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Bruce D Smith

Bruce Smith is a Scientist Emeritus with the Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center.

Science and Products

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Map of Prairie Pothole Region

Science Team about Energy and Plains and Potholes Environments (STEPPE)

Brine Contamination to Plains and Potholes Environments from Energy Development in the Williston Basin
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Ecosystems, Water Resources, Fisheries Program, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center
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Science Team about Energy and Plains and Potholes Environments (STEPPE)

Brine Contamination to Plains and Potholes Environments from Energy Development in the Williston Basin
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AK aeromagnetic anomaly map

Alaska Geophysical Survey Interpretation

Available geophysical data for Alaska have not been fully exploited. Project objectives were to conduct systematic analysis of existing gravity, aeromagnetic and airborne electromagnetic data to map geologic trends, structural geologic and tectonic patterns, and identify key lithologies for direct integration with geologic framework and mineral potential studies.
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Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
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Alaska Geophysical Survey Interpretation

Available geophysical data for Alaska have not been fully exploited. Project objectives were to conduct systematic analysis of existing gravity, aeromagnetic and airborne electromagnetic data to map geologic trends, structural geologic and tectonic patterns, and identify key lithologies for direct integration with geologic framework and mineral potential studies.
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Airborne electromagnetic and magnetic survey data and inverted resistivity models, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, May 2017

Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) and magnetic survey data were collected in collaboration with the Iowa Water Science Center for the City of Cedar Rapids to the west of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The survey was flown between May 4 and May 5, 2017 along 347 line kilometers. Electromagnetic data were acquired using RESOLVE frequency-domain helicopter-borne electromagnetic system. Magnetic data were collected
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Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Ground conductivity measurements at selected National Wildlife Refuges, Montana and North Dakota, 2017-2018

Shallow subsurface electrical conductivity was mapped at selected U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service managed lands in northeast Montana and northwest North Dakota using the DUALEM421 electromagnetic sensor (Dualem, Inc., ON, Canada) in the winters of 2017 and 2018. Data were acquired by towing the DUALEM421 sensor on a sled behind an all-terrain vehicle or snow machine, with the sensor at a nominal he
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Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Airborne electromagnetic and magnetic survey data of the San Juan-Silverton Caldera complex, Silverton, Colorado, 2019

Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) and magnetic survey data were collected during April and May 2019 along 1,467 line-kilometers in the San Juan-Silverton Caldera complex, Colorado, in the Southern Rocky Mountain Volcanic Field. Data were acquired by Geotech, Ltd. with the versatile time-domain electromagnetic (VTEM) system together with a Geometrics optically pumped cesium vapor magnetometer. The sur
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Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric survey, Shellmound, Mississippi, March 2018

Airborne electromagnetic (AEM), magnetic, and radiometric data were acquired in late February to early March 2018 along 2,364 line-kilometers in the Shellmound, Mississippi study area. Data were acquired by CGG Canada Services, Ltd. with three different helicopter-borne sensors: the CGG Canada Services, Ltd. RESOLVE frequency-domain AEM instrument that is used to map subsurface geologic structure
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Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Airborne electromagnetic and magnetic survey data, East Poplar Oil Field and surrounding area, October 2014, Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana

Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) and magnetic survey data were collected during October 2014 in a 553-square-kilometer area that includes the East Poplar oil field on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in northeastern Montana, USA. Data surround the town of Poplar and extend south into the Missouri River floodplain. Data were acquired with the SkyTEM301 transient electromagnetic helicopter-borne sys
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Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

High-resolution airborne geophysical survey of the Shellmound, Mississippi area

In late February to early March 2018, the U.S. Geological Survey acquired 2,364 line-kilometers (km) of airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric data in the Shellmound, Mississippi study area. The purpose of this survey is to contribute high-resolution information about subsurface geologic structure to inform groundwater models, water resource infrastructure studies, and local decision
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Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Geologic map of the Inchelium Quadrangle, Stevens and Ferry counties, Washington

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High-resolution airborne geophysical survey of the Shellmound, Mississippi area

In late February to early March 2018, the U.S. Geological Survey acquired 2,364 line-kilometers (km) of airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric data in the Shellmound, Mississippi study area. The purpose of this survey is to contribute high-resolution information about subsurface geologic structure to inform groundwater models, water resource infrastructure studies, and local decision
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Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Geological and geophysical data for a three-dimensional view—Inside the San Juan and Silverton Calderas, Southern Rocky Mountains Volcanic Field, Silverton, Colorado

