interpreted for information on the regional subsurface geologic structure and stratigraphy within and surrounding the Davis and Lavender Canyons study area in the Paradox Basin of southeastern Utah. Structures of interest were faults, folds, joints, and collapse structures related to salt dissolution. The seismic reflection data were used to interpret stratigraphy by identifying continuous and discontinuous reflectors on the seismic profiles. Thickening and thinning of strata and possible areas of salt flowage or dissolution could be identified from the seismic data. Identifiable reflectors included themore » tops of the Precambrian and Mississippian, a distinctive interbed close to the middle of the Pennsylvanian Paradox salt formation (probably the interval between Salt Cycles 10 and 13), and near the top of the Paradox salt. Of the 56 faults identified from the seismic reflection interpretation, 33 trend northwest, west-northwest, or west, and most affect only the deeper part of the stratigraphic section. These faults are part of the deep structural system found throughout the Paradox Basin, including the fold and fault belt in the northeast part of the basin. The faults bound basement Precambrian blocks that experienced minor activity during Mississippian and early Pennsylvanian deposition, and showed major displacement during early Paradox salt deposition as the Paradox Basin subsided. Based on the seismic data, most of these faults appear to have an upward terminus between the top of the Mississippian and the salt interbed reflector.« less

Late Quaternary stratigraphy and sedimentation patterns in the western Arctic Ocean

USGS Publications Warehouse

Polyak, L.; Bischof, J.; Ortiz, J.D.; Darby, D.A.; Channell, J.E.T.; Xuan, C.; Kaufman, D.S.; Lovlie, R.; Schneider, D.A.; Eberl, D.D.; Adler, R.E.; Council, E.A.

2009-01-01

Sediment cores from the western Arctic Ocean obtained on the 2005 HOTRAX and some earlier expeditions have been analyzed to develop a stratigraphic correlation from the Alaskan Chukchi margin to the Northwind and Mendeleev-Alpha ridges. The correlation was primarily based on terrigenous sediment composition that is not affected by diagenetic processes as strongly as the biogenic component, and paleomagnetic inclination records. Chronostratigraphic control was provided by 14C dating and amino-acid racemization ages, as well as correlation to earlier established Arctic Ocean stratigraphies. Distribution of sedimentary units across the western Arctic indicates that sedimentation rates decrease from tens of centimeters per kyr on the Alaskan margin to a few centimeters on the southern ends of Northwind and Mendeleev ridges and just a few millimeters on the ridges in the interior of the Amerasia basin. This sedimentation pattern suggests that Late Quaternary sediment transport and deposition, except for turbidites at the basin bottom, were generally controlled by ice concentration (and thus melt-out rate) and transportation distance from sources, with local variances related to subsurface currents. In the long term, most sediment was probably delivered to the core sites by icebergs during glacial periods, with a significant contribution from sea ice. During glacial maxima very fine-grained sediment was deposited with sedimentation rates greatly reduced away from the margins to a hiatus of several kyr duration as shown for the Last Glacial Maximum. This sedimentary environment was possibly related to a very solid ice cover and reduced melt-out over a large part of the western Arctic Ocean.

Integrating remote sensing and subsurface geological data to characterize a tidally-influenced paleodrainage from the mid-late Holocene succession of the Po Delta Plain (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giacomelli, Serena; Rossi, Veronica; Amorosi, Alessandro; Bruno, Luigi; Campo, Bruno; Ciampalini, Andrea; Civa, Andrea; de Souza Filho, Roberto Carlos; Sgavetti, Maria

2017-04-01

A tidally-influenced, mid-late Holocene paleodrainage system from the Po Delta Plain (N Adriatic Sea, Italy) is reconstructed coupling remote sensing (RS) and subsurface geological data. Optical satellite images, DTM LiDAR, soil reflectance spectral features and core stratigraphy were combined in a GIS environment following a fully integrated methodological approach. The stratigraphic significance of RS-derived data (traces) was defined in terms of both depositional facies and depth, furnishing new insights on the role of RS in reconstructing the recent evolution of paleodrainages in coastal-deltaic settings. Sixteen images from Landsat 7 ETM+ (Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus), Landsat 8 OLI (Operational Land Imager), Sentinel-2 MSI (Multispectral Instruments), and Hyperion satellites were collected from the USGS and the Scientific Hub ESA-Copernicus on-line databases, and integrated with Google Earth imagery. The visual interpretation of the images, mostly based on the brightness contrast (high and low reflectance values) and aimed to the recognition of traces, has been facilitated by the RGB combinations of the spectral bands most sensitive to lithology and moisture content and supported by a semi-automatic processing, including unsupervised classification and the spectral bands Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Multitemporal analysis of satellite imagery have been also performed. Two main traces, interpreted as meanders, have been analyzed for their sedimentological and stratigraphic characteristics. Following a field survey aimed to describe the morphology, grain-size, colors, and accessory materials of surface deposits, 11 soil samples have been collected for the extraction of the reflectance spectral signature and coring along the traces and in adjacent areas (bright and dark portions). Cores have been sampled for benthic foraminifer/ostracod analysis (42 samples) and stratigraphic cross-sections were constructed transversal to the meandering traces. Nine radiocarbon ages allowed to set the depositional evolution of the two meanders into a definite chronological framework. The integrated, RS-stratigraphic methodological approach revealed a meandering paleodrainage system buried > 2 m below the ground level. Its surface visibility is guided by the spatial distribution of surface moisture, which mainly depends on subsurface stratigraphic architecture and, in particular, on the distribution of organic-rich deposits laterally to the migrating meanders. The formation and activity of the buried paleochannels dates back to the early Holocene highstand (6000-2500 cal yr BP), when a drainage system likely developed under tide-influenced conditions.

The H3O-project: towards sustainable use and management of the Flemish-Dutch subsurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vernes, Ronald W.; Deckers, Jef; Doornenbal, Hans C.; den Dulk, Maryke; Hummelman, Jan; Menkovic, Armin; Westerhoff, Wim; Witmans, Nora; Dusar, Michiel; Walstra, Jan; Reindersma, Reinder

2014-05-01

The collection and unambiguous interpretation and analysis of (hydro)geological information on both sides of the border are essential ingredients in the management of natural resources and use of the subsurface in the border region. The information currently available from the neighbouring countries often lacks compatibility and the same amount of detail. In 2012 the "H3O" project got under way which aims at a consistent interpretation of the subsurface in the Flemish-Dutch border region. Parties in the Netherlands (Provinces of Limburg and Noord-Brabant and TNO) and Flanders (The Environment, Nature and Energy Department of the Flemish Government, the Flemish Environment Agency, VITO and the Geological Survey of Belgium) are cooperating to harmonise the geological and hydrogeological models of the Netherlands (DGM and REGIS II) and Flanders (Geological 3D model and HCOV). This project is called "H3O" which stands for "(Hydro)geologische 3d-modellering Ondergrond". The H3O project focuses on the Roer Valley Graben that runs from Germany in a north-westerly direction over the central part of Limburg, the north-easterly part of the Belgian province of Limburg to Noord-Brabant and is bordered by major fault zones along the north and south perimeters. The aim of the project is to make a cross-border, up-to-date, three-dimensional geological and hydrogeological model of the Quaternary and Tertiary deposits in the Limburg, Southeast Brabant and Flemish part of this region. This will help to identify, study and rectify the differences between the existing (hydro)geological interpretations. The work is supervised by a committee of experts and carried out by VITO, the Belgian Geological Survey and the Geological Survey of the Netherlands of TNO. These organisations have extensive knowledge of the stratigraphy and regional geology as well as experience of creating 3D models of the subsurface (Geological 3D model of Flanders, DGM, REGIS, GeoTOP). Delivery and presentation of the final results are expected in the spring of 2014.

A new solar cycle model including meridional circulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Y.-M.; Sheeley, N. R., Jr.; Nash, A. G.

1991-01-01

A kinematic model is presented for the solar cycle which includes not only the transport of magnetic flux by supergranular diffusion and a poleward bulk flow at the sun's surface, but also the effects of turbulent diffusion and an equatorward 'return flow' beneath the surface. As in the earlier models of Babcock and Leighton, the rotational shearing of a subsurface poloidal field generates toroidal flux that erupts at the surface in the form of bipolar magnetic regions. However, such eruptions do not result in any net loss of toroidal flux from the sun (as assumed by Babcock and Leighton); instead, the large-scale toroidal field is destroyed both by 'unwinding' as the local poloidal field reverses its polarity, and by diffusion as the toroidal flux is transported equatorward by the subsurface flow and merged with its opposite hemisphere counterpart. The inclusion of meridional circulation allows stable oscillations of the magnetic field, accompanied by the equatorward progression of flux eruptions, to be achieved even in the absence of a radial gradient in the angular velocity. An illustrative case in which a subsurface flow speed of order 1 m/s and subsurface diffusion rate of order 10 sq km/s yield 22-yr oscillations in qualitative agreement with observations.

Performance of Subsurface Tube Drainage System in Saline Soils: A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pali, A. K.

2015-06-01

In order to improve the saline and water logged soils caused due to groundwater table rise, installation of subsurface drainage system is considered as one of the best remedies. However, the design of the drainage system has to be accurate so that the field performance results conform to the designed results. In this investigation, the field performance of subsurface tube drainage system installed at the study area was evaluated. The performance was evaluated on the basis of comparison of the designed value of water table drop as 30 cm after 2 days of drainage and predicted and field measured hydraulic heads for a consecutive drainage period of 14 days. The investigation revealed that the actual drop of water table after 2 days of drainage was 25 cm, about 17 % less than the designed value of 30 cm after 2 days of drainage. The comparison of hydraulic heads predicted by Van Schilfgaarde equation of unsteady drainage with the field-measured hydraulic heads showed that the deviation of predicted hydraulic heads varied within a range of ±8 % indicating high acceptability of Van Schlifgaarde equation for designing subsurface drainage system in saline and water logged soils resembling to that of the study area.

The Brahmaputra delta and its merger into an accretion wedge in advance of the progressive suturing between India and Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seeber, L.; Ferguson, E. K.; Akhter, S. H.; Steckler, M. S.; Mondal, D. R.; Gale, J.; McHugh, C. M.; Paola, C.; Goodbred, S. L.

2013-12-01

The Tsangpo-Brahmaputra River is coupled with the progressive suturing of continental India with continental Asia. Since the Eocene onset of this ongoing collision, the delta of this river has advanced along the Indian margin in front of the suture. As the collision lifts the suture above sea level, progradation has kept the delta ahead of it, at sea level. The delta itself is confined between the still passive Indian continental margin and the advancing subduction boundary. Within this transition zone, the accretion prismof the active margin advanced progressively onto the delta and transformed it from a subsiding sediment sink to a rising and folding sediment source. The faster the accretionary prism grows, the faster the delta progrades to find new accommodation space; on the other hand, the prism advances faster upstream of the delta front where it finds more sediment to accrete. The strong mutual dependency of these processes represents a delicately balanced feedback between tectonics and sedimentation. The shape of the margin of India before and after the birth of the Dauki-Shillong structure modulates this interaction. We highlight this coupling between tectonics and sedimentation by examining structure and stratigraphy in the active foldbelt close to the current delta in Bangladesh and eastern India using field and published subsurface data. Insights include: 1) The shift of the Dauki boundary from a passive margin to a south-verging blind-thrust front is marked by a Quaternary foredeep. Foredeep growth buried along its axis formerly breached and eroded anticlines. Progressive growth of the buried Dauki fault has exposed this unconformity along the northern flank of the foredeep. 2) The rise and northward tilt of the Shillong/Dauki thrust-anticline during Quaternary is probably the cause of the Brahmaputra River avulsing from east of the massif to north and west of it. The Naga collision and the differential growth of the foldbelt south of the Dauki Fault predate the rise of the massif and the avulsion. 3) The foldbelt widens forming a 'promontory' into the active delta, about 100 km north of the coastline. The outer few anticlines have low amplitudes and no or partial surface expressions, yet they root below several km of sediment. Fault-bend models also require much more shortening than the folding can account for. These properties suggest substantial layer-parallel shortening ahead of the folding. 4) Rhythmic sandstone-shale beds characterize a particularly competent part of the stratigraphy of eroding anticlines in different parts of the foldbelt. We interpret them as seasonal facies changes in foreset sequences of the delta. The position of these ridge-forming beds would thus mark the southwestward advance of the delta preceding the folds and can be used to guide research into the role of structure and stratigraphy in the severe landslide hazard affecting development in the foldbelt (e.g., Aizawl, Mizoram State).

Removal of microbial pathogens in a sandy gravel aquifer under forced-gradient subsurface flow conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oudega, Thomas James; Derx, Julia; van Driezum, Inge; Cisneros, Anibal; Sommer, Regina; Kirschner, Alexander; Farnleitner, Andreas; Blaschke, Alfred Paul

2017-04-01

Subsurface media are being used around the world as a means to mitigate microbial contamination, but vary widely in their ability to remove pathogens. To help to provide accurate risk assessments of microbial contamination of groundwaters, and establish safe setback distances between receiving waters and disposal fields, this study aims to use aquifer tracer tests to evaluate the ability of subsurface media to attenuate these pathogens. The novelty of this work is the use of a variety of different tracer substances (e.g. phages, spores, microspheres, conservative tracers) together in field experiments. This will be done by means of injecting these substances under a forced gradient in a sandy gravel aquifer in Lobau, Austria. The extraction of the tracers will be monitored in a pumping well at a distrance of 50m downgradient. This will be able to provide us with insight to the characteristics of microbial transport and how the microorganisms react to the subsurface in the study site. Subsequent numerical modelling of the experiments can tell us more about quantification of subsurface processes such as attachment/detachment, inactivation and die-off of these substances. The first field experiment with conservative tracers (NaCl) has been carried out in December 2016, and subsequent tests are being planned for the next months.

Structural analysis characterization of permeability pathways across reservoir-seal interface - South-Eastern Utah; Results from integrated sedimentological, structural, and geochemical studies.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrie, E. S.; Evans, J. P.; Richey, D.; Flores, S.; Barton, C.; Mozley, P.

2015-12-01

Sedimentary rocks in the San Rafael Swell, Utah, were deformed by Laramide compression and subsequent Neogene extension. We evaluate the effect of fault damage zone morphology as a function of structural position, and changes in mechanical stratigraphy on the distribution of secondary minerals across the reservoir-seal pair of the Navajo Sandstone and overlying Carmel Formation. We decipher paleo-fluid migration and examine the effect faults and fractures have on reservoir permeability and efficacy of top seal for a range of geo-engineering applications. Map-scale faults have an increased probability of allowing upward migration of fluids along the fault plane and within the damage zone, potentially bypassing the top seal. Field mapping, mesoscopic structural analyses, petrography, and geochemical observations demonstrate that fault zone thickness increases at structural intersections, fault relay zones, fault-related folds, and fault tips. Higher densities of faults with meters of slip and dense fracture populations are present in relay zones relative to single, discrete faults. Curvature analysis of the San Rafael monocline and fracture density data show that fracture density is highest where curvature is highest in the syncline hinge and near faults. Fractures cross the reservoir-seal interface where fracture density is highest and structural diagensis includes mineralization events and bleaching and calcite and gypsum mineralization. The link between fracture distributions and structural setting implys that transmissive fractures have predictable orientations and density distributions. At the m- to cm- scale, deformation-band faults and joints in the Navajo Sandstone penetrate the reservoir-seal interface and transition into open-mode fractures in the caprock seal. Scanline analysis and petrography of veins provide evidence for subsurface mineralization and fracture reactivation, suggesting that the fractures act as loci for fluid flow through time. Heterolithic caprock seals with variable fracture distributions and morphology highlight the strong link between the variation in material properties and the response to changing stress conditions. The variable connectivity of fractures and the changes in fracture density plays a critical role in subsurface fluid flow.

Chemical and microbiological water quality of subsurface agricultural drains during a field trial of liquid dairy manure effluent application rate and varying tillage practices, Upper Tiffin Watershed, southeastern Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haack, Sheridan Kidd; Duris, Joseph W.

2008-01-01

A field trial was done in the Upper Tiffin River Watershed, in southeastern Michigan, to determine the influence of liquid dairy manure effluent (LDME) management practices on the quality of agricultural subsurface-drain water. Samples from subsurface drains were analyzed for nutrients, fecal-coliform and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria, antibiotics, chemicals typically detected in wastewater, and the occurrence of genes indicating the presence of shiga-toxin-producing E. coli, or of bovine-specific Bacteroidetes bacteria. Samples were collected from November 2, 2006, to March 20, 2007, from eight subsurface drains under field plots that received no LDME and no tillage (controls) or received 4,000 or 8,000 gallons per acre (gal/acre) of LDME and either no tillage or two different types of tillage. The two types of tillage tested were (1) ground-driven, rotary, subsurface cultivation and (2) rolling-tine aeration. Samples were collected before LDME application and at 4 hours, and 1, 2, 6, 7, and 14 days post-application. Nutrient concentrations were high in subsurface-drain water throughout the field-trial period and could not be attributed to the field-trial LDME application. Of the 59 drain-water samples, including those collected before LDME application and control samples for each date, 56 had concentrations greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Ecoregion VI recommended surface-water criterion for total phosphorus, and all samples had concentrations greater than the recommended total nitrogen criterion. Nitrate + nitrite nitrogen concentration exceeded 20 milligrams per liter for every sample and contributed most to the total nitrogen concentrations. Substantial increases in drain-water concentrations of organic and ammonia nitrogen and total phosphorus were found for all treatments, including controls, at 14 days post-application after 0.84 inch of rainfall over 2 days. E. coli concentrations exceeded the USEPA recreational-water-quality single-sample criterion of 235 colony forming units per 100 milliliters in only 3 of 56 samples. Of these three samples, two were collected within 1 day post-LDME application from the treatment receiving 8,000 gal/acre LDME with no tillage (NT8000). The third sample was from the rolling-tine aerator treatment with 4,000 gal/acre LDME application rate after the first significant rainfall. Two wastewater chemicals and two bacterial genes (eaeA and stx1) detected in the LDME, but absent in field blank or pre-application samples, were detected in the 4-hour or 1-day postapplication NT8000 samples. No LDME-associated chemicals were detected in later samples from the NT8000 treatment, and none were detected in samples from other treatments after the first significant rainfall. Results of this field trial were somewhat equivocal with respect to the influence of LDME concentration and tillage practices on subsurface-drain water quality, both immediately after LDME application and in the longer term, after significant rainfall. Interpretation of study findings is limited by the fact that treatments were not replicated, and flow rate or discharge from the subsurface drains was not measured. Nevertheless, study results provide useful information about nutrient and bacteria concentrations in subsurface drains during the non-growing season. In addition, study results demonstrate some potential for the use of chemical and microbiological indicators of LDME transport to subsurface drains.

Persistence of exponential bed thickness distributions in the stratigraphic record: Experiments and theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Straub, K. M.; Ganti, V. K.; Paola, C.; Foufoula-Georgiou, E.

2010-12-01

Stratigraphy preserved in alluvial basins houses the most complete record of information necessary to reconstruct past environmental conditions. Indeed, the character of the sedimentary record is inextricably related to the surface processes that formed it. In this presentation we explore how the signals of surface processes are recorded in stratigraphy through the use of physical and numerical experiments. We focus on linking surface processes to stratigraphy in 1D by quantifying the probability distributions of processes that govern the evolution of depositional systems to the probability distribution of preserved bed thicknesses. In this study we define a bed as a package of sediment bounded above and below by erosional surfaces. In a companion presentation we document heavy-tailed statistics of erosion and deposition from high-resolution temporal elevation data recorded during a controlled physical experiment. However, the heavy tails in the magnitudes of erosional and depositional events are not preserved in the experimental stratigraphy. Similar to many bed thickness distributions reported in field studies we find that an exponential distribution adequately describes the thicknesses of beds preserved in our experiment. We explore the generation of exponential bed thickness distributions from heavy-tailed surface statistics using 1D numerical models. These models indicate that when the full distribution of elevation fluctuations (both erosional and depositional events) is symmetrical, the resulting distribution of bed thicknesses is exponential in form. Finally, we illustrate that a predictable relationship exists between the coefficient of variation of surface elevation fluctuations and the scale-parameter of the resulting exponential distribution of bed thicknesses.

The Nördlingen-Ries Geopark and nearby museums as a natural teaching laboratory for Geoscience students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaminski, Michael; Kaka, SanLinn; Kaminski, Matthew

2017-04-01

The hypervelocity impact of an asteroid in southern Germany around 15 million years ago not only caused an environmental catastrophe, but it also created a scenario that provides us with a world-class natural laboratory for teaching the basic Principles of Geology. The combination of museum visits and observation of rock outcrops enables the student to reinforce or rediscover the basic principles of physical and historical Geology that are presented in first- or second-year Geoscience courses. At KFUPM, our visit to the Ries Geopark begins at the Ries Crater Museum in Nördlingen, where students review knowledge learned in their Physical Geology course: the Nebular Theory, origin of the solar system, and the classification of meteorites based on real examples. Students then learn the stages of impact crater formation, shock metamorphism, and the products of impact crater formation such as tectites, impact breccia and suevite. Students also become familiar with the Mesozoic stratigraphy of Southern Germany, reviewing basic principals of stratigraphy. Visits to local outcrops reinforce the knowledge gained at the Museum. A visit to the nearby Solnhofen Museum and quarries provides insight into the nature of the late Jurassic animals that lived at the edge of the Tethys Sea, reinforcing many topics learned during their second-year Paleontology course, such as taphonomy, and the idea of a death assemblage. At the Museum of the Geosciences Department of the University of Tübingen, the students become familiar with Mesozoic ammonoids as part of their second-year Paleontology course. A visit to the Urwelt Museum and quarry in Holzmaden explores animal life during the Early Jurassic, stratigraphic principles as presented on the museum's "geological staircase", and the origin of petroleum source rocks. The museum houses spectacular examples of Early Jurassic marine reptiles. All knowledge gained in the Jurassic of southern Germany enriches the students' understanding of the Jurassic subsurface petroleum system in Saudi Arabia, which is one of the world's largest petroleum reservoirs. The combination of museum visits followed by field studies centered around the Ries Geopark in southern Germany not only creates a world-class attraction for Geotourists, but also an ideal teaching laboratory for students interested in Physical and Planetary Geology, Historical Geology, and Paleontology at various levels within the respective subjects.

Subsurface application enhances benefits of manure redistribution

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sustainable nutrient management requires redistribution of livestock manure from nutrient-excess areas to nutrient-deficit areas. Field experiments were conducted to assess agronomic and environmental effects of different poultry litter application methods (surface vs. subsurface) and timings (fall ...

Stratigraphy and Folding in the Cenozoic Cover of a Fold-Thrust Belt in the Nallıhan Region (Ankara, Central Turkey)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karaaǧaç, Serdal; Koral, Hayrettin

2017-04-01

This study investigates stratigraphy and structural features in the Cenozoic sedimentary sequence of the fold-thrust belt of the Nallıhan-Ankara region, located to the north of the İzmir-Ankara-Erzincan Suture Zone. Permian-Triassic age marble intercalated with schist-phyllites, the upper Jurassic-lower Cretaceous age limestone and the upper Cretaceous age sandstone-shale alternation compose the basement in the study area. These rocks are unconformably overlain by the Cenozoic age terrestrial sedimentary and volcanic units. The Cenozoic stratigraphy begins with the Paleocene-Eocene age coal-bearing, at times, volcanic intercalated conglomerate-sandstone-mudstone alternation of alluvial-fluvial origins (Aksaklar Formation) and the tuff intercalated with lacustrine limestone, bituminous limestone (Kabalar Formation). These units are conformably overlain by the Eocene age basalt-andesite and pyroclastic rocks (Meyildere volcanics). The Paleocene-Eocene aged units are unconformably overlain by the conglomerate-sandstone-mudstone-marl of a lower-middle Miocene lacustrine environment (Hançili Formation). The terrestrial conglomerate-sandstone alternation (Örencik Formation) is the youngest unit in the Cenozoic stratigraphy, and is assumed to be of Pliocene age based its stratigraphic position on older units. Field study shows existence of both folds and faults in the sedimentary cover. Stereographic projections of bedding measured in the field shows N25W/45NW and N60W/4SE-oriented fold axes in the Paleocene-Eocene age units. There are also N76W/12SE and N88E/8NE-oriented folds. The difference in fold-axis orientations suggests that some folds may have been rotated in blocks bound by faults during the post-Paleocene/Eocene period. Whereas, the lower-middle Miocene units manifest N88W/13SE-oriented fold axes. It is thus proposed that the observed difference in the azimuth of fold axes represent two different folding phases, one with NE-SW and the other with N-S directed axis of compression. Open folds with E-W orientation seem to be structural elements developed during the last phase of the deformation.

SITE CHARACTERIZATION OF AREA 6, DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, IN SUPPORT OF NATURAL ATTENUATION AND ENHANCED ANAEROBIC BIOREMEDIATION PROJECTS

EPA Science Inventory

A field program for site characterization of targeted study areas at the Dover Air Force Base was conducted between January 16, 1995, and March 9, 1995. The stated objectives of the investigation, "to characterize the stratigraphy, depth to groundwater, groundwater flow directio...

Nutrient loss in leachate and surface runoff from surface-broadcast and subsurface-banded broiler litter.

PubMed

Lamba, Jasmeet; Srivastava, Puneet; Way, Thomas R; Sen, Sumit; Wood, C Wesley; Yoo, Kyung H

2013-09-01

Subsurface band application of poultry litter has been shown to reduce the transport of nutrients from fields in surface runoff compared with conventional surface broadcast application. Little research has been conducted to determine the effects of surface broadcast application and subsurface banding of litter on nutrients in leachate. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of subsurface band application and surface broadcast application of poultry litter on nutrient losses in leachate. Zero-tension pan and passive capillary fiberglass wick lysimeters were installed in situ 50 cm beneath the soil surface of an established tall fescue ( Schreb.) pasture on a sandy loam soil. The treatments were surface broadcast and subsurface-banded poultry litter at 5 Mg ha and an unfertilized control. Results of the rainfall simulations showed that the concentrations of PO-P and total phosphorus (TP) in leachate were reduced by 96 and 37%, respectively, in subsurface-banded litter treatment compared with the surface-applied litter treatment. There was no significant difference in PO-P concentration between control and subsurface-banded litter treatment in leachate. The trend in the loading of nutrients in leachate was similar to the trend in concentration. Concentration and loading of the nutrients (TP, PO-P, NH-N, and NO-N) in runoff from the subsurface-banded treatment were significantly less than for the surface-applied treatment and were similar to those from control plots. These results show that, compared with conventional surface broadcast application of litter, subsurface band application of litter can greatly reduce loss of P in surface runoff and leachate. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Volcanic stratigraphy: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martí, Joan; Groppelli, Gianluca; Brum da Silveira, Antonio

2018-05-01

Volcanic stratigraphy is a fundamental component of geological mapping in volcanic areas as it yields the basic criteria and essential data for identifying the spatial and temporal relationships between volcanic products and intra/inter-eruptive processes (earth-surface, tectonic and climatic), which in turn provides greater understanding of the geological evolution of a region. Establishing precise stratigraphic relationships in volcanic successions is not only essential for understanding the past behaviour of volcanoes and for predicting how they might behave in the future, but is also critical for establishing guidelines for exploring economic and energy resources associated with volcanic systems or for reconstructing the evolution of sedimentary basins in which volcanism has played a significant role. Like classical stratigraphy, volcanic stratigraphy should also be defined using a systematic methodology that can provide an organised and comprehensive description of the temporal and spatial evolution of volcanic terrain. This review explores different methods employed in studies of volcanic stratigraphy, examines four case studies that use differing stratigraphic approaches, and recommends methods for using systematic volcanic stratigraphy based on the application of the concepts of traditional stratigraphy but adapted to the needs of volcanological environment.

LIRAS mission for lunar exploration by microwave interferometric radiometer: Moon's subsurface characterization, emission model and numerical simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompili, Sara; Silvio Marzano, Frank; Di Carlofelice, Alessandro; Montopoli, Mario; Talone, Marco; Crapolicchio, Raffaele; L'Abbate, Michelangelo; Varchetta, Silvio; Tognolatti, Piero

2013-04-01

The "Lunar Interferometric Radiometer by Aperture Synthesis" (LIRAS) mission is promoted by the Italian Space Agency and is currently in feasibility phase. LIRAS' satellite will orbit around the Moon at a height of 100 km, with a revisiting time period lower than 1 lunar month and will be equipped with: a synthetic aperture radiometer for subsurface sounding purposes, working at 1 and 3 GHz, and a real aperture radiometer for near-surface probing, working at 12 and 24 GHz. The L-band payload, representing a novel concept for lunar exploration, is designed as a Y-shaped thinned array with three arms less than 2.5 m long. The main LIRAS objectives are high-resolution mapping and vertical sounding of the Moon subsurface by applying the advantages of the antenna aperture synthesis technique to a multi-frequency microwave passive payload. The mission is specifically designed to achieve spatial resolutions less than 10 km at surface and to retrieve thermo-morphological properties of the Moon subsurface within 5 m of depth. Among LIRAS products are: lunar near-surface brightness temperature, subsurface brightness temperature gross profile, subsurface regolith thickness, density and average thermal conductivity, detection index of possible subsurface discontinuities (e.g. ice presence). The following study involves the preliminary design of the LIRAS payload and the electromagnetic and thermal characterization of the lunar subsoil through the implementation of a simulator for reproducing the LIRAS measurements in response to observations of the Moon surface and subsurface layers. Lunar physical data, collected after the Apollo missions, and LIRAS instrument parameters are taken as input for the abovementioned simulator, called "LIRAS End-to-end Performance Simulator" (LEPS) and obtained by adapting the SMOS End-to-end Performance Simulator to the different instrumental, orbital, and geophysical LIRAS characteristics. LEPS completely simulates the behavior of the satellite when it becomes operational providing the extrapolation of lunar brightness temperature maps in both Antenna frame (the cosine domain) and on the Moon surface and allowing an accurate analysis of the instrument performance. The Moon stratigraphy is reproduced in LEPS environment through three scenarios: a macro-layer of regolith; two subsequent macro-layers of regolith and rock; three subsequent macro-layers of regolith, ice and rock, respectively. These scenarios are studied using an incoherent approach, taking into account the interaction between the upwelling and downwelling radiation contributions from each layer to model the resulting brightness temperature at the surface level. It has been considered that the radiative behavior of the Moon varies over time, depending on solar illumination conditions, and it is also function of the material properties, layer thickness and specific position on the lunar crust; moreover it has been examined its variation with frequency, observation angle, and polarization. Using the proposed emission model it has been possible to derive a digital thermal model in the microwave frequency of the Moon, allowing in-depth analysis of the lunar soil consistency; this collected information could be related with a lunar digital elevation model in order to achieve global coverage information on topological aspects. The main results of the study will be presented at the conference.

Field evaluations of "ShapeAccelArray" in-place MEMS inclinometer strings for subsurface deformation monitoring.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-03-01

Continuous monitoring of subsurface ground movements is accomplished with in-place instruments utilizing automated data acquisition methods. These typically include TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry) or assemblies of several servo-accelerometer-based, e...

OVERVIEW -- SUBSURFACE PROTECTION AND REMEDIATION DIVISION

EPA Science Inventory

NRMRL's Subsurface Protection and Remediation Division located in Ada, Oklahoma, conducts EPA-investigator led laboratory and field research to provide the scientific basis to support the development of strategies and technologies to protect and restore ground and surface water q...

COST Action TU1206 "SUB-URBAN - A European network to improve understanding and use of the ground beneath our cities"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Diarmad; de Beer, Johannes; Lawrence, David; van der Meulen, Michiel; Mielby, Susie; Hay, David; Scanlon, Ray; Campenhout, Ignace; Taugs, Renate; Eriksson, Ingelov

2014-05-01

Sustainable urbanisation is the focus of SUB-URBAN, a European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action TU1206 - A European network to improve understanding and use of the ground beneath our cities. This aims to transform relationships between experts who develop urban subsurface geoscience knowledge - principally national Geological Survey Organisations (GSOs), and those who can most benefit from it - urban decision makers, planners, practitioners and the wider research community. Under COST's Transport and Urban Development Domain, SUB-URBAN has established a network of GSOs and other researchers in over 20 countries, to draw together and evaluate collective urban geoscience research in 3D/4D characterisation, prediction and visualisation. Knowledge exchange between researchers and City-partners within 'SUB-URBAN' is already facilitating new city-scale subsurface projects, and is developing a tool-box of good-practice guidance, decision-support tools, and cost-effective methodologies that are appropriate to local needs and circumstances. These are intended to act as catalysts in the transformation of relationships between geoscientists and urban decision-makers more generally. As a result, the importance of the urban sub-surface in the sustainable development of our cities will be better appreciated, and the conflicting demands currently placed on it will be acknowledged, and resolved appropriately. Existing city-scale 3D/4D model exemplars are being developed by partners in the UK (Glasgow, London), Germany (Hamburg) and France (Paris). These draw on extensive ground investigation (10s-100s of thousands of boreholes) and other data. Model linkage enables prediction of groundwater, heat, SuDS, and engineering properties. Combined subsurface and above-ground (CityGML, BIMs) models are in preparation. These models will provide valuable tools for more holistic urban planning; identifying subsurface opportunities and saving costs by reducing uncertainty in ground conditions. A key area of interest, and one of potential collaboration with COST Action TU1208, is in characterising and parameterising the very near urban subsurface, and especially the anthropogenic deposits, to assist decision-making by civil engineers, and others. Anthropogenic deposits may be many metres thick, are typically very heterogeneous, have complex histories of accumulation, and may including important archaeological assets. They display complex stratigraphies which are difficult to resolve using traditional methodologies, even with extensive invasive ground investigation. Ground Penetrating Radar, and other non-destructive methods of ground investigation hold considerable promise in greatly improving the resolution, understanding, and modelling, of these and other near-surface deposits in particular. This work is a contribution both to COST Action TU1208 "Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar" and to COST Action TU1206 "SUB-URBAN - A European network to improve understanding and use of the ground beneath our cities"

The importance of subsurface geology for water source and vegetation communities in Cherokee Marsh, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kurtz, A.M.; Bahr, J.M.; Carpenter, Q.J.; Hunt, R.J.

2007-01-01

Restoration of disturbed wetland systems is an important component of wetland mitigation, yet uncertainty remains about how hydrologic processes affect biologic processes and wetlands patterns. To design more effective restoration strategies and re-establish native plant communities in disturbed wetlands, it is imperative to understand undisturbed systems. A site within Cherokee Marsh located in Madison, Wisconsin, USA, contains a relatively undisturbed area of wetland consisting of plant communities common within the prairie landscape including a fen, sedge meadow, and shallow marsh. These distinct communities are found within an area of minimal topographic relief, yet transitions from one community to the next occur over short distances. This study sought to characterize the geologic, hydrologic, and chemical gradients associated with these shifts in vegetation to gain insight into the factors controlling the spatial differences in dominant plant species, which could be critical for restoration success. Vegetation analyses revealed a transition of dominant sedge species, which appeared to correspond to changes in hydrology from a ground-water dominated to a surface-water dominated system (as determined by water isotopes). Along the same vegetation transect, subsurface coring results show a heterogeneous composition of peat and till with lateral and vertical variations in stratigraphy, which relates to variability in ground-water discharge as evidenced by hydroperiods and stable isotope composition. Applications of this type of approach throughout the glaciated terrains of the midwestern and northeastern United States and Canada can improve future wetland restoration and management. ?? 2007, The Society of Wetland Scientists.

Surface clay formation during short-term warmer and wetter conditions on a largely cold ancient Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bishop, Janice L.; Fairén, Alberto G.; Michalski, Joseph R.; Gago-Duport, Luis; Baker, Leslie L.; Velbel, Michael A.; Gross, Christoph; Rampe, Elizabeth B.

2018-03-01

The ancient rock record for Mars has long been at odds with climate modelling. The presence of valley networks, dendritic channels and deltas on ancient terrains points towards running water and fluvial erosion on early Mars1, but climate modelling indicates that long-term warm conditions were not sustainable2. Widespread phyllosilicates and other aqueous minerals on the Martian surface3-6 provide additional evidence that an early wet Martian climate resulted in surface weathering. Some of these phyllosilicates formed in subsurface crustal environments5, with no association with the Martian climate, while other phyllosilicate-rich outcrops exhibit layered morphologies and broad stratigraphies7 consistent with surface formation. Here, we develop a new geochemical model for early Mars to explain the formation of these clay-bearing rocks in warm and wet surface locations. We propose that sporadic, short-term warm and wet environments during a generally cold early Mars enabled phyllosilicate formation without requiring long-term warm and wet conditions. We conclude that Mg-rich clay-bearing rocks with lateral variations in mixed Fe/Mg smectite, chlorite, talc, serpentine and zeolite occurrences formed in subsurface hydrothermal environments, whereas dioctahedral (Al/Fe3+-rich) smectite and widespread vertical horizonation of Fe/Mg smectites, clay assemblages and sulphates formed in variable aqueous environments on the surface of Mars. Our model for aluminosilicate formation on Mars is consistent with the observed geological features, diversity of aqueous mineralogies in ancient surface rocks and state-of-the-art palaeoclimate scenarios.

3D stratigraphic forward modelling of Shu'aiba Platform stratigraphy in the Bu Hasa Field, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, J.; Lokier, S. W.

2012-04-01

This paper presents the results of three dimensional sequence stratigraphic forward modelling of the Aptian age Shu'aiba Formation from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Shu'aiba Formation lies within the uppermost part of the Lower Cretaceous Thamama Group and forms one of the most prolific hydrocarbon reservoir intervals of the Middle East with production dating back to the 1960's. The Shu'aiba Formation developed as a series of laterally-extensive shallow-water carbonate platforms in an epeiric sea that extended over the northern margin of the African-Arabian Plate. This shallow sea was bounded by the Arabian Shield to the west and the passive margin with the Neo-Tethys Ocean towards the north and east (Droste, 2010). The exposed Arabian Shield acted as a source of siliciclastic sediments to westernmost regions, however, more offshore areas were dominated by shallow-water carbonate deposition. Carbonate production was variously dominated by Lithocodium-Baccinella, orbitolinid foraminifera and rudist bivalves depending on local conditions. While there have been numerous studies of this important stratigraphic interval (for examples see van Buchem et al., 2010), there has been little attempt to simulate the sequence stratigraphic development of the formation. During the present study modelling was undertaken utilising the CARBONATE-3D stratigraphic forward modelling software (Warrlich et al., 2008; Warrlich et al., 2002)) thus allowing for the control of a diverse range of internal and external parameters on carbonate sequence development. This study focuses on platform development in the onshore Bu Hasa Field - the first giant oilfield to produce from the Shu'aiba Formation in Abu Dhabi. The carbonates of the Bu Hasa field were deposited on the southwest slope of the intra-shelf Bab Basin, siliciclastic content is minor. Initially these carbonates were algal dominated with rudist mounds becoming increasingly important over time (Alsharhan, 1987). Numerous simulations were undertaken, employing different sea level curves, platform geometries, etc. in order to accurately constrain and compare simulated facies geometries with those hypothesised from subsurface correlations. An initial low-angle ramp geometry was later overprinted by the development of localised relief through faulting and salt diapirism. Areas of bathymetric relief became sites of enhanced carbonate development with over-production resulting in aggradational geometries rapidly evolving to progradational systems. Several different regional, global and composite relative sea level curves were employed in the simulations in order to produce stratigraphic geometries comparable to those reported from previous studies. We conclude that none of the published sea level curves produce facies geometries directly analogous to those hypothesised from the sub-surface. We infer that this disparity primarily results from previous models lacking sufficient accommodation space and employing unrealistic carbonate production rates.

Radio Sounding Techniques for the Galilean Icy Moons and their Jovian Magnetospheric Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, James L.; Markus, Thursten; Fung, Shing F.; Benson, Robert F.; Reinich, Bodo W.; Song, Paul; Gogineni, S. Prasad; Cooper, John F.; Taylor, William W. L.; Garcia, Leonard

2004-01-01

Radio sounding of the Earth's topside ionosphere and magnetosphere is a proven technique from geospace missions such as the International Satellites for Ionospheric Studies (ISIS) and the Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE). Application of this technique to Jupiter's icy moons and the surrounding Jovian magnetosphere will provide unique remote sensing observations of the plasma and magnetic field environments and the subsurface conductivities, of Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. Spatial structures of ionospheric plasma above the surfaces of the moons vary in response to magnetic-field perturbations from (1) magnetospheric plasma flows, (2) ionospheric currents from ionization of sputtered surface material, and (3) induced electric currents in salty subsurface oceans and from the plasma flows and ionospheric currents themselves. Radio sounding from 3 kHz to 10 MHz can provide the global electron densities necessary for the extraction of the oceanic current signals and supplements in-situ plasma and magnetic field measurements. While radio sounding requires high transmitter power for subsurface sounding, little power is needed to probe the electron density and magnetic field intensity near the spacecraft. For subsurface sounding, reflections occur at changes in the dielectric index, e.g., at the interfaces between two different phases of water or between water and soil. Variations in sub-surface conductivity of the icy moons can be investigated by radio sounding in the frequency range from 10 MHz to 50 MHz, allowing the determination of the presence of density and solid-liquid phase boundaries associated with oceans and related structures in overlying ice crusts. The detection of subsurface oceans underneath the icy crusts of the Jovian moons is one of the primary objectives of the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) mission. Preliminary modeling results show that return signals are clearly distinguishable be&een an ice crust with a thickness of 7 km on 1) an ocean and 2) a layer of bedrock. Knowledge of the ionospheric contributions to the time delay of the low-frequency subsurface radar is shown to be important in obtaining accurate depth information.

Volcanic Chemostratigraphy on the Outcrop Using Field-Portable X-Ray Fluorescence: An Example from the Basaltic Flows of Hewitt's Cove, MA.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wall, A. M.; Brabander, D. J.

2005-05-01

The area of Hewitt's Cove, Hingham, Massachusetts structurally represents the southern extent of the Boston Basin, and as such, provides the opportunity to identify and recognize basin-wide events. While the stratigraphy of the Boston Basin has been developed since the advent of U-Pb geochronology and formal stratigraphic facies descriptions (Socci and Smith, 2001), the stratigraphy of the Hewitt's Cove area has not been thoroughly addressed since the work of William O. Crosby in 1894 (Billings, 1976, Bailey and Bland, 2001). Hewitt's Cove consists of an andesitic basaltic flow, approximately 150 m thick, overlain by siltstone and conglomeratic sequences. Field-Portable X-Ray Fluorescence (FP-XRF) was used on fresh and weathered surfaces on the outcrop and in hand samples, and these analyses were compared with conventional laboratory XRF analyses. The in situ field-based analyses produced a reproducible chemostratigraphy that is consistent with subsequent laboratory-based analyses. These data suggest that the series of andesitic basalt flows at Hewitt's Cove are the result of compositionally different magmatic pulses. Additional analyses must be completed to determine the extent of these pulses and the extent of variation in this area before further conclusions can be made. This study particularly demonstrates the utility of using FP-XRF in igneous geologic applications.

Distribution and arrest of vertical through-going joints in a seismic-scale carbonate platform exposure (Sorrento peninsula, Italy): insights from integrating field survey and digital outcrop model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corradetti, A.; Tavani, S.; Parente, M.; Iannace, A.; Vinci, F.; Pirmez, C.; Torrieri, S.; Giorgioni, M.; Pignalosa, A.; Mazzoli, S.

2018-03-01

Through-going joints cutting across beds are often invoked to match large-scale permeability patterns in tight carbonate reservoirs. However, despite the importance of these structures for fluid flow, only few field studies focused on the understanding and estimation of through-going joint dimensional parameters, including spacing and vertical extent in relation to stratigraphy. Recent improvements in the construction of digital models of outcrops can greatly help to overcome many logistic issues, favouring the evaluation of relationships between jointing and stratigraphy at the reservoir scale. In this study, we present the results obtained from integrating field measurements with a digital outcrop model of a carbonate platform reservoir analogue in the Sorrento peninsula (Italy). The outcrop consists of a nearly vertical cliff exposing a monocline of alternating gently-dipping shallow-water limestones and dolostones, crossed by several vertical joints of different size. This study allowed us to define how major through-going joints pass across thick beds (bed thickness > 30 cm), while they arrest against packages made of thinly stratified layers. In essence, through-going joints arrest on "weak" levels, consisting of thinly bedded layers interposed between packages made of thick beds, in the same manner as bed-confined joints arrest on less competent interlayers.

Influence of Pre-Existing Structure on Sill Geometry in the San Rafael Volcanic Field, Central Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferwerda, B.; Wetmore, P. H.; Connor, C.; Kruse, S. E.; Kiyosugi, K.; Kiflu, H. G.

2011-12-01

Sills have been hypothesized to be formed at rigidity contrasts between layers or at the level of neutral buoyancy of the intruding magma body. Recent field observations of sills in the San Rafael Volcanic Field (SRVF) in central Utah conflict with both of these hypotheses, suggesting that something else may control the distribution of sills in the crust. This study examines the role pre-existing structure plays in determining the distribution and geometry of sills in the SRVF. Primarily, sills will be thickest in the hinge zone of synclines and thinnest towards the limbs. The SRVF consists of a series of dikes, conduits and sills intruded into the J-Kr strata of the western Colorado Plateau. The structure of the SRVF consists of a series of broad wavelength folds truncated by a major thrust fault as determined by a gravity profile across structure. There are several sill complexes in the area whose geometry and relationships with the host rock are unaccounted for by these hypotheses. At large scale, sills follow structural trends in the host rock. Sills are either oriented with regional dips, or follow the trends of folds in the area. One sill, in particular, intruded into a syncline and thins towards the limb of the fold. However, sills behave differently at smaller spatial scales. The smaller scale behavior is incongruent with sills forming at rigidity contrasts or at the level of neutral buoyancy. First, sills form tiered structures intruding at multiple stratigraphic levels within the field area, and in limited geographic extent. Geophysical surveys confirm tiered sill structures in the subsurface. Individual sills also change stratigraphic levels, sometimes, very abruptly, moving vertically up to 30 meters in short horizontal distances. Sills also form networks in anastomosing structures that cut across stratigraphy at varying angles. These observations suggest that neither the level of neutral buoyancy nor the rigidity contrasts between layers play a role in determining the distribution of sills in the crust. Broadly, sills follow pre-existing structure, but at smaller scales, sills behave drastically different, with little regard to bedding planes.

Mars' Magnetic Atmosphere: Ionospheric Currents, Lightning (or Not), E and M Subsurface Sounding, and Future Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Espley, J. R.; Connerney, J. E. P.

2014-01-01

Mars' ionosphere has no obvious magnetic signs of large-scale, dustproduced lightning. However, there are numerous interesting ionospheric currents (some associated with crustal magnetic fields) which would allow for E&M subsurface sounding.

PREDICTING SUBSURFACE CONTAMINANT TRANSPORT AND TRANSFORMATION: CONSIDERATIONS FOR MODEL SELECTION AND FIELD VALIDATION

EPA Science Inventory

Predicting subsurface contaminant transport and transformation requires mathematical models based on a variety of physical, chemical, and biological processes. The mathematical model is an attempt to quantitatively describe observed processes in order to permit systematic forecas...

Sedimentological and Stratigraphic Controls on Natural Fracture Distribution in Wajid Group, SW Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benaafi, Mohammed; Hariri, Mustafa; Abdullatif, Osman; Makkawi, Mohammed; Korvin, Gabor

2016-04-01

The Cambro-Permian Wajid Group, SW Saudi Arabia, is the main groundwater aquifer in Wadi Al-Dawasir and Najran areas. In addition, it has a reservoir potentiality for oil and natural gas in Rub' Al-Khali Basin. Wajid Group divided into four formations, ascending Dibsiyah, Sanamah, Khussyayan and Juwayl. They are mainly sandstone and exposed in an area extend from Wadi Al-Dawasir southward to Najran city and deposited within fluvial, shallow marine and glacial environments. This study aims to investigate the sedimentological and stratigraphic controls on the distribution of natural fractures within Wajid Group outcrops. A scanline sampling method was used to study the natural fracture network within Wajid Group outcrops, where the natural fractures were measured and characterized in 12 locations. Four regional natural fracture sets were observed with mean strikes of 050o, 075o, 345o, and 320o. Seven lithofacies characterized the Wajid Group at these locations and include fine-grained sandstone, coarse to pebbly sandstone, cross-bedded sandstone, massive sandstone, bioturbated sandstone, conglomerate sandstone, and conglomerate lithofacies. We found that the fine-grained and small scale cross-bedded sandstones lithofacies are characterized by high fracture intensity. In contrast, the coarse-grained sandstone and conglomerate lithofacies have low fracture intensity. Therefore, the relative fracture intensity and spacing of natural fractures within Wajid Group in the subsurface can be predicted by using the lithofacies and their depositional environments. In terms of stratigraphy, we found that the bed thickness and the stratigraphic architecture are the main controls on fractures intensity. The outcomes of this study can help to understand and predict the natural fracture distribution within the subsurface fractured sandstone hosting groundwater and hydrocarbon in Wajid and Rub' Al-Khali Basins. Hence, the finding of this study might help to explore and develop the groundwater and hydrocarbon resources in the subsurface.

Rescuing the Cahoon Mine drill cores: Opportunities for modern mapping of the ca. 1.7 Ga Freedom Formation in southern Wisconsin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanley, V.; Stewart, E.

2016-12-01

Rock cores collected during historic mineral exploration can provide invaluable data for modern analyses, but only if the samples are properly curated. The Cahoon Mine operated in Baraboo, WI during the 1910's and produced iron ore from the ca. 1.7 Ga Freedom Formation. The Freedom Formation is part of the well-known Baraboo-interval stratigraphy and is only present in the subsurface of Wisconsin (Weidman, 1904). Seventeen exploratory drill cores were rescued by Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey (WGNHS) from the original drying house at the mine site. The condition of the containers endangered the stratigraphic context of the collection; identifiers and depth markings were often obscured or lost. The individual core pieces were coated in residue and dust. Most of what is known about the Freedom Formation is from core logs and master's theses from the early 1900's (Leith, 1935; Schmidt, 1951). Ongoing subsurface mapping of the Baraboo-interval sediments and underlying basement of southern Wisconsin integrates new and existing subsurface and regional geophysical datasets. Mapping involves calibrating unique signals in regional aeromagnetic data to known lithology from drill core and cuttings. The Freedom Formation is especially important in this process as its iron-rich composition and regional continuity causes it to have a somewhat unique signal in regional aeromagnetic data. The Cahoon Mine cores in the WGNHS repository are the most extensive collection of physical samples from the Freedom Formation still in existence. We are in the process of curating the cores to facilitate their use in ongoing bedrock mapping. Today the cost and logistics of extensive sampling of this unit makes the existing core collection irreplaceable. We transferred the material to new containers, digitally recorded metadata, and created archival labels. As a result of this effort, the Cahoon Mine cores are now stored in a format that is physically and digitally accessible.

Muon Tomography for Geological Repositories.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodward, D.; Kudryavtsev, V.; Gluyas, J.; Clark, S. J.; Thompson, L. F.; Klinger, J.; Spooner, N. J.; Blackwell, T. B.; Pal, S.; Lincoln, D. L.; Paling, S. M.; Mitchell, C. N.; Benton, C.; Coleman, M. L.; Telfer, S.; Cole, A.; Nolan, S.; Chadwick, P.

