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At least 613 records · Page 34Linked to original sources

Shallow subsurface structure of the Wasatch fault, Provo segment, Utah, from integrated compressional and shear-wave seismic reflection profiles with implications for fault structure and development

Integrated vibroseis compressional and experimental hammer-source, shear-wave, seismic reflection profiles across the Provo segment of the Wasatch fault zone in Utah reveal near-surface and shallow bedrock structures caused by geologically recent deformation. Combining information from the seismic surveys, geologic mapping, terrain analysis, and previous seismic first-arrival modeling provides a well-constrained cross section of the upper ~500 m of the subsurface. Faults are mapped from the surface, through shallow, poorly consolidated deltaic sediments, and cutting through a rigid bedrock surface. The new seismic data are used to test hypotheses on changing fault orientation with depth, the number of subsidiary faults within the fault zone and the width of the fault zone, and the utility of integrating separate elastic methods to provide information on a complex structural zone. Although previous surface mapping has indicated only a few faults, the seismic section shows a wider and more complex deformation zone with both synthetic and antithetic normal faults. Our study demonstrates the usefulness of a combined shallow and deeper penetrating geophysical survey, integrated with detailed geologic mapping to constrain subsurface fault structure. Due to the complexity of the fault zone, accurate seismic velocity information is essential and was obtained from a first-break tomography model. The new constraints on fault geometry can be used to refine estimates of vertical versus lateral tectonic movements and to improve seismic hazard assessment along the Wasatch fault through an urban area. We suggest that earthquake-hazard assessments made without seismic reflection imaging may be biased by the previous mapping of too few faults. ?? 2010 Geological Society of America.

Geological Society of America Bulletin↗

Revisiting the utility of regional-scale, high-quality geophysical data in mineral exploration - A case study featuring the Mammoth Magnetic Anomaly, Pinal County, Arizona

Regional aeromagnetic surveys passively measure the total magnetic intensity (TMI) and are a foundational tool used in mineral exploration (Airo, 2015). With the increased global demand and the number of critical mineral resources required for manufacturing high-tech devices, developing high-quality, regional-scale geophysical surveys could aid critical mineral exploration efforts and geologic mapping. In 2019, the U. S. Geological Survey launched the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) to modernize the geologic and geophysical mapping of regions that have the potential to contain critical mineral resources within the United States. In support of planning Earth MRI geophysical surveys, Drenth and Grauch (2019) defined five aeromagnetic data quality rankings (rank 1 through rank 5) applying them to the airborne geophysical survey inventory of the United States (Johnson et al., 2021). Rank 1 aeromagnetic surveys are of the highest quality, meeting modern standards and allowing best practices for qualitative and quantitative interpretation; whereas rank 5 aeromagnetic surveys are of the lowest quality, being useful only for qualitative interpretation of broad features. Through the Earth MRI effort, 48 high-quality, regional-scale rank 1 and 2 airborne magnetic and radiometric geophysical surveys have been planned, collected, or publicly release through May 2025 (U. S. Geological Survey, 2025). Here, a portion of a rank 1 Earth MRI aeromagnetic survey in southeast Arizona is presented and compared to a legacy rank 5 aeromagnetic survey over the Mammoth Magnetic Anomaly (MMA), demonstrating how modern, high-quality aeromagnetic data improves our view of crustal geology, aiding mineral exploration.

Arizona↗

Identification of potential water-bearing zones by the use of borehole geophysics in the vicinity of Keystone Sanitation Superfund Site, Adams County, Pennsylvania, and Carroll County, Maryland

Between April 23, 1996, and June 21, 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contracted Haliburton-NUS, Inc., to drill four clusters of three monitoring wells near the Keystone Sanitation Superfund Site. The purpose of the wells is to allow monitoring and sampling of shallow, intermediate, and deep waterbearing zones for the purpose of determining the horizontal and vertical distribution of any contaminated ground water migrating from the Keystone Site. Twelve monitoring wells, ranging in depth from 50 to 397.9 feet below land surface, were drilled in the vicinity of the Keystone Site. The U.S. Geological Survey conducted borehole-geophysical logging and determined, with geophysical logs and other available data, the ideal intervals to be screened in each well. Geophysical logs were run on four intermediate and four deep wells, and a caliper log only was run on shallow well CL-AD-173 (HN-1S). Interpretation of geophysical logs and existing data determined the placement of screens within each borehole.

