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At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
USGS2006

Spectrophotometric properties of materials observed by Pancam on the Mars Exploration Rovers: 1. Spirit

Multispectral observations of rocks and soils were acquired under varying illumination and viewing geometries in visible/near‐infrared wavelengths by the Panoramic Camera (Pancam) on the Spirit Mars Exploration Rover to provide constraints on the physical and mineralogical nature of geologic materials in Gusev Crater. Data sets were acquired at six sites located near the landing site, in the surrounding plains, and in the West Spur and Husband Hill regions of the Columbia Hills. From these ∼600 images, over 10,000 regions of interest were selected of rocks and soils over a wide range of phase angles (0–130°). Corrections for diffuse skylight incorporated sky models based on observations of atmospheric opacity throughout the mission. Disparity maps created from Pancam stereo images allowed inclusion of estimates of local facet orientations in the sky models. Single‐term and two‐term phase functions derived from Hapke scattering models exhibit a dominantly broad backscattering trend for soils and “Red” rocks inferred to be covered with variable amounts of dust and other coatings, consistent with the results from the Viking Lander and Imager for Mars Pathfinder cameras. Darker “Gray” rock surfaces (inferred to be relatively less dust covered) display more narrow, forward scattering behaviors, consistent with particles exhibiting little internal scattering. Gray and Red rocks are macroscopically rougher than most soil units, although a “dust‐cleaning” event observed near the Paso Robles site caused an increase in soil surface roughness in addition to a substantial decrease in surface single scattering albedo. Gray rocks near the rim of Bonneville Crater exhibit the largest macroscopic roughness ( ) among all units, as well as the greatest backscattering among Gray rocks. Photometric properties of coated Red rocks vary in the West Spur region, possibly as a result of weathering differences related to elevation‐dependent aeolian regimes.

Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets↗
USGS2001

Dating the Vostok ice core record by importing the Devils Hole chronology

The development of an accurate chronology for the Vostok record continues to be an open research question because these invaluable ice cores cannot be dated directly. Depth-to-age relationships have been developed using many different approaches, but published age estimates are inconsistent, even for major paleoclimatic events. We have developed a chronology for the Vostok deuterium paleotemperature record using a simple and objective algorithm to transfer ages of major paleoclimatic events from the radiometrically dated 500,000-year δ 18 O-paleotemperature record from Devils Hole, Nevada. The method is based only on a strong inference that major shifts in paleotemperature recorded at both locations occurred synchronously, consistent with an atmospheric teleconnection. The derived depth-to-age relationship conforms with the physics of ice compaction, and internally produces ages for climatic events 5.4 and 11.24 which are consistent with the externally assigned ages that the Vostok team needed to assume in order to derive their most recent chronology, GT4. Indeed, the resulting V-DH chronology is highly correlated with GT4 because of the unexpected correspondence even in the timing of second-order climatic events that were not constrained by the algorithm. Furthermore, the algorithm developed herein is not specific to this problem; rather, the procedure can be used whenever two paleoclimate records are proxies for the same physical phenomenon, and paleoclimatic conditions forcing the two records can be considered to have occurred contemporaneously. The ability of the algorithm to date the East Antarctic Dome Fuji core is also demonstrated.

Journal of Geophysical Research D: Atmospheres↗
USGS2003

Visible/near-infrared spectra of experimentally shocked plagioclase feldspars

High shock pressures cause structural changes in plagioclase feldspars such as mechanical fracturing and disaggregation of the crystal lattice at submicron scales, the formation of diaplectic glass (maskelynite), and genuine melting. Past studies of visible/ near-infrared spectra of shocked feldspars demonstrated few spectral variations with pressure except for a decrease in the depth of the absorption feature near 1250-1300 nm and an overall decrease in reflectance. New visible/near-infrared spectra (400-2500 nm) of experimentally shocked (17-56 GPa) albite- and anorthite-rich rock powders demonstrate similar trends, including the loss of minor hydrated mineral bands near 1410, 1930, 2250, and 2350 nm. However, the most interesting new observations are increases in reflectance at intermediate pressures, followed by subsequent decreases in reflectance at higher pressures. The amount of internal scattering and overall sample reflectance is controlled by the relative proportions of micro-fractures, submicron grains, diaplectic glass, and melts formed during shock metamorphism. We interpret the observed reflectance increases at intermediate pressures to result from progressively larger proportions of submicron feldspar grains and diaplectic glass. The ensuing decreases in reflectance occur after diaplectic glass formation is complete and the proportion of genuine melt inclusions increases. The pressure regimes over which these reflectance variations occur differ between albite and anorthite, consistent with thermal infrared spectra of these samples and previous studies of shocked feldspars. These types of spectral variations associated with different peak shock pressures should be considered during interpretation and modeling of visible/near-infrared remotely sensed spectra of planetary and asteroidal surfaces.

Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets↗
USGS1969

The determination of the acoustic parameters of volcanic rocks from compressional velocity measurements

A statistical analysis was made of the relationship of various acoustic parameters of volcanic rocks to compressional wave velocities for data obtained in a volcanic region in Nevada. Some additional samples, chiefly granitic rocks, were also included in the study to extend the range of parameters and the variety of siliceous rock types sampled. Laboratory acoustic measurements obtained on 62 dry core samples were grouped with similar measurements obtained from geophysical logging devices at several depth intervals in a hole from which 15 of the core samples had been obtained. The effects of lithostatic and hydrostatic load on changing the rock acoustic parameters measured in the hole were noticeable when compared with the laboratory measurements on the same core. The results of the analyses determined by grouping all of the data, however, indicate that dynamic Young's, shear and bulk modulus, shear velocity, shear and compressional characteristic impedance, as well as amplitude and energy reflection coefficients may be reliably estimated on the basis of the compressional wave velocities of the rocks investigated. Less precise estimates can be made of density based on the rock compressional velocity. The possible extension of these relationships to include many siliceous rocks is suggested.

International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining↗
USGS2017

Behavior of a wave-driven buoyant surface jet on a coral reef

A wave-driven surface buoyant jet exiting a coral reef was studied in order to quantify the amount of water re-entrained over the reef crest. Both moored observations and Lagrangian drifters were used to study the fate of the buoyant jet. To investigate in detail the effects of buoyancy and along-shore flow variations, we developed an idealized numerical model of the system. Consistent with previous work, the ratio of along-shore velocity to jet-velocity and the jet internal Froude number were found to be important determinants of the fate of the jet. In the absence of buoyancy, the entrainment of fluid at the reef crest, creates a significant amount of retention, keeping 60% of water in the reef system. However, when the jet is lighter than the ambient ocean-water, the net effect of buoyancy is to enhance the separation of the jet from shore, leading to a greater export of reef water. Matching observations, our modeling predicts that buoyancy limits retention to 30% of the jet flow for conditions existing on the Moorea reef. Overall, the combination of observations and modeling we present here shows that reef-ocean temperature gradients can play an important role in reef-ocean exchanges.

Journal of Geophysical Research C: Oceans↗
USGS2012

Cooling rate and thermal structure determined from progressive magnetization of the dacite dome at Mount St. Helens, Washington

Our study of a magnetic anomaly associated with the recently active dacite dome at Mount St. Helens suggests that the dome consists of a hot, nonmagnetized core surrounded by a cool, magnetized carapace and flanking talus. The talus does not contribute to the anomaly because its constituent blocks are randomly oriented. Temporal changes in the magnetic anomaly indicate that the magnetized carapace thickened at an average rate of 0.03±0.01 m/d from 1984 to 1986. Petrographic and rock magnetic properties of dome samples indicate that the dominant process responsible for these changes is magnetization of extensively oxidized rock at progressively deeper levels within the dome as the rock cools through its blocking temperature, rather than subsequent changes in magnetization caused by further oxidation. Newly extruded material cools rapidly for a short period as heat is conducted outward in response to convective heat loss from its surface. The cooling rate gradually declines for several weeks, and thereafter the material cools at a relatively constant rate by convective heat loss from its interior along fractures that propagate inward. The rate of internal convective heat loss through fractures varies with rainfall, snowmelt, and large-scale fracturing during subsequent eruptive episodes. In accordance with a model for solidification of the 1959 lava lake at Kilauea Iki, Hawaii, we picture the dome's magnetized carapace as being a two-phase, porous, convective zone separated from the nonmagnetized core of the dome by a thin, single-phase conductive zone. As a consequence of the heat balance between the conductive and convective zones, the blocking-temperature isotherm migrates inward at a relatively constant rate. If the dome remains inactive, the time scale for its complete magnetization is estimated to be 18–36 years, a forecast which can be refined by shallow drilling into the dome and by continuing studies of its growing magnetic anomaly.

Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth↗
USGS2004

New constraints on the active tectonic deformation of the Aegean

Site velocities from six separate Global Positioning System (GPS) networks comprising 374 stations have been referred to a single common Eurasia-fixed reference frame to map the velocity distribution over the entire Aegean. We use the GPS velocity field to identify deforming regions, rigid elements, and potential microplate boundaries, and build upon previous work by others to initially specify rigid elements in central Greece, the South Aegean, Anatolia, and the Sea of Marmara. We apply an iterative approach, tentatively defining microplate boundaries, determining best fit rigid rotations, examining misfit patterns, and revising the boundaries to achieve a better match between model and data. Short-term seismic cycle effects are minor contaminants of the data that we remove when necessary to isolate the long-term kinematics. We find that present day Aegean deformation is due to the relative motions of four microplates and straining in several isolated zones internal to them. The RMS misfit of model to data is about 2-sigma, very good when compared to the typical match between coseismic fault models and GPS data. The simplicity of the microplate description of the deformation and its good fit to the GPS data are surprising and were not anticipated by previous work, which had suggested either many rigid elements or broad deforming zones that comprise much of the Aegean region. The isolated deforming zones are also unexpected and cannot be explained by the kinematics of the microplate motions. Strain rates within internally deforming zones are extensional and range from 30 to 50 nanostrain/year (nstrain/year, 10-9/year), 1 to 2 orders of magnitude lower than rates observed across the major microplate boundaries. Lower strain rates may exist elsewhere withi the microplates but are only resolved in Anatolia, where extension of 13 ?? 4 nstrain/ year is required by the data. Our results suggest that despite the detailed complexity of active continental deformation revealed by seismicity, active faulting, fault geomorphology, and earthquake fault plane solutions, continental tectonics, at least in the Aegean, is to first order very similar to global plate tectonics and obeys the same simple kinematic rules. Although the widespread distribution of Aegean seismicity and active faulting might suggest a rather spatially homogeneous seismic hazard, the focusing of deformation near microplate boundaries implies the highest hazard is comparably localized.

Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth↗
USGS1983

The Eastern Gas Shales Project (EGSP) Data System: A case study in data base design, development, and application

The U.S. Geological Survey and Petroleum Information Corporation in Denver, Colorado, developed the Eastern Gas Shale Project (EGSP)Data System for the U.S. Department of Energy, Morgantown, West Virginia. Geological, geochemical, geophysical, and engineering data from Devonian shale samples from more than 5800 wells and outcrops in the Appalachian basin were edited and converted to a Petroleum Information Corporation data base. Well and sample data may be retrieved from this data system to produce (1)production-test summaries by formation and well location; (2)contoured isopach, structure, and trendsurface maps of Devonian shale units; (3)sample summary reports for samples by location, well, contractor, and sample number; (4)cross sections displaying digitized log traces, geochemical, and lithologic data by depth for wells; and (5)frequency distributions and bivariate plots. Although part of the EGSP Data System is proprietary, and distribution of complete well histories is prohibited by contract, maps and aggregated well-data listings are being made available to the public through published reports. ?? 1983 Plenum Publishing Corporation.