2015-12-01

Cosmic-ray muons are subatomic particles produced in the upper atmosphere in collisions of primary cosmic rays with atoms in air. Due to their high penetrating power these muons can be used to image the content (primarily density) of matter they pass through. They have already been used to image the structure of pyramids, volcanoes and other objects. Their applications can be extended to investigating the structure of, and monitoring changes in geological formations and repositories, in particular deep subsurface sites with stored CO2. Current methods of monitoring subsurface CO2, such as repeat seismic surveys, are episodic and require highly skilled personnel to operate. Our simulations based on simplified models have previously shown that muon tomography could be used to continuously monitor CO2 injection and migration and complement existing technologies. Here we present a simulation of the monitoring of CO2 plume evolution in a geological reservoir using muon tomography. The stratigraphy in the vicinity of the reservoir is modelled using geological data, and a numerical fluid flow model is used to describe the time evolution of the CO2 plume. A planar detection region with a surface area of 1000 m2 is considered, at a vertical depth of 776 m below the seabed. We find that one year of constant CO2 injection leads to changes in the column density of about 1%, and that the CO2 plume is already resolvable with an exposure time of less than 50 days. The attached figure show a map of CO2 plume in angular coordinates as reconstructed from observed muons. In parallel with simulation efforts, a small prototype muon detector has been designed, built and tested in a deep subsurface laboratory. Initial calibrations of the detector have shown that it can reach the required angular resolution for muon detection. Stable operation in a small borehole within a few months has been demonstrated.

Shallow Subsurface transport and eruption of basaltic foam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parcheta, C. E.; Mitchell, K. L.

2016-12-01

Volcanic fissure vents are difficult to quantify, and details of eruptive behavior are elusive even though it is the most common eruption mechanism on Earth and across the solar system. A fissure's surface expression is typically concealed, but when a fissure remains exposed, its subsurface conduit can be mapped post-eruptively with VolcanoBot. The robot uses a NIR structured light sensor that reproduces a 3D surface model to cm-scale accuracy, documenting the shallow conduit. VolcanoBot3 has probed >1000m3 of volcanic fissure vents at the Mauna Ulu fissure system on Kilauea. Here we present the new 3D model of a flared vent on the Mauna Ulu fissure system. We see a self-similar pattern of irregularities on the fissure walls throughout the entire shallow subsurface, implying a fracture mechanical origin similar to faults. These irregularities are typically 1 m across, protrude 30 cm horizontally into the drained fissure, and have a vertical spacing of 2-3 m. However, irregularity size is variable and distinct with depth, potentially reflecting stratigraphy in the wall rock. Where piercing points are present, we infer the dike broke the wall rock in order to propagate upwards; where they are not, we infer that syn-eruptive mechanical erosion has taken place. One mechanism for mechanical erosion is supersonic shocks, which may occur in Hawaiian fountains. We are calculating the speed of sound in 64% basaltic foam, which appears to be the same velocity (or slightly slower) than inferred eruption velocities. Irregularities are larger than the maximum 10% wall roughness used in engineering fluid dynamic studies, indicating that magma fluid dynamics during fissure eruptions are probably not as passive nor as simple as previously thought. We are currently using the mapped conduit geometries and derived speed of sound for basaltic foam in fluid dynamical modeling of fissure-fed lava fountains.

The Ma_Miss instrument performance, II: Band parameters of rocks powders spectra by Martian VNIR spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Angelis, Simone; De Sanctis, Maria Cristina; Ammannito, Eleonora; Carli, Cristian; Di Iorio, Tatiana; Altieri, Francesca

2015-11-01

The Ma_Miss instrument (Mars Multispectral Imager for Subsurface Studies, Coradini et al. (2001)) is a Visible and Near Infrared miniaturized spectrometer that will observe the Martian subsurface in the 0.4-2.2 μm spectral range. The instrument will be entirely hosted within the Drill of the ExoMars-2018 Pasteur Rover: it will allow analyzing the borehole wall excavated by the Drill, at different depths, down to 2 m. The aim will be to investigate and characterize the mineralogy and stratigraphy of the shallow Martian subsurface. A series of spectroscopic measurements have been performed in order to characterize the spectral performances of the laboratory model of the instrument (breadboard). A set of six samples have been analyzed. Each sample (four volcanic rocks, a micritic limestone and a calcite) has been reduced in particulate form, ground, sieved and divided into nine different grain sizes in the range d<0.02÷0.8 mm. Spectroscopic measurements have been performed on all samples using two distinct experimental setup: (a) the Ma_Miss breadboard, and (b) the Spectro-Goniometer setup, both in use in the laboratory at INAF - IAPS. In a previous paper spectral parameters such as the continuum slope and the reflectance level of the spectra have been discussed (De Angelis et al., 2014). In this work we focus our discussion on absorption band parameters (position, depth, area, band slope and asymmetry). We analyzed/investigated the absorption features at 1 μm for the volcanic samples and at 1.4, 1.9 and 2.2 μm for the two carbonate samples. Band parameters have been retrieved from spectra measured with both experimental setup and then compared. The comparison shows that band parameters are mutually consistent: band centers (for carbonate samples) are similar within few percent, and band depth and area values (for carbonates) show consistent trends vs. grain size (decreasing towards coarser grains) for most of samples.

Surficial Geology of the Chicxulub Impact Crater, Yucatan, Mexico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pope, Kevin O.; Ocampo, Adriana C.; Duller, Charles E.

1993-01-01

The Chicxulub impact crater in northwestern Yucatan, Mexico is the primary candidate for the proposed impact that caused mass extinctions at the end of the Cretaceous Period. The crater is buried by up to a kilometer of Tertiary sediment and the most prominent surface expression is a ring of sink holes, known locally as cenotes, mapped with Landsat imagery. This 165 +/- 5 km diameter Cenote Ring demarcates a boundary between unfractured limestones inside the ring, and fractured limestones outside. The boundary forms a barrier to lateral ground water migration, resulting in increased flows, dissolution, and collapse thus forming the cenotes. The subsurface geology indicates that the fracturing that created the Cenote Ring is related to slumping in the rim of the buried crater, differential thicknesses in the rocks overlying the crater, or solution collapse within porous impact deposits. The Cenote Ring provides the most accurate position of the Chicxulub crater's center, and the associated faults, fractures, and stratigraphy indicate that the crater may be approx. 240 km in diameter.

Surficial geology of the Chicxulub impact crater, Yucatan, Mexico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pope, Kevin O.; Ocampo, Adriana C.; Duller, Charles E.

1993-01-01

The Chicxulub impact crater in northwestern Yucatan, Mexico is the primary candidate for the proposed impact that caused mass extinctions at the end of the Cretaceous Period. The crater is buried by up to a kilometer of Tertiary sediment and the most prominent surface expression is a ring of sink holes, known locally as cenotes, mapped with Landsat imagery. This 165 +/- 5 km diameter Cenote Ring demarcates a boundary between unfractured limestones inside the ring, and fractured limestones outside. The boundary forms a barrier to lateral ground water migration, resulting in increased flows, dissolution, and collapse thus forming the cenotes. The subsurface geology indicates that the fracturing that created the Cenote Ring is related to slumping in the rim of the buried crater, differential thicknesses in the rocks overlying the crater, or solution collapse within porous impact deposits. The Cenote Ring provides the most accurate position of the Chicxulub crater's center, and the associated faults, fractures, and stratigraphy indicate that the crater may be approximately 240 km in diameter.

Selected aspects of lunar mare geology from Apollo orbital photography. [of lunar craters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, R. A.; Brennan, W. J.

1976-01-01

Crater size-frequency distributions were studied (100-500 m) and are shown to provide significant integrated information concerning mare surface ages, subsurface stratigraphy, and surficial geology. Equilibrium cratering is discussed gradually reducing the relative numbers of craters smaller than 300-400 m in diameter as surfaces age and regolith thickens. Results for surface ages are in good agreement with other published crater ages. The existing correlations of large ring structures among various circular mare basins are shown to be based on criteria that are inconsistent and nonstandardized. A means of comparing equivalent ring structures in the different maria is proposed which takes into account the important characteristics of young unflooded basins (Orientale) as well as the progressive development of tectonic and volcanic features within the older flooded maria. Specific geologic aspects of several of the lunar maria are discussed and especially Mare Smythii, because of its great age and significantly different surface morphology. Lunar photographs and maps are shown.

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

The session "Mars" included the following reports:Tentative Theories for the Long-Term Geological and Hydrological Evolution of Mars; Stratigraphy of Special Layers Transient Ones on Permeable Ones: Examples from Earth and Mars; Spatial Analysis of Rootless Cone Groups on Iceland and Mars; Summer Season Variability of the North Residual Cap of Mars from MGS-TES; Spectral and Geochemical Characteristics of Lake Superior Type Banded Iron Formation: Analog to the Martian Hematite Outcrops; Martian Wave Structures and Their Relation to Mars; Shape, Highland-Lowland Chemical Dichotomy and Undulating Atmosphere Causing Serious Problems to Landing Spacecrafts; Shear Deformation in the Graben Systems of Sirenum Fosssae, Mars: Preliminary Results; Components of Martian Dust Finding on Terrestrial Sedimentary Deposits with Use of Infrared Spectra; Morphologic and Morphometric Analyses of Fluvial Systems in the Southern Highlands of Mars; Light Pattern and Intensity Analysis of Gray Spots Surrounding Polar Dunes on Mars; The Volume of Possible Ancient Oceanic Basins in the Northern Plains of Mars MARSES: Possibilities of Long-Term Monitoring Spatial and Temporal Variations and Changes of Subsurface Geoelectrical Section on the Base; Results of the Geophysical Survey Salt/Water Interface and Groundwater Mapping on the Marina Di Ragusa, Sicily and Shalter Island, USA ;A Miniature UV-VIS Spectrometer for the Surface of Mars; Automatic Recognition of Aeolian Ripples on Mars; Absolute Dune Ages and Implications for the Time of Formation of Gullies in Nirgal Vallis, Mars; Diurnal Dust Devil Behaviour for the Viking 1 Landing Site: Sols 1 to 30; Topography Based Surface Age Computations for Mars: A Step Toward the Formal Proof of Martian Ocean Recession, Timing and Probability; Gravitational Effects of Flooding and Filling of Impact Basins on Mars; Viking 2 Landing Site in MGS/MOC Images South Polar Residual Cap of Mars: Features, Stratigraphy, and Changes.

A design study for a medium-scale field demonstration of the viscous barrier technology

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

Moridis, G.; Yen, P.; Persoff, P.

1996-09-01

This report is the design study for a medium-scale field demonstration of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory`s new subsurface containment technology for waste isolation using a new generation of barrier liquids. The test site is located in central California in a quarry owned by the Los Banos Gravel Company in Los Banos, California, in heterogeneous unsaturated deposits of sand, silt, and -ravel typical of many of the and DOE cleanup sites and particularly analogous to the Hanford site. The coals of the field demonstration are (a) to demonstrate the ability to create a continuous subsurface barrier isolating a medium-scale volume (30more » ft long by 30 ft wide by 20 ft deep, i.e. 1/10th to 1/8th the size of a buried tank at the Hanford Reservation) in the subsurface, and (b) to demonstrate the continuity, performance, and integrity of the barrier.« less

Sedimentary geology of the middle Carboniferous of the Donbas region (Dniepr-Donets Basin, Ukraine).

PubMed

van Hinsbergen, Douwe J J; Abels, Hemmo A; Bosch, Wolter; Boekhout, Flora; Kitchka, Alexander; Hamers, Maartje; van der Meer, Douwe G; Geluk, Mark; Stephenson, Randell A

2015-03-20

The Paleozoic Dniepr-Donets Basin in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia forms a major hydrocarbon province. Although well- and seismic data have established a 20 km thick stratigraphy, field-studies of its sediments are scarce. The inverted Donbas segment (Ukraine) exposes the middle Carboniferous part of the basin's stratigraphy. Here, we provide detailed sedimentological data from 13 sections that cover 1.5 of the total of 5 km of the Bashkirian and Moscovian stages and assess the paleoenvironment and paleo-current directions. Middle Carboniferous deposition occurred in a shelf environment, with coal deposition, subordinate fluvial facies, and abundant lower and middle shoreface facies, comprising an intercalated package of potential source and reservoir rocks. Sedimentary facies indicate a paleodepth range from below storm wave base to near-coastal swamp environments. Sedimentation and subsidence were hence in pace, with subtle facies changes likely representing relative sea-level changes. Paleocurrent directions are remarkably consistently southeastward in time and space in the different sedimentary facies across the Donbas Fold Belt, illustrating a dominant sedimentary infill along the basin axis, with little basin margin influence. This suggests that the middle Carboniferous stratigraphy of the Dniepr-Donets basin to the northwest probably contains significant amounts of fluvial sandstones, important for assessing hydrocarbon reservoir potential.

Sedimentary geology of the middle Carboniferous of the Donbas region (Dniepr-Donets basin, Ukraine)

PubMed Central

van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.; Abels, Hemmo A.; Bosch, Wolter; Boekhout, Flora; Kitchka, Alexander; Hamers, Maartje; van der Meer, Douwe G.; Geluk, Mark; Stephenson, Randell A.

2015-01-01

The Paleozoic Dniepr-Donets Basin in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia forms a major hydrocarbon province. Although well- and seismic data have established a 20 km thick stratigraphy, field-studies of its sediments are scarce. The inverted Donbas segment (Ukraine) exposes the middle Carboniferous part of the basin's stratigraphy. Here, we provide detailed sedimentological data from 13 sections that cover 1.5 of the total of 5 km of the Bashkirian and Moscovian stages and assess the paleoenvironment and paleo-current directions. Middle Carboniferous deposition occurred in a shelf environment, with coal deposition, subordinate fluvial facies, and abundant lower and middle shoreface facies, comprising an intercalated package of potential source and reservoir rocks. Sedimentary facies indicate a paleodepth range from below storm wave base to near-coastal swamp environments. Sedimentation and subsidence were hence in pace, with subtle facies changes likely representing relative sea-level changes. Paleocurrent directions are remarkably consistently southeastward in time and space in the different sedimentary facies across the Donbas Fold Belt, illustrating a dominant sedimentary infill along the basin axis, with little basin margin influence. This suggests that the middle Carboniferous stratigraphy of the Dniepr-Donets basin to the northwest probably contains significant amounts of fluvial sandstones, important for assessing hydrocarbon reservoir potential. PMID:25791400

Preliminary stratigraphy and facies analysis of the Upper Cretaceous Kaguyak Formation, including a brief summary of newly discovered oil stain, upper Alaska Peninsula

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wartes, Marwan A.; Decker, Paul L.; Stanley, Richard G.; Herriott, Trystan M.; Helmold, Kenneth P.; Gillis, Robert J.

2013-01-01

The Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys has an ongoing program aimed at evaluating the Mesozoic forearc stratigraphy, structure, and petroleum systems of lower Cook Inlet. Most of our field studies have focused on the Jurassic component of the petroleum system (this report). However, in late July and early August of 2012, we initiated a study of the stratigraphy and reservoir potential of the Upper Cretaceous Kaguyak Formation. The Kaguyak Formation is locally well exposed on the upper Alaska Peninsula (fig. 25) and was named by Keller and Reiser (1959) for a sequence of interbedded siltstone and sandstone of upper Campanian to Maastrichtian age that they estimated to be 1,450 m thick.Subsequent work by Detterman and Miller (1985) examined 900 m of section and interpreted the unit as the record of a prograding submarine fan.This interpretation of deep-water deposition contrasts with other Upper Cretaceous rocks exposed along the Alaska Peninsula and lower Cook Inlet that are generally described as nonmarine to shallow marine (Detterman and others, 1996; LePain and others, 2012).Based on foraminifera and palynomorphs from the COST No. 1 well, Magoon (1986) concluded that the Upper Cretaceous rocks were deposited in a variety of water depths and environments ranging from upper bathyal to nonmarine. During our recent fieldwork west and south of Fourpeaked Mountain, we similarly encountered markedly varying lithofacies in the Kaguyak Formation (fig. 25), and we also found oil-stained rocks that are consistent with the existence of an active petroleum system in Upper Cretaceous rocks on the upper Alaska Peninsula and in lower Cook Inlet. These field observations are summarized below.

Influence of Assimilation of Subsurface Temperature Measurements on Simulations of Equatorial Undercurrent and South Equatorial Current Along the Pacific Equator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halpern, David; Leetmaan, Ants; Reynolds, Richard W.; Ji, Ming

1997-01-01

Equatorial Pacific current and temperature fields were simulated with and without assimilation of subsurface temperature measurements for April 1992 - March 1995, and compared with moored bouy and research vessel current measurements.

Time series analysis of contaminant transport in the subsurface: applications to conservative tracer and engineered nanomaterials.

PubMed

Bai, Chunmei; Li, Yusong

2014-08-01

Accurately predicting the transport of contaminants in the field is subject to multiple sources of uncertainty due to the variability of geological settings, the complexity of field measurements, and the scarcity of data. Such uncertainties can be amplified when modeling some emerging contaminants, such as engineered nanomaterials, when a fundamental understanding of their fate and transport is lacking. Typical field work includes collecting concentration at a certain location for an extended period of time, or measuring the movement of plume for an extended period time, which would result in a time series of observation data. This work presents an effort to evaluate the possibility of applying time series analysis, particularly, autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models, to forecast contaminant transport and distribution in the subsurface environment. ARIMA modeling was first assessed in terms of its capability to forecast tracer transport at two field sites, which had different levels of heterogeneity. After that, this study evaluated the applicability of ARIMA modeling to predict the transport of engineered nanomaterials at field sites, including field measured data of nanoscale zero valent iron and (nZVI) and numerically generated data for the transport of nano-fullerene aggregates (nC60). This proof-of-concept effort demonstrates the possibility of applying ARIMA to predict the contaminant transport in the subsurface environment. Like many other statistical models, ARIMA modeling is only descriptive and not explanatory. The limitation and the challenge associated with applying ARIMA modeling to contaminant transport in the subsurface are also discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Time series analysis of contaminant transport in the subsurface: Applications to conservative tracer and engineered nanomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Chunmei; Li, Yusong

2014-08-01

Accurately predicting the transport of contaminants in the field is subject to multiple sources of uncertainty due to the variability of geological settings, the complexity of field measurements, and the scarcity of data. Such uncertainties can be amplified when modeling some emerging contaminants, such as engineered nanomaterials, when a fundamental understanding of their fate and transport is lacking. Typical field work includes collecting concentration at a certain location for an extended period of time, or measuring the movement of plume for an extended period time, which would result in a time series of observation data. This work presents an effort to evaluate the possibility of applying time series analysis, particularly, autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models, to forecast contaminant transport and distribution in the subsurface environment. ARIMA modeling was first assessed in terms of its capability to forecast tracer transport at two field sites, which had different levels of heterogeneity. After that, this study evaluated the applicability of ARIMA modeling to predict the transport of engineered nanomaterials at field sites, including field measured data of nanoscale zero valent iron and (nZVI) and numerically generated data for the transport of nano-fullerene aggregates (nC60). This proof-of-concept effort demonstrates the possibility of applying ARIMA to predict the contaminant transport in the subsurface environment. Like many other statistical models, ARIMA modeling is only descriptive and not explanatory. The limitation and the challenge associated with applying ARIMA modeling to contaminant transport in the subsurface are also discussed.

Use of Large-Scale Multi-Configuration EMI Measurements to Characterize Subsurface Structures of the Vadose Zone.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huisman, J. A.; Brogi, C.; Pätzold, S.; Weihermueller, L.; von Hebel, C.; Van Der Kruk, J.; Vereecken, H.

2017-12-01

Subsurface structures of the vadose zone can play a key role in crop yield potential, especially during water stress periods. Geophysical techniques like electromagnetic induction EMI can provide information about dominant shallow subsurface features. However, previous studies with EMI have typically not reached beyond the field scale. We used high-resolution large-scale multi-configuration EMI measurements to characterize patterns of soil structural organization (layering and texture) and their impact on crop productivity at the km2 scale. We collected EMI data on an agricultural area of 1 km2 (102 ha) near Selhausen (NRW, Germany). The area consists of 51 agricultural fields cropped in rotation. Therefore, measurements were collected between April and December 2016, preferably within few days after the harvest. EMI data were automatically filtered, temperature corrected, and interpolated onto a common grid of 1 m resolution. Inspecting the ECa maps, we identified three main sub-areas with different subsurface heterogeneity. We also identified small-scale geomorphological structures as well as anthropogenic activities such as soil management and buried drainage networks. To identify areas with similar subsurface structures, we applied image classification techniques. We fused ECa maps obtained with different coil distances in a multiband image and applied supervised and unsupervised classification methodologies. Both showed good results in reconstructing observed patterns in plant productivity and the subsurface structures associated with them. However, the supervised methodology proved more efficient in classifying the whole study area. In a second step, we selected hundred locations within the study area and obtained a soil profile description with type, depth, and thickness of the soil horizons. Using this ground truth data it was possible to assign a typical soil profile to each of the main classes obtained from the classification. The proposed methodology was effective in producing a high resolution subsurface model in a large and complex study area that extends well beyond the field scale.

Tillage impact on herbicide loss by surface runoff and lateral subsurface flow

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

There is worldwide interest in conservation tillage practices because they can reduce surface runoff, agrichemical, and sediment loss from farm fields. Since these practices typically increase infiltration, their use may increase subsurface transport of water-soluble contaminants. Thus, to assess lo...

A field evaluation of subsurface and surface runoff. II. Runoff processes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pilgrim, D.H.; Huff, D.D.; Steele, T.D.

1978-01-01

Combined use of radioisotope tracer, flow rate, specific conductance and suspended-sediment measurements on a large field plot near Stanford, California, has provided more detailed information on surface and subsurface storm runoff processes than would be possible from any single approach used in isolation. Although the plot was surficially uniform, the runoff processes were shown to be grossly nonuniform, both spatially over the plot, and laterally and vertically within the soil. The three types of processes that have been suggested as sources of storm runoff (Horton-type surface runoff, saturated overland flow, and rapid subsurface throughflow) all occurred on the plot. The nonuniformity of the processes supports the partial- and variable-source area concepts. Subsurface storm runoff occurred in a saturated layer above the subsoil horizon, and short travel times resulted from flow through macropores rather than the soil matrix. Consideration of these observations would be necessary for physically realistic modeling of the storm runoff process. ?? 1978.

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

Negus-De Wys, J.; Dixon, J. M.; Evans, M. A.

This document consists of the following papers: inorganic geochemistry studies of the Eastern Kentucky Gas Field; lithology studies of upper Devonian well cuttings in the Eastern Kentucky Gas Field; possible effects of plate tectonics on the Appalachian Devonian black shale production in eastern Kentucky; preliminary depositional model for upper Devonian Huron age organic black shale in the Eastern Kentucky Gas Field; the anatomy of a large Devonian black shale gas field; the Cottageville (Mount Alto) Gas Field, Jackson County, West Virginia: a case study of Devonian shale gas production; the Eastern Kentucky Gas Field: a geological study of the relationshipsmore » of Ohio Shale gas occurrences to structure, stratigraphy, lithology, and inorganic geochemical parameters; and a statistical analysis of geochemical data for the Eastern Kentucky Gas Field.« less

Land subsidence and recovery in the Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico, 1993–2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Driscoll, Jessica M.; Brandt, Justin T.

2017-08-14

The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA) drinking water supply was almost exclusively sourced from groundwater from within the Albuquerque Basin before 2008. In 2008, the San Juan-Chama Drinking Water Project (SJCDWP) provided surface-water resources to augment the groundwater supply, allowing for a reduction in groundwater pumping in the Albuquerque Basin. In 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the ABCWUA, began a study to measure and compare aquifer-system and land-surface elevation change before and after the SJCDWP in 2008. Three methods of data collection with different temporal and spatial resolutions were used for this study: (1) aquifer-system compaction data collected continuously at a single extensometer from 1994 to 2013; (2) land-surface elevation change from Global Positioning System (GPS) surveys of a network of monuments collected in 1994–95, 2005, and 2014; and (3) spatially distributed Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) satellite data from 1993 to 2010. Collection of extensometer data allows for direct and continuous measurement of aquifer-system compaction at the extensometer location. The GPS surveys of a network of monuments allow for periodic measurements of land-surface elevation change at monument locations. Interferograms are limited in time by lifespan of the satellite, orbital pattern, and data quality but allow for measurement of gridded land-surface elevation change over the study area. Each of these methods was employed to provide a better understanding of aquifer-system compaction and land-surface elevation change for the Albuquerque Basin.Results do not show large magnitudes of subsidence in the Albuquerque Basin. High temporal-resolution but low spatial-resolution data measurements of aquifer-system compaction at the Albuquerque extensometer show elastic aquifer-system response to recovering groundwater levels. Results from the GPS survey of the network of monuments show inconsistent land-surface elevation changes over the Albuquerque Basin, likely because of the lack of significant change and the complexity of subsurface stratigraphy in addition to the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of groundwater withdrawals over the study period. Results from the InSAR analysis show areas of land-surface elevation increase after 2008, which could be attributed to elastic recovery of the aquifer system. The spatial extent to which elastic recovery of the aquifer system has resulted in recovery of land-surface elevation is limited to the in-situ measurements at the extensometer. Examination of spatially distributed InSAR data relative to limited spatial extent of the complex heterogeneity subsurface stratigraphy may explain some of the heterogeneity of land-surface elevation changes over this study period.

Investigations on alluvial deposits through borehole stratigraphy, radiocarbon dating and passive seismic technique (Carnic Alps, NE Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viero, Alessia; Marchi, Lorenzo; Cavalli, Marco; Crema, Stefano; Fontana, Alessandro; Mozzi, Paolo; Venturini, Corrado

2016-04-01

Alluvial sediment investigations provide fundamental tools to infer the processes that control geomorphological evolution of mountain environments. By analyzing sediment stratigraphy in depth, it is possible to retrieve the source, the geology, the time of deposition, the relative distance travelled by material as well as to distinguish among different type of transport (i.e., gravitational, fluvial or glacial). In this work, we present a combination of log stratigraphy, radiocarbon dating and geophysical surveys carried out on the valley floor of the But River (Carnic Alps, North East Italy). The But River basin drains an area of 326 km2 with a range in elevation from 2769 to 323 m a.s.l.; the bedrock mainly consists of carbonates and quartz arenites with minor inclusions of effusive rocks. After Pleistocene the gravitational deposits from mountain slopes have impounded the But River several times. In particular, we analyzed a sector of the upper portion of the But valley close to the confluence of the Moscardo Torrent, frequently affected by debris flows. A borehole was drilled in the But River floodplain, at the intersection with the Moscardo Torrent alluvial fan, down to a depth of 80 m. The analysis of the core samples allowed discerning three sedimentary levels rich in clay and organic materials, which testify the presence of small dam lakes, originated from the Moscardo debris-flow deposits. Three samples of wood and plant debris were collected from 13, 14 and 23 m of depth, respectively. They were analyzed through radiocarbon dating in order to determine the age of the lakes and, thus, to infer the activity of the debris flows building the Moscardo cone. The calibrated ages of the 3 samples are close to the younger limit of the radiocarbon method indicating a fast aggradation of the valley floor, starting from a period ranging between 1450 - 1632 AD. Historical maps and documents confirm the presence of the lakes until 19th century and they permit to assess their extent and the maximum depths. Two passive seismic campaigns were carried out near the borehole site and along the But valley at different elevations. The aim was to investigate the depth of the buried bedrock and therefore to indirectly characterize the thickness of alluvial deposits. We calibrated the fundamental frequency of each site by constraining average shear velocity of the alluvial sediments close to the borehole site with known stratigraphy. Eight HVSR (Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio, Nakamura, 1989) were carried out, and thus a first sketch of the buried valley floor along a longitudinal profile of about 5 km was depicted. The values of the derived bedrock depth allow to quantify the differences in thickness between the alluvial deposits and the Moscardo Torrent fan deposits. This information helps to address the contribution of the debris-flow processes in damming the upper But River during the last five centuries. The results confirm the role of debris-flow deposits from the Moscardo Torrent in shaping the morphology of the valley floor of But River and show suitability of an integrated approach, encompassing log stratigraphy, geophysical surveys and analysis of historical documents, for gaining insights on the evolution of alpine valleys. Reference Nakamura, Y., 1989. A method for dynamic characteristic estimation of subsurface using microtremor on the ground surface. Quarterly Report of Railway Technical Research Institute, 30(1): 25-33.

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

Russell, J.S.

Several factors in the development of the East Wilmington oil field by THUMS Long Beach Co. are described. These include: critical path scheduling, complex stratigraphy, reservoir engineering, drilling program, production methods, pressure maintenance, crude oil processing, automation, transportation facilities, service lines, and electrical facilities. The complexity and closely scheduled operational events interwoven in the THUMS project demands a method for the carefully planned sequence of jobs to be done, beginning with island construction up through routine production and to the LACT system. These demanding requirements necessitated the use of a critical path scheduling program. It was decided to use themore » program evaluation technique. This technique is used to assign responsibilities for individual assignments to time assignments, and to keep the overall program on schedule. The stratigraphy of East Wilmington complicates all engineering functions associated with recovery methods and reservoir evaluation. At least 5 major faults are anticipated.« less

Geologic Map of Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary Strata and Coal Stratigraphy of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation, Rawlins-Little Snake River Area, South-Central Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hettinger, R.D.; Honey, J.G.; Ellis, M.S.; Barclay, C.S.V.; East, J.A.

2008-01-01

This report provides a map and detailed descriptions of geologic formations for a 1,250 square mile region in the Rawlins-Little Snake River coal field in the eastern part of the Washakie and Great Divide Basins of south-central Wyoming. Mapping of geologic formations and coal beds was conducted at a scale of 1:24,000 and compiled at a scale of 1:100,000. Emphasis was placed on coal-bearing strata of the China Butte and Overland Members of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation. Surface stratigraphic sections were measured and described and well logs were examined to determine the lateral continuity of individual coal beds; the coal-bed stratigraphy is shown on correlation diagrams. A structure contour and overburden map constructed on the uppermost coal bed in the China Butte Member is also provided.

High Resolution Stratigraphic Mapping in Complex Terrain: A Comparison of Traditional Remote Sensing Techniques with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle - Structure from Motion Photogrammetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nesbit, P. R.; Hugenholtz, C.; Durkin, P.; Hubbard, S. M.; Kucharczyk, M.; Barchyn, T.

2016-12-01

Remote sensing and digital mapping have started to revolutionize geologic mapping in recent years as a result of their realized potential to provide high resolution 3D models of outcrops to assist with interpretation, visualization, and obtaining accurate measurements of inaccessible areas. However, in stratigraphic mapping applications in complex terrain, it is difficult to acquire information with sufficient detail at a wide spatial coverage with conventional techniques. We demonstrate the potential of a UAV and Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetric approach for improving 3D stratigraphic mapping applications within a complex badland topography. Our case study is performed in Dinosaur Provincial Park (Alberta, Canada), mapping late Cretaceous fluvial meander belt deposits of the Dinosaur Park formation amidst a succession of steeply sloping hills and abundant drainages - creating a challenge for stratigraphic mapping. The UAV-SfM dataset (2 cm spatial resolution) is compared directly with a combined satellite and aerial LiDAR dataset (30 cm spatial resolution) to reveal advantages and limitations of each dataset before presenting a unique workflow that utilizes the dense point cloud from the UAV-SfM dataset for analysis. The UAV-SfM dense point cloud minimizes distortion, preserves 3D structure, and records an RGB attribute - adding potential value in future studies. The proposed UAV-SfM workflow allows for high spatial resolution remote sensing of stratigraphy in complex topographic environments. This extended capability can add value to field observations and has the potential to be integrated with subsurface petroleum models.

Late Pleistocene stratigraphy of a carbonate platform margin, Exumas, Bahamas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aalto, K. R.; Dill, Robert F.

1996-05-01

Detailed field studies of the southern Exuma Cays on the eastern margin of the Great Bahama Bank show a complex history of late Pleistocene island construction. Pleistocene rocks include island core eolianites, overlain at island margins by fossil patch reefs and reef sands, which in turn are overlain by, and/or grade laterally into, talus breccia cones derived from the erosion of island core eolianite at paleo-seacliffs situated at approximately 5-6 m above present mean high tide. Laminated pedogenic calcrete widely caps Pleistocene rocks. Minor zones of penetrative subsurface calcretization, developed in association with root growth, occur along permeable horizons, including: contacts between talus units or crossbed sets, along tension joints, and (possibly) at the Pleistocene reef-eolianite contact. Among Pleistocene eolianite samples studied in thin-section, the relative proportions of ooids-intraclasts+grapestones-skeletal grains-peloids are approximately 48:39:6:7. Marginal to the Exuma Sound and on the Brigantine Cays, a greater proportion of ooids have peloidal nuclei and cortices with numerous laminae, which may reflect ooid derivation from shelf margin and broad platform interior regions that were characterized by high wave energy during ooid formation. Between these two areas, ooids are more commonly superficial and have cortices with few laminae and nuclei composed of subrounded micrite or pelmicrite intraclasts. Such ooid nuclei are most likely derived from storm erosion of partially cemented seafloor muds. Some skeletal-rich eolianite in this region may reflect local sediment input from platform margin reefs, or may be part of an older(?) stratigraphic unit.

Near-surface Imaging of a Maya Plaza Complex using Ground-Penetrating Radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aitken, J. A.; Stewart, R. R.

2005-05-01

The University of Calgary has conducted a number of ground-penetrating radar surveys at a Maya archaeological site. The purpose of the study is to discern the near-surface structure and stratigraphy of the plaza, and to assist the archaeologists in focusing their excavation efforts. The area of study is located in Belize, Central America at the ancient Maya site of Maax Na. Flanked by structures believed to be temples to the north and west, the archaeologists were interested in determining how many levels of plaza were built and if there was any discernable slope to the plaza. Over the last three years, both 2-D lines and 3-D grids were acquired at the plaza using a Sensors and Software Inc. Noggin Plus system at an antenna frequency of 250 MHz. The processing flow consisted of the application of gain, various filtering techniques and a diffraction stack migration using Reflexw. Interpolation of the gridded data was investigated using simple averaging, F-K migration, pre-stack migration and inversion techniques. As this study has evolved over different field seasons, measured velocities appear to change with the saturation level of the shallow section. Velocity measurements ranged from 0.058 - .106 m/ns during the wet conditions encountered in 2002 and 2004, while velocities of 1.22 - 1.40 m/ns were measured in the drought of 2003. The GPR images to date indicate continuous and interpretable images of the subsurface, showing evidence of structure, discontinuities and amplitude variations. A number of interesting anomalies have been identified, and prioritized for excavation.

Spatiotemporal Variability of Meltwater Refreezing in Southwest Greenland Ice Sheet Firn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rennermalm, A. K.; Hock, R.; Tedesco, M.; Corti, G.; Covi, F.; Miège, C.; Kingslake, J.; Leidman, S. Z.; Munsell, S.

2017-12-01

A substantial fraction of the summer meltwater formed on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet is retained in firn, while the remaining portion runs to the ocean through surface and subsurface channels. Refreezing of meltwater in firn can create impenetrable ice lenses, hence being a crucial process in the redistribution of surface runoff. To quantify the impact of refreezing on runoff and current and future Greenland surface mass balance, a three year National Science Foundation funded project titled "Refreezing in the firn of the Greenland ice sheet: Spatiotemporal variability and implications for ice sheet mass balance" started this past year. Here we present an overview of the project and some initial results from the first field season in May 2017 conducted in proximity of the DYE-2 site in the percolation zone of the Southwest Greenland ice sheet at elevations between 1963 and 2355 m a.s.l.. During this fieldwork two automatic weather stations were deployed, outfitted with surface energy balance sensors and 16 m long thermistor strings, over 300 km of ground penetrating radar data were collected, and five 20-26 m deep firn cores were extracted and analyzed for density and stratigraphy. Winter snow accumulation was measured along the radar tracks. Preliminary work on the firn-core data reveals increasing frequency and thickness of ice lenses at lower ice-sheet elevations, in agreement with other recent work in the area. Data collected within this project will facilitate advances in our understanding of the spatiotemporal variability of firn refreezing and its role in the hydrology and surface mass balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet.

77 FR 15395 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-15

... Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in... Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in Eagle Ford Formation and Equivalent... Eagle Ford's planned activity is to understand mechanical stratigraphy and natural deformation in Eagle...

The emergence of hydrogeophysics for improved understanding of subsurface processes over multiple scales

PubMed Central

Hubbard, Susan S.; Huisman, Johan A.; Revil, André; Robinson, David A.; Singha, Kamini; Slater, Lee D.

2015-01-01

Abstract Geophysics provides a multidimensional suite of investigative methods that are transforming our ability to see into the very fabric of the subsurface environment, and monitor the dynamics of its fluids and the biogeochemical reactions that occur within it. Here we document how geophysical methods have emerged as valuable tools for investigating shallow subsurface processes over the past two decades and offer a vision for future developments relevant to hydrology and also ecosystem science. The field of “hydrogeophysics” arose in the late 1990s, prompted, in part, by the wealth of studies on stochastic subsurface hydrology that argued for better field‐based investigative techniques. These new hydrogeophysical approaches benefited from the emergence of practical and robust data inversion techniques, in many cases with a view to quantify shallow subsurface heterogeneity and the associated dynamics of subsurface fluids. Furthermore, the need for quantitative characterization stimulated a wealth of new investigations into petrophysical relationships that link hydrologically relevant properties to measurable geophysical parameters. Development of time‐lapse approaches provided a new suite of tools for hydrological investigation, enhanced further with the realization that some geophysical properties may be sensitive to biogeochemical transformations in the subsurface environment, thus opening up the new field of “biogeophysics.” Early hydrogeophysical studies often concentrated on relatively small “plot‐scale” experiments. More recently, however, the translation to larger‐scale characterization has been the focus of a number of studies. Geophysical technologies continue to develop, driven, in part, by the increasing need to understand and quantify key processes controlling sustainable water resources and ecosystem services. PMID:26900183

Transducer Design Experiments for Ground-Penetrating Acoustic Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-03-19

subsurface imaging experiments have utilized a source (Tx) and receiver (Rx) configuration in which signals produced by a transmitter at the soil surface...development in the field of acoustic subsurface imaging are as follows. First, a transmitter designed to minimize the emission of surface waves, while

Escherichia coli Transport from Surface-Applied Manure to Subsurface Drains through Artificial Biopores

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Transport of pathogenic bacteria in soils primarily occurs through soil mesopores and macropores (e.g., biopores and cracks). Field research has demonstrated that biopores and subsurface drains can be hydraulically connected. This research was conducted to investigate the importance of surface conne...

Modeling high resolution stratigraphy in the Cusiana Field, Eastern Colombia; static builds to dynamic simulation

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

Pulham, A.; MacDonald, D.; Colin, D.

1996-12-31

The Cusiana Field (BP, Ecopetrol, Total and Triton) is located in the Llanos Foothills of Eastern Colombia. The Cusiana reservoirs range from late Cretaceous, passive margin deltaic to early Tertiary, early foreland basin estuarine-fluvial. The key reservoir is the late Eocene Mirador Formation which comprises over 50% of reserves. Currently the Mirador reservoir is providing nearly all of the 180,00 bopd of production from the Cusiana Field. The Mirador reservoir comprises a stack of incised valley deposits. The fills of the valleys are sandstone-dominated and comprise the majority of the reservoir quality in the reservoir. Critical to an effective understandingmore » of reservoir behavior has been a detailed reservoir description and reservoir modeling of the incised valley stratigraphy in the Mirador. Models have been constructed using the deterministic information provided by extensive core (3000 feet) coupled with stochastic tools and techniques. Dynamic data, provided by extensive acquisition of production logs during early development drilling, have been integrated within the static-descriptions. Important reservoir characteristics such as degree of valley connectivity, intra-valley heterogeneities and textural controls on permeability have been captured in the modeling process. Upscaling of the high resolution static model has preserved the key sequence stratigraphic facets of the reservoir and also incorporated textural controls on relative permeability. Prediction of pressure transient behavior and fluid movement is working well in the full field simulator, VIP.« less

Resource Exploration Approaches on Mars Using Multidisciplinary Earth-based Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyrick, D. Y.; Ferrill, D. A.; Morris, A. P.; Smart, K. J.

2005-12-01

Water is the most important Martian exploration target - key to finding evidence of past life and providing a crucial resource for future exploration. Water is thought to be present in vapor, liquid, and ice phases on Mars. Except for ice in polar regions, little direct evidence of current surface accumulation of water has been found. Existing research has addressed potential source areas, including meteoric water, glacial ice, and volcanic centers and areas of discharge such as large paleo-outflow channels. Missing from these analyses is characterization of migration pathways of water in the subsurface from sources to discharge areas, and the present distribution of water. It has been estimated that ~90% of the global inventory of water on Mars resides in the subsurface. Targeting potential subsurface accumulations has relied primarily on theoretical modeling and geomorphic analysis. While global scale thermal modeling and analysis of the stability of ground ice provide important constraints on potential locations of large deposits of ice or liquid water, these studies have not accounted for variations in stratigraphy and structure that may strongly influence local distribution. Depth to water or ice on Mars is thought to be controlled primarily by latitude and elevation. However, the distribution of outflow channels clearly indicates that structural, stratigraphic, and geomorphic features all play important roles in determining past and present distribution of water and ice on Mars as they do on Earth. Resource exploration and extraction is a multi-billion dollar industry on Earth that has developed into a highly sophisticated enterprise with constantly improving exploration technologies. Common to all successful exploration programs, whether for hydrocarbons or water, is detailed analysis and integration of all available geologic, geophysical and remotely sensed data. The primary issues for identification and characterization of water or hydrocarbon resource accumulations can be summarized by three factors: trap, reservoir and charge. This presentation focuses on a detailed characterization of the fundamental elements believed to control trap, reservoir, and charge with respect to the identification of locations for extractable resources on Mars, primarily water and ice, but also gas hydrates. This new approach to resource exploration will also provide guidance for future research and exploration activities, including movement of methane from the subsurface to the surface and potential habitat sites for past or current life on Mars.

Mladotice Lake, Czechia: The unique genesis and evolution of the lake basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janský, Bohumír; Šobr, Miroslav; Kliment, Zdeněk; Chalupová, Dagmar

2016-04-01

The Mladotice Lake is a lake of unique genetic type in Czechia. In May 1872 a landslide as a result an extreme rainfall event occurred in western Czechia, blocking the Mladoticky stream valley and creating the Mladotice Lake. The 1952 and 1975 air images document that collective farming had a great impact on the lake basin evolution when balks and field terraces were removed and fields were made much larger. Because of this change in land use we expected higher soil erosion and a related increase in the sedimentation rate. First bathymetric measurements of the newly created lake were carried out in 1972 and were repeated in 1999, in 2003 and in 2014. Our analysis of the sedimentary record aims to identify the sediment stratigraphy, its basic physical and chemical properties, isotope content and thin sections yield a detailed temporal resolution of the sedimentation chronology. In some areas a sediment thickness of 4 m was detected. Hence, the average sedimentation rate is from 2.2 to 2.7 cm per year. KEY WORDS: Mladotice Lake - extreme rainfall event - landslide - land use changes - flood events - bathymetric measurements - sedimentation dynamics - stratigraphy and geochemistry of lake sediments - analyses of isotopes - sedimentation rates.

Remote sensing of subsurface water temperature by Raman scattering.

PubMed

Leonard, D A; Caputo, B; Hoge, F E

1979-06-01

The application of Raman scattering to remote sensing of subsurface water temperature and salinity is considered, and both theoretical and experimental aspects of the technique are discussed. Recent experimental field measurements obtained in coastal waters and on a trans-Atlantic/Mediterranean research cruise are correlated with theoretical expectations. It is concluded that the Raman technique for remote sensing of subsurface water temperature has been brought from theoretical and laboratory stages to the point where practical utilization can now be developed.

Sensitivity Analysis of the Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) for Phosphorus Loads in Tile-Drained Landscapes.

PubMed

Ford, W; King, K; Williams, M; Williams, J; Fausey, N

2015-07-01

Numerical modeling is an economical and feasible approach for quantifying the effects of best management practices on dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) loadings from agricultural fields. However, tools that simulate both surface and subsurface DRP pathways are limited and have not been robustly evaluated in tile-drained landscapes. The objectives of this study were to test the ability of the Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX), a widely used field-scale model, to simulate surface and tile P loadings over management, hydrologic, biologic, tile, and soil gradients and to better understand the behavior of P delivery at the edge-of-field in tile-drained midwestern landscapes. To do this, a global, variance-based sensitivity analysis was performed, and model outputs were compared with measured P loads obtained from 14 surface and subsurface edge-of-field sites across central and northwestern Ohio. Results of the sensitivity analysis showed that response variables for DRP were highly sensitive to coupled interactions between presumed important parameters, suggesting nonlinearity of DRP delivery at the edge-of-field. Comparison of model results to edge-of-field data showcased the ability of APEX to simulate surface and subsurface runoff and the associated DRP loading at monthly to annual timescales; however, some high DRP concentrations and fluxes were not reflected in the model, suggesting the presence of preferential flow. Results from this study provide new insights into baseline tile DRP loadings that exceed thresholds for algal proliferation. Further, negative feedbacks between surface and subsurface DRP delivery suggest caution is needed when implementing DRP-based best management practices designed for a specific flow pathway. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Field Simulation of a Drilling Mission to Mars to Search for Subsurface Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoker, C. R.; Lemke, L. G.; Cannon, H.; Glass, B.; Dunagan, S.; Zavaleta, J.; Miller, D.; Gomez-Elvira, J.

2005-01-01

The discovery of near surface ground ice by the Mars Odyssey mission and the abundant evidence for recent Gulley features observed by the Mars Global Surveyor mission support longstanding theoretical arguments for subsurface liquid water on Mars. Thus, implementing the Mars program goal to search for life points to drilling on Mars to reach liquid water, collecting samples and analyzing them with instrumentation to detect in situ organisms and biomarker compounds. Searching for life in the subsurface of Mars will require drilling, sample extraction and handling, and new technologies to find and identify biomarker compounds and search for living organisms. In spite of its obvious advantages, robotic drilling for Mars exploration is in its technological infancy and has yet to be demonstrated in even a terrestrial field environment.

Cost-Effective and High-Resolution Subsurface Characterization Using Hydraulic Tomography

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-28

implementation and compare costs associated with HT and conventional methods. TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION The HT concept is analogous to the Computerized...develop guidance for HT field implementation and compare costs associated with HT and conventional methods. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Subsurface...3  2.1  TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION

Effect of subsurface drainage on streamflow in an agricultural headwater watershed

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Artificial drainage, also known as subsurface or tile drainage is paramount to sustaining crop production agriculture in the poorly-drained, humid regions of the world. Hydrologic assessments of individual plots and fields with tile drainage are becoming common; however, a major void exists in our u...

Yield response and economics of shallow subsurface drip irrigation systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Field tests were conducted using shallow subsurface drip irrigation (S3DI) on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum, L.), corn (Zea mays, L.), and peanut (Arachis hypogeae, L.) in rotation to investigate yield potential and economic sustainability of this irrigation system technique over a six year period. Dri...

Identifying Students' Conceptions of Basic Principles in Sequence Stratigraphy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrera, Juan S.; Riggs, Eric M.

2013-01-01

Sequence stratigraphy is a major research subject in the geosciences academia and the oil industry. However, the geoscience education literature addressing students' understanding of the basic concepts of sequence stratigraphy is relatively thin, and the topic has not been well explored. We conducted an assessment of 27 students' conceptions of…

Depositional sequence stratigraphy and architecture of the cretaceous ferron sandstone: Implications for coal and coalbed methane resources - A field excursion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garrison, J.R.; Van Den, Bergh; Barker, C.E.; Tabet, D.E.

1997-01-01

This Field Excursion will visit outcrops of the fluvial-deltaic Upper Cretaceous (Turonian) Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale, known as the Last Chance delta or Upper Ferron Sandstone. This field guide and the field stops will outline the architecture and depositional sequence stratigraphy of the Upper Ferron Sandstone clastic wedge and explore the stratigraphic positions and compositions of major coal zones. The implications of the architecture and stratigraphy of the Ferron fluvial-deltaic complex for coal and coalbed methane resources will be discussed. Early works suggested that the southwesterly derived deltaic deposits of the the upper Ferron Sandstone clastic wedge were a Type-2 third-order depositional sequence, informally called the Ferron Sequence. These works suggested that the Ferron Sequence is separated by a type-2 sequence boundary from the underlying 3rd-order Hyatti Sequence, which has its sediment source from the northwest. Within the 3rd-order depositional sequence, the deltaic events of the Ferron clastic wedge, recognized as parasequence sets, appear to be stacked into progradational, aggradational, and retrogradational patterns reflecting a generally decreasing sediment supply during an overall slow sea-level rise. The architecture of both near-marine facies and non-marine fluvial facies exhibit well defined trends in response to this decrease in available sediment. Recent studies have concluded that, unless coincident with a depositional sequence boundary, regionally extensive coal zones occur at the tops of the parasequence sets within the Ferron clastic wedge. These coal zones consist of coal seams and their laterally equivalent fissile carbonaceous shales, mudstones, and siltstones, paleosols, and flood plain mudstones. Although the compositions of coal zones vary along depositional dip, the presence of these laterally extensive stratigraphic horizons, above parasequence sets, provides a means of correlating and defining the tops of depositional parasequence sets in both near-marine and non-marine parts of fluvial-deltaic depositional sequences. Ongoing field studies, based on this concept of coal zone stratigraphy, and detailed stratigraphic mapping, have documented the existence of at least 12 parasequence sets within the Last Chance delta clastic wedge. These parasequence sets appear to form four high frequency, 4th-order depositional sequences. The dramatic erosional unconformities, associated with these 4th-order sequence boundaries, indicate that there was up to 20-30 m of erosion, signifying locally substantial base-level drops. These base-level drops were accompanied by a basin ward shift in paleo-shorelines by as much as 5-7 km. These 4th-order Upper Ferron Sequences are superimposed on the 3rd-order sea-level rise event and the 3rd-order, sediment supply/accommodation space driven, stratigraphie architecture of the Upper Ferron Sandstone. The fluvial deltaic architecture shows little response to these 4th-order sea-level events. Coal zones generally thicken landward relative to the mean position of the landward pinch-out of the underlying parasequence set, but after some distance landward, they decrease in thickness. Coal zones also generally thin seaward relative to the mean position of the landward pinch-out of the underlying parasequence set. The coal is thickest in the region between this landward pinch-out and the position of maximum zone thickness. Data indicate that the proportion of coal in the coal zone decreases progressively landward from the landward pinch-out. The effects of differential compaction and differences in original pre-peat swamp topography have the effect of adding perturbations to the general trends. These coal zone systematics have major impact on approaches to exploration and production, and the resource accessment of both coal and coalbed methane.

Homogenization of Electromagnetic and Seismic Wavefields for Joint Inverse Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, G. A.; Commer, M.; Petrov, P.; Um, E. S.

