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At least 1,045 records · Page 58Linked to original sources

USGS2012

Rapid acceleration leads to rapid weakening in earthquake-like laboratory experiments

After nucleation, a large earthquake propagates as an expanding rupture front along a fault. This front activates countless fault patches that slip by consuming energy stored in Earth’s crust. We simulated the slip of a fault patch by rapidly loading an experimental fault with energy stored in a spinning flywheel. The spontaneous evolution of strength, acceleration, and velocity indicates that our experiments are proxies of fault-patch behavior during earthquakes of moment magnitude (M w ) = 4 to 8. We show that seismically determined earthquake parameters (e.g., displacement, velocity, magnitude, or fracture energy) can be used to estimate the intensity of the energy release during an earthquake. Our experiments further indicate that high acceleration imposed by the earthquake’s rupture front quickens dynamic weakening by intense wear of the fault zone.

Science↗

USGS2010

Coupled arsenotrophy in a hot spring photosynthetic biofilm at Mono Lake, California

Red-pigmented biofilms grow on rock and cobble surfaces present in anoxic hot springs located on Paoha Island in Mono Lake. The bacterial community was dominated (∼ 85% of 16S rRNA gene clones) by sequences from the photosynthetic Ectothiorhodospira genus. Scraped biofilm materials incubated under anoxic conditions rapidly oxidized As(III) to As(V) in the light via anoxygenic photosynthesis but could also readily reduce As(V) to As(III) in the dark at comparable rates. Back-labeling experiments with 73 As(V) demonstrated that reduction to 73 As(III) also occurred in the light, thereby illustrating the cooccurrence of these two anaerobic processes as an example of closely coupled arsenotrophy. Oxic biofilms also oxidized As(III) to As(V). Biofilms incubated with [ 14 C]acetate oxidized the radiolabel to 14 CO 2 in the light but not the dark, indicating a capacity for photoheterotrophy but not chemoheterotrophy. Anoxic, dark-incubated samples demonstrated As(V) reduction linked to additions of hydrogen or sulfide but not acetate. Chemoautotrophy linked to As(V) as measured by dark fixation of [ 14 C]bicarbonate into cell material was stimulated by either H 2 or HS − . Functional genes for the arsenate respiratory reductase ( arrA ) and arsenic resistance ( arsB ) were detected in sequenced amplicons of extracted DNA, with about half of the arrA sequences closely related (∼98% translated amino acid identity) to those from the family Ectothiorhodospiraceae . Surprisingly, no authentic PCR products for arsenite oxidase ( aoxB ) were obtained, despite observing aerobic arsenite oxidation activity. Collectively, these results demonstrate close linkages of these arsenic redox processes occurring within these biofilms. Oxyanions of the group 15 element arsenic, arsenate [As(V)] and arsenite [As(III)], have been known for millennia to be potent poisons. Despite its well-established toxicity to life, the phenomenon of arsenic resistance was discovered whereby some microorganisms maintain an otherwise “normal” existence in the presence of high concentrations of As(V) or As(III) (17, 29, 31). More recently it has become recognized that certain representatives from the bacterial and archaeal domains can actually exploit the electrochemical potential of the As(V)/As(III) redox couple (+130 mV) to gain energy for growth. This can be achieved either by employing As(III) as an autotrophic electron donor or by using As(V) as a respiratory electron acceptor (18, 21, 34). The latter phenomenon, although most commonly associated with chemoheterotrophy, can also employ inorganic substances like sulfide or H 2 . Indeed, As(V)-respiring anaerobes displaying a capacity for chemoautotrophy with these electron donors have been isolated and described (5, 7, 16). We recently reported that photoautotrophy is supported by As(III) in anoxic biofilms located in hot springs on Paoha Island in Mono Lake, CA (15). This process represented a novel means of As(III) oxidation achieved via anoxygenic photosynthesis occurring in certain photosynthetic bacteria (i.e., Ectothiorhodospira ) and possibly within some cyanobacteria as well (e.g., “ Oscillatoria ”). Whether or not a microbial habitat is overtly oxic or anoxic, or temporally shifts between these two states over a diel cycle, critical energy linkages between aerobes and anaerobes have long been known for the biogeochemical cycles of key elements, such as sulfur, iron, and nitrogen. Most prominently studied is the case of nitrogen, whereby an ecological coupling exists between the processes of nitrification and denitrification (9, 10, 28). The former process provides energy to aerobic nitrifiers, while the latter process consumes the nitrate produced by this reaction, thereby meeting the energy needs of the denitrifiers. For arsenic, the detection of both As(III) oxidation and As(V) reduction in oxic and anoxic incubations of freshly collected periphyton suggested that an analogous coupled process may also occur for this element (12). Similarly, several uncontaminated soils in Japan displayed a capacity for either As(V) reduction or As(III) oxidation upon arsenic oxyanion amendment and whether they were incubated under oxic or anoxic conditions (39). A defined coculture consisting of an aerobic As(III) oxidizer (strain OL1) and an anaerobic As(V) respirer (strain Y5) was shown to function in this fashion under manipulated laboratory conditions of oxygen tension (26). We pursued the phenomenon of coupled arsenic metabolism further by using materials collected from the hot spring biofilms in Mono Lake, but we focused on examination of the cycling of arsenic under anoxic conditions. In this paper we report results obtained by manipulated incubations of red-pigmented biofilms found in the hot springs of Paoha Island. Preliminary community characterizations of these biofilms show that they are dominated by B acteria from the genus Ectothiorhodospira but also harbor an assemblage of Archaea related to the Halobacteriacaea . Incubation results have demonstrated the presence of the following arsenic metabolic activities: respiratory As(V) reduction, photosynthetic anaerobic As(III) oxidation, and aerobic As(III) oxidation, along with the ecophysiological conditions under which they occur. Surprisingly, we were unable to obtain authentic PCR products for arsenite oxidase genes ( aoxB ), despite observing aerobic As(III) oxidation activity. These biofilms serve as a model system for how anaerobic cycling of arsenic can be sustained with oxidation of As(III) by anoxygenic photosynthesis coupled to regeneration of this electron donor via dissimilatory As(V) reduction. The significance that such a light-driven anaerobic ecosystem may have played in the Archean Earth is discussed.

