Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Daniel H Doctor, Ph.D.

Daniel H. Doctor is a Research Geologist at the Florence Bascom Geoscience Center.

Dan is a research geologist conducting geologic mapping and specialized geologic research for the Appalachian Basin project. His current research interests include stratigraphy of the Appalachian Basin, landscape evolution within the Appalachian Valley and Ridge physiographic province, karst hydrology and geomorphology, sinkhole hazard studies, and paleoclimate records from karst regions.

Dan began a career with the USGS in 2002 as an NRC postdoc within the Isotope Tracers of Biogeochemical and Hydrologic Processes project of the National Research Program in Menlo Park, California. In 2006, he joined the Florence Bascom Geoscience Center in Reston, Virginia. 

Professional Experience

  • Research Geologist (2006-present). U.S. Geological Survey, KARST Project, Eastern Geology and Paleoclimate Science Center, Reston, VA

  • Hydrologist (2004-2006). U.S. Geological Survey, Isotope Tracers Group, Water Resources Division, Menlo Park, CA

  • Postdoctoral Research Associate, National Research Council (NRC) (2002-2004). U.S. Geological Survey, Isotope Tracers Group, Water Resources Division, Menlo Park, CA

  • Project Analyst (2001). Lands and Minerals Division, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN-DNR).

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D. (2002) in Hydrogeology/Geochemistry, with Doctoral Minor in Water Resources Science, University of Minnesota, Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, Minneapolis, MN

  • Bachelor of Arts (1994) in Geology, Minor in Environmental Studies, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY (Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa)

Science and Products

link
Team of scientists stand in front of outcrop

Appalachian Basin Geologic Mapping Project

The Appalachian Basin Geologic Mapping Project performs geologic mapping at local and regional scales, and geologic research in The Valley and Ridge and Appalachian Plateaus physiographic provinces. These provinces include parts of 11 states and mainly borders the Blue Ridge / Piedmont and North Interior Lowlands Provinces. Only one state has Valley and Ridge geology (NJ), two have Appalachian...
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center
link

Appalachian Basin Geologic Mapping Project

The Appalachian Basin Geologic Mapping Project performs geologic mapping at local and regional scales, and geologic research in The Valley and Ridge and Appalachian Plateaus physiographic provinces. These provinces include parts of 11 states and mainly borders the Blue Ridge / Piedmont and North Interior Lowlands Provinces. Only one state has Valley and Ridge geology (NJ), two have Appalachian...
Learn More
link
USGS science for a changing world logo

Subsidence Susceptibility Map for the Conterminous U.S.

Sinkholes present hazards to humans due to subsidence and by focusing contaminated surface water runoff into groundwater. Sinkholes create instability in the foundations of buildings, roads and other infrastructure, resulting in damage and in some cases loss of life, but may also play an important role as vernal pools in some ecosystems. This project created a prototype nationwide subsidence susc
By
Community for Data Integration (CDI)
link

Subsidence Susceptibility Map for the Conterminous U.S.

Sinkholes present hazards to humans due to subsidence and by focusing contaminated surface water runoff into groundwater. Sinkholes create instability in the foundations of buildings, roads and other infrastructure, resulting in damage and in some cases loss of life, but may also play an important role as vernal pools in some ecosystems. This project created a prototype nationwide subsidence susc
Learn More
Filter Total Items: 29

Geospatial files and tabular exposure estimates of sinkhole susceptibility for counties in the conterminous United States for current conditions and projections for the years 2070-2079 - Overview

These datasets support the conclusions in the journal article entitled "Current and future sinkhole susceptibility in karst and pseudokarst areas of the conterminous United States" as described in the abstract below: Sinkholes in karst and pseudokarst regions threaten infrastructure, property, and lives. We mapped closed depressions in karst and pseudokarst regions of the conterminous United State
By
Western Geographic Science Center

Deep-learning-derived alluvium, shallow-to-exposed bedrock, and surficial sediment thickness map for the upper Neversink River watershed, New York

This dataset consists of a raster and surficial shapefiles for the Neversink River watershed, NY, that were generated using ArcGIS Pro's deep learning functionality. The shapefiles contain polygons that show the locations of shallow-to-exposed bedrock and alluvium-filled valleys, while the raster provides estimated minimum sediment thicknesses in the areas between the shallow/exposed bedrock and a
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

