Geology Reports⌕ Search

SEARCH · Geology Reports

Results for “Near Surface Geophysics”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
USGS2009

Integrated Geophysical Investigation of Preferential Flow Paths at the Former Tyson Valley Powder Farm near Eureka, Missouri, May 2006

In May 2006, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, conducted surface and borehole geophysical surveys at the former Tyson Valley Powder Farm near Eureka, Mo., to identify preferential pathways for potential contaminant transport along the bedrock surface and into dissolution-enhanced fractures. The Tyson Valley Powder Farm was formerly used as a munitions storage and disposal facility in the 1940s and 1950s, and the site at which the surveys were performed was a disposal area for munitions and waste solvents such as trichloroethylene and dichloroethylene. Direct-current resistivity and seismic refraction data were acquired on the surface; gamma, electromagnetic induction, and full waveform sonic logs were acquired in accessible boreholes. Through the combined interpretation of the seismic refraction tomographic and resistivity inversion results and borehole logs, inconsistencies in the bedrock surface were identified that may provide horizontal preferential flow paths for dense nonaqueous phase liquid contaminants. These results, interpreted and displayed in georeferenced three-dimensional space, should help to establish more effective monitoring and remediation strategies.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2015

Delineation of areas having elevated electrical conductivity, orientation and characterization of bedrock fractures, and occurrence of groundwater discharge to surface water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Barite Hill/Nevada Goldfields Superfund site near McCormick, South Carolina

During October 2012 through March 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4, Superfund Section, conducted borehole geophysical logging, surface geophysical surveys, and water-quality profiling in selected wells and areas to characterize or delineate the extent of elevated subsurface electrical conductivity at the EPA Barite Hill/Nevada Goldfields Superfund site near McCormick, South Carolina. Elevated electrical conductivity measured at the site may be related to native rock materials, waste rock disposal areas used in past operations, and (or) groundwater having elevated dissolved solids (primarily metals and major ions) related to waste migration. Five shallow screened wells and four open-borehole bedrock wells were logged by using a suite of borehole tools, and downhole water-quality profiles were recorded in two additional wells. Well depths ranged from about 26 to 300 feet below land surface. Surface geophysical surveys based on frequency-domain electromagnetic and distributed temperature sensing (DTS) techniques were used to identify areas of elevated electrical conductivity (Earth materials and groundwater) and potential high dissolved solids in groundwater and surface water on land and in areas along the northern unnamed tributary at the site. Results from the electromagnetic-induction logging of four selected wells near the Main Pit and one well located about 800 feet southeast of the Main Pit lake indicate that elevated electrical conductivity extends to a depth of about 110 feet below land surface. Groundwater-quality properties recorded in eight selected wells were highly variable, suggesting a broad spectrum of geochemical conditions and contaminant concentrations within the groundwater system. Ranges of field water-quality properties recorded from water-profiling of groundwater in all wells logged were as follows: pH, 3.1 to 9.2; specific conductance, 48 to 5,300 microsiemens per centimeter; dissolved oxygen, 0.2 to 4.4 milligrams per liter; and water temperature, 17.0 to 18.0 degrees Celsius. The highest specific conductance and lowest pH measurements were made in boreholes located between the Main Pit lake and the northern unnamed tributary. Conceptually, these wells may intercept elevated dissolved solids in groundwater leaking from the Main Pit lake along a flow path that discharges into the unnamed tributary to the north. Results from surface geophysical electromagnetic and fiber-optics surveys confirm areas of focused discharge of groundwater near the Main Pit lake along the northern unnamed tributary. The frequency-domain surface electromagnetic surveys also identified an area with higher levels of elevated electrical conductivity located northwest of the former Rainsford Pit area. Bedrock properties were characterized from borehole geophysical logs collected from three open-borehole bedrock wells. The mean strike azimuth of the borehole foliation data measured in bedrock well IR-1 was 221° (N. 41° E.), and the mean dip angle was 78° to the northwest. Dominant strike azimuth orientations of primary fractures measured in three boreholes were from 210° to 250° (N. 30° E. to N. 70° E.) with a mean dip of 68° northwest. Transmissivity estimates interpreted from the heat-pulse flowmeter data from bedrock well IR-1 were about 69 feet squared per day, and the radius of influence was estimated at about 640 feet.