California↗

USGS2003

Quantitative morphology of a fringing reef tract from high-resolution laser bathymetry: Southern Molokai, Hawaii

High-resolution Scanning Hydrographic Operational Airborne Lidar Survey (SHOALS) laser-determined bathymetric data were used to define the morphology of spur-and-groove structures on the fringing reef off the south coast of Molokai, Hawaii. These data provide a basis for mapping and analyzing morphology of the reef with a level of precision and spatial coverage never before attained. An extensive fringing coral reef stretches along the central two-thirds of Molokai's south shore (???40 km); along the east and west ends there is only a thin veneer of living coral with no developed reef complex. In total, ???4800 measurements of spur-and-groove height and the distance between adjacent spur crests (wavelength) were obtained along four isobaths. Between the 5m and 15m isobaths, the mean spur height increased from 0.7 m to 1.6 m, whereas the mean wavelength increased from 71 m to 104 m. Reef flat width was found to exponentially decrease with increasing wave energy. Overall, mean spur-and-groove height and wavelength were shown to be inversely proportional to wave energy. In high-energy environments, spur-and-groove morphology remains relatively constant across all water depths. In low-energy environments, however, spur-and-groove structures display much greater variation; they are relatively small and narrow in shallow depths and develop into much larger and broader features in deeper water. Therefore, it appears that waves exert a primary control on both the small and large-scale morphology of the reef off south Molokai.

Geological Society of America Bulletin↗

USGS2000

Prolonged winter undernutrition and the interpretation of urinary allantoin:creatinine ratios in white-tailed deer

The urinary allantoin:creatinine (A:C) ratio (expressed in micromoles of allantoin to micromoles of creatinine) has shown potential as an index of recent winter energy intake in preliminary controlled studies of elk ( Cervus elaphus ) involving mild condition deterioration (up to 11% loss of body mass). To ensure reliable nutritional assessments of free-ranging cervids by measuring A:C ratios of urine in snow, it is essential to extend this work. We assessed the effect of moderate and severe winter nutritional restriction on urinary A:C ratios of captive white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) that lost up to 32% body mass and related these ratios to metabolizable energy intake (MEI), body-mass loss, and other reported nutritional indicators. Deer in the control group were fed a low-protein, low-energy diet ad libitum, whereas deer in the treatment group were fed restricted amounts of the same diet. MEI was below the winter maintenance requirement for all deer, but was lower ( P = 0.029) in treatment deer than in control deer. Percent body-mass loss differed between the two groups as the study progressed, and represented the full range of physiological tolerance (0-32% loss). Mean A:C ratios of control deer, which lost up to 17.4% body mass, showed a slight increasing ( P = 0.086) trend, whereas initially similar A:C ratios of severely restricted deer increased ( P = 0.0002) markedly by the eighth week (0.52 vs. 0.09 µmol:µmol). The urinary A:C ratio was not related ( P = 0.839) to recent (2 days prior to urine sampling) MEI, but there was a marginally significant relation ( r 2 = 0.42, P = 0.110) between the A:C ratio and cumulative percent mass loss. The urinary A:C ratio was directly related to urinary urea nitrogen:creatinine ( r 2 = 0.59, P < 0.0001) and 3-methylhistidine:creatinine ( r 2 = 0.43, P < 0.0001) ratios. This study confirms that elevated and increasing A:C ratios may be due either to increasing energy intake or to accelerated tissue catabolism and increased endogenous contributions to urinary allantoin excretion.