2011-12-01

A significant obstacle in developing a robust joint imaging technology exploiting seismic and electromagnetic (EM) wave fields is the resolution at which these different geophysical measurements sense the subsurface. Imaging of seismic reflection data is an order of magnitude finer in resolution and scale compared to images produced with EM data. A consistent joint image of the subsurface geophysical attributes (velocity, electrical conductivity) requires/demands the different geophysical data types be similar in their resolution of the subsurface. The superior resolution of seismic data results from the fact that the energy propagates as a wave, while propagation of EM energy is diffusive and attenuates with distance. On the other hand, the complexity of the seismic wave field can be a significant problem due to high reflectivity of the subsurface and the generation of multiple scattering events. While seismic wave fields have been very useful in mapping the subsurface for energy resources, too much scattering and too many reflections can lead to difficulties in imaging and interpreting seismic data. To overcome these obstacles a formulation for joint imaging of seismic and EM wave fields is introduced, where each data type is matched in resolution. In order to accomplish this, seismic data are first transformed into the Laplace-Fourier Domain, which changes the modeling of the seismic wave field from wave propagation to diffusion. Though high frequency information (reflectivity) is lost with this transformation, several benefits follow: (1) seismic and EM data can be easily matched in resolution, governed by the same physics of diffusion, (2) standard least squares inversion works well with diffusive type problems including both transformed seismic and EM, (3) joint imaging of seismic and EM data may produce better starting velocity models critical for successful reverse time migration or full waveform imaging of seismic data (non transformed) and (4) possibilities to image across multiple scale lengths, incorporating different types of geophysical data and attributes in the process. Important numerical details of 3D seismic wave field simulation in the Laplace-Fourier domain for both acoustic and elastic cases will also be discussed.

Mars Stratigraphy Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Budney, C. J.; Miller, S. L.; Cutts, J. A.

2000-01-01

The Mars Stratigraphy Mission lands a rover on the surface of Mars which descends down a cliff in Valles Marineris to study the stratigraphy. The rover carries a unique complement of instruments to analyze and age-date materials encountered during descent past 2 km of strata. The science objective for the Mars Stratigraphy Mission is to identify the geologic history of the layered deposits in the Valles Marineris region of Mars. This includes constraining the time interval for formation of these deposits by measuring the ages of various layers and determining the origin of the deposits (volcanic or sedimentary) by measuring their composition and imaging their morphology.

Monitoring microbial growth and activity using spectral induced polarization and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chi; Keating, Kristina; Revil, Andre

2015-04-01

Microbes and microbial activities in the Earth's subsurface play a significant role in shaping subsurface environments and are involved in environmental applications such as remediation of contaminants in groundwater and oil fields biodegradation. Stimulated microbial growth in such applications could cause wide variety of changes of physical/chemical properties in the subsurface. It is critical to monitor and determine the fate and transportation of microorganisms in the subsurface during such applications. Recent geophysical studies demonstrate the potential of two innovative techniques, spectral induced polarization (SIP) and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), for monitoring microbial growth and activities in porous media. The SIP measures complex dielectric properties of porous media at low frequencies of exciting electric field, and NMR studies the porous structure of geologic media and characterizes fluids subsurface. In this laboratory study, we examined both SIP and NMR responses from bacterial growth suspension as well as suspension mixed with silica sands. We focus on the direct contribution of microbes to the SIP and NMR signals in the absence of biofilm formation or biomineralization. We used Zymomonas mobilis and Shewanella oneidensis (MR-1) for SIP and NMR measurements, respectively. The SIP measurements were collected over the frequency range of 0.1 - 1 kHz on Z. mobilis growth suspension and suspension saturated sands at different cell densities. SIP data show two distinct peaks in imaginary conductivity spectra, and both imaginary and real conductivities increased as microbial density increased. NMR data were collected using both CPMG pulse sequence and D-T2 mapping to determine the T2-distribution and diffusion properties on S. oneidensis suspension, pellets (live and dead), and suspension mixed with silica sands. NMR data show a decrease in the T2-distribution in S. oneidensis suspension saturated sands as microbial density increase. A clear distinction in the T2-distribution and D-T2 plots between live and dead cell pellets was also observed. These results will provide a basis for understanding the effect of microbes within geologic media on SIP and low-field NMR measurements. This research suggests that both SIP and NMR have the potential to monitor microbial growth and activities in the subsurface and could provide spatiotemporal variations in bacterial abundance in porous media.

Imaging lateral groundwater flow in the shallow subsurface using stochastic temperature fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fairley, Jerry P.; Nicholson, Kirsten N.

2006-04-01

Although temperature has often been used as an indication of vertical groundwater movement, its usefulness for identifying horizontal fluid flow has been limited by the difficulty of obtaining sufficient data to draw defensible conclusions. Here we use stochastic simulation to develop a high-resolution image of fluid temperatures in the shallow subsurface at Borax Lake, Oregon. The temperature field inferred from the geostatistical simulations clearly shows geothermal fluids discharging from a group of fault-controlled hydrothermal springs, moving laterally through the subsurface, and mixing with shallow subsurface flow originating from nearby Borax Lake. This interpretation of the data is supported by independent geochemical and isotopic evidence, which show a simple mixing trend between Borax Lake water and discharge from the thermal springs. It is generally agreed that stochastic simulation can be a useful tool for extracting information from complex and/or noisy data and, although not appropriate in all situations, geostatistical analysis may provide good definition of flow paths in the shallow subsurface. Although stochastic imaging techniques are well known in problems involving transport of species, e.g. delineation of contaminant plumes from soil gas survey data, we are unaware of previous applications to the transport of thermal energy for the purpose of inferring shallow groundwater flow.

Modeling Phosphorus Losses through Surface Runoff and Subsurface Drainage Using ICECREAM.

PubMed

Qi, Hongkai; Qi, Zhiming; Zhang, T Q; Tan, C S; Sadhukhan, Debasis

2018-03-01

Modeling soil phosphorus (P) losses by surface and subsurface flow pathways is essential in developing successful strategies for P pollution control. We used the ICECREAM model to simultaneously simulate P losses in surface and subsurface flow, as well as to assess effectiveness of field practices in reducing P losses. Monitoring data from a mineral-P-fertilized clay loam field in southwestern Ontario, Canada, were used for calibration and validation. After careful adjustment of model parameters, ICECREAM was shown to satisfactorily simulate all major processes of surface and subsurface P losses. When the calibrated model was used to assess tillage and fertilizer management scenarios, results point to a 10% reduction in total P losses by shifting autumn tillage to spring, and a 25.4% reduction in total P losses by injecting fertilizer rather than broadcasting. Although the ICECREAM model was effective in simulating surface and subsurface P losses when thoroughly calibrated, further testing is needed to confirm these results with manure P application. As illustrated here, successful use of simulation models requires careful verification of model routines and comprehensive calibration to ensure that site-specific processes are accurately represented. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Application of Surface Geophysical Methods, With Emphasis on Magnetic Resonance Soundings, to Characterize the Hydrostratigraphy of the Brazos River Alluvium Aquifer, College Station, Texas, July 2006 - A Pilot Study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shah, Sachin D.; Kress, Wade H.; Legchenko, Anatoly

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, used surface geophysical methods at the Texas A&M University Brazos River Hydrologic Field Research Site near College Station, Texas, in a pilot study, to characterize the hydrostratigraphic properties of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer and determine the effectiveness of the methods to aid in generating an improved ground-water availability model. Three non-invasive surface geophysical methods were used to characterize the electrical stratigraphy and hydraulic properties and to interpret the hydrostratigraphy of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer. Two methods, time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) soundings and two-dimensional direct-current (2D-DC) resistivity imaging, were used to define the lateral and vertical extent of the Ships clay, the alluvium of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer, and the underlying Yegua Formation. Magnetic resonance sounding (MRS), a recently developed geophysical method, was used to derive estimates of the hydrologic properties including percentage water content and hydraulic conductivity. Results from the geophysics study demonstrated the usefulness of combined TDEM, 2D-DC resistivity, and MRS methods to reduce the need for additional boreholes in areas with data gaps and to provide more accurate information for ground-water availability models. Stratigraphically, the principal finding of this study is the relation between electrical resistivity and the depth and thickness of the subsurface hydrostratigraphic units at the site. TDEM data defined a three-layer electrical stratigraphy corresponding to a conductor-resistor-conductor that represents the hydrostratigraphic units - the Ships clay, the alluvium of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer, and the Yegua Formation. Sharp electrical boundaries occur at about 4 to 6 and 20 to 22 meters below land surface based on the TDEM data and define the geometry of the more resistive Brazos River alluvium aquifer. Variations in resistivity in the alluvium aquifer range from 10 to more than 175 ohm-meters possibly are caused by lateral changes in grain size. Resistivity increases from east to west along a profile away from the Brazos River, which signifies an increase in grain size within the alluvium aquifer and therefore a more productive zone with more abundant water in the aquifer. MRS data can help delineate the subsurface hydrostratigraphy and identify the geometric boundaries of the hydrostratigraphic units by identifying changes in the free water content, transmissivity, and hydraulic conductivity. MRS data indicate that most productive zones of the alluvium aquifer occur between 12 and 25 meters below land surface in the western part of the study area where the hydraulic conductivity can be as high as 250 meters per day. Hydrostratigraphically, individual hydraulic conductivity values derived from MRS were consistent with those from aquifer tests conducted in 1996 in the study area. Average hydraulic conductivity values from the aquifer tests range from about 61 to 80 meters per day, whereas the MRS-derived hydraulic conductivity values range from about 27 to 97 meters per day. Interpreting an interpolated profile of the hydraulic conductivity values and individual values derived from MRS can help describe the hydrostratigraphic framework of an area and constrain ground-water models for better accuracy.

Chemical Signatures of and Precursors to Fractures Using Fluid Inclusion Stratigraphy

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

Lorie M. Dilley

Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) are designed to recover heat from the subsurface by mechanically creating fractures in subsurface rocks. Open or recently closed fractures would be more susceptible to enhancing the permeability of the system. Identifying dense fracture areas as well as large open fractures from small fracture systems will assist in fracture stimulation site selection. Geothermal systems are constantly generating fractures (Moore, Morrow et al. 1987), and fluids and gases passing through rocks in these systems leave small fluid and gas samples trapped in healed microfractures. These fluid inclusions are faithful records of pore fluid chemistry. Fluid inclusions trappedmore » in minerals as the fractures heal are characteristic of the fluids that formed them, and this signature can be seen in fluid inclusion gas analysis. This report presents the results of the project to determine fracture locations by the chemical signatures from gas analysis of fluid inclusions. With this project we hope to test our assumptions that gas chemistry can distinguish if the fractures are open and bearing production fluids or represent prior active fractures and whether there are chemical signs of open fracture systems in the wall rock above the fracture. Fluid Inclusion Stratigraphy (FIS) is a method developed for the geothermal industry which applies the mass quantification of fluid inclusion gas data from drill cuttings and applying known gas ratios and compositions to determine depth profiles of fluid barriers in a modern geothermal system (Dilley, 2009; Dilley et al., 2005; Norman et al., 2005). Identifying key gas signatures associated with fractures for isolating geothermal fluid production is the latest advancement in the application of FIS to geothermal systems (Dilley and Norman, 2005; Dilley and Norman, 2007). Our hypothesis is that peaks in FIS data are related to location of fractures. Previous work (DOE Grant DE-FG36-06GO16057) has indicated differences in the chemical signature of fluid inclusions between open and closed fractures as well as differences in the chemical signature of open fractures between geothermal systems. Our hypothesis is that open fracture systems can be identified by their FIS chemical signature; that there are differences based on the mineral assemblages and geology of the system; and that there are chemical precursors in the wall rock above open, large fractures. Specific goals for this project are: (1) To build on the preliminary results which indicate that there are differences in the FIS signatures between open and closed fractures by identifying which chemical species indicate open fractures in both active geothermal systems and in hot, dry rock; (2) To evaluate the FIS signatures based on the geology of the fields; (3) To evaluate the FIS signatures based on the mineral assemblages in the fracture; and (4) To determine if there are specific chemical signatures in the wall rock above open, large fractures. This method promises to lower the cost of geothermal energy production in several ways. Knowledge of productive fractures in the boreholes will allow engineers to optimize well production. This information can aid in well testing decisions, well completion strategies, and in resource calculations. It will assist in determining the areas for future fracture enhancement. This will develop into one of the techniques in the 'tool bag' for creating and managing Enhanced Geothermal Systems.« less

Field guide to the continental Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the Raton basin, Colorado and New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pillmore, C.L.; Nichols, D.J.; ,

1999-01-01

This guide consists of three general sections: an introduction that includes discussions of Raton basin stratigraphy and the Cretaceous Tertiary (K-T) boundary; descriptions of the geology along the route from Denver, Colorado, to Raton, New Mexico; and descriptions of several K-T sites in the Raton basin. Much of the information is from previous articles and field guides by the authors together with R. M. Flores and from road logs co-authored with Glenn R. Scott, both of the U.S.Geological Survey.

Antibiotic resistance genes persist longer in soils with subsurface banded poultry litter

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to determine the concentration of AR genes for sulfonamide (sulI), tetracycline (tetW), streptomycin (strpB) and for the class one integrase (intI1) gene in soils with subsurface banded PL. Field scale plots were established with triplicate treatments of either no fer...

SUBSURFACE CHARACTERIZATION AND MONITORING TECHNIQUES: A DESK REFERENCE GUIDE - VOLUME II: THE VADOSE ZONE, FIELD SCREENING AND ANALYTICAL METHODS - APPENDICES C AND D

EPA Science Inventory

Many EPA programs, including those under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), require subsurface characterization and monitoring to detect ground-water contamination and provide data to deve...

Influence Of pH On The Transport Of Nanoscale Zinc Oxide In Saturated Porous Media

EPA Science Inventory

Widespread use of nanoscale zinc oxide (nZnO) in various fields causes subsurface environment contamination. Even though the transport of dissolved zinc ions in subsurface environments such as soils and sediments has been widely studied, the transport mechanism of nZnO in such e...

Modeling Subsurface Behavior at the System Level: Considerations and a Path Forward

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geesey, G.

2005-12-01

The subsurface is an obscure but essential resource to life on Earth. It is an important region for carbon production and sequestration, a source and reservoir for energy, minerals and metals and potable water. There is a growing need to better understand subsurface possesses that control the exploitation and security of these resources. Our best models often fail to predict these processes at the field scale because of limited understanding of 1) the processes and the controlling parameters, 2) how processes are coupled at the field scale 3) geological heterogeneities that control hydrological, geochemical and microbiological processes at the field scale and 4) lack of data sets to calibrate and validate numerical models. There is a need for experimental data obtained at scales larger than those obtained at the laboratory bench that take into account the influence of hydrodynamics, geochemical reactions including complexation and chelation/adsorption/precipitation/ion exchange/oxidation-reduction/colloid formation and dissolution, and reactions of microbial origin. Furthermore, the coupling of each of these processes and reactions needs to be evaluated experimentally at a scale that produces data that can be used to calibrate numerical models so that they accurately describe field scale system behavior. Establishing the relevant experimental scale for collection of data from coupled processes remains a challenge and will likely be process-dependent and involve iterations of experimentation and data collection at different intermediate scales until the models calibrated with the appropriate date sets achieve an acceptable level of performance. Assuming that the geophysicists will soon develop technologies to define geological heterogeneities over a wide range of scales in the subsurface, geochemists need to continue to develop techniques to remotely measure abiotic reactions, while geomicrobiologists need to continue their development of complementary technologies to remotely measure microbial community parameters that define their key functions at a scale that accurately reflects their role in large scale subsurface system behavior. The practical questions that geomicrobiologist must answer in the short term are: 1) What is known about the activities of the dominant microbial populations or those of their closest relatives? 2) Which of these activities is likely to dominate under in situ conditions? In the process of answering these questions, researchers will obtain answers to questions of a more fundamental nature such as 1) How deep does "active" life extend below the surface of the seafloor and terrestrial subsurface? 2) How are electrons exchanged between microbial cells and solid phase minerals? 3) What is the metabolic state and mechanism of survival of "inactive" life forms in the subsurface? 4) What can genomes of life forms trapped in geological material tell us about evolution of life that current methods cannot? The subsurface environment represents a challenging environment to understand and model. As the need to understand subsurface processes increases and the technologies to characterize them become available, modeling subsurface behavior will approach the level of sophistication of models used today to predict behavior of other large scale systems such as the oceans.

Drilling Automation Demonstrations in Subsurface Exploration for Astrobiology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glass, Brian; Cannon, H.; Lee, P.; Hanagud, S.; Davis, K.

2006-01-01

This project proposes to study subsurface permafrost microbial habitats at a relevant Arctic Mars-analog site (Haughton Crater, Devon Island, Canada) while developing and maturing the subsurface drilling and drilling automation technologies that will be required by post-2010 missions. It builds on earlier drilling technology projects to add permafrost and ice-drilling capabilities to 5m with a lightweight drill that will be automatically monitored and controlled in-situ. Frozen cores obtained with this drill under sterilized protocols will be used in testing three hypotheses pertaining to near-surface physical geology and ground H2O ice distribution, viewed as a habitat for microbial life in subsurface ice and ice-consolidated sediments. Automation technologies employed will demonstrate hands-off diagnostics and drill control, using novel vibrational dynamical analysis methods and model-based reasoning to monitor and identify drilling fault states before and during faults. Three field deployments, to a Mars-analog site with frozen impact crater fallback breccia, will support science goals, provide a rigorous test of drilling automation and lightweight permafrost drilling, and leverage past experience with the field site s particular logistics.

Wolfgang Schott (1905-1989): the founder of quantitative paleoceanography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dullo, Wolf-Christian; Pfaffl, Fritz A.

2016-11-01

Wolfgang Schott is the pioneer in paleoceanography and has established this research field within marine geology. His papers from the first half of the twentieth century are all published in German; therefore, the most inspiring results are given here as original quotes in English, since they paved the ground for all scientific discussions on climate stratigraphy, past ocean currents, and glacial interglacial cycles.

Subsurface Microbes Expanding the Tree of Life

ScienceCinema

Banfield, Jillian

2018-02-14

Jillian Banfield, Ph.D., UC Berkeley Professor and Berkeley Lab Earth Sciences Division staff scientist and long-time user of the DOE Joint Genome Institute’s resources shares her perspective on how the DOE JGI helps advance her research addressing knowledge gaps related to the roles of subsurface microbial communities in biogeochemical cycling. The video was filmed near the town of Rifle, Colorado at the primary field site for Phase I of the Subsurface Systems Scientific Focus Area 2.0 sponsored by the DOE Office of Biological and Environmental Research.

Geologic map of the Ute Mountain 7.5' quadrangle, Taos County, New Mexico, and Conejos and Costilla Counties, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thompson, Ren A.; Turner, Kenzie J.; Shroba, Ralph R.; Cosca, Michael A.; Ruleman, Chester A.; Lee, John P.; Brandt, Theodore R.

2014-01-01

The Ute Mountain 7.5' quadrangle is located in the south-central part of the San Luis Basin of northern New Mexico, in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, and contains deposits that record volcanic, tectonic, and associated alluvial and colluvial processes over the past four million years. Ute Mountain has the distinction of being one of the largest intermediate composition eruptive centers of the Taos Plateau, a largely volcanic tableland occupying the southern portion of the San Luis Basin. Ute Mountain rises to an elevation in excess of 3,000 m, nearly 700 m above the basaltic plateau at its base, and is characterized by three distinct phases of Pliocene eruptive activity recorded in the stratigraphy exposed on the flanks of the mountain and in the Rio Grande gorge. Unconformably overlain by largely flat-lying lava flows of Servilleta Basalt, the area surrounding Ute Mountain records a westward thickening of basin-fill volcanic deposits interstratified in the subsurface with Pliocene basin-fill sedimentary deposits derived from older Tertiary and Precambrian sources to the east. Superimposed on this volcanic stratigraphy are alluvial and colluvial deposits derived from the flanks of Ute Mountain and more distally-derived alluvium from the uplifted Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east, that record a complex temporal and stratigraphic succession of Quaternary basin deposition and erosion. Pliocene and younger basin deposition was accommodated along predominantly north-trending fault-bounded grabens. These poorly exposed fault scarps cutting lava flows of Ute Mountain volcano. The Servilleta Basalt and younger surficial deposits record largely down-to-east basinward displacement. Faults are identified with varying confidence levels in the map area. Recognizing and mapping faults developed near the surface in young, brittle volcanic rocks is difficult because: (1) they tend to form fractured zones tens of meters wide rather than discrete fault planes, (2) the relative youth of the deposits has resulted in only modest displacements on most faults, and (3) some of the faults may have significant strike-slip components that do not result in large vertical offsets that are readily apparent in offset of sub-horizontal contacts. Those faults characterized as “certain” either have distinct offset of map units or had slip planes that were directly observed in the field. Lineaments defined from magnetic anomalies form an additional constraint on potential fault locations and are indicated as such on the map sheet.

Advancing Knowledge on Fugitive Natural Gas from Energy Resource Development at a Controlled Release Field Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahill, A. G.; Chao, J.; Forde, O.; Prystupa, E.; Mayer, K. U.; Black, T. A.; Tannant, D. D.; Crowe, S.; Hallam, S.; Mayer, B.; Lauer, R. M.; van Geloven, C.; Welch, L. A.; Salas, C.; Levson, V.; Risk, D. A.; Beckie, R. D.

2017-12-01

Fugitive gas, comprised primarily of methane, can be unintentionally released from upstream oil and gas development either at surface from leaky infrastructure or in the subsurface through failure of energy well bore integrity. For the latter, defective cement seals around energy well casings may permit buoyant flow of natural gas from the deeper subsurface towards shallow aquifers, the ground surface and potentially into the atmosphere. Concerns associated with fugitive gas release at surface and in the subsurface include contributions to greenhouse gas emissions, subsurface migration leading to accumulation in nearby infrastructure and impacts to groundwater quality. Current knowledge of the extent of fugitive gas leakage including how to best detect and monitor over time, and particularly its migration and fate in the subsurface, is incomplete. We have established an experimental field observatory for evaluating fugitive gas leakage in an area of historic and ongoing hydrocarbon resource development within the Montney Resource Play of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, British Columbia, Canada. Natural gas will be intentionally released at surface and up to 25 m below surface at various rates and durations. Resulting migration patterns and impacts will be evaluated through examination of the geology, hydrogeology, hydro-geochemistry, isotope geochemistry, hydro-geophysics, vadose zone and soil gas processes, microbiology, and atmospheric conditions. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles and remote sensors for monitoring and detection of methane will also be assessed for suitability as environmental monitoring tools. Here we outline the experimental design and describe initial research conducted to develop a detailed site conceptual model of the field observatory. Subsequently, results attained from pilot surface and sub-surface controlled natural gas releases conducted in late summer 2017 will be presented as well as results of numerical modelling conducted to plan methane release experiments in 2018 and onwards. This research will create knowledge which informs strategies to detect and monitor fugitive gas fluxes at the surface and in groundwater; as well as guide associated regulatory and technical policies.

Evaluation of a genome-scale in silico metabolic model for Geobacter metallireducens by using proteomic data from a field biostimulation experiment.

PubMed

Fang, Yilin; Wilkins, Michael J; Yabusaki, Steven B; Lipton, Mary S; Long, Philip E

2012-12-01

Accurately predicting the interactions between microbial metabolism and the physical subsurface environment is necessary to enhance subsurface energy development, soil and groundwater cleanup, and carbon management. This study was an initial attempt to confirm the metabolic functional roles within an in silico model using environmental proteomic data collected during field experiments. Shotgun global proteomics data collected during a subsurface biostimulation experiment were used to validate a genome-scale metabolic model of Geobacter metallireducens-specifically, the ability of the metabolic model to predict metal reduction, biomass yield, and growth rate under dynamic field conditions. The constraint-based in silico model of G. metallireducens relates an annotated genome sequence to the physiological functions with 697 reactions controlled by 747 enzyme-coding genes. Proteomic analysis showed that 180 of the 637 G. metallireducens proteins detected during the 2008 experiment were associated with specific metabolic reactions in the in silico model. When the field-calibrated Fe(III) terminal electron acceptor process reaction in a reactive transport model for the field experiments was replaced with the genome-scale model, the model predicted that the largest metabolic fluxes through the in silico model reactions generally correspond to the highest abundances of proteins that catalyze those reactions. Central metabolism predicted by the model agrees well with protein abundance profiles inferred from proteomic analysis. Model discrepancies with the proteomic data, such as the relatively low abundances of proteins associated with amino acid transport and metabolism, revealed pathways or flux constraints in the in silico model that could be updated to more accurately predict metabolic processes that occur in the subsurface environment.

The Direct Effect of Toroidal Magnetic Fields on Stellar Oscillations: An Analytical Expression for the General Matrix Element

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

Kiefer, René; Schad, Ariane; Roth, Markus

2017-09-10

Where is the solar dynamo located and what is its modus operandi? These are still open questions in solar physics. Helio- and asteroseismology can help answer them by enabling us to study solar and stellar internal structures through global oscillations. The properties of solar and stellar acoustic modes are changing with the level of magnetic activity. However, until now, the inference on subsurface magnetic fields with seismic measures has been very limited. The aim of this paper is to develop a formalism to calculate the effect of large-scale toroidal magnetic fields on solar and stellar global oscillation eigenfunctions and eigenfrequencies.more » If the Lorentz force is added to the equilibrium equation of motion, stellar eigenmodes can couple. In quasi-degenerate perturbation theory, this coupling, also known as the direct effect, can be quantified by the general matrix element. We present the analytical expression of the matrix element for a superposition of subsurface zonal toroidal magnetic field configurations. The matrix element is important for forward calculations of perturbed solar and stellar eigenfunctions and frequency perturbations. The results presented here will help to ascertain solar and stellar large-scale subsurface magnetic fields, and their geometric configuration, strength, and change over the course of activity cycles.« less

Surface manifestations of internal waves investigated by a subsurface buoyant jet: 3. Surface manifestations of internal waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bondur, V. G.; Grebenyuk, Yu. V.; Ezhova, E. V.; Kazakov, V. I.; Sergeev, D. A.; Soustova, I. A.; Troitskaya, Yu. I.

2010-08-01

In a large test reservoir at the Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, a series of experiments were performed to investigate the surface manifestations of internal waves radiated by a subsurface buoyant jet. The field of currents on the water surface of the reservoir was studied through the distribution of temperature with shallow thermocline. Using Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV), the velocity field of surface currents was measured. A theoretical model was developed to calculate the rates of disturbances on the surface. A comparison with experimental data indicated that the calculated data of the surface rate value are overestimated. This discrepancy was explained by the presence of a film of surface-active substances (SASs) with experimentally obtained parameters. Using scale modeling coefficients, we estimated the parameters of internal waves radiated by the subsurface wastewater system and the values of their surface manifestations in field conditions. We estimated the hydrodynamic contrasts in the field of surface waves, which can be caused by these inhomogeneous currents on the surface. For a wind velocity of 5 m/s, the magnitude of the contrast in the field of short waves can reach up to 10-25%, which is detected with confidence by remote-sensing methods.

The Direct Effect of Toroidal Magnetic Fields on Stellar Oscillations: An Analytical Expression for the General Matrix Element

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiefer, René; Schad, Ariane; Roth, Markus

2017-09-01

Where is the solar dynamo located and what is its modus operandi? These are still open questions in solar physics. Helio- and asteroseismology can help answer them by enabling us to study solar and stellar internal structures through global oscillations. The properties of solar and stellar acoustic modes are changing with the level of magnetic activity. However, until now, the inference on subsurface magnetic fields with seismic measures has been very limited. The aim of this paper is to develop a formalism to calculate the effect of large-scale toroidal magnetic fields on solar and stellar global oscillation eigenfunctions and eigenfrequencies. If the Lorentz force is added to the equilibrium equation of motion, stellar eigenmodes can couple. In quasi-degenerate perturbation theory, this coupling, also known as the direct effect, can be quantified by the general matrix element. We present the analytical expression of the matrix element for a superposition of subsurface zonal toroidal magnetic field configurations. The matrix element is important for forward calculations of perturbed solar and stellar eigenfunctions and frequency perturbations. The results presented here will help to ascertain solar and stellar large-scale subsurface magnetic fields, and their geometric configuration, strength, and change over the course of activity cycles.

A field study of colloid transport in surface and subsurface flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wei; Tang, Xiang-Yu; Xian, Qing-Song; Weisbrod, Noam; Yang, Jae E.; Wang, Hong-Lan

2016-11-01

Colloids have been recognized to enhance the migration of strongly-sorbing contaminants. However, few field investigations have examined combined colloid transport via surface runoff and subsurface flows. In a headwater catchment of the upper Yangtze River, a 6 m (L) by 4 m (W) sloping (6°) farmland plot was built by cement walls to form no-flow side boundaries. The plot was monitored in the summer of 2014 for the release and transport of natural colloids via surface runoff and subsurface flows (i.e., the interflow from the soil-mudrock interface and fracture flow from the mudrock-sandstone interface) in response to rain events. The water sources of the subsurface flows were apportioned to individual rain events using a two end-member model (i.e., mobile pre-event soil water extracted by a suction-cup sampler vs. rainwater (event water)) based on δ18O measurements. For rain events with high preceding soil moisture, mobile pre-event soil water was the main contributor (generally >60%) to the fracture flow. The colloid concentration in the surface runoff was 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than that in the subsurface flows. The lowest colloid concentration was found in the subsurface interflow, which was probably the result of pore-scale colloid straining mechanisms. The rainfall intensity and its temporal variation govern the dynamics of the colloid concentrations in both surface runoff and subsurface flows. The duration of the antecedent dry period affected not only the relative contributions of the rainwater and the mobile pre-event soil water to the subsurface flows but also the peak colloid concentration, particularly in the fracture flow. The <10 μm fine colloid size fraction accounted for more than 80% of the total suspended particles in the surface runoff, while the colloid size distributions of both the interflow and the fracture flow shifted towards larger diameters. These results highlight the need to avoid the application of strongly-sorbing agrochemicals (e.g., pesticides, phosphorus fertilizers) immediately before rainfall following a long no-rain period because their transport in association with colloids may occur rapidly over long distances via both surface runoff and subsurface flows with rainfall.

SHARAD Investigation of the Interaction Between Volcanism and Deep Water Release in Elysium Planitia, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgan, G. A.; Campbell, B. A.; Carter, L. M.; Plaut, J. J.

2011-12-01

Situated between the equator and 12°N and extending from 130° to 180°E, Elysium Planitia is considered to be the youngest volcanic plain on Mars. Recent crater counts on individual lava units argue for multiple phases of activity over the last 230 Myrs, with the most recent volcanic features dating to just ~2 Ma. The region also contains the youngest outflow channels on the planet. Multiple channel systems which are present across the region are interpreted to have been carved by the release of deep ground water (>1 km) from the broadly east-west trending Cerberus Fossae graben system. Elysium Planitia is therefore a region of high scientific interest, as it represents an ideal site to investigate the interaction of lava and water both below and on the surface of Mars. Extensive geologic mapping of Elysium Planitia has provided detailed information concerning the stratigraphy of the major volcanic units in addition to the classification of other landforms attributed to volcanic (e.g. small shields), fluvial (e.g. outflow channels) and aeolian (e.g. yardangs) activity. Orbital sounding radar provides a means to take this work to the next level through the mapping of buried surfaces associated with a contrast in dielectric permittivity and thus can be used to investigate the 3-D structure of the subsurface. Previous studies using the SHARAD radar sounder onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have identified multiple subsurface reflectors below the plains of Elysium Planitia. We will present our investigation of SHARAD data covering the eastern portion of this region of Mars - an area that includes the upstream reaches of Marte Vallis and the eastern extent of Cerberus Fossae. Our subsurface mapping shows remarkable correlations with published geologic maps produced using visible orbital datasets. These similarities allow us to use SHARAD data to make estimates of the average permittivity values and imply density measurements of the volcanic units. We will present these estimates and compare them to values derived over other young volcanic regions on Mars. Sounding radar provides the only type of orbital instrument to derive bulk estimates of geochemical properties of martian volcanic materials. Additionally we have identified the original fluvial eroded bed of Marte Vallis, prior to burial by younger lava flows. Through the mapping of the associated fluvial features we are able to tie the origin of Marte Vallis to Cerberus Fossae and provide further support for the recent (Late Amazonian) deep subsurface release of water on the surface of Mars. Our work will provide valuable constraints on the influence of recent volcanism on martian subsurface reservoirs of water.

SFDBSI_GLS v. 1.0

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

Poppeliers, Christian

Matlab code for inversion of frequency domain, electrostatic geophysical data in terms of scalar scattering amplitudes in the subsurface. The data is assumed to be the difference between two measurements: electric field measurements prior to the injection of an electrically conductive proppant, and the electric field measurements after proppant injection. The proppant is injected into the subsurface via a well, and its purpose is to prop open fractures created by hydraulic fracturing. In both cases the illuminating electric field is assumed to be a vertically incident plane wave. The inversion strategy is to solve a set of linear system ofmore » equations, where each equation defines the amplitude of a candidate scattering volume. The model space is defined by M potential scattering locations and the frequency domain (of which there are k frequencies) data are recorded on N receivers. The solution thus solves a kN x M system of linear equations for M scalar amplitudes within the user-defined solution space. Practical Application: Oilfield environments where observed electrostatic geophysical data can reasonably be assumed to be scattered by subsurface proppant volumes. No field validation examples have so far been provided.« less

Understanding heterogeneity and data assimilation in karst groundwater surface water interactions: The role of geophysics and hydrologic models in a semi-confined aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyerhoff, Steven B.

Groundwater and surface water historically have been treated as different entities. Due to this, planning and development of groundwater and surface water resources, both quantity and quality are often also treated separately. Recently, there has been work to characterize groundwater and surface water as a single system. Karstic systems are widely influenced by these interactions due to varying permeability, fracture geometry and porosity. Here, three different approaches are used to characterize groundwater surface water interactions in karstic environments. 1) A hydrologic model, ParFlow, is conditioned with known subsurface data to determine whether a reduction in subsurface uncertainty will enhance the prediction of surface water variables. A reduction in subsurface uncertainty resulted in substantial reductions in uncertainty in Hortonian runoff and less reductions in Dunne runoff. 2) Geophysical data is collected at a field site in O'leno State Park, Florida to visualize groundwater and surface water interactions in karstic environments. Significant changes in resistivity are seen through time at two locations. It is hypothesized that these changes are related to changing fluid source waters (e.g groundwater or surface water). 3). To confirm these observations an ensemble of synthetic forward models are simulated, inverted and compared directly with field observations and End-Member-Mixing-Analysis (EMMA). Field observations and synthetic models have comparable resistivity anomalies patterns and mixing fractions. This allows us to characterize and quantify subsurface mixing of groundwater and surface in karst environments. These three approaches (hydrologic models, field data and forward model experiments), (1) show the complexity and dynamics of groundwater and surface mixing in karstic environments in varying flow conditions, (2) showcase a novel geophysical technique to visualize groundwater and surface water interactions and (3) confirm hypothesis of flow and mixing in subsurface karst environments.

Field study and simulation of diurnal temperature effects on infiltration and variably saturated flow beneath an ephemeral stream

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dudek Ronan, Anne; Prudic, David E.; Thodal, Carl E.; Constantz, Jim

1998-01-01

Two experiments were performed to investigate flow beneath an ephemeral stream and to estimate streambed infiltration rates. Discharge and stream-area measurements were used to determine infiltration rates. Stream and subsurface temperatures were used to interpret subsurface flow through variably saturated sediments beneath the stream. Spatial variations in subsurface temperatures suggest that flow beneath the streambed is dependent on the orientation of the stream in the canyon and the layering of the sediments. Streamflow and infiltration rates vary diurnally: Streamflow is lowest in late afternoon when stream temperature is greatest and highest in early morning when stream temperature is least. The lower afternoon Streamflow is attributed to increased infiltration rates; evapotranspiration is insufficient to account for the decreased Streamflow. The increased infiltration rates are attributed to viscosity effects on hydraulic conductivity from increased stream temperatures. The first set of field data was used to calibrate a two-dimensional variably saturated flow model that includes heat transport. The model was calibrated to (1) temperature fluctuations in the subsurface and (2) infiltration rates determined from measured Streamflow losses. The second set of field data was to evaluate the ability to predict infiltration rates on the basis of temperature measurements alone. Results indicate that the variably saturated subsurface flow depends on downcanyon layering of the sediments. They also support the field observations in indicating that diurnal changes in infiltration can be explained by temperature dependence of hydraulic conductivity. Over the range of temperatures and flows monitored, diurnal stream temperature changes can be used to estimate streambed infiltration rates. It is often impractical to maintain equipment for determining infiltration rates by traditional means; however, once a model is calibrated using both infiltration and temperature data, only relatively inexpensive temperature monitoring can later yield infiltration rates that are within the correct order of magnitude.

Subsurface microbial habitats on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boston, P. J.; Mckay, C. P.

1991-01-01

We developed scenarios for shallow and deep subsurface cryptic niches for microbial life on Mars. Such habitats could have considerably prolonged the persistence of life on Mars as surface conditions became increasingly inhospitable. The scenarios rely on geothermal hot spots existing below the near or deep subsurface of Mars. Recent advances in the comparatively new field of deep subsurface microbiology have revealed previously unsuspected rich aerobic and anaerobic microbal communities far below the surface of the Earth. Such habitats, protected from the grim surface conditions on Mars, could receive warmth from below and maintain water in its liquid state. In addition, geothermally or volcanically reduced gases percolating from below through a microbiologically active zone could provide the reducing power needed for a closed or semi-closed microbial ecosystem to thrive.

Bacterial communities associated with subsurface geochemical processes in continental serpentinite springs.

PubMed

Brazelton, William J; Morrill, Penny L; Szponar, Natalie; Schrenk, Matthew O

2013-07-01

Reactions associated with the geochemical process of serpentinization can generate copious quantities of hydrogen and low-molecular-weight organic carbon compounds, which may provide energy and nutrients to sustain subsurface microbial communities independently of the photosynthetically supported surface biosphere. Previous microbial ecology studies have tested this hypothesis in deep sea hydrothermal vents, such as the Lost City hydrothermal field. This study applied similar methods, including molecular fingerprinting and tag sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, to ultrabasic continental springs emanating from serpentinizing ultramafic rocks. These molecular surveys were linked with geochemical measurements of the fluids in an interdisciplinary approach designed to distinguish potential subsurface organisms from those derived from surface habitats. The betaproteobacterial genus Hydrogenophaga was identified as a likely inhabitant of transition zones where hydrogen-enriched subsurface fluids mix with oxygenated surface water. The Firmicutes genus Erysipelothrix was most strongly correlated with geochemical factors indicative of subsurface fluids and was identified as the most likely inhabitant of a serpentinization-powered subsurface biosphere. Both of these taxa have been identified in multiple hydrogen-enriched subsurface habitats worldwide, and the results of this study contribute to an emerging biogeographic pattern in which Betaproteobacteria occur in near-surface mixing zones and Firmicutes are present in deeper, anoxic subsurface habitats.

Bacterial Communities Associated with Subsurface Geochemical Processes in Continental Serpentinite Springs

PubMed Central

Morrill, Penny L.; Szponar, Natalie; Schrenk, Matthew O.

2013-01-01

Reactions associated with the geochemical process of serpentinization can generate copious quantities of hydrogen and low-molecular-weight organic carbon compounds, which may provide energy and nutrients to sustain subsurface microbial communities independently of the photosynthetically supported surface biosphere. Previous microbial ecology studies have tested this hypothesis in deep sea hydrothermal vents, such as the Lost City hydrothermal field. This study applied similar methods, including molecular fingerprinting and tag sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, to ultrabasic continental springs emanating from serpentinizing ultramafic rocks. These molecular surveys were linked with geochemical measurements of the fluids in an interdisciplinary approach designed to distinguish potential subsurface organisms from those derived from surface habitats. The betaproteobacterial genus Hydrogenophaga was identified as a likely inhabitant of transition zones where hydrogen-enriched subsurface fluids mix with oxygenated surface water. The Firmicutes genus Erysipelothrix was most strongly correlated with geochemical factors indicative of subsurface fluids and was identified as the most likely inhabitant of a serpentinization-powered subsurface biosphere. Both of these taxa have been identified in multiple hydrogen-enriched subsurface habitats worldwide, and the results of this study contribute to an emerging biogeographic pattern in which Betaproteobacteria occur in near-surface mixing zones and Firmicutes are present in deeper, anoxic subsurface habitats. PMID:23584766

Evaluating permafrost thaw vulnerabilities and hydrologic impacts in boreal Alaska (USA) watersheds using field data and cryohydrogeologic modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walvoord, M. A.; Voss, C.; Ebel, B. A.; Minsley, B. J.

2017-12-01

Permafrost environments undergo changes in hydraulic, thermal, chemical, and mechanical subsurface properties upon thaw. These property changes must be considered in addition to alterations in hydrologic, thermal, and topographic boundary conditions when evaluating shifts in the movement and storage of water in arctic and sub-arctic boreal regions. Advances have been made in the last several years with respect to multiscale geophysical characterization of the subsurface and coupled fluid and energy transport modeling of permafrost systems. Ongoing efforts are presented that integrate field data with cryohydrogeologic modeling to better understand and anticipate changes in subsurface water resources, fluxes, and flowpaths caused by climate warming and permafrost thawing. Analyses are based on field data from several sites in interior Alaska (USA) that span a broad north-south transition from continuous to discontinuous permafrost. These data include soil hydraulic and thermal properties and shallow permafrost distribution. The data guide coupled fluid and energy flow simulations that incorporate porewater liquid/ice phase change and the accompanying modifications in hydraulic and thermal subsurface properties. Simulations are designed to assess conditions conducive to active layer thickening and talik development, both of which are expected to affect groundwater storage and flow. Model results provide a framework for identifying factors that control the rates of permafrost thaw and associated hydrologic responses, which in turn influence the fate and transport of carbon.

Filling of a Salt-withdrawal Minibasin on the Continental Slope by Turbidity Currents: Futher Research and Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Violet, J. A.; Sheets, B. A.; Paola, C.; Pratson, L. F.; Parker, G.

2002-12-01

We illustrate further research results on the transport and deposition of sediment by turbidity currents in an experimental basin, designed to model salt-withdrawal minibasins found along the northern continental slope of the Gulf of Mexico. The experiment was performed in 2001 in the subsiding EXperimental EarthScape facility (XES) at St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, University of Minnesota. The run consisted of two stages that each contained the same sequence of events, which were of three different variations (1.85-minute pulses of 1.5 liters/s discharges, 3.8-minute pulses of 4.5 liters/s discharges, or 36 minute events of 1.5 liters/s discharges). The sediment comprised three grades of silica with nominal diameters of 20 microns (45%), 45 microns (40%) and 110 microns (15%) and all flows had a volume concentration of sediment of 5%. The only difference between stage I and II was that no subsidence occurred during stage II, and that the 110 micron sand was removed from the flows late in stage II to study the effects of a smaller mean flow-grainsize. Research since the run has focused on the correction of high-frequency sonar data taken during the run, digital photography taken of dried deposit stratigraphy and grainsize data also taken at various locations in the dried deposit. The sonar data is utilized in the creation of post-event topographies and isopach maps to illustrate what the controls on erosion, deposition, flow path, deposit thickness and even the channelization of early flow events are. Comparisons of the stratigraphy and the grainsize data with the conclusions from the sonar data are made, as sonar is also constructed in a manner that exhibits synthetic or predicted stratigraphy (before compaction). Finally the stratigraphy is structurally described in the proximal, medial, and distal segments of the deposit and comparisons to the field are made.

Enhancing management of fall-applied poultry litter with cover crop and subsurface band placement in no-till cotton

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Whether yield reduction risk of cotton fertilized with fall-applied poultry litter in regions with warm fall or winter months can be minimized by applying the litter in subsurface bands in conjunction with winter cover crop is unknown. A field study was conducted in Mississippi to test whether litte...

Subsurface Optical Microscopy of Coarse Grain Spinels. Phase 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

A 456 nm LED line bar illuminated in figure 15 and a Xenon fiber optic bar illuminator is shown for figure 16. The optical in situ or subsurface ... imaging of coarse grain spinels and AlONs is optically more complex than expected. An overhead view of the side illumination field is shown in figure 20

Magnetic perturbation inspection of inner bearing races

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barton, J. R.; Lankford, J.

1972-01-01

Approximately 100 inner race bearings were inspected nondestructively prior to endurance testing. Two of the bearings which failed during testing spalled at the sites of subsurface inclusions previously detected by using magnetic field perturbation. At other sites initially judged to be suspect, subsurface inclusion-nucleated cracking was observed. Inspection records and metallurgical sectioning results are presented and discussed.

Nitrous Oxide Emissions From Northern Forested and Harvested Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavanaugh, K. M.; Kellman, L. M.

2005-12-01

Very little is known about how deforestation alters the soil subsurface production and surface emissions of N2O from northern forest soils. Soil N2O surface fluxes and subsurface concentrations from two 3 year old harvested and intact forest pairs of contrasting soil texture were monitored during the 2004 and 2005 growing seasons in the Acadian forest of Atlantic Canada in order to: 1) quantify N2O emissions associated with each land-use type, 2) examine spatial and temporal variations in subsurface concentrations and surface fluxes at each site, and 3) determine the suitability of a photoacoustic gas monitor (PGM) for in- situ field measurements vs. field sample collection and laboratory analysis on a gas chromatograph. Each site was instrumented with 11 permanent collars for surface flux measurements designed to capture the microsite variability at the sites. Subsurface soil gas samplers, designed to identify the important zones of N2O production in the vertical profile were installed at depths of 0, 10, 20 and 35 cm below the organic-mineral soil interface. Surface fluxes were measured with non-steady-state vented surface flux chambers with measurements of all surface flux and subsurface data made on a bi-weekly basis. Results suggest that spatial and temporal variability in surface emissions are very high and routinely close to zero. Subsurface profile concentration data shows vertical concentration profiles at intact forest sites with concentrations close to atmospheric, while harvested sites show a pattern of increasing N2O concentration with depth, reaching a maximum of approximately 27000ppb at 35cm.

Subsurface soil carbon losses offset surface carbon accumulation in abandoned agricultural fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Y.; Knops, J. M. H.

2017-12-01

Soil carbon is widely understood to accumulate after agricultural abandonment. However, most of the studies have been focused on shallow depths (10 to 30 cm), and there is a lack of deeper soil carbon data. It was reported that in temperate grasslands, 58% of the soil organic carbon in the first meter was stored between 20 and 100 cm, and organic matter in deeper soil might also be susceptible to agricultural disturbance. We used repeated sampling in 2001 and 2014 to directly measure rates of soil carbon change in both surface and subsurface soil in 21 abandoned agricultural fields at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, MN. Congruent with many other studies, we found carbon accumulated 384.2 C g/m2 in surface soil (0 - 20 cm) over the 13 years. However, we also found carbon pool declined 688.1 C g/m2 in the subsurface soil (40-100 cm), which resulted in a net total loss of soil carbon. We investigated the ecosystem carbon pools and fluxes to explore the mechanisms of the observed soil carbon changes. We found root carbon was not significantly correlated with soil carbon in any of the depth. In situ soil incubation showed nitrogen mineralization rates in subsurface soil are lower than that of surface soil. However, the estimated nitrogen and carbon output through decomposition is higher than inputs from roots, therefore leading to carbon loss in subsurface soil. These results suggest that the decomposition of soil organic matter by microorganisms in subsurface soil is significant, and should be incorporated in ecosystem carbon budget models.

Impact of Subsurface Heterogeneities on nano-Scale Zero Valent Iron Transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krol, M. M.; Sleep, B. E.; O'Carroll, D. M.

2011-12-01

Nano-scale zero valent iron (nZVI) has been applied as a remediation technology at sites contaminated with chlorinated compounds and heavy metals. Although laboratory studies have demonstrated high reactivity for the degradation of target contaminants, the success of nZVI in the field has been limited due to poor subsurface mobility. When injected into the subsurface, nZVI tends to aggregate and be retained by subsurface soils. As such nZVI suspensions need to be stabilized for increased mobility. However, even with stabilization, soil heterogeneities can still lead to non-uniform nZVI transport, resulting in poor distribution and consequently decreased degradation of target compounds. Understanding how nZVI transport can be affected by subsurface heterogeneities can aid in improving the technology. This can be done with the use of a numerical model which can simulate nZVI transport. In this study CompSim, a finite difference groundwater model, is used to simulate the movement of nZVI in a two-dimensional domain. CompSim has been shown in previous studies to accurately predict nZVI movement in the subsurface, and is used in this study to examine the impact of soil heterogeneity on nZVI transport. This work also explores the impact of different viscosities of the injected nZVI suspensions (corresponding to different stabilizing polymers) and injection rates on nZVI mobility. Analysis metrics include travel time, travel distance, and average nZVI concentrations. Improving our understanding of the influence of soil heterogeneity on nZVI transport will lead to improved field scale implementation and, potentially, to more effective remediation of contaminated sites.

Denitrifying Bacteria from the Genus Rhodanobacter Dominate Bacterial Communities in the Highly Contaminated Subsurface of a Nuclear Legacy Waste Site

PubMed Central

Green, Stefan J.; Prakash, Om; Jasrotia, Puja; Overholt, Will A.; Cardenas, Erick; Hubbard, Daniela; Tiedje, James M.; Watson, David B.; Schadt, Christopher W.; Brooks, Scott C.

2012-01-01

The effect of long-term mixed-waste contamination, particularly uranium and nitrate, on the microbial community in the terrestrial subsurface was investigated at the field scale at the Oak Ridge Integrated Field Research Challenge (ORIFRC) site in Oak Ridge, TN. The abundance, community composition, and distribution of groundwater microorganisms were examined across the site during two seasonal sampling events. At representative locations, subsurface sediment was also examined from two boreholes, one sampled from the most heavily contaminated area of the site and another from an area with low contamination. A suite of DNA- and RNA-based molecular tools were employed for community characterization, including quantitative PCR of rRNA and nitrite reductase genes, community composition fingerprinting analysis, and high-throughput pyrotag sequencing of rRNA genes. The results demonstrate that pH is a major driver of the subsurface microbial community structure and that denitrifying bacteria from the genus Rhodanobacter (class Gammaproteobacteria) dominate at low pH. The relative abundance of bacteria from this genus was positively correlated with lower-pH conditions, and these bacteria were abundant and active in the most highly contaminated areas. Other factors, such as the concentration of nitrogen species, oxygen level, and sampling season, did not appear to strongly influence the distribution of Rhodanobacter bacteria. The results indicate that these organisms are acid-tolerant denitrifiers, well suited to the acidic, nitrate-rich subsurface conditions, and pH is confirmed as a dominant driver of bacterial community structure in this contaminated subsurface environment. PMID:22179233

Determining the 3D Subsurface Density Structure of Taurus Littrow Valley Using Apollo 17 Gravity Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Urbancic, N.; Ghent, R.; Stanley, S,; Johnson, C. L.; Carroll, K. A.; Hatch, D.; Williamson, M. C.; Garry, W. B.; Talwani, M.

2016-01-01

Surface gravity surveys can detect subsurface density variations that can reveal subsurface geologic features. In 1972, the Apollo 17 (A17) mission conducted the Traverse Gravimeter Experiment (TGE) using a gravimeter that measured the local gravity field near Taurus Littrow Valley (TLV), located on the south-eastern rim of the Serenitatis basin. TLV is hypothesized to be a basaltfilled radial graben resulting from the impact that formed Mare Serenitatis. It is bounded by both the North and South Massifs (NM and SM) as well as other smaller mountains to the East that are thought to be mainly composed of brecciated highland material. The TGE is the first and only successful gravity survey on the surface of the Moon. Other more recent satellite surveys, such as NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission (2011- 2012), have produced the best global gravity field to date (approx. 13km resolution). However, these satellite surveys are not sensitive enough to detect fine-scale (<1km) lunar subsurface structures. This underscores the value of the data collected at the surface by A17. In the original analysis of the data a 2D forward-modelling approach was used to derive a thickness of the subsurface basalt layer of 1.0 km by assuming a simple flat-faced rectangular geometry and using densities derived from Apollo lunar samples. We are investigating whether modern 3D modelling techniques in combination with high-resolution topographical and image datasets can reveal additional fine-scale subsurface structure in TLV.

