Effect of clay content and mineralogy on frictional sliding behavior of simulated gouges: binary and ternary mixtures of quartz, illite, and montmorillonite
Sheryl Tembe, David A. Lockner, Teng-Fong Wong
2010, Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth (115)
We investigated the frictional sliding behavior of simulated quartz-clay gouges under stress conditions relevant to seismogenic depths. Conventional triaxial compression tests were conducted at 40 MPa effective normal stress on saturated saw cut samples containing binary and ternary mixtures of quartz, montmorillonite, and illite. In all cases, frictional strengths of...
A universal approximation to grain size from images of non-cohesive sediment
D. Buscombe, D. M. Rubin, J.A. Warrick
2010, Journal of Geophysical Research F: Earth Surface (115)
The two-dimensional spectral decomposition of an image of sediment provides a direct statistical estimate, grid-by-number style, of the mean of all intermediate axes of all single particles within the image. We develop and test this new method which, unlike existing techniques, requires neither image processing algorithms for detection and measurement...
Do three massive coral species from the same reef record the same SST signal? A test from the Dry Tortugas, Florida Keys
K. L. DeLong, R.Z. Poore, C. D. Reich, J. A. Flannery, Christopher R. Maupin, T. M. Quinn
2010, Conference Paper
Paleoclimatologists have reconstructed century-long records of sea surface temperature (SST) in the Pacific using the Sr/Ca of massive corals, whereas similar reconstructions in the Atlantic have not proceeded at the same pace. Past research in the Florida Keys has focused on Montastrea spp., an abundant and fast-growing massive coral, thus a...
Carbonate control of H2 and CH4 production in serpentinization systems at elevated P-Ts
L. Camille Jones, Robert Rosenbauer, Jonas I. Goldsmith, Christopher Oze
2010, Geophysical Research Letters (37)
Serpentinization of forsteritic olivine results in the inorganic synthesis of molecular hydrogen (H2) in ultramafic hydrothermal systems (e.g., mid-ocean ridge and forearc environments). Inorganic carbon in those hydrothermal systems may react with H2 to produce methane (CH4) and other hydrocarbons or react with dissolved metal ions to form carbonate minerals....
An overview of sensor calibration inter-comparison and applications
Xiaoxiong Xiong, Changyong Cao, Gyanesh Chander
2010, Frontiers of Earth Science in China (4) 237-252
Long-term climate data records (CDR) are often constructed using observations made by multiple Earth observing sensors over a broad range of spectra and a large scale in both time and space. These sensors can be of the same or different types operated on the same or different platforms. They can...
Groundwater sustainability strategies
Tom Gleeson, Jonathan VanderSteen, Marios A. Sophocleous, Makoto Taniguchi, William M. Alley, Diana M. Allen, Yangxiao Zhou
2010, Nature Geoscience (3) 378-379
Groundwater extraction has facilitated significant social development and economic growth, enhanced food security and alleviated drought in many farming regions. But groundwater development has also depressed water tables, degraded ecosystems and led to the deterioration of groundwater quality, as well as to conflict among water users. The effects are not...
Mineral resource of the month: perlite
Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey
2010, Earth (55) 27-27
The article talks about perlite, which is a mineral used as an aggregate for lightweight construction products, filler for paints and horticultural soil blends. Perlite comes from viscous lava, mined and processed to produce lightweight material that competes with pumice, exfoliated vermiculite and expanded clay and shale. It is mined...
Mineral resource of the month: germanium
David Guberman
2010, Earth (55) 27-27
The article provides information on germanium, an element with electrical properties between those of a metal and an insulator. Applications of germanium include its use as a component of the glass in fiber-optic cable, in infrared optics devices and as a semiconductor and substrate used in electronic and solar applications....
Groundwater hydrology--coastal flow
Ward E. Sanford
2010, Nature Geoscience (3) 671-672
How groundwater flow varies when long-term external conditions change is little documented. Geochemical evidence shows that sea-level rise at the end of the last glacial period led to a shift in the flow patterns of coastal groundwater beneath Florida....