Canadian Journal of Zoology↗

USGS2006

Evaluation of kinetic uncertainty in numerical models of petroleum generation

Oil-prone marine petroleum source rocks contain type I or type II kerogen having Rock-Eval pyrolysis hydrogen indices greater than 600 or 300-600 mg hydrocarbon/g total organic carbon (HI, mg HC/g TOC), respectively. Samples from 29 marine source rocks worldwide that contain mainly type II kerogen (HI = 230-786 mg HC/g TOC) were subjected to open-system programmed pyrolysis to determine the activation energy distributions for petroleum generation. Assuming a burial heating rate of 1??C/m.y. for each measured activation energy distribution, the calculated average temperature for 50% fractional conversion of the kerogen in the samples to petroleum is approximately 136 ?? 7??C, but the range spans about 30??C (???121-151??C). Fifty-two outcrop samples of thermally immature Jurassic Oxford Clay Formation were collected from five locations in the United Kingdom to determine the variations of kinetic response for one source rock unit. The samples contain mainly type I or type II kerogens (HI = 230-774 mg HC/g TOC). At a heating rate of 1??C/m.y., the calculated temperatures for 50% fractional conversion of the Oxford Clay kerogens to petroleum differ by as much as 23??C (127-150??C). The data indicate that kerogen type, as defined by hydrogen index, is not systematically linked to kinetic response, and that default kinetics for the thermal decomposition of type I or type II kerogen can introduce unacceptable errors into numerical simulations. Furthermore, custom kinetics based on one or a few samples may be inadequate to account for variations in organofacies within a source rock. We propose three methods to evaluate the uncertainty contributed by kerogen kinetics to numerical simulations: (1) use the average kinetic distribution for multiple samples of source rock and the standard deviation for each activation energy in that distribution; (2) use source rock kinetics determined at several locations to describe different parts of the study area; and (3) use a weighted-average method that combines kinetics for samples from different locations in the source rock unit by giving the activation energy distribution for each sample a weight proportional to its Rock-Eval pyrolysis S2 yield (hydrocarbons generated by pyrolytic degradation of organic matter). Copyright ?? 2006. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulle↗

USGS2009

Dietary segregation of pelagic and littoral fish assemblages in a highly modified tidal freshwater estuary

Estuarine food webs are highly variable and complex, making identification of their trophic pathways difficult. Energy for the food web of the San Francisco Estuary is thought to be based largely on in situ phytoplankton production, but little attention has been paid to littoral habitats, where other energy sources may be important. We analyzed the stomach contents of over 960 juvenile fishes and the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of these fishes and their potential food resources in pelagic and littoral habitats from the tidal freshwater area of the estuary. The mixing model IsoSource was used to examine energy sources important to consumers. Our results show evidence of two predominant food web pathways. Pelagic fishes and some littoral fishes showed strong dependence on a zooplankton–phytoplankton trophic pathway. However, the majority of fishes in littoral habitats had diets and carbon isotope ratios consistent with energy arising from submerged aquatic vegetation and epiphytic macroalgae. IsoSource revealed that the overall majority of nutrition of littoral fishes originated from consumption of grazer amphipods. Examining both stable isotopes and stomach contents allowed us to identify a food web with contributions to resident fishes that had been previously underestimated in the estuary. This study provides insight to how estuarine food webs have changed over the last few decades and highlights why the functions of habitats must be understood for effective restoration planning.

Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management↗

USGS2006

Fat dynamics of arctic-nesting sandpipers during spring in mid-continental North America

We measured fresh body mass, total body fat, and fat-free dry mass (FFDM) of three species of Arctic-nesting calidrid sandpipers (Baird's Sandpiper [ Calidris bairdii ], hereafter “BASA”; Semipalmated Sandpiper [ C. pusilla ], hereafter “SESA”; and White-rumped Sandpiper [ C. fuscicollis ], hereafter “WRSA”) during spring stopovers in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North Dakota, and evaluated the contribution of stored fat to (1) energy requirements for migration to their Arctic-breeding grounds and (2) nutrient needs for reproduction. All spring migrant WRSA ( n = 124) and BASA ( n = 111), and all but 2 of 99 SESA we collected were ≥2 years old. Male and female BASA migrated through North Dakota concurrently, male SESA averaged earlier than females, and WRSA males preceded females. Fat indices (ratio of fat to FFDM) of male and female SESA and WRSA averaged approximately twice those of male and female BASA. Total body fat of male and female BASA increased with date in spring 1980, but not in 1981; slopes were similar for both sexes each year. Male and female SESA arrived lean in 1980 and 1981, and total body fat increased with date in both years, with similar slopes for all combinations of sex and year. Male and female WRSA arrived lean in 1980–1981 and 1981, respectively, and total body fat increased with date, whereas females arrived with fat reserves already acquired in 1980. Interspecific and sex differences in migration schedules probably contributed to variation in fat storage patterns by affecting maintenance energy costs and food availability. Estimated flight ranges of BASA suggest that few could have met their energy needs for migration to the breeding grounds exclusively from fat stored by the time of departure from North Dakota. Estimated flight ranges of SESA and WRSA, along with fresh body masses of both species when live-trapped on or near their breeding grounds in northern Canada, suggest that major parts of both populations stored adequate fat by departure from temperate mid-continental North America to meet their energy requirements for migration and part of their nutrient needs for reproduction.