South Carolina↗
USGSDate not supplied

Integrated geophysical characterization of the Winthrop Landfill Southern Flow Path, Winthrop, Maine

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with United Technologies Corporation, used an integrated suite of borehole, surface, and water-borne geophysical methods near the site of the former Winthrop Landfill, Winthrop, Maine, to investigate the hydrogeology controlling the transport of leachate from the landfill to nearby Annabessacook Lake. During the fall of 2000 and summer of 2001, the USGS conducted borehole electromagnetic (EM) induction and gamma logging, and inductive terrain-conductivity, two-dimensional (2D) resistivity, continuous seismic reflection, and magnetic surveys. The objectives of this integrated geophysical study were to provide constraints on the location and extent of the southern flow path(s) of contamination from the landfill to the lake; identify shoreline seep geophysical signatures; identify potentially hidden seeps in the lake; and determine depth to bedrock below Annabessacook Lake in the study area. Interpretation of surface 2D resistivity, magnetic, and inductive terrain-conductivity data and borehole EM logs delineates an electrically conductive anomaly consistent with a leachate plume moving from the current landfill boundary southward through the overburden to the shores of Annabessacook Lake. Surface and borehole geophysical data collected south and southeast of the landfill indicate the presence of discrete, shallow conductive anomalies at the southeastern edge of the landfill and near the lakeshore. The conductive anomalies appear at increasing depths closer to the lake. Magnetic anomalies offshore confirm the presence of iron-rich landfill leachate discharging into the lake south of the landfill. High-resolution swept-frequency seismic data used to map sediment and grain size distribution in the lake sub-bottom along the shoreline identified sediment-infilled bedrock lows that may act as conduits for contaminant migration.

Maine↗
USGS2024

Geophysical characterization of mine influenced groundwater and surface water in the Mayflower section of the Animas River, Bonita Peak Mining District, Silverton Colorado

This report details findings from geophysical investigations to identify possible groundwater - surface water interactions near the Mayflower Section of the Animas River in Silverton, Colorado. The Mayflower Section is a mine influenced Superfund Site in Colorado. This investigation utilized electromagnetic induction (EM or EMI), magnetic, and fiber optic distributed temperature system (FODTS) geophysical methods to measure the bulk earth electrical conductivity, magnetic susceptibility, and temperature of specific surveyed volumes of the earth near the Mayflower Section of the Animas River. These physical parameters are used to understand the groundwater – surface water interactions, which can guide decision makers in their assessment of mine-impacted surface water. This report details the results from characterization and monitoring technologies to provide high data density and continuous monitoring of bulk earth electrical conductivity and temperature in the Mayflower section of the Animas River to identify zones of groundwater – surface water interactions and potential metal loading from mine influenced water. The investigation separated right and left bank characterization for each method and indicates more groundwater is entering from the right bank than the left bank and these predominantly right bank discharges potentially contain metal-rich water compared to the left bank. Results also indicate mineral veins facilitate preferential groundwater discharge to the river due to possible jointing, fractures, and permeability differences sometimes occurring along veins relative to host rock. For example, Boulder Gulch is likely groundwater dominated and may be receive water impacted by Mayflower Impoundments #1 and #2. Additionally, the beaver ponds near Blair Gulch may influence groundwater discharge and Mayflower Impoundment #4 is possibly impacting groundwater and surface water and may be connected to the wetlands to the west of the impoundment. These data could be further analyzed for smaller spatial scale analysis within areas of interest. The identification of these locations along sections of the river likely impacted by mine influenced groundwater potentially entering the Animas River and can be used by site investigators, decision makers, and stakeholders in mitigation decisions and strategies.

