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Book Chapters

Browse more than 5,500 book chapters authored by our scientists over the past 100+ year history of the USGS and refine search by topic, location, year, and advanced search.

Filter Total Items: 6164

Seismic imaging of extended crust with emphasis on the western United States Seismic imaging of extended crust with emphasis on the western United States

Understanding of the crust has improved dramatically following the application of seismic reflection and refraction techniques to studies of the deep crust. This is particularly true in areas where the last tectonic event was extensional, such as the Basin and Range province of the western United States and much of western Europe. In these regions, a characteristic reflective pattern has...
Authors
Jill McCarthy, George A. Thompson

Stratigraphy and tectonics of Paleozoic arc-related rocks of the northernmost Sierra Nevada, California; The eastern Klamath and northern Sierra terranes Stratigraphy and tectonics of Paleozoic arc-related rocks of the northernmost Sierra Nevada, California; The eastern Klamath and northern Sierra terranes

The Eastern Klamath and Northern Sierra terranes of northern California consist of Devonian to Jurassic arc-related rocks that structurally and/or stratigraphically overlie Devonian(?) or older complexes that consist of quartzite, quartzofeldspathic sandstone, chert, and mafic and ultramafic rocks. These terranes lie within a regional belt of Paleozoic arc-related rocks that can be...
Authors
Angela S. Jayko

Asteroid and comet flux in the neighborhood of Earth Asteroid and comet flux in the neighborhood of Earth

Approximately 90 Earth-crossing asteroids had been discovered through September 1989. Discovery is thought to be complete at absolute V magnitude (H) = 13.2 (the magnitude of the brightest known object, diameter ∼8.1 km), and about 6 percent complete at H = 17.7 (typical diameter about 1 km). The calculated mean probability of collision of Earth-crossing asteroids with Earth is (4.2 ± 1...
Authors
Eugene Merle Shoemaker, Ruth F. Wolfe, Carolyn S. Shoemaker

Middle Jurassic syntectonic conglomerate in the Mt. Tallac roof pendant, northern Sierra Nevada, California Middle Jurassic syntectonic conglomerate in the Mt. Tallac roof pendant, northern Sierra Nevada, California

Middle Jurassic marine conglomeratic and debris-flow deposits in the Mt. Tallac roof pendant are interpreted to be syntectonic fault trough deposits. Similar deposits in similar stratigraphic successions throughout the northern Sierra Nevada demonstrate that the Middle Jurassic continental-margin arc north of latitude 39° was essentially marine, and possibly extensional or transtensional...
Authors
G. Reid Fisher

Hydrogeochemistry of rivers and lakes Hydrogeochemistry of rivers and lakes

This chapter has three principal objectives: (1) to summarize the present chemical composition of North American surface waters and point out any discernible trends with time; (2) to review chemical and biochemical principles and processes that control natural water composition, and the ways in which these may be involved in attaining the particular chemical compositions and trends that...
Authors
John David Hem, Adrian Demayo, Richard A. Smith

Origin of solutes in saline lakes and springs on the Southern High Plains of Texas and New Mexico Origin of solutes in saline lakes and springs on the Southern High Plains of Texas and New Mexico

Analysis of hydraulic heads, calculation of pore volume flushing, and analysis of solute and isotopic chemistry strongly suggest that the solutes originate from the concentration by evaporation of runoff and potable shallow ground water that discharges from the High Plains aquifer. Chloride/bromide solute ratios, which are thought to be unaffected by mineral precipitation or sorption...
Authors
W. Wood, B.F. Jones
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