Gregg A Swayze, Ph.D.
Gregg Swayze is a Scientist Emeritus in Denver. Gregg received a Doctorate in Geology from the University of Colorado in 1997. Since joining the USGS in 1985, Gregg has devoted his career to studying Remote Sensing and specializes in Imaging Spectroscopy. Presently, his science focuses on environmental and mineral exploration applications of imaging spectroscopy.
Research Interests
Over the years, Gregg has developed methods to spectrally map acid-mine drainage in Leadville, Colorado, naturally-occurring asbestos in the foothills of California, insulation asbestos in the World Trade Center dust, and oil emulsions formed during the 2010 BP oil spill. He has also developed a portable spectral fingerprinting technique to identify asbestos-bearing vermiculite in attic insulation. Gregg has used his imaging spectroscopy experience with relict hydrothermal systems in Nevada and Hawaii to help map similar mineral deposits on the surface of Mars with the NASA CRISM orbital spectrometer. His most recent focus is on spectrally mapping REE-bearing minerals at the Mt. Pass Mine in California. He was recently selected as a Co-Investigator of the NASA/JPL Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) team with the goal of putting an imaging spectrometer on the International Space Station to map the mineralogy of dust source regions on a global basis.
Professional Experience
1985 to present, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. degree/Geology, University of Colorado, 1997
M.S. degree/Geology, Colorado School of Mines, 1985
B.S. degree/Geology, Grand Valley State University, 1982
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Geophysical Union
Geological Society of America
Colorado Scientific Society
Society of Economic Geologists
Science and Products
The use of synthetic jarosite as an analog for natural jarosite
Evaluating minerals of environmental concern using spectroscopy
The future of imaging spectroscopy - Prospective technologies and applications
Mineral mapping and applications of imaging spectroscopy
Not-so-routine electron probe microanalyses of jarosite
Characterization of waste rock associated with acid drainage at the Penn Mine, California, by ground-based visible to short-wave infrared reflectance spectroscopy assisted by digital mapping
Preliminary report on using imaging spectroscopy to map ultramafic rocks, serpentinites, and tremolite-actinolite-bearing rocks in California
Reflectance spectroscopy as a rapid assessment tool for the detection of amphiboles from the Libby, Montana region
USGS Digital Spectral Library splib05a
Effects of spectrometer band pass, sampling, and signal‐to‐noise ratio on spectral identification using the Tetracorder algorithm
Imaging spectroscopy: Earth and planetary remote sensing with the USGS Tetracorder and expert systems
USGS environmental studies of the World Trade Center area, New York City, after September 11, 2001
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 71
The use of synthetic jarosite as an analog for natural jarosite
The presence of jarosite in soil or mining waste is an indicator of acidic sulfate-rich conditions. Physical and chemical properties of synthetic jarosites are commonly used as analogs in laboratory studies to determine solubility and acid-generation of naturally occurring jarosites. In our work we have mineralogically and chemically characterized both natural and synthetic jarosites. Analysis ofAuthorsGeorge A. Desborough, Kathleen S. Smith, Heather A. Lowers, Gregg A. Swayze, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Sharon F. Diehl, Rhonda L. Driscoll, Reinhard W. LeinzEvaluating minerals of environmental concern using spectroscopy
Imaging spectroscopy has been successfully used to aid researchers in characterizing potential environmental impacts posed by acid-rock drainage, ore-processing dust on mangroves, and asbestos in serpentine mineral deposits and urban dust. Many of these applications synergistically combine field spectroscopy with remote sensing data, thus allowing more-precise data calibration, spectral analysis oAuthorsG.A. Swayze, R. N. Clark, C.T. Higgins, R.F. Kokaly, K. Eric Livo, T.M. Hoefen, C. Ong, F.A. KruseThe future of imaging spectroscopy - Prospective technologies and applications
Spectroscopy has existed for more than three centuries now. Nonetheless, significant scientific advances have been achieved. We discuss the history of spectroscopy in relation to emerging technologies and applications. Advanced focal plane arrays, optical design, and intelligent on-board logic are prime prospective technologies. Scalable approaches in pre-processing of imaging spectrometer data wiAuthorsM.E. Schaepman, R.O. Green, S.G. Ungar, B. Curtiss, J. Boardman, A.J. Plaza, B.-C. Gao, S. Ustin, R. Kokaly, J.R. Miller, S. Jacquemoud, E. Ben-Dor, R. Clark, C. Davis, J. Dozier, D.G. Goodenough, D. Roberts, G. Swayze, E.J. Milton, A. F. H. GoetzMineral mapping and applications of imaging spectroscopy
