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
Chronology, sedimentology, and microfauna of groundwater discharge deposits in the central Mojave Desert, Valley Wells, California
Stratigraphy and chronology of offshore to nearshore deposits associated with the Provo shoreline, Pleistocene Lake Bonneville, Utah
Great Basin Integrated Landscape Monitoring Pilot Summary Report
Conceptual ecological models to guide integrated landscape monitoring of the Great Basin
Reconnaissance geochronology of tuffs in the Miocene Barstow Formation: implications for basin evolution and tectonics in the central Mojave Desert
Correlation of the Miocene Peach Spring Tuff with the geomagnetic polarity time scale and new constraints on tectonic rotations in the Mojave Desert, California
Reconnaissance geochronology of tuffs in the Miocene Barstow Formation: Implications for basin evolution and tectonics in the central Mojave Desert
Stratigraphy, age, and depositional setting of the Miocene Barstow Formation at Harvard Hill, central Mojave Desert, California
Holocene landscape response to seasonality of storms in the Mojave Desert
Gravity and Magnetic Investigations of the Mojave National Preserve and Adjacent Areas, California and Nevada
Hydrologic characterization of desert soils with varying degrees of pedogenesis: 1. field experiments evaluating plant-relevant soil water behavior
Modeling habitat of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in the Mojave and parts of the Sonoran Deserts of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona
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
Chronology, sedimentology, and microfauna of groundwater discharge deposits in the central Mojave Desert, Valley Wells, California
During the late Pleistocene, emergent groundwater supported persistent and long-lived desert wetlands in many broad valleys and basins in the American Southwest. When active, these systems provided important food and water sources for local fauna, supported hydrophilic and phreatophytic vegetation, and acted as catchments for eolian and alluvial sediments. Desert wetlands are represented in the geAuthorsJeffrey S. Pigati, David M. Miller, Jordon E. Bright, Shannon Mahan, Jeffrey C. Nekola, James B. PacesStratigraphy and chronology of offshore to nearshore deposits associated with the Provo shoreline, Pleistocene Lake Bonneville, Utah
Stratigraphic descriptions and radiocarbon data from eleven field locations are presented in this paper to establish a chronostratigraphic framework for offshore to nearshore deposits of Lake Bonneville. Based on key marker beds and geomorphic position, the deposits are interpreted to have accumulated during the period from the late transgressive phase, through the overflowing phase, into the regrAuthorsHolly S. Godsey, Charles G. Oviatt, David M. Miller, Marjorie A. ChanGreat Basin Integrated Landscape Monitoring Pilot Summary Report
The Great Basin Integrated Landscape Monitoring Pilot project (GBILM) was one of four regional pilots to implement the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Science Thrust on Integrated Landscape Monitoring (ILM) whose goal was to observe, understand, and predict landscape change and its implications on natural resources at multiple spatial and temporal scales and address priority natural resource managemAuthorsSean P. Finn, Kate Kitchell, Lori Anne Baer, David R. Bedford, Matthew L. Brooks, Alan L. Flint, Lorraine E. Flint, J.R. Matchett, Amy Mathie, David M. Miller, David S. Pilliod, Alicia Torregrosa, Andrea WoodwardConceptual ecological models to guide integrated landscape monitoring of the Great Basin
The Great Basin Integrated Landscape Monitoring Pilot Project was developed in response to the need for a monitoring and predictive capability that addresses changes in broad landscapes and waterscapes. Human communities and needs are nested within landscapes formed by interactions among the hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere. Understanding the complex processes that shape landscapes and deriviAuthorsD. M. Miller, S.P. Finn, Andrea Woodward, Alicia Torregrosa, M. E. Miller, D. R. Bedford, A.M. BrasherReconnaissance geochronology of tuffs in the Miocene Barstow Formation: implications for basin evolution and tectonics in the central Mojave Desert
Early to middle Miocene lacustrine strata of the Barstow Formation are well dated in just a few places, limiting our ability to infer basin evolution and regional tectonics. At the type section in the Mud Hills, previous studies have shown that the lacustrine interval of the Barstow Formation is between ~16.3 Ma and ~13.4 Ma. Elsewhere, lake beds of the Barstow Formation have yielded vertebrateAuthorsD. M. Miller, S.R. Leslie, J. W. Hillhouse, J. L. Wooden, J.A. Vazquez, R. E. ReynoldsCorrelation of the Miocene Peach Spring Tuff with the geomagnetic polarity time scale and new constraints on tectonic rotations in the Mojave Desert, California