Simulating oil droplet dispersal from the Deepwater Horizon spill with a Lagrangian approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

North, Elizabeth W.; Schlag, Zachary; Adams, E. Eric; Sherwood, Christopher R.; He, Ruoying; Hyun, Hoon; Socolofsky, Scott A.

2011-01-01

An analytical multiphase plume model, combined with time-varying flow and hydrographic fields generated by the 3-D South Atlantic Bight and Gulf of Mexico model (SABGOM) hydrodynamic model, were used as input to a Lagrangian transport model (LTRANS), to simulate transport of oil droplets dispersed at depth from the recent Deepwater Horizon MC 252 oil spill. The plume model predicts a stratification-dominated near field, in which small oil droplets detrain from the central plume containing faster rising large oil droplets and gas bubbles and become trapped by density stratification. Simulated intrusion (trap) heights of ∼ 310–370 m agree well with the midrange of conductivity-temperature-depth observations, though the simulated variation in trap height was lower than observed, presumably in part due to unresolved variability in source composition (percentage oil versus gas) and location (multiple leaks during first half of spill). Simulated droplet trajectories by the SABGOM-LTRANS modeling system showed that droplets with diameters between 10 and 50 μm formed a distinct subsurface plume, which was transported horizontally and remained in the subsurface for >1 month. In contrast, droplets with diameters ≥90 μm rose rapidly to the surface. Simulated trajectories of droplets ≤50 μm in diameter were found to be consistent with field observations of a southwest-tending subsurface plume in late June 2010 reported by Camilli et al. [2010]. Model results suggest that the subsurface plume looped around to the east, with potential subsurface oil transport to the northeast and southeast. Ongoing work is focusing on adding degradation processes to the model to constrain droplet dispersal.

A magnetic and gravity investigation of the Liberia Basin, West Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morris Cooper, S.; Liu, Tianyou

2011-02-01

Gravity and magnetic analysis provide an opportunity to deduce and understand to a large extent the stratigraphy, structure and shape of the substructure. Euler deconvolution is a useful tool for providing estimates of the localities and depth of magnetic and gravity sources. Wavelet analysis is an interesting tool for filtering and improving geophysical data. The application of these two methods to gravity and magnetic data of the Liberia Basin enable the definition of the geometry and depth of the subsurface geologic structures. The study reveals the basin is sub-divided and the depth to basement of the basin structure ranges from about 5 km at its North West end to 10 km at its broadest section eastward. Magnetic data analysis indicates shallow intrusives ranging from a depth of 0.09 km to 0.42 km with an average depth of 0.25 km along the margin. Other intrusives can be found at average depths of 0.6 km and 1.7 km respectively within the confines of the basin. An analysis of the gravity data indicated deep faults intersecting the transform zone.

Near-surface stratigraphy and morphology, Mississippi Inner Shelf, northern Gulf of Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flocks, James G.; Kindinger, Jack; Kelso, Kyle W.; Bernier, Julie C.; DeWitt, Nancy T.; FitzHarris, Michael

2015-01-01

In June 2013, as part of the MsCIP project, the USGS conducted a geophysical survey consisting of about 650 line-kilometers (km), encompassing an area of approximately 212 square kilometers (km2). The survey area extended from 1 to 13 km offshore of Petite Bois Island. The geophysical investigation included interferometric swath bathymetry, sidescan sonar, and chirp subbottom profiling. The intent of the survey was to provide geologic information that would assist the USACE in developing a sediment sampling strategy for identifying deposits suitable for shoreline restoration operations. The data from the geophysical survey would also further our understanding of the geologic framework along the inner shelf. Numerous seafloor and subbottom features were identified. At the surface, shoals and shelf sand sheets of various sizes and orientations are the predominant morphology. In the subsurface, Holocene- and Pleistocene-age features include marine transgressive deposits infilling older fluvia distributary systems. These interpretations from the geophysical research were integrated with sediment cores collected by the USGS and USACE to provide textural and volumetric information.

Resolving carbonate platform geometries on the Island of Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands through semi-automatic GPR facies classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowling, R. D.; Laya, J. C.; Everett, M. E.

2018-07-01

The study of exposed carbonate platforms provides observational constraints on regional tectonics and sea-level history. In this work Miocene-aged carbonate platform units of the Seroe Domi Formation are investigated on the island of Bonaire, located in the Southern Caribbean. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) was used to probe near-surface structural geometries associated with these lithologies. The single cross-island transect described herein allowed for continuous mapping of geologic structures on kilometre length scales. Numerical analysis was applied to the data in the form of k-means clustering of structure-parallel vectors derived from image structure tensors. This methodology enables radar facies along the survey transect to be semi-automatically mapped. The results provide subsurface evidence to support previous surficial and outcrop observations, and reveal complex stratigraphy within the platform. From the GPR data analysis, progradational clinoform geometries were observed on the northeast side of the island which support the tectonics and depositional trends of the region. Furthermore, several leeward-side radar facies are identified which correlate to environments of deposition conducive to dolomitization via reflux mechanisms.

High-resolution stratigraphy of a Mississippi subdelta-lobe progradation in the Barataria Bight, north-central Gulf of Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flocks, J.G.; Ferina, N.F.; Dreher, C.; Kindinger, J.L.; FitzGerald, D.M.; Kulp, M.A.

2006-01-01

The coastal zone of southeastern Louisiana is the product of numerous cycles of progradation, abandonment, and marine transgression of the Mississippi River delta. Currently, the shoreline in the Barataria Bight is undergoing significant erosion and retreat, and understanding its evolution is crucial in stabilization efforts. This study uses an extensive collection of geophysical and sediment core data from Barataria Bay and offshore to develop a geologic model of the shallow (< 10 m) subsurface. The purpose of the model is twofold: (1) establish the stratigraphic architecture of a subdelta lobe of the Bayou des Families delta, deposited by the Mississippi River approximately 4000 years before present; and (2) provide a high-resolution description of the geologic framework in a context that can be applied to coastal management issues in similar fluvially dominated coastal environments worldwide. The results of the study demonstrate how high-quality geologic data from the coastal environment can be used not only to further our understanding of shoreline evolution but also to provide pertinent information for coastal management needs.

Thickness and geometry of Cenozoic deposits in California Wash area, Nevada, based on gravity and seismic-reflection data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langenheim, V.E.; Miller, J.J.; Page, W.R.; Grow, J.A.

2001-01-01

Gravity and seismic-reflection data provide insights into the subsurface stratigraphy and structure of the California Wash area of southern Nevada. This area is part of the Lower Colorado flow system and stratigraphic and structural data are important inputs into developing the hydrogeologic framework. These data indicate that the basin beneath California Wash reaches depths of 2-3 km. The eastern margin of the basin coincides with a system of young (Quaternary and late Tertiary) faults, although both seismic and gravity data indicate that the major basin-bounding fault is 2-3 km west of the mapped young faults. Dry Lake Valley, the adjacent valley to the west, is characterized by thinner basin fill. The basin configuration beneath both California Wash and Dry Lake Valleys based on the inversion of gravity data is unconstrained because of the lack of gravity stations north of 36030?. Broad aeromagnetic anomalies beneath pre-Cenozoic basement in the Muddy Mountains and Arrow Canyon Range reflect Precambrian basement at depths of ~ 5 km. These rocks are probably barriers to ground-water flow,except where fractured.

Resolving Carbonate Platform Geometries on the Island of Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands through Semi-Automatic GPR Facies Classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowling, R. D.; Laya, J. C.; Everett, M. E.

2018-05-01

The study of exposed carbonate platforms provides observational constraints on regional tectonics and sea-level history. In this work Miocene-aged carbonate platform units of the Seroe Domi Formation are investigated, on the island of Bonaire, located in the Southern Caribbean. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) was used to probe near-surface structural geometries associated with these lithologies. The single cross-island transect described herein allowed for continuous mapping of geologic structures on kilometer length scales. Numerical analysis was applied to the data in the form of k-means clustering of structure-parallel vectors derived from image structure tensors. This methodology enables radar facies along the survey transect to be semi-automatically mapped. The results provide subsurface evidence to support previous surficial and outcrop observations, and reveal complex stratigraphy within the platform. From the GPR data analysis, progradational clinoform geometries were observed on the northeast side of the island which supports the tectonics and depositional trends of the region. Furthermore, several leeward-side radar facies are identified which correlate to environments of deposition conducive to dolomitization via reflux mechanisms.

The Design and Implementation of Instruments for Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Sounding of the Martian Subsurface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delory, G. T.; Grimm, R. E.

2003-01-01

Low-frequency electromagnetic soundings of the subsurface can identify liquid water at depths ranging from hundreds of meters to approx. 10 km in an environment such as Mars. Among the tools necessary to perform these soundings are low-frequency electric and magnetic field sensors capable of being deployed from a lander or rover such that horizontal and vertical components of the fields can be measured free of structural or electrical interference. Under a NASA Planetary Instrument Definition and Development Program (PIDDP), we are currently engaged in the prototype stages of low frequency sensor implementations that will enable this technique to be performed autonomously within the constraints of a lander platform. Once developed, this technique will represent both a complementary and alternative method to orbital radar sounding investigations, as the latter may not be able to identify subsurface water without significant ambiguities. Low frequency EM methods can play a crucial role as a ground truth measurement, performing deep soundings at sites identified as high priority areas by orbital radars. Alternatively, the penetration depth and conductivity discrimination of low-frequency methods may enable detection of subsurface water in areas that render radar methods ineffective. In either case, the sensitivity and depth of penetration inherent in low frequency EM exploration makes this tool a compelling candidate method to identify subsurface liquid water from a landed platform on Mars or other targets of interest.

Feasibility study of a swept frequency electromagnetic probe (SWEEP) using inductive coupling for the determination of subsurface conductivity of the earth and water prospecting in arid regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Latorraca, G. A.; Bannister, L. H.

1974-01-01

Techniques developed for electromagnetic probing of the lunar interior, and techniques developed for the generation of high power audio frequencies were combined to make practical a magnetic inductive coupling system for the rapid measurement of ground conductivity profiles which are helpful when prospecting for the presence and quality of subsurface water. A system which involves the measurement of the direction, intensity, and time phase of the magnetic field observed near the surface of the earth at a distance from a horizontal coil energized so as to create a field that penetrates the earth was designed and studied to deduce the conductivity and stratification of the subsurface. Theoretical studies and a rudimentary experiment in an arid region showed that the approach is conceptually valid and that this geophysical prospecting technique can be developed for the economical exploration of subterranean water resources.

Evolution of a volcanic island on the shoulder of an oceanic rift and geodynamic implications: S. Jorge Island on the Terceira Rift, Azores Triple Junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marques, F. O.; Hildenbrand, A.; Hübscher, C.

2018-07-01

The S. Jorge Island in the Azores lies on a peculiar setting, the southern shoulder of the Terceira Rift (TR), which raises a series of questions that we address in this study. We first established the main volcanic stratigraphy by recognizing, in the field, the main unconformities/discontinuities and their meaning (major erosion surfaces and faults), then we collected critical samples, and finally dated them by K/Ar to calibrate the stratigraphy and the age of inferred large-scale flank collapses. Based on field, geochronological and marine geophysical data: (1) we found much older rocks in S. Jorge than in previous studies (ca. 1.85 Ma), and established a new volcanic stratigraphy (from bottom to top): Old Volcanic Complex (ca. 1.9-1.2 Ma), cropping out in the eastern third of the island; Intermediate Volcanic Complex (ca. 0.8-0.2 Ma), cropping out in the western two thirds of the island and separated from the underlying complex by a major fault; Young Volcanic Complex (

Neogene carbonate exploration play concepts for Northern New Guinea: New iteration from field work and seismic stratigraphy along the Northern New Guinea Fault Zone

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

Pigott, J.D.; Geiger, C.

1994-07-01

Recent field reconnaissance, petrography, nanno and foraminifera age determinations, and seismic stratigraphy of the Sepik and Piore subbasins of northern New Guinea reveal the existence of an extensive, tectonically unstable, Miocene-Pliocene carbonate shelf system. These findings represent the first recorded evidence of northern Papuan limestones coeval in age to those of the hydrocarbon productive Salawati Basin of Irian Jaya. Moreover, these observations also demonstrate the significance of episodic activities of the northern New Guinea fault zone upon the changes in carbonate sedimentation and diagenesis. During the Neogene, algal biosparites to foraminiferal biomicrites defined the clean portion of a mixed clastic-carbonatemore » shelf system of the northern New Guinea basin, which began at the central New Guinea cordillera and deepened northward. This shelf was interrupted by coral-coralline algal boundstone fringing- to patch-reef buildups with associated skeletal grainstones. Clean carbonates were spatially and temporally restricted to basement blocks, which episodically underwent uplift while terrigenous dilutes carbonates were more common in adjacently subsiding basement block bathymetric lows. These tectonic expressions were caused by the spatially transient nature of constraining bends of the evolving north New Guinea faults. As shown by seismic stratigraphy, by the late Miocene to the early Pliocene the uplift of the Bewani-Torricelli Mountains sagittally divided the shelf of the northern New Guinea basin into the Ramu-Sepik and the Piore basins. Continued regional sinistral transpression between the Pacific and the New Guinea leading edge of the Indo-Australian plates led to the reverse tilting of the Piore basin, the shallowing of the former distal shelf with concomitant extensive biolithite development (e.g., on subsiding volcanic islands) eventual uplifting of the Oenake Range, and en echelon faulting of the Bewani-Torricelli Mountains.« less

An 84-kyr paleomagnetic record from the sediments of Lake Baikal, Siberia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peck, J.A.; King, J.W.; Colman, Steven M.; Kravchinsky, V.A.

1996-01-01

We have conducted a paleomagnetic study of sediment cores obtained from the Selenga prodelta region of Lake Baikal, Russia. This record, which spans approximately the last 84 kyr, contributes to a better understanding of the nature of geomagnetic field behavior in Siberia and is a useful correlation and dating tool. We demonstrate that the Lake Baikal sediments are recording variations in the geomagnetic field. The directional record displays secular variation behavior with a geomagnetic excursion at 20 ka and additional excursions appearing as large-amplitude secular variation at 41, 61, and 67 ka. Smoothing of the geomagnetic excursion behavior occurs in Lake Baikal sediments owing to the intermediate sedimentation rate (13 cm kyr-1). The Lake Baikal relative paleointensity record correlates to absolute paleointensity data for the last 10 kyr and to relative paleointensity records from the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean for the last 84 kyr. This correlation suggests a strong global (i.e., dipole) component to these records and further supports the reliability of sediments as recorders of relative geomagnetic paleointensity. We show that a relative geomagnetic intensity stratigraphy has a potential resolution of 7 kyr by correlating continental and marine records. The geomagnetic intensity stratigraphy helps constrain the age of the difficult to date Lake Baikal sediments.

Geologic map of the Sand Creek Pass quadrangle, Larimer County, Colorado, and Albany County, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Workman, Jeremiah B.; Braddock, William A.

2010-01-01

New geologic mapping within the Sand Creek Pass 7.5 minute quadrangle defines geologic relationships within the northern Front Range of Colorado along the Wyoming border approximately 35 km south of Laramie, Wyo. Previous mapping within the quadrangle was limited to regional reconnaissance mapping; Eaton Reservoir 7.5 minute quadrangle to the east (2008), granite of the Rawah batholith to the south (1983), Laramie River valley to the west (1979), and the Laramie 30' x 60' quadrangle to the north (2007). Fieldwork was completed during 1981 and 1982 and during 2007 and 2008. Mapping was compiled at 1:24,000-scale. Minimal petrographic work was done and no isotope work was done in the quadrangle area, but detailed petrographic and isotope studies were performed on correlative map units in surrounding areas as part of a related regional study of the northern Front Range. Stratigraphy of Proterozoic rocks is primarily based upon field observation of bulk mineral composition, macroscopic textural features, and field relationships that allow for correlation with rocks studied in greater detail outside of the map area. Stratigraphy of Phanerozoic rocks is primarily based upon correlation with similar rocks to the north in the Laramie Basin of Wyoming and to the east in the Front Range of Colorado.

Assessment of Nitrate-N Load in Subsurface Drainage Water from the Agricultural Fields in the Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenjabaev, S.; Forkutsa, I.; Dukhovny, V.; Frede, H. G.

2012-04-01

Leaching of nitrate-N (NO3-) from irrigated agricultural land and water contamination have become a worldwide concern. This study was conducted to investigate amount of nitrate-N leached to groundwater and surface water from irrigated cotton, winter wheat and maize fields in the Fergana Valley (Uzbekistan). Therefore at two sites ("Akbarabad" and "Azizbek") equipped with closed horizontal drainage system during 2010-2011 vegetation seasons we monitored water flow, nutrient concentrations and salinity at surface and subsurface drains, at irrigation canals and groundwater. We also applied stable isotopes (δ2H and δ18O) method in order to investigate the source of drainage water runoff. Discussed are results of 2010. Farmers fertilized cotton fields with ammonium nitrate of 350-450 kg ha-1 in "Akbarabad" and 700 kg ha-1 in "Azizbek" sites. In winter wheat and maize fields (in "Akbarabad") about 500 kg ha-1 of ammonium nitrate were applied. Cotton fields were irrigated with 2700 m3 ha-1 ("Akbarabad") and 3500 m3 ha-1 ("Azizbek"). In winter wheat and maize fields applied irrigation water amounted to 3900 m3 ha-1 and 723 m3 ha-1, respectively. Frequent groundwater and subsurface drainage water sampling revealed that nitrate leaching occurred mostly during and right after the irrigation events. The estimated average nitrate-N concentration in subsurface drainage water in "Akbarabad" was slightly higher (9 mg l-1) than in "Azizbek" (8 mg l-1). During July-November (2010), in average, nitrate-N losses through subsurface drainage amounted to 24 kg ha-1 in "Akbarabad" and 18 kg ha-1 in "Azizbek". The salinity of drainage water at both sites was similar and varied between 2.3-2.7 dS m-1. Preliminary results of isotope signals of studied water (precipitation, drainage, irrigation and ground water) indicate that the source of drainage water runoff comes from the irrigation water, while the contribution of rainfall is negligible. It is planned to run simulations with DRAINMOD model for further investigation of water and N balances of the selected sites. Developed recommendations for farmers on optimum irrigation water amounts and N fertilization will allow reducing environmental risks in agricultural lands of the Fergana Valley.

Effect of subsurface heterogeneity on free-product recovery from unconfined aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaluarachchi, Jagath J.

1996-03-01

Free-product record system designs for light-hydrocarbon-contaminated sites were investigated to evaluate the effects of subsurface heterogeneity using a vertically integrated three-phase flow model. The input stochastic variable of the areal flow analysis was the log-intrinsic permeability and it was generated using the Turning Band method. The results of a series of hypothetical field-scale simulations showed that subsurface heterogeneity has a substantial effect on free-product recovery predictions. As the heterogeneity increased, the recoverable oil volume decreased and the residual trapped oil volume increased. As the subsurface anisotropy increased, these effects together with free- and total-oil contaminated areas were further enhanced. The use of multiple-stage water pumping was found to be insignificant compared to steady uniform pumping due to reduced recovery efficiency and increased residual oil volume. This observation was opposite to that produced under homogeneous scenarios. The effect of subsurface heterogeneity was enhanced at relatively low water pumping rates. The difference in results produced by homogeneous and heterogeneous simulations was substantial, indicating greater attention should be paid in modeling free-product recovery systems with appropriate subsurface heterogeneity.

Mars Analog Research and Technology Experiment (MARTE): A Simulated Mars Drilling Mission to Search for Subsurface Life at the Rio Tinto, Spain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoker, Carol; Lemke, Larry; Mandell, Humboldt; McKay, David; George, Jeffrey; Gomez-Alvera, Javier; Amils, Ricardo; Stevens, Todd; Miller, David

2003-01-01

The MARTE (Mars Astrobiology Research and Technology Experiment) project was selected by the new NASA ASTEP program, which supports field experiments having an equal emphasis on Astrobiology science and technology development relevant to future Astrobiology missions. MARTE will search for a hypothesized subsurface anaerobic chemoautotrophic biosphere in the region of the Tinto River in southwestern Spain while also demonstrating technology needed to search for a subsurface biosphere on Mars. The experiment is informed by the strategy for searching for life on Mars.

Denitrification potential in relation to lithology in five headwater riparian zones.

PubMed

Hill, Alan R; Vidon, Philippe G F; Langat, Jackson

2004-01-01

The influence of riparian zone lithology on nitrate dynamics is poorly understood. We investigated vertical variations in potential denitrification activity in relation to the lithology and stratigraphy of five headwater riparian zones on glacial till and outwash landscapes in southern Ontario, Canada. Conductive coarse sand and gravel layers occurred in four of the five riparian areas. These layers were thin and did not extend to the field-riparian perimeter in some riparian zones, which limited their role as conduits for ground water flow. We found widespread organic-rich layers at depths ranging from 40 to 300 cm that resulted from natural floodplain processes and the burial of surface soils by rapid valley-bottom sedimentation after European settlement. The organic matter content of these layers varied considerably from 2 to 5% (relic channel deposit) to 5 to 21% (buried soils) and 30 to 62% (buried peat). Denitrification potential (DNP) was measured by the acetylene block method in sediment slurries amended with nitrate. The highest DNP rates were usually found in the top 0- to 15-cm surface soil layer in all riparian zones. However, a steep decline in DNP with depth was often absent and high DNP activity occurred in the deep organic-rich layers. Water table variations in 2000-2002 indicated that ground water only interacted frequently with riparian surface soils between late March and May, whereas subsurface organic layers that sustain considerable DNP were below the water table for most of the year. These results suggest that riparian zones with organic deposits at depth may effectively remove nitrate from ground water even when the water table does not interact with organic-rich surface soil horizons.

Spatial arrangement of faults and opening-mode fractures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laubach, S. E.; Lamarche, J.; Gauthier, B. D. M.; Dunne, W. M.; Sanderson, David J.

2018-03-01

Spatial arrangement is a fundamental characteristic of fracture arrays. The pattern of fault and opening-mode fracture positions in space defines structural heterogeneity and anisotropy in a rock volume, governs how faults and fractures affect fluid flow, and impacts our understanding of the initiation, propagation and interactions during the formation of fracture patterns. This special issue highlights recent progress with respect to characterizing and understanding the spatial arrangements of fault and fracture patterns, providing examples over a wide range of scales and structural settings. Five papers describe new methods and improvements of existing techniques to quantify spatial arrangement. One study unravels the time evolution of opening-mode fracture spatial arrangement, which are data needed to compare natural patterns with progressive fracture growth in kinematic and mechanical models. Three papers investigate the role of evolving diagenesis in localizing fractures by mechanical stratigraphy and nine discuss opening-mode fracture spatial arrangement. Two papers show the relevance of complex cluster patterns to unconventional reservoirs through examples of fractures in tight gas sandstone horizontal wells, and a study of fracture arrangement in shale. Four papers demonstrate the roles of folds in fracture localization and the development spatial patterns. One paper models along-fault friction and fluid pressure and their effects on fault-related fracture arrangement. Contributions address deformation band patterns in carbonate rocks and fault size and arrangement above a detachment fault. Three papers describe fault and fracture arrangements in basement terrains, and three document fracture patterns in shale. This collection of papers points toward improvement in field methods, continuing improvements in computer-based data analysis and creation of synthetic fracture patterns, and opportunities for further understanding fault and fracture attributes in the subsurface through coupled spatial, size, and pattern analysis.

Hydrogeologic and hydraulic characterization of aquifer and nonaquifer layers in a lateritic terrain (West Bengal, India)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biswal, Sabinaya; Jha, Madan K.; Sharma, Shashi P.

2018-02-01

The hydrogeologic and hydraulic characteristics of a lateritic terrain in West Bengal, India, were investigated. Test drilling was conducted at ten sites and grain-size distribution curves (GSDCs) were prepared for 275 geologic samples. Performance evaluation of eight grain-size-analysis (GSA) methods was carried out to estimate the hydraulic conductivity (K) of subsurface formations. Finally, the GSA results were validated against pumping-test data. The GSDCs indicated that shallow aquifer layers are coarser than the deeper aquifer layers (uniformity coefficient 0.19-11.4). Stratigraphy analysis revealed that both shallow and deep aquifers of varying thickness exist at depths 9-40 and 40-79 m, respectively. The mean K estimates by the GSA methods are 3.62-292.86 m/day for shallow aquifer layers and 0.97-209.93 m/day for the deeper aquifer layers, suggesting significant aquifer heterogeneity. Pumping-test data indicated that the deeper aquifers are leaky confined with transmissivity 122.69-693.79 m2/day, storage coefficient 1.01 × 10-7-2.13 × 10-4 and leakance 2.01 × 10-7-34.56 × 10-2 day-1. Although the K values yielded by the GSA methods are generally larger than those obtained from the pumping tests, the Slichter, Harleman and US Bureau Reclamation (USBR) GSA methods yielded reasonable values at most of the sites (1-3 times higher than K estimates by the pumping-test method). In conclusion, more reliable aquifers exist at deeper depths that can be tapped for dependable water supply. GSA methods such as Slichter, Harleman and USBR can be used for the preliminary assessment of K in lateritic terrains in the absence of reliable field methods.

Hydrology of the Ferron sandstone aquifer and effects of proposed surface-coal mining in Castle Valley, Utah, with sections on stratigraphy and leaching of overburden

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lines, Gregory C.; Morrissey, Daniel J.; Ryer, Thomas A.; Fuller, Richard H.

1983-01-01

Coal in the Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale of Cretaceous age has traditionally been mined by underground techniques in the Emery Coal Field in the southern end of Castle Valley in east-central Utah. However, approximately 99 million tons are recoverable by surface mining. Ground water in the Ferron is the sole source of supply for the town of Emery, but the aquifer is essentially untapped outside the Emery area.The Ferron Sandstone Member crops out along the eastern edge of Castle Valley and generally dips 2 ? to 10 ? to the northwest. Sandstones in the Ferron are enclosed between relatively impermeable shale in the Tununk and Blue Gate Members of the Mancos Shale. Along the outcrop, the Ferron ranges in thickness from about 80 feet in the northern part of Castle Valley to 850 feet in the southern part. The Ferron also generally thickens in the subsurface downdip from the outcrop. Records from wells and test holes indicate that the full thickness of the Ferron is saturated with water in most areas downdip from the outcrop area.Tests in the Emery area indicate that transmissivity of the Ferron sandstone aquifer ranges from about 200 to 700 feet squared per day where the Ferron is fully saturated. Aquifer transmissivity is greatest near the Paradise Valley-Joes Valley fault system where permeability has been increased by fracturing. Storage coefficient ranges from about 10 .6 to 10 -3 where the Ferron sandstone aquifer is confined and probably averages 5 x 10-2 where it is unconfined.

Ground water stratification and delivery of nitrate to an incised stream under varying flow conditions.

PubMed

Böhlke, J K; O'Connell, Michael E; Prestegaard, Karen L

2007-01-01

Ground water processes affecting seasonal variations of surface water nitrate concentrations were investigated in an incised first-order stream in an agricultural watershed with a riparian forest in the coastal plain of Maryland. Aquifer characteristics including sediment stratigraphy, geochemistry, and hydraulic properties were examined in combination with chemical and isotopic analyses of ground water, macropore discharge, and stream water. The ground water flow system exhibits vertical stratification of hydraulic properties and redox conditions, with sub-horizontal boundaries that extend beneath the field and adjacent riparian forest. Below the minimum water table position, ground water age gradients indicate low recharge rates (2-5 cm yr(-1)) and long residence times (years to decades), whereas the transient ground water wedge between the maximum and minimum water table positions has a relatively short residence time (months to years), partly because of an upward increase in hydraulic conductivity. Oxygen reduction and denitrification in recharging ground waters are coupled with pyrite oxidation near the minimum water table elevation in a mottled weathering zone in Tertiary marine glauconitic sediments. The incised stream had high nitrate concentrations during high flow conditions when much of the ground water was transmitted rapidly across the riparian zone in a shallow oxic aquifer wedge with abundant outflow macropores, and low nitrate concentrations during low flow conditions when the oxic wedge was smaller and stream discharge was dominated by upwelling from the deeper denitrified parts of the aquifer. Results from this and similar studies illustrate the importance of near-stream geomorphology and subsurface geology as controls of riparian zone function and delivery of nitrate to streams in agricultural watersheds.

Ground water stratification and delivery of nitrate to an incised stream under varying flow conditions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Böhlke, J.K.; O'Connell, M. E.; Prestegaard, K.L.

2007-01-01

Ground water processes affecting seasonal variations of surface water nitrate concentrations were investigated in an incised first-order stream in an agricultural watershed with a riparian forest in the coastal plain of Maryland. Aquifer characteristics including sediment stratigraphy, geochemistry, and hydraulic properties were examined in combination with chemical and isotopic analyses of ground water, macropore discharge, and stream water. The ground water flow system exhibits vertical stratification of hydraulic properties and redox conditions, with sub-horizontal boundaries that extend beneath the field and adjacent riparian forest. Below the minimum water table position, ground water age gradients indicate low recharge rates (2-5 cm yr-1) and long residence times (years to decades), whereas the transient ground water wedge between the maximum and minimum water table positions has a relatively short residence time (months to years), partly because of an upward increase in hydraulic conductivity. Oxygen reduction and denitrification in recharging ground waters are coupled with pyrite oxidation near the minimum water table elevation in a mottled weathering zone in Tertiary marine glauconitic sediments. The incised stream had high nitrate concentrations during high flow conditions when much of the ground water was transmitted rapidly across the riparian zone in a shallow oxic aquifer wedge with abundant outflow macropores, and low nitrate concentrations during low flow conditions when the oxic wedge was smaller and stream discharge was dominated by upwelling from the deeper denitrified parts of the aquifer. Results from this and similar studies illustrate the importance of near-stream geomorphology and subsurface geology as controls of riparian zone function and delivery of nitrate to streams in agricultural watersheds. ?? ASA, CSSA, SSSA.

Cone penetrometer testing and discrete-depth ground water sampling techniques: A cost-effective method of site characterization in a multiple-aquifer setting

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

Zemo, D.A.; Pierce, Y.G.; Gallinatti, J.D.

Cone penetrometer testing (CPT), combined with discrete-depth ground water sampling methods, can significantly reduce the time and expense required to characterize large sites that have multiple aquifers. Results from the screening site characterization can then be used to design and install a cost-effective monitoring well network. At a site in northern California, it was necessary to characterize the stratigraphy and the distribution of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). To expedite characterization, a five-week field screening program was implemented that consisted of a shallow ground water survey, CPT soundings and pore-pressure measurements, and discrete-depth ground water sampling. Based on continuous lithologic informationmore » provided by the CPT soundings, four predominantly coarse-grained, water yielding stratigraphic packages were identified. Seventy-nine discrete-depth ground water samples were collected using either shallow ground water survey techniques, the BAT Enviroprobe, or the QED HydroPunch I, depending on subsurface conditions. Using results from these efforts, a 20-well monitoring network was designed and installed to monitor critical points within each stratigraphic package. Good correlation was found for hydraulic head and chemical results between discrete-depth screening data and monitoring well data. Understanding the vertical VOC distribution and concentrations produced substantial time and cost savings by minimizing the number of permanent monitoring wells and reducing the number of costly conductor casings that had to be installed. Additionally, significant long-term cost savings will result from reduced sampling costs, because fewer wells comprise the monitoring network. The authors estimate these savings to be 50% for site characterization costs, 65% for site characterization time, and 60% for long-term monitoring costs.« less

The Statistical Signal of Morphological Process in Stratigraphy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esposito, C. R.; Straub, K. M.

2013-12-01

The most widely used classification of river delta morphologies, Galloway's ternary diagram, holds that the surface characteristics of a delta, including the distribution of depositional environments, and shoreline shape, can be predicted by the relative strengths of the fluvial and marine processes that influence the delta. Though almost 40 years old, Galloway's diagram of wave, river, and tide dominated deltas is still widely referred to in textbooks and in literature as a way of describing the relationship between morphological processes and the distribution of depositional environments over a single delta 'event' such as the progradation of one delta lobe. However, there is no complimentary classification scheme that addresses the ways in which deltaic stratigraphy under varying forcing conditions is preserved over sequences of many such events. Such sequences operating over a range of time scales set the architecture of sedimentary basins, so a method of classifying the stratigraphic result is an important goal. In this study, we use Delft3D to examine the autogenic behavior of thick packages of simulated deltaic stratigraphy (>10 channel depths) under the influence of a range of wave, tide, and flood-dominated conditions, as well as a variety of sedimentary inputs. We quantify the strength and type of autogenic behavior by measuring stratigraphic completeness and compensation index. Both metrics have been observed to vary systematically in field scale systems, and in experimental deltas deposited under a range of river dominated conditions. This work will extend that range into deltas with significant wave, tide, and flood influence.

Subsurface multidisciplinary research results at ICTJA-CSIC downhole lab and test site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurado, Maria Jose; Crespo, Jose; Salvany, Josep Maria; Teixidó, Teresa

2017-04-01

Two scientific boreholes, Almera-1 and Almera-2 were drilled in the Barcelona University campus area in 2011. The main purpose for this drilling was to create a new geophysical logging and downhole monitoring research facility and infrastructure. We present results obtained in the frame of multidisciplinary studies and experiments carried out since 2011 at the ICTJA "Borehole Geophysical Logging Lab - Scientific Boreholes Almera" downhole lab facilities. First results obtained from the scientific drilling, coring and logging allowed us to characterize the urban subsurface geology and hydrology adjacent to the Institute of Earth Sciences Jaume Almera (ICTJA-CSIC) in Barcelona. The subsurface geology and structural picture has been completed with recent geophysical studies and monitoring results. The upper section of Almera-1 214m deep hole was cased with PVC after drilling and after the logging operations. An open hole interval was left from 112m to TD (Paleozoic section). Almera-2 drilling reached 46m and was cased also with PVC to 44m. Since completion of the drilling in 2011, both Almera-1 and Almera-2 have been extensively used for research purposes, tests, training, hydrological and geophysical monitoring. A complete set of geophysical logging measurements and borehole oriented images were acquired in open hole mode of the entire Almera-1 section. Open hole measurements included acoustic and optical imaging, spectral natural gamma ray, full wave acoustic logging, magnetic susceptibility, hydrochemical-temperature logs and fluid sampling. Through casing (PVC casing) measurements included spectral gamma ray logging, full wave sonic and acoustic televiewer. A Quaternary to Paleozoic section was characterized based on the geophysical logging and borehole images interpretation and also on the complete set of (wireline) cores of the entire section. Sample availability was intended for geological macro and micro-facies detailed characterization, mineralogical and petrophysical tests and analyses. The interpretation of the geophysical logging data and borehole oriented images, and core data allowed us to define the stratigraphy, structures and petrophysical properties in the subsurface. Quaternary sediments overlie unconformably weathered, deformed and partially metamorphosed Paleozoic rocks. A gap of the Tertiary rocks at the drillsite was detected. Structures at intensely fractured and faulted sections were measured and have yielded valuable data to understand the subsurface geology, hydrology and geological evolution in that area. Logging, borehole imaging and monitoring carried out in the scientific boreholes Almera-1 and Almera-2 has allowed also to identify three preferential groundwater flow paths in the subsurface. Geophysical logging data combined with groundwater monitoring allowed us to identify three zones of high permeability in the subsurface. Logging data combined with core analysis were used to characterize the aquifers lithology and their respective petrophysical properties. We also analyzed the aquifer dynamics and potential relationships between the variations in groundwater levels and the rainfalls by comparing the groundwater monitoring results and the rainfall. A seismic survey was carried out to outline the geological structures beyond Almera-1 borehole, a vertical reverse pseudo-3D (2.5D) seismic tomography experiment. The results allowed us to define the geological structure beyond the borehole wall and also a correlation between the different geological units in the borehole and their geometry and spatial geophysical and seismic image.

Surface and subsurface sensor performance in acoustically detecting western drywood termites in naturally infested boards.

Treesearch

V.R. Lewis; A.B. Power; M.I. Haverty

2004-01-01

Field-collected boards showing visual signs of damage by the western drywood termite, Incisitermes minor, were searched with a portable acoustic emission (AE) device. Depending on cross-sectional size, boards were either searched with a flat sensor that was hot-melt-glued to the wood surface or a subsurface sensor that wasthreaded 20 mm into the...

3D numerical modeling of hyporheic exchange processes in fractal riverbed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, A.; Aubeneau, A.

2017-12-01

The subsurface region receiving stream water is known as the hyporheic zone and the flow of water in and out of this zone is called hyporheic exchange. The hyporheic zone is populated by biofilms and is a hotspot for nutrient uptake and contaminant transformation. Traditionally, pumping models predicting the head distribution over the riverbed boundary are used to obtain the velocity field in the subsurface. However, past research has largely overlooked the nonlinearity of the turbulent flow above the bumpy riverbed. The main objective of this research is to investigate the effect of spatial and temporal heterogeneity created by turbulent flow on hyporheic exchange and residence time distribution in fractal channel beds. The 3-D fractal riverbed is created from the power spectrum. Large-Eddy Simulation is used to provide the pressure field over the benthic boundary. Finally, Darcian fluxes in the sub-surface are calculated and hyporheic travel times computed using random walks. Surface and subsurface transport processes are represented explicitly and can be studied in detail. Our results suggest that (1) Eddies and wakes around the dunes force the exchange (2) The bigger the dunes, the greater the influence of turbulence (3) Turbulence induces more exchange than pumping predicts.

Subsurface Environment Sampler for Improved In Situ Characterization of Subsurface Microbial Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnhart, E. P.; Ruppert, L. F.; Orem, W. H.; McIntosh, J. C.; Cunningham, A. B.; Fields, M. W.; Hiebert, R.; Hyatt, R.

2016-12-01

There is an increasing threat that deep aquifers, an important drinking water resource, may be contaminated by the extraction and transport of fossil fuels. This threat increases the need for improved groundwater monitoring and the ability to predict the extent to which microbial activity may remediate such contamination. The characterization of subsurface microbial communities could provide an ideal biomonitoring tool for the assessment of subsurface contamination due to prokaryotes environmental ubiquity, rapidity of response to environmental perturbation and the important role they play in hydrocarbon degradation and bioremediation. New DNA sequencing technologies provide the opportunity to cost-effectively identify the vast subsurface microbial ecosystem, but use of this new technology is restricted due to issues with sampling. Prior subsurface microbiology studies have relied on core samples that are expensive to obtain hard to collect aseptically and/or ground water samples that do not reflect in situ microbial densities or activities. The development of down-well incubation of sterile sediment with a Diffusive Microbial Sampler (DMS) has emerged as an alternative method to sample subsurface microbial communities that minimizes cost and contamination issues associated with traditional methods. We have designed a Subsurface Environment Sampler with a DMS module that could enable the anaerobic transport of the in situ microbial community from the field for laboratory bioremediation studies. This sampler could provide an inexpensive and standard method for subsurface microbial sampling which would make this tool useful for Federal, State, private and local agencies interested in monitoring contamination or the effectiveness of bioremediation activities in subsurface aquifers.

Environmental Assessment for Selection and Operation of the Proposed Field Research Centers for the Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research (NABIR) Program

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

N /A

2000-04-18

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER), within the Office of Science (SC), proposes to add a Field Research Center (FRC) component to the existing Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research (NABIR) Program. The NABIR Program is a ten-year fundamental research program designed to increase the understanding of fundamental biogeochemical processes that would allow the use of bioremediation approaches for cleaning up DOE's contaminated legacy waste sites. An FRC would be integrated with the existing and future laboratory and field research and would provide a means of examining the fundamental biogeochemical processes that influence bioremediationmore » under controlled small-scale field conditions. The NABIR Program would continue to perform fundamental research that might lead to promising bioremediation technologies that could be demonstrated by other means in the future. For over 50 years, DOE and its predecessor agencies have been responsible for the research, design, and production of nuclear weapons, as well as other energy-related research and development efforts. DOE's weapons production and research activities generated hazardous, mixed, and radioactive waste products. Past disposal practices have led to the contamination of soils, sediments, and groundwater with complex and exotic mixtures of compounds. This contamination and its associated costs and risks represents a major concern to DOE and the public. The high costs, long duration, and technical challenges associated with remediating the subsurface contamination at DOE sites present a significant need for fundamental research in the biological, chemical, and physical sciences that will contribute to new and cost-effective solutions. One possible low-cost approach for remediating the subsurface contamination of DOE sites is through the use of a technology known as bioremediation. Bioremediation has been defined as the use of microorganisms to biodegrade or biotransform hazardous organic contaminants to environmentally safe levels in soils, subsurface materials, water, sludges, and residues.. While bioremediation technology is promising, DOE managers and non-DOE scientists have recognized that the fundamental scientific information needed to develop effective bioremediation technologies for cleanup of the legacy waste sites is lacking in many cases. DOE believes that field-based research is needed to realize the full potential of bioremediation. The Department of Energy faces a unique set of challenges associated with cleaning up waste at its former weapons production and research sites. These sites contain complex mixtures of contaminants in the subsurface, including radioactive compounds. In many cases, the fundamental field-based scientific information needed to develop safe and effective remediation and cleanup technologies is lacking. DOE needs fundamental research on the use of microorganisms and their products to assist DOE in the decontamination and cleanup of its legacy waste sites. The existing NABIR program to-date has focused on fundamental scientific research in the laboratory. Because subsurface hydrologic and geologic conditions at contaminated DOE sites cannot easily be duplicated in a laboratory, however, the DOE needs a field component to permit existing and future laboratory research results to be field-tested on a small scale in a controlled outdoor setting. Such field-testing needs to be conducted under actual legacy waste field conditions representative of those that DOE is most in need of remediating. Ideally, these field conditions should be as representative as practicable of the types of subsurface contamination conditions that resulted from legacy wastes from the nuclear weapons program activities. They should also be representative of the types of hydrologic and geologic conditions that exist across the DOE complex.« less

Induction signals from Callisto's ionosphere and their implications on a possible subsurface ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartkorn, Oliver; Saur, Joachim

2017-11-01

We investigate whether induction within Callisto's electrically conductive ionosphere can explain observed magnetic fields which have previously been interpreted as evidence of induction in a saline, electrically conductive subsurface ocean. Callisto's ionosphere is subject to the flow of time-periodic magnetized plasma of Jupiter's magnetosphere, which induces electric fields and electric currents in Callisto's electrically conductive ionosphere. We develop a simple analytic model for a first quantitative understanding of the effects of induction in Callisto's ionosphere caused by the interaction with a time-variable magnetic field environment. With this model, we also investigate how the associated ionospheric currents close in the ambient magnetospheric plasma. Based on our model, we find that the anisotropic nature of Callisto's ionospheric conductivity generates an enhancement effect on ionospheric loop currents which are driven by the time-variable magnetic field. This effect is similar to the Cowling channel effect known from Earth's ionosphere. Subsequently, we numerically calculate the expected induced magnetic fields due to Jupiter's time-variable magnetic field in an anisotropic conductive ionosphere and compare our results with the Galileo C-3 and C-9 flybys. We find that induction within Callisto's ionosphere is responsible for a significant part of the observed magnetic fields. Ionospheric induction creates induced magnetic fields to some extent similar as expected from a subsurface water ocean. Depending on currently unknown properties such as Callisto's nightside ionosphere, the existence of layers of "dirty ice" and the details of the plasma interaction, a water ocean might be located much deeper than previously thought or might not exist at all.

Identification and characterization of natural pipe systems in forested tropical soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bovi, Renata Cristina; Moreira, Cesar Augusto; Stucchi Boschi, Raquel; Cooper, Miguel

2017-04-01

Erosive processes on soil surface have been well studied and comprehended by several researchers, however little is known about subsurface erosive processes (piping). Piping is a type of subsurface erosion caused by water flowing in the subsurface and is still considered one of the most difficult erosive processes to be studied. Several processes have been considered as resposible for subsurface erosion and their interaction is complex and difficult to be studied separately. Surface investigations on their own may underestimate the erosion processes, due to the possible occurrence of subsurface processes that are not yet exposed on the surface. The network of subsurface processes should also be understood to better control erosion. Conservation practices that focus on water runoff control may be inefficient if the subsurface flow is not considered. In this study, we aimed to identify and characterize subsurface cavities in the field, as well as understand the network of these cavities, by using geophysical methods (electrical tomography). The study area is situated at the Experimental Station of Tupi, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The soil of the area was classified as Hapludults. The area presents several erosive features, ranging from laminar to permanent gullies and subsurface erosions. The geophysical equipment used was the Terrameter LS resistivity meter, manufactured by ABEM Instruments. The method of electrical tomography was efficient to detect collapsed and non-collapsed pipes. The results presented valuable information to detect areas of risk.

Modeling and risk assessment of a 30-Year-old subsurface radioactive-liquid drain field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, Lon A.; Pohl, Phillip I.

1997-11-01

The contamination from a 30-year-old radioactive liquid drain field was assessed for movement in the subsurface and potential risks to humans. This assessment included determining field concentrations of cesium 137 (137Cs) and other inorganic contaminants and modeling of the flow and transport of the liquid waste that was sent to the drain field. The field investigation detected no contamination deeper than 15 feet (4.6 m) from the bottom of the drain field. Prediction of the water content of the vadose zone showed no saturated conditions for times greater than 10 years after the known infiltration. Sensitivity analysis of the modeling parameters showed the equilibrium sorption coefficient to be the most important factor in predicting the contaminant plumes. Calibration of modeling results with field data gave a 137Cs sorption coefficient that is within the range of values found in the literature. The risk assessment for the site showed that the contamination poses no significant risk to human health.

Upper Cretaceous subsurface stratigraphy and structure of coastal Georgia and South Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Valentine, Page C.

1982-01-01

Upper Cretaceous subsurface stratigraphy and structure of coastal Georgia and South Carolina is based on the study of 24 wells along two transects, one extending across the seaward-dipping sedimentary basin termed the 'Southeast Georgia Embayment' northeastward to the crest of the Cape Fear Arch, and the other alined east-west, parallel to the basin axis and including the COST GE-l well on the Outer Continental Shelf. A new biostratigraphic analysis, using calcareous nannofossils, of the Fripp Island, S.C., well and reinterpretations of the Clubhouse Crossroads corehole 1, South Carolina, and other wells in South Carolina, Georgia, and northernmost Florida have made possible the comparison and reevaluation of stratigraphic interpretations of the region made by G. S. Gohn and others in 1978 and 1980 and by P. M. Brown and others in 1979. The present study indicates that within the Upper Cretaceous section the stratigraphic units formerly assigned a Cenomanian (Eaglefordian and Woodbinian) age are Coniacian (Austinian) and Turonian (Eaglefordian) in age. A previously described hiatus encompassing Coniacian and Turonian time is not present. More likely, a hiatus is probably present in the upper Turonian, and major gaps in the record are present within the Cenomanian and between the Upper Cretaceous and the pre-Cretaceous basement. After an erosional episode in Cenomanian time that affected the section beneath eastern Georgia and South Carolina, Upper Cretaceous marine clastic and carbonate rocks were deposited on a regionally subsiding margin that extended to the present Blake Escarpment. In contrast, during Cenozoic time, especially in the Eocene, subsidence and sedimentation rates were uneven across the margin. A thick progradational sequence of carbonate rocks accumulated in the Southeast Georgia Embayment and also built the present Continental Shelf, whereas farther offshore a much thinner layer of sediments was deposited on the Blake Plateau. There is no general agreement on the exact placement of the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary in Europe or the United States Western Interior, and the widespread Sciponoceras gracile ammonite zone represents an interval of equivocal age between accepted Cenomanian and Turonian strata. The extinction of the foraminifer genus Rotalipora took place within the Sciporwceras gracile zone; it is used here to identify the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary. Pollen zone IV (Complexiopollis-Atlantopollis assemblage zone) is an important and widespread biostratigraphic unit characterized by a distinctive spore and pollen flora. It is consistently associated with lower Turonian calcareous nannofossils on the Atlantic continental margin; these nannofossil assemblages are also present in pollen zone IV, in strata that encompass the Sciponoceras gracile zone and the lower part of the Mytiloides labiatus zone in the Gulf Coastal Plain at Dallas, Tex.

A seismic search for the paleoshorelines of Lake Otero beneath White Sands Dune Field, New Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, P. F.; Reece, R.; Ewing, R. C.

2014-12-01

The Tularosa Basin, which now houses White Sands Dune Field, was once occupied by Pleistocene Lake Otero. Several paleoshorelines of Lake Otero have been identified throughout the basin by field surveys and remote sensing using digital elevation models. Up to four shorelines may be buried beneath White Sands Dune Field and it has been posited that the current upwind margin of White Sands coincides with a one of these shorelines. Here we employ a novel geophysical instrument and method to image the subsurface: the seismic land streamer. The land streamer utilizes weighted base plates and one-component vertical geophones in a towed array. With a seisgun acoustic source, we imaged in the Alkali Flats area near the upwind margin, one potential location of paleoshorelines, as well as the Film Lot closer to the center of the dune field. Surfaces in both locations are indurated gypsum playa, which made seismic imaging possible and successful. We collected one SW-NE trending seismic line at each location, which matches the dominant wind and dune migration directions. Based on initial data analysis we find some subsurface structure that may coincide with the paleo lake bed of Lake Otero. The successful demonstration of this new method provides the foundation for an expanded regional subsurface study to image the strata and structure of the Tularosa Basin.

Preoperational Subsurface Conditions at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center Service Waste Disposal Facility

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

Ansley, Shannon Leigh

2002-02-01

The Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) Service Wastewater Discharge Facility replaces the existing percolation ponds as a disposal facility for the INTEC Service Waste Stream. A preferred alternative for helping decrease water content in the subsurface near INTEC, closure of the existing ponds is required by the INTEC Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Record of Decision (ROD) for Waste Area Group 3 Operable Unit 3-13 (DOE-ID 1999a). By August 2002, the replacement facility was constructed approximately 2 miles southwest of INTEC, near the Big Lost River channel. Because groundwater beneath the Idaho National Engineering andmore » Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) is protected under Federal and State of Idaho regulations from degradation due to INEEL activities, preoperational data required by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.1 were collected. These data include preexisting physical, chemical, and biological conditions that could be affected by the discharge; background levels of radioactive and chemical components; pertinent environmental and ecological parameters; and potential pathways for human exposure or environmental impact. This document presents specific data collected in support of DOE Order 5400.1, including: four quarters of groundwater sampling and analysis of chemical and radiological parameters; general facility description; site specific geology, stratigraphy, soils, and hydrology; perched water discussions; and general regulatory requirements. However, in order to avoid duplication of previous information, the reader is directed to other referenced publications for more detailed information. Documents that are not readily available are compiled in this publication as appendices. These documents include well and borehole completion reports, a perched water evaluation letter report, the draft INEEL Wellhead Protection Program Plan, and the Environmental Checklist.« less

The Subsurface Ice Probe (SIPR): A Low-Power Thermal Probe for the Martian Polar Layered Deposits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cardell, G.; Hecht, M. H.; Carsey, F. D.; Engelhardt, H.; Fisher, D.; Terrell, C.; Thompson, J.

