Jean M Self-Trail is a Research Geologist, USGS Florence Bascom Geoscience Center.
I conduct basic research on calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy, paleoclimate, lithostratigraphy, and sequence stratigraphy. This work is focused primarily on the U.S. Atlantic Coastal Plain, for the purpose of understanding the geologic framework, the effect that changing climate had on shallow marine systems and coastal regions, and for characterizing strata that are major aquifers for water resources.
Employment
- 2001-Present: Research Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Eastern Geology & Paleoclimate Science Center, Reston, Virginia.
- Project Chief (2021-present), Atlantic Subsurface Stratigraphic Initiative
- Staff Geologist (2018-present), Gulf Coast Project
- Staff Geologist (2017-2018) Eastern Coastal Plain Geologic Mapping Project
- Staff Geologist (2017-2018) Eocene Hyperthermals Project
- Staff Geologist (2015-2017), Eastern Coastal Plain Studies Project.
- Co-Project Chief (2008-2015), Atlantic Watersheds Project.
- Co-Project Chief (1999-2008), Carolina Conitnental Margin Project.
- Staff Geologist (1999-2008), Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater Project.
- 2007-2016: Adjunct Professor, Northern Virginia Community College, Sterling, VA, (Historical Geology, Physical Geology, Microfossil Laboratory Techniques).
- 2007-2013: Graduate Faculty Appointment, University of North Carolina, Wilmington, NC.
- 1994-2001: Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Eastern Earth Surface Processes Team, Reston, Virginia.
- Staff Geologist (1995-2000), Southeastern Coastal Plain Project.
- 1997: Research Assistant, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE.
- 1991-1993: Teaching Assistant, University of Delaware, Newark, DE (Physical Geology, Historical Geology, Paleontology).
- 1988-1995: Physical Science Technician, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Branch of Paleontology and Stratigraphy, Reston, Virginia.
Other Activities
- 2017-Present: Board of Directors, Micropaleontology Press (journals Stratigraphy and Micropaleontology).
- 2016-Present: Editor for the journal Stratigraphy.
- 2014-Present: Board of Trustees, Katharina von Salis Endowment, International Nannoplankton Association Foundation. We provide a yearly grant to one graduate student for research on any subject pertaining to fossil calcareous nannoplankton.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. (2001) – Geology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE.
M.S. (1994) – Geology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE.
B.S. (1988) – Geology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA.
Affiliations and Memberships*
Geological Society of America (GSA)
International Nannoplankton Association (INA)
Paleontological Society of Washington (PSW)
Honors and Awards
2014 Superior Service Award (for work on PETM and Eocene hyperthermals), USGS.
2012 Adjunct Faculty of the Year (nominated), Northern Virginia Community College.
1993 Best Teaching Assistant, Department of Geology, University of Delaware.
1991 Department Scholarship, Department of Geology, University of Delaware.
1991 Women in Sciences Award, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Delaware.
Science and Products
Atlantic Subsurface Stratigraphic Initiative
Eocene Hyperthermals Project
United States Gulf Coast Basin Curated Wells and Logs Database
Microfossil, grain size, and petrographic data for the Cabin Branch and Cabin Creek (Cappy Avenue) outcrops, Prince George's County, Maryland
Cenozoic Calcareous Nannofossil Occurrences from Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain Cores, Wells, and Outcrops
Cenozoic Calcareous Nannofossil Occurrences from South Atlantic Coastal Plain Cores
Cenozoic Calcareous Nannofossil Occurrences from Gulf Coastal Plain Cores and Outcrops
Isotope, organic carbon, and biostratigraphic data for the Hope Plantation (BE-110) and Smith Elementary School (CR-675) cores, North Carolina
Grain size, microfossil, and strontium data for the Kure Beach and Elizabethtown cores, North Carolina
Calcareous nannofossil assemblage data from the upper Floridan Aquifer in the Pineora, Cockspur Island, and Palm Dunes cores, GA and SC
Astrochronology of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum on the Atlantic Coastal Plain
Surface ocean warming and acidification driven by rapid carbon release precedes Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum
Regression of the Tethys Sea (central Asia) during middle to late Eocene: Evidence from calcareous nannofossils of western Tarim Basin, NW China
Evolution and taxonomy of the Paleogene calcareous nannofossil genus Hornibrookina
Calcareous plankton biostratigraphic fidelity and species richness during the last 10 m.y. of the Cretaceous at Blake Plateau, subtropical North Atlantic
Enhanced terrestrial runoff during Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 on the North Carolina Coastal Plain, USA
Depositional sequence stratigraphy of Turonian to Santonian sediments, Cape Fear arch, North Carolina Coastal Plain, USA
Cross section of the North Carolina coastal plain from Enfield through Cape Hatteras
Geology and biostratigraphy of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the greater Savannah region, Georgia and South Carolina
Ecological changes in the nannoplankton community across a shelf transect during the onset of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum
Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum prolonged by fossil carbon oxidation
Evidence for shelf acidification during the onset of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum
Science and Products
- Science
Atlantic Subsurface Stratigraphic Initiative
The Atlantic Subsurface Stratigraphic Initiative (ASSI) is a project with an interdisciplinary group of scientists focused on documenting the Cretaceous and Cenozoic subsurface geology of the Salisbury Embayment across Maryland and Virginia. Data generated by ASSI is crucial for resolving stratigraphic issues across state boundaries and regions. By working closely with state geologic surveys, ASSI...Eocene Hyperthermals Project
Sudden and extreme global warming events of the past are known as hyperthermals. The most intensely studied of these is the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) that occurred about 56 million years ago. During the PETM, global temperatures rose by ~5°C, ocean acidification was widespread, floral and faunal communities were severely disrupted, and changing oceanic circulation and a disrupted... - Data
United States Gulf Coast Basin Curated Wells and Logs Database
The United States Gulf Coast Basin Curated Wells and Logs Database (CWLDB) is an online repository with stratigraphic information for petroleum wells in the United States portion of the onshore Gulf of Mexico Basin that provides several of the following attributes: a) deep penetrations (generally, total depth of 10,000 feet or more), b) high quality and diverse geophysical well log suites, c) lithMicrofossil, grain size, and petrographic data for the Cabin Branch and Cabin Creek (Cappy Avenue) outcrops, Prince George's County, Maryland
The Cabin Branch and Cabin Creek (Cappy Avenue) outcrops are located along two small creeks in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The Cabin Branch outcrop contains exposures of silty sands of the Upper Cretaceous Severn Formation, and both outcrops contain Paleocene silty quartz and glauconitic sands of the Danian Brightseat Formation and highly fossiliferous glauconitic quartz sands of the SelandiCenozoic Calcareous Nannofossil Occurrences from Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain Cores, Wells, and Outcrops
In this data release, Cenozoic calcareous nannofossil occurrence charts are provided as Microsoft Excel spreadsheets for 57 cores, wells, or outcrops from the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain (Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey) and one core from offshore New Jersey. Samples have been assigned a USGS sample number and are organized by depth below (cores and wells) or height above (outcrops) thCenozoic Calcareous Nannofossil Occurrences from South Atlantic Coastal Plain Cores
In this data release, Cenozoic calcareous nannofossil occurrence charts are provided as Microsoft Excel spreadsheets for 17 cores from the South Atlantic Coastal Plain (North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia) Samples have been assigned a USGS sample number and are organized by depth below the land surface. Based on their known stratigraphic position, lithology, and specific calcareous nannofoCenozoic Calcareous Nannofossil Occurrences from Gulf Coastal Plain Cores and Outcrops
In this data release, Cenozoic calcareous nannofossil occurrence charts are provided as Microsoft Excel spreadsheets for 15 cores or outcrops from the Gulf Coastal Plain (Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia). Samples have been assigned a USGS sample number and are organized by depth below (cores and wells) or height above (outcrops) the land surface. Based on their known stratigraphic position, lithIsotope, organic carbon, and biostratigraphic data for the Hope Plantation (BE-110) and Smith Elementary School (CR-675) cores, North Carolina
Isotopic, geochemical, and calcareous nannofossil data for the Hope Plantation and Smith Elementary School coresGrain size, microfossil, and strontium data for the Kure Beach and Elizabethtown cores, North Carolina
Grain size, calcareous nannofossil, and strontium data for the Cenomanian to Santonian sediments of the Kure Beach and Elizabethtown cores in North Carolina.Calcareous nannofossil assemblage data from the upper Floridan Aquifer in the Pineora, Cockspur Island, and Palm Dunes cores, GA and SC
Calcareous nannofossil assemblage data for the Pineora, Cockspur Island, and Palm Dunes cores. - Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 35
Astrochronology of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum on the Atlantic Coastal Plain
The chronology of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM, ~56 Ma) remains disputed, hampering complete understanding of the possible trigger mechanisms of this event. Here we present an astrochronology for the PETM carbon isotope excursion from Howards Tract, Maryland a paleoshelf environment, on the mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain. Statistical evaluation of variations in calcium content and magnetSurface ocean warming and acidification driven by rapid carbon release precedes Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum
