Sara Peek
Sara Peek manages the water and gas geochemistry labs for the California Volcano Observatory, and works on related volcano monitoring and research at California volcanoes, Yellowstone, and Hawaii.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 17
Silicified wood from around Old Faithful Geyser, Yellowstone National Park Silicified wood from around Old Faithful Geyser, Yellowstone National Park
Old Faithful Geyser in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park is one of the best studied geysers in the world. Under research permit YELL-SCI-8030, samples from 13 silicified tree remnants were collected adjacent to the Old Faithful Geyser cone in April and November 2019. The silicified wood samples were dated using the radiocarbon (14C) method and were analyzed by scanning...
Water and gas chemistry data from wells and hot springs in the Western USA, 1930 – 2006 Water and gas chemistry data from wells and hot springs in the Western USA, 1930 – 2006
Historical water and gas chemistry data from geothermal areas are important for detecting long-term patterns, informing geothermal energy exploration, development, and use, and for contextualizing more recent data. The U.S. Geological survey has published water and gas chemistry data from geothermal areas in the western United States, which is primarily available as scanned PDF files...
Stable isotope data for sulfur, oxygen, and hydrogen in minerals and gases and electron microprobe data for minerals from Sulphur Bank mercury mine, Lake County, California Stable isotope data for sulfur, oxygen, and hydrogen in minerals and gases and electron microprobe data for minerals from Sulphur Bank mercury mine, Lake County, California
Stable isotope compositions (the ratios deuterium/hydrogen, oxygen-18/oxygen-16, and sulfur-34/sulfur-32) are reported for alunite, jarosite, kaolinite, silica, cinnabar, marcasite, and native sulfur from outcrops in and around the workings of the Sulphur Bank mercury mine, Lake County, California, and chemical compositions are reported, from electron microprobe analyses, for alunite and
Mineralogy, strontium (87Sr/86Sr), oxygen (18O/16O) and carbon (13C/12C) isotope composition, elemental concentrations, and U-Th disequilibrium ages for travertine deposits from various locations in Yellowstone National Park, USA Mineralogy, strontium (87Sr/86Sr), oxygen (18O/16O) and carbon (13C/12C) isotope composition, elemental concentrations, and U-Th disequilibrium ages for travertine deposits from various locations in Yellowstone National Park, USA
Chemical changes in hot springs, as recorded by thermal waters and their mineral deposits, provide a window into the evolution of Yellowstone’s postglacial hydrothermal system. Travertine precipitated from thermal waters provide a record of chemical changes through time because they can be dated using U-series disequilibrium geochronology. These temporal data, along with measured...
Chemical and isotopic composition of gas, water, and solids from the 2019-2020 water lake in Halema’uma’u Crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii Chemical and isotopic composition of gas, water, and solids from the 2019-2020 water lake in Halema’uma’u Crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii
Following the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea Volcano (Neal et al, 2019) and the subsequent collapse of the Halema’uma’u crater, groundwater gradually seeped into the newly-deepened crater (Nadeau and others, 2020). Water was first observed in the crater on 7/26/2019, and the water level increased over time until 12/20/2020, when the crater again filled with lava, vaporizing the lake. In the...
Water-Chemistry and Isotope Data for Selected Springs, Geysers, Streams, and Rivers in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (ver. 2.0, March 2025) Water-Chemistry and Isotope Data for Selected Springs, Geysers, Streams, and Rivers in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (ver. 2.0, March 2025)
There are over 10,000 hydrothermal features in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), where waters have pH values ranging from about 1 to 10 and surface temperatures up to 95 °C. Active hydrothermal areas in YNP provide insight into a variety of processes occurring at depth, such as water-rock and oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions, the formation of alteration minerals, and microbial...