Colorado↗
USGS2004

Quaternary tectonic setting of South-Central coastal California

Recent geodetic, geologic, and seismologic studies show that the south-central coast of California is a region of active Quaternary deformation. Northeast-directed crustal shortening is occurring in a triangular-shaped region between the Hosgri-San Simeon fault system on the west, the Southern Coast Ranges on the northeast, and the western Transverse Ranges on the south. We informally call this region the Los Osos domain. In this study, we conducted detailed geological, seismological, and geophysical investigations to characterize the nature and rates of deformation in the domain. Locations of active and potentially active faults and folds are compiled at a scale of 1:250,000 for the entire domain based primarily on onshore geologic data and offshore geophysical data. Crustal shortening in the domain is accommodated by a series of prominent northwest-trending reverse faults and localized folding. The reverse faults separate distinct structural blocks that have little or no internal deformation. Hangingwall blocks are being uplifted at rates of up to 0.2 mm/yr. Footwall blocks are either static or slowly subsiding at rates of 0.1 mm/yr or less, except for localized areas of concentrated subsidence directly adjacent to some faults. The cumulative rate of crustal shortening is about 1 to 2 mm/yr across the northern part of the domain based on observed geologic deformation. Cumulative shortening across the central and southern parts of the domain is poorly constrained by geologic data and may approach 2 to 3 mm/yr. Historical and instrumental seismicity generally are spatially associated with the uplifted blocks and bordering reverse faults to depths of about 10 km. Together with near-surface geological data and deeper crustal geophysical imaging that show high-angle faulting, the seismicity data indicate that the reverse faults probably extend to the base of the seismogenic crust. The base of the seismogenic crust may correspond with a mid-crustal detachment or decollement surface into which the reverse faults root. We speculate that the detachment may coincide, in part, with the top of a northeast-dipping slab of oceanic crust that extends beneath the western margin of the continent or with the brittle-ductile transition above the subducted slab. The Los Osos domain of north-northeast/south-southwest crustal shortening is structurally detached from the offshore Hosgri Fault Zones. Both the pattern and regional extent of deformation in the Los Osos domain contrast sharply with that of the offshore Santa Maria Basin. The basin is undergoing minor east-northeast/west-southwest crustal shortening at rates of less than 0.1 mm/yr and is moving northwestward at a rate of about 1 to 3 mm/yr relative to the Los Osos domain along the San Simeon and Hosgri Fault Zones. Geodetic data and the kinematics of north-northeast-directed crustal shortening of the Los Osos domain east of the Hosgri Fault Zone show that the rate and cumulative amount of right-slip along the Hosgri Fault Zone progressively decrease southward. Quaternary deformation within the Los Osos domain is related to distributed dextral simple shear associated with Pacific-North American plate motion. Paleomagnetic data show that clockwise rotation of the western Transverse Ranges has occurred along the southern boundary of the domain during the past 6 m.y. During this time, the Salinian crustal block, which forms the eastern boundary of the Los Osos domain, has remained relatively stable. Internal shortening of the Los Osos domain has accommodated the relative motions of these bordering crustal blocks, particularly the rotation of the western Transverse Ranges.

Bulletin↗
USGS2004

Surface geophysical investigation of the areal and vertical extent of metallic waste at the former Tyson Valley Powder Farm near Eureka, Missouri, Spring 2004

The former Tyson Valley Powder Farm near Eureka, Missouri, was used primarily as a storage facility for the production of small arms ammunition during 1941?47 and 1951?61. A secondary use of the site was for munitions testing and disposal. Surface exposures of small arms waste, characterized by brass shell casings and fragments, as well as other miscellaneous scrap metal are remnants of disposal practices that took place during U.S. Army operation and can be found throughout the site. Little historical information exists describing disposal practices, and more debris is believed to be buried in the subsurface. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has identified several areas of concern throughout the former Tyson Valley Powder Farm. A surface-geophysical investigation was performed by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to evaluate the areal and vertical extent of metallic debris in the subsurface within three of these areas of concern. Electromagnetic and magnetic methods were used to locate anomalies indicating relatively large concentrations of buried metallic debris within the selected areas of concern. Maps were created identifying twelve anomalous zones in the three areas of concern, and three of these zones were selected for further investigation. The extent and depth of the anomalies within these zones were explored using two-dimensional direct-current resistivity methods. Resistivity and time-domain induced polarization data were compared to the anomalous locations of the electromagnetic and magnetic surveys. The geophysical methods selected for this study were useful in determining the areal and vertical extent of metallic waste within the former Tyson Valley Powder Farm. However, electromagnetic and magnetic methods were not able to differentiate magnetic scrap metal from non-magnetic metallic small arms waste, most likely due to the small size and scattered distribution of the small arms waste, in addition to the mixing of both types of debris in the subsurface. Electromagnetic and magnetic data showed some zones of concentrated anomalies, while there was a general scattering of small anomalies throughout the site. Inverted resistivity sections, as well as induced polarization sections, showed the debris to have a maximum depth of approximately 1 to 2 meters below the surface.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2000

