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At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources
USGS2020

Assessment of leachable elements in volcanic ashfall: A review and evaluation of a standardized protocol for ash hazard characterization

Volcanic ash presents a widespread and common hazard during and after eruptions. Complex interactions between solid ash surfaces and volcanic gases lead to the formation of soluble salts that may be mobilized in aqueous environments. A variety of stakeholders may be concerned about the effects of ash on human and animal health, drinking water supplies, crops, soils and surface runoff. As part of the immediate emergency response, rapid dissemination of information regarding potentially hazardous concentrations of soluble species is critical. However, substantial variability in the methods used to characterize leachable elements makes it challenging to compare datasets and eruption impacts. To address these challenges, the International Volcanic Health Hazard Network ( www.ivhhn.org ) organized a two-day workshop to define appropriate methods for hazard assessment. The outcome of this workshop was a ‘consensus protocol’ for analysis of volcanic ash samples for rapid assessment of hazards from leachable elements, which was subsequently ratified by leading volcanological organizations. The purpose of this protocol is to recommend clear, standard and reliable methods applicable to a range of purposes during eruption response, such as assessing impacts on drinking-water supplies and ingestion hazards to livestock, and also applicable to research purposes. Where possible, it is intended that the methods make use of commonly available equipment and require little training. To evaluate method transferability, an interlaboratory comparison exercise was organized among six laboratories worldwide. Each laboratory received a split of pristine ash, and independently analyzed it according to the protocol for a wide range of elements. Collated results indicate good repeatability and reproducibility for most elements, thus indicating that the development of this protocol is a useful step towards providing standardized and reliable methods for ash hazard characterization. In this article, we review recent ash leachate studies, report the outcomes of the comparison exercise and present a revised and updated protocol based on the experiences and recommendations of the exercise participants. The adoption of standardized methods will improve and facilitate the comparability of results among studies and enable the ongoing development of a global database of leachate information relevant for informing volcanic health hazards assessment.

Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research↗
USGS2021

Plague transforms positive effects of precipitation on prairie dogs to negative effects

Rodents characteristically benefit from increased precipitation, especially in typically dry habitats; “good years” of high precipitation improve their forage and water balance. However, Yersinia pestis (plague), a flea-borne pathogen of mammals that was introduced to western North America, has the greatest negative impact on at least some species of rodents during years of above-average precipitation. In the absence of plague mitigation, negative effects of plague in wet years might overwhelm the otherwise beneficial effects of increased moisture. In Montana and Utah, USA, where plague now occurs enzootically, we investigated the influence of precipitation on finite rates of annual population change (2000–2005) for 3 species of prairie dogs ( Cynomys spp.) in replicated plots treated with deltamethrin dust and in non-treated plots for paired comparisons. There was a significant interaction between precipitation and treatment. When we reduced plague vector fleas, prairie dog visual counts tended to increase with increasing precipitation. Simultaneously, there was a negative relationship between counts and precipitation on paired plots where plague was not managed, suggesting that plague transformed and reversed the otherwise beneficial effect of increased precipitation. Are the good years gone for prairie dogs? Even if the good years are not gone, they are perhaps relatively scarce compared to historic times prior to the invasion of plague. This scenario might apply to other ecosystems and may pose broad conservation challenges in western North America.

Montana, Utah↗
USGS2005

DUCKS: Low cost thermal monitoring units for near-vent deployment

During 1999 we designed and tested a thermal monitoring system to provide a cheap, robust, modular, real-time system capable of surviving the hostile conditions encountered proximal to active volcanic vents. In November 2000 the first system was deployed at Pu'u 'O'o (Kilauea, Hawai'i) to target persistently active vents. Aside from some minor problems, such as sensor damage due to tampering, this system remained operational until January 2004. The success of the prototype system led us to use the blueprint for a second installation at Stromboli (Aeolian Islands, Italy). This was deployed, dug into a bomb-proof bunker, during May 2002 and survived the April 2003 paroxysmal eruption despite being located just 250 m from the vent. In both cases, careful waterproofing of connectors and selection of suitable protection has prevented water damage and corrosion in the harsh atmosphere encountered at the crater rim. The Pu'u 'O'o system cost ∼US$10,000 and comprises four modules: sensors, transmission and power hub, repeater station and reception site. The sensor component consists of three thermal infrared thermometers housed in Pelican™ cases fitted with Germanium–Arsenide–Selenium windows. Two 1° field of view (FOV) sensors allow specific vents to be targeted and a 60° FOV sensor provides a crater floor overview. A hard wire connection links to a Pelican™-case-housed microprocessor , modem and power module. From here data are transmitted, via a repeater site, to a dedicated PC at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory . Here data are displayed with a delay of ∼3 s between acquisition and display. The modular design allows for great flexibility. At Stromboli, 1° and 15° FOV sensor modules can be switched depending changes in activity style and crater geometry. In addition a direct line of site to the Stromboli reception center negates the repeater site requirement, reducing the cost to US$5500 for a single sensor system. We have also constructed self-contained units with internal data loggers for US$1500/unit. These have been tested at Kilauea, Stromboli, Etna, Masaya, Santiaguito, Fuego, Pacaya, Poas, Soufriere Hills, Villarrica and Erta Ale. These instruments have proved capable of detecting thermal signals associated with: (1) gas emission; (2) gas jetting events; (3) crater floor collapse; (4) lava effusion; (5) lava flow in tubes; (6) lava lake activity; (7) lava dome activity; and (8) crater lake skin temperature.

Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research↗
USGS2010

EAARL coastal topography-western Florida, post-Hurricane Charley, 2004: seamless (bare earth and submerged.

Project Description These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of lidar-derived seamless (bare-earth and submerged) topography were produced as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP), St. Petersburg, FL, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Wallops Flight Facility, VA. This project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets of a portion of the western Florida coastline beachface, acquired post-Hurricane Charley on August 17 and 18, 2004. The datasets are made available for use as a management tool to research scientists and natural-resource managers. An innovative airborne lidar instrument originally developed at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, and known as the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL), was used during data acquisition. The EAARL system is a raster-scanning, waveform-resolving, green-wavelength (532-nanometer) lidar designed to map near-shore bathymetry, topography, and vegetation structure simultaneously. The EAARL sensor suite includes the raster-scanning, water-penetrating full-waveform adaptive lidar, a down-looking red-green-blue (RGB) digital camera, a high-resolution multispectral color infrared (CIR) camera, two precision dual-frequency kinematic carrier-phase GPS receivers, and an integrated miniature digital inertial measurement unit, which provide for sub-meter georeferencing of each laser sample. The nominal EAARL platform is a twin-engine Cessna 310 aircraft, but the instrument may be deployed on a range of light aircraft. A single pilot, a lidar operator, and a data analyst constitute the crew for most survey operations. This sensor has the potential to make significant contributions in measuring sub-aerial and submarine coastal topography within cross-environmental surveys. Elevation measurements were collected over the survey area using the EAARL system, and the resulting data were then processed using the Airborne Lidar Processing System (ALPS), a custom-built processing system developed in a NASA-USGS collaboration. ALPS supports the exploration and processing of lidar data in an interactive or batch mode. Modules for presurvey flight-line definition, flight-path plotting, lidar raster and waveform investigation, and digital camera image playback have been developed. Processing algorithms have been developed to extract the range to the first and last significant return within each waveform. ALPS is used routinely to create maps that represent submerged or sub-aerial topography. Specialized filtering algorithms have been implemented to determine the 'bare earth' under vegetation. For more information about similar projects, please visit the Decision Support for Coastal Science and Management website. Selected References Brock, J.C., Wright, C.W., Sallenger, A.H., Krabill, W.B., and Swift, R.N., 2002, Basis and methods of NASA airborne topographic mapper Lidar surveys for coastal studies: Journal of Coastal Research, v. 18, no. 1, p. 1-13. Crane, Michael, Clayton, Tonya, Raabe, Ellen, Stoker, Jason, Handley, Larry, Bawden, Gerald, Morgan, Karen, and Queija, Vivian, 2004, Report of the U.S. Geological Survey Lidar workshop sponsored by the Land Remote Sensing Program and held in St. Petersburg, FL, November 2002: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2004-1456, 72 p. Nayegandhi, Amar, Brock, J.C., and Wright, C.W., 2009, Small-footprint, waveform-resolving Lidar estimation of submerged and sub-canopy topography in coastal environments: International Journal of Remote Sensing, v. 30, no. 4, p. 861-878. Sallenger, A.H., Wright, C.W., and Lillycrop, Jeff, 2005, Coastal impacts of the 2004 hurricanes measured with airborne Lidar; initial results: Shore and Beach, v. 73, nos. 2-3, p. 10-14. Resources Included Readme.txt File

Data Series↗
USGS2019

India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition-02: Operational and technical summary