The Auk↗

USGS2019

Using component ratios to detect metadata and instrument problems of seismic stations: Examples from 18 years of GEOSCOPE data

Replacement or deterioration of seismic instruments and the evolution of the installation conditions and sites can alter the seismic signal in very subtle ways, so it is notoriously difficult to monitor the signal quality of permanent seismic stations. We present a simple tool, energy ratios between each pair of the three recorded components, aimed at characterizing and monitoring signal quality, as a complement to existing methods. To calculate stable daily energy ratios over a large frequency range (0.01 Hz – 5 Hz), we use the daily median energy ratio over all 5-minute windows within the day. The method is applied to all GEOSCOPE stations, for continuous BH channel data collected since 2001. We show applications to identify past gain problems (stations ROCAM and CRZF), to provide feedback after field interventions at remote sites (Antarctic station DRV), and to shed light on complex instrument problems (stations ECH and KIP). Our results show that component energy ratios have excellent time resolution and that they are visually simple for identification of problems. They can be used both for ongoing continuous monitoring of the signal quality, or as a tool to identify past problems. The associated python codes are available on GitHub.

Seismological Research Letters↗

USGS2016

Energetic costs of mange in wolves estimated from infrared thermography

Parasites, by definition, extract energy from their hosts and thus affect trophic and food web dynamics even when the parasite may have limited effects on host population size. We studied the energetic costs of mange ( Sarcoptes scabiei ) in wolves ( Canis lupus ) using thermal cameras to estimate heat losses associated with compromised insulation during the winter. We combined the field data of known, naturally infected wolves with data set on captive wolves with shaved patches of fur as a positive control to simulate mange-induced hair loss. We predict that during the winter in Montana, more severe mange infection increases heat loss by around 5.2 to 12 MJ per night (1240 to 2850 kcal, or a 65% to 78% increase) for small and large wolves, respectively accounting for wind effects. To maintain body temperature would require a significant proportion of a healthy wolf's total daily energy demands (18-22 MJ/day). We also predict how these thermal costs may increase in colder climates by comparing our predictions in Bozeman, Montana to those from a place with lower ambient temperatures (Fairbanks, Alaska). Contrary to our expectations, the 14°C differential between these regions was not as important as the potential differences in wind speed. These large increases in energetic demands can be mitigated by either increasing consumption rates or decreasing other energy demands. Data from GPS-collared wolves indicated that healthy wolves move, on average, 17 km per day, which was reduced by 1.5, 1.8 and 6.5 km for light, medium, and severe hair loss. In addition, the wolf with the most hair loss was less active at night and more active during the day, which is the converse of the movement patterns of healthy wolves. At the individual level mange infections create significant energy demands and altered behavioral patterns, this may have cascading effects on prey consumption rates, food web dynamics, predator-prey interactions, and scavenger communities.

Montana↗

USGS1973

Thermochemical approximations for sulfosalts

Most sulfosalts may be regarded as intermediate phases on joins between simple sulfide components (e.g., all lead sulfbismuthinides lie on the PbS-Bi 2 S 3 join). Many of the structures are characterized by subunits whose individual structures are similar to those of the component simple sulfides (e.g., galena-like and stibnite-like layers in the lead sulfantimonides). Therefore, as a first approximation one may estimate the properties of many sulfosalts in terms of mixtures of the simple sulfides.Recent work has shown that the free energy of reaction from the end-member sulfides, delta G m , for more than 20 sulfosalts is usually less negative than the hypothetical ideal free energy of mixing and that the standard free energy of formation, delta G degrees , per gram atom of sulfur in the formula may be represented as:delta G degrees = (N a delta G a degrees + . . . N i delta G i [degree) + (1.2 + or - 0.8)(N a RT ln N a + . . . N i RT ln N i )where N i is the mole fraction of the i-th simple sulfide component, R is the gas constant, and T is temperature in kelvins. The first term is far larger than the second. Estimates made for compounds in which the structural environment for the metals is quite different from that in the end-member sulfides, e.g., enargite, are subject to the greatest uncertainty.The estimated free energies may permit prediction of solubilities to a precision sufficient for many purposes, e.g., for H. C. Helgeson's computer-modeled hydrothermal systems. One may introduce some predictive capability into experimental design and anticipate some aspects of phase diagrams. This is especially true for redox reactions such as the behavior of proustite in the oxidized zone or the partial reduction of jamesonite to antimony + galena + pyrrhotite. However, other aspects, such as the prediction of the configuration of joins, e.g., PbS-As 2 S 3 , requires greater precision than the present rough estimates.

