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Publications

These publications showcase the significant science conducted in our Science Centers.

Filter Total Items: 16783

Two-event genesis of Butte lode veins: Geologic and geochronologic evidence from ore veins, dikes, and host plutons

The long-standing ore-genesis model for world-class deposits of the Butte mining district, Montana, is of deep pre-Main Stage porphyry Cu-Mo and overlying Main Stage Ag-Zn-Cu-zoned lode veinsformed from discrete hydrothermal systems related to rhyolite dikes. The lode-specific model describes metals zones that formed in the lode veins as hydrothermal processes diminished in intensity (changing tem
Authors
Karen Lund, Ryan J. McAleer, John N. Aleinikoff, Michael Cosca

Evaluating the effects of replacing septic systems with municipal sewers on groundwater quality in a densely developed coastal neighborhood, Falmouth, Massachusetts, 2016–19

Land disposal of sewage wastewater through septic systems and cesspools is a major cause of elevated concentrations of nitrogen in the shallow coastal aquifers of southern New England. The discharge of nitrogen from these sources at the coast is affecting the environmental health of coastal saltwater bodies. In response, local, State, and Federal agencies are considering expensive actions to mitig
Authors
Timothy D. McCobb, Jeffrey R. Barbaro, Denis R. LeBlanc, Marcel Belaval

Adaptation actions for resistance, resilience, and transformation

No abstract available.
Authors
A. Evans, Bianca Lopez, Meghan G. MacLean, Toni Lyn Morelli, R. Narayanan, M. Ocana

Arsenic release to the environment from hydrocarbon production, storage, transportation, use and waste management

Arsenic (As) is a toxic trace element with many sources, including hydrocarbons such as oil, natural gas, oil sands, and oil- and gas-bearing shales. Arsenic from these hydrocarbon sources can be released to the environment through human activities of hydrocarbon production, storage, transportation and use. In addition, accidental release of hydrocarbons to aquifers with naturally occurring (geoge
Authors
Madeline Schreiber, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli

River terrace evidence of tectonic processes in the eastern North American plate interior, South Anna River, Virginia

We show that long-recognized seismicity in the central Virginia seismic zone of the eastern North American intraplate setting arises primarily from tectonic processes predicted by new, fully coupled plate tectonic geodynamic models. The study leverages much new geophysical and geologic data following the 2011 Mineral, Virginia, earthquake that ruptured a steeply dipping, northwest-verging reverse
Authors
Frank J. Pazzaglia, Helen F. Malenda, Matthew L. McGavick, Cody Raup, Mark W. Carter, Claudio Berti, Shannon A. Mahan, Michelle S. Nelson, Tammy M. Rittenour, Ron Counts, Jane K Willenbring, Dru Germanoski, Stephen C. Peters, William D. Holt

North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) scenario planning summary report

Scenario planning provides a structured framework that can be used in strategic planning to help manage risk and prioritize actions (Schwartz 1996; Peterson et al. 2003). By providing a mechanism to communicate about complex situations, scenario planning encourages “out-of-the-box” thinking to help groups assess the impacts of plausible future scenarios on a target or resource. The outcomes from s
Authors
Diane Borggaard, Dori Dick, Jonathan Star, Barbara Zoodsma, Michael A. Alexander, Michael J. Asaro, Lynne Barre, Shannon Bettridge, Peter Burns, Julie Crocker, Quay Dortch, Lance Garrison, Frances Gulland, Ben Haskell, Sean Hayes, Allison Henry, K. Hyde, Henry Milliken, David Morin, John Quinlan, Teri Rowles, Vincent Saba, Michelle Staudinger, Harvey Walsh

Optimization of salt marsh management at the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, Connecticut, through use of structured decision making

Structured decision making is a systematic, transparent process for improving the quality of complex decisions by identifying measurable management objectives and feasible management actions; predicting the potential consequences of management actions relative to the stated objectives; and selecting a course of action that maximizes the total benefit achieved and balances tradeoffs among objective
Authors
Laurel E. Low, Hilary A. Neckles, James E. Lyons, Jessica L. Nagel, Susan C. Adamowicz, Toni Mikula, Kristina Vagos, Richard Potvin

Lithium in groundwater used for drinking-water supply in the United States

Lithium concentrations in untreated groundwater from 1464 public-supply wells and 1676 domestic-supply wells distributed across 33 principal aquifers in the United States were evaluated for spatial variations and possible explanatory factors. Concentrations nationwide ranged from <1 to 396 μg/L (median of 8.1) for public supply wells and <1 to 1700 μg/L (median of 6 μg/L) for domestic supply wells
Authors
Bruce D. Lindsey, Kenneth Belitz, Charles A. Cravotta, Patricia Toccalino, Neil M. Dubrovsky

Crossroads of highly pathogenic H5N1: overlap between wild and domestic birds in the Black Sea-Mediterranean impacts global transmission

Understanding transmission dynamics that link wild and domestic animals is a key element of predicting the emergence of infectious disease, an event that has highest likelihood of occurring wherever human livelihoods depend on agriculture and animal trade. Contact between poultry and wild birds is a key driver of the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), a process that allows for
Authors
Nichola J. Hill, Lacy M. Smith, Sabir B. Muzaffar, Jessica L. Nagel, Diann Prosser, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Kyle A. Spragens, Carlos A. DeMattos, Cecilia C. Demattos, Lu'ay El Sayed, Kiraz Erciyas-Yavuz, C. Todd Davis, Joyce Jones, Zoltan Kis, Ruben O. Donis, Scott H. Newman, John Y. Takekawa

Estimating the impact of seep methane oxidation on ocean pH and dissolved inorganic radiocarbon along the U.S. mid‐Atlantic Bight

Ongoing ocean warming can release methane (CH4) currently stored in ocean sediments as free gas and gas hydrates. Once dissolved in ocean waters, this CH4 can be oxidized to carbon dioxide (CO2). While it has been hypothesized that the CO2 produced from aerobic CH4 oxidation could enhance ocean acidification, a previous study conducted in Hudson Canyon shows that CH4 oxidation has a small short‐te
Authors
Fenix Garcia-Tigreros, Mihai Leonte, Carolyn D. Ruppel, Angel Ruiz-Angulo, DoongJoo Joung, Benjamin Young, John D. Kessler

On the use of statistical analysis to understand submarine landslide processes and assess their hazard

Because of their inaccessibility, submarine landslides are typically studied individually and at great effort and expense to provide knowledge of the specific site conditions where these landslides occur. Statistical analysis of submarine landslide scars can offer generalized perspectives on the processes that initiate submarine landslides and can help toward hazard assessment in areas that have n
Authors
Uri S. ten Brink, Eric L. Geist

Marsh equilibrium theory: Implications for responses to rising sea level

No abstract available. 
Authors
James T Morris, Donald Cahoon, John C. Callaway, Christopher Craft, Scott C Neubauer, Nathaniel B Weston