We report new paleomagnetic results and 40Ar/39Ar ages from the Peach Spring Tuff (PST), a key marker bed that occurs in the desert region between Barstow, California, and Peach Springs, Arizona. The 40Ar/39Ar ages were determined using individual hand-picked sanidine crystals from ash-flow specimens used in previous paleomagnetic studies at eight sites correlated by mineralogy, stratigraphic posiAuthorsJohn W. Hillhouse, David M. Miller, Brent D. TurrinByEnergy and Minerals Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Energy Resources Program, Geomagnetism Program, Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Laboratories Program, Science and Decisions Center, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science CenterReconnaissance geochronology of tuffs in the Miocene Barstow Formation: Implications for basin evolution and tectonics in the central Mojave Desert
Early to middle Miocene lacustrine strata of the Barstow Formation are well dated in just a few places, limiting our ability to infer basin evolution and regional tectonics. At the type section in the Mud Hills, previous studies have shown that the lacustrine interval of the Barstow Formation is between ~16.3 Ma and ~13.4 Ma. Elsewhere, lake beds of the Barstow Formation have yielded vertebrate foAuthorsDavid M. Miller, Shannon R. Leslie, John W. Hillhouse, Joseph L. Wooden, Jorge A. Vazquez, R. E. ReynoldsByNatural Hazards Mission Area, Energy and Minerals Mission Area, Volcano Hazards Program, Energy Resources Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Laboratories Program, Science and Decisions Center, Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, Volcano Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science CenterStratigraphy, age, and depositional setting of the Miocene Barstow Formation at Harvard Hill, central Mojave Desert, California
New detailed geologic mapping and geochronology of the Barstow Formation at Harvard Hill, 30 km east of Barstow, CA, help to constrain Miocene paleogeography and tectonics of the central Mojave Desert. A northern strand of the Quaternary ENE-striking, sinistral Manix fault divides the Barstow Formation at Harvard Hill into two distinct lithologic assemblages. Strata north of the fault consist of:AuthorsShannon R. Leslie, David M. Miller, Joseph L. Wooden, Jorge A. VazquezHolocene landscape response to seasonality of storms in the Mojave Desert
New optically stimulated and radiocarbon ages for alluvial fan and lake deposits in the Mojave Desert are presented, which greatly improves the temporal resolution of surface processes. The new Mojave Desert climate-landscape record is particularly detailed for the late Holocene. Evidence from ephemeral lake deposits and landforms indicates times of sustained stream flow during a wet interval of tAuthorsD. M. Miller, K. M. Schmidt, S. A. Mahan, J. P. McGeehin, L.A. Owen, J.A. Barron, F. Lehmkuhl, R. LohrerGravity and Magnetic Investigations of the Mojave National Preserve and Adjacent Areas, California and Nevada
Gravity and aeromagnetic data provide the underpinnings of a hydrogeologic framework for the Mojave National Preserve by estimating the thickness of Cenozoic deposits and locating inferred structural features that influence groundwater flow. An inversion of gravity data indicates that thin (AuthorsV. E. Langenheim, S. Biehler, R. Negrini, K. Mickus, D. M. Miller, R. J. MillerHydrologic characterization of desert soils with varying degrees of pedogenesis: 1. field experiments evaluating plant-relevant soil water behavior
To assess the eff ect of pedogenesis on the soil moisture dynamics infl uencing the character and quality of ecological habitat, we conducted infi ltration and redistribution experiments on three alluvial deposits in the Mojave National Preserve: (i) recently deposited active wash sediments, (ii) a soil of early Holocene age, and (iii) a highly developed soil of late Pleistocene age. At each, we pAuthorsJohn R. Nimmo, Kim S. Perkins, Kevin M. Schmidt, David M. Miller, Jonathan D. Stock, Kamini SinghaModeling habitat of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in the Mojave and parts of the Sonoran Deserts of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona
Habitat modeling is an important tool used to simulate the potential distribution of a species for a variety of basic and applied questions. The desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) is a federally listed threatened species in the Mojave Desert and parts of the Sonoran Desert of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. Land managers in this region require reliable information about the potential distAuthorsKenneth E. Nussear, Todd C. Esque, Richard D. Inman, Leila Gass, Kathryn A. Thomas, Cynthia S.A. Wallace, Joan B. Blainey, David M. Miller, Robert H. WebbNon-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.