Economic Geology↗

USGS2016

Developing integrated methods to address complex resource and environmental issues

Introduction This circular provides an overview of selected activities that were conducted within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Integrated Methods Development Project, an interdisciplinary project designed to develop new tools and conduct innovative research requiring integration of geologic, geophysical, geochemical, and remote-sensing expertise. The project was supported by the USGS Mineral Resources Program, and its products and acquired capabilities have broad applications to missions throughout the USGS and beyond. In addressing challenges associated with understanding the location, quantity, and quality of mineral resources, and in investigating the potential environmental consequences of resource development, a number of field and laboratory capabilities and interpretative methodologies evolved from the project that have applications to traditional resource studies as well as to studies related to ecosystem health, human health, disaster and hazard assessment, and planetary science. New or improved tools and research findings developed within the project have been applied to other projects and activities. Specifically, geophysical equipment and techniques have been applied to a variety of traditional and nontraditional mineral- and energy-resource studies, military applications, environmental investigations, and applied research activities that involve climate change, mapping techniques, and monitoring capabilities. Diverse applied geochemistry activities provide a process-level understanding of the mobility, chemical speciation, and bioavailability of elements, particularly metals and metalloids, in a variety of environmental settings. Imaging spectroscopy capabilities maintained and developed within the project have been applied to traditional resource studies as well as to studies related to ecosystem health, human health, disaster assessment, and planetary science. Brief descriptions of capabilities and laboratory facilities and summaries of some applications of project products and research findings are included in this circular. The work helped support the USGS mission to “provide reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.” Activities within the project include the following: Spanned scales from microscopic to planetary; Demonstrated broad applications across disciplines; Included life-cycle studies of mineral resources; Incorporated specialized areas of expertise in applied geochemistry including mineralogy, hydrogeology, analytical chemistry, aqueous geochemistry, biogeochemistry, microbiology, aquatic toxicology, and public health; and Incorporated specialized areas of expertise in geophysics including magnetics, gravity, radiometrics, electromagnetics, seismic, ground-penetrating radar, borehole radar, and imaging spectroscopy. This circular consists of eight sections that contain summaries of various activities under the project. The eight sections are listed below: Laboratory Facilities and Capabilities, which includes brief descriptions of the various types of laboratories and capabilities used for the project; Method and Software Development, which includes summaries of remote-sensing, geophysical, and mineralogical methods developed or enhanced by the project; Instrument Development, which includes descriptions of geophysical instruments developed under the project; Minerals, Energy, and Climate, which includes summaries of research that applies to mineral or energy resources, environmental processes and monitoring, and carbon sequestration by earth materials; Element Cycling, Toxicity, and Health, which includes summaries of several process-oriented geochemical and biogeochemical studies and health-related research activities; Hydrogeology and Water Quality, which includes descriptions of innovative geophysical, remote-sensing, and geochemical research pertaining to hydrogeology and water-quality applications; Hazards and Disaster Assessment, which includes summaries of research and method development that were applied to natural hazards, human-caused hazards, and disaster assessments; and Databases and Framework Studies, which includes descriptions of fundamental applications of geophysical studies and of the importance of archived data.

Circular↗

USGS1987

Uranium resource assessment by the Geological Survey; methodology and plan to update the national resource base

Based on the Memorandum of Understanding {MOU) of September 20, 1984, between the U.S. Geological Survey of the U.S. Department of Interior and the Energy Information Administration {EIA) of the U.S. Department of Energy {DOE), the U.S. Geological Survey began to make estimates of the undiscovered uranium endowment of selected areas of the United States in 1985. A modified NURE {National Uranium Resource Evaluation) method will be used in place of the standard NURE method of the DOE that was used for the national assessment reported in October 1980. The modified method, here named the 'deposit-size-frequency' {DSF) method, is presented for the first time, and calculations by the two methods are compared using an illustrative example based on preliminary estimates for the first area to be evaluated under the MOU. The results demonstrate that the estimate of the endowment using the DSF method is significantly larger and more uncertain than the estimate obtained by the NURE method. We believe that the DSF method produces a more realistic estimate because the principal factor estimated in the endowment equation is disaggregated into more parts and is more closely tied to specific geologic knowledge than by the NURE method. The DSF method consists of modifying the standard NURE estimation equation, U=AxFxTxG, by replacing the factors FxT by a single factor that represents the tonnage for the total number of deposits in all size classes. Use of the DSF method requires that the size frequency of deposits in a known or control area has been established and that the relation of the size-frequency distribution of deposits to probable controlling geologic factors has been determined. Using these relations, the principal scientist {PS) first estimates the number and range of size classes and then, for each size class, estimates the lower limit, most likely value, and upper limit of the numbers of deposits in the favorable area. Once these probable estimates have been refined by elicitation of the PS, they are entered into the DSF equation, and the probability distribution of estimates of undiscovered uranium endowment is calculated using a slight modification of the program by Ford and McLaren (1980). The EIA study of the viability of the domestic uranium industry requires an annual appraisal of the U.S. uranium resource situation. During DOE's NURE Program, which was terminated in 1983, a thorough assessment of the Nation's resources was completed. A comprehensive reevaluation of uranium resource base for the entire United States is not possible for each annual appraisal. A few areas are in need of future study, however, because of new developments in either scientific knowledge, industry exploration, or both. Four geologic environments have been selected for study by the U.S. Geological Survey in the next several years: (1) surficial uranium deposits throughout the conterminous United States, (2) uranium in collapse-breccia pipes in the Grand Canyon region of Arizona, (3) uranium in Tertiary sedimentary rocks of the Northern Great Plains, and (4) uranium in metamorphic rocks of the Piedmont province in the eastern States. In addition to participation in the National uranium resource assessment, the U.S. Geological Survey will take part in activities of the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and those of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Circular↗