Importance of benthic production to fish populations in Lake Mead prior to the establishment of quagga mussels
John Umek, Sudeep Chandra, Michael Rosen, Marion Wittmann, Joe Sullivan, Erik Orsak
2010, Lake and Reservoir Management (26) 293-305
Limnologists recently have developed an interest in quantifying benthic resource contributions to higher-level consumers. Much of this research focuses on natural lakes with very little research in reservoirs. In this study, we provide a contemporary snapshot of the food web structure of Lake Mead to evaluate the contribution of benthic...
Geologic characteristics and movement of the Meadow Creek landslide, part of the Coal Hill landslide complex, western Kane County, Utah
Francis X. Ashland, Greg N. McDonald
Stephanie M. Carney, David E. Tabet, Cari L. Johnson, editor(s)
2010, Utah Geological Association Publication 39: Geology of South-Central Utah 38-60
The Meadow Creek landslide, part of the Coal Hill landslide complex in western Kane County, Utah, is about 1.7 miles (2.7 km) wide and 1.3 miles (2.1 km) long and contains six smaller historical slides. The upper part of the Meadow Creek landslide is gently sloping and consists of...
Large-scale coastal change in the Columbia River littoral cell: an overview
Guy Gelfenbaum, George M. Kaminsky
2010, Marine Geology (273) 1-10
This overview introduces large-scale coastal change in the Columbia River littoral cell (CRLC). Covering 165 km of the southwest Washington and northwest Oregon coasts, the littoral cell is made up of wide low-sloping dissipative beaches, broad coastal dunes and barrier plains, three large estuaries, and is bounded by rocky headlands....
Rupture directivity of moderate earthquakes in northern California
Linda C. Seekins, John Boatwright
2010, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (100) 1107-1119
We invert peak ground velocity and acceleration (PGV and PGA) to estimate rupture direction and rupture velocity for 47 moderate earthquakes (3.5≥M≥5.4) in northern California. We correct sets of PGAs and PGVs recorded at stations less than 55–125 km, depending on source depth, for site amplification and source–receiver distance, then...
Distribution of an invasive aquatic pathogen (viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus) in the Great Lakes and its relationship to shipping
Mark B. Bain, Emily R. Cornwell, Kristine M. Hope, Geofrey E. Eckerlin, Rufina N. Casey, Geoffrey H. Groocock, Rodman G. Getchell, Paul R. Bowser, James R. Winton, William N. Batts, Allegra Cangelosi, James W. Casey
2010, PLoS ONE (5)
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is a rhabdovirus found in fish from oceans of the northern hemisphere and freshwaters of Europe. It has caused extensive losses of cultured and wild fish and has become established in the North American Great Lakes. Large die-offs of wild fish in the Great Lakes...
Mineral resource of the month: fluorspar
Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey
2010, Earth (55) 28-29
The article features the industrial mineral fluorspar, used in the manufacture of fluorochemicals, aluminum and steel. It defines fluorspar as crude or beneficiated material, mined or milled for the non-metallic mineral fluorite or calcium fluoride. Applications of acid-grade fluorspar in the U.S. are presented, including production of hydrofluoric acid for...
Mineral resource of the month: sulfur
Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey
2010, Earth (55) 26-27
The article presents information on sulfur. Sulfur is said to be among the few solid elements found in elemental form in nature and has industrial uses. Changes in the sulfur production process over the years are discussed as well as the mining process developed by German engineer Herman Frasch that...
Bromine
Lori E. Apodaca
2010, Mining Engineering (62) 41-42
The entire U.S. production of bromine in 2009 came from underground brines in Arkansas, where it was the leading mineral commodity produced in terms of value. Two companies, Albermarle Corp. and Chemtura Corp., were responsible for bromine recovery. Worldwide, the United States is still the leading producer. However, U.S. dominance...
