Burke Minsley
Burke Minsley is a Research Geophysicist with the Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center.
Burke Minsley joined the USGS in 2008 as a Research Geophysicist with the Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center in Denver, Colorado. After receiving a B.S. in Applied Physics from Purdue University in 1997, Burke began his career as a field geophysicist working on offshore seismic vessels before receiving a Ph.D. in Geophysics from MIT in 2007. His work involves the development and implementation of innovative ground-based and airborne geophysical methods used in interdisciplinary studies to improve our understanding of Earth's geosphere, hydrosphere, and cryosphere. Burke's projects are interdisciplinary and geographically diverse, including permafrost mapping in Alaska, critical zone studies in a mountain headwater system in Colorado, and a large regional water availability study in the lower Mississippi River valley. He also works on development of computational methods for uncertainty quantification in geophysical datasets and associated geologic or hydrologic interpretations. In 2012, Burke received the PECASE award for his fundamental research on advancing airborne electromagnetic survey methodology and its use in studying permafrost. He is currently serving as President of the Near-Surface Geophysics Section of AGU from 2021-2022.
Professional Experience
2008 - present: Research geophysicist, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO
2007 - 2008: Postdoctoral research fellow, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
2002 - 2007: Research assistant, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
1997 - 2002: Field geophysicist with WesternGeco, offshore
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Geophysics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2007
B.S. Applied Physics, Purdue University, 1997
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Geophysical Union: President of the Near-Surface Geophysics Section of AGU from 2021-2022
Honors and Awards
USGS Unit Award for Excellence of Service - LandCarbon team member, 2017
Presidential Early Career Award for Science and Engineering (PECASE), 2012
USGS Superior Service Award, 2012
Paper one of 'Ten Best of SAGEEP' 2010, 2011
Outstanding Student Paper Award, Near Surface section, Fall AGU, 2006
Martin Family Society Fellowship for Sustainability, MIT, 2004 - 2005
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 26
Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric survey of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, November 2019 - March 2020
Airborne electromagnetic (AEM), magnetic, and radiometric data were acquired November 2019 to March 2020 along 24,030 line-kilometers (line-km) over the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP). Data were acquired by CGG Canada Services, Ltd. with three different airborne sensors: the CGG Canada Services, Ltd. TEMPEST time-domain AEM instrument that is used to map subsurface geologic structure at depths u
Fire impacts on permafrost in Alaska: Geophysical and other field data collected in 2015
Fire can be a significant driver of permafrost change in boreal landscapes, altering the availability of soil carbon and nutrients that have important implications for future climate and ecological succession. However, not all landscapes are equally susceptible to fire-induced change. As fire frequency is expected to increase in the high latitudes, methods to understand the vulnerability and resil
Alaska permafrost characterization: Geophysical and related field data collected from 2019-2020
Geophysical measurements were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at two sites in Interior Alaska in 2019 and 2020 for the purposes of imaging permafrost structure and quantifying variations in subsurface moisture content in relation to thaw features. In September 2019, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and downhole nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data were used to quantify perma
Digital datasets documenting subsurface data locations, topographic metrics, fault scarp mapping, and revised fault network for Crowley's Ridge, New Madrid Seismic Zone
This release provides the data and interpretations supporting evidence of late Quaternary faulting along Crowleys Ridge in the New Madrid seismic zone. The release includes location information for seismic reflection and airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data over Crowleys Ridge, a table of topographic metrics derived from analysis of the 10m National Elevation Dataset (NED) digital elevation model (
Ground-based electromagnetic survey, Alamosa, Colorado, March 2020
Shallow soil conductivity was mapped in the San Luis Valley, Colorado, using the DualEM421 electromagnetic sensor in March 2020. Data were acquired by towing the DualEM421 sensor on a wheeled cart behind an all-terrain vehicle, with the sensor at a height of 0.457 m above the ground surface. Approximately 62 line-kilometers of data were acquired over an area of nearly 1.5 square kilometers, with 2
Geophysical and related field data from the West Fork of Dall Creek, AK 2017-2019
