David M. Miller, Ph.D
David is an Emeritus at Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. He received a Ph.D from UCLA in 1978 and a BS from Binghamton University in 1973 in Geology. He began by studying metamorphic rocks of core complexes in the Intermountain West and is now focusing on evaluating earthquake hazards by studying Cenozoic materials.
David is currently an Emeritus at Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. He worked on metamorphic rocks of core complexes and Cenozoic igneous and sedimentary rocks of basins in the Intermountain West for two decades, pursuing structural origins of mineral resources and hydrocarbon resources. He shifted to study of late Cenozoic materials, mainly for evaluating earthquake hazards, during the last two decades.
David is now working on the neotectonics of the Northern Mojave Desert. Through surficial geologic mapping and surface process studies, he is improving understanding of earthquake risks by evaluating recently active faults, folds, and warps of tectonic origin. The mapping is focused on several active faults identified by recent regional mapping of the Mojave Desert. A long-term goal is to arrive at a new tectonic synthesis of this part of the eastern California shear zone.
He is also involved with studying the Mojave Desert Ecosystem through surficial geologic mapping and surface process studies. He is developing data for a regional study of biotic and abiotic systems of the Mojave Desert, such as ground-based studies of surficial geology, material properties, eolian transport, overland flow, and Holocene climate history.
Finally, he is working on the Paleoclimatic records of the southwest. He examines spring and marsh records, lake shoreline records, and lake-bottom deposits to detail glacial and post-glacial sediment histories to extract paleo climatic information. These studies range from Mojave Desert to Great Salt Lake and its precursor lake, Lake Bonneville.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D in Geology, University of California, 1978
BS in Geology with "Distinguished Independent Study", Binghamton University, 1973
Science and Products
Identifying multiple timescale rainfall controls on Mojave Desert ecohydrology using an integrated data and modeling approach for Larrea tridentata
Directly dated MIS 3 lake-level record from Lake Manix, Mojave Desert, California, USA
Generalized surficial geologic map of the Fort Irwin Area, San Bernardino County, California
A compilation of K-Ar-ages for southern California
A mechanistic modeling and data assimilation framework for Mojave Desert ecohydrology
Interpretations of evidence for large Pleistocene paleolakes in the Bonneville basin, western North America: COMMENT on: Bonneville basin shoreline records of large lake intervals during marine isotope stage 3 and the last glacial maximum, by Nishizawa et
Models of invasion and establishment of African Mustard (Brassica tournefortii)
Bouse Formation in the Bristol basin near Amboy, California, USA
Stream capture to form Red Pass, northern Soda Mountains, California
Improving paleoecology studies for future predictions: Role of spatial and temporal scales for understanding ecology of the arid and semiarid landscape of the Southwest
Pedological and geological relationships with soil lichen and moss distribution in the eastern Mojave Desert, CA, USA
Geohydrology, geochemistry, and groundwater simulation (1992-2011) and analysis of potential water-supply management options, 2010-60, of the Langford Basin, California
Non-USGS Publications**
**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: 131
Identifying multiple timescale rainfall controls on Mojave Desert ecohydrology using an integrated data and modeling approach for Larrea tridentata
The perennial shrub Larrea tridentata is widely successful in North American warm deserts but is also susceptible to climatic perturbations. Understanding its response to rainfall variability requires consideration of multiple timescales. We examine intra-annual to multi-year relationships using model simulations of soil moisture and vegetation growth over 50 years in the Mojave National PreserveAuthorsGene-Hua Crystal Ng, David R. Bedford, David M. MillerDirectly dated MIS 3 lake-level record from Lake Manix, Mojave Desert, California, USA
An outcrop-based lake-level curve, constrained by ~ 70 calibrated 14C ages on Anodonta shells, indicates at least 8 highstands between 45 and 25 cal ka BP within 10 m of the 543-m upper threshold of Lake Manix in the Mojave Desert of southern California. Correlations of Manix highstands with ice, marine, and speleothem records suggest that at least the youngest three highstands coincide with DansgAuthorsMarith C. Reheis, David M. Miller, John P. McGeehin, Joanna R. Redwine, Charles G. Oviatt, Jordon E. BrightGeneralized surficial geologic map of the Fort Irwin Area, San Bernardino County, California
The geology and landscape of the Fort Irwin area, typical of many parts of the Mojave Desert, consist of rugged mountains separated by broad alluviated valleys that form the main coarse-resolution features of the geologic map. Crystalline and sedimentary rocks, Mesozoic and older in age, form most of the mountains with lesser accumulations of Miocene sedimentary and volcanic rocks. In detail, theAuthorsDavid M. Miller, Christopher M. Menges, David J. LidkeByEnergy and Minerals Mission Area, Energy Resources Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Laboratories Program, Science and Decisions Center, Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science CenterA compilation of K-Ar-ages for southern California