Filter Total Items: 15
Geochemistry and fluxes of gases from hydrothermal features at Newberry Volcano, Oregon, USA Geochemistry and fluxes of gases from hydrothermal features at Newberry Volcano, Oregon, USA
We present the chemical and isotopic compositions of gases and fluxes of CO2 from the hydrothermal features of Newberry Volcano, a large composite volcano located in Oregon's Cascade Range with a summit caldera that hosts two lakes, Paulina and East Lakes. Gas samples were collected from 1982 to 2021 from Paulina Hot Springs (PHS) on the shore of Paulina Lake, East Lake Hot Springs (ELHS...
Authors
Jennifer L. Lewicki, William C. Evans, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Laura E. Clor, Peter J. Kelly, Sara Peek, Robert A. Jensen, Andrew G. Hunt
Mechanisms for retention of low molecular weight organic carbon varies with soil depth at a coastal prairie ecosystem Mechanisms for retention of low molecular weight organic carbon varies with soil depth at a coastal prairie ecosystem
Though primary sources of carbon (C) to soil are plant inputs (e.g., rhizodeposits), the role of microorganisms as mediators of soil organic carbon (SOC) retention is increasingly recognized. Yet, insufficient knowledge of sub-soil processes complicates attempts to describe microbial-driven C cycling at depth as most studies of microbial-mineral-C interactions focus on surface horizons...
Authors
Jack McFarland, Corey Lawrence, Courtney Creamer, Marjorie S. Schulz, Christopher H. Conaway, Sara Peek, Mark Waldrop, Sabrina N. Sevilgen, Monica Haw
Stable isotopes provide insight into sources and cycling of N compounds in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA Stable isotopes provide insight into sources and cycling of N compounds in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA
River deltas and their diverse array of aquatic environments are increasingly impacted by anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen (N). These inputs can alter the N biogeochemistry of these systems and promote undesirable phenomena including harmful algae blooms and invasive aquatic macrophytes. To examine N sources and biogeochemical processes in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a river delta...
Authors
Joseph K. Fackrell, Tamara E. C. Kraus, Megan B. Young, Carol Kendall, Sara Peek
Report on geochemical characterisation of volcanic ash from Cumbre Vieja, La Palma, for the assessment of respiratory health hazard Report on geochemical characterisation of volcanic ash from Cumbre Vieja, La Palma, for the assessment of respiratory health hazard
Volcanic ash has several hazardous characteristics that may impact human and animal health. We report the results of a geochemical assessment of key hazardous characteristics of 16 volcanic ash samples erupted from Cumbre Vieja, La Palma, between 19 September – 16 October 2021. The analyses are an essential first step in assessing health risk from volcanic eruptions because they allow a...
Authors
Claire J. Horwell, David Damby, Carol Stewart, Christopher Longley, Sara E. Peek, Neil Tunstall, Edward W. Llewellin, Matt Pankhurst, Samantha Tramontano
The structure and volume of large geysers in Yellowstone National Park, USA and the mineralogy and chemistry of their silica sinter deposits The structure and volume of large geysers in Yellowstone National Park, USA and the mineralogy and chemistry of their silica sinter deposits
Siliceous sinter is formed by biogenic and abiogenic opal deposition around hot springs and geysers. Using Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry we generated three-dimensional models of Giant and Castle Geysers from the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. We use these models to calculate an approximate mass of sinter for each (~2 and ~ 5 kton, respectively) and estimate a...
Authors
Dakota Churchill, Michael Manga, Shaul Hurwitz, Sara Peek, David Damby, Richard Conrey, John R. Wood, R. Blaine McCleskey, William E. Keller, Behnaz Hosseini, Jefferson D.G. Hungerford
Yellowstone's Old Faithful Geyser shut down by a severe 13th century drought Yellowstone's Old Faithful Geyser shut down by a severe 13th century drought
To characterize eruption activity of the iconic Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park over past centuries, we obtained 41 new radiocarbon dates of mineralized wood preserved in the mound of silica that precipitated from erupted waters. Trees do not grow on active geyser mounds, implying that trees grew on the Old Faithful Geyser mound during a protracted period of eruption...