The West Fork of Dall Creek is located ~100km southwest of Coldfoot, AK along the Dalton Highway, south of the Brooks Range. The West Fork of Dall Creek is composed of unburned black spruce forest with a burn scar from the 2004 Dall City Fire. Multi-season, multi-method geophysical data were collected both within the burned and unburned areas. Geophysical techniques used include Nuculear Magnetic
Ground-based electromagnetic survey, Shellmound, Mississippi, October 2018
Shallow soil characteristics were mapped near Shellmound, Mississippi, using the DualEM 421 electromagnetic sensor in October 2018. Data were acquired by towing the DualEM sensor on a wheeled cart behind an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), with the sensor at a height of 0.432 meters (m) above the ground surface. Approximately 175 line-kilometers of data were acquired over an area of nearly four square-k
Investigation of Scale-dependent Groundwater/Surface-water Exchange in Rivers by Gradient Self-Potential Logging: Numerical Model and Field Experiment Data, Quashnet River, Massachusetts, October 2017 (ver. 2.0, November 2020)
This data release contains waterborne self-potential (SP) logging data measured during 48 laboratory experiments and three field experiments that were performed to develop an efficient, accurate method for detecting (in the laboratory) and geolocating (in the field) focused vertical groundwater discharge (surface-water gains) and recharge (surface-water losses) in a river. The experimental procedu
Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric survey of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, November 2018 - February 2019
Airborne electromagnetic (AEM), magnetic, and radiometric data were acquired November 2018 to February 2019 along 16,816 line-kilometers (line-km) over the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP). 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 struc
Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric survey, Shellmound, Mississippi, March 2018 (ver. 2.0, March 2024)
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
Ground-based time-domain electromagnetic data and resistivity models for the Mississippi Alluvial Plain Project
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) Project contains several geologic units which act as important aquifers. We collected several sets of time-domain electromagnetic (TEM) data consisting of two higher-density surveys and six regional-scale transects. The higher density surveys were collected to compare and contrast to other geophysical data not included in this data release, such as airborne ele
Alaska permafrost characterization: Geophysical and related field data collected from 2016-2017
Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), downhole nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and manual permafrost-probe measurements were used to quantify permafrost characteristics along transects within several catchments in interior Alaska in late summer 2016 and 2017. Geophysical sites were chosen to coincide with additional soil, hydrologic, and geochemical measurements adjacent to various low-order
Filter Total Items: 63
Quantifying model structural uncertainty using airborne electromagnetic data
The ability to quantify structural uncertainty in geological models that incorporate geophysical data is affected by two primary sources of uncertainty: geophysical parameter uncertainty and uncertainty in the relationship between geophysical parameters and geological properties of interest. Here, we introduce an open-source, trans-dimensional Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (McMC) algorithm Geo
Authors
Burke J. Minsley, N. Leon Foks, Paul A. Bedrosian
Wildfire-initiated talik development exceeds current thaw projections: Observations and models from Alaska's continuous permafrost zone
As the Arctic warms and wildfire occurrence increases, talik formation in permafrost regions is projected to expand and affect the cycling of water and carbon. Yet, few unified field and modeling studies have examined this process in detail, particularly in areas of continuous permafrost. We address this gap by presenting multimethod, multiseasonal geophysical measurements of permafrost and liquid
Authors
David Rey, Michelle A. Walvoord, Burke J. Minsley, Brian A. Ebel, Clifford I. Voss, Kamini Singha
Characterizing the diverse hydrogeology underlying rivers and estuaries using new floating transient electromagnetic methodology
The hydrogeology below large surface water features such as rivers and estuaries is universally under-informed at the long reach to basin scales (tens of km+). This challenge inhibits the accurate modeling of fresh/saline groundwater interfaces and groundwater/surface water exchange patterns at management-relevant spatial extents. Here we introduce a towed, floating transient electromagnetic (TEM)
Authors
John W. Lane, Martin A. Briggs, PK Maurya, Eric A. White, JB Pedersen, Esben Auken, Neil Terry, Burke J. Minsley, Wade Kress, Denis R. LeBlanc, Ryan F. Adams, Carole D. Johnson
Probabilistic categorical groundwater salinity mapping from airborne electromagnetic data adjacent to California’s Lost Hills and Belridge oil fields
Growing water stress has led to emerging interest in protecting fresh and brackish groundwater as a potential supplement to water supplies and raised questions about factors that could affect the future quality of fresh and brackish aquifers. Limited well infrastructure, particularly in regions where elevated salinity has led to limited historical groundwater development, hinders traditional mappi
