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Publications

Publications from the staff of the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Filter Total Items: 2350

Trace-element deposition in the Cariaco Basin, Venezuela Shelf, under sulfate-reducing conditions: A history of the local hydrography and global climate, 20 ka to the present

A sediment core from the Cariaco Basin on the Venezuelan continental shelf, which recovered sediment that has been dated back to 20 ka (thousand years ago), was examined for its major-element-oxide and trace-element composition. Cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), and zinc (Zn) can be partitioned between a siliciclastic, terrigenous-derived fractio
Authors
David Z. Piper, Walter E. Dean

Age and tectonic significance of volcanic rocks in the northern Los Angeles Basin, California

Volcanic rocks, mostly basalts and some andesites, are interbedded with middle Miocene strata and are overlain by younger rocks throughout the greater part of the Los Angeles Basin, California. Roughly correlative flows, previously dated radiometrically (or paleontologically) at about 16.4 to 10.7 Ma, crop out in five separate regions around the basin perimeter. Los Angeles Basin volcanic rocks ha
Authors
Thane H. McCulloh, Robert J. Fleck, Rodger E. Denison, Larry A. Beyer, Richard G. Stanley

The Emerson Lake Body: A link between the Landers and Hector Mine earthquakes, southern California, as inferred from gravity and magnetic anomalies

Gravity and magnetic data indicate a mafic crustal heterogeneity that lies between the Hector Mine 16 October 1999 (Mw 7.1) and Landers 28 June 1992 (Mw 7.3) epicenters. The aftershocks and ruptures of these two events avoided the interior of the body. Two- and three-dimensional modeling of the potential-field anomalies shows that the source, here named the Emerson Lake body (ELB), extends to a de
Authors
V. E. Langenheim, R.C. Jachens

Mesozoic thermal history and timing of structural events for the Yukon-Tanana Upland, east-central Alaska: 40Ar/39Ar data from metamorphic and plutonic rocks

We present new 40Ar/39Ar ages for hornblende, muscovite, and biotite from metamorphic and plutonic rocks from the Yukon–Tanana Upland, Alaska. Integration of our data with published 40Ar/39Ar, kinematic, and metamorphic pressure (P) and temperature (T) data confirms and refines the complex interaction of metamorphism and tectonism proposed for the region. The oldest metamorphic episode(s) postdate
Authors
Cynthia Dusel-Bacon, Marvin A. Lanphere, W.D. Sharp, P.W. Layer, V. L. Hansen

Location, structure, and seismicity of the Seattle fault zone, Washington: Evidence from aeromagnetic anomalies, geologic mapping, and seismic-reflection data

A high-resolution aeromagnetic survey of the Puget Lowland shows details of the Seattle fault zone, an active but largely concealed east-trending zone of reverse faulting at the southern margin of the Seattle basin. Three elongate, east-trending magnetic anomalies are associated with north-dipping Tertiary strata exposed in the hanging wall; the magnetic anomalies indicate where these strata conti
Authors
R. J. Blakely, R. E. Wells, C. S. Weaver, S. Y. Johnson

A Holocene paleosecular variation from 14C-dated volcanic rocks in western North America

A paleosecular variation (PSV) curve for western North America is presented on the basis of 94 virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs) from dated volcanic rocks sampled at 446 sites. Approximately 60% of the paleomagnetic database has been previously published. A curve defined by “spherical smoothed splines” is fitted to the VGPs, ranked by the quality of the age determinations, where the data density is
Authors
Jonathan T. Hagstrum, Duane E. Champion

Geothermal systems of the Great Basin and U.S. Geological Survey plans for a regional resource assessment

Based on current projections, the United States faces the need to increase its electrical power generating capacity by 40% (approximately 300,000 Megawatts-electrical or MWe) over the next 20 years (Energy Information Administration, EIA - Department of Energy). A critical question for the near future is the extent to which geothermal resources can contribute to this increasing demand for electric
Authors
Colin F. Williams

Spatial digital database for the geology of the San Pedro River Basin in Cochise, Gila, Graham, Pima, and Pinal Counties, Arizona

This spatial digital database for the geology of the San Pedro River Basin in southeastern Arizona was compiled from three maps by Dickinson (1993, 1998, 2000). Mylar originals of the map sheets were scanned, and the resultant images were rectified to a mathematically-generated set of latitude and longitude registration points. Geologic linework was digitized from the rectified images on screen us
Authors
Karen S. Bolm

Lower crustal deformation beneath the central Transverse Ranges, southern California: Results from the Los Angeles Region Seismic Experiment

We present a P wave velocity model derived from active source seismic data collected during the 1994 Los Angeles Region Seismic Experiment. Our model extends previously published upper crustal velocity models to mantle depths. Our model was developed by both ray tracing through a layered model and calculating travel times through a gridded model. It includes an 8-km-thick crustal root centered ben
Authors
N. J. Godfrey, Gary S. Fuis, Victoria E. Langenheim, David A. Okaya, Thomas M. Brocher

Geochemistry of Mesozoic plutons, southern Death Valley region, California: Insights into the origin of Cordilleran interior magmatism

Mesozoic granitoid plutons in the southern Death Valley region of southeastern California reveal substantial compositional and isotopic diversity for Mesozoic magmatism in the southwestern US Cordillera. Jurassic plutons of the region are mainly calc-alkaline mafic granodiorites with εNdi of –5 to –16, 87Sr/86Sr i of 0.707–0.726, and 206Pb/204Pb i of 17.5–20.0. Cretaceous granitoids of the region
Authors
O.T. Ramo, J. P. Calzia, P.J. Kosunen

An upwelling model for the Phosphoria sea: A Permian, ocean-margin sea in the northwest United States

The Permian Phosphoria Formation, a petroleum source rock and world-class phosphate deposit, was deposited in an epicratonic successor basin on the western margin of North America. We calculate the seawater circulation in the basin during deposition of the lower ore zone in the Meade Peak Member from the accumulation rates of carbonate fluorapatite and trace elements. The model gives the exchange
Authors
D. Z. Piper, P. K. Link

Net ecosystem production: A comprehensive measure of net carbon accumulation by ecosystems

The conceptual framework used by ecologists and biogeochemists must allow for accurate and clearly defined comparisons of carbon fluxes made with disparate techniques across a spectrum of temporal and spatial scales. Consistent with usage over the past four decades, we define "net ecosystem production" (NEP) as the net carbon accumulation by ecosystems. Past use of this term has been ambiguous, be
Authors
J. T. Randerson, F. S. Chapin, J. W. Harden, J. C. Neff, M. E. Harmon