A geodatabase of Surficial Geology of the Allentown 30x60-Minute Quadrangle in Pennsylvania digitized from the original map of Braun, 1996

This Scientific Data Release is a spatial geodatabase representation of Braun, D. D., 1996, Surficial geology of the Allentown 30x60-minute quadrangle: Pennsylvania Geological Survey, 4th ser., Open-File Report 96-48, 17 p., 1 map, scale 1:100,000. These geospatial data depict surficial geologic materials in the Pennsylvania portion of the Allentown 30 x 60-minute quadrangle in eastern Pennsylvani
By
National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

Stream Temperature, Dissolved Radon, and Stable Water Isotope Data Collected along Headwater Streams in the Upper Neversink River Watershed, NY, USA (ver. 2.0, April 2023)

This data release contains three data types that could potentially be used to infer spatiotemporal variability in groundwater discharge processes, along with other research and monitoring purposes: 1) Temporally continuous stream channel water temperature and adjacent streambank air temperature time series data (generally starting November 2020) as well as limited temperature data from May to Octo
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center

Enhanced Terrain Imagery of the Sunbury 30 x 60 Minute Quadrangle from Lidar-Derived Elevation Models at 3-Meter Resolution

This imagery dataset consists of 3-meter resolution, lidar-derived imagery of the Sunbury 30 x 60 minute quadrangle Pennsylvania. It also covers part of the Delaware River Basin. The source data used to construct this imagery consists of 1-meter and 3-meter resolution Lidar-derived digital elevation models (DEMs). The lidar source data were compiled from different acquisitions published between 20
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

Enhanced Terrain Imagery of the York 30 x 60 Minute Quadrangle from Lidar-Derived Elevation Models at 3-Meter Resolution

This imagery dataset consists of 3-meter resolution, lidar-derived imagery of the York 30 x 60 minute quadrangle in Pennsylvania and Maryland. It also covers part of the Delaware River Basin. The source data used to construct this imagery consists of 1-meter and 2-meter resolution Lidar-derived digital elevation models (DEMs). The lidar source data were compiled from different acquisitions publish
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

Enhanced Terrain Imagery of the Hagerstown 30 x 60 Minute Quadrangle from Lidar-Derived Elevation Models at 3-Meter Resolution

This imagery dataset consists of 3-meter resolution, lidar-derived imagery of the Hagerstown 30 x 60 minute quadrangle in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and part of West Virginia. The source data used to construct this imagery consists of 1-meter and 3-meter resolution Lidar-derived digital elevation models (DEMs). The lidar source data were compiled from different acquisitions published between 2014 and
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

Enhanced Terrain Imagery of the Harrisburg 30 x 60 Minute Quadrangle from Lidar-Derived Elevation Models at 3-Meter Resolution

This imagery dataset consists of 3-meter resolution, lidar-derived imagery of the Harrisburg 30 x 60 minute quadrangle in Pennsylvania. It also covers part of the Delaware River Basin. The source data used to construct this imagery consist of 1-meter and 3-meter resolution lidar-derived digital elevation models (DEMs). The lidar source data were compiled from different acquisitions published betwe
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

Enhanced Terrain Imagery of the Reading 30 x 60 Minute Quadrangle from Lidar-Derived Elevation Models at 3-Meter Resolution

This imagery dataset consists of 3-meter resolution, lidar-derived imagery of the Reading 30 x 60 minute quadrangle in Pennsylvania and parts New Jersey. It also covers part of the Delaware River Basin. The source data used to construct this imagery consists of 1-meter and 3-meter resolution Lidar-derived digital elevation models (DEMs). The lidar source data were compiled from different acquisiti
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

Enhanced Terrain Imagery of the Wilmington 30 x 60 Minute Quadrangle from Lidar-Derived Elevation Models at 3-Meter Resolution

This imagery dataset consists of 3-meter resolution, lidar-derived imagery of the Wilmington 30 x 60 minute quadrangle in parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. It also covers part of the Delaware River Basin. The source data used to construct this imagery consists of 1-meter and 3-meter resolution Lidar-derived digital elevation models (DEMs). The lidar source data were compil
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

2015-2017 lidar-derived imagery of karst areas in Puerto Rico at 1-meter resolution