Authors
Lyndsay B. Ball, Tracy Davis, Burke J. Minsley, Janice M. Gillespie, Matthew K. Landon
Evidence for late Quaternary deformation along Crowley's Ridge, New Madrid seismic zone
The New Madrid seismic zone has been the source of multiple major (M ~7.0–7.5) earthquakes in the past 2 ka, yet the surface expression of recent deformation remains ambiguous. Crowleys Ridge, a linear ridge trending north‐south for 300+ km through the Mississippi Embayment, has been interpreted as either a fault‐bounded uplift or a nontectonic erosional remnant. New and previously published seism
Authors
Jessica Thompson Jobe, Ryan D. Gold, Richard W. Briggs, Robert Williams, William J. Stephenson, Jaime E. Delano, Anjana K. Shah, Burke J. Minsley
High-resolution mapping of the freshwater-brine interface using deterministic and Bayesian inversion of airborne electromagnetic data at Paradox Valley, USA
Salt loads in the Colorado River Basin are a primary water quality concern. Natural groundwater brine discharge to the Dolores River where it passes through the collapsed salt anticline of the Paradox Valley in western Colorado is a significant source of salt to the Colorado River. An airborne electromagnetic survey of Paradox Valley has provided insights into the 3D distribution of brine in the
Authors
Lyndsay B. Ball, Paul A. Bedrosian, Burke J. Minsley
Inversion of airborne EM data with an explicit choice of prior model
Inversion of airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data is an under-determined inverse problem, in that infinitely many resistivity models exist that will be able to explain the observed data, within measurement errors. Therefore, additional information or constraints must be taken into account to solve the inverse problem. In deterministic approaches, the goal is to locate one optimal model that can be
Authors
Thomas Mejer Hansen, Burke J. Minsley
Investigating lake-area dynamics across a permafrost-thaw spectrum using airborne electromagnetic surveys and remote sensing time-series data in Yukon Flats, Alaska
Lakes in boreal lowlands cycle carbon and supply an important source of freshwater for wildlife and migratory waterfowl. The abundance and distribution of these lakes are supported, in part, by permafrost distribution, which is subject to change. Relationships between permafrost thaw and lake dynamics remain poorly known in most boreal regions. Here, new airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data collect
Authors
David Rey, Michelle Ann Walvoord, Burke Minsley, Jennifer Rover, Kamini Singha
Development of perennial thaw zones in boreal hillslopes enhances potential mobilization of permafrost carbon
Permafrost thaw alters subsurface flow in boreal regions that in turn influences the magnitude, seasonality, and chemical composition of streamflow. Prediction of these changes is challenged by incomplete knowledge of timing, flowpath depth, and amount of groundwater discharge to streams in response to thaw. One important phenomenon that may affect flow and transport through boreal hillslopes is d
Authors
Michelle A. Walvoord, Clifford I. Voss, Brian A. Ebel, Burke J. Minsley
Multi-scale geophysical mapping of deep permafrost change after disturbance in interior Alaska, USA
Disturbance related to fire or hydrologic processes can cause degradation of deep (greater than 1 m) permafrost. These changes in deep permafrost have the potential to impact landscapes and infrastructure, alter the routing and distribution of surface water or groundwater, and may contribute to the flux of carbon to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. However, characterization of deep permafrost o
Authors
Burke J. Minsley, Benjamin R. Bloss, Brian A. Ebel, David Matthew Rey, Michelle A. Walvoord, Dana R.N. Brown, Ronald Daanen, Abraham M. Emond, M. Andy Kass, Neal J. Pastick, Bruce Wylie
Airborne electromagnetic imaging of permafrost for hydrologic and infrastructure studies
Permafrost is found throughout northern latitudes, and hasfar reaching implications for natural and man-made environments including hydrologic processes, landscape dynamics, ecosystems, and infrastructure. While maps of near-surface permafrost characteristics are available, relatively little is known about permafrost distributions at depth over large areas. Here, we summarize several frequency dom
Authors
Burke J. Minsley, Abraham M. Emond, David Rey, Ronald Daanen
Airborne geophysical characterizationof geologic structure in a mountain headwater system, upper East River, Colorado
Geologic controls on groundwater flow, particularly in tectonically and topographically complex mountainous terrain, can be difficult to quantify without a detailed understanding of the regional subsurface geologic structure. This structure can influence the magnitude of groundwater flow through the mountain block, which in turn impacts groundwater composition and the flux of metals and nutrients
Authors
Burke J. Minsley, Lyndsay B. Ball
Non-USGS Publications**
Minsley, B., D. Coles, Y. Vichabian, and F.D. Morgan (2008), Minimization of self-potential survey mis-ties acquired with multiple reference locations, Geophysics, 73(2), F71-F81, doi:10.1190/1.2829390.
Minsley, B. (2007), Modeling and inversion of self-potential data, Ph.D. Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 251 p.