Hydrogeology of the regional aquifer near Flagstaff, Arizona, 1994-97

Sandstones, siltstones, and limestones that are Pennsylvanian to Permian in age underlie the southern part of the Colorado Plateau near Flagstaff, Arizona, and contain a complex regional aquifer that has become increasingly important as a source of water for domestic, municipal, and recreational uses. Ground-water flow in the regional aquifer is poorly understood in this area because (1) depth of the aquifer limits exploratory drilling and testing and (2) the geologic structure increases the complexity of the aquifer characteristics and the ground-water flow system. Four methods were used to improve the understanding of the hydrogeology of the regional aquifer near Flagstaff. • Remote-sensing techniques and geologic mapping provided data to identify many structural features that indicate a more complex structural environment and history than previously realized. • Data from surface-geophysical techniques that included ground-penetrating radar, seismic reflection and seismic refraction, and square-array resistivity, verified that some of the geologic structures expressed at land surface propagate deep into the subsurface and through the principal water-bearing zones of the regional aquifer at near-vertical angles. • A well and spring inventory, borehole-geophysical methods, and well and aquifer tests provided additional information relating aquifer and ground-water flow characteristics to geologic structure. • Water-chemistry data, which included major ion, nutrient, trace-element, and radioactive and stable-isotope analyses, provided an independent means of verifying the hydrogeologic characteristics of the aquifer and were used to determine recharge and discharge areas, groundwater movement, and ground-water age. Ground-water recharge occurs throughout the area but is greatest at higher altitudes where precipitation is greater and in areas where heavily fractured rock units of the aquifer are exposed. The estimated annual average recharge to the regional aquifer in the study area is about 290,000 acre-feet. Ground water flows laterally and vertically through pore spaces in the rock and along faults and other fractures from high-altitude areas in the southern part of the study area to regional drains north of the study area along the Little Colorado and Colorado Rivers, and to drains south of the study area along Oak Creek and the Verde Valley. Ground-water discharge in these areas—about 400,000 acre-feet per year—exceeds the annual recharge to the aquifer in the Flagstaff area, but ground water from areas outside the study area contributes to this discharge as well. The saturated thickness of the regional aquifer averages about 1,200 feet, and the amount of water in storage could be as much as 4,800,000 acrefeet, or about 10 percent of the total volume of the aquifer. The quality of water in the regional aquifer in terms of dissolved-solids concentrations is good for most uses throughout the area. Dissolvedsolids concentrations generally are less than 500 milligrams per liter. Water in the regional aquifer is primarily a calcium magnesium bicarbonate type. In some areas near the Rio de Flag, the water has significant nitrate and chloride components, which indicate direct recharge in these areas from the Rio de Flag. Oxygen and deuterium data indicate a common recharge source for water in the aquifer and that some sites receive recharge from surface waters where evaporation has occurred. Estimated carbon-14 ages and tritium activities indicate ground-water ages from less than 200 years in the Lake Mary area to more than 5,000 years in the Wupatki area. The regional aquifer is heterogeneous and anisotrophic and has a complex ground-water flow system. The most productive water-bearing material tends to be fine- to medium-grained sandstones, and ground-water flow and potential well yields are related to geologic structure. Fracturing associated with structural deformation increases recharge locally and also increases the potential for high well yields. Surface-geophysical techniques provided information on the orientation of high-angle, deep-seated structure in the saturated zone. Borehole-geophysical data identified horizontal to near-horizontal fractures as significant components of the fracture-flow system not apparent in the surface-geophysical data. Structural features that strike northwest appear to be areas that have the greatest potential for high well yields. A north-northeastward-striking structure may be just as promising, but additional data are needed to verify this relation.