USGS2008

Archive of digitized analog boomer seismic reflection data collected from Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, to Mobile Bay, Alabama, during cruises onboard the R/V ERDA-1, June and August 1992

In June and August of 1992, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted geophysical surveys to investigate the shallow geologic framework from Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, to Mobile Bay, Alabama. This work was conducted onboard the Argonne National Laboratory's R/V ERDA-1 as part of the Mississippi/Alabama Pollution Project. This report is part of a series to digitally archive the legacy analog data collected from the Mississippi-Alabama SHelf (MASH). The MASH data rescue project is a cooperative effort by the USGS and the Minerals Management Service (MMS). A standardized naming convention was established to allow for better management of scanned trackline images within the MASH data rescue project. Each cruise received a unique field activity ID based on the year the data were collected, the first two digits of the survey vessel name, and the number of cruises made (to date) by that vessel that year (i.e. 92ER2 represents the second cruise made by the R/V ERDA-1 in 1992.) The new field activity IDs 92ER2 and 92ER4 presented in this report were originally referred to as ERDA 92-2 and ERDA 92-4 at the USGS in St. Petersburg, FL, and 92010 and 92037 at the USGS in Woods Hole, MA. A table showing the naming convention lineage for cruise IDs in the MASH data rescue series is included as a PDF. This report serves as an archive of high resolution scanned Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) and Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) images of the original boomer paper records, navigation files, trackline maps, Geographic Information System (GIS) files, cruise logs, and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata for cruises 92ER2 and 92ER4. The boomer system uses an acoustic energy source called a plate, which consists of capacitors charged to a high voltage and discharged through a transducer in the water. The source is towed on a sled, at sea level, and when discharged emits a short acoustic pulse, or shot, which propagates through the water and sediment column. The acoustic energy is reflected at density boundaries (such as the seafloor or sediment layers beneath the seafloor), detected by the hydrophone receiver, and the amplitude of the reflected energy is recorded by an Edward P. Curley Lab (EPC) thermal plotter. This process is repeated at timed intervals (for example, 0.5 s) and recorded for specific intervals of time (for example, 100 ms). The timed intervals are also referred to as the shot interval or fire rate. On analog records, the recorded interval is referred to as the sweep, which is the amount of time the recorder stylus takes to sweep from the top of the record to the bottom of the record, thereby recording the amplitude of the reflected energy of one shot. In this way, consecutive recorded shots produce a two-dimensional (2-D) vertical image of the shallow geologic structure beneath the ship track. Many of the geophysical data collected by the USGS prior to the late 1990s were recorded in analog format and stored as paper copies. Scientists onboard made hand-written annotations onto these records to note latitude and longitude, time, line number, course heading, and geographic points of reference. Each paper roll typically contained numerous survey lines and could reach more than 90 ft in length. All rolls are stored at the USGS FISC-St. Petersburg, FL. To preserve the integrity of these records and improve accessibility, analog holdings were converted to digital files.

Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi↗

USGS2010

Spatial mapping and attribution of Wyoming wind turbines

This Wyoming wind-turbine data set represents locations of wind turbines found within Wyoming as of August 1, 2009. Each wind turbine is assigned to a wind farm. For each turbine, this report contains information about the following: potential megawatt output, rotor diameter, hub height, rotor height, land ownership, county, wind farm power capacity, the number of units currently associated with its wind farm, the wind turbine manufacturer and model, the wind farm developer, the owner of the wind farm, the current purchaser of power from the wind farm, the year the wind farm went online, and the status of its operation. Some attributes are estimates based on information that was obtained through the American Wind Energy Association and miscellaneous online reports. The locations are derived from August 2009 true-color aerial photographs made by the National Agriculture Imagery Program; the photographs have a positional accuracy of approximately ?5 meters. The location of wind turbines under construction during the development of this data set will likely be less accurate than the location of turbines already completed. The original purpose for developing the data presented here was to evaluate the effect of wind energy development on seasonal habitat used by greater sage-grouse. Additionally, these data will provide a planning tool for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative Science Team and for other wildlife- and habitat-related projects underway at the U.S. Geological Survey's Fort Collins Science Center. Specifically, these data will be used to quantify disturbance of the landscape related to wind energy as well as quantifying indirect disturbances to flora and fauna. This data set was developed for the 2010 project 'Seasonal predictive habitat models for greater sage-grouse in Wyoming.' This project's spatially explicit seasonal distribution models of sage-grouse in Wyoming will provide resource managers with tools for conservation planning. These specific data are being used for assessing the effect of disturbance resulting from wind energy development within Wyoming on sage-grouse populations.