Ajo-Franklin, J.B., B.J. Minsley, and T.M. Daley (2007), Applying compactness constraints to seismic traveltime tomography, Geophysics, 72(4), R67-R75, doi:10.1190/1.2742496.
Minsley, B., J. Sogade, and F.D. Morgan (2007), 3D source inversion of self-potential data, Journal of Geophysical Research, 112, B02202, doi:10.1029/2006JB004262.
Minsley, B., J. Sogade, and F.D. Morgan (2007), Three dimensional self potential inversion for subsurface DNAPL contaminant detection at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, Water Resources Research, 43(4), W04429, doi:10.1029/2005WR003996.
Willis, M.E., D.R. Burns, R. Rao, B. Minsley, M.N. Toksöz, and L. Vetri (2006), Spatial orientation and distribution of reservoir fractures from scattered sesimic energy, Geophysics, 71(5), 43-51, doi:10.1190/1.2235977.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 26
Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric survey of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, November 2019 - March 2020
Airborne electromagnetic (AEM), magnetic, and radiometric data were acquired November 2019 to March 2020 along 24,030 line-kilometers (line-km) over the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP). Data were acquired by CGG Canada Services, Ltd. with three different airborne sensors: the CGG Canada Services, Ltd. TEMPEST time-domain AEM instrument that is used to map subsurface geologic structure at depths uFire impacts on permafrost in Alaska: Geophysical and other field data collected in 2015
Fire can be a significant driver of permafrost change in boreal landscapes, altering the availability of soil carbon and nutrients that have important implications for future climate and ecological succession. However, not all landscapes are equally susceptible to fire-induced change. As fire frequency is expected to increase in the high latitudes, methods to understand the vulnerability and resilAlaska permafrost characterization: Geophysical and related field data collected from 2019-2020
Geophysical measurements were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at two sites in Interior Alaska in 2019 and 2020 for the purposes of imaging permafrost structure and quantifying variations in subsurface moisture content in relation to thaw features. In September 2019, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and downhole nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data were used to quantify permaDigital datasets documenting subsurface data locations, topographic metrics, fault scarp mapping, and revised fault network for Crowley's Ridge, New Madrid Seismic Zone
This release provides the data and interpretations supporting evidence of late Quaternary faulting along Crowleys Ridge in the New Madrid seismic zone. The release includes location information for seismic reflection and airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data over Crowleys Ridge, a table of topographic metrics derived from analysis of the 10m National Elevation Dataset (NED) digital elevation model (Ground-based electromagnetic survey, Alamosa, Colorado, March 2020
Shallow soil conductivity was mapped in the San Luis Valley, Colorado, using the DualEM421 electromagnetic sensor in March 2020. Data were acquired by towing the DualEM421 sensor on a wheeled cart behind an all-terrain vehicle, with the sensor at a height of 0.457 m above the ground surface. Approximately 62 line-kilometers of data were acquired over an area of nearly 1.5 square kilometers, with 2Geophysical and related field data from the West Fork of Dall Creek, AK 2017-2019
The West Fork of Dall Creek is located ~100km southwest of Coldfoot, AK along the Dalton Highway, south of the Brooks Range. The West Fork of Dall Creek is composed of unburned black spruce forest with a burn scar from the 2004 Dall City Fire. Multi-season, multi-method geophysical data were collected both within the burned and unburned areas. Geophysical techniques used include Nuculear MagneticGround-based electromagnetic survey, Shellmound, Mississippi, October 2018
Shallow soil characteristics were mapped near Shellmound, Mississippi, using the DualEM 421 electromagnetic sensor in October 2018. Data were acquired by towing the DualEM sensor on a wheeled cart behind an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), with the sensor at a height of 0.432 meters (m) above the ground surface. Approximately 175 line-kilometers of data were acquired over an area of nearly four square-kInvestigation of Scale-dependent Groundwater/Surface-water Exchange in Rivers by Gradient Self-Potential Logging: Numerical Model and Field Experiment Data, Quashnet River, Massachusetts, October 2017 (ver. 2.0, November 2020)
This data release contains waterborne self-potential (SP) logging data measured during 48 laboratory experiments and three field experiments that were performed to develop an efficient, accurate method for detecting (in the laboratory) and geolocating (in the field) focused vertical groundwater discharge (surface-water gains) and recharge (surface-water losses) in a river. The experimental proceduAirborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric survey of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, November 2018 - February 2019