The India National Gas Hydrate Program is being steered by the government of India's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) with participation of Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), and the National Oil Companies and Research Institutes of India. The India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 01 (NGHP-01) established the presence of gas hydrate in the Krishna Godavari (KG) and Mahanadi Basins and in the offshore area of the Andaman Sea Basin. However, the gas hydrates discovered during NGHP-01 were mainly distributed as fracture-filling material in fine-grained clay-rich sediments. The India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02 (NGHP-02) was carried out with an objective to discover gas hydrate in sand-rich sediment along the eastern offshore margin of India. ONGC planned and executed NGHP-02 on the behalf of the MoPNG. NGHP-02 started on March 3, 2015 and was completed on July 28, 2015 (total 147 days) using the Japanese scientific Drilling Vessel Chikyu (D/V Chikyu). During NGHP-02, 42 holes at 25 sites were drilled, cored, and/or surveyed with downhole logging tools. These sites were located in four areas along the eastern margin of India and formally named Area A (Mahanadi Basin, three sites), Area B (northern part of the KG-Basin, twelve sites), Area C (central part of the KG-Basin, six sites), and Area E (southern part to the KG-Basin, four sites). All 25 sites established during NGHP-02 were first drilled and logged with logging-while-drilling (LWD) tools and an additional 17 holes were then drilled and/or cored with conventional coring tools (HPCS/ESCS) or pressure coring tools (PCTB). Wireline logging was conducted in 10 holes and formation tests using a dual packer Modular Formation Dynamics Tester (MDT) tool were carried out in two holes. The onboard science team used the laboratory facilities on the D/V Chikyu to examine and analyse the physical properties, geochemistry, and sedimentology of all the cores collected during the expedition. Core samples were also analysed in additional post-expedition shore-based studies conducted in numerous domestic and international gas hydrate research laboratories. The NGHP-02 sediment cores were archived at the National Gas Hydrate Core Repository in Mumbai (India), which is associated with the ONGC Gas Hydrate Research and Technology Centre (GHRTC). The necessary data for characterizing the occurrence of gas hydrate, such as interstitial water chlorinities, core-derived gas chemistry, physical and sedimentological properties, thermal images of the recovered cores, pressure core and downhole measured logging data (LWD and/or conventional wireline log data), were obtained from most of the drill sites established during NGHP-02. Almost all the drill sites yielded evidence for the occurrence of gas hydrate; however, the inferred in situ concentration of gas hydrate varied substantially from site to site. For the most part, the interpretation of downhole logging data, core thermal images, interstitial water analyses, and pressure core images from the sites established during NGHP-02 indicate that the occurrence of concentrated gas hydrate is mostly associated with coarser grained (sand-rich) sediments. This paper presents the operational and technical summary of NGHP-02. NGHP-02 started on March 3, 2015 and was completed on July 28, 2015 (total 147 days) using the Japanese scientific Drilling Vessel Chikyu (D/V Chikyu). During NGHP-02, 42 holes at 25 sites were drilled, cored, and/or surveyed with downhole logging tools. These sites were located in four areas along the eastern margin of India and formally named Area A (Mahanadi Basin, three sites), Area B (northern part of the KG-Basin, twelve sites), Area C (central part of the KG-Basin, six sites), and Area E (southern part to the KG-Basin, four sites). All 25 sites established during NGHP-02 were first drilled and logged with logging-while-drilling (LWD) to

Journal of Marine and Petroleum Geology↗
USGS2010

Using Landsat satellite data to support pesticide exposure assessment in California

Background The recent U.S. Geological Survey policy offering Landsat satellite data at no cost provides researchers new opportunities to explore relationships between environment and health. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential for using Landsat satellite data to support pesticide exposure assessment in California. Methods and Results We collected a dense time series of 24 Landsat 5 and 7 images spanning the year 2000 for an agricultural region in Fresno County. We intersected the Landsat time series with the California Department of Water Resources (CDWR) land use map and selected field samples to define the phenological characteristics of 17 major crop types or crop groups. We found the frequent overpass of Landsat enabled detection of crop field conditions (e.g., bare soil, vegetated) over most of the year. However, images were limited during the winter months due to cloud cover. Many samples designated as single-cropped in the CDWR map had phenological patterns that represented multi-cropped or non-cropped fields, indicating they may have been misclassified. Conclusions We found the combination of Landsat 5 and 7 image data would clearly benefit pesticide exposure assessment in this region by 1) providing information on crop field conditions at or near the time when pesticides are applied, and 2) providing information for validating the CDWR map. The Landsat image time-series was useful for identifying idle, single-, and multi-cropped fields. Landsat data will be limited during the winter months due to cloud cover, and for years prior to the Landsat 7 launch (1999) when only one satellite was operational at any given time. We suggest additional research to determine the feasibility of integrating CDWR land use maps and Landsat data to derive crop maps in locations and time periods where maps are not available, which will allow for substantial improvements to chemical exposure estimation.

California↗
USGS2016

Deferrisoma paleochoriense sp. nov., a thermophilic, iron(III)-reducing bacterium from a shallow-water hydrothermal vent in the Mediterranean Sea

A novel thermophilic, anaerobic, mixotrophic bacterium, designated strain MAG-PB1 T , was isolated from a shallow-water hydrothermal vent system in Palaeochori Bay off the coast of the island of Milos, Greece. The cells were Gram-negative, rugose, short rods, approximately 1.0 μm long and 0.5 μm wide. Strain MAG-PB1 T grew at 30–70 °C (optimum 60 °C), 0–50 g NaCl l − 1 (optimum 15–20 g l − 1 ) and pH 5.5–8.0 (optimum pH 6.0). Generation time under optimal conditions was 2.5 h. Optimal growth occurred under chemolithoautotrophic conditions with H 2 as the energy source and CO 2 as the carbon source. Fe(III), Mn(IV), arsenate and selenate were used as electron acceptors. Peptone, tryptone, Casamino acids, sucrose, yeast extract, d -fructose, α- d -glucose and ( − )- d -arabinose also served as electron donors. No growth occurred in the presence of lactate or formate. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 66.7 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that this organism is closely related to Deferrisoma camini , the first species of a recently described genus in the Deltaproteobacteria . Based on the 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis and on physiological, biochemical and structural characteristics, the strain was found to represent a novel species, for which the name Deferrisoma palaeochoriense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MAG-PB1 T ( = JCM 30394 T  = DSM 29363 T ).