Journal of the International Association for Mathe↗
USGS2012

Magnetic signals from the core of the earth and secular variation

An oscillating, radial magnetic dipole source was assumed to exist in the core of the earth, 100 km beneath the core-mantle boundary. As an approximation, electromagnetic propagation was assumed in the core in lieu of hydromagnetic propagation, which could not be used because of unknown internal fields.Using Debye potentials, the radial and horizontal components of the surface fields were calculated using various assumed conductivity parameters in the core and in the mantle. It is concluded that most spherical harmonic models of the earth's magnetic field do not include enough terms to describe properly the field of core sources with periods of tens of years. These short-period variations are especially important in describing the secular variation. Because of this, a proper description of the secular variation requires more spherical harmonic terms than are required for the field itself. Inadequate representation of short-period variations in spherical harmonic models may contribute to the rapid deterioration of predictive models. Alternatives to spherical harmonic analysis for secular variation should be investigated; regardless of the method used, a much greater spatial distribution of high quality secular variation data is needed.

Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth↗
USGS2020

Submarine landslide kinematics derived from high-resolution imaging in Port Valdez, Alaska

Submarine landslides caused by strong ground shaking during the M9.2 1964 Great Alaska earthquake generated a tsunami that destroyed much of the old town of Valdez, Alaska, and was responsible for 32 deaths at that location. We explore structural details of the 1964 landslide deposit, as well as landslide deposits from earlier events, in order to characterize kinematics of the landslide process. We present a new high‐resolution seismic reflection data set that images the 1964 landslide deposit and six pre‐1964 deposits with great detail. These deposits are represented by thick packages (~7–23 m) of debris within >500 m of fjord sedimentation above basement. Internal slide structures are associated with distinctive landslide failure mechanisms, including detailed erosional and depositional features and structures resolved within both landslide blocks and distal debris flow layers. Based on comparisons of deposit volume from subbottom structure and differenced bathymetry, we refine prior interpretations of the source of failed material. New data show evidence for basal erosion and reworking of fjord‐floor sedimentation. Additionally, material comprising the 1964 landslide appears to have been translated and deformed by lateral thrusting, rather than having been sourced entirely from upslope evacuation zones. Taking into account these complexities in depositional patterns, we show variations in slide size through Holocene time and relate the history of landslides to the paleoseismic record. Collectively, these new observations demonstrate that Port Valdez has a repeated history of large submarine landslides, which are likely associated with large megathrust earthquakes.

Alaska↗
USGS2007

Microplate model for the present-day deformation of Tibet

[1] Site velocities from 349 Global Positioning System (GPS) stations are used to construct an 11-element quasi-rigid block model of the Tibetan Plateau and its surroundings. Rigid rotations of five major blocks are well determined, and average translation velocities of six smaller blocks can be constrained. Where data are well distributed the velocity field can be explained well by rigid block motion and fault slip across block boundaries. Residual misfits average 1.6 mm/yr compared to typical one standard deviation velocity uncertainties of 1.3 mm/yr. Any residual internal straining of the blocks is small and heterogeneous. However, residual substructure might well represent currently unresolved motions of smaller blocks. Although any smaller blocks must move at nearly the same rate as the larger blocks within which they lie, undetected relative motions between them could be significant, particularly where there are gaps in GPS coverage. Predicted relative motions between major blocks agree with the observed sense of slip and along-strike partitioning of motion across major faults. However, predicted slip rates across Tibet's major strike-slip faults are low, only 5–12 mm/yr, a factor of 2–3 smaller than most rates estimated from fault offset features dated by radiometric methods as ∼2000 to ∼100,000 year old. Previous work has suggested that both GPS data and low fault slip rates are incompatible with rigid block motions of Tibet. The results reported here overcome these objections.

Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth↗
USGS2004

Granular avalanches across irregular three-dimensional terrain: 2. Experimental tests

Scaling considerations indicate that miniature experiments can be used to test models of granular avalanches in which the effects of intergranular fluid and cohesion are negligible. To test predictions of a granular avalanche model described in a companion paper, we performed bench top experiments involving avalanches of dry sand across irregular basal topography that mimicked the complexity of natural terrain. The experiments employed a novel method of laser-assisted cartography to map the three-dimensional morphology of rapidly moving avalanches, thereby providing high-resolution data for comparison with model output. Model input consisted of two material properties (angles of internal and basal Coulomb friction of the sand), which were measured in independent tests, and of initial and boundary conditions that characterized the geometry of the experimental apparatus. Experimental results demonstrate that the model accurately predicts not only the gross behavior but also many details of avalanche motion, from initiation to deposition. We attribute this accuracy to a mathematical and computational formulation that conserves mass and momentum in three-dimensional physical space and satisfies the Coulomb equation in three-dimensional stress space. Our results support the hypothesis that a Coulomb proportionality between shear and normal stresses applies in moderately rapid granular flows and that complicated constitutive postulates are unnecessary if momentum conservation is strictly enforced in continuum avalanche models. Furthermore, predictions of our Coulomb continuum model contrast with those of a Coulomb point mass model, illustrating the importance of multidimensional modeling and model testing.

