Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center
Publications
Geologic field photograph map of the Grand Canyon region, 1967–2010
The Grand Canyon geologic field photograph collection contains 1,211 geotagged photographs collected during 43 years of geologic mapping from 1967 to 2010. The photographs document some key geologic features, structures, and rock unit relations that were used to compile nine geologic maps of the Grand Canyon region published at 1:100,000 scale,...
Billingsley, George H.; Goodwin, Gregory; Nagorsen, Sarah E.; Erdman, Monica E.; Sherba, Jason T.
Three-dimensional geologic map of the southern Carson Sink, Nevada, including the Fallon FORGE area
The three-dimensional (3–D) geologic map characterizes the subsurface in the southern Carson Sink region. We created the 3–D map by integrating the results from seismic-reflection, potential-field-geophysical, and lithologic well-logging investigations completed in and around the Fallon FORGE site as part of the U.S. Department of Energy Frontier...
Siler, Drew L.; James E. Faulds; Glen, Jonathan M.G.; Nicholas H. Hinz; Witter, Jeffrey B.; Kelly Blake; John Queen; Mark Fortuna
Insights into post-Miocene uplift of the western margin of the Colorado Plateau from the stratigraphic record of the lower Colorado River
The spatial and temporal distribution of Pliocene to Holocene Colorado River deposits (southwestern USA and northwestern Mexico) form a primary data set that records the evolution of a continental-scale river system and helps to delineate and quantify the magnitude of regional deformation. We focus in particular on the age and distribution of...
Crow, Ryan S.; Howard, Keith A.; Beard, L. Sue; Phil Pearthree; House, P. Kyle; Karlstrom, Karl; Lisa Peters; McIntosh, William C.; Cassidy, Colleen; Felger, Tracey J.; Block, Debra
Geology and assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the East Greenland Rift Basins Province, 2008
In 2007 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in the East Greenland Rift Basins Province of Northeast Greenland. The province was selected as the prototype for the U.S. Geological Survey Circum-Arctic Resource Appraisal (CARA). In collaboration with the Geological...
Moore, Thomas E.; Gautier, Donald L.; Gautier, Donald L.
Geology of the Monte Blanco borate deposits, Furnace Creek Wash, Death Valley, California
The Monte Blanco borate deposits are located along the southern margin of Death Valley’s Furnace Creek Wash, south of Twenty Mule Team Canyon road in California. Topographic and geologic mapping by S. Muessig and F.M. Byers, Jr., in 1954 documented these deposits’ geologic settings, geometries, mineralogies, and chemical characteristics. They...
Muessig, S.J.; Pennell, W.M.; Knott, Jeffrey R.; Calzia, James P.
Geologic map of the Poncha Pass area, Chaffee, Fremont, and Saguache Counties, Colorado
This report presents a 1:24,000-scale geologic map, cross sections, and descriptive and interpretative text for the Poncha Pass area in central Colorado. The map area is irregular in shape, covering all of one 7 ½' quadrangle (Poncha Pass) and parts of five others (Mount Ouray, Maysville, Salida West, Salida East, and Wellsville). The map...
Minor, Scott A.; Caine, Jonathan Saul; Ruleman, Chester A.; Fridrich, Christopher J.; Chan, Christine F.; Brandt, Theodore R.; Holm-Denoma, Christopher S.; Morgan, Leah E.; Cosca, Michael A.; Grauch, V. J. Gravity surveys using a mobile atom interferometer
Mobile gravimetry is important in metrology, navigation, geodesy, and geophysics. Atomic gravimeters could be among the most accurate mobile gravimeters, but are currently constrained by being complex and fragile. Here, we demonstrate a mobile atomic gravimeter, measuring tidal gravity variations in the laboratory as well as surveying gravity in...
Wu, Xuejian; Pagel, Zachary; Malek, Bola S.; Nguyen, Timothy H.; Zi, Fei; Scheirer, Daniel; Muller, Holger Lake Andrei: A pliocene pluvial lake in Eureka Valley, Eastern California
We used geologic mapping, tephrochronology and 40Ar/39Ar dating to describe evidence of a ca. 3.5 Ma pluvial lake in Eureka Valley, eastern California, that we informally name herein Lake Andrei. We identified six different tuffs in the Eureka Valley drainage basin including two previously undescribed tuffs: the 3.509 ± 0.009 Ma tuff of Hanging...
Jeffrey R. Knott; Wan, Elmira; Alan L. Deino; Mitch Casteel; Reheis, Marith C.; Fred Phillips; Walkup, Laura; Kyle McCarty; David N. Manoukian; Ernest Nuñez
Airborne radiometric maps of Mountain Pass, California
Geophysical investigations of Mountain Pass and vicinity were begun as part of an effort to study regional crustal structures as an aid to understanding the geologic framework and mineral resources of the eastern Mojave Desert. The study area encompasses Mountain Pass, host to one of the world’s largest rare earth element carbonatite deposits. The...
Ponce, David A.; Ponce, David A.; Denton, Kevin M. Radiocarbon and geologic evidence reveal Ilopango volcano as source of the colossal 'mystery' eruption of 539/40 CE
Ilopango volcano (El Salvador) erupted violently during the Maya Classic Period (250–900 CE) in a densely-populated and intensively-cultivated region of the southern Maya realm, causing regional abandonment of an area covering more than 20,000 km2. However, neither the regional nor global impacts of the Tierra Blanca Joven (TBJ) eruption in...
Dull, Robert A.; Southon, John R.; Kutterolf, Steffen; Anchukaitis, Kevin J.; Freundt, Armin; Wahl, David; Sheets, Payson; Amaroli, Paul; Hernandez, Walter; Weimann, Micheal C.; Oppenheimer, Clive Occurrence and sources of radium in groundwater associated with oil fields in the southern San Joaquin Valley, California
Geochemical data from 40 water wells were used to examine the occurrence and sources of radium (Ra) in groundwater associated with three oil fields in California (Fruitvale, Lost Hills, South Belridge). 226Ra+228Ra activities (range=0.010-0.51 Bq/L) exceeded the 0.185 Bq/L drinking-water standard in 18% of the wells (not drinking-water wells)....
McMahon, Peter B.; Avner Vengosh; Davis, Tracy; Landon, Matthew K.; Rebecca L. Tyne; Wright, Michael; Kulongoski, Justin T.; Hunt, Andrew G.; Peter H. Barry; A.J. Kondash; Z. Wang; Christopher J. Ballentine An initial assessment of areas where landslides could enter the West Arm of Glacier Bay, Alaska and implications for tsunami hazards
Tsunamis generated by landslides in Glacier Bay are uncommon, but have potential to be extraordinarily destructive when they occur. This article identifies areas that are susceptible to landslides that could generate tsunamis and discusses approaches to characterize hazard and risk from these events.
Coe, Jeffrey A.; Schmitt, Robert G.; Bessette-Kirton, Erin