Mediterranean Sea, Milos Island, Paleochori Bay↗
USGS2012

Experimental deformation of polycrystalline H2O ice at high pressure and low temperature: Preliminary results

Interest in the mechanical properties of water ice under the conditions in which it exists in the outer solar system has motivated the development and use of a new high‐pressure, low‐temperature triaxial deformation apparatus. Constant displacement rate tests on 70 samples of pure polycrystalline water ice have been performed at temperatures 77≤≤258 K, confining pressures 0.1≤≤350 MPa, and strain rates 3.5×10≤ ≤3.5×10 s. In most cases, the ice polymorph tested was ice . Both brittle and ductile behavior have been observed. Brittle behavior of ice, promoted by lower pressure, lower temperature, and higher strain rate, is analogous to that in rocks, with the important exception that brittle fracture strength becomes independent of confining pressure above 50 MPa pressure and the fracture angle is approximately 45° to the loading direction (i.e., the coefficient of internal friction is approximately zero). Ductile flow, the predominant behavior in our tests at ≥195 K, follows a law of form = σ exp (−*/) (σ is stress; is the gas constant; , * are material constants). Three sets of material constants are required to fit the data, with changes in sets (or mechanisms) occurring near 243 K and 195 K. The value of remains near 4 throughout the measured ductile field, but * drops from 91 to 61 to 31 /mole as temperature decreases. The maximum brittle strength measured was 171 MPa; the maximum ductile strength measured was 91 MPa. At confining pressures near the phase transition pressure of ice → ice II, the ductile strength is observed to drop dramatically. Some overlap with previous work occurs at higher temperatures and lower pressures. Agreement with present work is generally good, both quantitatively in the values of and *, and qualitatively in the mechanism of deformation. Although the ductile strengths measured here are somewhat higher than expected on the basis of extrapolations of previous work, the low value of * at <195 K indicates that the ice layer on icy bodies in the solar system is much weaker than has generally been predicted.

Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth↗
USGS2021

Remote sensing-based actual evapotranspiration assessment in a data-scarce area of Brazil: A case study of the Urucuia Aquifer System

The large groundwater reserves of the Urucuia Aquifer System (UAS) enabled agricultural development and economic growth in the western Bahia State, in northeastern Brazil. Over the last several years, concern has grown around the aquifer’s diminishing water levels, and water balance (WB) studies are in demand. Considering the lack of measured actual evapotranspiration (ET a ), a major component of the water cycle, this work uses the Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop) model to estimate ET a , and compares it to basin-scale estimates from the Soil Moisture Accounting Procedure (SMAP) monthly model and from an annual WB closure method, based on gridded meteorological data and the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) product. Additionally, a comparative assessment of different versions of the SSEBop parameterization was performed. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery was used to implement eight different versions of the SSEBop algorithm over the UAS between 2000 and 2013. SSEBop and SMAP ET a yielded similar seasonal patterns, with correlation coefficient (r) up to 0.65, mean difference (MD) of 0.8 mm/month and mean absolute difference (MAD) of 18.5 mm/month. Comparison of SSEBop annual ET a estimates to annual SMAP and WB closure estimates yielded low MD (12.1 and −7.3 mm/year, respectively) and MAD (82.5 and 82.8 mm/year, respectively), but also low r values (0.00 and 0.37, respectively). The comparison of the different SSEBop versions indicated the need to incorporate a calibration step of the aerodynamic heat resistance (r ah ) parameter. SSEBop results were also used for land cover and drought monitoring. Analysis indicates that agriculture, associated with an increasing trend of atmospheric evaporative demand, is responsible for the decrease in groundwater levels and streamflow in the studied time period.