The purpose of this report is to make available a large body of conventional K-Ar ages for granitic, volcanic, and metamorphic rocks collected in southern California. Although one interpretive map is included, the report consists primarily of a systematic listing, without discussion or interpretation, of published and unpublished ages that may be of value in future regional and other geologic studAuthorsFred K. Miller, Douglas M. Morton, Janet L. Morton, David M. MillerA mechanistic modeling and data assimilation framework for Mojave Desert ecohydrology
This study demonstrates and addresses challenges in coupled ecohydrological modeling in deserts, which arise due to unique plant adaptations, marginal growing conditions, slow net primary production rates, and highly variable rainfall. We consider model uncertainty from both structural and parameter errors and present a mechanistic model for the shrub Larrea tridentata (creosote bush) under conditAuthorsGene-Hua Crystal Ng, David Bedford, David M. MillerInterpretations of evidence for large Pleistocene paleolakes in the Bonneville basin, western North America: COMMENT on: Bonneville basin shoreline records of large lake intervals during marine isotope stage 3 and the last glacial maximum, by Nishizawa et
Nishizawa et al. (2013) argue in support of three large paleolakes in the Bonneville basin during Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3). If true, that would be an important contribution to paleoclimate investigations. However, the key evidence in support of their argument consists of four radiocarbon ages that are out of stratigraphic order and near the practical and theoretical limit of the datinAuthorsCharles G. Oviatt, Margorie A. Chan, Paul W. Jewell, Bruce G. Bills, David B. Madsen, David M. MillerModels of invasion and establishment of African Mustard (Brassica tournefortii)
Introduced exotic plants can drive ecosystem change. We studied invasion and establishment ofBrassica tournefortii (African mustard), a noxious weed, in the Chemehuevi Valley, western Sonoran Desert, California. We used long-term data sets of photographs, transects for biomass of annual plants, and densities of African mustard collected at irregular intervals between 1979 and 2009. We suggest thatAuthorsKristin H. Berry, Timothy A. Gowan, David M. Miller, Matthew L. BrooksBouse Formation in the Bristol basin near Amboy, California, USA
Limestone beds underlain and overlain by alluvial fan conglomerate near Amboy, California, are very similar in many respects to parts of the Bouse Formation, suggesting that an arm of the Pliocene Bouse water body extended across a wide part of the southern Mojave Desert. The deposits are north of the town of Amboy at and below an elevation of 290 m, along the northern piedmont of the Bristol “dryAuthorsDavid M. Miller, Robert E. Reynolds, Jordan E. Bright, Scott W. StarrattStream capture to form Red Pass, northern Soda Mountains, California
Red Pass, a narrow cut through the Soda Mountains important for prehistoric and early historic travelers, is quite young geologically. Its history of downcutting to capture streams west of the Soda Mountains, thereby draining much of eastern Fort Irwin, is told by the contrast in alluvial fan sediments on either side of the pass. Old alluvial fan deposits (>500 ka) were shed westward off an intacAuthorsDavid M. Miller, Shannon A. MahanImproving paleoecology studies for future predictions: Role of spatial and temporal scales for understanding ecology of the arid and semiarid landscape of the Southwest
Paleoecology (or ecological biogeography) describes the past distribution of species or communities and is an informative path used to understand the future in the face of climate change. Paleoecological changes in the Southwest over the past several thousand years happened in the presence of landscape manipulations by humans, a factor that adds relevance but increases difficulty of interpretationAuthorsDavid M. Miller, Gene-Hua Crystal Ng, Katharine MaherPedological and geological relationships with soil lichen and moss distribution in the eastern Mojave Desert, CA, USA
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are ubiquitous in drylands globally. Lichens and mosses are essential biocrust components and provide a variety of ecosystem services, making their conservation and management of interest. Accordingly, understanding what factors are correlated with their distribution is important to land managers. We hypothesized that cover would be related to geologic and pedoloAuthorsJayne Belnap, David M. Miller, David R. Bedford, Susan L. PhillipsGeohydrology, geochemistry, and groundwater simulation (1992-2011) and analysis of potential water-supply management options, 2010-60, of the Langford Basin, California
Groundwater withdrawals began in 1992 from the Langford Basin within the Fort Irwin National Training Center (NTC), California. From April 1992 to December 2010, approximately 12,300 acre-feet of water (averaging about 650 acre-feet per year) has been withdrawn from the basin and transported to the adjacent Irwin Basin. Since withdrawals began, water levels in the basin have declined by as much asAuthorsLois M. Voronin, Jill N. Densmore, Peter Martin, Charles F. Brush, Carl S. Carlson, David M. MillerNon-USGS Publications**
Miller, D. M., 1978, Deformation associated with Big Bertha Dome, Albion Mountains, Idaho. Univ. of Cal. Los Angeles, Ph.D. Dissertation, 255 p.
Miller, D. M., and Oertel, G., 1979, Strain determination from the measurement of pebble shapes: a modification: Tectonophysics, v. 55, p. T11-T13.**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.