Ryan J McAleer, Ph.D.
Ryan J McAleer is a Research Geologist at the Florence Bascom Geoscience Center.
I am a Research Geologist at the Florence Bascom Geoscience Center in Reston, VA. I received a PhD in Geology from Indiana University in 2016. I currently run the 40Ar/39Ar geochronology, electron microprobe, and mineral separation laboratories in Reston, VA. I contribute to National Cooperative Geologic Mapping, Energy, and Mineral program projects as well as collaborative work with universities. I use detailed optical and electron petrography, metamorphic petrology, 40Ar/39Ar and U/Pb geochronology, and a variety of other analytical tools in my research. Some current research projects that I am a part of include work on:
- Determining the age of bedrock beneath the coastal plain of the southeastern U.S.
- Assessing the age and deformation mechanisms along the Blue Ridge Thrust
- The age(s) of the Petersburg Granite
- Causes and uses of photoluminesence in zircon
- Coupled substitution in sphalerite with a focus on germanium
- The age and origin of manganese oxide deposits in Virginia.
Professional Experience
2016-present, Research Geologist, USGS, Reston, VA
2011-2015, Graduate Student, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
2011-2015, SCEP/Pathways student appointment, USGS, Reston, VA
2007-2010, Geologist, USGS, Reston, VA
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Metamorphic Petrology, Indiana University, 2016 (Advisor: Bob Wintsch)
M.S. Geology, 2006 (Advisor: Jim Spotila)
B.S. Geology, 2004 (Senior Thesis Advisor: Terry Engelder)
Affiliations and Memberships*
2016-present, Mineralogical Society of America
2011-present, Geological Society of America
2019-present, Microscopy Society of America/Microanalysis Society
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 27
Coal mine drainage effluents and associated solids major, trace, rare earth element and radium concentrations collected from Pennsylvania, USA Coal mine drainage effluents and associated solids major, trace, rare earth element and radium concentrations collected from Pennsylvania, USA
Discharges from abandoned coal mines and associated mine wastes represent historic and persistent sources of pollution in the Appalachian Basin, United States. In this study, we conducted the first-ever survey of radium (Ra) in coal mine drainage (CMD) water and solid samples in the United States. Samples were collected from 4 untreated coal mine discharges and 9 treated coal mine...
Whole rock geochemistry data from the Ordovician Bronson Hill arc and Silurian and Devonian Connecticut Valley - Gaspé trough, Vermont and New Hampshire Whole rock geochemistry data from the Ordovician Bronson Hill arc and Silurian and Devonian Connecticut Valley - Gaspé trough, Vermont and New Hampshire
This data release includes whole rock (WR) geochemical data for 94 samples. Whole rock geochemistry data were analyzed at Actlabs in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. Rock samples were collected by Peter Valley, Greg Walsh, Arthur Merschat, and Ryan McAleer. The whole rock geochemistry data characterize the composition of mapped meta-igneous rocks in eastern Vermont and western New Hampshire...
Mofete and San Vito geothermal field ore mineralization data Mofete and San Vito geothermal field ore mineralization data
The Mofete and San Vito geothermal fields, located west of Naples, Italy, are part of the Campi Flegrei volcanic complex. A joint venture in the 1970s between AGIP and ENEL, the Italian National electric and petroleum utilities, respectively, drilled exploratory wells to a depth of ~3000 m in an attempt to locate high-enthalpy fluids for potential power production. Drill core samples...
SEM-CL investigation of sedimentary organic matter samples SEM-CL investigation of sedimentary organic matter samples
High-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) visualization of sedimentary organic matter (SOM) is widely utilized in the geosciences for evaluation of microscale rock properties relevant to depositional environment, diagenesis, and the processes of fluid generation, transport, and storage. However, despite thousands of studies which have incorporated SEM approaches, the inability...