Data Series↗

USGS2012

Archive of digital chirp subbottom profile data collected during USGS cruise 10BIM04 offshore Cat Island, Mississippi, September 2010

In September of 2010, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), conducted a geophysical survey to investigate the geologic controls on barrier island framework of Cat Island, Miss., as part of a broader USGS study on Barrier Island Mapping (BIM). These surveys were funded through the Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program (MsCIP) and the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM) Ecosystem Change and Hazard Susceptibility Project as part of the Holocene Coastal Evolution of the Mississippi-Alabama Region Subtask. This report serves as an archive of unprocessed digital chirp subbottom data, trackline maps, navigation files, GIS files, Field Activity Collection System (FACS) logs, and formal FGDC metadata. 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, 10BIM04 tells us the data were collected in 2010 during the fourth 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 identification (ID). All chirp systems use a signal of continuously varying frequency; the EdgeTech SB-512i system used during this survey produces high-resolution, shallow-penetration (typically less than 50 milliseconds (ms)) profile images of sub-seafloor stratigraphy. The towfish contains a transducer that transmits and receives acoustic energy; it was housed within a float system (built at the SPCMSC), which allows the towfish to be towed at a constant depth of 1.07 meters (m) below the sea surface. As transmitted acoustic energy intersects density boundaries, such as the seafloor or sub-surface sediment layers, some energy is reflected back toward the transducer, received, and recorded by a Personal Computer (PC)-based seismic acquisition system. This process is repeated at regular time intervals (for example, 0.125 seconds (s)), and returned energy is recorded for a specific duration (for example, 50 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 rev. 0 format (Barry and others, 1975); the first 3,200 bytes of the card image header are in American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) format instead of Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) format. The SEG Y files may be downloaded and processed with commercial or public domain software such as Seismic Unix (SU) (Cohen and Stockwell, 2010). 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, and they can be viewed from the Profiles page or from links located on the trackline maps; refer to the Software page for links to example SU processing scripts. The SEG Y files are available on the DVD version of this report or on the Web, downloadable via the USGS Coastal and Marine Geoscience Data System (http://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov). The data are also available for viewing using GeoMapApp (http://www.geomapapp.org) and Virtual Ocean (http://www.virtualocean.org) multi-platform open source software.

Mississippi↗

USGS2014

Archive of digital chirp subbottom profile data collected during USGS cruise 12BIM03 offshore of the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, July 2012

From July 23 - 31, 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted geophysical surveys to investigate the geologic controls on barrier island framework and long-term sediment transport along the oil spill mitigation sand berm constructed at the north end and just offshore of the Chandeleur Islands, La. (figure 1). This effort is part of a broader USGS study, which seeks to better understand barrier island evolution over medium time scales (months to years). This report serves as an archive of unprocessed digital chirp 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. Gained (showing a relative increase in signal amplitude) digital images of the seismic profiles are also provided. Refer to the Abbreviations page for expansions of acronyms and abbreviations used in this report. The USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) assigns a unique identifier to each cruise or field activity. For example, 12BIM03 tells us the data were collected in 2012 during the third field activity for that project in that calendar year and BIM is a generic code, which represents efforts related to Barrier Island Mapping. 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. All chirp systems use a signal of continuously varying frequency; the EdgeTech SB-424 system used during this survey produces high-resolution, shallow-penetration (typically less than 50 milliseconds (ms)) profile images of sub-seafloor stratigraphy. The towfish contains a transducer that transmits and receives acoustic energy and is typically towed 1 - 2 m below the sea surface. As transmitted acoustic energy intersects density boundaries, such as the seafloor or sub-surface sediment layers, energy is reflected back toward the transducer, received, and recorded by a PC-based seismic acquisition system. This process is repeated at regular time intervals (for example, 0.125 seconds (s)) and returned energy is recorded for a specific duration (for example, 50 ms). In this way, a two-dimensional (2-D) vertical image of the shallow geologic structure beneath the ship track is produced. Figure 2 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 rev. 0 format (Barry and others, 1975); the first 3,200 bytes of the card image header are in ASCII format instead of EBCDIC format. The SEG Y files may be downloaded and processed with commercial or public domain software such as Seismic Unix (SU) (Cohen and Stockwell, 2010). See the How To Download SEG Y Data page for download instructions. The web version of this archive does not contain the SEG Y trace files. These files are very large and would require extremely long download times. To obtain the complete DVD archive, contact USGS Information Services at 1-888-ASK-USGS or infoservices@usgs.gov. The printable profiles provided here are GIF images that were processed and gained using SU software and can be viewed from the Profiles page or from links located on the trackline maps; refer to the Software page for links to example SU processing scripts. The SEG Y files are available on the DVD version of this report or on the Web, downloadable via the USGS Coastal and Marine Geoscience Data System (http://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov). The data are also available for viewing using GeoMapApp (http://www.geomapapp.org) and Virtual Ocean (http://www.virtualocean.org) multi-platform open source software. Detailed information about the navigation system used can be found in table 1 and the Field Activity Collection System (FACS) logs. To view the trackline maps and navigation files, and for more information about these items, see the Navigation page.

