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Publications

Scientific reports, journal articles, and information products produced by USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center scientists.

Filter Total Items: 1426

Seafloor fluid seeps on Kimki Ridge, offshore southern California: Links to active strike-slip faulting Seafloor fluid seeps on Kimki Ridge, offshore southern California: Links to active strike-slip faulting

The Kimki Ridge fluid seeps are located in western Catalina Basin about 60 km southwest of the southern California mainland and at a water depth of approximately 1100 m. Multichannel seismic reflection profiles collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 2014 show acoustic transparency within the Kimki Ridge, suggesting the possibility of fluid seeps and possible sub-seafloor fluid...
Authors
James E. Conrad, Nancy G. Prouty, Maureen A. L. Walton, Jared W. Kluesner, Katherine L. Maier, Mary McGann, Daniel S. Brothers, Emily C. Roland, Peter Dartnell

Selective transport of palynomorphs in marine turbiditic deposits: An example from the Ascension-Monterey Canyon system offshore central California Selective transport of palynomorphs in marine turbiditic deposits: An example from the Ascension-Monterey Canyon system offshore central California

The pollen assemblage of a deep-sea core (15G) collected at lower bathyal depths (3491 m) on a levee of Monterey Canyon off central California was investigated to gain insights into the delivery processes of terrigenous material to submarine fans and the effect this transport has on the palynological record. Thirty-two samples were obtained down the length of the core, 19 from...
Authors
Mary McGann

Reconstructing the evolution of the submarine Monterey Canyon System from Os, Nd, and Pb isotopes in hydrogenetic Fe-Mn crusts Reconstructing the evolution of the submarine Monterey Canyon System from Os, Nd, and Pb isotopes in hydrogenetic Fe-Mn crusts

The sources of terrestrial material delivered to the California margin over the past 7 Myr were assessed using 187Os/188Os, Nd, and Pb isotopes in hydrogenetic ferromanganese crusts from three seamounts along the central and southern California margin. From 6.8 to 4.5 (± 0.5) Ma, all three isotope systems show more radiogenic values at Davidson Seamount, located near the base of the...
Authors
T.A. Conrad, S.G. Nielsen, Bernhard Peucker-Ehrenbrink, J. Blusztajn, D. Winslow, James R. Hein, A. Paytan

Arctic deep-water ferromanganese-oxide deposits reflect the unique characteristics of the Arctic Ocean Arctic deep-water ferromanganese-oxide deposits reflect the unique characteristics of the Arctic Ocean

Little is known about marine mineral deposits in the Arctic Ocean, an ocean dominated by continental shelf and basins semi-closed to deep-water circulation. Here, we present data for ferromanganese crusts and nodules collected from the Amerasia Arctic Ocean in 2008, 2009, and 2012 (HLY0805, HLY0905, HLY1202). We determined mineral and chemical compositions of the crusts and nodules and...
Authors
James R. Hein, Natalia Konstantinova, Mariah Mikesell, Kira Mizell, Jessica N. Fitzsimmons, Phoebe Lam, Laramie T. Jensen, Yang Xiang, Amy Gartman, Georgy Cherkashov, Deborah Hutchinson, Claire P. Till

Coherence between coastal and river flooding along the California coast Coherence between coastal and river flooding along the California coast

Water levels around river mouths are intrinsically determined by sea level and river discharge. If storm-associated coastal water-level anomalies coincide with extreme river discharge, landscapes near river mouths will be flooded by the hydrodynamic interactions of these two water masses. Unfortunately, the temporal relationships between ocean and river water masses are not well...
Authors
Kingsley O. Odigie, Jonathan A. Warrick

Seismic velocity site characterization of 10 Arizona strong-motion recording stations by spectral analysis of surface wave dispersion Seismic velocity site characterization of 10 Arizona strong-motion recording stations by spectral analysis of surface wave dispersion

Vertical one-dimensional shear wave velocity (VS) profiles are presented for strong-motion sites in Arizona for a suite of stations surrounding the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. The purpose of the study is to determine the detailed site velocity profile, the average velocity in the upper 30 meters of the profile (VS30), the average velocity for the entire profile (VSZ), and the...
Authors
Robert E. Kayen, Brad A. Carkin, Skye C. Corbett

Ephemeral seafloor sedimentation during dam removal: Elwha River, Washington Ephemeral seafloor sedimentation during dam removal: Elwha River, Washington

The removal of the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams from the Elwha River in Washington, USA, resulted in the erosion and transport of over 10 million m3 of sediment from the former reservoirs and into the river during the first two years of the dam removal process. Approximately 90% of this sediment was transported through the Elwha River and to the coast at the Strait of Juan de Fuca. To...
Authors
Melissa M. Foley, Jonathan A. Warrick