40Ar/39Ar isotopic data from the Day Nui Con Voi metamorphic massif, Vietnam 40Ar/39Ar isotopic data from the Day Nui Con Voi metamorphic massif, Vietnam
This data release includes electron 40Ar/39Ar collected at the U.S. Geological Survey for samples from the Day Nui Con Voi metamorphic massif, Vietnam. Rock samples were collected by Meng-Wan Yeh, Michael J. Kunk and Robert P Wintsch in 2011. Mineral separates were prepared and aliquots of amphibole, muscovite, phlogopite, biotite, and potassium feldspar were analyzed by the 40Ar/39Ar...
Whole rock geochemistry and uranium-lead isotopic data from Mesoproterozoic rocks in the Eagle Lake quadrangle, Essex County, New York Whole rock geochemistry and uranium-lead isotopic data from Mesoproterozoic rocks in the Eagle Lake quadrangle, Essex County, New York
This data release includes whole rock (WR) geochemical data, and uranium-lead isotopic data collected using a sensitive high resolution ion microprobe-reverse geometry (SHRIMP-RG) instrument; the SHRIMP-RG is a type of secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS). Whole rock geochemistry data were analyzed at Bureau Veritas Commodities Canada Ltd. Laboratories in Vancouver, British Columbia...
Bedrock geologic map of the Eagle Lake quadrangle, Essex County, New York Bedrock geologic map of the Eagle Lake quadrangle, Essex County, New York
The bedrock geology of the 7.5-minute Eagle Lake quadrangle, Essex County, New York, consists of deformed and metamorphosed Mesoproterozoic gneisses of the Adirondack Highlands unconformably overlain by weakly deformed lower Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of the Champlain Valley. The Mesoproterozoic rocks occur on the eastern edge of the Adirondack Highlands and represent an extension of...
Bedrock geologic map of the Bellows Falls 7.5- x 15-minute quadrangle, Windham and Windsor Counties, Vermont, and Sullivan and Cheshire Counties, New Hampshire Bedrock geologic map of the Bellows Falls 7.5- x 15-minute quadrangle, Windham and Windsor Counties, Vermont, and Sullivan and Cheshire Counties, New Hampshire
Introduction The bedrock geology of the Bellows Falls 7.5- x 15-minute quadrangle, Vermont and New Hampshire, consists of polydeformed Ordovician to Devonian metasedimentary, metavolcanic, and metaplutonic rocks of the Connecticut Valley trough, Bronson Hill anticlinorium (or Bronson Hill terrane), and the Central Maine terrane. Previous work in this area includes a 1:62,500-scale...
Geologic map of the Buckner 7.5-Minute quadrangle, Louisa County, Virginia Geologic map of the Buckner 7.5-Minute quadrangle, Louisa County, Virginia
The Buckner 7.5-minute quadrangle straddles three terrane boundaries in the Piedmont Physiographic Province in central Virginia: the Chopawamsic terrane, the Elk Hill Complex, and the Goochland terrane. In much of the map area, the Elk Hill Complex separates the Chopawamsic and Goochland terranes. Rocks of the Chopawamsic terrane include Ordovician metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks...
Bedrock geologic map of the Crown Point quadrangle, Essex County, New York, and Addison County, Vermont Bedrock geologic map of the Crown Point quadrangle, Essex County, New York, and Addison County, Vermont
The bedrock geology of the 7.5-minute Crown Point quadrangle consists of deformed and metamorphosed Mesoproterozoic gneisses of the Adirondack Highlands unconformably overlain by weakly deformed lower Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of the Champlain Valley. The Mesoproterozoic rocks occur on the eastern edge of the Adirondack Highlands and represent an extension of the Grenville Province of...
Filter Total Items: 55
Reaction kinetics and accelerant effects of sulfides in early mature hydrocarbon generation using hydrous pyrolysis Reaction kinetics and accelerant effects of sulfides in early mature hydrocarbon generation using hydrous pyrolysis
Hydrocarbon generation in organic-rich sediments is influenced by the molecular organic composition and relative abundance of associated minerals. Certain mineral-derived elements act as catalysts and reaction intermediaries, facilitating early-stage hydrocarbon formation in potential source rocks. This study investigated the role of sulfur contributed from pyrite as an accelerant in...