Authors
Shaul Hurwitz, John King, Gregory T. Pederson, Justin T. Martin, David Damby, Michael Manga, Jefferson Hungerford, Sara Peek
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 17
Silicified wood from around Old Faithful Geyser, Yellowstone National Park Silicified wood from around Old Faithful Geyser, Yellowstone National Park
Old Faithful Geyser in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park is one of the best studied geysers in the world. Under research permit YELL-SCI-8030, samples from 13 silicified tree remnants were collected adjacent to the Old Faithful Geyser cone in April and November 2019. The silicified wood samples were dated using the radiocarbon (14C) method and were analyzed by scanning...
Water and gas chemistry data from wells and hot springs in the Western USA, 1930 – 2006 Water and gas chemistry data from wells and hot springs in the Western USA, 1930 – 2006
Historical water and gas chemistry data from geothermal areas are important for detecting long-term patterns, informing geothermal energy exploration, development, and use, and for contextualizing more recent data. The U.S. Geological survey has published water and gas chemistry data from geothermal areas in the western United States, which is primarily available as scanned PDF files...
Stable isotope data for sulfur, oxygen, and hydrogen in minerals and gases and electron microprobe data for minerals from Sulphur Bank mercury mine, Lake County, California Stable isotope data for sulfur, oxygen, and hydrogen in minerals and gases and electron microprobe data for minerals from Sulphur Bank mercury mine, Lake County, California
Stable isotope compositions (the ratios deuterium/hydrogen, oxygen-18/oxygen-16, and sulfur-34/sulfur-32) are reported for alunite, jarosite, kaolinite, silica, cinnabar, marcasite, and native sulfur from outcrops in and around the workings of the Sulphur Bank mercury mine, Lake County, California, and chemical compositions are reported, from electron microprobe analyses, for alunite and
Mineralogy, strontium (87Sr/86Sr), oxygen (18O/16O) and carbon (13C/12C) isotope composition, elemental concentrations, and U-Th disequilibrium ages for travertine deposits from various locations in Yellowstone National Park, USA Mineralogy, strontium (87Sr/86Sr), oxygen (18O/16O) and carbon (13C/12C) isotope composition, elemental concentrations, and U-Th disequilibrium ages for travertine deposits from various locations in Yellowstone National Park, USA
Chemical changes in hot springs, as recorded by thermal waters and their mineral deposits, provide a window into the evolution of Yellowstone’s postglacial hydrothermal system. Travertine precipitated from thermal waters provide a record of chemical changes through time because they can be dated using U-series disequilibrium geochronology. These temporal data, along with measured...
Chemical and isotopic composition of gas, water, and solids from the 2019-2020 water lake in Halema’uma’u Crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii Chemical and isotopic composition of gas, water, and solids from the 2019-2020 water lake in Halema’uma’u Crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii
Following the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea Volcano (Neal et al, 2019) and the subsequent collapse of the Halema’uma’u crater, groundwater gradually seeped into the newly-deepened crater (Nadeau and others, 2020). Water was first observed in the crater on 7/26/2019, and the water level increased over time until 12/20/2020, when the crater again filled with lava, vaporizing the lake. In the...
Water-Chemistry and Isotope Data for Selected Springs, Geysers, Streams, and Rivers in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (ver. 2.0, March 2025) Water-Chemistry and Isotope Data for Selected Springs, Geysers, Streams, and Rivers in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (ver. 2.0, March 2025)
There are over 10,000 hydrothermal features in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), where waters have pH values ranging from about 1 to 10 and surface temperatures up to 95 °C. Active hydrothermal areas in YNP provide insight into a variety of processes occurring at depth, such as water-rock and oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions, the formation of alteration minerals, and microbial...
Filter Total Items: 15
Geochemistry and fluxes of gases from hydrothermal features at Newberry Volcano, Oregon, USA Geochemistry and fluxes of gases from hydrothermal features at Newberry Volcano, Oregon, USA
We present the chemical and isotopic compositions of gases and fluxes of CO2 from the hydrothermal features of Newberry Volcano, a large composite volcano located in Oregon's Cascade Range with a summit caldera that hosts two lakes, Paulina and East Lakes. Gas samples were collected from 1982 to 2021 from Paulina Hot Springs (PHS) on the shore of Paulina Lake, East Lake Hot Springs (ELHS...