Maryland, Pennsylvania↗

Continued geophysical logging near the GMH Electronics National Priorities List Superfund site near Roxboro, North Carolina

The U.S. Geological Survey South Atlantic Water Science Center collected borehole geophysical logs and images and continuous water-level data near the GMH Electronics National Priorities List Superfund site near Roxboro, North Carolina, during December 2012 through July 2015. Previous work by the U.S. Geological Survey South Atlantic Water Science Center at the site involved the collection of borehole geophysical log data in 15 wells, in addition to surface geologic mapping and passive diffusion bag sampling. In a continued effort to assist the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in developing a conceptual groundwater model to assess current contaminant distribution and future migration of contaminants, more than 900 subsurface features (primarily fracture orientations) in 10 open borehole wells were delineated and continuous water-level data information from 14 monitoring wells within close proximity of the initially drilled boreholes was collected to observe any induced water-level fluctuations during drilling operations

North Carolina↗

Evaluation of geophysical logs, Phase I, at Willow Grove Naval Air Station, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Between April and June 1997, the U.S. Navy contracted Brown and Root Environmental, Inc., to drill 20 monitor wells at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station in Horsham Township, Montgomery County, Pa. The wells were installed to monitor water levels and allow collection of water samples from shallow, intermediate, and deep water-bearing zones. Analysis of the samples will determine the horizontal and vertical distribution of any contaminated ground water migrating from known contaminant sources. Eight wells were drilled near the Fire Training Area (Site 5), five wells near the 9th Street Landfill (Site 3), four wells at the Antenna Field Landfill (Site 2), and three wells near Privet Road Compound (Site 1). Depths range from 73 to 167 feet below land surface. The U.S. Geological Survey conducted borehole-geophysical and borehole-video logging to identify water-bearing zones so that appropriate intervals could be screened in each monitor well. Geophysical logs were run on the 20 monitor wells and 1 existing well. Video logs were run on 16 wells. Caliper and video logs were used to locate fractures, inflections on fluid-temperature and fluid-resistivity logs were used to locate possible water-bearing fractures, and flowmeter measurements verified these locations. Single-point-resistance and natural-gamma logs provided information on stratigraphy. After interpretation of geophysical logs, video logs, and driller's notes, all wells were screened such that water-level fluctuations could be monitored and discrete water samples collected from one or more shallow and intermediate water-bearing zones in each borehole.

Open-File Report↗

New high resolution airborne geophysical surveys in Nevada And California for geothermal and mineral resource studies

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Department of Energy (DOE) are collaborating to acquire high-resolution airborne magnetic and radiometric data to support geologic and geophysical mapping and modeling that will assist geothermal and critical mineral studies. Coordinated with these efforts are programs supporting geologic mapping and airborne LiDAR (light detection and ranging) surveys that yield detailed surface topographic models of the terrain over the same regions spanned by the geophysical surveys. The collaboration leverages resources from the USGS and DOE to acquire large regional datasets that will provide fundamental data necessary to map surface and subsurface geology and structure to benefit mineral and resource program objectives of both agencies. Such regionally uniform datasets are important for geothermal research to assist in identifying geologically favorable settings and as invaluable inputs in predictive models targeting undiscovered resources that use knowledge-driven (e.g., play fairway analysis) or data-driven approaches (e.g., machine-learning methods) to reduce risk associated with resource exploration. These data will also serve a wide range of other related activities from hazard (earthquake, volcano, landslide, environmental) and resource (water, mineral, energy) studies, to mapping and land management. Surveys were conducted in two areas that were selected because they host substantial geothermal and mineral potential in California and Nevada. The data will aid several ongoing USGS and DOE projects aimed at characterizing geothermal and mineral systems, understanding the factors controlling their occurrence, and improving future national resource assessments. The first of these surveys (referred to as GeoDAWN) was collected over northern and western Nevada and eastern California and spans areas of major resource potential associated with the Walker Lane and western Great Basin. This includes Clayton Valley, which hosts substantial lithium brine and clay resources, and the Humboldt Mafic Complex, which constitutes a potentially important resource of critical minerals (including cobalt, rare earth elements, platinum group elements, iron, chromium, nickel, and copper). The second survey area (referred to as GeoFlight) is focused over the Salton Trough in southern California that contains some of the largest and hottest known hydrothermal systems in the world, as well as a substantial lithium brine resource that could potentially meet the nation’s lithium demand for electric vehicles. Data from both surveys will be made publicly available through USGS publications and online data repositories. Future efforts under this collaboration are presently being evaluated and may involve acquisition of other data sets such as airborne gravity, electromagnetic or hyperspectral data to address research targets.