Arizona↗
USGS2007

Feasibility of detecting near-surface feature with Rayleigh-wave diffraction

Detection of near-surfaces features such as voids and faults is challenging due to the complexity of near-surface materials and the limited resolution of geophysical methods. Although multichannel, high-frequency, surface-wave techniques can provide reliable shear (S)-wave velocities in different geological settings, they are not suitable for detecting voids directly based on anomalies of the S-wave velocity because of limitations on the resolution of S-wave velocity profiles inverted from surface-wave phase velocities. Therefore, we studied the feasibility of directly detecting near-surfaces features with surface-wave diffractions. Based on the properties of surface waves, we have derived a Rayleigh-wave diffraction traveltime equation. We also have solved the equation for the depth to the top of a void and an average velocity of Rayleigh waves. Using these equations, the depth to the top of a void/fault can be determined based on traveltime data from a diffraction curve. In practice, only two diffraction times are necessary to define the depth to the top of a void/fault and the average Rayleigh-wave velocity that generates the diffraction curve. We used four two-dimensional square voids to demonstrate the feasibility of detecting a void with Rayleigh-wave diffractions: a 2??m by 2??m with a depth to the top of the void of 2??m, 4??m by 4??m with a depth to the top of the void of 7??m, and 6??m by 6??m with depths to the top of the void 12??m and 17??m. We also modeled surface waves due to a vertical fault. Rayleigh-wave diffractions were recognizable for all these models after FK filtering was applied to the synthetic data. The Rayleigh-wave diffraction traveltime equation was verified by the modeled data. Modeling results suggested that FK filtering is critical to enhance diffracted surface waves. A real-world example is presented to show how to utilize the derived equation of surface-wave diffractions. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Journal of Applied Geophysics↗
USGS2016

Evidence for nonuniform permafrost degradation after fire in boreal landscapes

Fire can be a significant driver of permafrost change in boreal landscapes, altering the availability of soil carbon and nutrients that have important implications for future climate and ecological succession. However, not all landscapes are equally susceptible to fire-induced change. As fire frequency is expected to increase in the high latitudes, methods to understand the vulnerability and resilience of different landscapes to permafrost degradation are needed. We present a combination of multiscale remote sensing, geophysical, and field observations that reveal details of both near-surface (<1 m) and deeper (>1 m) impacts of fire on permafrost. Along 11 transects that span burned-unburned boundaries in different landscape settings within interior Alaska, subsurface electrical resistivity and nuclear magnetic resonance data indicate locations where permafrost appears to be resilient to disturbance from fire, areas where warm permafrost conditions exist that may be most vulnerable to future change, and also areas where permafrost has thawed. High-resolution geophysical data corroborate remote sensing interpretations of near-surface permafrost and also add new high-fidelity details of spatial heterogeneity that extend from the shallow subsurface to depths of about 10 m. Results show that postfire impacts on permafrost can be variable and depend on multiple factors such as fire severity, soil texture, soil moisture, and time since fire.

