Mineral resource of the month: gemstones
Donald W. Olson
2008, Geotimes (2008)
Humans have been intrigued by gemstones since prehistoric times. Gemstones have been valued as treasured objects throughout history by all societies in all parts of the world. The first stones known to have been used for making jewelry include amber, amethyst, coral, diamond, emerald, garnet, jade, jasper, lapis lazuli, pearl,...
Water-resources data for the United States: water year 2008
Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey
2008, Water Data Report 2008
Water resources data are published annually for use by engineers, scientists, managers, educators, and the general public. These archival products supplement direct access to current and historical water data provided by NWISWeb. Beginning with Water Year 2006, annual water data reports are available as individual electronic Site Data Sheets for...
Estimating pore-space gas hydrate saturations from well log acoustic data
Myung W. Lee, William F. Waite
2008, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems (9)
Relating pore-space gas hydrate saturation to sonic velocity data is important for remotely estimating gas hydrate concentration in sediment. In the present study, sonic velocities of gas hydrate–bearing sands are modeled using a three-phase Biot-type theory in which sand, gas hydrate, and pore fluid form three homogeneous, interwoven frameworks. This...
[Book Review] Avian influenza
Steven Schwarzbach, Sabir Muzzafar, John Y. Takekawa
2008, Journal of Wildlife Diseases (44) 1056-1058
Review of: Avian Influenza. By David E. Swayne, Blackwell Publishing Ltd., Oxford, UK. 2008. 605 pp. ISBN-13 978-0-8138-2047-7/2008. US $149.99 (hardback)....
Rapid Assessment of earthquake-induced landsliding
J. W. Godt, B. Sener, K.L. Verdin, D.J. Wald, P.S. Earle, E. L. Harp, R.W. Jibson
2008, Conference Paper, Proceedings of the First World Landslide Forum, November 18 - 21, Tokyo, Japan: Parallel Sessions Volume, International Program on Landslides
The Pacific Northwest in the United States including Seattle, Washington, experienced unusually heavy rainfall in the winters of 1995/1996 and 1996/1997, which caused numerous landslides. Following these two winters, the City of Seattle resolved to reduce future landslide losses within its jurisdiction. By coincidence, in 1997 the U.S. Geological Survey...
Exploration review
D.R. Wilburn
2008, Mining Engineering (60) 45-57
This summary of international mineral exploration activities for the year 2007 draws upon available information from industry, literature and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) specialists. The summary provides data on exploration budgets by region and mineral commodity, identifies significant mineral discoveries and areas of mineral exploration, discusses government programs affecting the...
Development of the U.S. Geological Survey's PAGER system (Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response)
D.J. Wald, P.S. Earle, T.I. Allen, K. Jaiswal, K. Porter, M. Hearne
2008, Conference Paper, The 14th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering: October 12-17, 2008, Beijing, China
The Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) System plays a primary alerting role for global earthquake disasters as part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) response protocol. We provide an overview of the PAGER system, both of its current capabilities and our ongoing research and development. PAGER monitors...
Low prevalence of avian influenza virus in shorebirds on the Pacific coast of North America
Samuel A. Iverson, John Y. Takekawa, Steven Schwarzbach, Carol J. Cardona, Nils Warnock, Mary Anne Bishop, Greg A. Schirato, Sara Paroulek, Joshua T. Ackerman, S. Ip, Walter M. Boyce
2008, Waterbirds (31) 602-610
The emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has elevated concerns about wild birds as virus hosts; however, little is known about the ecological and epidemiological factors of transmission by shorebirds. Here we summarize results for 2,773 shorebirds that were live-trapped on the Pacific coast of the United States...
Metals fate and transport modelling in streams and watersheds: state of the science and USEPA workshop review
B.S. Caruso, T.J. Cox, Robert L. Runkel, M.L. Velleux, Kenneth E. Bencala, D. Kirk Nordstrom, P.Y. Julien, B. A. Butler, Charles N. Alpers, A. Marion, Kathleen S. Smith
2008, Hydrological Processes (22) 4011-4021
Metals pollution in surface waters from point and non-point sources (NPS) is a widespread problem in the United States and worldwide (Lofts et al., 2007; USEPA, 2007). In the western United States, metals associated with acid mine drainage (AMD) from hardrock mines in mountainous areas impact aquatic ecosystems and human...