Predicting future changes in Muskegon River Watershed game fish distributions under future land cover alteration and climate change scenarios
Paul J. Steen, Michael J. Wiley, Jeffrey S. Schaeffer
2010, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society (139) 396-412
Future alterations in land cover and climate are likely to cause substantial changes in the ranges of fish species. Predictive distribution models are an important tool for assessing the probability that these changes will cause increases or decreases in or the extirpation of species. Classification tree models that predict the...
Industrial garnet
D.W. Olson
2010, Mining Engineering (62) 55-56
In 2009, U.S. production of crude garnet concentrate for industrial use was estimated to be 56.5 kt (62,300 st), valued at about $8.85 million. This was a 10-percent decrease in quantity compared with 2008 production. Refined garnet material sold or used was 28 kt (31,000 st) valued at $7.96 million....
Use of geochemical, isotopic, and age tracer data to develop models of groundwater flow for the purpose of water management, northern High Plains aquifer, USA
Peter B. McMahon, C. P. Carney, E. P. Poeter, Steven M. Peterson
2010, PNAS (25) 910-922
A prolonged drought in the High Plains of Nebraska prompted the use of groundwater for cooling at the largest coal-fired power plant in the State. Prior to the drought, groundwater was used primarily for irrigation and the power plant relied exclusively on surface water stored in a nearby reservoir for...
Habitat selection and spawning success of walleye in a tributary to Owasco Lake, New York
Marc A. Chalupnicki, James H. Johnson, James E. McKenna Jr., Dawn E. Dittman
2010, North American Journal of Fisheries Management (30) 170-178
Walleyes Sander vitreus are stocked into Owasco Lake, New York, to provide a sport fishery, but the population must be sustained by annual hatchery supplementation despite the presence of appropriate habitat. Therefore, we evaluated walleye spawning success in Dutch Hollow Brook, a tributary of Owasco Lake, to determine whether early...
Mineral resource of the month: lead
David E. Guberman
2010, Earth (55) 29-29
The article discusses the properties and uses lead as a mineral resource. According to the author, lead is a corrosion-resistant, dense, ductile, and malleable blue-gray metal that has been used by humans for 5,000 years. Lead was first used in decorative, fixtures, roofs, pipes, and windows. The author says that...
Strontium
M.A. Angulo
2010, Mining Engineering (62) 77-78
In 2009, U.S. apparent consumption of strontium (contained in celestite and manufactured strontium compounds) increased to 16 kt (17,600 st) from 10.6 kt (11,700 st) in 2008, an increase of 52 percent. This increase was attributed primarily to an increase in imported celestite. Gross weight of imports totaled 25.3 kt...
An experimental vaccine against Aeromonas hydrophila can induce protection in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)
S. E. LaPatra, K.P. Plant, S. Alcorn, V. Ostland, J. Winton
2010, Journal of Fish Diseases (33) 143-151
A candidate vaccine against Aeromonas hydrophila in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, was developed using a bacterial lysate. To test the strength of protection, A. hydrophila challenge models were compared using injection into both the intraperitoneal (IP) cavity and the dorsal sinus (DS) with selected doses of live bacteria washed in...
New software methods in radar ornithology using WSR-88D weather data and potential application to monitoring effects of climate change on bird migration
Reginald Mead, John Paxton, Richard S. Sojda
David A. Swayne, Wanhong Yang, A.A. Voinov, A. Rizzoli, T. Filatova, editor(s)
2010, Conference Paper, 2010 International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software; Modelling for Environment's Sake, Fifth Biennial Meeting, Ottawa, Canada
Radar ornithology has provided tools for studying the movement of birds, especially related to migration. Researchers have presented qualitative evidence suggesting that birds, or at least migration events, can be identified using large broad scale radars such as the WSR-88D used in the NEXRAD weather surveillance system. This is potentially...
