Physical Scientist with the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 13
Marine paleoseismic evidence for seismic and aseismic slip along the Hayward-Rodgers Creek fault system in northern San Pablo Bay
Distinguishing between seismic and aseismic fault slip in the geologic record is difficult, yet fundamental to estimating the seismic potential of faults and the likelihood of multi-fault ruptures. We integrated chirp sub-bottom imaging with targeted cross-fault coring and core analyses of sedimentary proxy data to characterize vertical deformation and slip behavior within an extensional fault ben
A 100-km wide slump along the upper slope of the Canadian Arctic was likely preconditioned for failure by brackish pore water flushing
Exploration of the continental slope of the Canadian Beaufort Sea has revealed a remarkable coalescence of slide scars with headwalls between 130 and 1100 m water depth (mwd). With increased depth, the scars widen and merge into one gigantic regional slide scar that is more than 100 km wide below ~1100 mwd. To understand the development of these features, five sites were investigated with an Auton
Geochemistry of coastal permafrost and erosion-driven organic matter fluxes to the Beaufort Sea near Drew Point, Alaska
Accelerating erosion of the Alaska Beaufort Sea coast is increasing inputs of organic matter from land to the Arctic Ocean, and improved estimates of organic matter stocks in eroding coastal permafrost are needed to assess their mobilization rates under contemporary conditions. We collected three permafrost cores (4.5–7.5 m long) along a geomorphic gradient near Drew Point, Alaska, where recent er
Permafrost mapping with electrical resistivity tomography in two wetland systems north of the Tanana River, Interior Alaska
Surface-based 2D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) surveys were used to characterize permafrost distribution at wetland sites on the alluvial plain north of the Tanana River, 20 km southwest of Fairbanks, Alaska, in June and September 2014. The sites were part of an ecologically-sensitive research area characterizing biogeochemical response of this region to warming and permafrost thaw, and
Focused fluid flow and methane venting along the Queen Charlotte fault, offshore Alaska (USA) and British Columbia (Canada)
Fluid seepage along obliquely deforming plate boundaries can be an important indicator of crustal permeability and influence on fault-zone mechanics and hydrocarbon migration. The ~850-km-long Queen Charlotte fault (QCF) is the dominant structure along the right-lateral transform boundary that separates the Pacific and North American tectonic plates offshore southeastern Alaska (USA) and western B
Sediment and organic carbon transport and deposition driven by internal tides along Monterey Canyon, offshore California
Submarine canyons provide globally important conduits for sediment and organic carbon transport into the deep-sea. Using a novel dataset from Monterey Canyon, offshore central California, that includes an extensive array of water column sampling devices, we address how fine-grained sediment and organic carbon are transported, mixed, fractionated, and buried along a submarine canyon. Anderson-type
Geochemically distinct oil families in the onshore and offshore Santa Maria basins, California
The purpose of this work is to identify genetic affinities among 48 crude oil samples from the onshore and offshore Santa Maria basins. A total of 21 source-related biomarker and stable carbon isotope ratios among the samples were assessed to assure that they were unaffected by secondary processes. Chemometric analysis of these data identifies six oil families with map and stratigraphic distributi
National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 01 offshore India; gas hydrate systems as revealed by hydrocarbon gas geochemistry
The National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 01 (NGHP-01) targeted gas hydrate accumulations offshore of the Indian Peninsula and along the Andaman convergent margin. The primary objectives of coring were to understand the geologic and geochemical controls on the accumulation of methane hydrate and their linkages to underlying petroleum systems. Four areas were investigated: 1) the Kerala-Konkan Ba
A new model for turbidity current behavior based on integration of flow monitoring and precision coring in a submarine canyon
Submarine turbidity currents create some of the largest sediment accumulations on Earth, yet there are few direct measurements of these flows. Instead, most of our understanding of turbidity currents results from analyzing their deposits in the sedimentary record. However, the lack of direct flow measurements means that there is considerable debate regarding how to interpret flow properties from a
Seasonal electrical resistivity surveys of a coastal bluff, Barter Island, North Slope Alaska
Select coastal regions of the North Slope of Alaska are experiencing high erosion rates that can be attributed in part to recent warming trends and associated increased storm intensity and frequency. The upper sediment column of the coastal North Slope of Alaska can be described as continuous permafrost underlying a thin (typically less than 1–2 m) active layer that responds variably to seasonal t
The characteristics of gas hydrates recovered from the Mount Elbert Gas Hydrate Stratigraphic Test Well, Alaska North Slope