Journal of Geophysical Research Earth Surface↗
USGS1999

Does Europa have a subsurface ocean? Evaluation of the geological evidence

It has been proposed that Jupiter's satellite Europa currently possesses a global subsurface ocean of liquid water. Galileo gravity data verify that the satellite is differentiated into an outer H 2 O layer about 100 km thick but cannot determine the current physical state of this layer (liquid or solid). Here we summarize the geological evidence regarding an extant subsurface ocean, concentrating on Galileo imaging data. We describe and assess nine pertinent lines of geological evidence: impact morphologies, lenticulae, cryovolcanic features, pull‐apart bands, chaos, ridges, surface frosts, topography, and global tectonics. An internal ocean would be a simple and comprehensive explanation for a broad range of observations; however, we cannot rule out the possibility that all of the surface morphologies could be due to processes in warm, soft ice with only localized or partial melting. Two different models of impact flux imply very different surface ages for Europa; the model favored here indicates an average age of ∼50 Myr. Searches for evidence of current geological activity on Europa, such as plumes or surface changes, have yielded negative results to date. The current existence of a global subsurface ocean, while attractive in explaining the observations, remains inconclusive. Future geophysical measurements are essential to determine conclusively whether or not there is a liquid water ocean within Europa today.

Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets↗
USGS2012

Flank tectonics of Martian volcanoes

On the flanks of Olympus Mons is a series of terraces, concentrically distributed around the caldera. Their morphology and location suggest that they could be thrust faults caused by compressional failure of the cone. In an attempt to understand the mechanism of faulting and the possible influences of the interior structure of Olympus Mons, we have constructed a numerical model for elastic stresses within a Martian volcano. In the absence of internal pressurization, the middle slopes of the cone are subjected to compressional stress, appropriate to the formation of thrust faults. These stresses for Olympus Mons are ∼250 MPa. If a vacant magma chamber is contained within the cone, the region of maximum compressional stress is extended toward the base of the cone. If the magma chamber is pressurized, extensional stresses occur at the summit and on the upper slopes of the cone. For a filled but unpressurized magma chamber, the observed positions of the faults agree well with the calculated region of high compressional stress. Three other volcanoes on Mars, Ascraeus Mons, Arsia Mons, and Pavonis Mons, possess similar terraces. Extending our analysis to other Martian volcanoes, we find that only these three and Olympus Mons have flank stresses that exceed the compressional failure strength of basalt, lending support to the view that the terraces on all four are thrust faults.

Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth↗
USGS2023

A conceptual framework for estimation of initial emergency food and water resource requirements in disasters

Many households lack the necessary food and water supplies to sustain themselves for more than three days during a disaster. Community vulnerability assessments can be used to identify households with more pressing needs for emergency food and water resources. It is critical that these assessments include the interaction between physical impacts to lifeline infrastructure and the social vulnerabilities of food and water insecurity to prioritize, allocate, and distribute emergency resources. In this paper, we review and synthesize relevant literature to propose a new multidisciplinary conceptual framework of community vulnerability assessment for estimating initial emergency food and water resource requirements in a developed country. Using the framework as a guide, we illustrate its practical application through a simplified, deterministic model of initial resource requirements in disaster response, and offer a quantitative, comprehensive description of its application within the geophysical hazard context of the “ShakeOut” scenario—a major M w 7.8 earthquake on California's San Andreas fault , occurring within the Los Angeles Basin, CA (USA) region. Model results estimate that 999,027 households (2,947,130 residents) will require initial emergency food and water resource requirements. Estimates include about 6 million meals and 9 million liters of water, concentrated in Lancaster-Palmdale, El Monte-Baldwin Park, East Los Angeles-Downey in Los Angeles County, the Coachella Valley (Riverside County), and in populated areas of San Bernardino County. A sensitivity analysis of social vulnerability interactions with utility service outages investigates the influence of food insecurity on the amplification of resource needs. This study establishes fundamental knowledge at the nexus of natural hazards, critical infrastructure disruptions, and social vulnerability by providing initial estimates of emergency resource demand while advancing the understanding of social inequity in emergency resource access.