Authors
Tushar Adsul, Paul C. Hackley, Javin J. Hatcherian, Ryan J. McAleer, Carlin J. Green, Alan K. Burnham, Santanu Ghosh, Josef P. Werne, Atul K. Varma
Geochemistry and spatial distribution of Neoproterozoic dike swarms from the northwestern tip of the Arabian-Nubian Shield: Implications for crustal extension Geochemistry and spatial distribution of Neoproterozoic dike swarms from the northwestern tip of the Arabian-Nubian Shield: Implications for crustal extension
Ediacaran dike swarms in the Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS) provide key insights into post-collisional tectonics and magmatism. This study presents new chemical data, two 40Ar/39Ar ages, and spatial distribution analysis for dike swarms in the northernmost ANS exposures in SW Jordan. Hornblende from a lamprophyre sill intruding the Saramuj Conglomerate yielded a plateau age of ∼592 ± 3 Ma
Authors
Hind Ghanem, Abeer Salman, Ryan J. McAleer, Cees W. Passchier, Ghaleb H. Jarrar
Geochemical and tectonic evolution of the Ordovician Bronson Hill arc and Silurian and Devonian Connecticut Valley–Gaspé trough: Eastern Vermont and western New Hampshire, USA Geochemical and tectonic evolution of the Ordovician Bronson Hill arc and Silurian and Devonian Connecticut Valley–Gaspé trough: Eastern Vermont and western New Hampshire, USA
We present major and trace element whole-rock geochemistry of 94 samples from the Bronson Hill arc (BHA) and Connecticut Valley–Gaspé trough (CVGT). These data, when combined with recent zircon U-Pb geochronology and a reexamination of existing whole-rock geochemistry, enable a new analysis of the tectonic history of the ancient Laurentian-Ganderian margin in the northern Appalachians of...
Authors
Peter M. Valley, Gregory J. Walsh, Arthur J. Merschat, Ryan J. McAleer
Nanometer-scale relationships between sedimentary organic matter molecular composition, fluorescence, cathodoluminescence, and reflectance: The importance of oxygen content at low thermal maturities Nanometer-scale relationships between sedimentary organic matter molecular composition, fluorescence, cathodoluminescence, and reflectance: The importance of oxygen content at low thermal maturities
Molecular characterization of sedimentary organic matter (SOM), termed macerals, is a common goal when seeking to understand petroleum generation as well as other geologic processes in deep time. However, unambiguous measurement of discrete macerals is challenging due to the small size of organic particles in sedimentary rocks, the proximity of different organic matter types to one...
Authors
Aaron M. Jubb, Paul C. Hackley, Ryan J. McAleer, Jing Qu
Properties of solid bitumen formed during hydrous, anhydrous, and brine pyrolysis of oil shale: Implications for solid bitumen reflectance in source-rock reservoirs Properties of solid bitumen formed during hydrous, anhydrous, and brine pyrolysis of oil shale: Implications for solid bitumen reflectance in source-rock reservoirs
Solid bitumen reflectance (BRo in %) is widely used as a thermal maturity proxy in source-rock reservoirs, yet solid bitumen texture and physical attributes may be affected by varying environmental constraints during its formation, e.g., water saturation, mineral catalysis, or salinity. Herein we investigated the development of solid bitumen properties during artificial maturation using...
Authors
Paul C. Hackley, Justin E. Birdwell, Ryan J. McAleer
Evaluation of solid bitumen created from marine oil shale bituminite under hydrous and anhydrous pyrolysis conditions Evaluation of solid bitumen created from marine oil shale bituminite under hydrous and anhydrous pyrolysis conditions
To test the influence of environmental conditions on aromaticity of solid bitumen generated during petroleum generation, four organic-rich (26–36 wt% total organic carbon) oil shale samples collected from the Neoproterozoic–Lower Cambrian restricted marine Salt Range Formation in the upper Indus Basin, Pakistan, were pyrolyzed under hydrous and anhydrous conditions. Experiments used...