Systematic analyses have been carried out on two gas hydrate-bearing sediment core samples, HYPV4, which was preserved by CH4 gas pressurization, and HYLN7, which was preserved in liquid-nitrogen, recovered from the BPXA-DOE-USGS Mount Elbert Stratigraphic Test Well. Gas hydrate in the studied core samples was found by observation to have developed in sediment pores, and the distribution of hydrat
Attention turns to naturally occurring methane seepage
Methane is the most abundant organic compound in the Earth's atmosphere. As a powerful greenhouse gas, it has implications for global climate change. Sources of methane to the atmosphere are varied. Depending on the source, methane can contain either modern or ancient carbon. Methane exiting from swamps and wetlands contains modern carbon, whereas methane leaking from petroleum reservoirs contains
Geophysical properties, geochronologic, and geochemical data of sediment cores collected from San Pablo Bay, California, October 17-20, 2016
Geophysical properties (P-wave velocity, gamma ray density, and magnetic susceptibility), geochronologic (radiocarbon, excess Lead-210, and Cesium-137), and geochemical data (organic carbon content and 60 element contents) are reported for select vibracores collected aboard the S/V Retriever October 17-20, 2016 in San Pablo Bay, California. Geophysical properties were measured with a Geotek Multi-
Piston and gravity core data collected during USGS cruise 2019-642-FA offshore of south-central California in support of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) California Deepwater Investigations and Groundtruthing (Cal DIG I) alternative energy pro
This data release includes photographs, multi-sensor core logger (MSCL), porewater analyses, and location and depth data from piston and gravity cores collected off the south-central California coast. This dataset is one of several collected as part of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)-funded California Deepwater Investigations and Groundtruthing (Cal DIG I) project. The purpose of the
Donated ROV vibracore and sampling data collected during Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute cruises in 2019 offshore of south-central California
This dataset includes photographs of vibracores that were collected by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) in February 2019 and November 2019 aboard the R/V Western Flyer using the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Doc Ricketts. The collection of these cores was funded entirely by MBARI, and the cores have been donated to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The cores were collected i
Geophysical and core sample data collected offshore San Francisco, California, during field activity 2019-649-FA from 2019-10-11 to 2019-10-18
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected geophysical and core sample data aboard the R/V Bold Horizon in 2019 on cruise 2019-649-FA offshore San Francisco, California. The data were collected to assess sand and gravel resources in Federal and State waters for potential use in future beach nourishment projects along stretches of the coast where critical erosion hotspots have been identified. Thi
Geophysical and core sample data collected offshore Oceanside to San Diego, southern California, during field activity 2018-638-FA from 2018-05-21 to 2018-05-26
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected geophysical and core sample data aboard the R/V Bold Horizon in 2018 on cruise 2018-638-FA offshore Oceanside to San Diego, southern California. The data were collected to assess sand and gravel resources in Federal and State waters for potential use in future beach nourishment projects along stretches of the coast where critical erosion hotspots have be
Geophysical and sampling data collected offshore Oceanside, southern California during field activity 2017-686-FA from 2017-10-23 to 2017-10-31
This data release contains geophysical and sediment sample data that were collected aboard the R/V Snavely in 2017 on U.S. Geological Survey cruise 2017-686-FA offshore Oceanside, southern California. The goal of the survey was to provide high-resolution imaging, magnetic anomaly profiles and sediment analysis to characterize the surface and subsurface properties of the study area such as unconsol
Preliminary global database of known and inferred gas hydrate locations
For more than 25 years, the U.S. Geological Survey Gas Hydrates Project has compiled and maintained an internal database of locations where the existence of gas hydrate has been confirmed or inferred in research studies. The existence of gas hydrate was considered confirmed when gas hydrate was recovered by researchers or videotaped from a vehicle (such as a submersible or remotely operated vehicl
Permafrost Mapping in Two Wetland Systems North of the Tanana River in Interior Alaska 2014
Surface-based 2D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) surveys were used to investigate the distribution of permafrost at wetland sites on the alluvial plain north of the Tanana River, 20 km southwest of Fairbanks, Alaska, in June and September 2014. The sites contained habitat types characteristic of interior Alaska, including thermokarst bog, forested permafrost plateau, and a rich fen. These
Geochemical analysis of seeps along the Queen Charlotte Fault
Geochemical analyses of authigenic carbonates, bivalves, and pore fluids were performed on samples collected from seep fields along the Queen Charlotte Fault, a right lateral transform boundary that separates the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. Samples were collected using grab samplers and piston cores, and were collected during three different research cruises in 2011, 2015, and 2017