Urucuia Aquifer System↗
USGS2024

Decoding paleomire conditions of Paleogene superhigh-organic-sulfur coals

Superhigh-organic‑sulfur (SHOS) coals (coals with organic sulfur content >4 wt%) are unique coal deposits found at a few notable locations in the world. Specific peat accumulation and preservation conditions must be met to form SHOS coals. Organic sulfur is a major constituent of such coals, and it may have various sources depending on the prevailing paleomire conditions. Understanding such paleomire conditions sheds light on the formation mechanisms of SHOS coals. This investigation decodes the paleomire conditions of the Paleogene SHOS coals from Meghalaya, India, using sulfur isotopic compositions ( δ 34 S) of organic sulfur ( δ 34 S OS ) and pyritic sulfur ( δ 34 S Py ) along with organic petrography, pyrite morphology and trace element ratios. Thirty coal samples were collected from the Jaintia Hills in the east, Khasi Hills in the middle, and Garo Hills in the west of Meghalaya. The organic sulfur content in the Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia coals varies from 1.0 to 3.3 wt%, 1.4 to 13.8 wt%, and 1.0 to 7.2 wt%, respectively. Further, after separation from pyritic sulfur and sulfate sulfur phases, the organic sulfur content ranges from 54.4 to 69.2%, 63.8 to 79.9%, and 59.3 to 73.8%, in the Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia Hills, respectively, suggesting the SHOS nature of these coal samples. The δ 34 S Py varies from −29.3 ‰ to +5.7 ‰, −21.3 ‰ to +27.3 ‰, and −12.1 ‰ to −4.3 ‰, in the Jaintia, Khasi, and Garo Hills, respectively, while the δ 34 S OS fluctuates from −4.6 ‰ to +3.7 ‰, −9.3 ‰ to +7.8 ‰, and − 9.0 ‰ to −5.0 ‰, respectively. The δ 34 S values of pyrite and organic sulfur (OS) in Jaintia coals are 34 S depleted compared to seawater sulfate (+22 ‰), leading to fractionations in the range of −51.3 ‰ to −16.3 ‰ (mean − 31.6 ‰) and − 26.6 ‰ to −18.3 ‰ (mean − 23.1 ‰) for pyritic and organic sulfur (OS), respectively. Pyrite in Khasi coals show a relatively heavier δ 34 S composition averaging at −20.5 ‰, whereas organic sulfur (OS) isotope compositions range from −31.3 ‰ to −14.2 ‰ with a mean of −22.6 ‰. Pyrite and OS in the Garo coals are depleted compared to seawater sulfate. Isotope variations in the Jaintia, Khasi, and Garo coals indicate microbial sulfate reduction (MSR) of seawater sulfate. Large isotopic fractionations between Eocene seawater sulfate and pyritic sulfur ( Δ 34 S SO4Eocene – pyrite = up to −51.3 ‰; mean − 31.6 ‰) in Jaintia coals indicate their possible formation in the water column/near the sediment-seawater interface (open system) and also hint toward dissimilatory sulfate reduction pathways that prevailed under anoxic redox conditions. However, mean values of Δ 34 S SO4Eocene – pyrite (−20.5 ‰) in the Khasi coals imply pyrite formation deeper in the sediments (more closed system) under dysoxic conditions. The dominance of OS over pyritic sulfur, framboidal pyrite, and its microcrystal size distributions in Jaintia coals may suggest syngenetic pyrite formation in open water reducing/anoxic conditions under paralic environments. Elevated Sr/Ba and U/Th values in these coals further confirm the anoxic conditions. Nevertheless, the presence of euhedral pyrite with the alleviated pyrite framboids in the Khasi coals and their complete absence in the Garo coals may suggest dysoxic-suboxic and suboxic-oxic depositional conditions, respectively. The isotopic signatures of the Garo coals suggest sulfur contribution from the parent paleobiota and MSR under a freshwater-oxic environment. Insignificant fractionations between δ 34 S Py and δ 34 S OS indicate limited iron and sulfate availability for additional sulfur cycling and disproportionation reactions, typical of oxic conditions. The absence of framboidal pyrite, elevated sulfate concentration, and mean Sr/Ba and U/Th values of 0.5 and 0.3, respectively, further suggest the freshwater peat deposition in the Garo Hills under limnotelmatic to telmatic freshwater conditions. Moreover, high inertinite content (I mmf = 9.77–33.16 vol%), possibly induced by atmospheric peat exposure, supports the interpretation of suboxic-oxic paleomire conditions in Garo Hills. Gradually decreasing mineral matter content from Jaintia (mean 13.6 vol%) to Garo coals (mean 7.4 vol%) additionally projects a transition from mesotrophic brackish to freshwater limnotelmatic environment, complementing the shift in the paleomire condition from eastern (Jaintia) to western (Garo) Meghalayan Hills.

International Journal of Coal Geology↗
USGS2017

Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture

Many coal beds contain microbial communities that can convert coal to natural gas (coalbed methane). Native microorganisms were obtained from Powder River Basin (PRB) coal seams with a diffusive microbial sampler placed downhole and used as an inoculum for enrichments with different nutrients to investigate microbially-enhanced coalbed methane production (MECoM). Coal-dependent methanogenesis more than doubled when yeast extract (YE) and several less complex components (proteins and amino acids) were added to the laboratory microcosms. Stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis with peptone was 86% of that with YE while glutamate-stimulated activity was 65% of that with YE, and a vitamin mix had only 33% of the YE stimulated activity. For field application of MECoM, there is interest in identifying cost-effective alternatives to YE and other expensive nutrients. In laboratory studies, adding algal extract (AE) with lipids removed stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis and the activity was 60% of that with YE at 27 d and almost 90% of YE activity at 1406 d. Analysis of British Thermal Unit (BTU) content of coal (a measure of potential energy yield) from long-term incubations indicated > 99.5% of BTU content remained after coalbed methane (CBM) stimulation with either AE or YE. Thus, the coal resource remains largely unchanged following stimulated microbial methane production. Algal CBM stimulation could lead to technologies that utilize coupled biological systems (photosynthesis and methane production) that sustainably enhance CBM production and generate algal biofuels while also sequestering carbon dioxide (CO 2 ).