The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) is recognized by a major negative carbon isotope (δ13C) excursion (CIE) signifying an injection of isotopically light carbon into exogenic reservoirs, the mass, source, and tempo of which continue to be debated. Evidence of a transient precursor carbon release(s) has been identified in a few localities, although it remains equivocal whether there is a glRegression of the Tethys Sea (central Asia) during middle to late Eocene: Evidence from calcareous nannofossils of western Tarim Basin, NW China
Calcareous nannofossil assemblages from middle to upper Eocene sediments of the western Tarim Basin indicate two important episodes of marine incursion into the basin. The first episode represents a period of shallowing upward in the Wulagen Formation, which is dated as Zone CNE13 (Lutetian) by the co-occurrence of Discoaster bifax, Chiasmolithus solitus, and common Reticulofenestra umbilicus. TheEvolution and taxonomy of the Paleogene calcareous nannofossil genus Hornibrookina
The genus Hornibrookina consists of enigmatic calcareous nannofossils that first appeared shortly after the K-Pg mass extinction. Due to their relative paucity in most published sections, specimens of this genus have not been previously studied in detail and their paleobiogeographic preferences and evolutionary history have been poorly understood. Biostratigraphic and morphometric analyses of HornCalcareous plankton biostratigraphic fidelity and species richness during the last 10 m.y. of the Cretaceous at Blake Plateau, subtropical North Atlantic
Species distributions of well-preserved and diverse assemblages of planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils spanning the last 10 m.y. of the Cretaceous (middle Campanian through Maastrichtian) are analyzed from samples taken across a 1400 m depth transect at Blake Nose in the western subtropical North Atlantic (Ocean Drilling Program Sites 1049, 1050 and 1052). Age models constructed byEnhanced terrestrial runoff during Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 on the North Carolina Coastal Plain, USA
A global increase in the strength of the hydrologic cycle drove an increase in the flux of terrigenous sediments into the ocean during the Cenomanian–Turonian Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (OAE2) and was an important mechanism driving nutrient enrichment and thus organic carbon burial. This global change is primarily known from isotopic records, but global average data do not tell us anything about changDepositional sequence stratigraphy of Turonian to Santonian sediments, Cape Fear arch, North Carolina Coastal Plain, USA
A new sequence stratigraphic framework for Turonian to Santonian (94-84 Ma) sediments is established using data from the USGS Kure Beach and Elizabethtown cores collected from the Atlantic Coastal Plain of North Carolina (NC). These sediments represent some of the oldest marine units deposited on the southeastern Atlantic Coastal Plain and record the early development of a clastic wedge atop crystCross section of the North Carolina coastal plain from Enfield through Cape Hatteras
IntroductionThe Atlantic Coastal Plain, the southeasternmost physiographic province in the United States, is underlain by strata that regionally dip gently eastward and gradually thicken toward the Atlantic Ocean basin. These strata, ranging in age from Middle Jurassic to Holocene, accumulated along the eastern margin of North America after the break-up of the supercontinent Pangaea during the EarGeology and biostratigraphy of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the greater Savannah region, Georgia and South Carolina
The Upper Floridan aquifer (UFA) of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida has been considered a regionally continuous stratigraphic sequence of Eocene to Miocene carbonate strata, with documented unconformities based on lithology and biostratigraphy. As part of an investigation of the regional subsurface geologic framework in the Atlantic Coastal Plain Province, three deep coEcological changes in the nannoplankton community across a shelf transect during the onset of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum
Warming and other environmental changes during the Paleocene‐Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) led to profound shifts in the composition and structure of nannoplankton assemblages. Here we analyze the nature of these changes in expanded records from the Cambridge‐Dorchester and Mattawoman Creek‐Billingsley Road cores in Maryland. These cores comprise part of a transect of five paleoshelf cores from MaPaleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum prolonged by fossil carbon oxidation
A hallmark of the rapid and massive release of carbon during the Palaeocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum is the global negative carbon isotope excursion. The delayed recovery of the carbon isotope excursion, however, indicates that CO2 inputs continued well after the initial rapid onset, although there is no consensus about the source of this secondary carbon. Here we suggest this secondary input mightEvidence for shelf acidification during the onset of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum
A transect of paleoshelf cores from Maryland and New Jersey contains a ~0.19 m to 1.61 m thick interval with reduced percentages of carbonate during the onset of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). Outer paleoshelf cores are barren of nannofossils and correspond to two minor disconformities. Middle paleoshelf cores contain a mixture of samples devoid of nannofossils and those with rare
*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