This raster dataset contains 1-meter lidar-derived imagery of 7.5 minute quadrangles in karst areas of Puerto Rico and was created using geographic information systems (GIS) software. Lidar-derived elevation data, acquired between 2015 and 2017, were used to create a 1-meter resolution working digital elevation model (DEM). To create this imagery, a hillshade was applied and a topographic position
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

2018 lidar-derived imagery of karst areas in Puerto Rico at 1-meter resolution

This raster dataset contains 1-meter lidar-derived imagery of 7.5 minute quadrangles in karst areas of Puerto Rico and was created using geographic information systems (GIS) software. Lidar-derived elevation data, acquired in 2018, were used to create a 1-meter resolution working digital elevation model (DEM). To create this imagery, a hillshade was applied and a topographic position index (TPI) r
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

Geologic maps of the Stephenson and Winchester quadrangles, Frederick and Clarke Counties, Virginia, and Inwood and White Hall quadrangles, Berkeley and Jefferson Counties, West Virginia

The study area consists of four contiguous 7.5-minute quadrangles and is located in Frederick and Clarke Counties, Virginia, and Berkeley and Jefferson Counties, West Virginia. The individual quadrangles are Stephenson, Winchester, Inwood, and White Hall. The study area lies within the Great Valley subprovince of the Valley and Ridge physiographic province where about 23,000 feet (ft) (7,000 meter
By
National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

Geologic map of the Hayfield quadrangle, Frederick County, Virginia

The Hayfield 7.5-minute quadrangle is located within the Valley and Ridge physiographic province of northern Virginia. The quadrangle includes the topographical lowland area of the northern Great Valley to the southeast, the narrow ridge of Little North Mountain along the western edge of the Great Valley, and the broad region of elongated valleys and ridges west of Little North Mountain. The most
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center
Groundwater staining in Pennsylvanian sandstone. A rock hammer is used as size reference.
link
Filter Total Items: 31

Current and future sinkhole susceptibility in karst and pseudokarst areas of the conterminous United States

Sinkholes in karst and pseudokarst regions threaten infrastructure, property, and lives. We mapped closed depressions in karst and pseudokarst regions of the conterminous United States (U.S.) from 10-m-resolution elevation data using high-performance computing, and then created a heuristic additive model of sinkhole susceptibility that also included nationally consistent data for factors related t
Authors
Nathan J. Wood, Daniel H. Doctor, Jay R. Alder, Jeanne M. Jones
By
Western Geographic Science Center

Exploring the influence of input feature space on CNN-based geomorphic feature extraction from digital terrain data

Many studies of Earth surface processes and landscape evolution rely on having accurate and extensive data sets of surficial geologic units and landforms. Automated extraction of geomorphic features using deep learning provides an objective way to consistently map landforms over large spatial extents. However, there is no consensus on the optimal input feature space for such analyses. We explore t
Authors
Aaron E. Maxwell, William Elijah Odom, Charles M. Shobe, Daniel H. Doctor, Michelle S. Bester, Tobi Ore
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

Rapid estimation of minimum depth-to-bedrock from lidar leveraging deep-learning-derived surficial material maps

Previously glaciated landscapes often share similar surficial characteristics, including large areas of exposed bedrock, blankets of till deposits, and alluvium-floored valleys. These materials play significant roles in geologic and hydrologic resources, geohazards, and landscape evolution; however, the vast extents of many previously glaciated landscapes have rendered comprehensive, detailed fiel
Authors
William Elijah Odom, Daniel H. Doctor
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

A multiscale approach for monitoring groundwater discharge to headwater streams by the U.S. Geological Survey Next Generation Water Observing System Program—An example from the Neversink Reservoir watershed, New York

Groundwater-stream connectivity across mountain watersheds is critical for supporting streamflow during dry times and keeping streams cool during warm times, yet U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stream measurements are often sparse in headwaters. Starting in 2019, the USGS Next Generation Water Observing System Program developed a multiscale methods and technology testbed approach to monitoring groun
Authors
Martin A. Briggs, Christopher L. Gazoorian, Daniel H. Doctor, Douglas A. Burns
By
Water Resources Mission Area, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, New York Water Science Center