Conference Paper↗

Preliminary report on the Passamaquoddy bedrock survey, July-August, 1951

In order to understand the results of the Passamaquoddy bedrock survey and the details of the method of obtaining them, it is desirable to have, in outline, a general idea of the methods and their application. In this part of the report a general account of the operation will be developed. The details will be found in subsequent parts of the report. At this point a statement of the general objective and some mention of the plans for reaching it are in order. The purpose of the Passamaquoddy survey was to determine the submarine geology in certain areas of Passamaquoddy and Cobscook Bays--the sea-bottom topography, the bedrock topography, the thickness of sediment overlying the bedrock beneath the sea, and the type of sediment. The information is needed for the planning of major engineering structures that may be built in the area. It developed in planning the study that detailed surveys could be limited to several areas where dams may be located. To determine bottom or bedrock topography, elevations of each were determined by sonic methods at a number of closely spaced locations (about 400 feet apart), evenly distributed on range lines 1,000 or 800 feet apart, in each of eight areas. Contour lines were then drawn to produce the desired topographic maps. Sonic soundings are necessarily referred to the existing water surface. To ascertain specific elevations in an area of large tidal variations is a complex problem. The details are discussed in the section on Vertical Control by Charles E. Knox (part 8). The basic datum is mean low water as determined by the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. Equally important is the accurate positioning horizontally of each sounding location or fix. All such positioning was by the use of the standard three point fix procedure, using sextants. A net of shore points tied to the first-order control net of the Coast and Geodetic Survey was set up for this purpose, and all positions were thus accurately located. These problems are discussed in a section on Horizontal Control by Norman Duckworth (part 7). The general planning was done in conferences held in May 1951 at the Boston office of the Corps of Engineers, and in Eastport, Maine, after a brief reconnaissance of the area. A detailed account of the conferences is given in a memorandum by Herman J. Kropper of the New England Division, Corps of Engineers, reproduced in this report as part 4. Detailed survey procedures were developed on May 18, 1951, at a conference attended by P. J. A. Scott and Norman Duckworth of the Corps of Engineers and W. O. Smith of the Geological Survey. In order to make the necessary geophysical interpretation of the sound records, adequate geologic control had to be established. A preliminary field study of the geology was made by G. G. Parker of the Geological Survey during the period May 15-17, 1951. Subsequently Dr. T. E. Upson of the Geological Survey made the detailed geologic study required for the project. Two sonar units were used for the survey. One was a low-frequency high-power sonar unit developed by the Edo Corp. to meet specifications established by the Geological Survey. It was used to collect the bulk of the bedrock and bottom data. The other, of higher frequency and lower power, was manufactured by Bludworth Marine, Inc., end was required for adequate determination of water depths in shoal areas. The Edo equipment is described by Dr. Charles E. Mongan, Jr., in part 6 of this report.

Maine↗

Characterization of subsurface conditions and recharge at the irrigated four-plex baseball field, Fort Irwin National Training Center, California, 2018–20

The U.S. Geological Survey performed subsurface and geophysical site characterization of the irrigated four-plex baseball field in the Langford Valley–Irwin Groundwater Subbasin, as part of a research study in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Agricultural Research Service, and the Fort Irwin National Training Center, California. To help meet future demands, the Fort Irwin National Training Center is evaluating the efficacy of gravity-fed drywells to enhance storm-water recharge into the Langford Valley–Irwin Groundwater Subbasin by bypassing fine-grained, less permeable deposits between land surface and the water table. The amount, rate, and location of recharge beneath an irrigated baseball field in the groundwater basin at the Fort Irwin National Training Center is not well understood, so data were collected using physical and geophysical techniques to characterize subsurface materials, geologic controls, and the vertical movement of water through the unsaturated zone to the water table near the drywell at the Fort Irwin National Training Center. Based on the data collected and interpreted from these techniques, several fine-grained deposits were identified. Although these deposits appear to impede the downward movement of water through the unsaturated zone locally, they are not laterally continuous, and water appears to continue to move downward when it reaches the edges of the deposits. These data will help managers evaluate recharge at the site and determine if the use of gravity-fed drywells enhances recharge from surface runoff.