Authors
Jennifer L. Lewicki, William C. Evans, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Laura E. Clor, Peter J. Kelly, Sara Peek, Robert A. Jensen, Andrew G. Hunt
Mechanisms for retention of low molecular weight organic carbon varies with soil depth at a coastal prairie ecosystem Mechanisms for retention of low molecular weight organic carbon varies with soil depth at a coastal prairie ecosystem
Though primary sources of carbon (C) to soil are plant inputs (e.g., rhizodeposits), the role of microorganisms as mediators of soil organic carbon (SOC) retention is increasingly recognized. Yet, insufficient knowledge of sub-soil processes complicates attempts to describe microbial-driven C cycling at depth as most studies of microbial-mineral-C interactions focus on surface horizons...
Authors
Jack McFarland, Corey Lawrence, Courtney Creamer, Marjorie S. Schulz, Christopher H. Conaway, Sara Peek, Mark Waldrop, Sabrina N. Sevilgen, Monica Haw
Stable isotopes provide insight into sources and cycling of N compounds in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA Stable isotopes provide insight into sources and cycling of N compounds in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA
River deltas and their diverse array of aquatic environments are increasingly impacted by anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen (N). These inputs can alter the N biogeochemistry of these systems and promote undesirable phenomena including harmful algae blooms and invasive aquatic macrophytes. To examine N sources and biogeochemical processes in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a river delta...
Authors
Joseph K. Fackrell, Tamara E. C. Kraus, Megan B. Young, Carol Kendall, Sara Peek
Report on geochemical characterisation of volcanic ash from Cumbre Vieja, La Palma, for the assessment of respiratory health hazard Report on geochemical characterisation of volcanic ash from Cumbre Vieja, La Palma, for the assessment of respiratory health hazard
Volcanic ash has several hazardous characteristics that may impact human and animal health. We report the results of a geochemical assessment of key hazardous characteristics of 16 volcanic ash samples erupted from Cumbre Vieja, La Palma, between 19 September – 16 October 2021. The analyses are an essential first step in assessing health risk from volcanic eruptions because they allow a...
Authors
Claire J. Horwell, David Damby, Carol Stewart, Christopher Longley, Sara E. Peek, Neil Tunstall, Edward W. Llewellin, Matt Pankhurst, Samantha Tramontano
The structure and volume of large geysers in Yellowstone National Park, USA and the mineralogy and chemistry of their silica sinter deposits The structure and volume of large geysers in Yellowstone National Park, USA and the mineralogy and chemistry of their silica sinter deposits
Siliceous sinter is formed by biogenic and abiogenic opal deposition around hot springs and geysers. Using Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry we generated three-dimensional models of Giant and Castle Geysers from the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. We use these models to calculate an approximate mass of sinter for each (~2 and ~ 5 kton, respectively) and estimate a...
Authors
Dakota Churchill, Michael Manga, Shaul Hurwitz, Sara Peek, David Damby, Richard Conrey, John R. Wood, R. Blaine McCleskey, William E. Keller, Behnaz Hosseini, Jefferson D.G. Hungerford
Yellowstone's Old Faithful Geyser shut down by a severe 13th century drought Yellowstone's Old Faithful Geyser shut down by a severe 13th century drought
To characterize eruption activity of the iconic Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park over past centuries, we obtained 41 new radiocarbon dates of mineralized wood preserved in the mound of silica that precipitated from erupted waters. Trees do not grow on active geyser mounds, implying that trees grew on the Old Faithful Geyser mound during a protracted period of eruption...
Authors
Shaul Hurwitz, John King, Gregory T. Pederson, Justin T. Martin, David Damby, Michael Manga, Jefferson Hungerford, Sara Peek