Publications
The following list of California Water Science Center publications includes both official USGS publications and journal articles authored by our scientists.
Filter Total Items: 1854
Stable isotope systematics of sulfate minerals Stable isotope systematics of sulfate minerals
Stable isotope studies of sulfate minerals are especially useful for unraveling the geochemical history of geological systems. All sulfate minerals can yield sulfur and oxygen isotope data. Hydrous sulfate minerals, such as gypsum, also yield oxygen and hydrogen isotope data for the water of hydration, and more complex sulfate minerals, such as alunite and jarosite also yield oxygen and...
Authors
Robert R. Seal, Charles N. Alpers, Robert O. Rye
Alunite-jarosite crystallography, thermodynamics, and geochronology Alunite-jarosite crystallography, thermodynamics, and geochronology
The alunite supergroup consists of more than 40 mineral species that have in common the general formula DG3(TO4)2(OH,H2O)6. The D sites are occupied by monovalent (e.g. K, Na, NH4, Ag, Tl, H3O), divalent (e.g. Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb), trivalent (e.g. Bi, REE) or more rarely quadrivalent (Th) ions; G is Al or Fe3+ or rarely Ga or V; T is S6+, As5+, or P5+, and may include subordinate amounts of...
Authors
R.E. Stoffregen, Charles N. Alpers, J.L. Jambor
Recent research on the hydrodynamics of the Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta and north San Francisco Bay Recent research on the hydrodynamics of the Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta and north San Francisco Bay
This article presents an overview of recent findings from hydrodynamic research on circulation and mixing in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) (Figure 1) and North San Francisco Bay (North Bay) (Figure 2). For the purposes of this article, North Bay includes San Pablo Bay, Carquinez Strait, and Suisun Bay. The findings presented are those gained from field studies carried out by...
Authors
Jon R. Burau, Stephen G. Monismith, Mark T. Stacey, Richard N. Oltmann, Jessica Lacy, David H. Schoellhamer
Metal-sulfate salts from sulfide mineral oxidation Metal-sulfate salts from sulfide mineral oxidation
The observation of “efflorescences,” or the flowering of salts, associated with periods of dryness in soils, in closed-basin lakes, in rock outcrops, and in mines and mine wastes has been noted since early antiquity. The formation of metal-sulfate salts, in connection with the mining of metals, was a phenomenon well known to the early Greek and Roman civilizations. Alum, most commonly...
Authors
J.L. Jambor, D. Kirk Nordstrom, Charles N. Alpers
Sediment yield following severe volcanic disturbance - A two-decade perspective from Mount St. Helens Sediment yield following severe volcanic disturbance - A two-decade perspective from Mount St. Helens
Explosive volcanic eruptions perturb water and sediment fluxes in watersheds; consequently, posteruption sediment yields can exceed pre-eruption yields by several orders of magnitude. Annual suspended-sediment yields following the catastrophic 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption were as much as 500 times greater than typical background level, and they generally declined nonlinearly for more...
Authors
J. J. Major, T.C. Pierson, R.L. Dinehart, J. E. Costa
Bathymetry and selected perspective views of central San Francisco Bay, California Bathymetry and selected perspective views of central San Francisco Bay, California
No abstract available.
Authors
J.V. Gardner, Peter Dartnell, L. A. Mayer, J.E. Hughes, J.C. Stone
Summary of suspended-solids concentration data, San Francisco Bay, California, water year 1997 Summary of suspended-solids concentration data, San Francisco Bay, California, water year 1997
No abstract available.
Authors
Paul A. Buchanan, David H. Schoellhamer
Hydrogeology and geochemistry of acid mine drainage in ground water in the vicinity of Penn Mine and Camanche Reservoir, Calaveras County, California: Summary report, 1993–95 Hydrogeology and geochemistry of acid mine drainage in ground water in the vicinity of Penn Mine and Camanche Reservoir, Calaveras County, California: Summary report, 1993–95
No abstract available.
Authors
Charles N. Alpers, S. N. Hamlin, M. P. Hunerlach
Distributions of uronic acids and O-methyl sugars in sinking and sedimentary particles in two coastal marine environments Distributions of uronic acids and O-methyl sugars in sinking and sedimentary particles in two coastal marine environments
Although recent research has indicated that bacteria may contribute an important fraction of biochemical residues in terrestrial and marine environments, it is difficult for geochemists to identify contributions from these ubiquitous and biochemically diverse organisms. Previous studies have suggested uronic acids and O-methyl sugars may be useful indicators of microbial abundance and...
Authors
Brian A. Bergamaschi, Jeffrey S. Walters, J. I. Hedges
The geochemistry of acid mine waters The geochemistry of acid mine waters
No abstract available.
Authors
D. Kirk Nordstrom, Charles N. Alpers
Transport of sediment-bound organochlorine pesticides to the San Joaquin River, California Transport of sediment-bound organochlorine pesticides to the San Joaquin River, California
ABSTRACT: Suspended sediment samples were collected in west-side tributaries and the main stem of the San Joaquin River, California, in June 1994 during the irrigation season and in January 1995 during a winter storm. These samples were analyzed for 15 organochiorine pesticides to determine their occurrence and their concentrations on suspended sediment and to compare transport during...
Authors
C.R. Kratzer
Processes governing phytoplankton blooms in estuaries. I: The local production-loss balance Processes governing phytoplankton blooms in estuaries. I: The local production-loss balance
The formation and spatial distribution of phytoplankton blooms in estuaries are controlled by (1) local mechanisms, which determine the production-loss balance for a water column at a particular spatial location (i.e. control if a bloom is possible), and (2) transport-related mechanisms, which govern biomass distribution (i.e. control if and where a bloom actually occurs). In this study...
Authors
L.V. Lucas, Jeffrey R. Koseff, J. E. Cloern, Stephen G. Monismith, J.K. Thompson