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction↗
USGS2012

Results of the first North American comparison of absolute gravimeters, NACAG-2010

The first North American Comparison of absolute gravimeters (NACAG-2010) was hosted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at its newly renovated Table Mountain Geophysical Observatory (TMGO) north of Boulder, Colorado, in October 2010. NACAG-2010 and the renovation of TMGO are part of NGS’s GRAV-D project (Gravity for the Redefinition of the American Vertical Datum). Nine absolute gravimeters from three countries participated in the comparison. Before the comparison, the gravimeter operators agreed to a protocol describing the strategy to measure, calculate, and present the results. Nine sites were used to measure the free-fall acceleration of g. Each gravimeter measured the value of g at a subset of three of the sites, for a total set of 27 g-values for the comparison. The absolute gravimeters agree with one another with a standard deviation of 1.6 µGal (1 Gal = 1 cm s-2). The minimum and maximum offsets are -2.8 and 2.7 µGal. This is an excellent agreement and can be attributed to multiple factors, including gravimeters that were in good working order, good operators, a quiet observatory, and a short duration time for the experiment. These results can be used to standardize gravity surveys internationally.

Journal of Geodesy↗
USGS2017

Estimating belowground carbon stocks in isolated wetlands of the Northern Everglades Watershed, central Florida, using ground penetrating radar (GPR) and aerial imagery

Peat soils store a large fraction of the global soil carbon (C) pool and comprise 95% of wetland C stocks. While isolated freshwater wetlands in temperate and tropical biomes account for more than 20% of the global peatland C stock, most studies of wetland soil C have occurred in expansive peatlands in northern boreal and subarctic biomes. Furthermore, the contribution of small depressional wetlands in comparison to larger wetland systems in these environments is very uncertain. Given the fact that these wetlands are numerous and variable in terms of their internal geometry, innovative methods are needed for properly estimating belowground C stocks and their overall C contribution to the landscape. In this study, we use a combination of ground penetrating radar (GPR), aerial imagery, and direct measurements (coring) in conjunction with C core analysis to develop a relation between C stock and surface area, and estimate the contribution of subtropical depressional wetlands to the total C stock of pine flatwoods at the Disney Wilderness Preserve (DWP), Florida. Additionally, GPR surveys were able to image collapse structures underneath the peat basin of depressional wetlands, depicting lithological controls on the formation of depressional wetlands at the DWP. Results indicate the importance of depressional wetlands as critical contributors to the landscape C budget at the DWP and the potential of GPR-based approaches for (1) rapidly and noninvasively estimating the contribution of depressional wetlands to regional C stocks and (2) evaluating the formational processes of depressional wetlands.

Florida↗
USGS2013

The integration of geophysical and enhanced Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Normalized Difference Vegetation Index data into a rule-based, piecewise regression-tree model to estimate cheatgrass beginning of spring growth

Cheatgrass exhibits spatial and temporal phenological variability across the Great Basin as described by ecological models formed using remote sensing and other spatial data-sets. We developed a rule-based, piecewise regression-tree model trained on 99 points that used three data-sets – latitude, elevation, and start of season time based on remote sensing input data – to estimate cheatgrass beginning of spring growth (BOSG) in the northern Great Basin. The model was then applied to map the location and timing of cheatgrass spring growth for the entire area. The model was strong ( R 2 = 0.85) and predicted an average cheatgrass BOSG across the study area of 29 March–4 April. Of early cheatgrass BOSG areas, 65% occurred at elevations below 1452 m. The highest proportion of cheatgrass BOSG occurred between mid-April and late May. Predicted cheatgrass BOSG in this study matched well with previous Great Basin cheatgrass green-up studies.

Great Basin↗