California↗

Archive of digital boomer seismic reflection data collected offshore east-central Florida during USGS cruise 00FGS01, July 14-22, 2000

In July of 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Florida Geological Survey (FGS), conducted a geophysical survey of the Atlantic Ocean offshore Florida's east coast from Brevard County to northern Martin County. This report serves as an archive of unprocessed digital boomer seismic reflection data, trackline maps, navigation files, Geographic Information System (GIS) information, digital and handwritten Field Activity Collection System (FACS) logs, and Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata. A filtered and gained (a relative increase in signal amplitude) digital image of each seismic profile is also provided. Refer to the Acronyms page for expansions of all acronyms and abbreviations used in this report. The archived trace data are in standard Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) SEG-Y format (Barry and others, 1975) and may be downloaded and processed with commercial or public domain software such as Seismic Unix (SU) (Cohen and Stockwell, 2005). Example SU processing scripts and USGS Software for viewing the SEG-Y files (Zihlman, 1992) are also provided. The USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center assigns a unique identifier to each cruise or field activity. For example, 00FGS01 tells us the data were collected in 2000 for cooperative work with the Florida Geological Survey (FGS) and the data were collected during the first field activity for that study in that calendar year. Refer to http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/infobank/programs/html/definition/activity.html for a detailed description of the method used to assign the field activity ID. The boomer plate is an acoustic energy source that consists of capacitors charged to a high voltage and discharged through a transducer in the water. The transducer is towed on a sled floating on the water surface and when discharged, emits a short acoustic pulse, or shot, which propagates through the water, sediment column, or rock beneath. The acoustic energy is reflected at density boundaries (such as the seafloor, sediment, or rock layers beneath the seafloor), detected by the receiver, and recorded by a PC-based seismic acquisition system. This process is repeated at timed intervals (for example, 0.5 s) and recorded for specific intervals of time (for example, 100 ms). In this way, a two-dimensional (2D) vertical profile of the shallow geologic structure beneath the ship track is produced. Figure 1 displays the acquisition geometry. Refer to table 1 for a summary of acquisition parameters. The unprocessed seismic data are stored in SEG-Y format (Barry and others, 1975). For a detailed description of the data format, refer to the SEG-Y Format page. See the How To Download SEG-Y Data page for download instructions. The printable profiles provided are GIF images that were filtered and gained using Seismic Unix software. Refer to the Software page for details about the processing and examples of the processing scripts. The printable profiles can be viewed from the Profiles page or from links located on the trackline maps. To view the trackline maps and navigation files, and for more information about these items, see the Navigation page. Detailed information about the navigation system used can be found in table 1. Of a total record length of 200 ms, only the upper 100 ms of each profile are displayed because no useful information was observed deeper in the sections. A 10 ms deep water delay appears on lines b57-b63 and sl2-sl28. No digital data were collected for line sl6. However, line sl6r is a second attempt to collect digital data for this line. Digital data and 500-shot-interval location navigation are not available for the last 1,161 shots of line sl26 due to an equipment malfunction.

Florida↗

Part II—Geophysical investigations in the Hawaiian Islands

During 1938 and 1939, an extensive series of geophysical surveys, employing both resistivity and magnetic methods, have been carried on in the Hawaiian Islands by the Section of Geophysics of the United States Geological Survey in cooperation with the Division of Ground‐Water of the Survey and the Division of Hydrography of the Territorial Government (see Fig. 1). During this time, surveys have been conducted on the islands of Oahu, Molokai, and Maul. Two distinct types of ground‐water occurrence are being investigated: (1) The basal fresh‐water lens floating on underlying salt water in obedience to the Ghyben‐Herzberg principle (Fig. 2); and (2) perched ground‐water (Fig. 3) .

Hawaii↗

Archive of digital boomer subbottom data collected during USGS cruise 05FGS01 offshore east-central Florida, July 17-29, 2005

