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Publications

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

Filter Total Items: 2350

Helicopter electromagnetic survey of the Model Land Area, Southeastern Miami-Dade County, Florida

This report describes a helicopter electromagnetic survey flown over the Model Land Area in southeastern Miami-Dade County, Florida, to map saltwater intrusion in the Biscayne aquifer. The survey, which is located south and east of Florida City, Florida, covers an area of 115 square kilometers with a flight-line spacing of 400 meters. A five-frequency, horizontal, coplanar bird with frequencies ra
Authors
David V. Fitterman, Maria Deszcz-Pan, Scott T. Prinos

Holocene alluvial stratigraphy and response to climate change in the Roaring River valley, Front Range, Colorado, USA

Stratigraphic analyses and radiocarbon geochronology of alluvial deposits exposed along the Roaring River, Colorado, lead to three principal conclusions: (1) the opinion that stream channels in the higher parts of the Front Range are relics of the Pleistocene and nonalluvial under the present climate, as argued in a water-rights trial USA v. Colorado, is untenable, (2) beds of clast-supported grav
Authors
Richard F. Madole

Quantitative estimation of climatic parameters from vegetation data in North America by the mutual climatic range technique

The mutual climatic range (MCR) technique is perhaps the most widely used method for estimating past climatic parameters from fossil assemblages, largely because it can be conducted on a simple list of the taxa present in an assemblage. When applied to plant macrofossil data, this unweighted approach (MCRun) will frequently identify a large range for a given climatic parameter where the species in
Authors
Katherine H. Anderson, Patrick J. Bartlein, Laura E. Strickland, Richard T. Pelltier, Robert S. Thompson, Sarah L. Shafer

Water-quality and geophysical data for three study sites within the Williston Basin and Prairie Pothole Region

This report is a data release for water geochemical sample analyses and geophysical surveys for three sites within the Williston Basin and Prairie Pothole Region of Montana and North Dakota. The data collection sites and procedures are described.
Authors
Todd M. Preston, Bruce D. Smith, Joanna N. Thamke, Tara L. Chesley-Preston

Tectonic setting of the Wooded Island earthquake swarm, eastern Washington

Magnetic anomalies provide insights into the tectonic implications of a swarm of ~1500 shallow (~1 km deep) earthquakes that occurred in 2009 on the Hanford site,Washington. Epicenters were concentrated in a 2 km2 area nearWooded Island in the Columbia River. The largest earthquake (M 3.0) had first motions consistent with slip on a northwest-striking reverse fault. The swarm was accompanied by 35
Authors
Richard J. Blakely, Brian L. Sherrod, Craig S. Weaver, Alan C. Rohay, Ray E. Wells

Podiform chromite deposits--database and grade and tonnage models

Chromite ((Mg, Fe++)(Cr, Al, Fe+++)2O4) is the only source for the metallic element chromium, which is used in the metallurgical, chemical, and refractory industries. Podiform chromite deposits are small magmatic chromite bodies formed in the ultramafic section of an ophiolite complex in the oceanic crust. These deposits have been found in midoceanic ridge, off-ridge, and suprasubduction tectonic
Authors
Dan L. Mosier, Donald A. Singer, Barry C. Moring, John P. Galloway

The Cedars ultramafic mass, Sonoma County, California

The Cedars ultramafic mass is a mantle fragment that consists of partially serpentinized spinel harzburgite and dunite. Compositional layering and a chromite lineation define a penetrative metamorphic foliation that almost certainly formed in the upper mantle. Although detailed petrofabric and mineral chemistry are presently lacking, it seems reasonable that the Cedars peridotite represents a slic
Authors
M. Clark Blake, Edgar H. Bailey, Carl M. Wentworth

A multiple-point geostatistical method for characterizing uncertainty of subsurface alluvial units and its effects on flow and transport

This report provides a proof-of-concept to demonstrate the potential application of multiple-point geostatistics for characterizing geologic heterogeneity and its effect on flow and transport simulation. The study presented in this report is the result of collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Stanford University. This collaboration focused on improving the characterization of
Authors
C. Cronkite-Ratcliff, G. A. Phelps, A. Boucher

Topographic change detection at select archeological sites in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, 2007-2010

Human occupation in Grand Canyon, Arizona, dates from at least 11,000 years before present to the modern era. For most of this period, the only evidence of human occupation in this iconic landscape is provided by archeological sites. Because of the dynamic nature of this environment, many archeological sites are subject to relatively rapid topographic change. Quantifying the extent, magnitude, and
Authors
Brian D. Collins, Skye C. Corbett, Helen C. Fairley, Diane L. Minasian, Robert Kayen, Timothy P. Dealy, David R. Bedford

Sea-level history of past interglacial periods: New evidence from uranium-series dating of corals from Curaçao, Leeward Antilles islands

Curaçao has reef terraces with the potential to provide sea-level histories of interglacial periods. Ages of the Hato (upper) unit of the “Lower Terrace” indicate that this reef dates to the last interglacial period, Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5.5. On Curaçao, this high sea stand lasted at least 8000 yr (~ 126 to ~ 118 ka). Elevations and age of this reef show that late Quaternary uplift rates on
Authors
Daniel R. Muhs, John M. Pandolfi, Kathleen R. Simmons, R. Randall Schumann

Hybrid analysis of multiaxis electromagnetic data for discrimination of munitions and explosives of concern

The remediation of land containing munitions and explosives of concern, otherwise known as unexploded ordnance, is an ongoing problem facing the U.S. Department of Defense and similar agencies worldwide that have used or are transferring training ranges or munitions disposal areas to civilian control. The expense associated with cleanup of land previously used for military training and war provide
Authors
M.J. Friedel, T.H. Asch, C. Oden

Evidence of recent climate change within the historic range of Rio Grande cutthroat trout: implications for management and future persistence

Evidence of anthropogenically influenced climate change has motivated natural resource managers to incorporate adaptive measures to minimize risks to sensitive and threatened species. Detecting trends in climate variables (i.e., air temperature and hydrology) can serve as a valuable management tool for protecting vulnerable species by increasing our understanding of localized conditions and trends
Authors
Matthew P. Zeigler, Andrew S. Todd, Colleen A. Caldwell