Interpreting the tectonic evolution of Pacific Rim margins using plate kinematics and slab window volcanism
Patricia A. McCrory, Douglas S. Wilson
2009, Tectonophysics (464) 1-2
The possibility that slab windows might form in the wake of ridge subduction was first conceptualized in the late 1970s as earth scientists explored the implications of plate tectonic theory in three dimensions. Acceptance of slab-window occurrence, however, has been a long time coming (McCrory and Wilson, this issue). With...
Enumeration of Pacific walrus carcasses on beaches of the Chukchi Sea in Alaska following a mortality event, September 2009
Anthony S. Fischbach, Daniel H. Monson, C.V. Jay
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1291
On September 14, 2009, we encountered substantial numbers of fresh walrus carcasses on the Alaskan shores of the Chukchi Sea near Icy Cape. We enumerated 131 carcasses using geo-referenced strip transect photography and visual counts of solitary carcasses. All appeared to be young animals based on review of aerial photographs...
eMODIS Alaska
Calli B. Jenkerson, Gail L. Schmidt
2009, Conference Paper, Reflection of the past, vision for the future
No abstract available....
Europium-rich dark monazite - a potential new ore mineral for Alaska, USA?
Richard B. Tripp, William Benzel, David T. Adams, Heather A. Lowers, Gregory K. Lee, Elizabeth A. Bailey
2009, EXPLORE: Newsletter for the Association of Applied Geochemists (145) 1-10
Projected changes in atmospheric heating due to changes in fire disturbance and the snow season in the western Arctic, 2003–2100
E.S. Euskirchen, A. David McGuire, T.S. Rupp, F. S. Chapin III, J.E. Walsh
2009, Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences (114)
In high latitudes, changes in climate impact fire regimes and snow cover duration, altering the surface albedo and the heating of the regional atmosphere. In the western Arctic, under four scenarios of future climate change and future fire regimes (2003–2100), we examined changes in surface albedo and the related changes...
Changes in Species, Areal Cover, and Production of Moss across a Fire Chronosequence in Interior Alaska
J.W. Harden, J. Munster, K.L. Manies, M.C. Mack, J. L. Bubier
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1208
In an effort to characterize the species and production rates of various upland mosses and their relationship to both site drainage and time since fire, annual net primary production of six common moss species was measured. Several stands located near Delta Junction, interior Alaska, were located. These stands ranged from...
Application of the multi-dimensional surface water modeling system at Bridge 339, Copper River Highway, Alaska
Timothy P. Brabets, Jeffrey S. Conaway
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1237
The Copper River Basin, the sixth largest watershed in Alaska, drains an area of 24,200 square miles. This large, glacier-fed river flows across a wide alluvial fan before it enters the Gulf of Alaska. Bridges along the Copper River Highway, which traverses the alluvial fan, have been impacted by channel...
Geochemical data for samples collected in 2008 near the concealed pebble porphyry Cu-Au-Mo deposit, Southwest Alaska
David L. Fey, Matthew Granitto, Stuart A. Giles, Steven M. Smith, Robert G. Eppinger, Karen D. Kelley
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1239
In the summer of 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began an exploration geochemical research study over the Pebble porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum deposit. This report presents the analytical data collected in 2008. The Pebble deposit is world class in size, and is almost entirely concealed by tundra, glacial deposits, and post-Cretaceous...
Aeromagnetic and Aeroradiometric Data for the Conterminous United States and Alaska from the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) Program of the U.S. Department of Energy
Patricia L. Hill, Robert P. Kucks, Dhananjay Ravat
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1129
The National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program was initiated in 1973 with a primary goal of identifying uranium resources in the United States. The airborne program's main purpose was to collect radiometric data of the conterminous United States and Alaska. Magnetic data were also collected. After the program ended, most...