In July of 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Florida Geological Survey (FGS), conducted a geophysical survey of the Atlantic Ocean offshore of Florida's east coast from Flagler Beach to Daytona Beach. This report serves as an archive of unprocessed digital boomer subbottom data, trackline maps, navigation files, Geographic Information System (GIS) files, Field Activity Collection System (FACS) logs and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata. Filtered and gained (showing a relative increase in signal amplitude) digital images of the seismic profiles are also provided. Refer to the Acronyms page for expansions of acronyms and abbreviations used in this report. The USGS Saint Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) assigns a unique identifier to each cruise or field activity. For example, 05FGS01 tells us the data were collected in 2005 for cooperative work with the FGS and the data were collected during the first field activity for that project in that calendar year. Refer to http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/infobank/programs/html/definition/activity.html for a detailed description of the method used to assign the field activity ID. The boomer subbottom processing system consists of an acoustic energy source that is made up of capacitors charged to a high voltage and discharged through a transducer in the water. The transducer is towed on a sled floating on the water surface and when discharged emits a short acoustic pulse, or shot, which propagates through the water column and shallow stratrigraphy below. The acoustic energy is reflected at density boundaries (such as the seafloor or sediment layers beneath the seafloor), detected by the receiver (a hydrophone streamer), and recorded by a PC-based seismic acquisition system. This process is repeated at timed intervals (for example, 0.5 s) and recorded for specific intervals of time (for example, 100 ms). In this way, a two-dimensional (2-D) vertical image of the shallow geologic structure beneath the ship track is produced. Figure 1 displays the acquisition geometry. Refer to table 1 for a summary of acquisition parameters and table 2 for trackline statistics. The archived trace data are in standard Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) SEG Y format (Barry and others, 1975), except an ASCII format is used for the first 3,200 bytes of the card image header instead of the standard EBCDIC format. For a detailed description about the recorded trace headers, refer to the SEG Y Format page. The SEG Y files may be downloaded and processed with commercial or public domain software such as Seismic Unix (Cohen and Stockwell, 2005). See the How To Download SEG Y Data page for download instructions. The printable profiles provided here are GIF images that were processed and gained using SU software; refer to the Software page for links to example SU processing scripts. The processed SEG Y data were also exported to Chesapeake Technology, Inc. (CTI) SonarWeb software to produce a geospatially interactive version of the profile that allows the user to obtain a geographic location and depth from the profile for a given cursor position; this information is displayed in the status bar of the browser. Please note that clicking on the profile image switches it to "Expanded View" (a compressed image of the entire line) and cursor tracking is not available in this mode.

Florida↗

Mineral Resources of the Morey and Fandango Wilderness Study Areas, Nye County, Nevada

The Morey (NV-060-191) and Fandango (NV-060-190) Wilderness Study Areas are located in the northern Hot Creek Range about 25 mi north of Warm Springs, Nev. At the request of the Bureau of Land Management, 46,300 acres of the Morey and Fandango Wilderness Study Areas were studied. In this report, the area studied is referred to as 'the wilderness study area', or simply 'the study area'. Geologic, geochemical, geophysical, and mineral surveys were conducted by the USGS and the USBM in 1984 to appraise the identified mineral resources and to assess the mineral resource potential of the study areas. These studies indicate that there are small identified resources of zinc, lead, and silver at the Lead Pipe property in the Fandango Wilderness Study Area, several areas of high potential for the occurrence of gold resources in the Fandango study area, small areas of low and moderate potential for the occurrence of silver, lead, and zinc resources in the Fandango study area, areas of moderate and high potential for the occurrence of silver, lead, and zinc resources in the Morey study area, and an area of low potential for copper, molybdenum, and tin in the Morey study area. Both study areas have low resource potential for petroleum, natural gas, uranium, and geothermal energy.

Bulletin↗

Archive of digital CHIRP seismic reflection data collected during USGS cruise 06SCC02 offshore of the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, July 2006

In July of 2006, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a geophysical survey offshore of the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, as part of the USGS Barrier Island Coastal Monitoring project (BICM), which is part of a broader study focused on Subsidence and Coastal Change (SCC). This report serves as an archive of unprocessed digital Compressed High Intensity Radar Pulse (CHIRP) seismic reflection data, trackline maps, navigation files, Geographic Information System (GIS) files, Field Activity Collection System (FACS) logs, observer's logbook, and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata. Gained (a relative increase in signal amplitude has been applied) digital images of the seismic profiles are also provided.

Louisiana↗

Archive of digital boomer subbottom data collected during USGS cruises 99FGS01 and 99FGS02 offshore southeast and southwest Florida, July and November, 1999

In July (19 - 26) and November (17 - 18) of 1999, the USGS, in cooperation with the Florida Geological Survey (FGS), conducted two geophysical surveys in: (1) the Atlantic Ocean offshore of Florida's east coast from Orchid to Jupiter, FL, and (2) the Gulf of Mexico offshore of Venice, FL. This report serves as an archive of unprocessed digital boomer subbottom data, trackline maps, navigation files, GIS files, Field Activity Collection System (FACS) logs, and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata. Filtered and gained (showing a relative increase in signal amplitude) digital images of the subbottom profiles are also provided. The USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) assigns a unique identifier to each cruise or field activity. For example, identifiers 99FGS01 and 99FGS02 refer to field data collected in 1999 for cooperative work with the FGS. The numbers 01 and 02 indicate the data were collected during the first and second field activities for that project in that calendar year. Refer to http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/infobank/programs/html/definition/activity.html for a detailed description of the method used to assign the field activity identification (ID).

