Acoustic and optical borehole-wall imaging for fractured-rock aquifer studies
J.H. Williams, C. D. Johnson
2004, Journal of Applied Geophysics (55) 151-159
Imaging with acoustic and optical televiewers results in continuous and oriented 360° views of the borehole wall from which the character, relation, and orientation of lithologic and structural planar features can be defined for studies of fractured-rock aquifers. Fractures are more clearly defined under a wider range of conditions...
Surface deformations as indicators of deep ebullition fluxes in a large northern peatland
P.H. Glaser, J. P. Chanton, Peter Morin, D.O. Rosenberry, D. I. Siegel, O. Ruud, L.I. Chasar, A.S. Reeve
2004, Global Biogeochemical Cycles (18)
Peatlands deform elastically during precipitation cycles by small (±3 cm) oscillations in surface elevation. In contrast, we used a Global Positioning System network to measure larger oscillations that exceeded 20 cm over periods of 4-12 hours during two seasonal droughts at a bog and fen site in northern Minnesota. The...
The Hurricane-flood-landslide continuum-forecasting Hurricane effects at landfall
A. J. Negri, J. H. Golden, R. G. Updike
2004, Conference Paper, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
The integration of remote-sensing and in-situ observations, and assimilation of these observations into high-resolution mesoscale models was described. It was observed that the greatest loss of life and property is the direct result of the storm because of the high winds and heavy rain. The research were conducted to develop...
Holocene loess deposition and soil formation as competing processes, Matanuska Valley, southern Alaska
D.R. Muhs, J. P. McGeehin, J. Beann, E. Fisher
2004, Quaternary Research (61) 265-276
Although loess-paleosol sequences are among the most important records of Quaternary climate change and past dust deposition cycles, few modern examples of such sedimentation systems have been studied. Stratigraphic studies and 22 new accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon ages from the Matanuska Valley in southern Alaska show that loess deposition there...
Temporal changes in water quality at a childhood leukemia cluster
R. L. Seiler
2004, Ground Water (42) 446-455
Since 1997, 15 cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia and one case of acute myelocytic leukemia have been diagnosed in children and teenagers who live, or have lived, in an area centered on the town of Fallon, Nevada. The expected rate for the population is about one case every five years....
A hierarchical spatial model of avian abundance with application to Cerulean Warblers
Wayne E. Thogmartin, John R. Sauer, Melinda G. Knutson
2004, Ecological Applications (14) 1766-1779
Surveys collecting count data are the primary means by which abundance is indexed for birds. These counts are confounded, however, by nuisance effects including observer effects and spatial correlation between counts. Current methods poorly accommodate both observer and spatial effects because modeling these spatially autocorrelated counts within a hierarchical framework...
Characterizing thermogenic coalbed gas from Polish coals of different ranks by hydrous pyrolysis
M.J. Kotarba, M. D. Lewan
2004, Organic Geochemistry (35) 615-646
To provide a better characterization of origin and volume of thermogenic gas generation from coals, hydrous pyrolysis experiments were conducted at 360??C for 72 h on Polish coals ranging in rank from lignite (0.3% R r) to semi-anthracite (2.0% Rr). Under these conditions, the lignites attained a medium-volatile bituminous rank...
Near-field ground motion of the 2002 Denali fault, Alaska, earthquake recorded at pump station 10
W.L. Ellsworth, M. Çelebi, J.R. Evans, E.G. Jensen, R. Kayen, M.C. Metz, D.J. Nyman, J.W. Roddick, P. Spudich, C.D. Stephens
2004, Earthquake Spectra (20) 597-615
A free-field recording of the Denali fault earthquake was obtained by the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company 3 km from the surface rupture of the Denali fault. The instrument, part of the monitoring and control system for the trans-Alaska pipeline, was located at Pump Station 10, approximately 85 km east of...
Temporal and spatial patterns in emergence and early survival of perennial plants in the Sonoran Desert
Janice E. Bowers, R. M. Turner, T.L. Burgess
2004, Plant Ecology (172) 107-119
Seedling emergence and survival of 15 perennial species were studied for six years in a 557-m2 permanent plot at Tumamoc Hill, Arizona, USA, an ungrazed site in the northern Sonoran Desert. The minimum rain required for germination and emergence ranged from 17.5 to 35.6 mm. Few species emerged in every...