2004-01-01

The distinctive layering visible in images from Mars Global Surveyor of the Martian polar caps, and particularly in the north polar cap, indicates that the stratigraphy of these polar layered deposits may hold a record of Martian climate history covering millions of years. On Earth, ice sheets are cored to retrieve a pristine record of the physical and chemical properties of the ice at depth, and then studied in exacting detail in the laboratory. On the Martian north polar cap, coring is probably not a practical method for implementation in an autonomous lander. As an alternative, thermal probes that drill by melting into the ice are feasible for autonomous operation, and are capable of reasonable approximations to the scientific investigations performed on terrestrial cores, while removing meltwater to the surface for analysis. The Subsurface Ice Probe (SIPR) is such a probe under development at JPL. To explore the dominant climate cycles, it is postulated that tens of meters of depth should be profiled, as this corresponds to the vertical separation of the major layers visible in the MOC images [1]. Optical and spectroscopic analysis of the layers, presumably demarcated by embedded dust and possibly by changes in the ice properties, would contribute to the construction of a chronology. Meltwater analysis may be used to determine the soluble chemistry of the embedded dust, and to monitor gradients of atmospheric gases, particularly hydrogen and oxygen, and isotopic variations that reflect atmospheric conditions at the time the layer was deposited. Thermal measurements can be used to determine the geothermal gradient and the bulk mechanical properties of the ice.

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

Sentis, Manuel Lorenzo; Gable, Carl W.

Furthermore, there are many applications in science and engineering modeling where an accurate representation of a complex model geometry in the form of a mesh is important. In applications of flow and transport in subsurface porous media, this is manifest in models that must capture complex geologic stratigraphy, structure (faults, folds, erosion, deposition) and infrastructure (tunnels, boreholes, excavations). Model setup, defined as the activities of geometry definition, mesh generation (creation, optimization, modification, refine, de-refine, smooth), assigning material properties, initial conditions and boundary conditions requires specialized software tools to automate and streamline the process. In addition, some model setup tools willmore » provide more utility if they are designed to interface with and meet the needs of a particular flow and transport software suite. A control volume discretization that uses a two point flux approximation is for example most accurate when the underlying control volumes are 2D or 3D Voronoi tessellations. In this paper we will present the coupling of LaGriT, a mesh generation and model setup software suite and TOUGH2 to model subsurface flow problems and we show an example of how LaGriT can be used as a model setup tool for the generation of a Voronoi mesh for the simulation program TOUGH2. To generate the MESH file for TOUGH2 from the LaGriT output a standalone module Lagrit2Tough2 was developed, which is presented here and will be included in a future release of LaGriT. Here in this paper an alternative method to generate a Voronoi mesh for TOUGH2 with LaGriT is presented and thanks to the modular and command based structure of LaGriT this method is well suited to generating a mesh for complex models.« less

Chemical constituents in the Peedee and Castle Hayne aquifers: Porters Neck area, New Hanover County, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roberts, T.L.; Harris, W.B.

2004-01-01

Concerns about overuse and potential contamination of major aquifers in the southeastern part of North Carolina resulted in the initiation of a subsurface water quality study in February 2001. The focus of this study was to examine variations in nutrients (NO3-, TRP, SO42- Cl-, NH4+) and total dissolved Fe in the Cretaceous Peedee and Tertiary Castle Hayne Limestone aquifers of northeastern New Hanover County. Water samples were collected monthly for one year from sixteen wells located in the Porters Neck area (west of the Intracoastal Waterway and south of Futch Creek) and four springs located on the south side of Futch Creek. Variations in selective nutrient concentrations were measured between and within each aquifer. Concentrations of NH4+ and Fe increased in the Peedee sandstone aquifer during the warmer summer and early fall months. In late summer to early fall, Fe, NO 3-, NH4+, and TRP concentrations in the Castle Hayne Limestone aquifer were significantly higher than in the spring and winter months. Chloride and SO 42- concentrations for the Castle Hayne Limestone aquifer both increased during the warmer months, probably as a result of saltwater intrusion. Factors considered for nutrient and Fe variance include: temperature variation, anaerobic conditions, subsurface stratigraphy/structure, recharge locations, site location and surface fertilization. The shallower Castle Hayne Limestone aquifer showed seasonal variability in the study area, whereas the Peedee sandstone aquifer showed little to no seasonal variability. Increases in NO3- and TRP lagged slightly behind periods of high fertilization and were more prevalent down-dip of a major golf course. Nutrient content and seasonal variation of Futch Creek springs indicated that they originate from the Castle Hayne Limestone aquifer.

Subsurface structure of the East Bay Plain ground-water basin: San Francisco Bay to the Hayward fault, Alameda County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Catchings, R.D.; Borchers, J.W.; Goldman, M.R.; Gandhok, G.; Ponce, D.A.; Steedman, C.E.

2006-01-01

The area of California between the San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, Santa Clara Valley, and the Diablo Ranges (East Bay Hills), commonly referred to as the 'East Bay', contains the East Bay Plain and Niles Cone ground-water basins. The area has a population of 1.46 million (2003 US Census), largely distributed among several cities, including Alameda, Berkeley, Fremont, Hayward, Newark, Oakland, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, and Union City. Major known tectonic structures in the East Bay area include the Hayward Fault and the Diablo Range to the east and a relatively deep sedimentary basin known as the San Leandro Basin beneath the eastern part of the bay. Known active faults, such as the Hayward, Calaveras, and San Andreas pose significant earthquake hazards to the region, and these and related faults also affect ground-water flow in the San Francisco Bay area. Because most of the valley comprising the San Francisco Bay area is covered by Holocene alluvium or water at the surface, our knowledge of the existence and locations of such faults, their potential hazards, and their effects on ground-water flow within the alluvial basins is incomplete. To better understand the subsurface stratigraphy and structures and their effects on ground-water and earthquake hazards, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), acquired a series of high-resolution seismic reflection and refraction profiles across the East Bay Plain near San Leandro in June 2002. In this report, we present results of the seismic imaging investigations, with emphasis on ground water.

Stratigraphy and structural evolution of southern Mare Serenitatis: A reinterpretation based on Apollo Lunar Sounder Experiment data

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

Sharpton, V.L.; Head, J.W. III

1982-12-10

The Apollo Lunar Sounder Experiment (ALSE) detected two subsurface reflecting horizons in southern Mare Serenitatis. These horizons appear to be regolith layers, >2 m thick, which correlate with major stratigraphic boundaries in southeastern Mare Serenitatis. Our analysis differs from previous interpretations and implies that the lower horizon represents the interface between the earliest mare unit (unit I; approx.3.8 b.y.) and the modified Serenitatis basin material below. The upper horizon represents the regolith developed by sustained impact bombardment of the unit I surface prior to the emplacement of the intermediate basalts (unit II; approx.3.5 b.y.). The latest volcanic episode (unit III;more » approx.3.2 b.y.) resulted in a very thin infilling (<400 m deep) in the southern portion of the basin and was undetected by ALSE. Profiles of the stratigraphic surfaces represented by the ALSE reflecting horizons are reconstructed for three stages in the basin filling history. These reconstructions permit the timing and magnitude of various volcanic and tectonic events within the Serenitatis basin to be assessed. On the basis of comparison with Orientale ring topography, the large subsurface arch is interpreted to be the peak-ring-related topography of the Serenitatis basin. The thickness of mare basalts across the ALSE ground track is highly variable: basalts are <400 m thick above the peak ring, while they reach a maximum thickness of approx.2.5 km in the depression between the first and second basin rings. Comparison with Orientale topography suggests that a major increase in basalt thickness of approx.6 km may occur approx.50 km inside the peak ring.« less

Setting constraints on the nature and origin of the two major hydrous sulfates on Mars: Monohydrated and polyhydrated sulfates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Alian; Jolliff, Bradley L.; Liu, Yang; Connor, Kathryn

2016-04-01

Monohydrated Mg sulfate (MgSO4·H2O) and polyhydrated sulfate are the most common and abundant hydrous sulfates observed thus far on Mars. They are widely distributed and coexist in many locations. On the basis of results from two new sets of experiments, in combination with past experimental studies and the subsurface salt mineralogy observed at a saline playa (Dalangtan, DLT) in a terrestrial analogue hyperarid region on the Tibet Plateau, we can now set new constraints on the nature and origin of these two major Martian sulfates. Starkeyite (MgSO4·4H2O) is the best candidate for polyhydrated sulfate. MgSO4·H2O in the form of "LH-1w," generated from dehydration of Mg sulfates with high degrees of hydration, is the most likely mineral form for the majority of Martian monohydrated Mg sulfate. Two critical properties of Mg sulfates are responsible for the coexistence of these two phases that have very different degrees of hydration: (1) the metastability of a substructural unit in starkeyite at relatively low temperatures, and (2) catalytic effects attributed to coprecipitated species (sulfates, chlorides, oxides, and hydroxides) from chemically complex brines that help overcome the metastability of starkeyite. The combination of these two properties controls the coexistence of the LH-1w layer and starkeyite layers at many locations on Mars, which sometimes occur in an interbedded stratigraphy. The structural H2O held by these two broadly distributed sulfates represents a large H2O reservoir at the surface and in the shallow subsurface on current Mars.

Flow regulation manipulates contemporary seasonal sedimentary dynamics in the reservoir fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China.

PubMed

Tang, Qiang; Bao, Yuhai; He, Xiubin; Fu, Bojie; Collins, Adrian L; Zhang, Xinbao

2016-04-01

Since the launch of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River, a distinctive reservoir fluctuation zone has been created and significantly modified by regular dam operations. Sediment redistribution within this artificial landscape differs substantially from that in natural fluvial riparian zones, due to a specific hydrological regime comprising steps of water impoundment with increasing magnitudes and seasonal water level fluctuation holding a range of sediment fluxes. This study reinterpreted post-dam sedimentary dynamics in the reservoir fluctuation zone by stratigraphy determination of a 345-cm long sediment core, and related it to impact of the hydrological regime. Seasonality in absolute grain-size composition of suspended sediment was applied as a methodological basis for stratigraphic differentiation. Sedimentary laminations with relatively higher proportions of sandy fractions were ascribed to sedimentation during the dry season when proximal subsurface bank erosion dominates source contributions, while stratigraphy with a lower proportion of sandy fractions is possibly contributed by sedimentation during the wet season when distal upstream surface erosion prevails. Chronology determination revealed non-linear and high annual sedimentation rates ranging from 21.7 to 152.1cm/yr. Although channel geomorphology may primarily determine the spatial extent of sedimentation, seasonal sedimentary dynamics was predominantly governed by the frequency, magnitude, and duration of flooding. Summer inundation by natural floods with enhanced sediment loads produced from upstream basins induced higher sedimentation rates than water impoundment during the dry season when distal sediment supply was limited. We thus conclude that flow regulation manipulates contemporary seasonal sedimentary dynamics in the reservoir fluctuation zone, though little impact on total sediment retention rate was detected. Ongoing reductions in flow and sediment supply under human disturbance may have profound implications in affecting sedimentary equilibrium in the reservoir fluctuation zone. The results herein provide insights of how big dams have disrupted the sediment conveyance processes of large scale fluvial systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Subsurface Stress Fields in FCC Single Crystal Anisotropic Contacts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arakere, Nagaraj K.; Knudsen, Erik; Swanson, Gregory R.; Duke, Gregory; Ham-Battista, Gilda

2004-01-01

Single crystal superalloy turbine blades used in high pressure turbomachinery are subject to conditions of high temperature, triaxial steady and alternating stresses, fretting stresses in the blade attachment and damper contact locations, and exposure to high-pressure hydrogen. The blades are also subjected to extreme variations in temperature during start-up and shutdown transients. The most prevalent high cycle fatigue (HCF) failure modes observed in these blades during operation include crystallographic crack initiation/propagation on octahedral planes, and non-crystallographic initiation with crystallographic growth. Numerous cases of crack initiation and crack propagation at the blade leading edge tip, blade attachment regions, and damper contact locations have been documented. Understanding crack initiation/propagation under mixed-mode loading conditions is critical for establishing a systematic procedure for evaluating HCF life of single crystal turbine blades. This paper presents analytical and numerical techniques for evaluating two and three dimensional subsurface stress fields in anisotropic contacts. The subsurface stress results are required for evaluating contact fatigue life at damper contacts and dovetail attachment regions in single crystal nickel-base superalloy turbine blades. An analytical procedure is presented for evaluating the subsurface stresses in the elastic half-space, based on the adaptation of a stress function method outlined by Lekhnitskii. Numerical results are presented for cylindrical and spherical anisotropic contacts, using finite element analysis (FEA). Effects of crystal orientation on stress response and fatigue life are examined. Obtaining accurate subsurface stress results for anisotropic single crystal contact problems require extremely refined three-dimensional (3-D) finite element grids, especially in the edge of contact region. Obtaining resolved shear stresses (RSS) on the principal slip planes also involves considerable post-processing work. For these reasons it is very advantageous to develop analytical solution schemes for subsurface stresses, whenever possible.

Long-Term Hydrologic Impacts of Controlled Drainage Using DRAINMOD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saadat, S.; Bowling, L. C.; Frankenberger, J.

2017-12-01

Controlled drainage is a management strategy designed to mitigate water quality issues caused by subsurface drainage but it may increase surface ponding and runoff. To improve controlled drainage system management, a long-term and broader study is needed that goes beyond the experimental studies. Therefore, the goal of this study was to parametrize the DRAINMOD field-scale, hydrologic model for the Davis Purdue Agricultural Center located in Eastern Indiana and to predict the subsurface drain flow and surface runoff and ponding at this research site. The Green-Ampt equation was used to characterize the infiltration, and digital elevation models (DEMs) were used to estimate the maximum depressional storage as the surface ponding parameter inputs to DRAINMOD. Hydraulic conductivity was estimated using the Hooghoudt equation and the measured drain flow and water table depths. Other model inputs were either estimated or taken from the measurements. The DRAINMOD model was calibrated and validated by comparing model predictions of subsurface drainage and water table depths with field observations from 2012 to 2016. Simulations based on the DRAINMOD model can increase understanding of the environmental and hydrological effects over a broader temporal and spatial scale than is possible using field-scale data and this is useful for developing management recommendations for water resources at field and watershed scales.

Interpreting Radar View near Mars' North Pole, Orbit 1512

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

A radargram from the Shallow Subsurface Radar instrument (SHARAD) on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is shown in the upper-right panel and reveals detailed structure in the polar layered deposits of the north pole of Mars (with blowups shown in the upper-left panels). The sounding radar collected the data presented here during orbit 1512 of the mission, on Nov. 22, 2006.

The horizontal scale in the radargram is distance along the ground track. It can be referenced to the ground track map shown in the lower right. The radar traversed from about 83.5 degrees to 80.5 degrees north latitude, or about 180 kilometers (110 miles). The ground track map shows elevation measured by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor orbiter. Green indicates low elevation; reddish-white indicates higher elevation. The traverse is from the high elevation of the plateau formed by the layers to the lowlands below.

The vertical scale on the radargram is time delay of the radar signals reflected back to Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter from the surface and subsurface. For reference, using an assumed velocity of the radar waves in the subsurface, time is converted to depth below the surface in two places: about 600 meters (2,000 feet) to the lowest of an upper series of bright reflectors and about 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) to the base of the polar layered deposits. The color scale of the radargram varies from black for weak reflections to bright yellow for strong reflections.

The lower-left panel is a image from the Mars Orbiter Camera on Mars Global Surveyor showing exposed polar layering in the walls of a canyon near the north pole. The layering is divided into a finely structured upper unit (labeled 'Upper PLD') and less-well-defined stratigraphy in the lower unit (labeled 'Lower PLD'). The radargram clearly reveals the complexity of the layering in the upper unit, additional reflections from the lower unit, and the base of the entire stack of layered deposits. The layering manifests the recent climate history of Mars, recorded by the deposition and removal of ice and dust.

The Shallow Subsurface Radar was provided by the Italian Space Agency (ASI). Its operations are led by the University of Rome and its data are analyzed by a joint U.S.-Italian science team. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington.

Stratigraphy and Evolution of Delta Channel Deposits, Jezero Crater, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goudge, T. A.; Mohrig, D.; Cardenas, B. T.; Hughes, C. M.; Fassett, C. I.

2017-01-01

The Jezero impact crater hosted an open-basin lake that was active during the valley network forming era on early Mars. This basin contains a well exposed delta deposit at the mouth of the western inlet valley. The fluvial stratigraphy of this deposit provides a record of the channels that built the delta over time. Here we describe observations of the stratigraphy of the channel deposits of the Jezero western delta to help reconstruct its evolution.

Target-oriented retrieval of subsurface wave fields - Pushing the resolution limits in seismic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasconcelos, Ivan; Ozmen, Neslihan; van der Neut, Joost; Cui, Tianci

2017-04-01

Travelling wide-bandwidth seismic waves have long been used as a primary tool in exploration seismology because they can probe the subsurface over large distances, while retaining relatively high spatial resolution. The well-known Born resolution limit often seems to be the lower bound on spatial imaging resolution in real life examples. In practice, data acquisition cost, time constraints and other factors can worsen the resolution achieved by wavefield imaging. Could we obtain images whose resolution beats the Born limits? Would it be practical to achieve it, and what are we missing today to achieve this? In this talk, we will cover aspects of linear and nonlinear seismic imaging to understand elements that play a role in obtaining "super-resolved" seismic images. New redatuming techniques, such as the Marchenko method, enable the retrieval of subsurface fields that include multiple scattering interactions, while requiring relatively little knowledge of model parameters. Together with new concepts in imaging, such as Target-Enclosing Extended Images, these new redatuming methods enable new targeted imaging frameworks. We will make a case as to why target-oriented approaches to reconstructing subsurface-domain wavefields from surface data may help in increasing the resolving power of seismic imaging, and in pushing the limits on parameter estimation. We will illustrate this using a field data example. Finally, we will draw connections between seismic and other imaging modalities, and discuss how this framework could be put to use in other applications

Discriminative Random Field Models for Subsurface Contamination Uncertainty Quantification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arshadi, M.; Abriola, L. M.; Miller, E. L.; De Paolis Kaluza, C.

2017-12-01

Application of flow and transport simulators for prediction of the release, entrapment, and persistence of dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) and associated contaminant plumes is a computationally intensive process that requires specification of a large number of material properties and hydrologic/chemical parameters. Given its computational burden, this direct simulation approach is particularly ill-suited for quantifying both the expected performance and uncertainty associated with candidate remediation strategies under real field conditions. Prediction uncertainties primarily arise from limited information about contaminant mass distributions, as well as the spatial distribution of subsurface hydrologic properties. Application of direct simulation to quantify uncertainty would, thus, typically require simulating multiphase flow and transport for a large number of permeability and release scenarios to collect statistics associated with remedial effectiveness, a computationally prohibitive process. The primary objective of this work is to develop and demonstrate a methodology that employs measured field data to produce equi-probable stochastic representations of a subsurface source zone that capture the spatial distribution and uncertainty associated with key features that control remediation performance (i.e., permeability and contamination mass). Here we employ probabilistic models known as discriminative random fields (DRFs) to synthesize stochastic realizations of initial mass distributions consistent with known, and typically limited, site characterization data. Using a limited number of full scale simulations as training data, a statistical model is developed for predicting the distribution of contaminant mass (e.g., DNAPL saturation and aqueous concentration) across a heterogeneous domain. Monte-Carlo sampling methods are then employed, in conjunction with the trained statistical model, to generate realizations conditioned on measured borehole data. Performance of the statistical model is illustrated through comparisons of generated realizations with the `true' numerical simulations. Finally, we demonstrate how these realizations can be used to determine statistically optimal locations for further interrogation of the subsurface.

Sampling surface and subsurface particle-size distributions in wadable gravel-and cobble-bed streams for analyses in sediment transport, hydraulics, and streambed monitoring

Treesearch

Kristin Bunte; Steven R. Abt

2001-01-01

This document provides guidance for sampling surface and subsurface sediment from wadable gravel-and cobble-bed streams. After a short introduction to streams types and classifications in gravel-bed rivers, the document explains the field and laboratory measurement of particle sizes and the statistical analysis of particle-size distributions. Analysis of particle...

Subsurface Thermal Energy Storage for Improved Heating and Air Conditioning Efficiency

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-21

This project involved a field demonstration of subsurface thermal energy storage for improving the geothermal heat pump air conditioning efficiency... geothermal heat pump systems, undesirable heating of the ground may occur. This demonstration was performed at the MCAS, Beaufort, SC, where several...buildings with geothermal heat pump systems were exhibiting excessively high ground loop temperatures. These buildings were retrofitted with dry fluid

Long-term electrical resistivity monitoring of recharge-induced contaminant plume behavior.

PubMed

Gasperikova, Erika; Hubbard, Susan S; Watson, David B; Baker, Gregory S; Peterson, John E; Kowalsky, Michael B; Smith, Meagan; Brooks, Scott

2012-11-01

Geophysical measurements, and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) data in particular, are sensitive to properties that are related (directly or indirectly) to hydrological processes. The challenge is in extracting information from geophysical data at a relevant scale that can be used to gain insight about subsurface behavior and to parameterize or validate flow and transport models. Here, we consider the use of ERT data for examining the impact of recharge on subsurface contamination at the S-3 ponds of the Oak Ridge Integrated Field Research Challenge (IFRC) site in Tennessee. A large dataset of time-lapse cross-well and surface ERT data, collected at the site over a period of 12 months, is used to study time variations in resistivity due to changes in total dissolved solids (primarily nitrate). The electrical resistivity distributions recovered from cross-well and surface ERT data agrees well, and both of these datasets can be used to interpret spatiotemporal variations in subsurface nitrate concentrations due to rainfall, although the sensitivity of the electrical resistivity response to dilution varies with nitrate concentration. Using the time-lapse surface ERT data interpreted in terms of nitrate concentrations, we find that the subsurface nitrate concentration at this site varies as a function of spatial position, episodic heavy rainstorms (versus seasonal and annual fluctuations), and antecedent rainfall history. These results suggest that the surface ERT monitoring approach is potentially useful for examining subsurface plume responses to recharge over field-relevant scales. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Subsurface Hydrologic Processes Revealed by Time-lapse GPR in Two Contrasting Soils in the Shale Hills CZO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, L.; Lin, H.; Nyquist, J.; Toran, L.; Mount, G.

2017-12-01

Linking subsurface structures to their functions in determining hydrologic processes, such as soil moisture dynamics, subsurface flow patterns, and discharge behaviours, is a key to understanding and modelling hydrological systems. Geophysical techniques provide a non-invasive approach to investigate this form-function dualism of subsurface hydrology at the field scale, because they are effective in visualizing subsurface structure and monitoring the distribution of water. In this study, we used time-lapse ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to compare the hydrologic responses of two contrasting soils in the Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory. By integrating time-lapse GPR with artificial water injection, we observed distinct flow patterns in the two soils: 1) in the deep Rushtown soil (over 1.5 m depth to bedrock) located in a concave hillslope, a lateral preferential flow network extending as far as 2 m downslope was identified above a less permeable layer and via a series of connected macropores; whereas 2) in the shallow Weikert soil ( 0.3 m depth to saprock) located in a planar hillslope, vertical infiltration into the permeable fractured shale dominated the flow field, while the development of lateral preferential flow along the hillslope was restrained. At the Weikert soil site, the addition of brilliant blue dye to the water injection followed by in situ excavation supported GPR interpretation that only limited lateral preferential flow formed along the soil-saprock interface. Moreover, seasonally repeated GPR surveys indicated different patterns of profile moisture distribution in the two soils that in comparison with the dry season, a dense layer within the BC horizon in the deep Rushtown soil prevented vertical infiltration in the wet season, leading to the accumulation of soil moisture above this layer; whereas, in the shallow Weikert soil, water infiltrated into saprock in wet seasons, building up water storage within the fractured bedrock (i.e., the rock moisture). Results of this study demonstrated the strong interplay between soil structures and subsurface hydrologic behaviors, and time-lapse GPR is an effective method to establish such a relationship under the field conditions.

Forward modeling to investigate inversion artifacts resulting from time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography during rainfall simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carey, Austin M.; Paige, Ginger B.; Carr, Bradley J.; Dogan, Mine

2017-10-01

Time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is commonly used as a minimally invasive tool to study infiltration processes. In 2014, we conducted field studies coupling variable intensity rainfall simulation with high-resolution ERT to study the real-time partitioning of rainfall into surface and subsurface response. The significant contrast in resistivity in the subsurface from large changes in subsurface moisture resulted in artifacts during the inversion process of the time-lapse ERT data collected using a dipole-dipole electrode array. These artifacts, which are not representative of real subsurface moisture dynamics, have been shown to arise during time-lapse inversion of ERT data and may be subject to misinterpretation. Forward modeling of the infiltration process post field experiments using a two-layer system (saprolite overlain by a soil layer) was used to generate synthetic datasets. The synthetic data were used to investigate the influence of both changes in volumetric moisture content and electrode configuration on the development of the artifacts identified in the field datasets. For the dipole-dipole array, we found that a decrease in the resistivity of the bottom layer by 67% resulted in a 50% reduction in artifact development. Artifacts for the seven additional array configurations tested, ranged from a 19% increase in artifact development (using an extended dipole-dipole array) to as much as a 96% decrease in artifact development (using a wenner-alpha array), compared to that of the dipole-dipole array. Moreover, these arrays varied in their ability to accurately delineate the infiltration front. Model results showed that the modified pole-dipole array was able to accurately image the infiltration zone and presented fewer artifacts for our experiments. In this study, we identify an optimal array type for imaging rainfall-infiltration dynamics that reduces artifacts. The influence of moisture contrast between the infiltrating water and the bulk subsurface material was characterized and shown to be a major factor in contributing to artifact development. Through forward modeling, this study highlights the importance of considering array type and subsurface moisture conditions when using time-lapse resistivity to obtain reliable estimates of vadose zone flow processes during rainfall-infiltration events.

[Usefulness of stratigraphy and computerized tomography in the initial staging of osteosarcoma of the extremities. Retrospective study of 217 cases].

PubMed

Pelotti, P; Ciminari, R; Bacci, G; Avella, M; Briccoli, A

1988-01-01

The value of stratigraphy and pulmonary CT in the initial work-up of osteosarcoma of the extremities is assessed with reference to 217 patients encountered in the Bone Tumour Centre of Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute in May 1983-May 1986. Stratigraphy revealed lung metastases not identified by standard radiography in 4 patients (1.8%), while CT revealed metastases not identified by either standard X-rays or stratigraphy in a further 6 cases (2.7%). It is concluded that the increase in the percentage of cures (about 30%) reported in the last 10 years in osteosarcoma cases given adjuvant chemotherapy cannot be explained by any difference in initial selection due to the use of these techniques that were not adopted in the historical series.

Subsurface Hydrology: Data Integration for Properties and Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyndman, David W.; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Singha, Kamini

Groundwater is a critical resource and the PrinciPal source of drinking water for over 1.5 billion people. In 2001, the National Research Council cited as a "grand challenge" our need to understand the processes that control water movement in the subsurface. This volume faces that challenge in terms of data integration between complex, multi-scale hydrologie processes, and their links to other physical, chemical, and biological processes at multiple scales. Subsurface Hydrology: Data Integration for Properties and Processes presents the current state of the science in four aspects: • Approaches to hydrologie data integration • Data integration for characterization of hydrologie properties • Data integration for understanding hydrologie processes • Meta-analysis of current interpretations Scientists and researchers in the field, the laboratory, and the classroom will find this work an important resource in advancing our understanding of subsurface water movement.

The stratigraphy of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanaka, Kenneth L.

1986-01-01

A global stratigraphy of Mars was developed from a global geologic map series derived from Viking images; the stratigraphy is composed of three maps. A new chronostratigraphic classification system which consists of lower, middle, and upper Noachian, Hesperian, and Amazonian systems is described. The crater-density boundaries of the chronostratigraphic units and the absolute ages of the Martian epochs aer estimated. The relative ages of major geologic units and featues are calculated and analyzed. The geologic history of Mars is summarized on the maps in terms of epochs.

The Correlation between Radon Emission Concentration and Subsurface Geological Condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-03-01

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

Stratigraphy -- The Fall of Continuity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byers, Charles W.

1982-01-01

Reviews advances in stratigraphy as illustrated in the current geological literature, discussing discontinuity and how the recognition of discontinuity in the stratigraphic record is changing views of Superposition and Original Lateral Continuity. (Author/JN)

Impacts of Land-applied Wastes from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations on Aquatic Organisms

EPA Science Inventory

Midwest agricultural fields typically have subsurface tile-drain networks that facilitate transport of excess water from fields to a ditch network system, which can contain sediments, nutrients and pesticides as well as hormones from fields fertilized with manure and associated l...

Heat pulse probe measurements of soil water evaporation in a corn field

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Latent heat fluxes from cropped fields consist of soil water evaporation and plant transpiration. It is difficult to accurately separate evapotranspiration into evaporation and transpiration. Heat pulse probes have been used to measure bare field subsurface soil water evaporation, however, the appl...

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-12-01

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

Remote sensing capacity of Raman spectroscopy in identification of mineral and organic constituents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Bin; Stoker, Carol; Cabrol, Nathalie; McKay, Christopher P.

2007-09-01

We present design, integration and test results for a field Raman spectrometer science payload, integrated into the Mars Analog Research and Technology (MARTE) drilling platform. During the drilling operation, the subsurface Raman spectroscopy inspection system has obtained signatures of organic and mineral compositions. We also performed ground truth studies using both this field unit and a laboratory micro Raman spectrometer equipped with multiple laser excitation wavelengths on series of field samples including Mojave rocks, Laguna Verde salty sediment and Rio Tinto topsoil. We have evaluated laser excitation conditions and optical probe designs for further improvement. We have demonstrated promising potential for Raman spectroscopy as a non-destructive in situ, high throughput, subsurface detection technique, as well as a desirable active remote sensing tool for future planetary and space missions.

Publications - GMC 305 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Science.gov Websites

DGGS GMC 305 Publication Details Title: Fluid inclusion stratigraphy (FIS) data for the following Reference Middleton, 2002, Fluid inclusion stratigraphy (FIS) data for the following exploratory oil/gas

Ranging methods for developing wellbores in subsurface formations

DOEpatents

MacDonald, Duncan [Houston, TX

2011-09-06

A method for forming two or more wellbores in a subsurface formation includes forming a first wellbore in the formation. A second wellbore is directionally drilled in a selected relationship relative to the first wellbore. At least one magnetic field is provided in the second wellbore using one or more magnets in the second wellbore located on a drilling string used to drill the second wellbore. At least one magnetic field is sensed in the first wellbore using at least two sensors in the first wellbore as the magnetic field passes by the at least two sensors while the second wellbore is being drilled. A position of the second wellbore is continuously assessed relative to the first wellbore using the sensed magnetic field. The direction of drilling of the second wellbore is adjusted so that the second wellbore remains in the selected relationship relative to the first wellbore.

Method of Mapping Anomalies in Homogenous Material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Bryant D. (Inventor); Woodard, Stanley E. (Inventor)

2016-01-01

An electrical conductor and antenna are positioned in a fixed relationship to one another. Relative lateral movement is generated between the electrical conductor and a homogenous material while maintaining the electrical conductor at a fixed distance from the homogenous material. The antenna supplies a time-varying magnetic field that causes the electrical conductor to resonate and generate harmonic electric and magnetic field responses. Disruptions in at least one of the electric and magnetic field responses during this lateral movement are indicative of a lateral location of a subsurface anomaly. Next, relative out-of-plane movement is generated between the electrical conductor and the homogenous material in the vicinity of the anomaly's lateral location. Disruptions in at least one of the electric and magnetic field responses during this out-of-plane movement are indicative of a depth location of the subsurface anomaly. A recording of the disruptions provides a mapping of the anomaly.

Multiple oil pay revives interest

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

Stremel, K.

1984-03-01

Good, relatively shallow multiple pay oil potential is reviving interest in the flanks of the prolific Big Horn Basin. Operators say that although the areal extent of the basin's fields may not be that large, potential pay zones can exceed 250 feet. Several companies have stepped up geophysical work and activity. A discussion of trapping systems, test wells and stratigraphy studies are included from various petroleum companies. The interest was sparked by lower acreage costs and poor economic conditions elsewhere.

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

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1985-01-01

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

Assessment of the Appalachian Basin Geothermal Field: Combining Risk Factors to Inform Development of Low Temperature Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, J. D.; Whealton, C.; Camp, E. R.; Horowitz, F.; Frone, Z. S.; Jordan, T. E.; Stedinger, J. R.

2015-12-01

Exploration methods for deep geothermal energy projects must primarily consider whether or not a location has favorable thermal resources. Even where the thermal field is favorable, other factors may impede project development and success. A combined analysis of these factors and their uncertainty is a strategy for moving geothermal energy proposals forward from the exploration phase at the scale of a basin to the scale of a project, and further to design of geothermal systems. For a Department of Energy Geothermal Play Fairway Analysis we assessed quality metrics, which we call risk factors, in the Appalachian Basin of New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. These included 1) thermal field variability, 2) productivity of natural reservoirs from which to extract heat, 3) potential for induced seismicity, and 4) presence of thermal utilization centers. The thermal field was determined using a 1D heat flow model for 13,400 bottomhole temperatures (BHT) from oil and gas wells. Steps included the development of i) a set of corrections to BHT data and ii) depth models of conductivity stratigraphy at each borehole based on generalized stratigraphy that was verified for a select set of wells. Wells are control points in a spatial statistical analysis that resulted in maps of the predicted mean thermal field properties and of the standard error of the predicted mean. Seismic risk was analyzed by comparing earthquakes and stress orientations in the basin to gravity and magnetic potential field edges at depth. Major edges in the potential fields served as interpolation boundaries for the thermal maps (Figure 1). Natural reservoirs were identified from published studies, and productivity was determined based on the expected permeability and dimensions of each reservoir. Visualizing the natural reservoirs and population centers on a map of the thermal field communicates options for viable pilot sites and project designs (Figure 1). Furthermore, combining the four risk factors at favorable sites enables an evaluation of project feasibility across sites based on tradeoffs in the risk factors. Uncertainties in each risk factor can also be considered to determine if the tradeoffs in risk factors between sites are meaningful.

Subsurface geology and oil and gas resources of Osage County, Oklahoma. Part 2, Townships 22 and 23 north, ranges 8 and 9 east

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirk, C.T.; Jenkins, H.D.; Leatherock, Otto; Dillard, W.R.; Kennedy, L.E.; Bass, N.W.

1939-01-01

This report on the subsurface geology of Osage County, Okla., describes the structural features, the character of the oil- and gas-producing beds, and the localities where additional oil and gas may be found. It embodies a part of the results of a subsurface geologic investigation of the Osage Indian Reservation, which coincides in area with Osage County. The investigation was conducted by a field party of the Geological Survey of the United States Department of the Interior from 1934 to 1937 and involved the study of the records of about 17,000 wells that have been drilled in Osage County. Funds for the investigation were allotted to the Geological Survey by the Public Works Administration. The primary purpose of the examination was to obtain geologic data for use in the administration of the Indian lands. The results of the inquiry have shown that many localities in Osage County outside the present producing oil fields are worthy of prospecting for oil and gas and that additional oil and gas can be found also by exploring deeply buried beds in old producing fields.All townships in Osage County that contain many wells are described; the information furnished by such townships is ample for drawing detailed subsurface structure-contour maps. The descriptions of several contiguous townships are combined in separate reports, which are issued as parts of a single bulletin. No edition of the consolidated volume will be published, but the several parts can be bound together if desired.

Trends in maar crater size and shape using the global Maar Volcano Location and Shape (MaarVLS) database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graettinger, A. H.

2018-05-01

A maar crater is the top of a much larger subsurface diatreme structure produced by phreatomagmatic explosions and the size and shape of the crater reflects the growth history of that structure during an eruption. Recent experimental and geophysical research has shown that crater complexity can reflect subsurface complexity. Morphometry provides a means of characterizing a global population of maar craters in order to establish the typical size and shape of features. A global database of Quaternary maar crater planform morphometry indicates that maar craters are typically not circular and frequently have compound shapes resembling overlapping circles. Maar craters occur in volcanic fields that contain both small volume and complex volcanoes. The global perspective provided by the database shows that maars are common in many volcanic and tectonic settings producing a similar diversity of size and shape within and between volcanic fields. A few exceptional populations of maars were revealed by the database, highlighting directions of future research to improve our understanding on the geometry and spacing of subsurface explosions that produce maars. These outlying populations, such as anomalously large craters (>3000 m), chains of maars, and volcanic fields composed of mostly maar craters each represent a small portion of the database, but provide opportunities to reinvestigate fundamental questions on maar formation. Maar crater morphometry can be integrated with structural, hydrological studies to investigate lateral migration of phreatomagmatic explosion location in the subsurface. A comprehensive database of intact maar morphometry is also beneficial for the hunt for maar-diatremes on other planets.

STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF SUBSURFACE MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES AFFECTING RADIONUCLIDE TRANSPORT AND BIOIMMOBILIZATION

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

Joel E. Kostka; Lee Kerkhof; Kuk-Jeong Chin

2011-06-15

The objectives of this project were to: (1) isolate and characterize novel anaerobic prokaryotes from subsurface environments exposed to high levels of mixed contaminants (U(VI), nitrate, sulfate), (2) elucidate the diversity and distribution of metabolically active metal- and nitrate-reducing prokaryotes in subsurface sediments, and (3) determine the biotic and abiotic mechanisms linking electron transport processes (nitrate, Fe(III), and sulfate reduction) to radionuclide reduction and immobilization. Mechanisms of electron transport and U(VI) transformation were examined under near in situ conditions in sediment microcosms and in field investigations at the Oak Ridge Field Research Center (ORFRC), in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where themore » subsurface is exposed to mixed contamination predominated by uranium and nitrate. A total of 20 publications (16 published or 'in press' and 4 in review), 10 invited talks, and 43 contributed seminars/ meeting presentations were completed during the past four years of the project. PI Kostka served on one proposal review panel each year for the U.S. DOE Office of Science during the four year project period. The PI leveraged funds from the state of Florida to purchase new instrumentation that aided the project. Support was also leveraged by the PI from the Joint Genome Institute in the form of two successful proposals for genome sequencing. Draft genomes are now available for two novel species isolated during our studies and 5 more genomes are in the pipeline. We effectively addressed each of the three project objectives and research highlights are provided. Task I - Isolation and characterization of novel anaerobes: (1) A wide range of pure cultures of metal-reducing bacteria, sulfate-reducing bacteria, and denitrifying bacteria (32 strains) were isolated from subsurface sediments of the Oak Ridge Field Research Center (ORFRC), where the subsurface is exposed to mixed contamination of uranium and nitrate. These isolates which are new to science all show high sequence identity to sequences retrieved from ORFRC subsurface. (2) Based on physiological and phylogenetic characterization, two new species of subsurface bacteria were described: the metal-reducer Geobacter daltonii, and the denitrifier Rhodanobacter denitrificans. (3) Strains isolated from the ORFRC show that Rhodanobacter species are well adapted to the contaminated subsurface. Strains 2APBS1 and 116-2 grow at high salt (3% NaCl), low pH (3.5) and tolerate high concentrations of nitrate (400mM) and nitrite (100mM). Strain 2APBS1 was demonstrated to grow at in situ acidic pHs down to 2.5. (4) R. denitrificans strain 2APBS1 is the first described Rhodanobacter species shown to denitrify. Nitrate is almost entirely converted to N2O, which may account for the large accumulation of N2O in the ORFRC subsurface. (5) G. daltonii, isolated from uranium- and hydrocarbon-contaminated subsurface sediments of the ORFRC, is the first organism from the subsurface clade of the genus Geobacter that is capable of growth on aromatic hydrocarbons. (6) High quality draft genome sequences and a complete eco-physiological description are completed for R. denitrificans strain 2APBS1 and G. daltonii strain FRC-32. (7) Given their demonstrated relevance to DOE remediation efforts and the availability of detailed genotypic/phenotypic characterization, Rhodanobacter denitrificans strain 2APBS1 and Geobacter daltonii strain FRC-32 represent ideal model organisms to provide a predictive understanding of subsurface microbial activity through metabolic modeling. Tasks II and III-Diversity and distribution of active anaerobes and Mechanisms linking electron transport and the fate of radionuclides: (1) Our study showed that members of genus Rhodanobacter and Geobacter are abundant and active in the uranium and nitrate contaminated subsurface. In the contaminant source zone of the Oak Ridge site, Rhodanobacter spp. are the predominant, active organisms detected (comprising 50% to 100% of rRNA detected). (2) We demonstrated for the first time that the function of microbial communities can be quantified in subsurface sediments using messenger RNA assays (molecular proxies) under in situ conditions. (3) Active Geobacteraceae were identified and phylogenetically characterized from the cDNA of messenger RNA extracted from ORFRC subsurface sediment cores. Multiple clone sequences were retrieved from G. uraniireducens, G. daltonii, and G. metallireducens. (4) Results show that Geobacter strain FRC-32 is capable of growth on benzoate, toluene and benzene as the electron donor, thereby providing evidence that this strain is physiologically distinct from other described members of the subsurface Geobacter clade. (5) Fe(III)-reducing bacteria transform structural Fe in clay minerals from their layer edges rather than from their basal surfaces.« less

FIELD TRAPPING OF SUBSURFACE VAPOR PHASE PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS

EPA Science Inventory

Soil gas samples from intact soil cores were collected on adsorbents at a field site, then thermally desorbed and analyzed by laboratory gas chromatography (GC). ertical concentration profiles of predominant vapor phase petroleum hydrocarbons under ambient conditions were obtaine...

FIELD-DRIVEN APPROACHES TO SUBSURFACE CONTAMINANT TRANSPORT MODELING.

EPA Science Inventory

Observations from field sites provide a means for prioritizing research activities. In the case of petroleum releases, observations may include spiking of concentration distributions that may be related to water table fluctuation, co-location of contaminant plumes with geochemi...

Insights into the development of drumlin formation using ground-penetrating radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodard, J.; Zoet, L.; Iverson, N. R.; Benediktsson, Í. Ö.; Schomacker, A.; Finlayson, A.

2016-12-01

Drumlins form as the result of subglacial slip, but the exact mechanisms responsible for their formation remain enigmatic. Resolution of drumlin internal stratigraphy provides a means for constraining the formation processes of drumlins, and thus the basal mechanics that result in their formation. Traditional litho-stratigraphic techniques have provided great insight into the internal stratigraphy of drumlins but are inherently limited to areas of natural exposure. We report on the application of geophysical methods used to image the internal stratigraphy of drumlins over a much larger area than is possible through litho-stratigraphic logging. Using ground penetrating radar we investigated the internal stratigraphy of seven drumlins from a recently exposed active drumlin field in the forefield of Múlajökull, Iceland. Data were collected using 100 and 200 MHz antennas that had maximum penetration depths of 15 m and 7 m with 0.4 m and 0.2 m resolution, respectively. Echograms demonstrated distinct layering of the diamictites. From the surface to ca. 2 m depth, till layers generally conformed to the longitudinal surface topography of the drumlins. Upper till layers exhibit unconformities on the flanks of the drumlins, except on their distal lee sides where layers were conformable. Till layers at approximately 2 m depth paralleled the drumlin surface and truncated lower layers. Below ca. 2 m depth distinct till layers dipped obliquely to the surface in the down-ice direction. These stratigraphic patterns were apparent in all drumlins measured at Múlajökull. The stratigraphic pattern observed in the drumlins of the Múlajökull forefield indicate a combination of deposition and erosion. Deposition occurred predominantly on the lee side and near the central axis of the drumlin, whereas erosion occurred along the flanks and stoss side. These observations support results from traditional litho-stratigraphic logs recorded on the same drumlins. Our observations suggest that drumlins migrated down ice and were initiated by a heterogeneous relief pattern in the drumlin forefield prior to the initial ice advance. This conceptual model supports observations that drumlins gained relief and became more elongated with time under the ice.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-01-01

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

The distribution of lingering subsurface oil from the Exxon Valdez oil spill

USGS Publications Warehouse

Michel, Jacqueline; Nixon, Zachary; Hayes, Miles O.; Irvine, Gail V.; Short, Jeffrey W.

2011-01-01

This study used field data and a suite of geospatial models to identify areas where subsurface oil is likely to still be present on the shorelines of Prince William Sound (PWS) and the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill, as well as the factors related to continued presence of such oil. The goal was to identify factors and accompanying models that could serve as screening tools to prioritize shorelines for different remediation methods. The models were based on data collected at 314 shoreline segments surveyed between 2001 and 2007. These field data allowed us to identify a number of geomorphologic and hydrologic factors that have contributed to the persistence of subsurface oil within PWS and GOA two decades after the spill. Because synoptic data layers for describing each of these factors at all locations were not available, the models developed used existing data sets as surrogates to represent these factors, such as distance to a stream mouth or shoreline convexity. While the linkages between the data used and the physical phenomena that drive persistence are not clearly understood in all cases, the performance of these models was remarkably good. The models simultaneously evaluate all identified variables to predict the presence of different types of subsurface oiling in a rigorous, unbiased manner. The refined model results suggest there are a limited but significant number of as-yet unsurveyed locations in the study area that are likely to contain subsurface oil. Furthermore, the model results may be used to quantitatively prioritize shoreline for investigation with known uncertainty.

Whole-stream metabolism of a perennial spring-fed aufeis field in Alaska, with coincident surface and subsurface flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendrickson, P. J.; Gooseff, M. N.; Huryn, A. D.

2017-12-01

Aufeis (icings or naleds) are seasonal arctic and sub-arctic features that accumulate through repeated overflow and freeze events of river or spring discharge. Aufeis fields, defined as the substrate on which aufeis form and the overlaying ice, have been studied to mitigate impacts on engineering structures; however, ecological characteristics and functions of aufeis fields are poorly understood. The perennial springs that supply warm water to aufeis fields create unique fluvial habitats, and are thought to act as winter and summer oases for biota. To investigate ecosystem function, we measured whole-stream metabolism at the Kuparuk River Aufeis (North Slope, AK), a large ( 5 km2) field composed of cobble substrate and predominately subsurface flow dynamics. The single-station open channel diel oxygen method was utilized at several dissolved oxygen (DO) stations located within and downstream of the aufeis field. DO loggers were installed in August 2016, and data downloaded summer 2017. Daily ecosystem respiration (ER), gross primary production (GPP) and reaeration rates were modeled using BASE, a package freely available in the open-source software R. Preliminary results support net heterotrophy during a two-week period of DO measurements in the fall season when minimum ice extent is observed. GPP, ER, and net metabolism are greater at the upstream reach near the spring source (P/R = 0.53), and decrease as flow moves downstream. As flow exits the aufeis field, surface and subsurface flow are incorporated into the metabolism model, and indicate the stream system becomes dependent on autochthonous production (P/R = 0.91). Current work is directed towards spring and summer discharge and metabolic parameter estimation, which is associated with maximum ice extent and rapid melting of the aufeis feature.

Stratigraphic Transfer Thresholds of Sediment Supply Signals in Channelized Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toby, S. C.; De Angelis, S.; Duller, R.; Straub, K. M.

2016-12-01

The stratigraphic record is a unique physical archive for past climate and tectonic boundary conditions on Earth and other planetary bodies. These boundary and forcing conditions set the rate and volume of sediment delivered to sedimentary basins, which can be, theoretically, linked back to the stratigraphic record. However for sediment supply signals to make their way through to stratigraphy they must pass through the active layer of the Earth's surface, which is scaled to channel depth. For the long-term, the likelihood of this taking place can be evaluated using the vertical time-scale of autogenics. The current study tests whether or not cyclic sediment supply to an experimental delta can influence morphodynamics and if so, can this be recovered from synthetic and physical stratigraphic dataset collected during the experiments. Preliminary results suggest that short period sediment supply signals are less likely to be transferred to the stratigraphic record, which is predicted by our theoretical framework for channelized systems. Once fully validated by the experiments the theoretical approach will be applied to field stratigraphy and used to guide more reliable interpretation of ancient sediment supply signals.

The magnetic polarity stratigraphy of the Mauch Chunk Formation, Pennsylvania

PubMed Central

Opdyke, Neil D.; DiVenere, Victor J.

2004-01-01

Three sections of Chesterian Mauch Chunk Formation in Pennsylvania have been studied paleomagnetically to determine a Late Mississippian magnetic polarity stratigraphy. The upper section at Lavelle includes a conglomerate with abundant red siltstone rip-up clasts that yielded a positive conglomerate test. All samples were subjected to progressive thermal demagnetization to temperatures as high as 700°C. Two components of magnetization were isolated: a synfolding “B” component and the prefolding “C” component. The conglomerate test is positive, indicating that the C component was acquired very early in the history of the sediment. A coherent pattern of magnetic polarity reversals was identified. Five magnetozones were identified in the upper Lavelle section, which yields a pattern that is an excellent match with the pattern of reversals obtained from the upper Mauch Chunk at the original type section of the Mississippian/Pennsylvanian boundary at Pottsville, PA. The frequency of reversals in the upper Mississippian, as identified in the Mauch Chunk Formation, is approximately one to two per million years, which is an average for field reversal through time. PMID:15353597

The magnetic polarity stratigraphy of the Mauch Chunk Formation, Pennsylvania.

PubMed

Opdyke, Neil D; DiVenere, Victor J

2004-09-14

Three sections of Chesterian Mauch Chunk Formation in Pennsylvania have been studied paleomagnetically to determine a Late Mississippian magnetic polarity stratigraphy. The upper section at Lavelle includes a conglomerate with abundant red siltstone rip-up clasts that yielded a positive conglomerate test. All samples were subjected to progressive thermal demagnetization to temperatures as high as 700 degrees C. Two components of magnetization were isolated: a synfolding "B" component and the prefolding "C" component. The conglomerate test is positive, indicating that the C component was acquired very early in the history of the sediment. A coherent pattern of magnetic polarity reversals was identified. Five magnetozones were identified in the upper Lavelle section, which yields a pattern that is an excellent match with the pattern of reversals obtained from the upper Mauch Chunk at the original type section of the Mississippian/Pennsylvanian boundary at Pottsville, PA. The frequency of reversals in the upper Mississippian, as identified in the Mauch Chunk Formation, is approximately one to two per million years, which is an average for field reversal through time.

Influence of subsurface defects on damage performance of fused silica in ultraviolet laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jin; Zhou, Xinda; Liu, Hongjie; Wang, Fengrui; Jiang, Xiaodong; Wu, Weidong; Tang, Yongjian; Zheng, Wanguo

2013-02-01

In ultraviolet pulse laser, damage performance of fused silica optics is directly dependent on the absorptive impurities and scratches in subsurface, which are induced by mechanical polishing. In the research about influence of subsurface defects on damage performance, a series of fused silica surfaces with various impurity concentrations and scratch structures were created by hydrofluoric (HF) acid solution etching. Time of Flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and scanning probe microprobe revealed that with increasing etching depth, impurity concentrations in subsurface layers are decreased, the scratch structures become smoother and the diameter:depth ratio is increased. Damage performance test with 355-nm pulse laser showed that when 600 nm subsurface thickness is removed by HF acid etching, laser-induced damage threshold of fused silica is raised by 40 percent and damage density is decreased by over one order of magnitude. Laser weak absorption was tested to explain the cause of impurity elements impacting damage performance, field enhancement caused by change of scratch structures was calculated by finite difference time domain simulation, and the calculated results are in accord with the damage test results.

Paleokarst processes in the Eocene limestones of the Pyramids Plateau, Giza, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Aref, M. M.; Refai, E.