International Journal of Coal Geology↗
USGS2021

Effect of an algal amendment on the microbial conversion of coal to methane at different sulfate concentrations from the Powder River Basin, USA

Biogenic methane is estimated to account for one-fifth of the natural gas worldwide and there is great interest in controlling methane from different sources. Biogenic coalbed methane (CBM) production relies on syntrophic associations between fermentative bacteria and methanogenic archaea to anaerobically degrade recalcitrant coal and produce methanogenic substrates. However, very little is known about how differences in geochemistry, hydrology, and microbial community composition influence subsurface carbon utilization and CBM production. The addition of an amendment consisting of microalgal biomass has previously been shown to increase CBM production while providing the possibility of a closed-loop fossil system where waste (production water) is used to grow algae to ultimately produce energy (methane). However, the efficiency of enhancing CBM production under different redox conditions remains unresolved. In this study, we focused on the U.S. Geological Survey's Birney test site (Montana, USA) that has nine wells vertically accessing four coal seams with varying geochemistry (low and high sulfate (SO 4 2− )) and methane production rates. We used organic matter (OM) in the form of algal biomass to discern the effect of this amendment on OM degradation and microbially enhanced CBM production potential under different geochemical constraints. We tracked changes in community composition, OM composition, organic carbon (OC) concentration, methane production, and nutrients in batch systems over six months. Methane production was detected only in microcosms from low SO 4 2− wells (168 to 800 μg methane per gram of coal). The OC consumption varied across time for all wells and the variation was greatest for the low SO 4 2− wells. Different groups of syntrophic bacteria were associated with net‑carbon consuming microcosms, and specifically Syntrophorhabdus was identified with several different statistical methods as a potentially important coal degrader. Results from this study provide insight into potential coal-degraders, the compositional changes in some of the different OM fractions, and trends in carbon consumption related to methane production across coal seams along the vertical SO 4 2− gradient.

Montana, Wyoming↗
USGS2011

A distribution-based parameterization for improved tomographic imaging of solute plumes

Difference geophysical tomography (e.g. radar, resistivity and seismic) is used increasingly for imaging fluid flow and mass transport associated with natural and engineered hydrologic phenomena, including tracer experiments, in situ remediation and aquifer storage and recovery. Tomographic data are collected over time, inverted and differenced against a background image to produce ‘snapshots’ revealing changes to the system; these snapshots readily provide qualitative information on the location and morphology of plumes of injected tracer, remedial amendment or stored water. In principle, geometric moments (i.e. total mass, centres of mass, spread, etc.) calculated from difference tomograms can provide further quantitative insight into the rates of advection, dispersion and mass transfer; however, recent work has shown that moments calculated from tomograms are commonly biased, as they are strongly affected by the subjective choice of regularization criteria. Conventional approaches to regularization (Tikhonov) and parametrization (image pixels) result in tomograms which are subject to artefacts such as smearing or pixel estimates taking on the sign opposite to that expected for the plume under study. Here, we demonstrate a novel parametrization for imaging plumes associated with hydrologic phenomena. Capitalizing on the mathematical analogy between moment-based descriptors of plumes and the moment-based parameters of probability distributions, we design an inverse problem that (1) is overdetermined and computationally efficient because the image is described by only a few parameters, (2) produces tomograms consistent with expected plume behaviour (e.g. changes of one sign relative to the background image), (3) yields parameter estimates that are readily interpreted for plume morphology and offer direct insight into hydrologic processes and (4) requires comparatively few data to achieve reasonable model estimates. We demonstrate the approach in a series of numerical examples based on straight-ray difference-attenuation radar monitoring of the transport of an ionic tracer, and show that the methodology outlined here is particularly effective when limited data are available.

Geophysical Journal International↗
USGS2012

The shallow-water fish assemblage of Isla del Coco National Park, Costa Rica: Structure and patterns in an isolated, predator-dominated ecosystem

Fishes at Isla del Coco National Park, Costa Rica, were surveyed as part of a larger scientific expedition to the area in September 2009. The average total biomass of nearshore fishes was 7.8 tonnes per ha, among the largest observed in the tropics, with apex predators such as sharks, jacks, and groupers accounting for nearly 40% of the total biomass. The abundance of reef and pelagic sharks, particularly large aggregations of threatened species such as the scalloped hammerhead shark (up to 42 hammerheads ha-1) and large schools of jacks and snappers show the capacity for high biomass in unfished ecosystems in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. However, the abundance of hammerhead and reef whitetip sharks appears to have been declining since the late 1990s, and likely causes may include increasing fishing pressure on sharks in the region and illegal fishing inside the Park. One Galapagos shark tagged on September 20, 2009 in the Isla del Coco National Park moved 255km southeast towards Malpelo Island in Colombia, when it stopped transmitting. These results contribute to the evidence that sharks conduct large-scale movements between marine protected areas (Isla del Coco, Malpelo, Galápagos) in the Eastern tropical Pacific and emphasize the need for regional-scale management. More than half of the species and 90% of the individuals observed were endemic to the tropical eastern Pacific. These high biomass and endemicity values highlight the uniqueness of the fish assemblage at Isla del Coco and its importance as a global biodiversity hotspot.