Authors
Paul C. Hackley, Brett J. Valentine, Ryan J. McAleer, Javin J. Hatcherian, Jennifer Nedzweckas, Bonnie McDevitt, Imran Khan
Non-USGS Publications**
Berger, A.L., Gulick, S.P., Spotila, J.A., Upton, P., Jaeger, J.M., Chapman, J.B., Worthington, L.A., Pavlis, T.L., Ridgway, K.D., Willems, B.A. and McAleer, R.J., 2008. Quaternary tectonic response to intensified glacial erosion in an orogenic wedge. Nature Geoscience, 1(11), p.793.
**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
Filter Total Items: 27
Coal mine drainage effluents and associated solids major, trace, rare earth element and radium concentrations collected from Pennsylvania, USA Coal mine drainage effluents and associated solids major, trace, rare earth element and radium concentrations collected from Pennsylvania, USA
Discharges from abandoned coal mines and associated mine wastes represent historic and persistent sources of pollution in the Appalachian Basin, United States. In this study, we conducted the first-ever survey of radium (Ra) in coal mine drainage (CMD) water and solid samples in the United States. Samples were collected from 4 untreated coal mine discharges and 9 treated coal mine...
Whole rock geochemistry data from the Ordovician Bronson Hill arc and Silurian and Devonian Connecticut Valley - Gaspé trough, Vermont and New Hampshire Whole rock geochemistry data from the Ordovician Bronson Hill arc and Silurian and Devonian Connecticut Valley - Gaspé trough, Vermont and New Hampshire
This data release includes whole rock (WR) geochemical data for 94 samples. Whole rock geochemistry data were analyzed at Actlabs in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. Rock samples were collected by Peter Valley, Greg Walsh, Arthur Merschat, and Ryan McAleer. The whole rock geochemistry data characterize the composition of mapped meta-igneous rocks in eastern Vermont and western New Hampshire...
Mofete and San Vito geothermal field ore mineralization data Mofete and San Vito geothermal field ore mineralization data
The Mofete and San Vito geothermal fields, located west of Naples, Italy, are part of the Campi Flegrei volcanic complex. A joint venture in the 1970s between AGIP and ENEL, the Italian National electric and petroleum utilities, respectively, drilled exploratory wells to a depth of ~3000 m in an attempt to locate high-enthalpy fluids for potential power production. Drill core samples...
SEM-CL investigation of sedimentary organic matter samples SEM-CL investigation of sedimentary organic matter samples
High-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) visualization of sedimentary organic matter (SOM) is widely utilized in the geosciences for evaluation of microscale rock properties relevant to depositional environment, diagenesis, and the processes of fluid generation, transport, and storage. However, despite thousands of studies which have incorporated SEM approaches, the inability...
40Ar/39Ar isotopic data from the Day Nui Con Voi metamorphic massif, Vietnam 40Ar/39Ar isotopic data from the Day Nui Con Voi metamorphic massif, Vietnam
This data release includes electron 40Ar/39Ar collected at the U.S. Geological Survey for samples from the Day Nui Con Voi metamorphic massif, Vietnam. Rock samples were collected by Meng-Wan Yeh, Michael J. Kunk and Robert P Wintsch in 2011. Mineral separates were prepared and aliquots of amphibole, muscovite, phlogopite, biotite, and potassium feldspar were analyzed by the 40Ar/39Ar...
Whole rock geochemistry and uranium-lead isotopic data from Mesoproterozoic rocks in the Eagle Lake quadrangle, Essex County, New York Whole rock geochemistry and uranium-lead isotopic data from Mesoproterozoic rocks in the Eagle Lake quadrangle, Essex County, New York
This data release includes whole rock (WR) geochemical data, and uranium-lead isotopic data collected using a sensitive high resolution ion microprobe-reverse geometry (SHRIMP-RG) instrument; the SHRIMP-RG is a type of secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS). Whole rock geochemistry data were analyzed at Bureau Veritas Commodities Canada Ltd. Laboratories in Vancouver, British Columbia...