Karst geology of the Upper Midwest, USA

Karst in the Upper Midwest occurs within a thick sequence of mixed carbonate and siliciclastic Cambrian through Pennsylvanian sedimentary rocks, with a minor occurrence of karst in Proterozoic sandstone. Deposition of the sediments occurred on a marine epeiric ramp that spanned much of the North American continent through most of the Paleozoic. The Upper Midwest region experienced dramatic changes
Authors
Daniel H. Doctor, E. Calvin Alexander
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Mississippi River

Progress toward a preliminary karst depression density map for the conterminous United States

Most methods for the assessment of sinkhole hazard susceptibility are predicated upon knowledge of pre-existing closed depressions in karst areas. In the United States (U.S.), inventories of existing karst depressions are piecemeal, and are often obtained through inconsistent methodologies applied at the state or county level and at various scales. Here, we present a first attempt at defining a ka
Authors
Daniel H. Doctor, Jeanne M. Jones, Nathan J. Wood, Jeff T. Falgout, Natalya Igorevna Rapstine
By
National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS) Program, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Western Geographic Science Center

Appalachian Basin stratigraphy, tectonics, and eustasy from the Blue Ridge to the Allegheny Front, Virginia and West Virginia

This guide is from a two-day field trip in western Virginia and eastern West Virginia held before the 2015 Geological Society of America annual meeting in Baltimore, Maryland. The field trip examines exposures of Paleozoic sedimentary strata in the Appalachian Basin starting in the Blue Ridge physiographic province, going through the Valley and Ridge physiographic province, and ending in the Appal
Authors
John T. Haynes, Alan D. Pitts, Daniel H. Doctor, Richard J. Diecchio, Mitchell B. Blake
By
National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

New insight into the origin of manganese oxide ore deposits in the Appalachian Valley and Ridge of northeastern Tennessee and northern Virginia, USA

Manganese oxide deposits have long been observed in association with carbonates within the Appalachian Mountains, but their origin has remained enigmatic for well over a century. Ore deposits of Mn oxides from several productive sites located in eastern Tennessee and northern Virginia display morphologies that include botryoidal and branching forms, massive nodules, breccia matrix cements, and fra

Authors
Sarah K. Carmichael, Daniel H. Doctor, Crystal G. Wilson, Joshua Feierstein, Ryan J. McAleer
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Bascom ARgon Dating (BARD) Laboratory

Hypogene caves of the central Appalachian Shenandoah Valley in Virginia

Several caves in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia show evidence for early hypogenic conduit development with later-enhanced solution under partly confined phreatic conditions guided by geologic structures. Many (but not all) of these caves have been subsequently invaded by surface waters as a result of erosion and exhumation. Those not so affected are relict phreatic caves, bearing no relation to
Authors
Daniel H. Doctor, Wil Orndorff
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

Book review: Karst without boundaries

No abstract available.
Authors
Daniel H. Doctor
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

Predicting the occurrence of cave-inhabiting fauna based on features of the earth surface environment

One of the most challenging fauna to study in situ is the obligate cave fauna because of the difficulty of sampling. Cave-limited species display patchy and restricted distributions, but it is often unclear whether the observed distribution is a sampling artifact or a true restriction in range. Further, the drivers of the distribution could be local environmental conditions, such as cave humidity,
Authors
Mary C. Christman, Daniel H. Doctor, Matthew L. Niemiller, David J. Weary, John A. Young, Kirk S. Zigler, David C. Culver
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Analysis of hydrologic and geochemical time-series data at James Cave, Virginia: Implications for epikarst influence on recharge in Appalachian karst aquifers

The epikarst, which consists of highly weathered rock in the upper vadose zone of exposed karst systems, plays a critical role in determining the hydrologic and geochemical characteristics of recharge to an underlying karst aquifer. This study utilized time series (2007–2014) of hydrologic and geochemical data of drip water collected within James Cave, Virginia, to examine the influence of epikars
Authors
Sarah D. Eagle, William Orndorff, Benjamin F. Schwartz, Daniel H. Doctor, Jonathan D. Gerst, Madeline E. Schreiber
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center
link

National Preparedness Month 2020: Landslides and Sinkholes

Natural hazards have the potential to impact a majority of Americans every year. USGS science provides part of the foundation for emergency...

Read Article

Science and Products