Science and Products
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 13
Marine paleoseismic evidence for seismic and aseismic slip along the Hayward-Rodgers Creek fault system in northern San Pablo Bay
Distinguishing between seismic and aseismic fault slip in the geologic record is difficult, yet fundamental to estimating the seismic potential of faults and the likelihood of multi-fault ruptures. We integrated chirp sub-bottom imaging with targeted cross-fault coring and core analyses of sedimentary proxy data to characterize vertical deformation and slip behavior within an extensional fault benA 100-km wide slump along the upper slope of the Canadian Arctic was likely preconditioned for failure by brackish pore water flushing
Exploration of the continental slope of the Canadian Beaufort Sea has revealed a remarkable coalescence of slide scars with headwalls between 130 and 1100 m water depth (mwd). With increased depth, the scars widen and merge into one gigantic regional slide scar that is more than 100 km wide below ~1100 mwd. To understand the development of these features, five sites were investigated with an AutonGeochemistry of coastal permafrost and erosion-driven organic matter fluxes to the Beaufort Sea near Drew Point, Alaska
Accelerating erosion of the Alaska Beaufort Sea coast is increasing inputs of organic matter from land to the Arctic Ocean, and improved estimates of organic matter stocks in eroding coastal permafrost are needed to assess their mobilization rates under contemporary conditions. We collected three permafrost cores (4.5–7.5 m long) along a geomorphic gradient near Drew Point, Alaska, where recent erPermafrost mapping with electrical resistivity tomography in two wetland systems north of the Tanana River, Interior Alaska
Surface-based 2D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) surveys were used to characterize permafrost distribution at wetland sites on the alluvial plain north of the Tanana River, 20 km southwest of Fairbanks, Alaska, in June and September 2014. The sites were part of an ecologically-sensitive research area characterizing biogeochemical response of this region to warming and permafrost thaw, andFocused fluid flow and methane venting along the Queen Charlotte fault, offshore Alaska (USA) and British Columbia (Canada)
Fluid seepage along obliquely deforming plate boundaries can be an important indicator of crustal permeability and influence on fault-zone mechanics and hydrocarbon migration. The ~850-km-long Queen Charlotte fault (QCF) is the dominant structure along the right-lateral transform boundary that separates the Pacific and North American tectonic plates offshore southeastern Alaska (USA) and western BSediment and organic carbon transport and deposition driven by internal tides along Monterey Canyon, offshore California
Submarine canyons provide globally important conduits for sediment and organic carbon transport into the deep-sea. Using a novel dataset from Monterey Canyon, offshore central California, that includes an extensive array of water column sampling devices, we address how fine-grained sediment and organic carbon are transported, mixed, fractionated, and buried along a submarine canyon. Anderson-typeGeochemically distinct oil families in the onshore and offshore Santa Maria basins, California
The purpose of this work is to identify genetic affinities among 48 crude oil samples from the onshore and offshore Santa Maria basins. A total of 21 source-related biomarker and stable carbon isotope ratios among the samples were assessed to assure that they were unaffected by secondary processes. Chemometric analysis of these data identifies six oil families with map and stratigraphic distributi
National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 01 offshore India; gas hydrate systems as revealed by hydrocarbon gas geochemistry
The National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 01 (NGHP-01) targeted gas hydrate accumulations offshore of the Indian Peninsula and along the Andaman convergent margin. The primary objectives of coring were to understand the geologic and geochemical controls on the accumulation of methane hydrate and their linkages to underlying petroleum systems. Four areas were investigated: 1) the Kerala-Konkan BaA new model for turbidity current behavior based on integration of flow monitoring and precision coring in a submarine canyon
Submarine turbidity currents create some of the largest sediment accumulations on Earth, yet there are few direct measurements of these flows. Instead, most of our understanding of turbidity currents results from analyzing their deposits in the sedimentary record. However, the lack of direct flow measurements means that there is considerable debate regarding how to interpret flow properties from aSeasonal electrical resistivity surveys of a coastal bluff, Barter Island, North Slope Alaska
Select coastal regions of the North Slope of Alaska are experiencing high erosion rates that can be attributed in part to recent warming trends and associated increased storm intensity and frequency. The upper sediment column of the coastal North Slope of Alaska can be described as continuous permafrost underlying a thin (typically less than 1–2 m) active layer that responds variably to seasonal tThe characteristics of gas hydrates recovered from the Mount Elbert Gas Hydrate Stratigraphic Test Well, Alaska North Slope