Cocos Island, Isla Del Coco↗
USGS2010

A record of phosphorus dynamics in oligotrophic lake sediment

Historical phosphorus (P) dynamics were studied using sediment cores from three oligotrophic, acidic lakes in Maine, USA. Long-term oligotrophy of these lakes is consistent with high sediment aluminum (as Al(OH) 3 ) concentrations, as Al inhibits internal P loading, even under reducing conditions. The role of microbially-mediated reactions in controlling redox conditions was evaluated by estimating microbial biomass and relative abundance of specific functional groups. Sediments were fractionated using a sequential chemical extraction technique and all lakes met criteria for P retention based on threshold sediment concentrations of Al, Fe, and P fractions as determined by (Kopáček et al. ( 2005 ) Limnol Oceanogr 52: 1147–1155). Sediment NaOH-extractable molybdate-reactive P (rP) and non-reactive P (nrP) represent P associated with non-reducible phases, and organic matter-related P, respectively. Total P (TP) does not decrease with sediment depth, as is typical of eutrophic lake sediments; however, nrP/TP decreases and rP/TP increases for all three lakes, indicating nrP mineralization without any significant upward diffusion and release into the hypolimnion; i.e. diagenesis of P is conservative within the sediment. Two diagenetic models were developed based on nrP and rP concentrations as a function of sediment age. The first model assumes a first-order decay of nrP, the rate coefficient being a function of time, and represents irreversible nrP mineralization, where the produced PO 4 is permanently sequestered by the sediment. The second model assumes a first-order reversible transformation between nrP and rP, representing biotic mineralization of organic P followed by incorporation of inorganic P into microbial biomass. Both models reflect preservation of TP with no loss to overlying water. The rate coefficients give us insight into qualities of the sediment that have affected mineralization and sequestration of phosphorus throughout the 210 Pb-dateable history of each lake. Similar models could be constructed for other lakes to help reconstruct their trophic histories. Paleolimnological reconstruction of the sediment P record in oligotrophic lakes shows mineralization of nrP to rP, but unlike the case in eutrophic lake sediments, sediment TP is preserved in these sediments.

Maine↗
USGS2010

Geochemistry of trace elements in coals from the Zhuji Mine, Huainan Coalfield, Anhui, China

The abundances of nine major elements and thirty-eight trace elements in 520 samples of low sulfur coals from the Zhuji Mine, Huainan Coalfield, Anhui, China, were determined. Samples were mainly collected from 10 minable coal seams of 29 boreholes during exploration. The B content in coals shows that the influence of brackish water decreased toward the top of coal seams; marine transgression and regression occurred frequently in the Lower Shihezi Formation. A wide range of elemental abundances is found. Weighted means of Na, K, Fe, P, Be, B, Co, Ni, Cr, Se, Sb, Ba, and Bi abundances in Zhuji coals are higher, and the remainder elements are either lower or equal to the average values of elements in coals of northern China. Compared to the Chinese coals, the Zhuji coals are higher in Na, K, Be, B, Cr, Co, Se, Sn, Sb, and Bi, but lower in Ti, P, Li, V and Zn. The Zhuji coals are lower only in S, P, V and Zn than average U.S. and world coals. Potassium, Mg, Ca, Mn, Sr, As, Se, Sb and light rare earth elements (LREE) had a tendency to be enriched in thicker coal seams, whereas Fe, Ti, P, V, Co, Ni, Y, Mo, Pb and heavy rare earth elements (HREE) were inclined to concentrate in thinner coal seams. The enrichment of some elements in the Shanxi or Upper Shihezi Formations is related to their depositional environments. The elements are classified into three groups based on their stratigraphic distributions from coal seams 3 to 11-2, and the characteristics of each group are discussed. Lateral distributions of selected elements are also investigated. The correlation coefficients of elemental abundances with ash content show that the elements may be classified into four groups related to modes of occurrence of these elements. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

International Journal of Coal Geology↗
USGS2020

Fish out of water: Insights from a case study of a highly social animal that failed the mirror self-recognition test