Top 10 principles for designing healthy coastal ecosystems like the Salish Sea
Joseph K. Gaydos, Leslie Dierauf, Grant Kirby, Deborah Brosnan, Kirsten Gilardi, Gary E. Davis
2008, EcoHealth (5) 460-471
Like other coastal zones around the world, the inland sea ecosystem of Washington (USA) and British Columbia (Canada), an area known as the Salish Sea, is changing under pressure from a growing human population, conversion of native forest and shoreline habitat to urban development, toxic contamination of sediments and species,...
Discrimination of lichen genera and species using element concentrations
James P. Bennett
2008, Lichenologist (40) 135-151
The importance of organic chemistry in the classification of lichens is well established, but inorganic chemistry has been largely overlooked. Six lichen species were studied over a period of 23 years that were growing in 11 protected areas of the northern Great Lakes ecoregion, which were not greatly influenced by...
Density currents in the Chicago River: Characterization, effects on water quality, and potential sources
P. Ryan Jackson, Carlos M. Garcia, Kevin A. Oberg, Kevin K. Johnson, Marcelo H. Garcia
2008, Science of the Total Environment (401) 130-143
Bidirectional flows in a river system can occur under stratified flow conditions and in addition to creating significant errors in discharge estimates, the upstream propagating currents are capable of transporting contaminants and affecting water quality. Detailed field observations of bidirectional flows were made in the Chicago River in Chicago, Illinois...
Streamflow of 2007--Water year summary
Jian Xiaodong, David M. Wolock, Harry F. Lins
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3042
The maps and graphs appearing in this summary describe streamflow conditions for water-year 2007 (October 1, 2006 to September 30, 2007) in the context of the 78-year period 1930-2007, unless otherwise noted. The illustrations are based on observed data from the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Streamflow Information Program. The...
Long-term dynamics of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) and its biocontrol agent, flea beetles in the genus Aphthona
Diane L. Larson, James B. Grace, Jennifer L. Larson
2008, Biological Control (47) 250-256
Three flea beetle species (Aphthona spp.), first introduced into North America in 1988, have come to be regarded as effective biological control organisms for leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula). The black flea beetles (Aphthona lacertosa and A. czwalinae) in particular have been shown to cause reductions in leafy spurge stem counts...
Topographic mapping
Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey
2008, Report
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) produced its first topographic map in 1879, the same year it was established. Today, more than 100 years and millions of map copies later, topographic mapping is still a central activity for the USGS. The topographic map remains an indispensable tool for government, science, industry,...
Slow journey home
Marsha Sovada
2008, North Dakota Outdoors (70) 8-11
Eliminated from North Dakota's prairies by the mid-1900s, the return of the swift fox to its native habitat has been anything but speedy. Biologists are finally seeing the first signs of this diminutive animal's homecoming....
The Colorado Plateau III: integrating research and resources management for effective conservation
Mark K. Sogge
Charles van Riper III, editor(s)
2008, Book
Roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States, the Colorado Plateau covers an area of 130,000 square miles. The relatively high semi-arid province boasts nine national parks, sixteen national monuments, many state parks, and dozens of wilderness areas. With the highest concentration of parklands in North...
Hematite spherules at Meridiani: results from MI, Mini-TES, and Pancam
W. M. Calvin, J.D. Shoffner, J. R. Johnson, A.H. Knoll, J.M. Pocock, S. W. Squyres, C.M. Weitz, R. E. Arvidson, J.F. Bell III, P. R. Christensen, P. A. de Souza Jr., W. H. Farrand, T.D. Glotch, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, B.L. Jolliff, A.T. Knudson, S. M. McLennan, A.D. Rogers, S.D. Thompson
2008, Journal of Geophysical Research (113)
We report on observations of hematite‐bearing spherules at Meridiani Planum made using the Microscopic Imager (MI), Mini‐Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini‐TES), and Panoramic Camera (Pancam) instruments on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. Spherules were observed on soil surfaces and in outcrop rocks, both on undisturbed surfaces and in abraded surfaces ground...