The Eocene limestones of the Pyramids plateau are characterized by landforms of stepped terraced escarpment and karst ridges with isolated hills. The carbonate country rocks are also dominated by minor surface, surface to subsurface and subsurface solution features associated with karst products. The systematic field observations eludicate the denudation trend of the minor solution features and suggest the origin of the regional landscapes. The lithologic and structural characters of the limestone country rocks comprise the main factors controlling the surface and subsurface karst evolution. The development of the karst features and the associated sediments in the study area provides information on the paleohydrolic, chemical and climatic environments involved in the origin of the karstification.

Rangitoto Volcano Drilling Project: Life of a Small 'Monogenetic' Basaltic Shield in the Auckland Volcanic Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shane, P. A. R.; Linnell, T.; Lindsay, J. M.; Smith, I. E.; Augustinus, P. M.; Cronin, S. J.

2014-12-01

Rangitoto is a small basaltic shield volcano representing the most recent and most voluminous episode of volcanism in the Auckland Volcanic Field, New Zealand. Auckland City is built on the field, and hence, Rangitoto's importance in hazard-risk modelling. The symmetrical edifice, ~6 km wide and 260 m high, has volume of 1.78 km3. It comprises summit scoria cones and a lava field. However, the lack of deep erosion dissection has prevented the development of an eruptive stratigraphy. Previous studies suggested construction in a relatively short interval at 550-500 yrs BP. However, microscopic tephra have been interpreted as evidence of intermittent activity from 1498 +/- 140 to 504 +/- 6 yrs BP, a longevity of 1000 years. A 150-m-deep hole was drilled through the edifice in February 2014 to obtain a continuous core record. The result is an unparalleled stratigraphy of the evolution of a small shield volcano. The upper 128 m of core comprises at least 27 lava flows with thicknesses in the range 0.3-15 m, representing the main shield-building phase. Underlying marine sediments are interbedded with 8 m of pyroclastic lapilli, and a thin lava flow, representing the explosive phreatomagmatic birth of the volcano. Preliminary geochemical analyses reveal suite of relatively uniform transitional basalts (MgO = 8.1 to 9.7 wt %). However, 4 compositional groups are distinguished that were erupted in sequential order. High-MgO magmas were erupted first, followed by a two more heterogeneous groups displaying differentiation trends with time. Finally, distinct low-MgO basalts were erupted. Each magma type appears to represent a new magma batch. The core places the magma types in a time series, which can be correlated to the surface lava field. Hence, allowing a geometrical reconstruction of the shield growth. Additional petrologic investigations are providing insight to magmatic ascent processes, while radiocarbon and paleomagnetic secular variation studies will reveal the duration of activity.

Surface electrical properties experiment study phase, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The choice of an antenna for a subsurface radio sounding experiment is discussed. The radiation properties of the antennas as placed on the surface of the medium is examined. The objective of the lunar surface electrical properties experiment is described. A numerical analysis of the dielectric permittivity and magnetic permeability of a subsurface domain is developed. The application of electromagnetic field measurements between one or more transmitting antennas and a roving receiving station is explained.

Morphology and stratigraphy of small barrier-lagoon systems in Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Duffy, W.; Belknap, D.F.; Kelley, J.T.

1989-01-01

The coast of Maine contains over 200 individual barrier-lagoon systems, most quite small, with an aggregate length of nearly 100 km. Although they represent less than 5% of the tidally influenced coastline of Maine, they are widely distributed and occur in a variety of dynamic regimes and physiographic regions. Their morphology and backbarrier stratigraphy are different from better studied coastal plain systems, and provide important clues to the Holocene evolution of the Maine coast. In a study of geomorphic form and backbarrier stratigraphy, inlet processes and Holocene sea-level rise have been identified as the principal controls on coarse-grained barrier stratigraphy. Barriers in Maine are found in five distinct geomorphic forms, identified herein as: barrier spits, pocket barriers, double tombolos, cuspate barriers and looped barriers. The few long sandy beaches in southwestern Maine are mostly barrier spits. The remainder of the barrier types is composed primarily of gravel or mixed sand and gravel. The barriers protect a variety of backbarrier environments: fresh and brackish ponds, lagoons and fresh- and saltwater marshes. The barriers may or may not have inlets. Normal wave action, coarse-grain size and a deeply embayed coast result in barriers with steep, reflective profiles several meters above MHW. Occasional storm events completely wash over the barriers, building steep, lobate gravel fans along their landward margin. Few, if any, extensive storm layers are recognized as extending into the distal backbarrier environments, however. During sea-level rise and landward barrier retreat, this abrupt, storm-generated transition zone inters the backbarrier sediments. Statistical comparisons of barrier morphology, location and backbarrier environment type with backbarrier stratigraphy show that Holocene backbarrier stratigraphy is best predicted by the modern backbarrier environment type. This, in turn, is influenced most by the absence or presence, and long-term stability or instability of a tidal inlet. Geomorphic barrier form and location in coastal geomorphic compartments show little or no correlation with backbarrier stratigraphy. In contrast to previous classifications of barrier-lagoon systems based primarily on sandy, coastal plain examples, in Maine the shape or origin of the backbarrier system is relatively unimportant. The presence or absence of a tidal inlet is of paramount importance in shaping the Holocene stratigraphy of the backbarrier region. ?? 1989.

Audiomagnetotelluric Data and Two-Dimensional Models from Spring, Snake, and Three Lakes Valleys, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

McPhee, Darcy K.; Chuchel, Bruce A.; Pellerin, Louise

2007-01-01

Audiomagnetotelluric (AMT) data along thirteen profiles in Spring, Snake, and Three Lakes Valleys, and the corresponding two-dimensional (2-D) inverse models, are presented. The AMT method is a valuable tool for estimating the electrical resistivity of the Earth over depth ranges of a few meters to roughly one kilometer. It is important for revealing subsurface structure and stratigraphy within the Basin and Range province of eastern Nevada that can be used to define the geohydrologic framework of the region. We collected AMT data using the Geometrics StrataGem EH4 system. Profiles were 1.2 to 4.6 km in length with station spacing of 100-400 m. Data were recorded in a coordinate system parallel to and perpendicular to the assumed regional geologic strike direction. We show station locations, sounding curves of apparent resistivity, phase, and coherency, and 2-D models. The 2-D inverse models are computed from the transverse electric (TE), transverse magnetic (TM), and TE+TM mode data using the conjugate gradient, finite-difference method of Rodi and Mackie (2001). Preliminary interpretation of these models defines the structural framework of the basins and the resistivity contrasts between alluvial basin-fill, volcanic units, and carbonate/clastic rocks.

Basalt depths in lunar basins using impact craters as stratigraphic probes: Evaluation of a method using orbital geochemical data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andre, C. G.

1986-01-01

A rare look at the chemical composition of subsurface stratigraphy in lunar basins filled with mare basalt is possible at fresh impact craters. Mg/Al maps from orbital X-ray flourescence measurements of mare areas indicate chemical anomalies associated with materials ejected by large post-mare impacts. A method of constraining the wide-ranging estimates of mare basalt depths using the orbital MG/Al data is evaluated and the results are compared to those of investigators using different indirect methods. Chemical anomalies at impact craters within the maria indicate five locations where higher Mg/Al basalt compositions may have been excavated from beneath the surface layer. At eight other locations, low Mg/Al anomalies suggest that basin-floor material was ejected. In these two cases, the stratigraphic layers are interpreted to occur at depths less than the calculated maximum depth of excavation. In five other cases, there is no apparent chemical change between the crater and the surrounding mare surface. This suggests homogeneous basalt compositions that extend down to the depths sampled, i.e., no anorthositic material that might represent the basin floor was exposed.

Fault architecture and deformation processes within poorly lithified rift sediments, Central Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loveless, Sian; Bense, Victor; Turner, Jenni

2011-11-01

Deformation mechanisms and resultant fault architecture are primary controls on the permeability of faults in poorly lithified sediments. We characterise fault architecture using outcrop studies, hand samples, thin sections and grain-size data from a minor (1-10 m displacement) normal-fault array exposed within Gulf of Corinth rift sediments, Central Greece. These faults are dominated by mixed zones with poorly developed fault cores and damage zones. In poorly lithified sediment deformation is distributed across the mixed zone as beds are entrained and smeared. We find particulate flow aided by limited distributed cataclasis to be the primary deformation mechanism. Deformation may be localised in more competent sediments. Stratigraphic variations in sediment competency, and the subsequent alternating distributed and localised strain causes complexities within the mixed zone such as undeformed blocks or lenses of cohesive sediment, or asperities at the mixed zone/protolith boundary. Fault tip bifurcation and asperity removal are important processes in the evolution of these fault zones. Our results indicate that fault zone architecture and thus permeability is controlled by a range of factors including lithology, stratigraphy, cementation history and fault evolution, and that minor faults in poorly lithified sediment may significantly impact subsurface fluid flow.

Grizzly Valley fault system, Sierra Valley, CA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gold, Ryan; Stephenson, William; Odum, Jack; Briggs, Rich; Crone, Anthony; Angster, Steve

2012-01-01

The Grizzly Valley fault system (GVFS) strikes northwestward across Sierra Valley, California and is part of a network of active, dextral strike-slip faults in the northern Walker Lane (Figure 1). To investigate Quaternary motion across the GVFS, we analyzed high-resolution (0.25 m) airborne LiDAR data (Figure 2) in combination with six, high-resolution, P-wave, seismic-reflection profiles [Gold and others, 2012]. The 0.5- to 2.0-km-long seismic-reflection profiles were sited orthogonal to suspected tectonic lineaments identified from previous mapping and our analysis of airborne LiDAR data. To image the upper 400–700 m of subsurface stratigraphy of Sierra Valley (Figure 3), we used a 230-kg accelerated weight drop source. Geophone spacing ranged from 2 to 5 m and shots were co-located with the geophones. The profiles reveal a highly reflective, deformed basal marker that we interpret to be the top of Tertiary volcanic rocks, overlain by a 120- to 300-m-thick suite of subhorizontal reflectors we interpret as Plio-Pleistocene lacustrine deposits. Three profiles image the principle active trace of the GVFS, which is a steeply dipping fault zone that offsets the volcanic rocks and the basin fill (Figures 4 & 5).

Impact of mechanical heterogeneity on joint density in a welded ignimbrite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soden, A. M.; Lunn, R. J.; Shipton, Z. K.

2016-08-01

Joints are conduits for groundwater, hydrocarbons and hydrothermal fluids. Robust fluid flow models rely on accurate characterisation of joint networks, in particular joint density. It is generally assumed that the predominant factor controlling joint density in layered stratigraphy is the thickness of the mechanical layer where the joints occur. Mechanical heterogeneity within the layer is considered a lesser influence on joint formation. We analysed the frequency and distribution of joints within a single 12-m thick ignimbrite layer to identify the controls on joint geometry and distribution. The observed joint distribution is not related to the thickness of the ignimbrite layer. Rather, joint initiation, propagation and termination are controlled by the shape, spatial distribution and mechanical properties of fiamme, which are present within the ignimbrite. The observations and analysis presented here demonstrate that models of joint distribution, particularly in thicker layers, that do not fully account for mechanical heterogeneity are likely to underestimate joint density, the spatial variability of joint distribution and the complex joint geometries that result. Consequently, we recommend that characterisation of a layer's compositional and material properties improves predictions of subsurface joint density in rock layers that are mechanically heterogeneous.

Cenozoic stratigraphy and structure of the Chesapeake Bay region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Powars, David S.; Edwards, Lucy E.; Kidwell, Susan M.; Schindler, J. Stephen

2015-01-01

The Salisbury embayment is a broad tectonic downwarp that is filled by generally seaward-thickening, wedge-shaped deposits of the central Atlantic Coastal Plain. Our two-day field trip will take us to the western side of this embayment from the Fall Zone in Washington, D.C., to some of the bluffs along Aquia Creek and the Potomac River in Virginia, and then to the Calvert Cliffs on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. We will see fluvial-deltaic Cretaceous deposits of the Potomac Formation. We will then focus on Cenozoic marine deposits. Transgressive and highstand deposits are stacked upon each other with unconformities separating them; rarely are regressive or lowstand deposits preserved. The Paleocene and Eocene shallow shelf deposits consist of glauconitic, silty sands that contain varying amounts of marine shells. The Miocene shallow shelf deposits consist of diatomaceous silts and silty and shelly sands. The lithology, thickness, dip, preservation, and distribution of the succession of coastal plain sediments that were deposited in our field-trip area are, to a great extent, structurally controlled. Surficial and subsurface mapping using numerous continuous cores, auger holes, water-well data, and seismic surveys has documented some folds and numerous high-angle reverse and normal faults that offset Cretaceous and Cenozoic deposits. Many of these structures are rooted in early Mesozoic and/or Paleozoic NE-trending regional tectonic fault systems that underlie the Atlantic Coastal Plain. On Day 1, we will focus on two fault systems (stops 1–2; Stafford fault system and the Skinkers Neck–Brandywine fault system and their constituent fault zones and faults). We will then see (stops 3–5) a few of the remaining exposures of largely unlithified marine Paleocene and Eocene strata along the Virginia side of the Potomac River including the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum boundary clay. These exposures are capped by fluvial-estuarine Pleistocene terrace deposits. On Day 2, we will see (stops 6–9) the classic Miocene section along the ~25 miles (~40 km) of Calvert Cliffs in Maryland, including a possible fault and structural warping. Cores from nearby test holes will also be shown to supplement outcrops.

REMOVAL OF ISOPROPHYL ALCOHOL FROM A SURFACTANT-BASED SOIL REMEDIATION FLUID BY PERVAPORATION: PILOT SCALE FIELD DEMONSTRATION

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA, NRMRL participated in a field demonstration of a surfactant enhanced aquifer remediation (SEAR) process. The main purpose of this field demonstration was to combine and optimize the subsurface extraction of a dense non-aqueous phase liquid with the above ground deconta...

Opportune Landing Site Program: Opportune Landing Site Southeastern Indiana Field Data Collection and Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-01

consisted of eight fundamental tasks. Boeing (1) pro - vided software allowing the selection of OLS locations using satellite im- agery, (2) provided a...IOP1 to determine the stratigraphy of the soil horizons, collect samples to determine the soil texture, and collect pro - file measurements of the soil...However, using the wet density value from the gauge with an oven-dry moisture con - tent from a sample collected at the same location where the density

Curiosity's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI): Inital Observations and Activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edgett, K. S.; Yingst, R. A.; Minitti, M. E.; Robinson, M. L.; Kennedy, M. R.; Lipkaman, L. J.; Jensen, E. H.; Anderson, R. C.; Bean, K. M.; Beegle, L. W.;

Petroleum Systems of the Nigerian Sector of Chad Basin: Insights from Field and Subsurface Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suleiman, A. A.; Nwaobi, G. O.; Bomai, A.; Dauda, R.; Bako, M. D.; Ali, M. S.; Moses, S. D.

2017-12-01

A.A. Suleiman, A. Bomai, R. Dauda, O.G. NwaobiNigerian National Petroleum CorporationAbstract:Formation of the West and Central African Rift systems (WCARS) reflects intra-plate deformation linked to the Early to Late Cretaceous opening of South Atlantic Ocean. From an economic point of view, the USGS (2010) estimated Chad Basin, which is part of WCARS rift system to contain, up to 2.32 BBO and 14.62 TCF. However, there has been no exploration success in the Nigerian sector of the Chad Basin principally because of a poor understanding of the basin tectono-stratigraphic evolution and petroleum system development. In this study, we use 3D seismic, geochemical and field data to construct a tectono-stratigraphic framework of the Nigerian sector of Chad Basin; within this framework we then investigate the basins petroleum system development. Our analysis suggests two key plays exist in the basin, Lower and Upper Cretaceous plays. Pre-Bima lacustrine shale and the Gongila Formation constitute the prospective source rocks for the Lower Cretaceous play, whereas the Fika Shale may provide the source, for the Upper Cretaceous play. Source rock hydrocarbon modeling indicates possible oil and gas generation and expulsion from the lacustrine shales and Fika Shale in Cretaceous and Tertiary times respectively. Bima Sandstone and weathered basement represent prospective reservoirs for the Lower Cretaceous play and intra-Fika sandstone beds for the Upper Cretaceous play. We identify a range of trapping mechanisms such as inversion-related anticlines. Shales of the Gongila Formation provide the top sealing for the Lower Cretaceous play. Our field observations have proved presence of the key elements of the petroleum system in the Nigerian Sector of the Chad Basin. It has also demonstrated presence of igneous intrusions in the stratigraphy of the basin that we found to influence the hydrocarbon potential of the basin through source rock thermal maturity and degradation. Our study indicates that Nigerian sector of the Chad Basin is affected by igneous activity and basin inversion both of which impact its petroleum system development. Therefore, a detailed study of the tectono-stratigraphic framework of a rift basin is crucial to investigate the development of its petroleum system and hydrocarbon prospectivity.

Rye cover crop and gamagrass strip effects on NO3 concentration and load in tile drainage.

PubMed

Kaspar, T C; Jaynes, D B; Parkin, T B; Moorman, T B

2007-01-01

A significant portion of the NO3 from agricultural fields that contaminates surface waters in the Midwest Corn Belt is transported to streams or rivers by subsurface drainage systems or "tiles." Previous research has shown that N fertilizer management alone is not sufficient for reducing NO3 concentrations in subsurface drainage to acceptable levels; therefore, additional approaches need to be devised. We compared two cropping system modifications for NO3 concentration and load in subsurface drainage water for a no-till corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) management system. In one treatment, eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides L.) was grown in permanent 3.05-m-wide strips above the tiles. For the second treatment, a rye (Secale cereale L.) winter cover crop was seeded over the entire plot area each year near harvest and chemically killed before planting the following spring. Twelve 30.5x42.7-m subsurface-drained field plots were established in 1999 with an automated system for measuring tile flow and collecting flow-weighted samples. Both treatments and a control were initiated in 2000 and replicated four times. Full establishment of both treatments did not occur until fall 2001 because of dry conditions. Treatment comparisons were conducted from 2002 through 2005. The rye cover crop treatment significantly reduced subsurface drainage water flow-weighted NO3 concentrations and NO3 loads in all 4 yr. The rye cover crop treatment did not significantly reduce cumulative annual drainage. Averaged over 4 yr, the rye cover crop reduced flow-weighted NO3 concentrations by 59% and loads by 61%. The gamagrass strips did not significantly reduce cumulative drainage, the average annual flow-weighted NO3 concentrations, or cumulative NO3 loads averaged over the 4 yr. Rye winter cover crops grown after corn and soybean have the potential to reduce the NO3 concentrations and loads delivered to surface waters by subsurface drainage systems.

How to Make Eccentricity Cycles in Stratigraphy: the Role of Compaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, W.; Hinnov, L.; Wu, H.; Pas, D.

2017-12-01

Milankovitch cycles from astronomically driven climate variations have been demonstrated as preserved in cyclostratigraphy throughout geologic time. These stratigraphic cycles have been identified in many types of proxies, e.g., gamma ray, magnetic susceptibility, oxygen isotopes, carbonate content, grayscale, etc. However, the commonly prominent spectral power of orbital eccentricity cycles in stratigraphy is paradoxical to insolation, which is dominated by precession index power. How is the spectral power transferred from precession to eccentricity in stratigraphy? Nonlinear sedimentation and bioturbation have long been identified as players in this transference. Here, we propose that in the absence of bioturbation differential compaction can generate the transference. Using insolation time series, we trace the steps by which insolation is transformed into stratigraphy, and how differential compaction of lithology acts to transfer spectral power from precession to eccentricity. Differential compaction is applied to unique values of insolation, which is assumed to control the type of deposited sediment. High compaction is applied to muds, and progressively lower compaction is applied to silts and sands, or carbonate. Linear differential compaction promotes eccentricity spectral power, but nonlinear differential compaction elevates eccentricity spectral power to dominance and precession spectral power to near collapse as is often observed in real stratigraphy. Keywords: differential compaction, cyclostratigraphy, insolation, eccentricity

Microbial-sized, carboxylate-modified microspheres as surrogate tracers in a variety of subsurface environments: An overview

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harvey, Ronald W.; Metge, David W.; LeBlanc, Denis R.

2017-01-01

Since 1986, fluorescent carboxylate-modified polystyrene/latex microspheres (FCM) have been co-injected into aquifers along with conservative tracers and viruses, bacteria, and (or) protozoa. Use of FCM has resulted in new information about subsurface transport behaviors of microorganisms in fractured crystalline rock, karst limestone, soils, and granular aquifers. FCM have been used as surrogates for oocysts of the pathogenic protist Cryptosporidium parvum in karst limestone and granular drinking-water aquifers. The advantages of FCM in subsurface transport studies are that they are safe in tracer applications, negatively charged, easy to detect, chemically inert, and available in wide range of sizes. The limitations of FCM are that the quantities needed for some field transport studies can be prohibitively expensive and that their surface characteristics may not match the microorganisms of interest. These limitations may be ameliorated, in part by using chemically modified FCM so that their surface characteristics are a better match to that of the organisms. Also, more sensitive methods of detection may allow using smaller quantities of FCM. To assess how the transport behaviors of FCM and pathogens might compare at the field scale, it is helpful to conduct side-by-side comparisons of their transport behaviors using the geologic media and site-specific conditions that characterize the field site.

Similarities and Differences in the Distributions of Hydrothermal Venting and the Formation of Seafloor Massive Sulfide Deposits at the Tui Malila and Mariner Vent Fields, Valu Fa Ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tivey, M. K.; Evans, G. N.; Ferrini, V. L.; Spierer, H.

2016-12-01

High-resolution bathymetric mapping and recovery and study of samples from precisely known locations relative to local tectonic and volcanic features provide insight into the formation of seafloor massive sulfide deposits. Additional insight comes from repeat mapping efforts in 2005 and 2016 that provide details of relations and changes that may have occurred over time. Located 21 km apart on the Valu Fa Ridge, the Tui Malila and Mariner vent fields exhibit contrasting vent fluid chemistry, mineral deposit composition, deposit morphology, and seafloor morphology. At the Tui Malila vent field, near-neutral pH fluids with low metal contents vent from Zn- and Ba-rich, but Cu-poor deposits. The highest temperature fluids are found near the intersection of two faults and between volcanic domes. In contrast, acidic, metal-rich hydrothermal fluids at the Mariner vent field vent from Cu-rich, Zn-poor deposits. No discernable faults are present. At both the Tui Malila and Mariner vent fields, intermediate temperature fluids were sampled emanating from barite-rich deposits. At the Tui Malila vent field, intermediate fluids vent from flange-dominated edifices that are located on brecciated lava flow that overlays one of the two faults. Intermediate fluids at the Mariner vent field vent from squat terrace-like edifices located peripheral (10-15 m) to high-temperature chimney edifices, and seafloor morphology is dominated by brecciated lava flows. Thermodynamic models of mixing between high-temperature hydrothermal fluids and seawater that consider subsurface deposition of sulfide minerals and iron oxyhydroxide were used to reproduce the chemistry of intermediate fluids. This study suggests that the porous, brecciated lavas characteristic of these two vent fields provide sites for subsurface mixing and contribute to mineral deposition, with the faults at the Tui Malila vent field providing a pathway for subsurface fluid flow.

Integrated study of Mississippian Lodgepole Waulsortian Mounds, Williston Basin, USA

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

Kupecz, J.A.; Arestad, J.F.; Blott, J. E.

1996-06-01

Waulsortian-type carbonate buildups in the Mississippian Lodgepole Formation, Williston Basin, constitute prolific oil reservoirs. Since the initial discovery in 1993, five fields have been discovered: Dickinson Field (Lodgepole pool); Eland Field; Duck Creek Field, Versippi Field; and Hiline Field. Cumulative production (October, 1995) is 2.32 million barrels of oil and 1.34 BCF gas, with only 69,000 barrels of water. Oil gravity ranges from 41.4 to 45.3 API. Both subsurface cores from these fields as well as outcrop (Bridget Range, Big Snowy and Little Belt Mountains, Montana) are composed of facies representing deposition in mound, reworked mound, distal reworked mound, proximalmore » flank, distal flank, and intermound settings. Porosity values within the mound and reworked mound facies are up to 15%; permeability values (in places fracture-enhanced) are up to tens of Darcies. Geometries of the mounds are variable. Mound thicknesses in the subsurface range from approximately 130-325 feet (40-100 meters); in outcrop thicknesses range from less than 30 ft (9 m) to over 250 ft (76 m). Subsurface areal dimensions range from approximately 0.5 x 1.0 mi (0.8 x 1.6 km) to 3.5 x 5.5 mi (5.6 x 8.8 km). Integration of seismic data with core and well-log models sheds light on the exploration for Lodgepole mounds. Seismic modeling of productive mounds in the Dickinson and Eland fields identifies characteristics useful for exploration, such as local thickening of the Lodgepole to Three Forks interval. These observations are confirmed in reprocessed seismic data across Eland field and on regional seismic data. Importantly, amplitude versus offset modeling identifies problems with directly detecting and identifying porosity within these features with amplitude analyses. In contrast, multicomponent seismic data has great potential for imaging these features and quantifying porous zones within them.« less

Lithostratigraphy, petrography, biostratigraphy, and strontium-isotope stratigraphy of the surficial aquifer system of western Collier County, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Edwards, L.E.; Weedman, S.D.; Simmons, R.; Scott, T.M.; Brewster-Wingard, G. L.; Ishman, S.E.; Carlin, N.M.

1998-01-01

In 1996, seven cores were recovered in western Collier County, southwestern Florida, to acquire subsurface geologic and hydrologic data to support ground-water modeling efforts. This report presents the lithostratigraphy, X-ray diffraction analyses, petrography, biostratigraphy, and strontium-isotope stratigraphy of these cores. The oldest unit encountered in the study cores is an unnamed formation that is late Miocene. At least four depositional sequences are present within this formation. Calculated age of the formation, based on strontium-isotope stratigraphy, ranges from 9.5 to 5.7 Ma (million years ago). An unconformity within this formation that represents a hiatus of at least 2 million years is indicated in the Old Pump Road core. In two cores, Collier-Seminole and Old Pump Road, the uppermost sediments of the unnamed formation are not dated by strontium isotopes, and, based on the fossils present, these sediments could be as young as Pliocene. In another core (Fakahatchee Strand-Ranger Station), the upper part of the unnamed formation is dated by mollusks as Pliocene. The Tamiami Formation overlies the unnamed formation throughout the study area and is represented by the Ochopee Limestone Member. The unit is Pliocene and probably includes the interval of time near the early/late Pliocene boundary. Strontium-isotope analysis indicates an early Pliocene age (calculated ages range from 5.1 to 3.5 Ma), but the margin of error includes the latest Miocene and the late Pliocene. The dinocyst assemblages in the Ochopee typically are not age-diagnostic, but, near the base of the unit in the Collier-Seminole, Jones Grade, and Fakahatchee Strand State Forest cores, they indicate an age of late Miocene or Pliocene. The molluscan assemblages indicate a Pliocene age for the Ochopee, and a distinctive assemblage of Carditimera arata and Chione cortinaria in several of the cores specifically indicates an age near the early/late Pliocene boundary. Undifferentiated sands overlie the Pliocene limestones in two cores in the southern part of the study area. Artificial fill occurs at the top of most of the cores. The hydrologic confining units penetrated by these cores are different in different parts of the study area. To the west, a hard tightly cemented dolostone forms the first major confining unit below the water table. In the eastern part of the study area, confinement is more difficult to determine. A tightly cemented sandstone, much younger than the dolostones to the west and probably not laterally connected to them, forms a slight confining unit in one core. Thick zones of poorly sorted muddy unconsolidated sands form a slight confining unit in other cores; these probably are not correlative to either the sandstone or the dolostones to the west. The age and sedimentologic observations suggest a complex compartmentalization of the surficial aquifer system in southwestern Florida. The calibrations of dinocyst and molluscan occurrences with strontium-isotope stratigraphy allows us to expand and document the reported ranges of many taxa. This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey editorial standards or with the North American Stratigraphic Code. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

A 3-Dimensional Model of Water-Bearing Sequences in the Dominguez Gap Region, Long Beach, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ponti, Daniel J.; Ehman, Kenneth D.; Edwards, Brian D.; Tinsley, John C.; Hildenbrand, Thomas; Hillhouse, John W.; Hanson, Randall T.; McDougall, Kristen; Powell, Charles L.; Wan, Elmira; Land, Michael; Mahan, Shannon; Sarna-Wojcicki, Andrei M.

2007-01-01

A 3-dimensional computer model of the Quaternary sequence stratigraphy in the Dominguez gap region of Long Beach, California has been developed to provide a robust chronostratigraphic framework for hydrologic and tectonic studies. The model consists of 13 layers within a 16.5 by 16.1 km (10.25 by 10 mile) square area and extends downward to an altitude of -900 meters (-2952.76 feet). Ten sequences of late Pliocene to Holocene age are identified and correlated within the model. Primary data to build the model comes from five reference core holes, extensive high-resolution seismic data obtained in San Pedro Bay, and logs from several hundred water and oil wells drilled in the region. The model is best constrained in the vicinity of the Dominguez gap seawater intrusion barrier where a dense network of subsurface data exist. The resultant stratigraphic framework and geologic structure differs significantly from what has been proposed in earlier studies. An important new discovery from this approach is the recognition of ongoing tectonic deformation throughout nearly all of Quaternary time that has impacted the geometry and character of the sequences. Anticlinal folding along a NW-SE trend, probably associated with Quaternary reactivation of the Wilmington anticline, has uplifted and thinned deposits along the fold crest, which intersects the Dominguez gap seawater barrier near Pacific Coast Highway. A W-NW trending fault system that approximately parallels the fold crest has also been identified. This fault progressively displaces all but the youngest sequences down to the north and serves as the southern termination of the classic Silverado aquifer. Uplift and erosion of fining-upward paralic sequences along the crest of the young fold has removed or thinned many of the fine-grained beds that serve to protect the underlying Silverado aquifer from seawater contaminated shallow groundwater. As a result of this process, the potential exists for vertical migration of seawater into the producing aquifers and subsequent landward migration of intruded waters beneath the existing Dominguez barrier. Incipient invasion of the Silverado aquifer by chloride-enriched waters is observed in a recently drilled well located along the crest of the fold seaward of the barrier and at a depth of 440 feet (134 meters). These new observations and interpretations indicate that the new sequence-based approach to defining the stratigraphy of the Dominguez Gap area may have important implications for seawater intrusion management. To test this, it will be useful to overlay existing water-quality and water level data onto the framework model and to incorporate the new stratigraphy into a transport model.

Watershed scale fungal community characterization along a pH gradient in a subsurface environment co-contaminated with uranium and nitrate

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

Jasrotia, Puja; Green, Stefan; Canion, Andy

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to characterize fungal communities in a subsurface environment co-contaminated with uranium and nitrate at the watershed scale, and to determine the potential contribution of fungi to contaminant transformation (nitrate attenuation). The abundance, distribution and diversity of fungi in subsurface groundwater samples were determined using quantitative and semi-quantitative molecular techniques, including quantitative PCR of eukaryotic SSU rRNA genes and pyrosequencing of fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. Potential bacterial and fungal denitrification was assessed in sediment-groundwater slurries amended with antimicrobial compounds and in fungal pure cultures isolated from subsurface. Our results demonstrate that subsurface fungalmore » communities are dominated by members of the phylum Ascomycota, and a pronounced shift in fungal community composition occurs across the groundwater pH gradient at the field site, with lower diversity observed under acidic (pH < 4.5) conditions. Fungal isolates recovered from subsurface sediments were shown to reduce nitrate to nitrous oxide, including cultures of the genus Coniochaeta that were detected in abundance in pyrosequence libraries of site groundwater samples. Denitrifying fungal isolates recovered from the site were classified, and found to be distributed broadly within the phylum Ascomycota, and within a single genus within the Basidiomycota. Potential denitrification rate assays with sediment-groundwater slurries showed the potential for subsurface fungi to reduce nitrate to nitrous oxide under in situ acidic pH conditions.« less

Influence of bedrock topography on the runoff generation under use of ERT data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiese, Nina; Loritz, Ralf; Allroggen, Niklas; Zehe, Erwin

2017-04-01

Subsurface topography has been identified to play a major role for the runoff generation in different hydrological landscapes. Sinks and ridges in the bedrock can control how water is stored and transported to the stream. Detecting the subsurface structure is difficult and laborious and frequently done by auger measurements. Recently, the geophysical imaging of the subsurface by Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) gained much interest in the field of hydrology, as it is a non-invasive method to collect information on the subsurface characteristics and particularly bedrock topography. As it is impossible to characterize the subsurface of an entire hydrological landscape using ERT, it is of key interest to identify the bedrock characteristics which dominate runoff generation to adapt and optimize the sampling design to the question of interest. For this study, we used 2D ERT images and auger measurements, collected on different sites in the Attert basin in Luxembourg, to characterize bedrock topography using geostatistics and shed light on those aspects which dominate runoff generation. Based on ERT images, we generated stochastic bedrock topographies and implemented them in a physically-based 2D hillslope model. With this approach, we were able to test the influence of different subsurface structures on the runoff generation. Our results highlight that ERT images can be useful for hydrological modelling. Especially the connection from the hillslope to the stream could be identified as important feature in the subsurface for the runoff generation whereas the microtopography of the bedrock seemed to be less relevant.

Watershed-Scale Fungal Community Characterization along a pH Gradient in a Subsurface Environment Cocontaminated with Uranium and Nitrate

PubMed Central

Jasrotia, Puja; Green, Stefan J.; Canion, Andy; Overholt, Will A.; Prakash, Om; Wafula, Denis; Hubbard, Daniela; Watson, David B.; Schadt, Christopher W.; Brooks, Scott C.

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to characterize fungal communities in a subsurface environment cocontaminated with uranium and nitrate at the watershed scale and to determine the potential contribution of fungi to contaminant transformation (nitrate attenuation). The abundance, distribution, and diversity of fungi in subsurface groundwater samples were determined using quantitative and semiquantitative molecular techniques, including quantitative PCR of eukaryotic small-subunit rRNA genes and pyrosequencing of fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. Potential bacterial and fungal denitrification was assessed in sediment-groundwater slurries amended with antimicrobial compounds and in fungal pure cultures isolated from the subsurface. Our results demonstrate that subsurface fungal communities are dominated by members of the phylum Ascomycota, and a pronounced shift in fungal community composition occurs across the groundwater pH gradient at the field site, with lower diversity observed under acidic (pH <4.5) conditions. Fungal isolates recovered from subsurface sediments, including cultures of the genus Coniochaeta, which were detected in abundance in pyrosequence libraries of site groundwater samples, were shown to reduce nitrate to nitrous oxide. Denitrifying fungal isolates recovered from the site were classified and found to be distributed broadly within the phylum Ascomycota and within a single genus of the Basidiomycota. Potential denitrification rate assays with sediment-groundwater slurries showed the potential for subsurface fungi to reduce nitrate to nitrous oxide under in situ acidic pH conditions. PMID:24389927

Atmospheric volatilization and distribution of (Z)- and (E)-1,3-dichloropropene in field beds with and without plastic covers.

PubMed

Thomas, John E; Allen, L Hartwell; McCormack, Leslie A; Vu, Joseph C; Dickson, Donald W; Ou, Li-Tse

2004-01-01

The fumigant 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) is considered to be a potential replacement for methyl bromide when methyl bromide is phased out in 2005. This study on surface emissions and subsurface diffusion of 1,3-D in a Florida sandy soil was conducted in field beds with or without plastic covers. After injection of the commercial fumigant Telone II by conventional chisels to field beds at 30cm depth which were covered with polyethylene film (PE), virtually impermeable film, or no cover (bare), (Z)- and (E)-1,3-D rapidly diffused upward. Twenty hours after injection, majority of (Z)- and (E)-1,3-D had moved upward from 30 cm depth to the layer of 5-20 cm depth. Downward movement of the two isomers in the beds with or without a plastic cover was not significant. (Z)-1,3-D diffused more rapidly than (E)-1,3-D. Virtually impermeable films (VIF) had a good capacity to retain (Z)- and (E)-1,3-D in soil pore air space. Vapor concentrations of the two isomers in the shallow subsurface of the field bed covered with VIF were greater than that in the two beds covered with polyethylene film (PE) or no cover (bare). In addition, VIF cover provided more uniform distribution of (Z)- and (E)-1,3-D in shallow subsurface than PE cover or no cover. Virtually impermeable film also had a better capability to retard surface emissions of the two isomers from soil in field beds than PE cover or no cover.

Subsurface architecture of Las Bombas volcano circular structure (Southern Mendoza, Argentina) from geophysical studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prezzi, Claudia; Risso, Corina; Orgeira, María Julia; Nullo, Francisco; Sigismondi, Mario E.; Margonari, Liliana

2017-08-01

The Plio-Pleistocene Llancanelo volcanic field is located in the south-eastern region of the province of Mendoza, Argentina. This wide back-arc lava plateau, with hundreds of monogenetic pyroclastic cones, covers a large area behind the active Andean volcanic arc. Here we focus on the northern Llancanelo volcanic field, particularly in Las Bombas volcano. Las Bombas volcano is an eroded, but still recognizable, scoria cone located in a circular depression surrounded by a basaltic lava flow, suggesting that Las Bombas volcano was there when the lava flow field formed and, therefore, the lava flow engulfed it completely. While this explanation seems reasonable, the common presence of similar landforms in this part of the field justifies the need to establish correctly the stratigraphic relationship between lava flow fields and these circular depressions. The main purpose of this research is to investigate Las Bombas volcano 3D subsurface architecture by means of geophysical methods. We carried out a paleomagnetic study and detailed topographic, magnetic and gravimetric land surveys. Magnetic anomalies of normal and reverse polarity and paleomagnetic results point to the occurrence of two different volcanic episodes. A circular low Bouguer anomaly was detected beneath Las Bombas scoria cone indicating the existence of a mass deficit. A 3D forward gravity model was constructed, which suggests that the mass deficit would be related to the presence of fracture zones below Las Bombas volcano cone, due to sudden degassing of younger magma beneath it, or to a single phreatomagmatic explosion. Our results provide new and detailed information about Las Bombas volcano subsurface architecture.

Reading and Abstracting Journal Articles in Sedimentology and Stratigraphy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conrad, Susan Howes

1991-01-01

An assignment centered on reading journal articles and writing abstracts is an effective way to improve student reading and writing skills in sedimentology and stratigraphy laboratories. Each student reads two articles and writes informative abstracts from the author's point of view. (PR)

Palynostratigraphic correlation of the Fort Union formation (Paleocene) in the Wind River Reservation and Waltman Area, Wind River Basin, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nichols, D.J.; Flores, R.M.

1993-01-01

Palynologic samples of the Fort Union Formation (Paleocene) were collected from selected composite measured sections and a drill hole in the Wind River Basin. Intervals studied are in outcrop in the Wind River Reservation in the Shotgun Butte area and near Hudson, Wyoming, and in the subsurface in the Muddy Ridge field. Age determinations were made using the palynostratigraphic zonation originally developed near Waltman, Wyoming, in the northeastern part of the basin. Although parts of the zonation have been called into question by other recent work in the basin, only the basal Paleocene biozone (P1) is in need of modification, and the zonation remains an effective tool for age determination and correlation in these rocks. Age control is sparse in parts of some sections studied, mostly because of a dominance of sandstone and conglomerate facies, but palynostratigraphy permits correlation of the study areas with each other and with the Waltman reference section.Palynology supports the following correlations: The lower unnamed member of the Fort Union Formation in the Shotgun Butte area correlates stratigraphically and chronologically with the lower part of the formation in the subsurface at Muddy Ridge field, with a short interval in the Hudson area, and with the lower and middle parts of the unnamed member in the Waltman area. The Shotgun Member correlates chronologically with the coal-bearing upper part of the Fort Union Formation in the subsurface at Muddy Ridge field and with the upper part of the unnamed member and Waltman Shale Member in the Waltman area. These correlations show that significant coal deposits in the subsurface have little or no expression in outcrop because of changes in facies.

Finding the best windows: An apparent environmental threshold determines which diffuse flows are dominated by subsurface microbes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olins, H. C.; Rogers, D.; Scholin, C. A.; Preston, C. J.; Vidoudez, C.; Ussler, W.; Pargett, D.; Jensen, S.; Roman, B.; Birch, J. M.; Girguis, P. R.

2014-12-01

Hydrothermal vents are hotspots of microbial primary productivity often described as "windows into the subsurface biosphere." High temperature vents have received the majority of research attention, but cooler diffuse flows are as, if not more, important a source of heat and chemicals to the overlying ocean. We studied patterns of in situ gene expression and co-registered geochemistry in order to 1) describe the diversity and physiological poise of active microbial communities that span thermal and geochemical gradients from active diffuse flow to background vent field seawater, and 2) determine to what extent seawater or subsurface microbes were active throughout this environment. Analyses of multiple metatranscriptomes from 5 geochemically distinct sites (some from samples preserved in situ) show that proximate diffuse flows showed strikingly different transcription profiles. Specifically, caldera background and some diffuse flows were similar, both dominated by seawater-derived Gammaproteobacteria despite having distinct geochemistries. Intra-field community shows evidence of increased primary productivity throughout the entire vent field and not just at individual diffuse flows. In contrast, a more spatially limited, Epsilonproteobacteria-dominated transcription profile from the most hydrothermally-influenced diffuse flow appeared to be driven by the activity of vent-endemic microbes, likely reflecting subsurface microbial activity. We suggest that the microbial activity within many diffuse flow vents is primarily attributable to seawater derived Gammaproteobacterial sulfur oxidizers, while in certain other flows vent-endemic Epsilonproteobactiera are most active. These data reveal a diversity in microbial activity at diffuse flows that has not previously been recognized, and reshapes our thinking about the relative influence that different microbial communities may have on local processes (such as primary production) and potentially global biogeochemical cycles.

The Subsurface Flow and Transport Laboratory: A New Department of Energy User's Facility for Intermediate-Scale Experimentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wietsma, T. W.; Oostrom, M.; Foster, N. S.

2003-12-01

Intermediate-scale experiments (ISEs) for flow and transport are a valuable tool for simulating subsurface features and conditions encountered in the field at government and private sites. ISEs offer the ability to study, under controlled laboratory conditions, complicated processes characteristic of mixed wastes and heterogeneous subsurface environments, in multiple dimensions and at different scales. ISEs may, therefore, result in major cost savings if employed prior to field studies. A distinct advantage of ISEs is that researchers can design physical and/or chemical heterogeneities in the porous media matrix that better approximate natural field conditions and therefore address research questions that contain the additional complexity of processes often encountered in the natural environment. A new Subsurface Flow and Transport Laboratory (SFTL) has been developed for ISE users in the Environmental Spectroscopy & Biogeochemistry Facility in the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The SFTL offers a variety of columns and flow cells, a new state-of-the-art dual-energy gamma system, a fully automated saturation-pressure apparatus, and analytical equipment for sample processing. The new facility, including qualified staff, is available for scientists interested in collaboration on conducting high-quality flow and transport experiments, including contaminant remediation. Close linkages exist between the SFTL and numerical modelers to aid in experimental design and interpretation. This presentation will discuss the facility and outline the procedures required to submit a proposal to use this unique facility for research purposes. The W. R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a national scientific user facility, is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research and located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Diffusion of hydrogen interstitials in the near-surface region of Pd(111) under the influence of surface coverage and external static electric fields

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

Blanco-Rey, M.; Donostia International Physics Center; Tremblay, J. C.

2015-04-21

Past scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) experiments of H manipulation on Pd(111), at low temperature, have shown that it is possible to induce diffusion of surface species as well as of those deeply buried under the surface. Several questions remain open regarding the role of subsurface site occupancies. In the present work, the interaction potential of H atoms with Pd(111) under various H coverage conditions is determined by means of density functional theory calculations in order to provide an answer to two of these questions: (i) whether subsurface sites are the final locations for the H impurities that attempt to emergemore » from bulk regions, and (ii) whether penetration of the surface is a competing route of on-surface diffusion during depletion of surface H on densely covered Pd(111). We find that a high H coverage has the effect of blocking resurfacing of H atoms travelling from below, which would otherwise reach the surface fcc sites, but it hardly alters deeper diffusion energy barriers. Penetration is unlikely and restricted to high occupancies of hcp hollows. In agreement with experiments, the Pd lattice expands vertically as a consequence of H atoms being blocked at subsurface sites, and surface H enhances this expansion. STM tip effects are included in the calculations self-consistently as an external static electric field. The main contribution to the induced surface electric dipoles originates from the Pd substrate polarisability. We find that the electric field has a non-negligible effect on the H-Pd potential in the vicinity of the topmost Pd atomic layer, yet typical STM intensities of 1-2 VÅ{sup −1} are insufficient to invert the stabilities of the surface and subsurface equilibrium sites.« less

Directional phytoscreening: contaminant gradients in trees for plume delineation.

PubMed

Limmer, Matt A; Shetty, Mikhil K; Markus, Samantha; Kroeker, Ryan; Parker, Beth L; Martinez, Camilo; Burken, Joel G

2013-08-20

Tree sampling methods have been used in phytoscreening applications to delineate contaminated soil and groundwater, augmenting traditional investigative methods that are time-consuming, resource-intensive, invasive, and costly. In the past decade, contaminant concentrations in tree tissues have been shown to reflect the extent and intensity of subsurface contamination. This paper investigates a new phytoscreening tool: directional tree coring, a concept originating from field data that indicated azimuthal concentrations in tree trunks reflected the concentration gradients in the groundwater around the tree. To experimentally test this hypothesis, large diameter trees were subjected to subsurface contaminant concentration gradients in a greenhouse study. These trees were then analyzed for azimuthal concentration gradients in aboveground tree tissues, revealing contaminant centroids located on the side of the tree nearest the most contaminated groundwater. Tree coring at three field sites revealed sufficiently steep contaminant gradients in trees reflected nearby groundwater contaminant gradients. In practice, trees possessing steep contaminant gradients are indicators of steep subsurface contaminant gradients, providing compass-like information about the contaminant gradient, pointing investigators toward higher concentration regions of the plume.

Geological study of the southern part of the Malagasy republic using ERTS orbital images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weecksteen, G. (Principal Investigator); Scanvic, J. Y.; Koch, B.

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The Malagasy stratigraphy and tectonic are very complex, but the results obtained using ERTS-1 images interpretation make credible some hypothesis recently proposed by geologists. Most of known fractures are identified and numerous new observations are made on these images in the field of linear fractures. Some of them extend or relay known fractures and many others are totally new even if scattered field observations make it possible to assume that they correspond to reality. In the domain of lithology different types of rocks are distinguished, but the results are better in sedimentary formations than in the basement.

Groundwater geochemistry of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico: Constraints on stratigraphy and hydrogeology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perry, Eugene; Paytan, Adina; Pedersen, Bianca; Velazquez-Oliman, Guadalupe

2009-03-01

SummaryWe report 87Sr/ 86Sr and ion concentrations of sulfate, chloride, and strontium in the groundwater of the northern and central Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Correlation between these data indicates that ejecta from the 65.95 m.y. old Chicxulub impact crater have an important effect on hydrogeology, geomorphology, and soil development of the region. Ejecta are present at relatively shallow subsurface depths in north-central Yucatan and at the surface along the Rio Hondo escarpment in southeast Quintana Roo, where they are referred to as the Albion Formation. Anhydrite/gypsum (and by inference celestite) are common in impact ejecta clasts and in beds and cements of overlying Paleocene and Lower Eocene rocks cored around the margin of the crater. The sulfate-rich minerals that are found in rocks immediately overlying the impact ejecta blanket, may either be partially mobilized from the ejecta layer itself or may have been deposited after the K/T impact event in an extensive pre-Oligocene shallow sea. These deposits form a distinctive sedimentary package that can be easily traced by the Eocene-Cretaceous 87Sr/ 86Sr signal. A distinct Sr isotopic signature and high SO 4/Cl ratios are observed in groundwater of northwestern and north-central Yucatan that interacts with these rocks. Moreover, the distribution of the gypsum-rich stratigraphic unit provides a solution-enhanced subsurface drainage pathway for a broad region characterized by dissolution features (poljes) extending from Chetumal, Quintana Roo to Campeche, Campeche. The presence of gypsum quarries in the area is also consistent with a sulfate-rich stratigraphic "package" that includes ejecta. The distinctive chemistry of groundwater that has been in contact with evaporite/ejecta can be used to trace flow directions and confirms a groundwater divide in the northern Peninsula. Information about groundwater flow directions and about deep subsurface zones of high permeability is useful for groundwater and liquid waste management in the area. Where it discharges at the coast, the unique chemistry of the groundwater that has interacted with the evaporite/ejecta strata may also have significant geomorphologic implications. While groundwater-seawater mixing at the coast has been shown to dissolve and erode limestone, PHREEQC modeling shows that mixing of water nearly saturated in CaSO 4 with seawater has a less vigorous dissolution effect due to its high Ca content.

Compilation of Stratigraphic Thicknesses for Caldera-Related Tertiary Volcanic Rocks, East-Central Nevada and West-Central Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sweetkind, D.S.; Du Bray, E.A.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Desert Research Institute (DRI), and a designee from the State of Utah are currently conducting a water-resources study of aquifers in White Pine County, Nevada, and adjacent areas in Nevada and Utah, in response to concerns about water availability and limited geohydrologic information relevant to ground-water flow in the region. Production of ground water in this region could impact water accumulations in three general types of aquifer materials: consolidated Paleozoic carbonate bedrock, and basin-filling Cenozoic volcanic rocks and unconsolidated Quaternary sediments. At present, the full impact of extracting ground water from any or all of these potential valley-graben reservoirs is not fully understood. A thorough understanding of intermontane basin stratigraphy, mostly concealed by the youngest unconsolidated deposits that blanket the surface in these valleys, is critical to an understanding of the regional hydrology in this area. This report presents a literature-based compilation of geologic data, especially thicknesses and lithologic characteristics, for Tertiary volcanic rocks that are presumably present in the subsurface of the intermontane valleys, which are prominent features of this area. Two methods are used to estimate volcanic-rock thickness beneath valleys: (1) published geologic maps and accompanying descriptions of map units were used to compile the aggregate thicknesses of Tertiary stratigraphic units present in each mountain range within the study areas, and then interpolated to infer volcanic-rock thickness in the intervening valley, and (2) published isopach maps for individual out-flow ash-flow tuff were converted to digital spatial data and thickness was added together to produce a regional thickness map that aggregates thickness of the individual units. The two methods yield generally similar results and are similar to volcanic-rock thickness observed in a limited number of oil and gas exploration drill holes in the region, although local geologic complexity and the inherent assumptions in both methods allow only general comparison. These methods serve the needs of regional ground-water studies that require a three-dimensional depiction of the extent and thickness of subsurface geologic units. The compilation of geologic data from published maps and reports provides a general understanding of the distribution and thickness of tuffs that are presumably present in the subsurface of the intermontane valleys and are critical to understanding the ground-water hydrology of this area.

Compositional and Textural Analysis of Maar-Diatreme Volcanic Deposits at Hopi Buttes Volcanic Field (AZ) Using GigaPan Panoramic and Thermal Infrared Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, R.; Graettinger, A. H.; Weinell, M.; Hughes, C. G.