Spectroscopy is a tool that has been used for decades to identify, understand, and quantify solid, liquid, or gaseous materials, especially in the laboratory. In disciplines ranging from astronomy to chemistry, spectroscopic measurements are used to detect absorption and emission features due to specific chemical bonds, and detailed analyses are used to determine the abundance and physical state oAuthorsR. N. Clark, J. Boardman, J. Mustard, F. Kruse, C. Ong, C. Pieters, G.A. SwayzeNot-so-routine electron probe microanalyses of jarosite
No abstract available.AuthorsHeather Lowers, George A. Desborough, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Gregg A. Swayze, Kathleen S. Smith, Sharon F. DiehlCharacterization of waste rock associated with acid drainage at the Penn Mine, California, by ground-based visible to short-wave infrared reflectance spectroscopy assisted by digital mapping
Prior to remediation at the abandoned Cu-Zn Penn Mine in the Foothills massive sulfide belt of the Sierra Nevada, CA, acid mine drainage (AMD) was created, in part, by the subaerial oxidation of sulfides exposed on several waste piles. To support remediation efforts, a mineralogical study of the waste piles was undertaken by acquiring reflectance spectra (measured in the visible to short-wave infrAuthorsS.I.C. Montero, G.H. Brimhall, Charles N. Alpers, G.A. SwayzePreliminary report on using imaging spectroscopy to map ultramafic rocks, serpentinites, and tremolite-actinolite-bearing rocks in California
Airborne Visible/InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data were collected in approximately 3- kilometer-wide swaths over selected areas in El Dorado and Plumas Counties that contain serpentinite and ultramafic rocks as part of an experiment to determine if potentially asbestos-bearing rocks could be identified spectrally. M ineral maps created from the AVIRIS data were used successfully to delinAuthorsGregg A. Swayze, Chris T. Higgins, John P. Clinkenbeard, Raymond F. Kokaly, Roger N. Clark, Gregory P. Meeker, Stephen J. SutleyReflectance spectroscopy as a rapid assessment tool for the detection of amphiboles from the Libby, Montana region
No abstract available.AuthorsRoger N. Clark, Todd M. Hoefen, Gregg A. Swayze, K. Eric Livo, Greg P. Meeker, Steve J. Sutley, Steve Wilson, Isabelle K. Brownfield, J. Sam VanceUSGS Digital Spectral Library splib05a
We have assembled a digital reflectance spectral library of spectra that covers wavelengths from the ultraviolet to near-infrared along with sample documentation. The library includes samples of minerals, rocks, soils, physically constructed as well as mathematically computed mixtures, vegetation, microorganisms, and man-made materials. The samples and spectra collected were assembled for the purpAuthorsRoger N. Clark, Gregg A. Swayze, Richard K. Wise, Eric Livo, Todd M. Hoefen, Raymond F. Kokaly, Steve J. SutleyEffects of spectrometer band pass, sampling, and signal‐to‐noise ratio on spectral identification using the Tetracorder algorithm
[1] Estimates of spectrometer band pass, sampling interval, and signal‐to‐noise ratio required for identification of pure minerals and plants were derived using reflectance spectra convolved to AVIRIS, HYDICE, MIVIS, VIMS, and other imaging spectrometers. For each spectral simulation, various levels of random noise were added to the reflectance spectra after convolution, and then each was analyzedAuthorsGregg A. Swayze, Roger N. Clark, Alexander F.H. Goetz, Thomas G. Chrien, Noel S. GorelickImaging spectroscopy: Earth and planetary remote sensing with the USGS Tetracorder and expert systems
Imaging spectroscopy is a tool that can be used to spectrally identify and spatially map materials based on their specific chemical bonds. Spectroscopic analysis requires significantly more sophistication than has been employed in conventional broadband remote sensing analysis. We describe a new system that is effective at material identification and mapping: a set of algorithms within an expert sAuthorsRoger N. Clark, Gregg A. Swayze, K. Eric Livo, Raymond F. Kokaly, Steve J. Sutley, J. Brad Dalton, Robert R. McDougal, Carol A. GentUSGS environmental studies of the World Trade Center area, New York City, after September 11, 2001
Two days after the September 11, 2001, attack on World Trade Center (WTC), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was asked by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Public Health Service to conduct a remote sensing and mineralogical characterization study of lower Manhattan around the WTC. This study, conducted in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationAuthorsRoger N. Clark, Greg Meeker, Geoffrey S. Plumlee, Gregg A. Swayze - Web Tools
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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