Shelf evolution along a transpressive transform margin, Santa Barbara Channel, California Shelf evolution along a transpressive transform margin, Santa Barbara Channel, California

High-resolution bathymetric and seismic reflection data provide new insights for understanding the post–Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, ca. 21 ka) evolution of the ∼120-km-long Santa Barbara shelf, located within a transpressive segment of the transform continental margin of western North America. The goal is to determine how rising sea level, sediment supply, and tectonics combine to control...
Authors
Samuel Y. Johnson, Stephen Hartwell, Christopher C. Sorlien, Peter Dartnell, Andrew C. Ritchie

Bedrock geology of DFDP-2B, central Alpine Fault, New Zealand Bedrock geology of DFDP-2B, central Alpine Fault, New Zealand

During the second phase of the Alpine Fault, Deep Fault Drilling Project (DFDP) in the Whataroa River, South Westland, New Zealand, bedrock was encountered in the DFDP-2B borehole from 238.5–893.2 m Measured Depth (MD). Continuous sampling and meso- to microscale characterisation of whole rock cuttings established that, in sequence, the borehole sampled amphibolite facies, Torlesse...
Authors
Virginia G. Toy, Rupert Southerland, John Townend, Michael J. Allen, Leeza Becroft, Austin Boles, Carolyn Boulton, Brett Carpenter, Alan K. Cooper, Simon C. Cox, Christopher Daube, Daniel R. Faulkner, Angela Halfpenny, Naoki Kato, Stephen Keys, Martina Kirilova, Yusuke Kometani, Timothy Little, Elisabetta Mariani, Benjamin L. Melosh, Catriona D. Menzies, Luiz Morales, Chance Morgan, Hiroshi Mori, Andre Niemeijer, Richard Norris, David Prior, Katrina Sauer, Anja Schleicher, Norio Shigematsu, Damon A.H. Teagle, Harold Tobin, Robert Valdez, Jack Williams, Samantha Yeo, Laura-May Baratin, Nicolas C. Barth, Adrian Benson, Caroline Boese, Bernard Celerier, Calum J. Chamberlain, Ronald Conze, Jamie Coussens, Lisa Craw, Mai-Linh Doan, Jennifer L. Eccles, Jason Grieve, Julia Grochowski, Anton Gulley, Jamie Howarth, Katrina D. Zamudio, Lucie Janku-Capova, Tamara Nicole Jeppson, Robert M. Langridge, Deirdre Mallyon, Ray Marx, Cecile Massiot, Loren Mathewson, Josephine Moore, Osamu Nishikawa, Brent Pooley, Alex Pyne, Martha K. Savage, Doug Schmitt, Sam Taylor-Offord, Phaedra Upton, Konrad C. Weaver, Thomas Wiersberg, Martin Zimmer

Projected atoll shoreline and run-up changes in response to sea-level rise and varying large wave conditions at Wake and Midway Atolls, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Projected atoll shoreline and run-up changes in response to sea-level rise and varying large wave conditions at Wake and Midway Atolls, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

Atoll islands are dynamic features that respond to seasonal alterations in wave conditions and sea level. It is unclear how shoreline wave run-up and erosion patterns along these low elevation islands will respond to projected sea-level rise (SLR) and changes in wave climate over the next century, hindering communities' preparation for the future. To elucidate how these processes may...
Authors
James B. Shope, Curt D. Storlazzi, Ron Hoeke

Unraveling the channel–lobe transition zone with high-resolution AUV bathymetry: Navy Fan, offshore Baja California, Mexico Unraveling the channel–lobe transition zone with high-resolution AUV bathymetry: Navy Fan, offshore Baja California, Mexico

Ultra-high-resolution (1 m * 1 m * 0.25 m) bathymetry was acquired with an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) over a sector of the Navy Fan offshore Baja California. The survey specifically targeted an area where the former interpretation of the fan showed a channel–lobe transition; however, the lobe and the transition were not recognized. Instead, the newly acquired bathymetry shows...
Authors
Cristian Carvajal, Charles K. Paull, David W. Caress, Andrea Fildani, Eve M. Lundsten, Krystle Anderson, Katherine L. Maier, Mary McGann, Roberto Gwiazda, Juan Carlos Herguera

Tracking riverborne sediment and contaminants in Commencement Bay, Washington, using geochemical signatures Tracking riverborne sediment and contaminants in Commencement Bay, Washington, using geochemical signatures

Large rivers carry terrestrial sediment, contaminants, and other materials to the coastal zone where they can affect marine biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems. This U.S. Geological Survey study combined river and marine sediment geochemistry and organic contaminant analyses to identify riverborne sediment and associated contaminants at shoreline sites in Commencement Bay, Puget Sound...
Authors
Renee K. Takesue, Kathleen E. Conn, Richard S. Dinicola
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