Tait is a Geophysicist in the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center in Moffett Field, CA. He received a B.S. degree in Geology from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, SD. Since joining the USGS in 2016, his research has focused on applying various geophysical methods to understand issues related to geothermal resources and hazards in the western U.S.
Professional Experience
Fall 2016 - Present, Operational Geophysicist, U.S. Geological Survey, Moffett Field, California
Summer 2016 - Fall 2016, National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) Intern, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California
Education and Certifications
B.S. Geology, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 2016
Minor in Geospatial Technology, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 2016
Science and Products
Geophysical characterization of the Northwest Geysers geothermal field, California
The Clear Lake Volcanic Field in northern California is the youngest and northern-most part of a long-lived volcanic system that has produced recent (~10 ka) eruptions. Adjacent to the Clear Lake Volcanic Field is the worlds largest energy producing geothermal field, The Geysers. The hottest part of The Geysers geothermal field is in the northwest where temperatures reach ~400 C at 3 km depth. L
Play fairway analysis in geothermal exploration: The Snake River plain volcanic province
The Snake River volcanic province (SRP) has long been considered a target for geothermal development. It overlies a thermal anomaly that extends deep into the mantle and represents one of the highest heat flow provinces in North America, but systematic exploration been hindered by lack of a conceptual model. Play Fairway Analysis (PFA) is a methodology adapted from the petroleum industry that inte
Geophysical Characterization of the heat source in the Northwest Geysers, California
The Geysers, in northern California, is the largest energy producing geothermal field in the world. Looking to expand capacity, the operator Calpine Corporation developed an anomalously hot (~400 °C at 2.5 km depth) part of the field in the northwest Geysers, including testing of an enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). Though the area is anomalously hot, geophysical methods have failed to adequately
Discovery of a blind geothermal system in Southern Gabbs Valley, western Nevada, through application of the play fairway analysis at multiple scales
The Great Basin region is capable of generating much greater amounts of geothermal energy than currently produced. Most geothermal resources in this region are blind, and thus favorable characteristics for geothermal activity must be synthesized and methodologies developed to discover new commercial-grade systems. The geothermal play fairway concept involves integration of multiple parameters indi
Geophysical characterization of geothermal resources on the Umatilla Indian Reservation in northeast Oregon
During the summers of 2017 and 2020, our team collected gravity, ground magnetic (ATV and hiked traverses), paleomagnetic and rock property (density and susceptibility) data on the Umatilla Indian Reservation (UIR) in northeast Oregon to aid in characterizing subsurface stratigraphy using 2D and 3D modeling methods. This data was integrated with conductance surfaces from a 3D magnetotelluic model
USGS Contributions to the Nevada Geothermal Machine Learning Project (DE-FOA-0001956): Geophysics, Heat Flow, Slip and Dilation Tendency
This package contains USGS data contributions to the DOE-funded Nevada Geothermal Machine Learning Project (DE-FOA-0001956), with the objective of developing a machine learning approach to identifying new geothermal systems in the Great Basin. This package contains three major data products (geophysics, heat flow, and fault dilation and slip tendencies) that cover a large portion of northern Nevad
USGS Contributions to the Nevada Geothermal Machine Learning Project (DE-FOA-0001956): Geophysics Data
This package contains gravity and magnetics data and products generated for the Nevada Machine Learning (NVML) project (DE-FOA-0001956). Data products contained in this release consist of grids and vector data. Grids include: primary anomaly maps (isostatic and PSG), match-filtered maps, horizontal gradient (HG) maps, confidence maps, and maps showing density of specific key structural features. T
High Resolution Gravity and Ground Magnetic Surveys of southern Gabbs Valley, NV
From late 2017 to early 2018, our team collected gravity, ground magnetic (ATV and hiked traverses) and rock property (density and susceptibility) data in southern Gabbs Valley in west-central Nevada.
Clayton Valley Geophysical Data Release
This data release contains data from various geophysical studies performed around the larger Clayton Valley, NV area. These include reprocessed existing gravity data compiled from multiple sources, as well as newly collected gravity and ground magnetic data, and bulk densities and magnetic susceptibilities from outcrop, hand samples, and drill cores.
Snake River Plain Play Fairway Analysis Phase 2 Favorability Model (DE EE0006733)
This data release contains all digital geographic data used and produced by the Snake River Plain Play Fairway Analysis (DE EE0006733) for Phase 2 (ArcGIS shapefiles and raster files) as well as the model processing script, tables, and documentation used to generate data outputs. Phase 2 examines two subset areas of the Phase 1 study area, Mountain Home and Camas Prairie. Brief descriptions of dat
Snake River Plain Play Fairway Analysis Phase 1 Favorability Model (DE EE0006733)
This data release contains all digital geographic data used and produced by the Snake River Plain Play Fairway Analysis (DE EE0006733) for Phase 1 (ArcGIS shapefiles and raster files) as well as the model processing script, tables, and documentation used to generate data outputs. Brief descriptions of data layers are in the metadata of GIS files, greater detail is available in the Larger Work, the
Gravity and physical property data in the Chico and Willows 1:100,000-scale quadrangles, California
The datasets consist of principal fact information of gravity data and density and magnetic properties of hand samples in the Chico and Willows 1:100,000-scale quadrangles, California.