Systematic analyses have been carried out on two gas hydrate-bearing sediment core samples, HYPV4, which was preserved by CH4 gas pressurization, and HYLN7, which was preserved in liquid-nitrogen, recovered from the BPXA-DOE-USGS Mount Elbert Stratigraphic Test Well. Gas hydrate in the studied core samples was found by observation to have developed in sediment pores, and the distribution of hydratAttention turns to naturally occurring methane seepage
Methane is the most abundant organic compound in the Earth's atmosphere. As a powerful greenhouse gas, it has implications for global climate change. Sources of methane to the atmosphere are varied. Depending on the source, methane can contain either modern or ancient carbon. Methane exiting from swamps and wetlands contains modern carbon, whereas methane leaking from petroleum reservoirs contains - Data
Geophysical properties, geochronologic, and geochemical data of sediment cores collected from San Pablo Bay, California, October 17-20, 2016
Geophysical properties (P-wave velocity, gamma ray density, and magnetic susceptibility), geochronologic (radiocarbon, excess Lead-210, and Cesium-137), and geochemical data (organic carbon content and 60 element contents) are reported for select vibracores collected aboard the S/V Retriever October 17-20, 2016 in San Pablo Bay, California. Geophysical properties were measured with a Geotek Multi-Piston and gravity core data collected during USGS cruise 2019-642-FA offshore of south-central California in support of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) California Deepwater Investigations and Groundtruthing (Cal DIG I) alternative energy pro
This data release includes photographs, multi-sensor core logger (MSCL), porewater analyses, and location and depth data from piston and gravity cores collected off the south-central California coast. This dataset is one of several collected as part of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)-funded California Deepwater Investigations and Groundtruthing (Cal DIG I) project. The purpose of theDonated ROV vibracore and sampling data collected during Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute cruises in 2019 offshore of south-central California
This dataset includes photographs of vibracores that were collected by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) in February 2019 and November 2019 aboard the R/V Western Flyer using the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Doc Ricketts. The collection of these cores was funded entirely by MBARI, and the cores have been donated to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The cores were collected iGeophysical and core sample data collected offshore San Francisco, California, during field activity 2019-649-FA from 2019-10-11 to 2019-10-18
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected geophysical and core sample data aboard the R/V Bold Horizon in 2019 on cruise 2019-649-FA offshore San Francisco, California. The data were collected to assess sand and gravel resources in Federal and State waters for potential use in future beach nourishment projects along stretches of the coast where critical erosion hotspots have been identified. ThiGeophysical and core sample data collected offshore Oceanside to San Diego, southern California, during field activity 2018-638-FA from 2018-05-21 to 2018-05-26
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected geophysical and core sample data aboard the R/V Bold Horizon in 2018 on cruise 2018-638-FA offshore Oceanside to San Diego, southern California. The data were collected to assess sand and gravel resources in Federal and State waters for potential use in future beach nourishment projects along stretches of the coast where critical erosion hotspots have beGeophysical and sampling data collected offshore Oceanside, southern California during field activity 2017-686-FA from 2017-10-23 to 2017-10-31
This data release contains geophysical and sediment sample data that were collected aboard the R/V Snavely in 2017 on U.S. Geological Survey cruise 2017-686-FA offshore Oceanside, southern California. The goal of the survey was to provide high-resolution imaging, magnetic anomaly profiles and sediment analysis to characterize the surface and subsurface properties of the study area such as unconsolPreliminary global database of known and inferred gas hydrate locations
For more than 25 years, the U.S. Geological Survey Gas Hydrates Project has compiled and maintained an internal database of locations where the existence of gas hydrate has been confirmed or inferred in research studies. The existence of gas hydrate was considered confirmed when gas hydrate was recovered by researchers or videotaped from a vehicle (such as a submersible or remotely operated vehiclPermafrost Mapping in Two Wetland Systems North of the Tanana River in Interior Alaska 2014
Surface-based 2D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) surveys were used to investigate the distribution of permafrost at wetland sites on the alluvial plain north of the Tanana River, 20 km southwest of Fairbanks, Alaska, in June and September 2014. The sites contained habitat types characteristic of interior Alaska, including thermokarst bog, forested permafrost plateau, and a rich fen. TheseGeochemical analysis of seeps along the Queen Charlotte Fault
Geochemical analyses of authigenic carbonates, bivalves, and pore fluids were performed on samples collected from seep fields along the Queen Charlotte Fault, a right lateral transform boundary that separates the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. Samples were collected using grab samplers and piston cores, and were collected during three different research cruises in 2011, 2015, and 2017