Airborne electromagnetic (AEM), magnetic, and radiometric data were acquired November 2018 to February 2019 along 16,816 line-kilometers (line-km) over the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP). 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 strucAirborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric survey, Shellmound, Mississippi, March 2018 (ver. 2.0, March 2024)
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 structureGround-based time-domain electromagnetic data and resistivity models for the Mississippi Alluvial Plain Project
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) Project contains several geologic units which act as important aquifers. We collected several sets of time-domain electromagnetic (TEM) data consisting of two higher-density surveys and six regional-scale transects. The higher density surveys were collected to compare and contrast to other geophysical data not included in this data release, such as airborne eleAlaska permafrost characterization: Geophysical and related field data collected from 2016-2017
Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), downhole nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and manual permafrost-probe measurements were used to quantify permafrost characteristics along transects within several catchments in interior Alaska in late summer 2016 and 2017. Geophysical sites were chosen to coincide with additional soil, hydrologic, and geochemical measurements adjacent to various low-order - Maps
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Filter Total Items: 63
Quantifying model structural uncertainty using airborne electromagnetic data
The ability to quantify structural uncertainty in geological models that incorporate geophysical data is affected by two primary sources of uncertainty: geophysical parameter uncertainty and uncertainty in the relationship between geophysical parameters and geological properties of interest. Here, we introduce an open-source, trans-dimensional Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (McMC) algorithm GeoAuthorsBurke J. Minsley, N. Leon Foks, Paul A. BedrosianWildfire-initiated talik development exceeds current thaw projections: Observations and models from Alaska's continuous permafrost zone
As the Arctic warms and wildfire occurrence increases, talik formation in permafrost regions is projected to expand and affect the cycling of water and carbon. Yet, few unified field and modeling studies have examined this process in detail, particularly in areas of continuous permafrost. We address this gap by presenting multimethod, multiseasonal geophysical measurements of permafrost and liquidAuthorsDavid Rey, Michelle A. Walvoord, Burke J. Minsley, Brian A. Ebel, Clifford I. Voss, Kamini SinghaCharacterizing the diverse hydrogeology underlying rivers and estuaries using new floating transient electromagnetic methodology
The hydrogeology below large surface water features such as rivers and estuaries is universally under-informed at the long reach to basin scales (tens of km+). This challenge inhibits the accurate modeling of fresh/saline groundwater interfaces and groundwater/surface water exchange patterns at management-relevant spatial extents. Here we introduce a towed, floating transient electromagnetic (TEM)AuthorsJohn W. Lane, Martin A. Briggs, PK Maurya, Eric A. White, JB Pedersen, Esben Auken, Neil Terry, Burke J. Minsley, Wade Kress, Denis R. LeBlanc, Ryan F. Adams, Carole D. JohnsonProbabilistic categorical groundwater salinity mapping from airborne electromagnetic data adjacent to California’s Lost Hills and Belridge oil fields
Growing water stress has led to emerging interest in protecting fresh and brackish groundwater as a potential supplement to water supplies and raised questions about factors that could affect the future quality of fresh and brackish aquifers. Limited well infrastructure, particularly in regions where elevated salinity has led to limited historical groundwater development, hinders traditional mappiAuthorsLyndsay B. Ball, Tracy Davis, Burke J. Minsley, Janice M. Gillespie, Matthew K. LandonEvidence for late Quaternary deformation along Crowley's Ridge, New Madrid seismic zone
The New Madrid seismic zone has been the source of multiple major (M ~7.0–7.5) earthquakes in the past 2 ka, yet the surface expression of recent deformation remains ambiguous. Crowleys Ridge, a linear ridge trending north‐south for 300+ km through the Mississippi Embayment, has been interpreted as either a fault‐bounded uplift or a nontectonic erosional remnant. New and previously published seismAuthorsJessica Thompson Jobe, Ryan D. Gold, Richard W. Briggs, Robert Williams, William J. Stephenson, Jaime E. Delano, Anjana K. Shah, Burke J. MinsleyHigh-resolution mapping of the freshwater-brine interface using deterministic and Bayesian inversion of airborne electromagnetic data at Paradox Valley, USA