2016-12-01

Basaltic maar-diatreme volcanoes are produced when rising magma interacts with groundwater and produces a maar crater at the ground surface. This crater is underlain by a diatreme, a downward-tapering conical structure filled with a mixture of fragments of intruded magma, fractured host rock, and clasts recycled through repeated discrete subsurface explosions. The debris of the diatreme records the mixing processes caused by subsurface explosions and is the source for ejected material that forms maar tephra rings. Determining the variable depths and lateral locations of these explosions and how energy is dissipated in the subsurface is critical to understanding how maar-diatreme eruptions progress. The Hopi Buttes Volcanic Field (HBVF) in the Navajo Nation, Arizona, USA, contains several diatremes and incised tephra rings with heterolithic clasts 10 mm - 10 m in size, and are well-exposed near-vertical to vertical outcrops. Our ability to measure the length scales and distribution of textures produced by subsurface explosions in these diatremes is limited by the physical accessibility of the exposures, due to both the verticality of the outcrops and the cultural sensitivity of the site. Quantifying the number and locations of explosions is dependent on our ability to investigate the full diatreme outcrop, and not just what can be accessed through traditional field observations. We present a novel field and computer-based technique for both quantitatively and qualitatively characterizing the composition and texture of maar-diatreme deposits in vertical outcrops. This technique uses a combination of field-collected multispectral thermal infrared (TIR) image data and visible wavelength GigaPan imagery to characterize the compositional and textural variations over a whole outcrop. To increase the spatial and spectral resolution of the TIR data, a super-resolution technique will be applied. The technique provides a simple and efficient method to augment the study of the maar-diatreme deposits at HBVF. In addition to contributing to a better understanding of the formation processes of maar-diatreme deposits around the world, the technique also shows great promise for studies involving other types of large outcrops and geologic structures.

Towards the Redefinition of the Global Stratigraphy of Mercury: The Case of Intermediate Plains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galluzzi, V.; Rothery, D. A.; Massironi, M.; Ferranti, L.; Mercury Mapping Team

2018-05-01

Observations based on an average mapping scale of 1:400k provide context for the redefinition of the global stratigraphy of Mercury. Results show that the Intermediate Plains unit should be re-introduced as an official mappable terrain.

Digital Stratigraphy: Contextual Analysis of File System Traces in Forensic Science.

PubMed

Casey, Eoghan

2017-12-28

This work introduces novel methods for conducting forensic analysis of file allocation traces, collectively called digital stratigraphy. These in-depth forensic analysis methods can provide insight into the origin, composition, distribution, and time frame of strata within storage media. Using case examples and empirical studies, this paper illuminates the successes, challenges, and limitations of digital stratigraphy. This study also shows how understanding file allocation methods can provide insight into concealment activities and how real-world computer usage can complicate digital stratigraphy. Furthermore, this work explains how forensic analysts have misinterpreted traces of normal file system behavior as indications of concealment activities. This work raises awareness of the value of taking the overall context into account when analyzing file system traces. This work calls for further research in this area and for forensic tools to provide necessary information for such contextual analysis, such as highlighting mass deletion, mass copying, and potential backdating. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Importance of geologic characterization of potential low-level radioactive waste disposal sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weibel, C.P.; Berg, R.C.

1991-01-01

Using the example of the Geff Alternative Site in Wayne County, Illinois, for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste, this paper demonstrates, from a policy and public opinion perspective, the importance of accurately determining site stratigraphy. Complete and accurate characterization of geologic materials and determination of site stratigraphy at potential low-level waste disposal sites provides the frame-work for subsequent hydrologic and geochemical investigations. Proper geologic characterization is critical to determine the long-term site stability and the extent of interactions of groundwater between the site and its surroundings. Failure to adequately characterize site stratigraphy can lead to the incorrect evaluation of the geology of a site, which in turn may result in a lack of public confidence. A potential problem of lack of public confidence was alleviated as a result of the resolution and proper definition of the Geff Alternative Site stratigraphy. The integrity of the investigation was not questioned and public perception was not compromised. ?? 1991 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

Bio-, Magneto- and event-stratigraphy across the K-T boundary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Preisinger, A.; Stradner, H.; Mauritsch, H. J.

1988-01-01

Determining the time and the time structure of rare events in geology can be accomplished by applying three different and independent stratigraphic methods: Biostratigraphy, magneto-stratigraphy and event-stratigraphy. The optimal time resolution of the two former methods is about 1000 years, while by means of event-stratigraphy a resolution of approximately one year can be achieved. For biostratigraphy across the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary micro- and nannofossils have been found best suited. The qualitative and quantitative analyses of minerals and trace elements across the K-T boundary show anomalies on a millimeter scale and permit conclusions regarding the time structure of the K-T event itself. The results of the analyses find a most consistent explanation by the assumption of an extraterrestrial impact. The main portion of the material rain from the atmosphere evidently was deposited within a short time. The long-time components consist of the finest portion of the material rain from the atmosphere and the transported and redeposited fall-out.

Subsurface safety valves: safety asset or safety liability

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

Busch, J.M.; Llewelyn, D.C.G.; Policky, B.J.

1983-10-01

This paper summarizes the methods used to compare the risk of a blowout for a well completed with a subsurface safety valve (SSSV) vs. a completion without an SSSV. These methods, which could be applied to any field, include a combination of SSSV reliability and conventional risk analyses. The Kuparuk River Unit Working Interest Owners recently formed a group to examine the risks associated with installing and maintaining SSSV's in the Kuparuk field. The group was charged with answering the question: ''Assuming Kuparuk field operating conditions, are SSSV's a safety asset, or do numerous operating and maintenance procedures make themmore » a safety liability.'' The results indicate that for the Kuparuk River Unit, an SSSV becomes a safety liability when the mean time between SSSV failures is less than one year. Since current SSSV mean time to failure (MTTF) at Kuparuk is approximately 1000 days, they are considered a safety asset.« less

Studying and Dating Indian Ocean Tsunamis by Using Benthic Foraminifera in the Sediment Stratigraphy of South Andaman Islands, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, F. C.

2015-12-01

We analyzed the foraminifera and dated them to identify the sea level fluctuations in the coastal sediment stratigraphy of Andaman Islands. Our recent paleotsunami investigations are specially focused on unusual large magnitude earthquake and tsunamis in the south coast of Andaman. Our detailed study on the foraminifers preserved in the near sub surface stratigraphy and AMS ages show a strong signature of the tsunami event very much similar to the modern tsunami of December 2004. We found that foraminifer is an ideal geological key to bracket paleotsunami events. The AMS ages of these foraminifers supports the ages given by corals of Sumatra with a small error bar. The recent research approach to identify the ruptures and tsunami based on the corals of south Sumatra suggests a large time span of 1000 years for such mega events. Our foraminiferal archives obtained from 10g soil samples from the 2.5m deep Holocene stratigraphy suggests four seismic predecessors similar to the 2004 event with ~Mw9 with huge rupture. Huge foraminiferal population in the sedimentary stratigraphy is an indicative of sea level changes and the signatures of abrasion in the foraminifer's test (180µm) indicate strong wave surges and bead load transport during tsunami events. Spontaneous death of organisms due to tsunami waves gives an exact time frame with a narrow age limit than the charcoal. Sediment stratigraphy of south Andaman had such changes in each millennium. Sediment stratigraphy sections shows the huge population and assemblages and the AMS dates of this foraminifera in south Andaman shows four mega events. This kind of fossil assemblages are commonly associated with the sea regression and transgressions in the geological time scale. Tamil 'Sangam literatures' one of the oldest literature available in Indian main land and the corals ages from Sumatra are also emphasizes the predecessors of such unusual large magnitude earthquakes and tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. All these signatures are indicators of sea level fluctuations associated with tsunamis due to large magnitude Earthquakes (~Mw9).

Development of ultrastable filters and lasers for solar seismology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rust, D. M.; Kunski, R.; Cohn, R. F.

1986-01-01

The Stable Solar Analyzer is a recently developed instrument for the measurement of solar magnetic fields and surface velocities that is being employed at the U.S. National Solar Observatory to study the subsurface convection cells of the sun and the structure of surface and subsurface magnetic fields. The Analyzer is expected to ultimately be flown aboard such spacecraft as the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. This instrument is based on a crystalline lithium niobate Fabry-Perot filter that is used in conjunction with a stabilized laser that furnishes an absolute wavelength reference; this laser Fabry-Perot combination has achieved wavelength stabilities of the order of 2 parts in 10 to the 10th, over a six-hour interval.

Reconnaissance stratigraphy of the Red Glacier Formation (Middle Jurassic) near Hungryman Creek, Cook Inlet basin, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

LePain, D.L.; Stanley, Richard G.; Helmold, K.P.

2016-01-01

Geochemical data suggest the source of oil in upper Cook Inlet fields is Middle Jurassic organic-rich shales in the Tuxedni Group (Magoon and Anders, 1992; Lillis and Stanley, 2011; LePain and others, 2012, 2013). Of the six formations in the group (Detterman, 1963), the basal Red Glacier Formation is the only unit that includes fine-grained rocks in outcrop that appear to be organic-rich (fig. 3-1). In an effort to better understand the stratigraphy and source-rock potential of the Red Glacier Formation, the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, in collaboration with the Alaska Division of Oil and Gas and the U.S. Geological Survey, has been investigating the unit in outcrop between Tuxedni Bay and the type section at Lateral and Red glaciers (Stanley and others, 2013; LePain and Stanley, 2015; Helmold and others, 2016 [this volume]). Fieldwork in 2015 focused on a southeast-trending ridge south of Hungryman Creek, where the lower 60–70 percent of the formation (400–500 m) is exposed and accessible, except for the near-vertical faces of three segments near the southeast end of the ridge (figs. 3-2 and 3-3). Three stratigraphic sections were measured along the ridge to document facies and depositional environments (figs. 3-3 and 3-4). Steep terrain precluded study of the upper part of the formation exposed east of the ridge. This report includes a preliminary summary of findings from the 2015 field season.

Sequence stratigraphy of the Aux Vases Sandstone: A major oil producer in the Illinois basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leetaru, H.E.

2000-01-01

The Aux Vases Sandstone (Mississippian) has contributed between 10 and 25% of all the oil produced in Illinois. The Aux Vases is not only an important oil reservoir but is also an important source of groundwater, quarrying stone, and fluorspar. Using sequence stratigraphy, a more accurate stratigraphic interpretation of this economically important formation can be discerned and thereby enable more effective exploration for the resources contained therein. Previous studies have assumed that the underlying Spar Mountain, Karnak, and Joppa formations interfingered with the Aux Vases, as did the overlying Renault Limestone. This study demonstrates that these formations instead are separated by sequence boundaries; therefore, they are not genetically related to each other. A result of this sequence stratigraphic approach is the identification of incised valleys, paleotopography, and potential new hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Spar Mountain and Aux Vases. In eastern Illinois, the Aux Vases is bounded by sequence boundaries with 20 ft (6 m) of relief. The Aux Vases oil reservoir facies was deposited as a tidally influenced siliciclastic wedge that prograded over underlying carbonate-rich sediments. The Aux Vases sedimentary succession consists of offshore sediment overlain by intertidal and supratidal sediments. Low-permeability shales and carbonates typically surround the Aux Vases reservoir sandstone and thereby form numerous bypassed compartments from which additional oil can be recovered. The potential for new significant oil fields within the Aux Vases is great, as is the potential for undrained reservoir compartments within existing Aux Vases fields.

Fracture Characterization in the Astor Pass Geothermal Field, Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walsh, D. C.; Reeves, D. M.; Pohll, G.; Lyles, B. F.; Cooper, C. A.

2011-12-01

The Astor Pass geothermal field, near Pyramid Lake, NV, is under study as a site of potential geothermal energy production. Three wells have been completed in the graben of this typical Basin and Range geologic setting. Lithologies include a layer of unconsolidated sediment (basin fill) underlain by various tertiary volcanic units and granodiorite and metavolcanic basement rock. Characterization of fractures within the relatively impermeable rock matrix is being conducted for the three wells. Statistical analysis of fracture orientation, densities, and spacing obtained from borehole imaging logs is used to determine stress orientation and to generate a statistically equivalent Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) model. Fractures at depth are compared to fracture data collected in nearby outcrops of the same lithologic stratigraphy. Fracture geometry and density is correlated to mechanically discrete layers within the stratigraphy to test whether variations in fracturing can be attributed to variations in Young's modulus. Correlation of fracture geometry and densities with spinner flowmeter logs and distributed temperature sensor records are made in an effort to identify potential flowing fracture zones intersecting the borehole. Mean fracture aperture is obtained from open fracture counts and reservoir-scale transmissivity values (computed from a 30 day pump test) in the absence of readily available aperture data. The goal of this thorough fracture characterization is to create a physically relevant model which may be coupled with a multipurpose fluid flow and thermal simulator for investigation of geothermal reservoir behavior, particularly at the borehole scale.

Mars Analog Rio Tinto Experiment (MARTE): 2003 Drilling Campaign to Search for a Subsurface Biosphere at Rio Tinto Spain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoker, Carol; Dunagan, Stephen; Stevens, Todd; Amils, Ricardo; Gomez-Elvira, Javier; Fernandez, David; Hall, James; Lynch, Kennda; Cannon, Howard; Zavaleta, Jhony

2004-01-01

The MARTE (Mars Astrobiology Research and Technology Experiment) project, an ASTEP field experiment, is exploring for a hypothesized subsurface anaerobic chemoautotrophic biosphere in the region of the Tinto River- or Rio Tinto- in southwestern Spain. It is also demonstrating technology needed to search for a subsurface biosphere on Mars. The project has three primary objectives: (1) search for and characterize subsurface life at Rio Tinto along with the physical and chemical properties and sustaining energy sources of its environment, (2) perform a high fidelity simulation of a robotic Mars drilling mission to search for life, and (3) demonstrate the drilling, sample handling, and instrument technologies relevant to searching for life on Mars. The simulation of the robotic drilling mission is guided by the results of the aseptic drilling campaign to search for life at Rio Tinto. This paper describes results of the first phase of the aseptic drilling campaign.

A locally conservative stabilized continuous Galerkin finite element method for two-phase flow in poroelastic subsurfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Q.; Ginting, V.; McCaskill, B.; Torsu, P.

2017-10-01

We study the application of a stabilized continuous Galerkin finite element method (CGFEM) in the simulation of multiphase flow in poroelastic subsurfaces. The system involves a nonlinear coupling between the fluid pressure, subsurface's deformation, and the fluid phase saturation, and as such, we represent this coupling through an iterative procedure. Spatial discretization of the poroelastic system employs the standard linear finite element in combination with a numerical diffusion term to maintain stability of the algebraic system. Furthermore, direct calculation of the normal velocities from pressure and deformation does not entail a locally conservative field. To alleviate this drawback, we propose an element based post-processing technique through which local conservation can be established. The performance of the method is validated through several examples illustrating the convergence of the method, the effectivity of the stabilization term, and the ability to achieve locally conservative normal velocities. Finally, the efficacy of the method is demonstrated through simulations of realistic multiphase flow in poroelastic subsurfaces.

Using electrokinetic phenomena and electrical resistance tomography to characterize the movement of subsurface fluids

DOEpatents

Ramirez, Abelardo L.; Cooper, John F.; Daily, William D.

1996-01-01

This invention relates generally to the remote detections of subsurface liquid contaminants using in combination a geophysical technique known as ERT and an EKS. Electrokinetic transport is used to enhance the ability of electrical resistance tomography (ERT) to detect position and movement of subsurface contaminant liquids, particles or ions. ERT images alone are difficult to interpret because of natural inhomogeneities in soil composition and electrical properties. By subtracting two or more ERT images obtained before and after field induced movement, a high contrast image of a plume of distinct electrokinetic properties can be seen. The invention is applicable to important subsurface characterization problems including, as examples, (1) detection of liquid-saturated plumes of contaminants such as those associated with leaks from underground storage tanks containing hazardous concentrated electrolytes, (2) detection and characterization of soils contaminated with organic pollutants such as droplets of gasoline; and (3) monitoring the progress of electrokinetic containment or clean up of underground contamination.

Using electrokinetic phenomena and electrical resistance tomography to characterize the movement of subsurface fluids

DOEpatents

Ramirez, A.L.; Cooper, J.F.; Daily, W.D.

1996-02-27

This invention relates generally to the remote detections of subsurface liquid contaminants using in combination a geophysical technique known as ERT and an EKS. Electrokinetic transport is used to enhance the ability of electrical resistance tomography (ERT) to detect position and movement of subsurface contaminant liquids, particles or ions. ERT images alone are difficult to interpret because of natural inhomogeneities in soil composition and electrical properties. By subtracting two or more ERT images obtained before and after field induced movement, a high contrast image of a plume of distinct electrokinetic properties can be seen. The invention is applicable to important subsurface characterization problems including, as examples, (1) detection of liquid-saturated plumes of contaminants such as those associated with leaks from underground storage tanks containing hazardous concentrated electrolytes, (2) detection and characterization of soils contaminated with organic pollutants such as droplets of gasoline; and (3) monitoring the progress of electrokinetic containment or clean up of underground contamination. 1 fig.

Effect of Climate Extremes, Seasonal Change, and Agronomic Practices on Measured Evapotranspiration and CO2 Exchange in Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta Alfalfa Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clay, J.; Kent, E. R.; Leinfelder-Miles, M.; Paw U, K. T.; Little, C.; Lambert, J. J.

2017-12-01

Evapotranspiration and CO2 exchange was measured in five alfalfa fields in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta region from 2016 to 2017 using eddy covariance and surface renewal methods. Seasonal changes of evapotranspiration and CO2 fluxes were compared between 2016, a drought year, and 2017, a high rainfall year. Additionally, changes in evapotranspiration and CO2 flux were investigated across various agronomic considerations, such as irrigation methods (border-check flood and sub-surface), stand life, and herbicide programs. Components of the energy balance, including net radiation, latent heat, ground heat flux, and sensible heat, were evaluated considering correlations to wind speed measured by three sonic anemometers, irrigation frequency, and crop cutting cycle. Comparisons between two different types of radiometers were also carried out. Under drought conditions, we observed higher amounts of evapotranspiration in a field having a stand life of less than two years of age compared to older stands, and in a sub-surface irrigated field compared to flood irrigated fields.

Quantifying shallow subsurface water and heat dynamics using coupled hydrological-thermal-geophysical inversion

DOE PAGES

Tran, Anh Phuong; Dafflon, Baptiste; Hubbard, Susan S.; ...

2016-04-25

Improving our ability to estimate the parameters that control water and heat fluxes in the shallow subsurface is particularly important due to their strong control on recharge, evaporation and biogeochemical processes. The objectives of this study are to develop and test a new inversion scheme to simultaneously estimate subsurface hydrological, thermal and petrophysical parameters using hydrological, thermal and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) data. The inversion scheme-which is based on a nonisothermal, multiphase hydrological model-provides the desired subsurface property estimates in high spatiotemporal resolution. A particularly novel aspect of the inversion scheme is the explicit incorporation of the dependence of themore » subsurface electrical resistivity on both moisture and temperature. The scheme was applied to synthetic case studies, as well as to real datasets that were autonomously collected at a biogeochemical field study site in Rifle, Colorado. At the Rifle site, the coupled hydrological-thermal-geophysical inversion approach well predicted the matric potential, temperature and apparent resistivity with the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency criterion greater than 0.92. Synthetic studies found that neglecting the subsurface temperature variability, and its effect on the electrical resistivity in the hydrogeophysical inversion, may lead to an incorrect estimation of the hydrological parameters. The approach is expected to be especially useful for the increasing number of studies that are taking advantage of autonomously collected ERT and soil measurements to explore complex terrestrial system dynamics.« less

Cone-penetrometer exploration of sinkholes: Stratigraphy and soil properties

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

Bloomberg, D.; Upchurch, S.B.; Hayden, M.L.

1988-10-01

Four sinkholes with varying surficial expressions were subjected to detailed stratigraphic and soil analysis by means of Standard Penetration Tests (SPT) and Electric Friction Cone Penetration Tests (CPT) in order to evaluate applications of CPT to sinkhole investigations. Although widely used, SPT data are of limited value and difficult to apply to sinkhole mapping. CPT is sensitive to minor lithologic variability and is superior to SPT as a cost-effective technique for determining geotechnical properties of sinkholes. The effectiveness of CPT data results from the force measurements made along the sleeve of the cone. The friction ratio (ratio of sleeve tomore » tip resistance) is a good indicator of soil stratigraphy and properties. By smoothing the friction-ratio data, general stratigraphy and changes in soil properties are easily identified. Stratigraphy of the sinks has been complicated by intense weathering, karstification and marine transgressions. The resulting deposits include five stratigraphic units. 1 and 2 represent Plio-Pleistocene marine sediments with Unit 2 being the zone of soil clay accumulation. 3 and 4 are horizons residual from Miocene strata and indicate an episode of karstification prior to deposition of Units 1 and 2. CPT provides sufficient information for recognition of sinkhole stratigraphy and geotechnical properties. When coupled with laboratory soil analysis, CPT provides unique information about sinkhole geometry and dynamics. In contrast, SPT indicates general, inconclusive trends.« less

Near coast sedimentary stratigraphy as a proxy for climatic instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLivenny, J.

2009-04-01

Several studies have indicated a link between climatic deterioration and dune stability (Wilson 2002, Issar 2003, Dawson et al 2004). The frequency and magnitude of storms have been cited as a key variable in the stability of large dune systems. For the stratigraphy of dune systems to act as a regional climatic proxy there must be a good regional relationship between known climatic events and regionally correlated stratigraphic changes. Dunnet Bay in Caithness, Northern Scotland was chosen as a study site to look at the relationship between dune stability and climatic change during the late Holocene in Northern Scotland. Dunnet Bay was chosen for its physical attributes which make it an excellent natural sediment trap. Tucked in between headlands which act as barriers to long-shore transport the predominant movement of sediment there is straight onshore, with only minor amounts being lost to the sea. The immediate back-dune stratigraphy, colloquially known as "links", provided evidence of peat formation and dune stability. Stratigraphy was mapped using traditional field techniques and ground penetrating radar. The cores consisted mostly of massive layers of sand interleaved with peat. Sand layers were dated with optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and interpreted as reflecting high wind energy regimes transporting sand inland. Peat layers were C14 dated and taken as representing climatic stability. Stratigraphy was mapped using hand auguring, percussion coring, and open sections. Ground penetrating radar was also used to look at the continuity of key layers. OSL dating in two open sections showed dates obtained from the first section (1790 AD ±70, 53 BC ± 100, 300 BC ± 100, 400 BC ± 100) mapped to the top of the second section (1800 AD ± 100, 1500 BC ± 200, 2900 BC ± 300) which was consistent with stratigraphy increasing sediment thickness towards the centre of the bay. The results were consistent with acquired C14 dates from selected peat layers. Taken collectively the results are consistent with some known episodes of climatic instability which occurred during the mid Holocene with instability phases occurring in Dunnet from approximately 6300- 4250 yrs BP, associated with climatic deterioration between 6000 - 5,200 Yrs BP (Lamb 1995) and dune instability between 2560 - 3900 Yrs BP, associated with an abrupt change of climate (Anderson 1995) In addition to the luminescence dates, 31 luminescence profiling dates were acquired in order to look at the continuity of the age vs. depth profile. Luminescence profile dates are small samples that require less preparation prior to luminescence measurement than full luminescence dating. Although larger errors are associated with luminescence profiling, it offered means of identifying at lesser cost the possible occurrence of mixing between eroded layers. The stratigraphic chronology was compared to other local and regional dune studies and periods of climatic deterioration found in other proxies. The GISP2 ice core (Greenland Ice Sheet Project) was found to provide chemical proxies for North Atlantic storminess which partially explained our observed stratigraphy (O`brien et al 1995). It is concluded that changes in dune stability at a regional scale are also influenced by local variables, so that one should be careful when attempting to draw stratigraphy to climate change. Key References: Issar, A. (2003) Climate changes during the Holocene and their impact on hydrological systems. Published by the Cambridge University Press 2003. Wilson, P. (2002) Holocene coastal dune development on the South Erridale peninsula, Wester Ross, Scotland. Scottish Journal of Geology, 38, 1, 5-13. Dawson, S., smith, D., Jordan, J., and Dawson D. G. (2004) Late Holocene coastal sand movements in the outer Hebrides N. W. Scotland. Marine Geology 210, 281-306 O`Brien, S. M. Mayewski, P.A. Meeker, L. D., Meese, D. A., Twickler, M. S. & Whitlow, S. I. (1995) Complexity of the Holocene Climate as reconstructed from a Greenland ice core. Science 270, pp 1962-1964 Lamb, H. (1995) Climate, History and the Modern World. Published by Routledge ISBN 0415127343, 9780415127349 2nd ed. Anderson, D. E. (1995) An abrupt mid-Holocene decline of pinus sylvestris in Glen Torridon, north west Scotland: Implications for paleoclimatic change. School of Geography and the Environment Research papers, Oxford

78 FR 42977 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-18

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in... Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in Eagle Ford Formation and Equivalent...

77 FR 31040 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-24

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in... Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in Eagle Ford Formation and Equivalent...

77 FR 73676 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993; Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-11

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993; Cooperative Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in... Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in Eagle Ford Formation and Equivalent...

Best Practices for Environmental Site Management: A Practical Guide for Applying Environmental Sequence Stratigraphy to Improve Conceptual Site Models

EPA Science Inventory

Presented here is a practical guide on the application of the geologic principles of sequence stratigraphy and facies models to the characterization of stratigraphic heterogeneity at hazardous waste sites. This technology is applicable to sites underlain by clastic aquifers (int...

Stratigraphy of the crater Copernicus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paquette, R.

1984-01-01

The stratigraphy of copernicus based on its olivine absorption bands is presented. Earth based spectral data are used to develop models that also employ cratering mechanics to devise theories for Copernican geomorphology. General geologic information, spectral information, upper and lower stratigraphic units and a chart for model comparison are included in the stratigraphic analysis.

The Serpentinite Subsurface Microbiome

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schrenk, M. O.; Nelson, B. Y.; Brazelton, W. J.

2011-12-01

Microbial habitats hosted in ultramafic rocks constitute substantial, globally-distributed portions of the subsurface biosphere, occurring both on the continents and beneath the seafloor. The aqueous alteration of ultramafics, in a process known as serpentinization, creates energy rich, high pH conditions, with low concentrations of inorganic carbon which place fundamental constraints upon microbial metabolism and physiology. Despite their importance, very few studies have attempted to directly access and quantify microbial activities and distributions in the serpentinite subsurface microbiome. We have initiated microbiological studies of subsurface seeps and rocks at three separate continental sites of serpentinization in Newfoundland, Italy, and California and compared these results to previous analyses of the Lost City field, near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. In all cases, microbial cell densities in seep fluids are extremely low, ranging from approximately 100,000 to less than 1,000 cells per milliliter. Culture-independent analyses of 16S rRNA genes revealed low-diversity microbial communities related to Gram-positive Firmicutes and hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria. Interestingly, unlike Lost City, there has been little evidence for significant archaeal populations in the continental subsurface to date. Culturing studies at the sites yielded numerous alkaliphilic isolates on nutrient-rich agar and putative iron-reducing bacteria in anaerobic incubations, many of which are related to known alkaliphilic and subsurface isolates. Finally, metagenomic data reinforce the culturing results, indicating the presence of genes associated with organotrophy, hydrogen oxidation, and iron reduction in seep fluid samples. Our data provide insight into the lifestyles of serpentinite subsurface microbial populations and targets for future quantitative exploration using both biochemical and geochemical approaches.

Zonal subdivision of marine sequences: achievements and discrepancies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gladenkov, Yuri

2010-05-01

It was 150 years ago when a notion of zone was introduced into stratigraphy. By the present time zonal units with a duration of 0.3-3.0 M.y. in average have been established virtually for all systems and stages of the Phanerozoic. Their quantity reached 300. It is not a chance that zonal stratigraphy is considered to be one of the most significant achievement of the modern geology. There are different interpretations of essence and goals of zonal stratigraphy, techniques of separation of zones, and evaluation of zones as stratigraphic units. Particularly it is reflected in International Stratigraphic Guide (Murphy, Salvador, 1999), Russian Stratigraphic Code (Zhamoida, 2006), and a number of stratigraphic reports of the last years. It concerns different approaches to: (a) establishment of different types of zones (biostratigraphic zones and chronozones, oppel-zones and biohorizons, etc.); (b) assessment of spatial distribution of zones (global or provincial) and a role of sedimentological factor; (c) definition of zones as stratigraphic units (relationships with geostratigraphic units of the standard and regional scales). The latest publications show that because of the different interpretations of zones, authors should explain usage of certain type of zone (for example, when they use the terms "interval-zone" or "assemblage-zone", what limitations stem from application of datum-levels, and others). It is common opinion, that biostratigraphic zones used widely by paleontologists and stratigraphers cannot be a final goal of stratigraphy although they provide a base for solution of many important problems (definition of certain stratigraphic levels, correlation of different biofacies, and others). At the same time, the most important stratigraphic units are chronozones, which correspond to stages or phases of geological evolutio of basins and are marked by distinct fossil assemblages and other properties (magnetic and other characteristics) in the type sections. Therefore, in Russian Stratigraphic Code biostratigraphic zones are regarded as special units and chronozones as general units of integrated substantiation. Now it becomes clear that unlike chronozones, biostratigraphic zones often have diachronous boundaries and provincial but not global distribution. This is not frequently taken into account at practical correlations. A special attention should be paid to a scale of these occurrences when refining stratigraphic scales. It should not be forgotten that magneto-, litho-, and cyclostratigraphic markers should be used to assess isochronism of zonal boundaries. Many zonal reconstructions do not look faultless without such a control. If we consider zonal stratigraphy not only in applied aspect but in a wide scientific one, it fits in with the geohistorical concept of stratigraphy, which is now reflected in "dynamic", or "ecosystem", or biosphere stratigraphy (Gladenkov, 2004). Establishment of stages of geological development of the Earth and its separate parts, reconstructions of changes in the organic world at the biogeocoenotic and biospheric levels, complex study of paleobiotic assemblages are thought to be one of principal lines of stratigraphic investigations. At present discussions are being organized and experience of zonal stratigraphy is being summarized in Russia. In particular, a large book titled "Biozonal stratigraphy of the Phanerozoic in Russia" and devoted to this problem has been published recently (Koren, 2006). References 1. Gladenkov, Yu.B., 2004. Biosphere Stratigraphy (Stratigraphic Problems in the Early XXI Century). Moscow: GEOS, 120 pp. (in Russian). 2. Koren, T.N., ed., 2006. Biozonal stratigraphy of the Phanerozoic in Russia. Saint-Petersburg: VSEGEI Press, 256 рp. (in Russian). 3. Murphy, M.A., and Salvador, A., eds., 1999. International Stratigraphic Guide: An abridged version. Episodes, 22 (4): 255-271. 4. Zhamoida. A.I., ed., 2006. Russian Stratigraphic Guide (3rd Edition). Saint-Petersburg: VSEGEI Press, 95 pp. (in Russian).

Low-Angle Radar Tracking

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-02-01

Transition from Specular Reflection to Diffuse Scattering. . . 10 Composition of the Electric-Field Vector as Seen at the Radar...r t (16) R • FIGURE P COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTRIC-FIELD VECTOR AS SEEN AT THE RADAR, R, IN FIG. 2. The electric field at the radar, E, is the sum...wavelengths in the VHP and UHF ranges even subsurface characteristics can be important. So in a field experiment one must be careful to measure

Subsurface microscopy of interconnect layers of an integrated circuit.

PubMed

Köklü, F Hakan; Unlü, M Selim

2010-01-15

We apply the NA-increasing lens technique to confocal and wide-field backside microscopy of integrated circuits. We demonstrate 325 nm (lambda(0)/4) lateral spatial resolution while imaging metal structures located inside the interconnect layer of an integrated circuit. Vectorial field calculations are presented justifying our findings.

Transport of tylosin and tylosin-resistance genes in subsurface drainage water from manured fields

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Animal agriculture appears to contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance genes, but few studies have quantified gene transport in agricultural fields. The transport of tylosin, tylosin-resistance genes (erm B, F, A) and tylosin-resistant Enterococcus were measured in tile drainage water from ...

After-discovery studies prolong life. [Role of the geologist in oil fields

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

Hartman, J.A.

1977-05-02

Unless there is a problem, a field may receive little attention by geologists once the primary development phase is over. This is a mistake because analysis of production data may point to areas where more development is needed. In large, multipay fields it is hard to gather the data into a usable form and to attempt to use these data to develop a consistent subsurface interpretation which explains the facts. With wells spaced only a few hundred feet apart, the geologist cannot let his imagination run wild as he can when looking at wildcat country. However, the results obtained frommore » studying oil fields can be very rewarding for both the geologist and his company. For maximum benefit, a subsurface field review should include all facts of the geology, as well as the reservoir, petro-physical, and production engineering aspects. When a field is studied in detail, areas of poor drainage are generally found and those become potential objectives for new wells on recompletions in existing wells. The following are discussed: (1) updip undrained areas; (2) bottom water reservoirs; (3) stringer drainage; and (4) South Pass block 24 field. When a field is studied in detail, unanticipated drainage anomalies are commonly found.« less

Final Project Report: Imaging Fault Zones Using a Novel Elastic Reverse-Time Migration Imaging Technique

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

Huang, Lianjie; Chen, Ting; Tan, Sirui

Imaging fault zones and fractures is crucial for geothermal operators, providing important information for reservoir evaluation and management strategies. However, there are no existing techniques available for directly and clearly imaging fault zones, particularly for steeply dipping faults and fracture zones. In this project, we developed novel acoustic- and elastic-waveform inversion methods for high-resolution velocity model building. In addition, we developed acoustic and elastic reverse-time migration methods for high-resolution subsurface imaging of complex subsurface structures and steeply-dipping fault/fracture zones. We first evaluated and verified the improved capabilities of our newly developed seismic inversion and migration imaging methods using synthetic seismicmore » data. Our numerical tests verified that our new methods directly image subsurface fracture/fault zones using surface seismic reflection data. We then applied our novel seismic inversion and migration imaging methods to a field 3D surface seismic dataset acquired at the Soda Lake geothermal field using Vibroseis sources. Our migration images of the Soda Lake geothermal field obtained using our seismic inversion and migration imaging algorithms revealed several possible fault/fracture zones. AltaRock Energy, Inc. is working with Cyrq Energy, Inc. to refine the geologic interpretation at the Soda Lake geothermal field. Trenton Cladouhos, Senior Vice President R&D of AltaRock, was very interested in our imaging results of 3D surface seismic data from the Soda Lake geothermal field. He planed to perform detailed interpretation of our images in collaboration with James Faulds and Holly McLachlan of University of Nevada at Reno. Using our high-resolution seismic inversion and migration imaging results can help determine the optimal locations to drill wells for geothermal energy production and reduce the risk of geothermal exploration.« less

Controlling Fluid Flow in the Subsurface through Ureolysis-Controlled Mineral Precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerlach, R.; Phillips, A. J.; Cunningham, A. B.; Spangler, L.

2016-12-01

In situ urea hydrolysis has been used by us successfully to manipulate the carbonate alkalinity and control the precipitation of carbonate minerals. Urea hydrolysis can be promoted using microbial cells, enzymes or thermal energy. This technology can be used to mitigate leakage pathways, seal fractures or control fluid transport in the subsurface in hydrocarbon production, enhanced geothermal energy storage, carbon sequestration, nuclear waste disposal, etc. We have completed two field demonstrations of the urea hydrolysis-controlled in situ mineral precipitation technology. The first demonstration showed fracture sealing was possible in a sandstone formation approx. 1120' below ground surface (bgs) and that the fracture had increased resistance to re-fracturing after mineralization treatment. The second field demonstration was performed in a well with an identified channel in the cement near the wellbore at approx. 1020' bgs. The in situ mineralization treatment resulted in reduced pressure decay during shut in periods and reduced injectivity. In addition, a noticeable difference was observed in the solids percentage in the ultrasonic imaging logs before and after biomineralization treatment. The presentation will summarize and put into context the field and our recent laboratory research focusing on permeability manipulation using the in situ ureolysis-driven mineralization technology under ambient and subsurface pressure conditions. We have demonstrated permeability reductions of 3-6 orders of magnitude in 100 µm to 4mm gaps between shale, sandstone and cement/steel interfaces.

Predictability of Subsurface Temperature and the AMOC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Y.; Schubert, S. D.

2013-12-01

GEOS 5 coupled model is extensively used for experimental decadal climate prediction. Understanding the limits of decadal ocean predictability is critical for making progress in these efforts. Using this model, we study the subsurface temperature initial value predictability, the variability of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) and its impacts on the global climate. Our approach is to utilize the idealized data assimilation technology developed at the GMAO. The technique 'replay' allows us to assess, for example, the impact of the surface wind stresses and/or precipitation on the ocean in a very well controlled environment. By running the coupled model in replay mode we can in fact constrain the model using any existing reanalysis data set. We replay the model constraining (nudging) it to the MERRA reanalysis in various fields from 1948-2012. The fields, u,v,T,q,ps, are adjusted towards the 6-hourly analyzed fields in atmosphere. The simulated AMOC variability is studied with a 400-year-long segment of replay integration. The 84 cases of 10-year hindcasts are initialized from 4 different replay cycles. Here, the variability and predictability are examined further by a measure to quantify how much the subsurface temperature and AMOC variability has been influenced by atmospheric forcing and by ocean internal variability. The simulated impact of the AMOC on the multi-decadal variability of the SST, sea surface height (SSH) and sea ice extent is also studied.

Sorption of pathogens during sub-surface drip irrigation with wastewater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levi, Laillach; Gillerman Gillerman, Leonid; Kalavrouziotis, Ioannis; Oron, Gideon

2017-04-01

Water scarcity continues to be one of the major threats to human survival in many regions worldwide, such as Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the State of California in the US. Due to a mixture of factors such as population growth, reduction in water resources availability and higher demand for high quality waters in these regions these countries face water shortage issues that stem from overuse, extensive extraction of groundwater, and frequent drought events. In addition, there are increases in environmental and health awareness that have led to intensive efforts in the treatment and reuse of nonconventional water sources, mainly wastewater and greywater. One approach to water shortages issues is to use wastewater as means to close the gap between supply and demand. However, the need to treat wastewater and to disinfect it forces additional economic burden on the users, primarily for agricultural irrigation. A possible solution might be to use the soil as a sorbent for the contained pathogens. Under sub-surface drip irrigation, not allowing the wastewater to reach the soil surface, the pathogens will remain in the soil. It was as well shown in field experiments that the opening size of roots will not allow pathogens to penetrate into the plants. Additional advantages such as water saving, protection of the pipe systems and others are also important. Field experiments in commercial fields just emphasize the main advantages of sub-surface drip irrigation.

Sequence stratigraphy, seismic stratigraphy, and seismic structures of the lower intermediate confining unit and most of the Floridan aquifer system, Broward County, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cunningham, Kevin J.; Kluesner, Jared W.; Westcott, Richard L.; Robinson, Edward; Walker, Cameron; Khan, Shakira A.

2017-12-08

Deep well injection and disposal of treated wastewater into the highly transmissive saline Boulder Zone in the lower part of the Floridan aquifer system began in 1971. The zone of injection is a highly transmissive hydrogeologic unit, the Boulder Zone, in the lower part of the Floridan aquifer system. Since the 1990s, however, treated wastewater injection into the Boulder Zone in southeastern Florida has been detected at three treated wastewater injection utilities in the brackish upper part of the Floridan aquifer system designated for potential use as drinking water. At a time when usage of the Boulder Zone for treated wastewater disposal is increasing and the utilization of the upper part of the Floridan aquifer system for drinking water is intensifying, there is an urgency to understand the nature of cross-formational fluid flow and identify possible fluid pathways from the lower to upper zones of the Floridan aquifer system. To better understand the hydrogeologic controls on groundwater movement through the Floridan aquifer system in southeastern Florida, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Broward County Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division conducted a 3.5-year cooperative study from July 2012 to December 2015. The study characterizes the sequence stratigraphy, seismic stratigraphy, and seismic structures of the lower part of the intermediate confining unit aquifer and most of the Floridan aquifer system.Data obtained to meet the study objective include 80 miles of high-resolution, two-dimensional (2D), seismic-reflection profiles acquired from canals in eastern Broward County. These profiles have been used to characterize the sequence stratigraphy, seismic stratigraphy, and seismic structures in a 425-square-mile study area. Horizon mapping of the seismic-reflection profiles and additional data collection from well logs and cores or cuttings from 44 wells were focused on construction of three-dimensional (3D) visualizations of eight sequence stratigraphic cycles that compose the Eocene to Miocene Oldsmar, Avon Park, and Arcadia Formations. The mapping of these seismic-reflection and well data has produced a refined Cenozoic sequence stratigraphic, seismic stratigraphic, and hydrogeologic framework of southeastern Florida. The upward transition from the Oldsmar Formation to the Avon Park Formation and the Arcadia Formation embodies the evolution from (1) a tropical to subtropical, shallow-marine, carbonate platform, represented by the Oldsmar and Avon Park Formations, to (2) a broad, temperate, mixed carbonate-siliciclastic shallow marine shelf, represented by the lower part of the Arcadia Formation, and to (3) a temperate, distally steepened carbonate ramp represented by the upper part of the Arcadia Formation.In the study area, the depositional sequences and seismic sequences have a direct correlation with hydrogeologic units. The approximate upper boundary of four principal permeable units of the Floridan aquifer system (Upper Floridan aquifer, Avon Park permeable zone, uppermost major permeable zone of the Lower Floridan aquifer, and Boulder Zone) have sequence stratigraphic and seismic-reflection signatures that were identified on cross sections, mapped, or both, and therefore the sequence stratigraphy and seismic stratigraphy were used to guide the development of a refined spatial representation of these hydrogeologic units. In all cases, the permeability of the four permeable units is related to stratiform megaporosity generated by ancient dissolution of carbonate rock associated with subaerial exposure and unconformities at the upper surfaces of carbonate depositional cycles of several hierarchical scales ranging from high-frequency cycles to depositional sequences. Additionally, interparticle porosity also contributes substantially to the stratiform permeability in much of the Upper Floridan aquifer. Information from seismic stratigraphy allowed 3D geomodeling of hydrogeologic units—an approach never before applied to this area. Notably, the 3D geomodeling provided 3D visualizations and geocellular models of the depositional sequences, hydrostratigraphy, and structural features. The geocellular data could be used to update the hydrogeologic structure inherent to groundwater flow simulations that are designed to address the sustainability of the water resources of the Floridan aquifer system.Two kinds of pathways that could enable upward cross-formational flow of injected treated wastewater from the Boulder Zone have been identified in the 80 miles of high-resolution seismic data collected for this study: a near-vertical reverse fault and karst collapse structures. The single reverse fault, inferred to be of tectonic origin, is in extreme northeastern Broward County and has an offset of about 19 feet at the level of the Arcadia Formation. Most of the 17 karst collapse structures identified manifest as columniform, vertically stacked sagging seismic reflections that span early Eocene to Miocene age rocks equivalent to much of the Floridan aquifer system and the lower part of the overlying intermediate confining unit. In some cases, the seismic-sag structures extend upward into strata of Pliocene age. The seismic-sag structures are interpreted to have a semicircular shape in plan view on the basis of comparison to (1) other seismic-sag structures in southeastern Florida mapped with two 2D seismic cross lines or 3D data, (2) comparison to these structures located in other carbonate provinces, and (3) plausible extensional ring faults detected with multi-attribute analysis. The seismic-sag structures in the study area have heights as great as 2,500 vertical feet, though importantly, one spans about 7,800 feet. Both multi-attribute analysis and visual detection of offset of seismic reflections within the seismic-sag structures indicate faults and fractures are associated with many of the structures. Multi-attribute analysis highlighting chimney fluid pathways also indicates that the seismic-sag structures have a high probability for potential vertical cross-formational fluid flow along the faulted and fractured structures. A collapse of the seismic-sag structures within a deep burial setting evokes an origin related to hypogenic karst processes by ascending flow of subsurface fluids. In addition, paleo-epigenic karst related to major regional subaerial unconformities within the Florida Platform generated collapse structures (paleo-sinkholes) that are much smaller in scale than the cross-formational seismic-sag structures.

Resolving Large Pre-glacial Valleys Buried by Glacial Sediment Using Electric Resistivity Imaging (ERI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitt, D. R.; Welz, M.; Rokosh, C. D.; Pontbriand, M.-C.; Smith, D. G.

2004-05-01

Two-dimensional electric resistivity imaging (ERI) is the most exciting and promising geological tool in geomorphology and stratigraphy since development of ground-penetrating radar. Recent innovations in 2-D ERI provides a non-intrusive mean of efficiently resolving complex shallow subsurface structures under a number of different geological scenarios. In this paper, we test the capacity of ERI to image two large pre-late Wisconsinan-aged valley-fills in central Alberta and north-central Montana. Valley-fills record the history of pre-glacial and glacial sedimentary deposits. These fills are of considerable economical value as groundwater aquifers, aggregate resources (sand and gravel), placers (gold, diamond) and sometime gas reservoirs in Alberta. Although the approximate locations of pre-glacial valley-fills have been mapped, the scarcity of borehole (well log) information and sediment exposures make accurate reconstruction of their stratigraphy and cross-section profiles difficult. When coupled with borehole information, ERI successfully imaged three large pre-glacial valley-fills representing three contrasting geological settings. The Sand Coulee segment of the ancestral Missouri River, which has never been glaciated, is filled by electrically conductive pro-glacial lacustrine deposits over resistive sandstone bedrock. By comparison, the Big Sandy segment of the ancestral Missouri River valley has a complex valley-fill composed of till units interbedded with glaciofluvial gravel and varved clays over conductive shale. The fill is capped by floodplain, paludal and low alluvial fan deposits. The pre-glacial Onoway Valley (the ancestral North Saskatchewan River valley) is filled with thick, resistive fluvial gravel over conductive shale and capped with conductive till. The cross-sectional profile of each surveyed pre-glacial valley exhibits discrete benches (terraces) connected by steep drops, features that are hard to map using only boreholes. Best quality ERI results were obtained along the Sand Coulee and Onoway transects where the contrast between the bedrock and valley-fill was large and the surficial sediment was homogeneous. The effects of decreasing reliability with depth, 3-D anomalies, principles of equivalence and suppression, and surface inhomogeneity on the image quality are discussed.

Tidal Simulations of an Incised-Valley Fluvial System with a Physics-Based Geologic Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghayour, K.; Sun, T.

2012-12-01

Physics-based geologic modeling approaches use fluid flow in conjunction with sediment transport and deposition models to devise evolutionary geologic models that focus on underlying physical processes and attempt to resolve them at pertinent spatial and temporal scales. Physics-based models are particularly useful when the evolution of a depositional system is driven by the interplay of autogenic processes and their response to allogenic controls. This interplay can potentially create complex reservoir architectures with high permeability sedimentary bodies bounded by a hierarchy of shales that can effectively impede flow in the subsurface. The complex stratigraphy of tide-influenced fluvial systems is an example of such co-existing and interacting environments of deposition. The focus of this talk is a novel formulation of boundary conditions for hydrodynamics-driven models of sedimentary systems. In tidal simulations, a time-accurate boundary treatment is essential for proper imposition of tidal forcing and fluvial inlet conditions where the flow may be reversed at times within a tidal cycle. As such, the boundary treatment at the inlet has to accommodate for a smooth transition from inflow to outflow and vice-versa without creating numerical artifacts. Our numerical experimentations showed that boundary condition treatments based on a local (frozen) one-dimensional approach along the boundary normal which does not account for the variation of flow quantities in the tangential direction often lead to unsatisfactory results corrupted by numerical artifacts. In this talk, we propose a new boundary treatment that retains all spatial and temporal terms in the model and as such is capable to account for nonlinearities and sharp variations of model variables near boundaries. The proposed approach borrows heavily from the idea set forth by J. Sesterhenn1 for compressible Navier-Stokes equations. The methodology is successfully applied to a tide-influenced incised valley fluvial system and the resulting stratigraphy is shown and discussed for different tide amplitudes. 1 Sesterhenn, J.: "A characteristic-type formulation of the Navier-Stokes equations for high-order upwind schemes", Computers & Fluids 30 (1) 37-67, 2001.;

The subsurface geology of the Florida-Hatteras shelf, slope, and inner Blake Plateau

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paull, Charles K.; Dillon, William P.

1979-01-01

The structure and stratigraphy of the Florida-Hatteras Slope and inner Blake Plateau was studied by means of 4,780 km of single-channel air gun seismic reflection profiles. Control for the seismic stratigraphy is provided by correlating reflecting units and paleontologically dated stratigraphic units identified in offshore wells and dredge hauls. Many Tertiary unconformities exist, and major regional unconformities at the end of the Oligocene and in the late Paleocene are mapped. Reflecting surfaces believed to represent the tops of the Cretaceous, Paleocene, and Oligocene extend throughout the region. Upper Cretaceous (pre-Maastrichtian) rocks on the southeastern side of the Carolina Platform form a large seaward-facing progradational wedge. The Upper Cretaceous rocks in the Southeast Georgia Embayment, are seismically transparent and on the inner Blake Plateau are cut by numerous small faults, perhaps due to compaction. Within the survey area relatively flat-lying Maastrichtian and Paleocene strata show no evidence that a feature similar to the present Florida-Hatteras Slope existed at the beginning of the Tertiary. Late Paleocene erosion, related to the initiation of the Gulf Stream flow, probably developed this regional unconformity. Eocene and Oligocene sediments landward of the present Gulf Stream form a thick sequence of seaward-dipping progradational beds. A seaward progradational wedge of Miocene to Holocene age covers a regionally traceable unconformity, which separates the Oligocene from the Miocene sediments. Under and seaward of the present Gulf Stream, the Eocene and younger sediment supply was much smaller and the buildup is comparatively insignificant. The difference in accumulation rates in the Eocene and younger sediments, landward and seaward of the Gulf Stream, is responsible for the Florida-Hatteras Slope. Tertiary isopach maps suggest that there is a well developed triangular depocenter under the shelf. The edges of the depocenter correspond with magnetic anomalies and it is suggested that the depocenter is related to differential subsidence during the Tertiary across older crustal structures. The Eocene and Oligocene units contain the aquifer onshore, and the aquifer probably remains in these units offshore. With this assumption the potential aquifer has been identified and traced under the shelf and slope.

The central uplift of Elorza Crater: Insights into its geology and possible relationships to the Valles Marineris and Tharsis regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopkins, R. T.; Tornabene, L. L.; Osinski, G. R.

2017-03-01

The majority of hydrated silicate occurrences on Mars are associated with impact craters (Ehlmann et al., 2011; Carter et al., 2013). Three formation mechanisms have been suggested to account for this correlation: (1) aqueous alteration occurred pre-impact, and was subsequently exposed via the impact (pre-impact; Bibring et al., 2006; Ehlmann et al., 2011), (2) heat generated from the impact facilitated the formation of a hydrothermal system, leading to alteration products (syn-impact; e.g. Marzo et al., 2010; Osinski et al., 2013), and/or (3) altered materials were deposited after crater formation, or formed within the crater well after the impact had taken place (post-impact). In this study, we analyze the central uplift of Elorza Crater, a ∼40 km diameter impact crater located ∼300 km north of Valles Marineris. To determine whether hydrated minerals found within the uplift were generated pre-, syn-, or post-impact, we used a data synthesis approach, utilizing High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE), Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM), Context Camera (CTX), and Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) imagery. Opaline silica is observed in two locations on the southwestern side of the uplift and is interpreted to have been pre-existing or formed via hydrothermal alteration due to stratigraphic relationships with the overlying impact melt unit. Both Fe/Mg smectite and low-calcium pyroxene (LCP) are found throughout the uplift. Bedrock exposures on the northern wall of Coprates Chasma containing Fe/Mg smectite and LCP suggest an uplifted origin for these units. In all cases, although a pre-existing origin is probable, it is difficult to rule out the possibility of an impact-generated hydrothermal origin. Using the observed stratigraphy exposed in Coprates Chasma and bedrock exposures analyzed in nearby craters, we were able to constrain the pre-impact stratigraphy around Elorza. The near-subsurface consists of Hesperian-aged, discontinuous lava/ash deposits that may be interposed with opaline silica-bearing deposits, overlying Noachian basement consisting of smectite-bearing bedrock and LCP- bearing light-toned fractured bedrock.