Releases of whooping cranes to the Florida nonmigratory flock: a structured decision-making approach: report to the International Whooping Crane Recovery Team, September 22, 2008
Clinton T. Moore, Sarah J. Converse, Martin J. Folk, Robin Boughton, Bill Brooks, John B. French, Timothy O’Meara, Michael Putnam, James Rodgers, Marilyn Spalding
2008, FWRI Inhouse Report 2008-009
We used a structured decision-making approach to inform the decision of whether the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission should request of the International Whooping Crane Recovery Team that additional whooping crane chicks be released into the Florida Non-Migratory Population (FNMP). Structured decision-making is an application of decision science that...
Origin and paleoclimatic significance of late Quaternary loess in Nebraska: Evidence from stratigraphy, chronology, sedimentology, and geochemistry
Daniel R. Muhs, E. Arthur Bettis III, John N. Aleinikoff, John P. McGeehin, Jossh Beann, Gary Skipp, Brian D. Marshall, Helen M. Roberts, William C. Johnson, Rachel Benton
2008, GSA Bulletin (120) 1378-1407
Loess is one of the most extensive surficial geologic deposits in midcontinental North America, particularly in the central Great Plains region of Nebraska. Last-glacial-age loess (Peoria Loess) reaches its greatest known thickness in the world in this area. New stratigraphic, geochronologic, mineralogic, and geochemical data yield information about the age...
Isotopic evidence for the diversity of late Quaternary loess in Nebraska: Glaciogenic and nonglaciogenic sources
John N. Aleinikoff, Daniel R. Muhs, E. Arthur Bettis III, William C. Johnson, C. Mark Fanning, Rachel Benton
2008, GSA Bulletin (120) 1362-1377
Pb isotope compositions of detrital K-feldspars and U-Pb ages of detrital zircons are used as indicators for determining the sources of Peoria Loess deposited during the last glacial period (late Wisconsin, ca. 25–14 ka) in Nebraska and western Iowa. Our new data indicate that only loess adjacent to the Platte...
Molecular epidemiology of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus in the Great Lakes region
James Winton, Gael Kurath, William Batts
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3003
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is considered by many nations and international organizations to be one of the most important viral pathogens of finfish (Office International des Epizooties 2007). For several decades following its initial characterization in the 1950s, VHSV was thought to be limited to Europe where it was...
The USGS Earthquake Notification Service (ENS): Customizable notifications of earthquakes around the globe
Lisa A. Wald, David J. Wald, Stan Schwarz, Bruce Presgrave, Paul S. Earle, Eric Martinez, David Oppenheimer
2008, Seismological Research Letters (79) 103-110
At the beginning of 2006, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program (EHP) introduced a new automated Earthquake Notification Service (ENS) to take the place of the National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) "Bigquake" system and the various other individual EHP e-mail list-servers for separate regions in the United States....
Contaminant levels in eggs of American white pelicans, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, from Chase Lake, North Dakota
Pamela J. Pietz, Marsha A. Sovada, Christine M. Custer, Thomas W. Custer, Kevin M. Johnson
2008, Canadian Field-Naturalist (122) 312-315
American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) are colonial nesters, making them susceptible to site-specific mortality factors. One of the largest known breeding colonies is at Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge in North Dakota. In 2004, this colony suffered total reproductive failure. In 2005, we collected abandoned eggs from this colony to...
Winters-Domengine Total Petroleum System—Northern Nonassociated Gas Assessment Unit of the San Joaquin Basin Province: Chapter 21 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California
Allegra Hosford Scheirer, Leslie B. Magoon
2008, Professional Paper 1713-21
The Northern Nonassociated Gas Assessment Unit (AU) of the Winters-Domengine Total Petroleum System of the San Joaquin Basin Province consists of all nonassociated gas accumulations in Cretaceous, Eocene, and Miocene sandstones located north of township 15 South in the San Joaquin Valley. The northern San Joaquin Valley forms a northwest-southeast...