Factors influencing occupancy of nest cavities in recently burned forests
V.A. Saab, J. Dudley, W.L. Thompson
2004, Conference Paper, Condor
Recently burned forests in western North America provide nesting habitat for many species of cavity-nesting birds. However, little is understood about the time frame and the variables affecting occupancy of postfire habitats by these birds. We studied factors influencing the occupancy and reuse of nest cavities from 1-7 years after...
The relationship between gorgonian coral (Cnidaria: Gorgonacea) diseases and African dust storms
J. R. Weir-Brush, V.H. Garrison, G.W. Smith, E.A. Shinn
2004, Aerobiologia (20) 119-126
The number of reports of coral diseases has increased throughout the world in the last 20 years. Aspergillosis, which primarily affects Gorgonia ventalina and G. flabellum, is one of the few diseases to be characterized. This disease is caused by Aspergillus sydowii, a terrestrial fungus with a worldwide distribution. Upon...
Diets of insectivorous birds along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona
H.K. Yard, Charles van Riper III, B.T. Brown, M.J. Kearsley
2004, The Condor (106) 106-115
We examined diets of six insectivorous bird species (n = 202 individuals) from two vegetation zones along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, 1994. All bird species consumed similar quantities of caterpillars and beetles, but use of other prey taxa varied. Non-native leafhoppers (Opsius stactagolus) specific to...
Distribution of potentially hazardous trace elements in coals from Shanxi province, China
J.Y. Zhang, C.G. Zheng, D.Y. Ren, C. L. Chou, J. Liu, R.-S. Zeng, Z.P. Wang, F.H. Zhao, Y.T. Ge
2004, Fuel (83) 129-135
Shanxi province, located in the center of China, is the biggest coal base of China. There are five coal-forming periods in Shanxi province: Late Carboniferous (Taiyuan Formation), Early Permian (Shanxi Formation), Middle Jurassic (Datong Formation), Tertiary (Taxigou Formation), and Quaternary. Hundred and ten coal samples and a peat sample from...
Luminescence dating of the Wabar meteorite craters, Saudi Arabia
J.R. Prescott, G.B. Robertson, C. Shoemaker, E.M. Shoemaker, J. Wynn
2004, Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets (109)
Luminescence dating has been used to find the age of meteorite impact craters at Wabar (Al Hadida) in Saudi Arabia. The luminescence characteristics of the shocked material were determined. Using a variety of luminescence dating techniques applied to impactite formed by the meteorite, and to the underlying sand,...
Isotopic evidence bearing on Late Triassic extinction events, Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, and implications for the duration and cause of the Triassic/Jurassic mass extinction
P.D. Ward, G.H. Garrison, J.W. Haggart, D.A. Kring, M.J. Beattie
2004, Earth and Planetary Science Letters (224) 589-600
Stable isotope analyses of Late Triassic to earliest Jurassic strata from Kennecott Point in the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, Canada shows the presence of two distinct and different organic carbon isotope anomalies at the Norian/Rhaetian and Rhaetian/Hettangian (=Triassic/Jurassic) stage boundaries. At the older of these boundaries, which is marked...
Evaluation of longitudinal dispersivity estimates from simulated forced‐ and natural‐gradient tracer tests in heterogeneous aquifers
Claire R. Tiedeman, Paul A. Hsieh
2004, Water Resources Research (40)
We simulate three types of forced‐gradient tracer tests (converging radial flow, unequal strength two well, and equal strength two well) and natural‐gradient tracer tests in multiple realizations of heterogeneous two‐dimensional aquifers with a hydraulic conductivity distribution characterized by a spherical variogram. We determine longitudinal dispersivities (αL) by analysis of forced‐gradient...
Stress orientations and magnitudes in the SAFOD pilot hole
S. Hickman, M. Zoback
2004, Geophysical Research Letters (31)
Borehole breakouts and drilling-induced tensile fractures in the 2.2-km-deep SAFOD pilot hole at Parkfield, CA, indicate significant local variations in the direction of the maximum horizontal compressive stress, SHmax, but show a generalized increase in the angle between SHmax and the San Andreas Fault with depth. This angle ranges from...
