Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center
Publications
Ten years of volcanic activity at Mt Etna: High-resolution mapping and accurate quantification of the morphological changes by Pleiades and Lidar data
The topography of Mt. Etna, Italy, is subjected to continuous modifications depending on intensity and magnitude of eruptions that frequently occur at the volcano summit and flanks. In order to make high-resolution maps of morphological changes and accurately calculate the overall volume of the erupted products (e.g., lava flows, tephra fall out,...
Bisson, Marina; Spinetti, Claudia; Andronico, Daniele; Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Monica; Buongiorno, Maria Fabrizia; Alexandrov, Oleg; Cecere, Thomas
Improving flood-frequency analysis with a 4,000-year record of flooding on the Tennessee River near Chattanooga, Tennessee
This comprehensive field study applied paleoflood hydrology methods to estimate the frequency of low-probability floods for the Tennessee River near Chattanooga, Tennessee. The study combined stratigraphic records of large, previously unrecorded floods with modern streamflow records and historical flood accounts. The overall approach was to (1)...
Harden, Tessa M.; O'Connor, Jim E.; Carr, Meredith L.; Keith, Mackenzie
Sediment budget for watersheds of West Maui, Hawaii
Episodic runoff brings suspended sediment to West Maui’s nearshore waters, turning them from blue to brown. This pollution degrades the ecological, cultural, and recreational value of these iconic nearshore waters. We used mapping, monitoring, and modeling to identify and quantify the watershed sources for fine sediment that pollutes the nearshore...
Stock, Jonathan D.; Cerovski-Darriau, Corina Tectonostratigraphic record of late Miocene–early Pliocene transtensional faulting in the Eastern California shear zone, southwestern USA
The Eastern California shear zone (ECSZ; southwestern USA) accommodates ~20%–25% of Pacific–North America relative plate motion east of the San Andreas fault, yet little is known about its early tectonic evolution. This paper presents a detailed stratigraphic and structural analysis of the uppermost Miocene to lower Pliocene Bouse Formation in the...
Dorsey, Rebecca J.; O'Connell, Brennan; Gardner, Kevin; Homan, Mindy B.; Bennett, Scott E. K.; Thacker, Jacob; Darin, Michael H.
Three-dimensional geologic map of the Brady geothermal area, Nevada
The three-dimensional (3D) geologic map characterizes the subsurface in the Brady geothermal area in the northern Hot Springs Mountains of northwestern Nevada. We built the 3D map by integrating the results from detailed geologic mapping, seismic-reflection, potential-field-geophysical, and lithologic well-logging investigations completed in the...
Siler, Drew L.; Faulds, James E.; Hinz, Nicholas H.; Queen, John H. 3-D geologic controls of hydrothermal fluid flow at Brady geothermal field, Nevada, USA
In many hydrothermal systems, fracture permeability along faults provides pathways for groundwater to transport heat from depth. Faulting generates a range of deformation styles that cross-cut heterogeneous geology, resulting in complex patterns of permeability, porosity, and hydraulic conductivity. Vertical connectivity (a...
Siler, Drew L.; Pepin, Jeff D.
Implementation plan for the southern Pacific Border and Sierra-Cascade Mountains provinces
IntroductionThe National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program (NCGMP) is publishing a strategic plan titled Renewing the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program as the Nation’s Authoritative Source for Modern Geologic Knowledge (Brock and others, in press). The plan provides a vision, mission, and goals for the program during the years 2020–...
Langenheim, Victoria E.; Graymer, Russell W.; Powell, Robert E.; Schmidt, Kevin; Sweetkind, Donald S.
Landscape evolution in eastern Chuckwalla Valley, Riverside County, California
This study investigates sedimentary and geomorphic processes in eastern Chuckwalla Valley, Riverside County, California, a region of arid, basin-and-range terrain where extensive solar-energy development is planned. The objectives of this study were to (1) measure local weather parameters and use them to model aeolian sediment-transport potential...
East, Amy E.; Gray, Harrison J.; Redsteer, Margaret Hiza; Ballmer, Matthew A combined microbial and ecosystem metric of carbon retention efficiency explains land cover-dependent soil microbial biodiversity–ecosystem function relationships
While soil organic carbon (C) is the foundation of productive and healthy ecosystems, the impact of the ecology of microorganisms on C-cycling remains unknown. We manipulated the diversity, applied here as species richness, of the microbial community present in similar soils on two contrasting land-covers—an adjacent pasture and forest—and...
Ernakovich, Jessica G.; Baldock, Jeffrey R; Creamer, Courtney; Sanderman, Jonathan; Kalbitz, Karsten; Farrell, Mark National-scale reservoir thermal energy storage pre-assessment for the United States
The U.S. Geological Survey is performing a pre-assessment of the cooling potential for reservoir thermal energy storage (RTES) in five generalized geologic regions (Basin and Range, Coastal Plains, Illinois Basin, Michigan Basin, Pacific Northwest) across the United States. Reservoir models are developed for the metropolitan areas of eight cities...
Pepin, Jeff D.; Burns, Erick; Dickinson, Jesse E.; Duncan, Leslie L.; Kuniansky, Eve L.; Reeves, Howard W. Subsurface characterization and machine learning predictions at Brady Hot Springs
Subsurface data analysis, reservoir modeling, and machine learning (ML) techniques have been applied to the Brady Hot Springs (BHS) geothermal field in Nevada, USA to further characterize the subsurface and assist with optimizing reservoir management. Hundreds of reservoir simulations have been conducted in TETRAD-G and CMG STARS to explore...
Koenraad F. Beckers; Duplyakin, Dmitry; Martin, Michael J.; Johnston, Henry E.; Siler, Drew L. Airborne geophysical imaging of weak zones on Iliamna Volcano, Alaska: Implications for slope stability
Water‐saturated, hydrothermally altered rocks reduce the strength of volcanic edifices and increase the potential for sector collapses and far‐traveled mass flows of unconsolidated debris. Iliamna Volcano is an andesitic stratovolcano located on the western side of the Cook Inlet, ∼225 km southwest of Anchorage and is a source of repeated...
Peterson, Dana Elise; Finn, Carol A.; Bedrosian, Paul A.