Alaska↗
USGS2013

Thermogenic gases in near-surface sediments of Norton Sound, Alaska

A plume of hydrocarbon gases, assumed to be of thermogenic origin based on chemical compositions, has been noted by others in the water column of Norton Sound about 40 km south of Nome, Alaska. We used detailed geophysical transects, side-scan sonar, underwater television, and chromatographic analyses of gases in near-surface sediments to define a probable source area of hydrocarbon gases at the southern apex of the water plume epicenter. Geophysical, geotechnical, and geochemical evidence together indicate that hydrocarbon gases of subsurface, thermogenic origin apparently migrate into the near surface sediments along a fault zone. Subbottom reflector terminations on continuous seismic profiles outline a large zone of anomalous acoustic responses about 9 km in diameter and at 100-m depth that may be caused by a subsurface accumulation of gas. Gas migration from the accumulation to the surface sediment is indicated by smaller zones of reflector terminations observed in high-resolution profiles and by seafloor craters seen on underwater television at one station. The presence of gas-charged surface sediment also is suggested by low percent pore water saturation, greater penetration of the penetrometer, and more rapid penetration of the vibracorer in sediment at the station with near-surface acoustic anomalies and seafloor craters. Analyses of hydrocarbon gases in sediments from a 1.6-m vibracore taken at this station showed unusually high concentrations of hydrocarbon gases heavier than methane; the ethane, propane, n-butane, and isobutane were 76, 4, 6, and 52 times greater than in other near-surface sediments in this region, and also significant quantities of gasoline-range hydrocarbons were present. The gas composition and presence in near-surface sediments above a thick underlying section with acoustic anomalies points to the possibility of petroleum at depth in this region. Our work indicates that surface and near-surface studies of the continental shelf may contribute significantly to petroleum-resource evaluations in addition to defining areas of potential hazard from gas-charged sediment.

Alaska↗
USGS2021

Delineating the Pierre Shale from geophysical surveys within and near Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, 2019

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineering Center, investigated the use of surface geophysical methods to delineate the top of the Cretaceous Pierre Shale along survey transects in selected areas within and near Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. Two complementary geophysical methods—electrical resistivity and passive seismic—were used along 26 co-located transect surveys within and near Ellsworth Air Force Base for a total of 12.7 line-kilometers. Electrical resistivity results were analyzed using EarthImager2D electrical resistivity tomography processing and inversion software. Two-dimensional earth models showing the electrical properties of the subsurface were evaluated by directly comparing the high and low subsurface resistivity values to a surficial geologic map and nearby wells with driller logs. Passive seismic data were analyzed using the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio method to determine the depth to the Pierre Shale at each survey point. The electrical resistivity and passive seismic results were compared to driller logs from nearby wells to delineate the top of the Pierre Shale. The depth to the Pierre Shale along the transects ranged from about 2.4 to 20.3 meters, and mean and median depths were about 9.2 and 9.0 meters, respectively. The elevation of the Pierre Shale and thickness of unconsolidated deposits generally increased with land-surface elevation from south to north; however, some transects displayed topographically high and low areas that sometimes did not correlate with land-surface topography and may affect local groundwater flow.

South Dakota↗
USGS1988

Assessment of ground-water contamination in the alluvial aquifer near West Point, Kentucky

Well inventories, water level measurements, groundwater quality samples, surface geophysical techniques (specifically, electromagnetic techniques), and test drilling were used to investigate the extent and sources of groundwater contamination in the alluvial aquifer near West Point, Kentucky. This aquifer serves as the principal source of drinking water for over 50,000 people. Groundwater flow in the alluvial aquifer is generally unconfined and moves in a northerly direction toward the Ohio River. Two large public supply well fields and numerous domestic wells are located in this natural flow path. High concentrations of chloride in groundwater have resulted in the abandonment of several public supply wells in the West Point areas. Chloride concentrations in water samples collected for this study were as high as 11,000 mg/L. Electromagnetic techniques indicated and test drilling later confirmed that the source of chloride in well waters was probably improperly plugged or unplugged, abandoned oil and gas exploration wells. The potential for chloride contamination of wells exists in the study area and is related to proximity to improperly abandoned oil and gas exploration wells and to gradients established by drawdowns associated with pumped wells. Periodic use of surface geophysical methods, in combination with added observation wells , could be used to monitor significant changes in groundwater quality related to chloride contamination. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS2006

