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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: 6173

Preliminary geologic investigation of the Apollo 16 landing site Preliminary geologic investigation of the Apollo 16 landing site

The Apollo 16 landing site in the lunar central highlands encompassed terra plains and adjacent mountainous areas of hilly and furrowed terra. These morphologic units, representing important terrane types in the lunar highlands, had been interpreted as volcanic on most premission geologic maps. However, it became apparent during the mission that there are indeed few or no volcanic rocks...
Authors
W.R. Muehlberger, R. M. Batson, E. L. Boudette, C.M. Duke, R. E. Eggleton, D. P. Elston, A. W. England, V. L. Freeman, M. H. Hait, T.A. Hall, J.W. Head, C. A. Hodges, H. E. Holt, E.D. Jackson, J.A. Jordan, K.B. Larson, D.J. Milton, V. S. Reed, J. J. Rennilson, G. G. Schaber, J.P. Schafer, L. T. Silver, D. Stuart-Alexander, R. L. Sutton, G.A. Swann, R.L. Tyner, G. E. Ulrich, H. G. Wilshire, E.W. Wolfe, J.W. Young

Minor elements in water Minor elements in water

A complete characterization of natural waters includes a determination of the concentrations of 30 or more minor elements. Emission spectrochemical methods are uniquely suited to the determination of a comparatively large number of minor elements, mainly those classified as heavy metals. Spectro-chemical data published by Braidech and Emory in 1935 and more recent data by Durfor and...
Authors
Marvin W. Skougstad

The geochemist’s involvement with the pollution problem The geochemist’s involvement with the pollution problem

The geochemist can contribute much information of value toward assessing the effect of environment, including inorganic pollution, on health. The average composition of rocks, soils, plants, and water and also the increments of inorganic substances that can be expected in geologic environments of high-metal content are essential for comparison with metal contents of these components of...
Authors
Helen L. Cannon, Barbara M. Anderson

Detrital serpentinite from the Guajira Peninsula, Colombia Detrital serpentinite from the Guajira Peninsula, Colombia

Small lenses of detrital serpentinite, completely surrounded by massive serpentinite, occur within a sequence of Mesozoic phyllites and metasiltstones in the Cerros de Parashi area, Guajira Peninsula. These lenses, which are as much as 30 m thick, consist of poorly sorted breccias that grade irregularly upward into bedded serpentinite sandstone and shale. Graded bedding is well developed...
Authors
John P. Lockwood

Chemical compositions of rock types as factors in our environment Chemical compositions of rock types as factors in our environment

The types of rocks that form geologic units in the Earth’s crust supply most of the raw materials from which soils are formed and from which water derives its inorganic constituents. The compositions of what we eat and drink thus depend in part upon the compositions of the source rocks. Igneous rocks are formed by crystallization and solidification of a rock melt. Metamorphic rocks are...
Authors
Harry A. Tourtelot
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