High-rate real-time GPS network at Parkfield: Utility for detecting fault slip and seismic displacements
J. Langbein, Y. Bock
2004, Geophysical Research Letters (31)
A network of 13 continuous GPS stations near Parkfield, California has been converted from 30 second to 1 second sampling with positions of the stations estimated in real-time relative to a master station. Most stations are near the trace of the San Andreas fault, which exhibits creep. The noise spectra...
Hydrated states of MgSO4 at equatorial latiudes on Mars
W. C. Feldman, M. T. Mellon, S. Maurice, T.H. Prettyman, J.W. Carey, D. T. Vaniman, D.L. Bish, C.I. Fialips, S.J. Chipera, J.S. Kargel, R.C. Elphic, H.O. Funsten, D. J. Lawrence, R.L. Tokar
2004, Geophysical Research Letters (31)
The stability of water ice, epsomite, and hexahydrite to loss of H 2O molecules to the atmosphere at equatorial latitudes of Mars was studied to determine their potential contributions to the measured abundance of water-equivalent hydrogen (WEH). Calculation of the relative humidity based on estimates of yearly averages of water-vapor...
Predicting patterns of non-native plant invasions in Yosemite National Park, California, USA
E.C. Underwood, R. Klinger, P.E. Moore
2004, Diversity and Distributions (10) 447-459
One of the major issues confronting management of parks and reserves is the invasion of non-native plant species. Yosemite National Park is one of the largest and best-known parks in the United States, harbouring significant cultural and ecological resources. Effective management of non-natives would be greatly assisted by information on...
Recent increases in sediment and nutrient accumulation in Bear Lake, Utah/Idaho, USA
J.M. Smoak, P.W. Swarzenski
2004, Hydrobiologia (525) 175-184
This study examines historical changes in sediment and nutrient accumulation rates in Bear Lake along the northeastern Utah/Idaho border, USA. Two sediment cores were dated by measuring excess 210Pb activities and applying the constant rate of supply (CRS) dating model. Historical rates of bulk sediment accumulation were calculated based on...
A study of possible ground-motion amplification at the Coyote Lake Dam, California
D.M. Boore, V.M. Graizer, J. C. Tinsley, A.F. Shakal
2004, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (94) 1327-1342
The abutment site at the Coyote Lake Dam recorded an unusually large peak acceleration of 1.29g during the 1984 Morgan Hill earthquake. Following this earthquake another strong-motion station was installed about 700 m downstream from the abutment station. We study all events (seven) recorded on these stations, using ratios of...
Wave- and tidally-driven flow and sediment flux across a fringing coral reef: Southern Molokai, Hawaii
C. D. Storlazzi, A.S. Ogston, Michael H. Bothner, M.E. Field, M.K. Presto
2004, Continental Shelf Research (24) 1397-1419
The fringing coral reef off the south coast of Molokai, Hawaii is currently being studied as part of a US Geological Survey (USGS) multi-disciplinary project that focuses on geologic and oceanographic processes that affect coral reef systems. For this investigation, four instrument packages were deployed across the fringing coral reef...
Diets and foraging behavior of northern Spotted Owls in Oregon
E.D. Forsman, R.G. Anthony, E. Charles Meslow, C.J. Zabel
2004, Journal of Raptor Research (38) 214-230
We describe local, regional, and annual variation in diets of northern Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis caurina) in Oregon based on 24 497 prey collected at 1118 owl territories in 1970-2003. The sample included 91.5% mammals, 4.3% birds, 4.1% insects, and 0.1% other prey. The diet included ???131 species, including 49...
A definitive calibration record for the Landsat-5 thematic mapper anchored to the Landsat-7 radiometric scale
P.M. Teillet, D. L. Helder, T.A. Ruggles, R. Landry, F.J. Ahern, N.J. Higgs, J. Barsi, G. Chander, B. L. Markham, J. L. Barker, K. J. Thome, J. R. Schott, Frank Don Palluconi
2004, Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing (30) 631-643
A coordinated effort on the part of several agencies has led to the specification of a definitive radiometric calibration record for the Landsat-5 thematic mapper (TM) for its lifetime since launch in 1984. The time-dependent calibration record for Landsat-5 TM has been placed on the same radiometric scale as the...