Rayleigh-wave diffractions due to a void in the layered half space

Void detection is challenging due to the complexity of near-surface materials and the limited resolution of geophysical methods. Although multichannel, high-frequency, surface-wave techniques can provide reliable shear (S)-wave velocities in different geological settings, they are not suitable for detecting voids directly based on anomalies of the S-wave velocity because of limitations on the resolution of S-wave velocity profiles inverted from surface-wave phase velocities. Xia et al. (2006a) derived a Rayleigh-wave diffraction traveltime equation due to a void in the homogeneous half space. Encouraging results of directly detecting a void from Rayleigh-wave diffractions were presented (Xia et al., 2006a). In this paper we used four two-dimensional square voids in the layered half space to demonstrate the feasibility of detecting a void with Rayleigh-wave diffractions. Rayleigh-wave diffractions were recognizable for all these models after removing direct surface waves by F-K filtering. We evaluate the feasibility of applying the Rayleigh-wave diffraction traveltime equation to a void in the layered earth model. The phase velocity of diffracted Rayleigh waves is predominately determined by surrounding materials of a void. The modeling results demonstrate that the Rayleigh-wave diffraction traveltime equation due to a void in the homogeneous half space can be applied to the case of a void in the layered half space. In practice, only two diffraction times are necessary to define the depth to the top of a void and the average velocity of diffracted Rayleigh waves. ?? 2005 Society of Exploration Geophysicists.

SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts↗
USGS1997

Hydrogeologic facies characterization of an alluvial fan near Fresno, California, using geophysical techniques

DBCP (1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane) contamination in the sole source aquifer near Fresno, California, has significantly affected drinking-water supplies. Borehole and surface geophysical data were integrated with borehole textural data to characterize the Kings River alluvial fan sediments and to provide a framework for computer modeling of pesticide transport in ground water. Primary hydrogeologic facies units, such as gravel, coarse sand or gravel, fine sand, and silt and clay, were identified in cores collected from three borings located on a 4.6-kilometer transect of multilevel monitoring wells. Borehole geophysical logs collected from seven wells and surface geophysical surveys were used to extrapolate hydrogeologic facies to depths of about 82meters and to correlate the facies units with neighboring drilling sites. Thickness ranged from 0.3to 13 meters for sand and gravel units, and from 0.3 to 17 meters for silt and clay. The lateral extent of distinct silt and clay layers was mapped using shallow seismic reflection and ground-penetrating radar techniques. About 3.6 kilometers of seismic reflection data were collected; at least three distinct fine-grained layers were mapped. The depth of investigation of the seismic survey ranged from 34 to 107 meters below land surface, and vertical resolution was about 3.5 meters. The ground-penetrating radar survey covered 3.6kilometers and imaged a 1.5-meters thick, continuous fine-grained layer located at a depth of about 8 meters. Integrated results from the borehole sediment descriptions and geophysical surveys provided a detailed characterization over a larger areal extent than traditional hydrogeologic methods alone.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1974

Geologic map of the Monrovia Quadrangle, Liberia

As part of a program undertaken cooperatively by the Liberian Geological Survey and the U. S. Geological Survey, under the sponsorship of the Government of Liberia and the Agency for International Development, U. S. Department of State, Liberia was mapped by geologic and geophysical methods during the period 1965 to 1972.- The resulting geologic and geophysical maps are published in ten folios, each covering one quadrangle (see index map). The Monrovia quadrangle was systematically mapped by the author from June 1971 to July 1972. Field data provided by private companies and other members of the LGS-USGS project were used in map compilation, and are hereby acknowledged. Interpretation of gravity data (Behrendt and Wotorson, 1974, c), and total-intensity aeromagnetic and total count gamma radiation surveys (Behrendt and Wotorson, 1974, a, and b) were also used in the compilation, as were other unpublished geophysical data furnished by Behrendt and Wotorson (near-surface, regional magnetic component, and geologic correlations based on aeromagnetic and radiometric characteristics).

Monrovia Quadrangle↗
USGS1985

TRENDS IN BOREHOLE GEOPHYSICS FOR MINERAL EXPLORATION: ASSAYING AND REMOTE DETECTION.

