Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center
Publications
Post-12 Ma deformation of the lower Colorado River corridor, southwestern USA: Implications for diffuse transtension and the Bouse Formation
Structural evidence presented here documents that deformation was ongoing within the lower Colorado River corridor (southwestern USA) during and after the latest Miocene Epoch, postdating large-magnitude extension and metamorphic core complex formation. Geometric and kinematic data collected on faults in key geologic units constrain the timing of...
Thacker, Jacob; Karlstrom, Karl; Crossey, Laura; Crow, Ryan S.; Cassidy, Colleen; Beard, L. Sue; Singleton, John; Strickland, Evan; Seymour, Nikki; Wyatt, Michael
Depth to bedrock based on modeling of gravity data of the eastern part of Edwards Air Force Base, California
We describe a gravity survey acquired to determine the thickness of basin-fill deposits (depth to bedrock) and to delineate geologic structures that might influence groundwater flow beneath the eastern part of Edwards Air Force Base, California. Inversion of these gravity data combined with geologic map and well information provides an estimate of...
Langenheim, Victoria; Morita, Andrew; Christensen, Allen H.; Cromwell, Geoffrey; Ely, Christopher Geologic map of the Blythe 7.5' quadrangle, La Paz County, Arizona and Riverside County, California
The geologic map of the Blythe 7.5' quadrangle spans about 60 percent of the width of the Holocene floodplain and valley floor of the lower Colorado River and the adjacent lower piedmont on the east side of the Colorado River Valley. This map depicts a composite geologic record of the river’s response to the transition from a natural flow regime...
Block, Debra; Gootee, Brian F.; House, P. Kyle; Pearthree, Philip A Using stream-side groundwater discharge for geochemical exploration in mountainous terrain
Groundwater chemistry has been predominantly used in geochemical exploration studies to identify mineralized targets concealed under transported cover in areas with gentle topography. Another potentially valuable ap-plication that has received little attention is using groundwater chemistry to identify deposits concealed within mountain ridges. A...
Manning, Andrew H.; Morrison, Jean M.; Wanty, Richard; Mills, Christopher T.
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. Can geologic factors be predictive for distinguishing between productive and non-productive geothermal wells?
Geologic data are examined to evaluate whether certain geologic characteristics occur in higher abundance or higher magnitude along production geothermal wells relative to non-productive wells. We perform 3D geologic mapping, 3D stress modeling, and fault-slip modeling to estimate fourteen different geologic factors that are hypothesized to...
Siler, Drew L.; Burns, Erick; James E Faulds
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