Bedrock geologic map of the Eagle Lake quadrangle, Essex County, New York Bedrock geologic map of the Eagle Lake quadrangle, Essex County, New York
The bedrock geology of the 7.5-minute Eagle Lake quadrangle, Essex County, New York, consists of deformed and metamorphosed Mesoproterozoic gneisses of the Adirondack Highlands unconformably overlain by weakly deformed lower Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of the Champlain Valley. The Mesoproterozoic rocks occur on the eastern edge of the Adirondack Highlands and represent an extension of...
Bedrock geologic map of the Bellows Falls 7.5- x 15-minute quadrangle, Windham and Windsor Counties, Vermont, and Sullivan and Cheshire Counties, New Hampshire Bedrock geologic map of the Bellows Falls 7.5- x 15-minute quadrangle, Windham and Windsor Counties, Vermont, and Sullivan and Cheshire Counties, New Hampshire
Introduction The bedrock geology of the Bellows Falls 7.5- x 15-minute quadrangle, Vermont and New Hampshire, consists of polydeformed Ordovician to Devonian metasedimentary, metavolcanic, and metaplutonic rocks of the Connecticut Valley trough, Bronson Hill anticlinorium (or Bronson Hill terrane), and the Central Maine terrane. Previous work in this area includes a 1:62,500-scale...
Geologic map of the Buckner 7.5-Minute quadrangle, Louisa County, Virginia Geologic map of the Buckner 7.5-Minute quadrangle, Louisa County, Virginia
The Buckner 7.5-minute quadrangle straddles three terrane boundaries in the Piedmont Physiographic Province in central Virginia: the Chopawamsic terrane, the Elk Hill Complex, and the Goochland terrane. In much of the map area, the Elk Hill Complex separates the Chopawamsic and Goochland terranes. Rocks of the Chopawamsic terrane include Ordovician metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks...
Bedrock geologic map of the Crown Point quadrangle, Essex County, New York, and Addison County, Vermont Bedrock geologic map of the Crown Point quadrangle, Essex County, New York, and Addison County, Vermont
The bedrock geology of the 7.5-minute Crown Point quadrangle consists of deformed and metamorphosed Mesoproterozoic gneisses of the Adirondack Highlands unconformably overlain by weakly deformed lower Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of the Champlain Valley. The Mesoproterozoic rocks occur on the eastern edge of the Adirondack Highlands and represent an extension of the Grenville Province of...
Filter Total Items: 55
Reaction kinetics and accelerant effects of sulfides in early mature hydrocarbon generation using hydrous pyrolysis Reaction kinetics and accelerant effects of sulfides in early mature hydrocarbon generation using hydrous pyrolysis
Hydrocarbon generation in organic-rich sediments is influenced by the molecular organic composition and relative abundance of associated minerals. Certain mineral-derived elements act as catalysts and reaction intermediaries, facilitating early-stage hydrocarbon formation in potential source rocks. This study investigated the role of sulfur contributed from pyrite as an accelerant in...