Development of levees on deep-sea channels: Insights from high-resolution AUV exploration of the Lucia Chica system, offshore central California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maier, K. L.; Fildani, A.; Romans, B.; Paull, C. K.; McHargue, T.; Graham, S. A.; Caress, D. W.

2010-12-01

The Lucia Chica, a tributary channel system of the Lucia Canyon, offshore central California, was imaged using the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute’s (MBARI) Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) in order to investigate seafloor and subsurface morphologies associated with low-relief submarine channels. In larger, previously investigated seafloor channel-levee systems, initial deposits are either eroded, compacted, or below the resolution of available imaging. In this dataset from the Lucia Chica, the unprecedented high-resolution multibeam bathymetry (1 m lateral resolution) and chirp sub-bottom profiles (11 cm vertical resolution) reveal a highly irregular seafloor with scours, depressions, and discontinuous low-relief conduits over an area of ~70 km2. Sediment packages associated with channels, levees, and deposits related to less confined flows are correlated between chirp profiles and with the multibeam bathymetric image to determine the stratigraphic evolution of the Lucia Chica and the sequence of channel-levee development. In the Lucia Chica, channels appear to have initiated as trains of scours that eventually coalesced into continuous channel thalwegs carved by erosional turbidity currents. Channel incision and stepped lateral migration led to the development of terraces, complex levee stratigraphy, and distinct morphologies associated with inner and outer bends of sinuous channels. The inner bend levee stratigraphy indicates that the channel position migrated in discrete shifts, as opposed to continuous channel migration associated with lateral accretion. Discrete levee packages, formed from flow-stripped turbidity currents, later infilled abandoned portions of the channel and overbank areas. While processes of initial channel and levee development are well established in fluvial settings, detailed examples are lacking for deep-sea systems. These results highlight the differences in initiation between submarine channel systems, their fluvial counterparts, and larger submarine channel-levee systems imaged only with lower-resolution technologies. High-resolution imaging and detailed mapping made possible by cutting-edge oceanographic technology provide an unprecedented examination of deep-water channel-levee morphology and improve understanding of deep-water channel migration and levee development.

The Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition: dating, stratigraphy, and isochronous markers.

PubMed

Blockley, S P E; Ramsey, C Bronk; Higham, T F G

2008-11-01

Accurate and precise dating is vital to our understanding of the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition. There are, however, a number of uncertainties in the chronologies currently available for this period. We attempt to examine these uncertainties by utilizing a number of recent developments in the field. These include: the precise dating of the Campanian Ignimbrite (CI) tephra by 40Ar/39Ar; the tracing of this tephra to a number of deposits that are radiocarbon dated; the publication of revised radiocarbon calibration data for the period, showing a much better convergence with other available data than during the recent IntCal comparison; and a layer-counted ice-core chronology extending beyond 40,000cal BP. Our data comparisons suggest that a reasonable overall convergence between calibrated radiocarbon ages and calendar dates is possible using the new curves. Additionally, we suggest that charcoal-based radiocarbon ages, as well as bone-based radiocarbon determinations, require cautious interpretation in this period. Potentially, these issues extend far beyond the sites in this study and should be of serious concern to archaeologists studying the Middle to Upper Paleolithic. We conclude by outlining a strategy for moving the science forward by a closer integration of archaeology, chronology, and stratigraphy.

Subsurface high resolution definition of subsurface heterogeneity for understanding the biodynamics of natural field systems: Advancing the ability for scaling to field conditions. 1998 annual progress report

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

Majer, E.L.; Brockman, F.J.

1998-06-01

'This research is an integrated physical (geophysical and hydrologic) and microbial study using innovative geophysical imaging and microbial characterization methods to identify key scales of physical heterogeneities that affect the biodynamics of natural subsurface environments. Data from controlled laboratory and in-situ experiments at the INEEL Test Area North (TAN) site are being used to determine the dominant physical characteristics (lithologic, structural, and hydrologic) that can be imaged in-situ and correlated with microbial properties. The overall goal of this research is to contribute to the understanding of the interrelationships between transport properties and spatially varying physical, chemical, and microbiological heterogeneity. Themore » outcome will be an improved understanding of the relationship between physical and microbial heterogeneity, thus facilitating the design of bioremediation strategies in similar environments. This report summarizes work as of May 1998, the second year of the project. This work is an extension of basic research on natural heterogeneity first initiated within the DOE/OHER Subsurface Science Program (SSP) and is intended to be one of the building blocks of an integrated and collaborative approach with an INEEL/PNNL effort aimed at understanding the effect of physical heterogeneity on transport properties and biodynamics in natural systems. The work is closely integrated with other EMSP projects at INEEL (Rick Colwell et al.) and PNNL (Fred Brockman and Jim Fredrickson).'« less

Characterizing phosphorus dynamics in tile-drained agricultural fields of eastern Wisconsin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madison, Allison M.; Ruark, Matthew D.; Stuntebeck, Todd D.; Komiskey, Matthew J.; Good, Lara W.; Drummy, Nancy; Cooley, Eric T.

2014-11-01

Artificial subsurface drainage provides an avenue for the rapid transfer of phosphorus (P) from agricultural fields to surface waters. This is of particular interest in eastern Wisconsin, where there is a concentrated population of dairy farms and high clay content soils prone to macropore development. Through collaboration with private landowners, surface and tile drainage was measured and analyzed for dissolved reactive P (DRP) and total P (TP) losses at four field sites in eastern Wisconsin between 2005 and 2009. These sites, which received frequent manure applications, represent a range of crop management practices which include: two chisel plowed corn fields (CP1, CP2), a no-till corn-soybean field (NT), and a grazed pasture (GP). Subsurface drainage was the dominant pathway of water loss at each site accounting for 66-96% of total water discharge. Average annual flow-weighted (FW) TP concentrations were 0.88, 0.57, 0.21, and 1.32 mg L-1 for sites CP1, CP2, NT, and GP, respectively. Low TP concentrations at the NT site were due to tile drain interception of groundwater flow where large volumes of tile drainage water diluted the FW-TP concentrations. Subsurface pathways contributed between 17% and 41% of the TP loss across sites. On a drainage event basis, total drainage explained between 36% and 72% of the event DRP loads across CP1, CP2, and GP; there was no relationship between event drainflow and event DRP load at the NT site. Manure applications did not consistently increase P concentrations in drainflow, but annual FW-P concentrations were greater in years receiving manure applications compared to years without manure application. Based on these field measures, P losses from tile drainage must be integrated into field level P budgets and P loss calculations on heavily manured soils, while also acknowledging the unique drainage patterns observed in eastern Wisconsin.

Towards a mechanistic understanding of the linkages between PETM climate modulation and stratigraphy, as discerned from the Piceance Basin, CO, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barefoot, E. A.; Nittrouer, J. A.; Foreman, B.; Moodie, A. J.; Dickens, G. R.

2017-12-01

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) was a period of rapid climatic change when global temperatures increased by 5-8˚C in as little as 5 ka. It has been hypothesized that by drastically enhancing the hydrologic cycle, this temperature change significantly perturbed landscape dynamics over the ensuing 200 ka. Much of the evidence documenting hydrological variability derives from studies of the stratigraphic record, which is interpreted to encode a system-clearing event in fluvial systems worldwide during and after the PETM. For example, in the Piceance Basin of Western Colorado, it is hypothesized that intensification of monsoons due to PETM warming caused an increase in sediment flux to the basin. The resulting stratigraphy records a modulation of the sedimentation rate, where the PETM interval is represented by a laterally extensive sheet sand positioned between units dominated by floodplain muds. The temporal interval, the sediment provenance history, as well as the tectonic history of the PETM in the Piceance Basin are all well-constrained, leaving climate as the most significant allogenic forcing in the Piceance Basin during the PETM. However, the precise nature of landscape change that link climate forcing by the PETM to modulation of the sedimentation rate in this basin remains to be demonstrated. Here, we present a simple stratigraphic numerical model coupled with a conceptual source-to-sink framework to test the impact of a suite of changing upstream boundary conditions on the fluvial system. In the model, climate-related variables force changes in flow characteristics such as sediment transport, slope, and velocity, which determine the resultant floodplain stratigraphy. The model is based on mathematical relations that link bankfull geometry and water discharge, impacting the lateral migration rate of the channel, sediment transport rate, and avulsion frequency, thereby producing a cross-section of basin stratigraphy. In this way, we simulate a raft of plausible, and mutually exclusive, climate-change scenarios for the case study of the Piceance Basin during the PETM, which may be compared to the stratigraphic record through field observation. The method described here represents a step towards connecting the impacts of global climate change to fluvial systems and sedimentation dynamics.

Study to Investigate the Effects of Skin Friction on the Performance of Drilled Shafts in Cohesive Soils. Volumes I, II, III.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-03-01

2) after Marsland and Randolph (1977) represents the peak un- drained shear strength. Torvane tests were also run in the field on Shelby tube ...The laboratory test results were characterized in terms of: 4 a. stratigraphy; b. stress state; c. undrained, drained and residual shear strengths; d...in Figure 3 as P- 1. A Shelby tube could not be retrieved at 14-ft depth in Boring B-2. A new boring (Boring B-2A) was made 6 in. further away from

The correlation of coal beds in Squaw Basin and part of Eden Ridge, T. 33 S., R. 11 W., W. M., southwestern Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wayland, Russell Gibson

1965-01-01

A conflict in correlation of coal beds dating from 1914 is reexamined-with the aid of new. core hole data, photogeologic interpretation, a broader understanding of the stratigraphy, and brief field studies. It is concluded that the known coal beds in Squaw Basin area of limited lateral extent and are older than those exposed at Eden Ridge. Similar coal beds may be found in other rocks of the Tyee Formation in this area. More core drilling could be justified.

Geomorphic Transport Laws and the Statistics of Topography and Stratigraphy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schumer, R.; Taloni, A.; Furbish, D. J.

2016-12-01

Geomorphic transport laws take the form of partial differential equations in which sediment motion is a deterministic function of slope. The addition of a noise term, representing unmeasurable, or subgrid scale autogenic forcing, reproduces scaling properties similar to those observed in topography, landforms, and stratigraphy. Here we describe a transport law that generalizes previous equations by permitting transport that is local or non-local in addition to different types of noise. More importantly, we use this transport law to link the character of sediment transport to the statistics of topography and stratigraphy. In particular, we link the origin of the Sadler effect to the evolution of the earth surface via a transport law.

Non-invasive NMR stratigraphy of a multi-layered artefact: an ancient detached mural painting.

PubMed

Di Tullio, Valeria; Capitani, Donatella; Presciutti, Federica; Gentile, Gennaro; Brunetti, Brunetto Giovanni; Proietti, Noemi

2013-10-01

NMR stratigraphy was used to investigate in situ, non-destructively and non-invasively, the stratigraphy of hydrogen-rich layers of an ancient Nubian detached mural painting. Because of the detachment procedure, a complex multi-layered artefact was obtained, where, besides layers of the original mural painting, also the materials used during the procedure all became constitutive parts of the artefact. NMR measurements in situ enabled monitoring of the state of conservation of the artefact and planning of minimum representative sampling to validate results obtained in situ by solid-state NMR analysis of the samples. This analysis enabled chemical characterization of all organic materials. Use of reference compounds and prepared specimens assisted data interpretation.

Stratigraphy and lithofacies of Lisburne Group carbonate rocks (Carboniferous - Permian) in the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dumoulin, Julie A.; Bird, Kenneth J.; Houseknecht, David W.

2001-01-01

Carbonate rocks of the Lisburne Group (Carboniferous-Permian) occur widely throughout northern Alaska. In the NPRA, seismic mapping and well penetrations show that the Lisburne occurs throughout the subsurface except in northernmost NPRA where it is missing by depositional onlap. Lisburne strata encountered in 11 exploratory wells in the northern part of the NPRA are essentially undeformed, consist of limestone and lesser dolostone, sandstone, siltstone, and shale, encompass a wide array of chiefly shallow-water facies, and range in age from Early Mississippian to Permian. Basins and platforms that formed during Mississippian (and possibly Devonian) time greatly affected depositional patterns of the Lisburne. Total thickness of the Lisburne in northern NPRA wells varies from almost 4000 ft in the Ikpikpuk-Umiat Basin to 300 ft on the north edge of the Fish Creek Platform. Lisburne strata of Mississippian age are found in northeastern NPRA, comprise three subunits (lower limestone, middle dolostone, and upper limestone) and are oldest (Osagean) in the Ikpikpuk-Umiat Basin. All wells that penetrated the Lisburne in northern NPRA encountered rocks of Pennsylvanian age; these intervals are mainly limestone and characterized by decameter-scale shallowing-upward sequences. Lisburne sections of prob-able Early-middle Permian age range from thin (≤60 ft) intervals of dolostone and limestone in the Fish Creek Platform area to thick (500-1000 ft) successions of interbedded limestone and siliciclastic sediment in the Ikpikpuk-Umiat Basin and northwestern NPRA. Abundant non-carbonate detritus, primarily quartz and chert with locally notable plagioclase feldspar and metamorphic lithic clasts, occurs throughout the Lisburne Group in northern NPRA. Per-mian strata and a persistent non-carbonate detrital component are also seen in the Lisburne in subsurface beneath the Chukchi Sea (Hanna Trough) to the northwest, but are not found in Lisburne successions elsewhere in Alaska.

Coupling LaGrit unstructured mesh generation and model setup with TOUGH2 flow and transport: A case study

DOE PAGES

Sentis, Manuel Lorenzo; Gable, Carl W.

2017-06-15

Furthermore, there are many applications in science and engineering modeling where an accurate representation of a complex model geometry in the form of a mesh is important. In applications of flow and transport in subsurface porous media, this is manifest in models that must capture complex geologic stratigraphy, structure (faults, folds, erosion, deposition) and infrastructure (tunnels, boreholes, excavations). Model setup, defined as the activities of geometry definition, mesh generation (creation, optimization, modification, refine, de-refine, smooth), assigning material properties, initial conditions and boundary conditions requires specialized software tools to automate and streamline the process. In addition, some model setup tools willmore » provide more utility if they are designed to interface with and meet the needs of a particular flow and transport software suite. A control volume discretization that uses a two point flux approximation is for example most accurate when the underlying control volumes are 2D or 3D Voronoi tessellations. In this paper we will present the coupling of LaGriT, a mesh generation and model setup software suite and TOUGH2 to model subsurface flow problems and we show an example of how LaGriT can be used as a model setup tool for the generation of a Voronoi mesh for the simulation program TOUGH2. To generate the MESH file for TOUGH2 from the LaGriT output a standalone module Lagrit2Tough2 was developed, which is presented here and will be included in a future release of LaGriT. Here in this paper an alternative method to generate a Voronoi mesh for TOUGH2 with LaGriT is presented and thanks to the modular and command based structure of LaGriT this method is well suited to generating a mesh for complex models.« less

The application of Ground Penetrating Radar analysis to investigate the impact and recovery of coastal dunes and the recurrence interval of overwash events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Switzer, A.; Gouramanis, C.; Bristow, C. S.; Jankaew, K.; Rubin, C. M.; Pham, D. T.; Ildefonso, S. R.; Lee, Y. S.

2013-12-01

The common techniques for investigating the impact, recovery and recurrence interval in coastal systems are point source augering or pitting and/or excavations. These techniques are time and cost intensive. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) presents a rapid, non-invasive, spatially-continuous technique for identifying subsurface stratigraphy. Although GPR facies are not diagnostic of a particular sedimentary characteristic, when combined with satellite imagery, they provide an avenue for reconstructing the impact and the post event recovery, or to help constrain the spatial extent of sandy deposits in the subsurface. Here, we present results from two GPR survey campaigns at Phra Thong Island, Thailand. The first campaign targeted the large scale recovery of the coast following the 2004 Indian ocean tsunami using 200 MHz antennae and the second campaign focused on a thin-bed approach aimed at imaging thin (<15 cm) sandy tsunami deposits and their associated structures using high-frequency 500 and 1000 MHz GPR antennae complemented by auger cores. The tsunami impact and recovery was reconciled by three 100 MHz GPR profiles and quasi-yearly satellite imagery. The GPR revealed the depth and extent of tsunami scour along with the sedimentary history of post tsunami coastal aggradation and recovery. The second GPR campaign captured several distinct palaeotsunami deposits as discreet thin sand layers preserved within a swale. The base of the swale and the contacts between the sandy and muddy layers are clearly imaged, although these reflectors are less consistent across the profile, suggesting that the contacts between thin sand and mud units can be accurately imaged provided the units are thicker than ca. 10cm. Our investigations show that GPR can be used to rapidly and non-invasively assess post event recovery and to image sandy washover events in muddy swales that are the result of tsunamis or storms.

Coupling LaGrit unstructured mesh generation and model setup with TOUGH2 flow and transport: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sentís, Manuel Lorenzo; Gable, Carl W.

2017-11-01

There are many applications in science and engineering modeling where an accurate representation of a complex model geometry in the form of a mesh is important. In applications of flow and transport in subsurface porous media, this is manifest in models that must capture complex geologic stratigraphy, structure (faults, folds, erosion, deposition) and infrastructure (tunnels, boreholes, excavations). Model setup, defined as the activities of geometry definition, mesh generation (creation, optimization, modification, refine, de-refine, smooth), assigning material properties, initial conditions and boundary conditions requires specialized software tools to automate and streamline the process. In addition, some model setup tools will provide more utility if they are designed to interface with and meet the needs of a particular flow and transport software suite. A control volume discretization that uses a two point flux approximation is for example most accurate when the underlying control volumes are 2D or 3D Voronoi tessellations. In this paper we will present the coupling of LaGriT, a mesh generation and model setup software suite and TOUGH2 (Pruess et al., 1999) to model subsurface flow problems and we show an example of how LaGriT can be used as a model setup tool for the generation of a Voronoi mesh for the simulation program TOUGH2. To generate the MESH file for TOUGH2 from the LaGriT output a standalone module Lagrit2Tough2 was developed, which is presented here and will be included in a future release of LaGriT. In this paper an alternative method to generate a Voronoi mesh for TOUGH2 with LaGriT is presented and thanks to the modular and command based structure of LaGriT this method is well suited to generating a mesh for complex models.

Satellite tidal magnetic signals constrain oceanic lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary.

PubMed

Grayver, Alexander V; Schnepf, Neesha R; Kuvshinov, Alexey V; Sabaka, Terence J; Manoj, Chandrasekharan; Olsen, Nils

2016-09-01

The tidal flow of electrically conductive oceans through the geomagnetic field results in the generation of secondary magnetic signals, which provide information on the subsurface structure. Data from the new generation of satellites were shown to contain magnetic signals due to tidal flow; however, there are no reports that these signals have been used to infer subsurface structure. We use satellite-detected tidal magnetic fields to image the global electrical structure of the oceanic lithosphere and upper mantle down to a depth of about 250 km. The model derived from more than 12 years of satellite data reveals a ≈72-km-thick upper resistive layer followed by a sharp increase in electrical conductivity likely associated with the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary, which separates colder rigid oceanic plates from the ductile and hotter asthenosphere.

Silica-coated titania and zirconia colloids for subsurface transport field experiments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryan, Joseph N.; Elimelech, Menachem; Baeseman, Jenny L.; Magelky, Robin D.

2000-01-01

Silica-coated titania (TiO2) and zirconia (ZrO2) colloids were synthesized in two sizes to provide easily traced mineral colloids for subsurface transport experiments. Electrophoretic mobility measurements showed that coating with silica imparted surface properties similar to pure silica to the titania and zirconia colloids. Measurements of steady electrophoretic mobility and size (by dynamic light scattering) over a 90-day period showed that the silica-coated colloids were stable to aggregation and loss of coating. A natural gradient field experiment conducted in an iron oxide-coated sand and gravel aquifer also showed that the surface properties of the silica-coated colloids were similar. Colloid transport was traced at μg L-1 concentrations by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy measurement of Ti and Zr in acidified samples.

Gypsies in the palace: Experimentalist's view on the use of 3-D physics-based simulation of hillslope hydrological response

USGS Publications Warehouse

James, A.L.; McDonnell, Jeffery J.; Tromp-Van Meerveld, I.; Peters, N.E.

2010-01-01

As a fundamental unit of the landscape, hillslopes are studied for their retention and release of water and nutrients across a wide range of ecosystems. The understanding of these near-surface processes is relevant to issues of runoff generation, groundwater-surface water interactions, catchment export of nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, contaminants (e.g. mercury) and ultimately surface water health. We develop a 3-D physics-based representation of the Panola Mountain Research Watershed experimental hillslope using the TOUGH2 sub-surface flow and transport simulator. A recent investigation of sub-surface flow within this experimental hillslope has generated important knowledge of threshold rainfall-runoff response and its relation to patterns of transient water table development. This work has identified components of the 3-D sub-surface, such as bedrock topography, that contribute to changing connectivity in saturated zones and the generation of sub-surface stormflow. Here, we test the ability of a 3-D hillslope model (both calibrated and uncalibrated) to simulate forested hillslope rainfall-runoff response and internal transient sub-surface stormflow dynamics. We also provide a transparent illustration of physics-based model development, issues of parameterization, examples of model rejection and usefulness of data types (e.g. runoff, mean soil moisture and transient water table depth) to the model enterprise. Our simulations show the inability of an uncalibrated model based on laboratory and field characterization of soil properties and topography to successfully simulate the integrated hydrological response or the distributed water table within the soil profile. Although not an uncommon result, the failure of the field-based characterized model to represent system behaviour is an important challenge that continues to vex scientists at many scales. We focus our attention particularly on examining the influence of bedrock permeability, soil anisotropy and drainable porosity on the development of patterns of transient groundwater and sub-surface flow. Internal dynamics of transient water table development prove to be essential in determining appropriate model parameterization. ?? 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Regional Stratigraphy and Petroleum Systems of the Michigan Basin, North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swezey, Christopher S.

2008-01-01

Although more than 100 years of research have gone into deciphering the stratigraphy of the Michigan basin of North America, it remains a challenge to visualize the basin stratigraphy on a regional scale and to describe stratigraphic relations within the basin. Similar difficulties exist for visualizing and describing the regional distribution of petroleum source rocks and reservoir rocks. This publication addresses these difficulties by combining data on Paleozoic and Mesozoic stratigraphy and petroleum geology of the Michigan basin. The areal extent of this structural basin is presented along with data in eight schematic chronostratigraphic sections arranged from north to south, with time denoted in equal increments along the sections. The stratigraphic data are modified from American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) (1984), Johnson and others (1992), Sanford (1993), and Cross (1998), and the time scale is taken from Harland and others (1990). Informal North American chronostratigraphic terms from AAPG (1984) are shown in parentheses. Stratigraphic sequences as defined by Sloss (1963, 1988) and Wheeler (1963) also are included, as well as the locations of major petroleum source rocks and major petroleum plays. The stratigraphic units are colored according to predominant lithology, in order to emphasize general lithologic patterns and to provide a broad overview of the Michigan basin. For purposes of comparison, schematic depictions of stratigraphy and interpreted events in the Michigan basin and adjacent Appalachian basin are shown. The paper version of this map is available for purchase from the USGS Store.

Sequence stratigraphy: A personal history of lows and highs

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

Sangree, J.B.; Mitchum, R.M. III

1995-12-31

We have been privileged to observe and to participate in the development of sequence stratigraphy over the last forty years. We have been mainly laborers in the vineyard, rather than vintners, but in a way this is our own story. We can only present it as a personal view of the history of the subject. Sequence stratigraphy has several roots and each has its own history. Sequence stratigraphy is an attempt to find practical physical applications for the ideas of chronostratigraphy, ideas that stretch back at least into the early nineteen hundreds. Another basic root is the concept of cyclicmore » patterns of onlap of coastal facies sediments onto the continents. This abstraction includes the idea that many of these longer term cycles may be synchronous on an intercontinental basis, at least within the limitations of current biostratigraphic age dates. A third root lies unexpectedly in the parallelism of seismic reflections an chronostratigraphic surfaces. Initially this notion meet with resistance and skepticism, but it has proved a sturdy tool in the development of our understanding of regional time-stratigraphy. Finally, and most controversially, is the notion that many cycles of continental onlap owe their origin to rise and fall of worldwide sea level. The nature and causes of eustasy look as though they will be debated into the next millennium, but the physical evidence for cyclic changes in sea level relative to the continent is now well fixed.« less

The Case for Scientific Drilling of Precambrian Sedimentary Sequences: A Mission to Early Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buick, R.; Anbar, A. D.; Mojzsis, S. J.; Kaufman, A. J.; Kieft, T. L.; Lyons, T. W.; Humayun, M.

2001-12-01

Research into the emergence and early evolution of life, particularly in relation to environmental conditions, has intensified in the past decade. The field is energized by controversy (e.g., over the history of atmospheric composition, ocean redox, climate and biochemical pathways) and by the application of new biogeochemical tools (e.g., ion probe in situ stable isotope studies; improved geochronological techniques; non-mass-dependent stable isotope effects; stable metal isotope systematics; advances in organic geochemistry/biomarkers). The past decade has also seen improved understanding of old tools (notably, S isotopes), and new perspectives on evolution and on microbial interaction with the environment borne of the genomics revolution. Recent papers demonstrate the potential for innovative research when such developments are integrated, as well as the limitations of present knowledge. The chief limiting factor is not lack of scientists or advanced techniques, but availability of fresh samples from suitable successions. Where classic Precambrian stratigraphy exists, suitable rocks are rarely exposed due to interaction with the oxidizing atmosphere, occurrence of flat-lying strata or sedimentary cover. Available drill-cores are concentrated around ore bodies, and hence are inherently altered or not environmentally representative. Stratigraphic drilling using clean diamond drilling techniques, targeted in accord with scientific priorities, could provide samples of unmatched quality across the most interesting stratigraphic intervals. Diamond drilling is a proven, inexpensive technology for accessing subsurface material. The time is ripe to use this technology to secure the materials needed for further advances. The Mission to Early Earth (MtEE) Focus Group of the NASA Astrobiology Institute is developing a case for the acquisition, curation and distribution of suitable samples, with a special focus on diamond drilling. A communal activity is envisioned, modeled after the Ocean Drilling Program but focussing on the Precambrian record. This poster will present information on MtEE, and plans for a pilot project developed as part of the Summer '01 MtEE excursion to W. Australia.

Depostional systems, provenance, and sequence stratigraphy, Carter and [open quotes]Millerella[close quotes] sandstones of northeast Mississippi

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

Cleaves, A.W. II

1993-09-01

The subsurface [open quotes]Millerella[close quotes] and Carter sandstones (middle Chesterian) of the Black Warrior basin represent the highest units of the thick Muldon clastics deltaic facies tract. Lowstand marine conditions during Carter deposition allowed for southeastwardly progradation of five distinct deltaic lobe complexes onto the stable northern shelf of the basin. With each of these lobes, both an [open quotes]A[close quotes] (upper) and a [open quotes]B[close quotes] (lower) reservoir unit can be identified. The [open quotes]B[close quotes] sandstone produces from delta-front sheet sands, channel-mouth bars, and possible bar fingers of river-dominated deltas. The more prolific [open quotes]A[close quotes] subdivision containsmore » reservoirs in upper delta-plain point bars, crevasse splays, and distributary channel fills. The most easterly of the lobes, preserved in the Bean's Ferry field of Itawamba County, comprises an amalgamated valley-fill facies that removed a maximum of 250 ft (76 m) of lower Bangor platform carbonates. In contrast, the [open quotes]Millerella[close quotes] sandstone is a series of unconnected pods that formed as marine-reworked sand bodies during a eustatic rise in sea level. The average detrital sand grain composition for four cores taken in Monroe County is 94.7% monocrystalline quartz, 2.9% polycrystalline quartz, 1.6% albite feldspar, 0.1% low-rank metamorphic rock fragments, 0.5 chert, and 0.2% muscovite. These data indicate that neither the Ozark uplift nor the Ouachita orogen could have acted as the principal source area for the Carter and [open quotes]Millerella[close quotes] sandstones. More likely, the sedimentary-igneous terrains along the northern margin of the Illinois basin served this function. A major eustatic lowstand brought this mineralogically mature sediment across the Illinois basin through incised valleys to the northern self of the Black Warrior basin.« less

Radio Sounding Science at High Powers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, J. L.; Reinisch, B. W.; Song, P.; Fung, S. F.; Benson, R. F.; Taylor, W. W. L.; Cooper, J. F.; Garcia, L.; Markus, T.; Gallagher, D. L.

2004-01-01

Future space missions like the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) planned to orbit Callisto, Ganymede, and Europa can fully utilize a variable power radio sounder instrument. Radio sounding at 1 kHz to 10 MHz at medium power levels (10 W to kW) will provide long-range magnetospheric sounding (several Jovian radii) like those first pioneered by the radio plasma imager instrument on IMAGE at low power (less than l0 W) and much shorter distances (less than 5 R(sub E)). A radio sounder orbiting a Jovian icy moon would be able to globally measure time-variable electron densities in the moon ionosphere and the local magnetospheric environment. Near-spacecraft resonance and guided echoes respectively allow measurements of local field magnitude and local field line geometry, perturbed both by direct magnetospheric interactions and by induced components from subsurface oceans. JIMO would allow radio sounding transmissions at much higher powers (approx. 10 kW) making subsurface sounding of the Jovian icy moons possible at frequencies above the ionosphere peak plasma frequency. Subsurface variations in dielectric properties, can be probed for detection of dense and solid-liquid phase boundaries associated with oceans and related structures in overlying ice crusts.

A novel and generalized approach in the inversion of geoelectrical resistivity data using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raj, A. Stanley; Srinivas, Y.; Oliver, D. Hudson; Muthuraj, D.

2014-03-01

The non-linear apparent resistivity problem in the subsurface study of the earth takes into account the model parameters in terms of resistivity and thickness of individual subsurface layers using the trained synthetic data by means of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). Here we used a single layer feed-forward neural network with fast back propagation learning algorithm. So on proper training of back propagation networks it tends to give the resistivity and thickness of the subsurface layer model of the field resistivity data with reference to the synthetic data trained in the appropriate network. During training, the weights and biases of the network are iteratively adjusted to make network performance function level more efficient. On adequate training, errors are minimized and the best result is obtained using the artificial neural networks. The network is trained with more number of VES data and this trained network is demonstrated by the field data. The accuracy of inversion depends upon the number of data trained. In this novel and specially designed algorithm, the interpretation of the vertical electrical sounding has been done successfully with the more accurate layer model.

Statistics of chemical gradients in heterogeneous porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Borgne, T.; Huck, P. D.; Dentz, M.; Villermaux, E.

2017-12-01

As they create chemical disequilibrium and drive mixing fluxes, spatial gradients in solute concentrations exert a strong control on mixing and biogeochemical reactions in the subsurface. Large concentration gradients may develop in particular at interfaces between surface water and groundwater bodies, such as hyporheic zones, sea water - surface water interfaces or recharge areas. They also develop around contaminant plumes and fluids injected in subsurface operations. While macrodispersion theories predict smooth gradients, decaying in time due to dispersive dissipation, we show that concentration gradients are sustained by flow heterogeneity and have broadly distributed values. We present a general theory predicting the statistics of concentration gradients from the flow heterogeneity (Le Borgne et al., 2017). Analytical predictions are validated from high resolution simulations of transport in heterogeneous Darcy fields ranging from low to high permeability variances and low to high Peclet numbers. This modelling framework hence opens new perspectives for quantifying the dynamics of chemical gradients and the kinetics of associated biogeochemical reactions in heterogeneous subsurface environments.Reference:Le Borgne T., P.D. Huck, M. Dentz and E. Villermaux (2017) Scalar gradients in stirred mixtures and the deconstruction of random fields, J. of Fluid Mech. vol. 812, pp. 578-610 doi:10.1017/jfm.2016.799

A Mobile Acoustic Subsurface Sensing (MASS) System for Rapid Roadway Assessment

PubMed Central

Lu, Yifeng; Zhang, Yi; Cao, Yinghong; McDaniel, J. Gregory; Wang, Ming L.

2013-01-01

Surface waves are commonly used for vibration-based nondestructive testing for infrastructure. Spectral Analysis of Surface Waves (SASW) has been used to detect subsurface properties for geologic inspections. Recently, efforts were made to scale down these subsurface detection approaches to see how they perform on small-scale structures such as concrete slabs and pavements. Additional efforts have been made to replace the traditional surface-mounted transducers with non-contact acoustic transducers. Though some success has been achieved, most of these new approaches are inefficient because they require point-to-point measurements or off-line signal analysis. This article introduces a Mobile Acoustic Subsurface Sensing system as MASS, which is an improved surface wave based implementation for measuring the subsurface profile of roadways. The compact MASS system is a 3-wheeled cart outfitted with an electromagnetic impact source, distance register, non-contact acoustic sensors and data acquisition/processing equipment. The key advantage of the MASS system is the capability to collect measurements continuously at walking speed in an automatic way. The fast scan and real-time analysis advantages are based upon the non-contact acoustic sensing and fast air-coupled surface wave analysis program. This integration of hardware and software makes the MASS system an efficient mobile prototype for the field test. PMID:23698266

Microbial redox processes in deep subsurface environments and the potential application of (per)chlorate in oil reservoirs

PubMed Central

Liebensteiner, Martin G.; Tsesmetzis, Nicolas; Stams, Alfons J. M.; Lomans, Bartholomeus P.

2014-01-01

The ability of microorganisms to thrive under oxygen-free conditions in subsurface environments relies on the enzymatic reduction of oxidized elements, such as sulfate, ferric iron, or CO2, coupled to the oxidation of inorganic or organic compounds. A broad phylogenetic and functional diversity of microorganisms from subsurface environments has been described using isolation-based and advanced molecular ecological techniques. The physiological groups reviewed here comprise iron-, manganese-, and nitrate-reducing microorganisms. In the context of recent findings also the potential of chlorate and perchlorate [jointly termed (per)chlorate] reduction in oil reservoirs will be discussed. Special attention is given to elevated temperatures that are predominant in the deep subsurface. Microbial reduction of (per)chlorate is a thermodynamically favorable redox process, also at high temperature. However, knowledge about (per)chlorate reduction at elevated temperatures is still scarce and restricted to members of the Firmicutes and the archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus. By analyzing the diversity and phylogenetic distribution of functional genes in (meta)genome databases and combining this knowledge with extrapolations to earlier-made physiological observations we speculate on the potential of (per)chlorate reduction in the subsurface and more precisely oil fields. In addition, the application of (per)chlorate for bioremediation, souring control, and microbial enhanced oil recovery are addressed. PMID:25225493

Earth History databases and visualization - the TimeScale Creator system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogg, James; Lugowski, Adam; Gradstein, Felix

2010-05-01

The "TimeScale Creator" team (www.tscreator.org) and the Subcommission on Stratigraphic Information (stratigraphy.science.purdue.edu) of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (www.stratigraphy.org) has worked with numerous geoscientists and geological surveys to prepare reference datasets for global and regional stratigraphy. All events are currently calibrated to Geologic Time Scale 2004 (Gradstein et al., 2004, Cambridge Univ. Press) and Concise Geologic Time Scale (Ogg et al., 2008, Cambridge Univ. Press); but the array of intercalibrations enable dynamic adjustment to future numerical age scales and interpolation methods. The main "global" database contains over 25,000 events/zones from paleontology, geomagnetics, sea-level and sequence stratigraphy, igneous provinces, bolide impacts, plus several stable isotope curves and image sets. Several regional datasets are provided in conjunction with geological surveys, with numerical ages interpolated using a similar flexible inter-calibration procedure. For example, a joint program with Geoscience Australia has compiled an extensive Australian regional biostratigraphy and a full array of basin lithologic columns with each formation linked to public lexicons of all Proterozoic through Phanerozoic basins - nearly 500 columns of over 9,000 data lines plus hot-curser links to oil-gas reference wells. Other datapacks include New Zealand biostratigraphy and basin transects (ca. 200 columns), Russian biostratigraphy, British Isles regional stratigraphy, Gulf of Mexico biostratigraphy and lithostratigraphy, high-resolution Neogene stable isotope curves and ice-core data, human cultural episodes, and Circum-Arctic stratigraphy sets. The growing library of datasets is designed for viewing and chart-making in the free "TimeScale Creator" JAVA package. This visualization system produces a screen display of the user-selected time-span and the selected columns of geologic time scale information. The user can change the vertical-scale, column widths, fonts, colors, titles, ordering, range chart options and many other features. Mouse-activated pop-ups provide additional information on columns and events; including links to external Internet sites. The graphics can be saved as SVG (scalable vector graphics) or PDF files for direct import into Adobe Illustrator or other common drafting software. Users can load additional regional datapacks, and create and upload their own datasets. The "Pro" version has additional dataset-creation tools, output options and the ability to edit and re-save merged datasets. The databases and visualization package are envisioned as a convenient reference tool, chart-production assistant, and a window into the geologic history of our planet.

Indications of Subsurface Ice: Polygons on the Northern Plains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Someone's kitchen floor? A stone patio?This picture actually does show a floor--the floor of an old impact crater on the northern plains of Mars. Each 'tile' is somewhat larger than a football field. Polygonal patterns are familiar to Mars geologists because they are also common in arctic and antarctic environments on Earth. Typically, such polygons result from the stresses induced in frozen ground by the freeze-thaw cycles of subsurface ice. This picture was taken by MOC in May 1999 and is illuminated from the lower left.

Three-phase heaters with common overburden sections for heating subsurface formations

DOEpatents

Vinegar, Harold J [Bellaire, TX

2012-02-14

A heating system for a subsurface formation is described. The heating system includes three substantially u-shaped heaters with first end portions of the heaters being electrically coupled to a single, three-phase wye transformer and second end portions of the heaters being electrically coupled to each other and/or to ground. The three heaters may enter the formation through a first common wellbore and exit the formation through a second common wellbore so that the magnetic fields of the three heaters at least partially cancel out in the common wellbores.

Shallow subsurface drip irrigation (S3DI) for small irregular-shaped fields in the southeast

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Field tests were conducted using S3DI on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum, L.), corn (Zea mays, L.), and peanut (Arachis hypogeae, L.) rotations to investigate yield potential and economic sustainability of this irrigation system. Drip tubing was installed in alternate row middles, strip tillage was used ...

Complex oolite reservoirs in Ste. Genevieve limestone (Mississippian) at Folsomville field, Warrick County, Indiana

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

Zuppann, C.W.

1989-09-01

Correlation of productive zones at the Folsomville field is difficult because lithology in the upper part of the Ste. Genevieve Limestone, which contains oolite bodies, is both laterally and vertically variable. The problem is further complicated by significant thickness variations of this interval that result in juxtaposed positions of porosity zones when geophysical logs are correlated side by side. Subsurface slice mapping, now an infrequently used method of subsurface analysis, can resolve complex geometries of oolite bodies and account for seemingly incongruous patterns of hydrocarbon production. Any mappable parameter can be envisioned in three dimensions by using the slice-map method.more » Net porosity and lithofacies slice maps, constructed at 2-ft intervals beneath a persistent stratigraphic marker near the top of the Ste. Genevieve Limestone, describe the stratigraphic geometries of oolite reservoirs at the Folsomville field. Integrating fluid content and well-production histories with the slice maps allows patterns of hydrocarbon production to be deciphered, a procedure that should provide a valuable guide in designing the most effect enhanced recovery program for the field.« less

Subsurface Structure of the Ismenius Area and Implications for Evolution of the Martian Dichotomy and Magnetic Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smrekar, S. E.; Raymond, C. A.; McGill, G. E.

2004-01-01

The Martian dichotomy divides the smooth, northern lowlands from the rougher southern highlands. The northern lowlands are largely free of magnetic anomalies, while the majority of the significant magnetic anomalies are located in the southern highlands. An elevation change of 2-4 km is typical across the dichotomy, and is up to 6 km locally. We examine a part of the dichotomy that is likely to preserve the early history of the dichotomy as it is relatively unaffected by major impacts and erosion. This study contains three parts: 1) the geologic history, which is summarized below and detailed in McGill et al., 2) the study of the gravity and magnetic field to better constrain the subsurface structure and history of the magnetic field (this abstract), and 3) modeling of the relaxation of this area. Our overall goal is to place constraints on formation models of the dichotomy by constraining lithospheric properties. Initial results for the analysis of the geology, gravity, and magnetic field studies are synthesized in Smrekar et al..

Influence of spatial and temporal variability of subsurface soil moisture and temperature on vapour intrusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bekele, Dawit N.; Naidu, Ravi; Chadalavada, Sreenivasulu

2014-05-01

A comprehensive field study was conducted at a site contaminated with chlorinated solvents, mainly trichloroethylene (TCE), to investigate the influence of subsurface soil moisture and temperature on vapour intrusion (VI) into built structures. Existing approaches to predict the risk of VI intrusion into buildings assume homogeneous or discrete layers in the vadose zone through which TCE migrates from an underlying source zone. In reality, the subsurface of the majority of contaminated sites will be subject to significant variations in moisture and temperature. Detailed site-specific data were measured contemporaneously to evaluate the impact of spatial and temporal variability of subsurface soil properties on VI exposure assessment. The results revealed that indoor air vapour concentrations would be affected by spatial and temporal variability of subsurface soil moisture and temperature. The monthly monitoring of soil-gas concentrations over a period of one year at a depth of 3 m across the study site demonstrated significant variation in TCE vapour concentrations, which ranged from 480 to 629,308 μg/m3. Soil-gas wells at 1 m depth exhibited high seasonal variability in TCE vapour concentrations with a coefficient of variation 1.02 in comparison with values of 0.88 and 0.74 in 2 m and 3 m wells, respectively. Contour plots of the soil-gas TCE plume during wet and dry seasons showed that the plume moved across the site, hence locations of soil-gas monitoring wells for human risk assessment is a site specific decision. Subsurface soil-gas vapour plume characterisation at the study site demonstrates that assessment for VI is greatly influenced by subsurface soil properties such as temperature and moisture that fluctuate with the seasons of the year.

Residues of endosulfan in surface and subsurface agricultural soil and its bioremediation.

PubMed

Odukkathil, Greeshma; Vasudevan, Namasivayam

2016-01-01

The persistence of many hydrophobic pesticides has been reported by various workers in various soil environments and its bioremediation is a major concern due to less bioavailability. In the present study, the pesticide residues in the surface and subsurface soil in an area of intense agricultural activity in Pakkam Village of Thiruvallur District, Tamilnadu, India, and its bioremediation using a novel bacterial consortium was investigated. Surface (0-15 cm) and subsurface soils (15-30 cm and 30-40 cm) were sampled, and pesticides in different layers of the soil were analyzed. Alpha endosulfan and beta endosulfan concentrations ranged from 1.42 to 3.4 mg/g and 1.28-3.1 mg/g in the surface soil, 0.6-1.4 mg/g and 0.3-0.6 mg/g in the subsurface soil (15-30 cm), and 0.9-1.5 mg/g and 0.34-1.3 mg/g in the subsurface soil (30-40 cm) respectively. Residues of other persistent pesticides were also detected in minor concentrations. These soil layers were subjected to bioremediation using a novel bacterial consortium under a simulated soil profile condition in a soil reactor. The complete removal of alpha and beta endosulfan was observed over 25 days. Residues of endosulfate were also detected during bioremediation, which was subsequently degraded on the 30th day. This study revealed the existence of endosulfan in the surface and subsurface soils and also proved that the removal of such a ubiquitous pesticide in the surface and subsurface environment can be achieved in the field by bioaugumenting a biosurfactant-producing bacterial consortium that degrades pesticides. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding Subsurface Geoelectrical and Structural Constrains for Low Frequency Radar Sounding of Jovian Satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heggy, Essam; Bruzzone, Lorenzo; Beck, Pierre; Doute, Sylvain; Gim, Youngyu; Herique, Alain; Kofman, Wlodek; Orosei, Roberto; Plaut, Jeffery; Rosen, Paul; Seu, Roberto

2010-05-01

Thermally stable Ice sheets on earth are known to be among the most favorable geophysical contexts for deep subsurface sounding radars. Penetrations ranging from few to several hundreds of meters have been observed at 10 to 60 MHz when sounding homogenous and pure ice sheets in Antarctica and in Alaskan glaciers. Unlike the terrestrial case, ice sheets on Jovian satellites are older formations with a more complex matrix of mineral inclusions with an even three dimensional distribution on the surface and subsurface that is yet to be understood in order to quantify its effect on the dielectric attenuation at the experiment sounding frequencies. Moreover, ridges, tectonic and shock features, may results in a complex and heterogeneous subsurface structure that can induce scattering attenuation with different amplitudes depending on the subsurface heterogeneity levels. Such attenuation phenomena's has to be accounted in the instrument design and future data analysis in order to optimize the science return, reduce mission risk and define proper operation modes. In order to address those challenges in the current performance studies and instrument design of the proposed radar sounding experiments, we present an attempt to quantify both the dielectric and scattering losses on both icy satellites, Ganymede and Europa, based on experimental dielectric characterization of relevant icy-dust mixtures samples, field work from analog environment and radar propagation simulations in parametric subsurface geophysical models representing potential geological scenarios of the two Jovian satellites. Our preliminary results suggest that the use of a dual band radar enable to overcome several of these constrains and reduces ambiguities associated subsurface interface mapping. Acknowledgement. This research is carried out by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech, under a grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

An investigation of the sensitivity of low-field nuclear magnetic resonance to microbial growth and activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, C.; Keating, K.

2014-12-01

Microbes and microbial processes play a significant role in shaping subsurface environments and are involved in applications ranging from microbially enhanced oil recovery to soil and groundwater contaminant remediation. Stimulated microbial growth in such applications could cause wide variety of changes of physical/chemical properties in the subsurface; however, due to the complexity of subsurface systems,it is difficult to monitor the growth of microbes and microbial activity in porous media. The focus of this research is to determine if low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), a method used in well logging to characterize fluids in hydrocarbon reservoirs or water in aquifers, can be used to directly detect the presence and the growth of microbes in geologic media. In this laboratory study, low-field NMR (2 MHz) relaxation measurements were collected on microbial suspensions with measured densities (i.e. biomasses), microbial pellets (live and dead), and inoculated silica. We focus on the direct contribution of microbes to the NMR signals in the absence of biomineralization. Shewanella oneidensis (MR-1), a facultative metal reducer known to play an important role in subsurface environments, were used as a model organism and were inoculated under aerobic condition. Data were collected using a CPMG pulse sequence, which was to determine the T2-distribution, and using a gradient spin-echo (PGSE) plus CPMG pulse sequence, which was used to encode diffusion properties and determine the effective diffusion-spin-spin relaxation correlation (D-T2) plot. Our data show no obvious change in the T2-distribution as S. oneidensis density varied in suspension, but show a clear distinction in the T2-distribution and D-T2 plots between live and dead cell pellets. A decrease in the T2-distribution is observed in the inoculated sand column. These results will provide a basis for understanding the effect of microbes within geologic media on low-field NMR measurements. This research is necessary to determine if NMR measurements can ultimately to be used to monitor microbial growth and activity in oil reservoirs or contaminated aquifers.

Subsurface site conditions and geology in the San Fernando earthquake area

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

Duke, C.M.; Johnson, J.A.; Kharraz, Y.

1971-12-01

The report presents the progress to date in establishing the facts about dynamic subsurface properties and geological features in the area affected by the San Fernando earthquake of February 9, 1971. Special emphasis is given to the locations of accelerographs, seismoscopes and Seismological Field Survey aftershock instruments. Thirty shallow geophysical surveys were made for determination of S and P velocities, with damping measured at some sites. Deep velocity data were obtained from geophysical surveys by others. Soil Mechanics and water well borings by others were utilized. Published and ongoing geological studies were applied. Results are presented in the form ofmore » five geological cross-sections, nine subsurface exploration models extending through basement complex to depths of 14,000 feet, a general geologic map, the shallow geophysical surveys, and selected data on damping.« less

Subsurface Noble Gas Sampling Manual

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

Carrigan, C. R.; Sun, Y.

2017-09-18

The intent of this document is to provide information about best available approaches for performing subsurface soil gas sampling during an On Site Inspection or OSI. This information is based on field sampling experiments, computer simulations and data from the NA-22 Noble Gas Signature Experiment Test Bed at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site (NNSS). The approaches should optimize the gas concentration from the subsurface cavity or chimney regime while simultaneously minimizing the potential for atmospheric radioxenon and near-surface Argon-37 contamination. Where possible, we quantitatively assess differences in sampling practices for the same sets of environmental conditions. We recognize that allmore » sampling scenarios cannot be addressed. However, if this document helps to inform the intuition of the reader about addressing the challenges resulting from the inevitable deviations from the scenario assumed here, it will have achieved its goal.« less

Using electrical impedance tomography to map subsurface hydraulic conductivity

DOEpatents

Berryman, James G.; Daily, William D.; Ramirez, Abelardo L.; Roberts, Jeffery J.

2000-01-01

The use of Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) to map subsurface hydraulic conductivity. EIT can be used to map hydraulic conductivity in the subsurface where measurements of both amplitude and phase are made. Hydraulic conductivity depends on at least two parameters: porosity and a length scale parameter. Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT) measures and maps electrical conductivity (which can be related to porosity) in three dimensions. By introducing phase measurements along with amplitude, the desired additional measurement of a pertinent length scale can be achieved. Hydraulic conductivity controls the ability to flush unwanted fluid contaminants from the surface. Thus inexpensive maps of hydraulic conductivity would improve planning strategies for subsequent remediation efforts. Fluid permeability is also of importance for oil field exploitation and thus detailed knowledge of fluid permeability distribution in three-dimension (3-D) would be a great boon to petroleum reservoir analysts.

New Insights on Subsurface Imaging of Carbon Nanotubes in Polymer Composites via Scanning Electron Microscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhao, Minhua; Ming, Bin; Kim, Jae-Woo; Gibbons, Luke J.; Gu, Xiaohong; Nguyen, Tinh; Park, Cheol; Lillehei, Peter T.; Villarrubia, J. S.; Vladar, Andras E.;

Subsurface drip application of alternative fumigants to methyl bromide for controlling nematodes in replanted grapevines.

PubMed

Cabrera, J Alfonso; Wang, Dong; Schneider, Sally M; Hanson, Bradley D

2012-05-01

Many California grape growers use preplant fumigation to ensure uniform and healthy grapevine establishment in replant situations. A field study was conducted to evaluate the performance of subsurface drip-applied chemical alternatives to methyl bromide on plant-parasitic nematodes, plant vigor and fruit yield during the 6 year period following replanting. Subsurface drip fumigation with 1,3-dichloropropene plus chloropicrin and with iodomethane plus chloropicrin had generally similar nematicide activity as methyl bromide in three grape types, while sodium azide was less effective. The combination of 1,3-dichloropropene plus chloropicrin enhanced vine vigor similarly to methyl bromide. However, all plots treated with alternative fumigants produced less fruit yield than methyl bromide over the 4 years of evaluation. Subsurface drip fumigation with alternative chemicals to methyl bromide generally provided adequate management of plant-parasitic nematodes during the vine establishment period. However, further research is required to increase the performance of alternative chemicals against other components of the replant problem, as grape yield in vines grown in the alternative treatments was lower than in methyl bromide. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.