Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Publications

Filter Total Items: 7614

Triton's plumes: Discovery, characteristics, and models Triton's plumes: Discovery, characteristics, and models

This chapter presents (1) basic observations and characteristics of Triton's plumes (scale, geometry, optical properties, and temporal behavior); (2) the current best estimates of other parameters that can be derived directly or inferred from the observations (plume duration, wind velocities, particle properties, mass fluxes, energy requirements, and total erupted mass); and (3) a...
Authors
Randolph L. Kirk, Laurence A. Soderblom, R. Brown, S. W. Kieffer, J.S. Kargel

Decadal and annual changes in biogenic opal and carbonate fluxes to the deep Sargasso Sea Decadal and annual changes in biogenic opal and carbonate fluxes to the deep Sargasso Sea

Analyses of samples from a 14-year series of sediment-trap deployments in the deep Sargasso Sea reveal a significant trend in the ratio of the sinking fluxes of biogenic calcium carbonate and silica. Although there are pronounced seasonal cycles for both flux components, the overall opal/CaCO3 ratio changed by 50% from 1978 to 1991 (largely due to a decrease of opal flux), while total...
Authors
W.G. Deuser, T.D. Jickells, Judith A. Commeau

Rift flank segmentation, basin initiation and propagation: a neotectonic example from Lake Baikal Rift flank segmentation, basin initiation and propagation: a neotectonic example from Lake Baikal

New surficial data (field, Landsat TM and topography) define morpho-tectonic domains and rift flank segmentation in the Ol'khon region of the Central Baikal rift. Deformation, drainage and depositional patterns indicate a change in the locus of active extension that may relate to a recent (
Authors
Susan M. Agar, Kim D. Klitgord

Nonperiodic eddy pulsations Nonperiodic eddy pulsations

Recirculating flow in lateral separation eddies is typically weaker than main stem flow and provides an effective environment for trapping sediment. Observations of recirculating flow and sedimentary structures demonstrate that eddies pulsate in size and in flow velocity even when main stem flow is steady. Time series measurements of flow velocity and location of the reattachment point...
Authors
David M. Rubin, Richard R. McDonald

Giant blocks in the South Kona landslide, Hawaii Giant blocks in the South Kona landslide, Hawaii

A large field of blocky sea-floor hills, up to 10 km long and 500 m high, are gigantic slide blocks derived from the west flank of Mauna Loa volcano on the island of Hawaii. These megablocks are embedded in the toe of the South Kona landslide, which extends ∼80 km seaward from the present coastline to depths of nearly 5 km. A 10–15-km-wide belt of numerous, smaller, 1–3-km-long slide...
Authors
J.G. Moore, W.B. Bryan, M.H. Beeson, W. R. Normark

Fluid-inclusion evidence for past temperature fluctuations in the Kilauea East Rift Zone geothermal area, Hawaii Fluid-inclusion evidence for past temperature fluctuations in the Kilauea East Rift Zone geothermal area, Hawaii

Heating and freezing data were obtained for fluid inclusions in hydrothermal quartz, calcite, and anhydrite from several depths in three scientific observation holes drilled along the lower East Rift Zone of Kilauea volcano, Hawaii. Compositions of the inclusion fluids range from dilute meteoric water to highly modified sea water concentrated by boiling. Comparison of measured drill-hole
Authors
Keith E. Bargar, Terry E.C. Keith, Frank A. Trusdell

Cooling, degassing and compaction of rhyolitic ash flow tuffs: A computational model Cooling, degassing and compaction of rhyolitic ash flow tuffs: A computational model

Previous models of degassing, cooling and compaction of rhyolitic ash flow deposits are combined in a single computational model that runs on a personal computer. The model applies to a broader range of initial and boundary conditions than Riehle's earlier model, which did not integrate heat and mass flux with compaction and which for compound units was limited to two deposits. Model...
Authors
J.R. Riehle, T.F. Miller, R. A. Bailey

Factors influencing the height of Hawaiian lava fountains: implications for the use of fountain height as an indicator of magma gas content Factors influencing the height of Hawaiian lava fountains: implications for the use of fountain height as an indicator of magma gas content

The heights of lava fountains formed in Hawaiian-style eruptions are controlled by magma gas content, volume flux and the amounts of lava re-entrainment and gas bubble coalescence. Theoretical models of lava fountaining are used to analyse data on lava fountain height variations collected during the 1983–1986 Pu'u 'O'o vent of Kilauea volcano, Hawaii. The results show that the variable...
Authors
E.A. Parfitt, L. Wilson, C.A. Neal

Can magma-injection and groundwater forces cause massive landslides on Hawaiian volcanoes? Can magma-injection and groundwater forces cause massive landslides on Hawaiian volcanoes?

Landslides with volumes exceeding 1000 km3 have occurred on the flanks of Hawaiian volcanoes. Because the flanks typically slope seaward no more than 12 °, the mechanics of slope failure are problematic. Limit-equilibrium analyses of wedge-shaped slices of the volcano flanks show that magma injection at prospective headscarps might trigger the landslides, but only under very restrictive...
Authors
R.M. Iverson

Volcano seismology, hazards assessment Volcano seismology, hazards assessment

The last few years have seen several impressive examples of seismic monitoring at volcanoes to provide warnings that have saved lives and property. Changes in the rates and character of volcanic earthquakes provided precursory signs to explosive eruptions of moderate size at Redoubt volcano (Alaska), Mount Unzen (Japan), Mount Spurr (Alaska), and Rabaul caldera (Papua New Guinea), as...
Authors
J. Mori

Roof-rock contamination of magma along the top of the reservoir for the Bishop Tuff Roof-rock contamination of magma along the top of the reservoir for the Bishop Tuff

The Bishop Tuff, a Quaternary high-silica rhyolite in east-central California, is widely considered the type example of a vertically and monotonically zoned pyroclastic deposit that represents zoning in the source magma reservoir, inverted during the process of pyroclastic emplacement. However, the deposit of plinian pumice, which forms the base of the Bishop Tuff and represents the...
Authors
W. A. Duffield, J. Ruiz, J.D. Webster
Was this page helpful?