Florida↗

Interpretation of an aerial radiometric and magnetic survey of the Salmo-Priest study area (RARE E6-981 A1-981), Pend Oreille County, Washington and Boundary County, Idaho

An aerial radiometric and magnetic survey of the Salmo-Priest study area (RARE E6-981) (index map) was made by the U.S. Geological Survey during October, 1978. Geophysical data from the survey will be used in the assessment of the mineral-resource potential of the study area. The Salmo-Priest area is located in northeastern Washington and northern Idaho and the north edge is the United States-Canadian boundary. This report presents the data obtained by the survey and an interpretation of the data.

Idaho, Washington↗

Chandeleur Islands to Breton Island bathymetric and topographic datasets and operational sediment budget development: Methodology and analysis report

This study is part of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) program. The goal of the BICM program is to provide long-term data on the barrier islands of Louisiana for monitoring change and assisting in coastal management. The BICM program uses historical data and acquires new data to map and monitor shoreline position, sediment properties, topography, bathymetry, and habitat. Since 2006, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has collected geophysical and sedimentologic data across the Breton National Wildlife Refuge (BNWR) through the BICM program and collaborative USGS projects such as the Barrier Island Evolution Research project (under CPRA contract number 2000339324, BICM2–Chandeleurs TopoBathy DEM), which builds upon the previous BICM physical assessment of the BNWR outlined in a separate report. This project uses topographic and bathymetric data from three periods (1917–1922, 2006–2007, and 2013–2015) to develop digital elevation models (DEMs), measure elevation change, and calculate sediment budgets for the barrier island system. The sediment budget analysis, derived from the volumetric change between the three periods, is necessary for understanding sediment transport dynamics along barrier islands and providing information for effective coastal management. This report describes the methods used to acquire, process, and produce these products.

Louisiana↗

Report on exploration of the Wadi Yiba copper prospect, Tihamat Ash Sham quadrangle, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The first phase of an exploration program at The Wadi Yiba copper prospect consisted of geologic mapping, prospecting, sampling, geophysical surveys, and diamond drilling. Copper mineralization is in a sedimentary rock sequence comprised mostly of siliceous, calcareous, and dolomitic rocks metamorphosed to the greenschist facies. The metasedimentary rocks are overlain and underlain by metavolcanic rocks. They are folded into a tight north-plunging syncline transected by two fault systems. Results from the exploration program indicate that a fault zone which sub-parallels the synclinal axis and cuts siliceous dolomite contains copper mineralization and small amounts of gold and silver. Copper and silver beaming pyroclastic rocks were found in the upper part of the metasedimentary rock sequence. Concentrations of copper mineralization seem to be restricted to particular rock units in the metasedimentary rock sequence. Primary sulfides have not been encountered in the drill holes to date and the results from one drill hole indicate secondary copper sulfide minerals to a vertical depth of 60 meters. Further exploration seems to be warranted and a program is proposed which includes the investigation of other mineral occurrences and geophysical anomalies in the region.

Open-File Report↗

A multi-channel digital telemetry system for low frequency geophysical data

An inexpensive general purpose digital telemetry system for collection of low frequency geophysical data from U.S. Geological Survey instruments (eg. tilt, strain, gravity, creep, water level, radon, magnetic field, resistivity, telluric current, temperature, etc.) has been designed and built. This system provides data for a more general interactive data acquisition, retrieval and analysis system. The field stations are self-contained, battery operated and housed in weather proof containers. Each accepts up to 15 analog data inputs in the range of -5 to +5 volts. The dynamic range is 70db. The units transmit information as FSK (Frequency Shift Keyed) tones onto either a phone line or radio link with up to 150 transmitters sharing one line. The average power consumption is 0.06 nR watts where n is the 1 number of input channels transmitted and R is the sample rate in minutes -1 . The central receiver-recorder unit accepts and decodes the FSK tones and converts, formats and records the digital data together with time information and station identification on IBM combatible magnetic tape. The digital data are also converted and recorded in analog form for visual monitoring.

Open-File Report↗