Salt loads in the Colorado River Basin are a primary water quality concern. Natural groundwater brine discharge to the Dolores River where it passes through the collapsed salt anticline of the Paradox Valley in western Colorado is a significant source of salt to the Colorado River. An airborne electromagnetic survey of Paradox Valley has provided insights into the 3D distribution of brine in theAuthorsLyndsay B. Ball, Paul A. Bedrosian, Burke J. MinsleyInversion of airborne EM data with an explicit choice of prior model
Inversion of airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data is an under-determined inverse problem, in that infinitely many resistivity models exist that will be able to explain the observed data, within measurement errors. Therefore, additional information or constraints must be taken into account to solve the inverse problem. In deterministic approaches, the goal is to locate one optimal model that can beAuthorsThomas Mejer Hansen, Burke J. MinsleyInvestigating lake-area dynamics across a permafrost-thaw spectrum using airborne electromagnetic surveys and remote sensing time-series data in Yukon Flats, Alaska
Lakes in boreal lowlands cycle carbon and supply an important source of freshwater for wildlife and migratory waterfowl. The abundance and distribution of these lakes are supported, in part, by permafrost distribution, which is subject to change. Relationships between permafrost thaw and lake dynamics remain poorly known in most boreal regions. Here, new airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data collectAuthorsDavid Rey, Michelle Ann Walvoord, Burke Minsley, Jennifer Rover, Kamini SinghaDevelopment of perennial thaw zones in boreal hillslopes enhances potential mobilization of permafrost carbon
Permafrost thaw alters subsurface flow in boreal regions that in turn influences the magnitude, seasonality, and chemical composition of streamflow. Prediction of these changes is challenged by incomplete knowledge of timing, flowpath depth, and amount of groundwater discharge to streams in response to thaw. One important phenomenon that may affect flow and transport through boreal hillslopes is dAuthorsMichelle A. Walvoord, Clifford I. Voss, Brian A. Ebel, Burke J. MinsleyMulti-scale geophysical mapping of deep permafrost change after disturbance in interior Alaska, USA
Disturbance related to fire or hydrologic processes can cause degradation of deep (greater than 1 m) permafrost. These changes in deep permafrost have the potential to impact landscapes and infrastructure, alter the routing and distribution of surface water or groundwater, and may contribute to the flux of carbon to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. However, characterization of deep permafrost oAuthorsBurke J. Minsley, Benjamin R. Bloss, Brian A. Ebel, David Matthew Rey, Michelle A. Walvoord, Dana R.N. Brown, Ronald Daanen, Abraham M. Emond, M. Andy Kass, Neal J. Pastick, Bruce WylieAirborne electromagnetic imaging of permafrost for hydrologic and infrastructure studies
Permafrost is found throughout northern latitudes, and hasfar reaching implications for natural and man-made environments including hydrologic processes, landscape dynamics, ecosystems, and infrastructure. While maps of near-surface permafrost characteristics are available, relatively little is known about permafrost distributions at depth over large areas. Here, we summarize several frequency domAuthorsBurke J. Minsley, Abraham M. Emond, David Rey, Ronald DaanenAirborne geophysical characterizationof geologic structure in a mountain headwater system, upper East River, Colorado
Geologic controls on groundwater flow, particularly in tectonically and topographically complex mountainous terrain, can be difficult to quantify without a detailed understanding of the regional subsurface geologic structure. This structure can influence the magnitude of groundwater flow through the mountain block, which in turn impacts groundwater composition and the flux of metals and nutrientsAuthorsBurke J. Minsley, Lyndsay B. BallNon-USGS Publications**
Minsley, B., D. Coles, Y. Vichabian, and F.D. Morgan (2008), Minimization of self-potential survey mis-ties acquired with multiple reference locations, Geophysics, 73(2), F71-F81, doi:10.1190/1.2829390.Minsley, B. (2007), Modeling and inversion of self-potential data, Ph.D. Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 251 p.Ajo-Franklin, J.B., B.J. Minsley, and T.M. Daley (2007), Applying compactness constraints to seismic traveltime tomography, Geophysics, 72(4), R67-R75, doi:10.1190/1.2742496.Minsley, B., J. Sogade, and F.D. Morgan (2007), 3D source inversion of self-potential data, Journal of Geophysical Research, 112, B02202, doi:10.1029/2006JB004262.Minsley, B., J. Sogade, and F.D. Morgan (2007), Three dimensional self potential inversion for subsurface DNAPL contaminant detection at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, Water Resources Research, 43(4), W04429, doi:10.1029/2005WR003996.Willis, M.E., D.R. Burns, R. Rao, B. Minsley, M.N. Toksöz, and L. Vetri (2006), Spatial orientation and distribution of reservoir fractures from scattered sesimic energy, Geophysics, 71(5), 43-51, doi:10.1190/1.2235977.**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
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*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government