IntroductionThe San Juan-Silverton caldera complex located near Silverton, Colorado, in the Southern Rocky Mountains volcanic field is an ideal natural laboratory for furthering the understanding of shallow-to-deep volcanic-related mineral systems. Recent advances in geophysical data processing and three-dimensional (3D) model construction will help to characterize shallow properties important for
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Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Airborne geophysical surveys in the Boulder Watershed, Jefferson and Lewis and Clark Counties, Montana

INTRODUCTIONThree airborne geophysical surveys have been made in the Boulder watershed and adjacent areas (fig. 1). The objectives of the geophysical studies in the watershed is to map subsurface lithologic, structural and hydrologic features important in controlling possible ground water contamination from mining activities and to design remediation efforts. These studies are part of an abandoned
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Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Monitoring brine contamination using time-lapse airborne electromagnetic surveys, East Poplar Oil Field, Montana

Integrated geophysical and water-quality studies have been used to delineate areas of saline groundwater in shallow unconfined aquifers underlying the East Poplar oil field in northeastern Montana. In 2004, a RESOLVE survey was conducted over the oil field to identify high conductivity areas potentially associated with brine contamination and to map the shale unit comprising the base of aquifer. I
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Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center

Construction of a groundwater-flow model for the Big Sioux Aquifer using airborne electromagnetic methods, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

The city of Sioux Falls is the fastest growing community in South Dakota. In response to this continued growth and planning for future development, Sioux Falls requires a sustainable supply of municipal water. Planning and managing sustainable groundwater supplies requires a thorough understanding of local groundwater resources. The Big Sioux aquifer consists of glacial outwash sands and gravels a
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Water Resources, Dakota Water Science Center

User’s guide for GcClust—An R package for clustering of regional geochemical data

GcClust is a software package developed by the U.S. Geological Survey for statistical clustering of regional geochemical data, and similar data such as regional mineralogical data. Functions within the software package are written in the R statistical programming language. These functions, their documentation, and a copy of the user’s guide are bundled together in R’s unit of sharable code, which
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Energy and Minerals, Water Resources, Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Regional tectonic setting for the Trinidad earthquake swarms (2000-2012) from gravity and magnetic data

Earthquakes in the Raton basin near Trinidad, Colorado, (Figure 1) are located (Rubenstein et. al., 2014) near a major gravity and magnetic boundary. These earthquakes also occur in an area of hydrocarbon production that includes several high-capacity produced water injection wells. This presentation gives a very basic outline of the relation between the earthquakes, the potential field data, and
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Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Airborne electromagnetic and magnetic survey data of the Paradox and San Luis Valleys, Colorado

In October 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) contracted airborne magnetic and electromagnetic surveys of the Paradox and San Luis Valleys in southern Colorado, United States. These airborne geophysical surveys provide high-resolution and spatially comprehensive datasets characterizing the resistivity structure of the shallow subsurface of each survey region, accompanied by magnetic-field inf
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Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

A modified procedure for mixture-model clustering of regional geochemical data

A modified procedure is proposed for mixture-model clustering of regional-scale geochemical data. The key modification is the robust principal component transformation of the isometric log-ratio transforms of the element concentrations. This principal component transformation and the associated dimension reduction are applied before the data are clustered. The principal advantage of this modificat
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Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

USGS investigations of water produced during hydrocarbon reservoir development

Significant quantities of water are present in hydrocarbon reservoirs. When brought to the land surface during oil, gas, and coalbed methane production, the water—either naturally occurring or injected as a method to enhance production—is termed produced water. Produced water is currently managed through processes such as recycling, treatment and discharge, spreading on roads, evaporation or infil
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, Reston Biogeochemical Processes in Groundwater Laboratory

Anthrax and the geochemistry of soils in the contiguous United States

Soil geochemical data from sample sites in counties that reported occurrences of anthrax in wildlife and livestock since 2000 were evaluated against counties within the same states (MN, MT, ND, NV, OR, SD and TX) that did not report occurrences. These data identified the elements, calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn), phosphorus (P) and strontium (Sr), as having statistically significant differences in co
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Ecosystems, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Application of near-surface geophysics as part of a hydrologic study of a subsurface drip irrigation system along the Powder River floodplain near Arvada, Wyoming

Rapid development of coalbed natural gas (CBNG) production in the Powder River Basin (PRB) of Wyoming has occurred since 1997. National attention related to CBNG development has focused on produced water management, which is the single largest cost for on-shore domestic producers. Low-cost treatment technologies allow operators to reduce their disposal costs, provide treated water for beneficial u
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Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

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