Authors
Tushar Adsul, Paul C. Hackley, Javin J. Hatcherian, Ryan J. McAleer, Carlin J. Green, Alan K. Burnham, Santanu Ghosh, Josef P. Werne, Atul K. Varma
Geochemistry and spatial distribution of Neoproterozoic dike swarms from the northwestern tip of the Arabian-Nubian Shield: Implications for crustal extension Geochemistry and spatial distribution of Neoproterozoic dike swarms from the northwestern tip of the Arabian-Nubian Shield: Implications for crustal extension
Ediacaran dike swarms in the Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS) provide key insights into post-collisional tectonics and magmatism. This study presents new chemical data, two 40Ar/39Ar ages, and spatial distribution analysis for dike swarms in the northernmost ANS exposures in SW Jordan. Hornblende from a lamprophyre sill intruding the Saramuj Conglomerate yielded a plateau age of ∼592 ± 3 Ma
Authors
Hind Ghanem, Abeer Salman, Ryan J. McAleer, Cees W. Passchier, Ghaleb H. Jarrar
Geochemical and tectonic evolution of the Ordovician Bronson Hill arc and Silurian and Devonian Connecticut Valley–Gaspé trough: Eastern Vermont and western New Hampshire, USA Geochemical and tectonic evolution of the Ordovician Bronson Hill arc and Silurian and Devonian Connecticut Valley–Gaspé trough: Eastern Vermont and western New Hampshire, USA
We present major and trace element whole-rock geochemistry of 94 samples from the Bronson Hill arc (BHA) and Connecticut Valley–Gaspé trough (CVGT). These data, when combined with recent zircon U-Pb geochronology and a reexamination of existing whole-rock geochemistry, enable a new analysis of the tectonic history of the ancient Laurentian-Ganderian margin in the northern Appalachians of...
Authors
Peter M. Valley, Gregory J. Walsh, Arthur J. Merschat, Ryan J. McAleer
Nanometer-scale relationships between sedimentary organic matter molecular composition, fluorescence, cathodoluminescence, and reflectance: The importance of oxygen content at low thermal maturities Nanometer-scale relationships between sedimentary organic matter molecular composition, fluorescence, cathodoluminescence, and reflectance: The importance of oxygen content at low thermal maturities
Molecular characterization of sedimentary organic matter (SOM), termed macerals, is a common goal when seeking to understand petroleum generation as well as other geologic processes in deep time. However, unambiguous measurement of discrete macerals is challenging due to the small size of organic particles in sedimentary rocks, the proximity of different organic matter types to one...
Authors
Aaron M. Jubb, Paul C. Hackley, Ryan J. McAleer, Jing Qu
Properties of solid bitumen formed during hydrous, anhydrous, and brine pyrolysis of oil shale: Implications for solid bitumen reflectance in source-rock reservoirs Properties of solid bitumen formed during hydrous, anhydrous, and brine pyrolysis of oil shale: Implications for solid bitumen reflectance in source-rock reservoirs
Solid bitumen reflectance (BRo in %) is widely used as a thermal maturity proxy in source-rock reservoirs, yet solid bitumen texture and physical attributes may be affected by varying environmental constraints during its formation, e.g., water saturation, mineral catalysis, or salinity. Herein we investigated the development of solid bitumen properties during artificial maturation using...
Authors
Paul C. Hackley, Justin E. Birdwell, Ryan J. McAleer
Evaluation of solid bitumen created from marine oil shale bituminite under hydrous and anhydrous pyrolysis conditions Evaluation of solid bitumen created from marine oil shale bituminite under hydrous and anhydrous pyrolysis conditions
To test the influence of environmental conditions on aromaticity of solid bitumen generated during petroleum generation, four organic-rich (26–36 wt% total organic carbon) oil shale samples collected from the Neoproterozoic–Lower Cambrian restricted marine Salt Range Formation in the upper Indus Basin, Pakistan, were pyrolyzed under hydrous and anhydrous conditions. Experiments used...
Authors
Paul C. Hackley, Brett J. Valentine, Ryan J. McAleer, Javin J. Hatcherian, Jennifer Nedzweckas, Bonnie McDevitt, Imran Khan
Non-USGS Publications**
Berger, A.L., Gulick, S.P., Spotila, J.A., Upton, P., Jaeger, J.M., Chapman, J.B., Worthington, L.A., Pavlis, T.L., Ridgway, K.D., Willems, B.A. and McAleer, R.J., 2008. Quaternary tectonic response to intensified glacial erosion in an orogenic wedge. Nature Geoscience, 1(11), p.793.
**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.
*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