The November 15, 2006 Kuril Islands-generated tsunami in Crescent City, California
Lori Dengler, B. Uslu, A. Barberopoulou, S. C. Yim, A. Kelly
2009, Pure and Applied Geophysics (166) 37-53
On November 15, 2006, Crescent City in Del Norte County, California was hit by a tsunami generated by a M w 8.3 earthquake in the central Kuril Islands. Strong currents that persisted over an eight-hour period damaged floating docks and several boats and caused an estimated $9.2 million in losses....
Preliminary geologic map of the Cook Inlet region, Alaska-Including parts of the Talkeetna, Talkeetna Mountains, Tyonek, Anchorage, Lake Clark, Kenai, Seward, Iliamna, Seldovia, Mount Katmai, and Afognak 1:250,000-scale quadrangles
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1108
The growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has highlighted the need for digital geologic maps that have been attributed with information about age and lithology. Such maps can be conveniently used to generate derivative maps for manifold special purposes such as mineral-resource assessment, metallogenic studies, tectonic studies,...
Chronology and references of volcanic eruptions and selected unrest in the United States, 1980-2008
Angela K. Diefenbach, Marianne Guffanti, John W. Ewert
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1118
The United States ranks as one of the top countries in the world in the number of young, active volcanoes within its borders. The United States, including the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, is home to approximately 170 geologically active (age <10,000 years) volcanoes. As our review of the...
A case study of carbon fluxes from land change in the Southwest Brazilian Amazon
K. Barrett, J. Rogan, J.R. Eastman
2009, Journal of Land Use Science (4) 233-248
Worldwide, land change is responsible for one-fifth of anthropogenic carbon emissions. In Brazil, three-quarters of carbon emissions originate from land change. This study represents a municipal-scale study of carbon fluxes from vegetation in Rio Branco, Brazil. Land-cover maps of pasture, forest, and secondary growth from 1993, 1996, 1999, and 2003...
Quantifying the undiscovered geothermal resources of the United States
Colin F. Williams, Marshall J. Reed, Jacob DeAngelo, S. Peter Galanis Jr.
2009, Conference Paper, Geothermal Resources Council Transactions
In 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released summary results of an assessment of the electric power production potential from the moderate- and high-temperature geothermal resources of the United States (Williams et al., 2008a; USGS Fact Sheet 2008-3082; http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2008/3082). In the assessment, the estimated mean power production potential from undiscovered...
Production of a national 1:1,000,000-scale hydrography dataset for the United States: feature selection, simplification, and refinement
Robin H. Gary, Zachary D. Wilson, Christy-Ann M. Archuleta, Florence E. Thompson, Joseph Vrabel
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5202
During 2006-09, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Atlas of the United States, produced a 1:1,000,000-scale (1:1M) hydrography dataset comprising streams and waterbodies for the entire United States, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, for inclusion in the recompiled National Atlas. This report documents the...
Channel incision and water-table decline along a recently rormed proglacial stream, Mendenhall Valley, southeastern Alaska
Edward G. Neal
2009, Professional Paper 1760-E
Retreat of the Mendenhall Glacier, in southeastern Alaska, resulted in the formation of Mendenhall Lake, which has reduced the supply of coarse sediment to the proglacial Mendenhall River. Channel geometry surveys conducted in 1969 and 1998 over a 5.3 km reach of the Mendenhall River revealed reductions in mean bed...
Volcanic processes and geology of Augustine Volcano, Alaska
Richard B. Waitt, James E. Beget
2009, Professional Paper 1762
Augustine Island (volcano) in lower Cook Inlet, Alaska, has erupted repeatedly in late-Holocene and historical times. Eruptions typically beget high-energy volcanic processes. Most notable are bouldery debris avalanches containing immense angular clasts shed from summit domes. Coarse deposits of these avalanches form much of Augustine's lower flanks. A new geologic...
Unearthing Secrets of the Forest
Sarah I. Beldin, Steven S. Perakis
2009, Fact Sheet 2009-3078
Forests are a defining feature for large areas of the Pacific northwestern United States from northern California to Alaska. Coniferous temperate rainforests in the western Cascade and coastal mountain ranges are appreciated for their aesthetic value and abundant natural resources. Few people recognize the riches beneath the forest floor; yet,...