Mirror self-recognition (MSR) tests have been conducted with a variety of species with the aim of examining whether subject animals have the capacity for self-awareness. To date, the majority of animals that have convincingly passed are highly social mammals whose wild counterparts live in complex societies, though there is much debate concerning what constitutes passing and what passing means in terms of self-awareness. Amid recent reports that a fish (cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus ) passed, it is intriguing that a mammal as highly social, tolerant, attentive, and cooperative as the grey wolf ( Canis lupus ) reportedly failed the test. Given the many possible reasons for failure, we aimed to elucidate the wolves’ responses at various stages of the MSR test to pinpoint potential problem areas where species-appropriate modifications to the test may be needed. Thus, we evaluated 6 socialized, captive grey wolves as a case study of failed MSR in socially complex canids. At a minimum, wolves did not respond to their reflection as an unfamiliar conspecific. Unfortunately, the wolves rapidly lost interest in the mirror and were uninterested in the applied marks. We note limitations of the MSR test for this species, recommend changes for future MSR tests of wolves, discuss other emerging self-cognizance methods for socially complex canids, and highlight the need for a suite of ecologically relevant, potentially scalable self-cognizance methods. Our findings and recommendations may aid in understanding self-cognizance in other untested highly social, cooperatively-hunting, coursing, terrestrial carnivores such as African wild dogs ( Lycaon pictus ), spotted hyenas ( Crocuta crocuta ), and African lions ( Panthera leo ).

International Journal of Comparative Psychology↗
USGS2024

Annotated bibliography of scientific research relevant to oil and gas reclamation best management practices in the western United States, published from 1969 through 2020

Integrating recent scientific knowledge into management decisions supports effective natural resource management and can lead to better resource outcomes. However, finding and accessing scientific knowledge can be time consuming and costly. To assist in this process, the U.S. Geological Survey has created a series of annotated bibliographies on topics of management concern for lands in the western United States (U.S.). Oil and gas development on public lands is a long-standing and substantial component of local and regional economies and has expanded in recent decades, particularly on public lands in the western U.S. This development is associated with extensive networks of pipelines, roads, and processing facilities, across which reclamation is Federally mandated following initial well pad development (“interim” reclamation) and once resource extraction is complete (“final” reclamation). Reclamation is critical for recovering ecological services to energy-affected lands, including vegetation productivity, wildlife habitat, water and air quality, and soil stability (for example, resistance to wind and water erosion). However, reclamation of oil and gas affected lands in the western U.S. has proved challenging due to an array of regulatory and environmental factors, such as minimally developed soils, short growing seasons, herbivory, high winds, invasive species, rugged terrain, and in particular, arid climates associated with low total precipitation, high evapotranspiration rates, and highly variable precipitation patterns. We compiled and summarized journal articles, government reports, technical reports, proceedings, and theses and dissertations relevant to oil and gas reclamation. We constrained our search to products published on or before December 31, 2020 but did not limit our search by a starting date; the earliest product resulting from this effort was published in March 1969. Second, we manually scanned the last 15 years (2005-2020) of tables of contents in journals, bibliographies, and proceedings of which we were aware would contain articles highly relevant to this bibliography. We carried out the search for these products through multiple means: (1) performing a structured search of two reference databases, (2) examining articles published since 2005 in highly relevant scientific journals and conference proceedings, and (3) reviewing additional material suggested by authors of products identified in steps 1 and 2. Our search was intentionally broad in order to identify as much relevant work as possible, much of which is professionally applied and tested within the industry of oil and gas reclamation, but which remains unpublished in scientific journals. We refined the initial list of products by removing: (1) duplicates, (2) products not written in English, (3) products that were not relevant to the arid ecosystems of western North America, (4) products that were not released as research, data products, or review articles in journals or as formal scientific reports, and (5) products with data which were not relevant to reclamation of oil and gas-affected lands, or for which the study did not present new data, findings, or syntheses relevant to reclamation of oil and gas-affected lands. We summarized each product using a consistent structure (background, objectives, methods, location, findings, and implications) and assigned standardized management topics to each. Management topics are intended to aid online searching within the bibliography and are described in more detail in the Methods Section of this report; they include what type of disturbance the product addresses (well pads, mining, pipelines), what aspect of oil and gas reclamation they pertain to (practices, standards, monitoring), what type of data are present in the product (for instance soil or vegetation recovery data), and an indication if the product were from a source other than a published, peer-reviewed outlet (such as dissertations or unpublished professional reports – these are identified as grey literature). The review process for this annotated bibliography included an initial internal colleague review of each summary, requesting input on each summary from an author of the original product, and a formal peer-review. Our initial searches resulted in 3,197 total products, of which 290 met our criteria for inclusion. “Reclamation Practices” is by far the management topic most addressed, followed by “Reclamation Monitoring,” for example, products assessing what and how monitoring methods are used to track and measure reclamation outcome. This document may be accessed at https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20231068 or from the U.S. Geological Survey Publication Warehouse ( https://pubs.usgs.gov/ ). The 1-page product summaries herein will also be used to create a bibliography at https://apps.usgs.gov/science-for-resource-managers that includes links to each original product, where available, and in which subject matter will be searchable by topic, location, and year. The studies compiled and summarized here may inform planning and management actions that seek to reclaim landscapes across the western U.S. which have been affected by oil and gas development.

Open-File Report↗