Several borehole geophysical techniques have been developed in recent years. Assaying technique development has been concentrated on nuclear methods, with some progress being made on using electrical and magnetic properties for mineral identification. Adaptation of conventional surface geophysical techniques to the borehole for locating near-misses of mineralized zones has led to the development of borehole resistivity, electromagnetic (EM), gravity and magnetic methods to the borehole environment. This paper discusses some of the applications and pitfalls of these new techniques.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2004

Geophysical techniques in detection to river embankments - A case study: To locate sites of potential leaks using surface-wave and electrical methods

Geophysical technologies are very effective in environmental, engineering and groundwater applications. Parameters of delineating nature of near-surface materials such as compressional-wave velocity, shear-wave velocity can be obtained using shallow seismic methods. Electric methods are primary approaches for investigating groundwater and detecting leakage. Both of methods are applied to detect embankment in hope of obtaining evidences of the strength and moisture inside the body. A technological experiment has done for detecting and discovering the hidden troubles in the embankment of Yangtze River, Songzi, Hubei, China in 2003. Surface-wave and DC multi-channel array resistivity sounding techniques were used to detect hidden trouble inside and under dike like pipe-seeps. This paper discusses the exploration strategy and the effect of geological characteristics. A practical approach of combining seismic and electric resistivity measurements was applied to locate potential pipe-seeps in embankment in the experiment. The method presents a potential leak factor based on the shear-wave velocity and the resistivity of the medium to evaluate anomalies. An anomaly found in a segment of embankment detected was verified, where occurred a pipe-seep during the 98' flooding.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2007

Application of surface geophysical methods, with emphasis on magnetic resonance soundings, to characterize the hydrostratigraphy of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer, College Station, Texas, July 2006: A pilot study

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, used surface geophysical methods at the Texas A&M University Brazos River Hydrologic Field Research Site near College Station, Texas, in a pilot study, to characterize the hydrostratigraphic properties of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer and determine the effectiveness of the methods to aid in generating an improved ground-water availability model. Three non-invasive surface geophysical methods were used to characterize the electrical stratigraphy and hydraulic properties and to interpret the hydrostratigraphy of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer. Two methods, time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) soundings and two-dimensional direct-current (2D–DC) resistivity imaging, were used to define the lateral and vertical extent of the Ships clay, the alluvium of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer, and the underlying Yegua Formation. Magnetic resonance sounding (MRS), a recently developed geophysical method, was used to derive estimates of the hydrologic properties including percentage water content and hydraulic conductivity. Results from the geophysics study demonstrated the usefulness of combined TDEM, 2D–DC resistivity, and MRS methods to reduce the need for additional boreholes in areas with data gaps and to provide more accurate information for ground-water availability models. Stratigraphically, the principal finding of this study is the relation between electrical resistivity and the depth and thickness of the subsurface hydrostratigraphic units at the site. TDEM data defined a three-layer electrical stratigraphy corresponding to a conductor-resistor-conductor that represents the hydrostratigraphic units—the Ships clay, the alluvium of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer, and the Yegua Formation. Sharp electrical boundaries occur at about 4 to 6 and 20 to 22 meters below land surface based on the TDEM data and define the geometry of the more resistive Brazos River alluvium aquifer. Variations in resistivity in the alluvium aquifer range from 10 to more than 175 ohm-meters possibly are caused by lateral changes in grain size. Resistivity increases from east to west along a profile away from the Brazos River, which signifies an increase in grain size within the alluvium aquifer and therefore a more productive zone with more abundant water in the aquifer. MRS data can help delineate the subsurface hydrostratigraphy and identify the geometric boundaries of the hydrostratigraphic units by identifying changes in the free water content, transmissivity, and hydraulic conductivity. MRS data indicate that most productive zones of the alluvium aquifer occur between 12 and 25 meters below land surface in the western part of the study area where the hydraulic conductivity can be as high as 250 meters per day. Hydrostratigraphically, individual hydraulic conductivity values derived from MRS were consistent with those from aquifer tests conducted in 1996 in the study area. Average hydraulic conductivity values from the aquifer tests range from about 61 to 80 meters per day, whereas the MRS-derived hydraulic conductivity values range from about 27 to 97 meters per day. Interpreting an interpolated profile of the hydraulic conductivity values and individual values derived from MRS can help describe the hydrostratigraphic framework of an area and constrain ground-water models for better accuracy.

Texas↗