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Climate-induced variations of geyser periodicity in Yellowstone National Park, USA Climate-induced variations of geyser periodicity in Yellowstone National Park, USA

The geysers of Yellowstone National Park, United States, attract millions of visitors each year, and their eruption dynamics have been the subject of extensive research for more than a century. Although many of the fundamental aspects associated with the dynamics of geyser eruptions have been elucidated, the relationship between external forcing (Earth tides, barometric pressure, and...
Authors
Shaul Hurwitz, Ashish Kumar, Ralph Taylor, Henry Heasler

Veneers, rinds, and fracture fills: Relatively late alteration of sedimentary rocks at Meridiani Planum, Mars Veneers, rinds, and fracture fills: Relatively late alteration of sedimentary rocks at Meridiani Planum, Mars

Veneers and thicker rinds that coat outcrop surfaces and partially cemented fracture fills formed perpendicular to bedding document relatively late stage alteration of ancient sedimentary rocks at Meridiani Planum, Mars. The chemistry of submillimeter thick, buff-colored veneers reflects multiple processes at work since the establishment of the current plains surface. Veneer composition...
Authors
A.H. Knoll, B.L. Jolliff, W. H. Farrand, J.F. Bell, B. C. Clark, Ralf Gellert, M.P. Golombek, J.P. Grotzinger, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, J.R. Johson, S.M. McLennam, Robert Morris, S. W. Squyres, R. Sullivan, N.J. Tosca, A. Yen, Z. Learner

Upper conduit structure and explosion dynamics at Stromboli Upper conduit structure and explosion dynamics at Stromboli

Modeling of very long period seismic data recorded during explosive activity at Stromboli in 1997 provides an image of the uppermost 1 km of its volcanic plumbing system. Two distinct dike-like conduit structures are identified, each representative of explosive eruptions from two different vents located near the northern and southern perimeters of the summit crater. Inferred volumetric...
Authors
Bernard A. Chouet, Phillip B. Dawson, Marcello Martini

Recent extreme avalanches: Triggered by climate change? Recent extreme avalanches: Triggered by climate change?

On 25 September 2008, seismo meters operated by the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) registered strong ground shaking. On the basis of previous experience with such large seismic signals, AVO personnel were able to rapidly identify the seismic event as an avalanche. Two days later, an AVO overflight of Iliamna volcano, near Alaska's Cook Inlet, confirmed that a massive chunk of glacial...
Authors
C. Huggel, J. Caplan-Auerbach, Rick Wessels

Non-spore forming eubacteria isolated at an altitude of 20,000 m in Earth's atmosphere: extended incubation periods needed for culture-based assays Non-spore forming eubacteria isolated at an altitude of 20,000 m in Earth's atmosphere: extended incubation periods needed for culture-based assays

On 13 August 2004, an atmospheric sample was collected at an altitude of 20,000 m along a west to east transect over the continental United States by NASA’s Stratospheric and Cosmic Dust Program. This sample was then shipped to the US Geological Survey’s Global Desert Dust program for microbiological analyses. This sample, which was plated on a low nutrient agar to determine if...
Authors
Dale W. Griffin

Geologic map of Mount St. Helens, Washington prior to the 1980 eruption Geologic map of Mount St. Helens, Washington prior to the 1980 eruption

It is rare that a geologic map exists for a volcano prior to such a catastrophic modification as that produced by the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980. As such, this map provides an important historical record of the volcano prior to that eruption. The map has not been reviewed or checked for conformity to USGS editorial standards or stratigraphic nomenclature, and it has not been...
Authors
Clifford A. Hopson

Predicted surface displacements for scenario earthquakes in the San Francisco Bay region Predicted surface displacements for scenario earthquakes in the San Francisco Bay region

In the immediate aftermath of a major earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will be called upon to provide information on the characteristics of the event to emergency responders and the media. One such piece of information is the expected surface displacement due to the earthquake. In conducting probabilistic hazard analyses for the San Francisco Bay Region, the Working Group on
Authors
Jessica R. Murray-Moraleda

Modeled tephra ages from lake sediments, base of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska Modeled tephra ages from lake sediments, base of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska

A 5.6-m-long lake sediment core from Bear Lake, Alaska, located 22 km southeast of Redoubt Volcano, contains 67 tephra layers deposited over the last 8750 cal yr, comprising 15% of the total thickness of recovered sediment. Using 12 AMS 14C ages, along with the 137Cs and 210Pb activities of recent sediment, we evaluated different models to determine the age-depth relation of the core...
Authors
C.J. Schiff, D. S. Kaufman, K.L. Wallace, A. Werner, T.-L. Ku, T.A. Brown

An exact solution for ideal dam-break floods on steep slopes An exact solution for ideal dam-break floods on steep slopes

The shallow‐water equations are used to model the flow resulting from the sudden release of a finite volume of frictionless, incompressible fluid down a uniform slope of arbitrary inclination. The hodograph transformation and Riemann's method make it possible to transform the governing equations into a linear system and then deduce an exact analytical solution expressed in terms of...
Authors
C. Ancey, Richard M. Iverson, M. Rentschler, Roger P. Denlinger

Broadband seismic measurements of degassing activity associated with lava effusion at Popocatépetl Volcano, Mexico Broadband seismic measurements of degassing activity associated with lava effusion at Popocatépetl Volcano, Mexico

From November 1999 through July 2000, a broadband seismic experiment was carried out at Popocatépetl Volcano to record seismic activity over a wide period range (0.04–100 s). We present an overview of the seismicity recorded during this experiment and discuss results of analyses of long-period (LP) and very-long-period (VLP) seismic signals recorded at stations nearest to the crater over...
Authors
Alejandra Arciniega-Ceballos, Bernard A. Chouet, Phillip Dawson, Guenter Asch

Deformation of the Augustine Volcano, Alaska, 1992-2005, measured by ERS and ENVISAT SAR interferometry Deformation of the Augustine Volcano, Alaska, 1992-2005, measured by ERS and ENVISAT SAR interferometry

The Augustine Volcano is a conical-shaped, active stratovolcano located on an island of the same name in Cook Inlet, about 290 km southwest of Anchorage, Alaska. Augustine has experienced seven significant explosive eruptions - in 1812, 1883, 1908, 1935, 1963, 1976, 1986, and in January 2006. To measure the ground surface deformation of the Augustine Volcano before the 2006 eruption, we...
Authors
Chang-Wook Lee, Zhong Lu, Oh-Ig Kwoun, Joong-Sun Won

The imaging performance of the SRC on Mars Express The imaging performance of the SRC on Mars Express

The Mars Express spacecraft carries the pushbroom scanner high-resolution stereo camera (HRSC) and its added imaging subsystem super resolution channel (SRC). The SRC is equipped with its own optical system and a 1024×1024 framing sensor. SRC produces snapshots with 2.3 m ground pixel size from the nominal spacecraft pericenter height of 250 km, which are typically embedded in the...
Authors
J. Oberst, G. Schwarz, T. Behnke, H. Hoffmann, K.-D. Matz, J. Flohrer, H. Hirsch, T. Roatsch, F. Scholten, E. Hauber, B. Brinkmann, R. Jaumann, D. Williams, Randolph L. Kirk, T. Duxbury, C. Leu, G. Neukum
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