Louisiana↗

USGS2016

Archive of Digital Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected During USGS Cruise 14BIM05 Offshore of Breton Island, Louisiana, August 2014

From August 11 to 31, 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey ( USGS ), in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ( USFWS ), conducted a geophysical survey to investigate the geologic controls on barrier island framework and long-term sediment transport offshore of Breton Island, Louisiana as part of a broader USGS study on Barrier Island Mapping ( BIM ). Additional details related to this activity can be found by searching the USGS's Coastal and Marine Geoscience Data System (CMGDS), for field activity 2014-317-FA (also known as 14BIM05). These surveys were funded through the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program ( CMGP ) and the Louisiana Outer Coast Early Restoration Project. This report serves as an archive of unprocessed digital chirp 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. Gained digital images of the seismic profiles are also provided. Refer to the Abbreviations page for explanations of acronyms and abbreviations used in this report. All chirp systems use an acoustic signal of continuously varying frequency; the EdgeTech 512i system used during this survey produced high-resolution, shallow-penetration (typically less than 50 milliseconds [ ms] ) profile images of sub-seafloor stratigraphy. The towfish contains a transducer that transmits and receives acoustic energy and typically is towed 1–2 meters ( m ) below the sea surface. As transmitted acoustic energy intersects density boundaries, such as the seafloor or sub-surface sediment layers, some energy is reflected back toward the transducer, received, and recorded by a Personal Computer ( PC) -based seismic acquisition system. This process is repeated at regular intervals (for example, 0.125 seconds ( s) ) and returned energy is recorded for a specific duration (for example, 50 ms ). In this way, a two-dimensional ( 2-D ) vertical image of the shallow geologic structure beneath the ship's track is produced. Figure 2 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 SEG Y rev. 0 format (Barry and others, 1975); the first 3,200 bytes of the card image header are in American Standard Code for Information Interchange ( ASCII ) format instead of Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code ( EBCDIC ) format. The SEG Y files are available on the DVD version of this report or online, downloadable via the USGS Coastal and Marine Geoscience Data System ( http://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov ). The data are also available for viewing using GeoMapApp ( http://www.geomapapp.org ) and Virtual Ocean ( http://www.virtualocean.org ) multi-platform open source software. The Web version of this archive does not contain the SEG Y trace files. To obtain the complete DVD archive, contact USGS Information Services at 1-888-ASK-USGS or infoservices@usgs.gov. The SEG Y files may be downloaded and processed with commercial or public domain software such as Seismic Unix ( SU ) (Cohen and Stockwell, 2010). See the How To Download SEG Y Data page for download instructions. The printable profiles are provided as Graphics Interchange Format ( GIF ) images processed and gained using SU software and can be viewed from the Profiles page or by using the links located on the trackline maps; refer to the Software page for links to example SU processing scripts.

Louisana↗

USGS2013

National assessment of geologic carbon dioxide storage resources: Summary

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed an evaluation of the technically accessible storage resource ( TA SR ) for carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) for 36 sedimentary basins in the onshore areas and State waters of the United States. The TA SR is an estimate of the geologic storage resource that may be available for CO 2 injection and storage and is based on current geologic and hydrologic knowledge of the subsurface and current engineering practices. By using a geology-based probabilistic assessment methodology, the USGS assessment team members obtained a mean estimate of approximately 3,000 metric gigatons (Gt) of subsurface CO 2 storage capacity that is technically accessible below onshore areas and State waters; this amount is more than 500 times the 2011 annual U.S. energy-related CO 2 emissions of 5.5 Gt (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2012, http://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/carbon/). In 2007, the Energy Independence and Security Act (Public Law 110–140) directed the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct a national assessment of geologic storage resources for CO 2 in consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, and State geological surveys. The USGS developed a methodology to estimate storage resource potential in geologic formations in the United States (Burruss and others, 2009, USGS Open-File Report (OFR) 2009–1035; Brennan and others, 2010, USGS OFR 2010–1127; Blondes, Brennan, and others, 2013, USGS OFR 2013–1055). In 2012, the USGS completed the assessment, and the results are summarized in this Fact Sheet and are provided in more detail in companion reports (U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources Assessment Team, 2013a,b; see related reports at right). The goal of this project was to conduct an initial assessment of storage capacity on a regional basis, and results are not intended for use in the evaluation of specific sites for potential CO 2 storage. The national assessment was a geology-based examination of all sedimentary basins in the onshore and State waters area of the United States that contain storage assessment units (SAUs) that could be defined according to geologic and hydrologic characteristics. Although geologic storage of CO 2 may be possible in some areas not assessed by the USGS, the SAUs identified in this assessment represent those areas within sedimentary basins that met the assessment criteria. A geologic description of each SAU was prepared; descriptions for SAUs in several basins are in Warwick and Corum (2012, USGS OFR 2012–1024).

Fact Sheet↗