Science and Products
- Publications
Geophysical characterization of the Northwest Geysers geothermal field, California
The Clear Lake Volcanic Field in northern California is the youngest and northern-most part of a long-lived volcanic system that has produced recent (~10 ka) eruptions. Adjacent to the Clear Lake Volcanic Field is the worlds largest energy producing geothermal field, The Geysers. The hottest part of The Geysers geothermal field is in the northwest where temperatures reach ~400 C at 3 km depth. LPlay fairway analysis in geothermal exploration: The Snake River plain volcanic province
The Snake River volcanic province (SRP) has long been considered a target for geothermal development. It overlies a thermal anomaly that extends deep into the mantle and represents one of the highest heat flow provinces in North America, but systematic exploration been hindered by lack of a conceptual model. Play Fairway Analysis (PFA) is a methodology adapted from the petroleum industry that inteGeophysical Characterization of the heat source in the Northwest Geysers, California
The Geysers, in northern California, is the largest energy producing geothermal field in the world. Looking to expand capacity, the operator Calpine Corporation developed an anomalously hot (~400 °C at 2.5 km depth) part of the field in the northwest Geysers, including testing of an enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). Though the area is anomalously hot, geophysical methods have failed to adequatelyDiscovery of a blind geothermal system in Southern Gabbs Valley, western Nevada, through application of the play fairway analysis at multiple scales
The Great Basin region is capable of generating much greater amounts of geothermal energy than currently produced. Most geothermal resources in this region are blind, and thus favorable characteristics for geothermal activity must be synthesized and methodologies developed to discover new commercial-grade systems. The geothermal play fairway concept involves integration of multiple parameters indi - Data
Geophysical characterization of geothermal resources on the Umatilla Indian Reservation in northeast Oregon
During the summers of 2017 and 2020, our team collected gravity, ground magnetic (ATV and hiked traverses), paleomagnetic and rock property (density and susceptibility) data on the Umatilla Indian Reservation (UIR) in northeast Oregon to aid in characterizing subsurface stratigraphy using 2D and 3D modeling methods. This data was integrated with conductance surfaces from a 3D magnetotelluic modelUSGS Contributions to the Nevada Geothermal Machine Learning Project (DE-FOA-0001956): Geophysics, Heat Flow, Slip and Dilation Tendency
This package contains USGS data contributions to the DOE-funded Nevada Geothermal Machine Learning Project (DE-FOA-0001956), with the objective of developing a machine learning approach to identifying new geothermal systems in the Great Basin. This package contains three major data products (geophysics, heat flow, and fault dilation and slip tendencies) that cover a large portion of northern NevadUSGS Contributions to the Nevada Geothermal Machine Learning Project (DE-FOA-0001956): Geophysics Data
This package contains gravity and magnetics data and products generated for the Nevada Machine Learning (NVML) project (DE-FOA-0001956). Data products contained in this release consist of grids and vector data. Grids include: primary anomaly maps (isostatic and PSG), match-filtered maps, horizontal gradient (HG) maps, confidence maps, and maps showing density of specific key structural features. THigh Resolution Gravity and Ground Magnetic Surveys of southern Gabbs Valley, NV
From late 2017 to early 2018, our team collected gravity, ground magnetic (ATV and hiked traverses) and rock property (density and susceptibility) data in southern Gabbs Valley in west-central Nevada.Clayton Valley Geophysical Data Release
This data release contains data from various geophysical studies performed around the larger Clayton Valley, NV area. These include reprocessed existing gravity data compiled from multiple sources, as well as newly collected gravity and ground magnetic data, and bulk densities and magnetic susceptibilities from outcrop, hand samples, and drill cores.Snake River Plain Play Fairway Analysis Phase 2 Favorability Model (DE EE0006733)
This data release contains all digital geographic data used and produced by the Snake River Plain Play Fairway Analysis (DE EE0006733) for Phase 2 (ArcGIS shapefiles and raster files) as well as the model processing script, tables, and documentation used to generate data outputs. Phase 2 examines two subset areas of the Phase 1 study area, Mountain Home and Camas Prairie. Brief descriptions of datSnake River Plain Play Fairway Analysis Phase 1 Favorability Model (DE EE0006733)
This data release contains all digital geographic data used and produced by the Snake River Plain Play Fairway Analysis (DE EE0006733) for Phase 1 (ArcGIS shapefiles and raster files) as well as the model processing script, tables, and documentation used to generate data outputs. Brief descriptions of data layers are in the metadata of GIS files, greater detail is available in the Larger Work, theGravity and physical property data in the Chico and Willows 1:100,000-scale quadrangles, California
The datasets consist of principal fact information of gravity data and density and magnetic properties of hand samples in the Chico and Willows 1:100,000-scale quadrangles, California.