Detrital zircon geochronology of Cretaceous and Paleogene strata across the south-central Alaskan convergent margin
Dwight Bradley, Peter J. Haeussler, Paul O'Sullivan, Rich Friedman, Alison Till, Dan Bradley, Jeff Trop
2009, Professional Paper 1760-F
Ages of detrital zircons are reported from ten samples of Lower Cretaceous to Paleogene metasandstones and sandstones from the Chugach Mountains, Talkeetna Mountains, and western Alaska Range of south-central Alaska. Zircon ages are also reported from three igneous clasts from two conglomerates. The results bear on the regional geology, stratigraphy,...
Catalog of earthquake hypocenters at Alaskan volcanoes: January 1 through December 31, 2008
James P. Dixon, Scott D. Stihler
2009, Data Series 467
Between January 1 and December 31, 2008, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) located 7,097 earthquakes of which 5,318 occurred within 20 kilometers of the 33 volcanoes monitored by the AVO. Monitoring highlights in 2008 include the eruptions of Okmok Caldera, and Kasatochi Volcano, as well as increased unrest at Mount...
Surveillance plan for the early detection of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in migratory birds in the United States: surveillance year 2009
Christopher J. Brand
2009, General Information Product 92
Executive Summary: This Surveillance Plan (Plan) describes plans for conducting surveillance of wild birds in the United States and its Territories and Freely-Associated States to provide for early detection of the introduction of the H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) subtype of the influenza A virus by migratory birds during...
Data on mercury in water, bed sediment, and fish from streams across the United States, 1998-2005
Nancy J. Bauch, Lia C. Chasar, Barbara C. Scudder, Patrick W. Moran, Kerie J. Hitt, Mark E. Brigham, Michelle A. Lutz, Dennis A. Wentz
2009, Data Series 307
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) and Toxic Substances Hydrology Programs conducted the National Mercury Pilot Study in 1998 to examine relations of mercury (Hg) in water, bed sediment and fish in streams across the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. Water and bed-sediment samples were analyzed...
The Regional Geochemistry of Soils and Willow in a Metamorphic Bedrock Terrain, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2005, and Its Possible Relation to Moose
L. P. Gough, P. J. Lamothe, R. F. Sanzolone, L.J. Drew, J.A.K. Maier
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1124
In 2005 willow leaves (all variants of Salix pulchra) and A-, B-, and C-horizon soils were sampled at 10 sites along a transect near the Quarry prospect and 11 sites along a transect near the Big Hurrah mine for the purpose of defining the spatial variability of elements and the...
Geochemistry and geochronology of carbonate-hosted base metal deposits in the southern Brooks Range, Alaska: Temporal association with VMS deposits and metallogenic implications
Karen Kelly, John Slack, David Selby
2009, Conference Paper, Smart science for exploration and mining: Proceedings of the 10th Biennial SGA Meeting, Townsville, Australia 17th-20th August 2009
The Brooks Range contains enormous accumulations of zinc and copper, either as VMS or sediment-hosted deposits. The Ruby Creek and Omar deposits are Cu-Co stratabound deposits associated with dolomitic breccias. Numerous volcanogenic Cu-Zn (+/-Ag, Au) deposits are situated ~20 km north of the Ruby Creek deposit. The carbonate-hosted deposits consist...
Black and Brown Bear Activity at Selected Coastal Sites in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska: A Preliminary Assessment Using Noninvasive Procedures
Steve Partridge, Tom Smith, Tania Lewis
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1169
A number of efforts in recent years have sought to predict bear activity in various habitats to minimize human disturbance and bear/human conflicts. Alaskan coastal areas provide important foraging areas for bears (Ursus americanus and U. arctos), particularly following den emergence when there may be no snow-free foraging alternatives. Additionally,...
