Depth to basement and crustal structure of the northern Harrat Rahat volcanic field, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from gravity and aeromagnetic data
Victoria E. Langenheim, Brent T. Ritzinger, Hani M. Zahran, Adel Shareef, Maher K. Al-Dhahry
2023, Professional Paper 1862-K
New gravity data reveal a prominent negative anomaly along the main vent axis of the northern Harrat Rahat volcanic field in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The gravity low continues north of the volcanic field onto exposures of Proterozoic rocks, indicating that the low is caused not only by the...
Isotopic and geochemical evidence for the source of volcanism at Harrat Rahat, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Vincent J.M. Salters, Afi Sachi-Kocher, Drew T. Downs, Mark E. Stelten, Thomas W. Sisson
2023, Professional Paper 1862-J
Pleistocene and Holocene basalts, hawaiites, mugearites, benmoreites, and trachytes from the northern part of the Harrat Rahat volcanic field, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, were analyzed for Sr, Nd, Hf, and Pb isotopic compositions. Evolved trachytes with Mg number <0.1 (Mg# = Mg/[Mg+Fe2+], molar) have relatively radiogenic Sr isotopic compositions indicating...
Mantle origin and crustal differentiation of basalts and hawaiites of northern Harrat Rahat, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Thomas W. Sisson, Drew T. Downs, Andrew T. Calvert, Hannah R. Dietterich, Gail A. Mahood, Vincent J.M. Salters, Mark E. Stelten, Jamal Shawali
2023, Professional Paper 1862-I
Quaternary volcanic rocks of northern Harrat Rahat, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, are chiefly alkali basalts with subordinate transitional basalts, hawaiites, mugearites, benmoreites, and trachytes. Geochemical and isotopic results indicate that crystallization-differentiation, mixing, and cumulate reassimilation within the magmatic system produced most of its compositional diversity, with only minor involvement of...
Paleomagnetism of the Harrat Rahat volcanic field, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—Geologic unit correlations and geomagnetic cryptochron identifications
Duane E. Champion, Drew T. Downs, Mark E. Stelten, Joel E. Robinson, Thomas W. Sisson, Jamal Shawali, Khalid Hassan, Hani M. Zahran
2023, Professional Paper 1862-H
Paleomagnetic rock samples were collected from 173 drill sites in the Quaternary alkali basaltic volcanic field of northern Harrat Rahat, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Laboratory measurements on these samples established that lava flows and vent complexes—identified and mapped from field characteristics, rock types, and compositions as products of single or...
Explosive trachyte eruptions from the Al Efairia volcanic center in northern Harrat Rahat, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Drew T. Downs, Mark E. Stelten, Hannah R. Dietterich, Duane E. Champion, Gail A. Mahood, Thomas W. Sisson, Andrew T. Calvert, Jamal Shawali
2023, Professional Paper 1862-G
Harrat Rahat is an alkali basalt, continental, intraplate volcanic field located within the central-western part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The northern quarter of Harrat Rahat contains evolved volcanic products that achieve trachyte compositions (>60 weight percent SiO2). Within the Al Efairia volcanic center, pyroclastic-flow and -surge deposits that...
The duration and characteristics of magmatic differentiation from basalt to trachyte within the Matan volcanic center, northern Harrat Rahat, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Mark E. Stelten, Drew T. Downs, Hannah R. Dietterich, Gail A. Mahood, Andrew T. Calvert, Thomas W. Sisson, Molly R. Witter, Hani M. Zahran, Jamal Shawali
2023, Professional Paper 1862-F
A fundamental goal of igneous petrology is to quantify the durations required to produce evolved magmas following influx of basalt into the crust. However, in many cases, complex field relations and (or) the presence of a long-lived magmatic system make it difficult to assess how basaltic inputs relate to more...
Lava flow emplacement in Harrat Rahat with implications for eruptions in mafic volcanic fields
Hannah R. Dietterich, Drew T. Downs, Mark E. Stelten
2023, Professional Paper 1862-E
Mafic volcanic fields are widespread, but few have erupted in historical times, providing limited observations of the magnitudes, dynamics, and timescales of lava flow emplacement in these settings. The Harrat Rahat volcanic field in western Saudi Arabia offers a good opportunity to study eruptions in such a setting, with a...
Eruptive history of northern Harrat Rahat—Volume, timing, and composition of volcanism over the past 1.2 million years
Mark E. Stelten, Drew T. Downs, Duane E. Champion, Hannah R. Dietterich, Andrew T. Calvert, Thomas W. Sisson, Gail A. Mahood, Hani M. Zahran
2023, Professional Paper 1862-D
Harrat Rahat, one of several large, basalt-dominated volcanic fields in the western part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is a prime example of continental, intraplate volcanism. Excellent exposure makes this an outstanding site to investigate changing volcanic flux and composition through time. We present 93 40Ar/39Ar ages and 6...
Eruptive history within the vicinity of Al Madīnah in northern Harrat Rahat, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Drew T. Downs, Mark E. Stelten, Duane E. Champion, Hannah R. Dietterich, Khalid Hassan, Jamal Shawali
2023, Professional Paper 1862-C
The northernmost part of the Harrat Rahat volcanic field contains early Pleistocene to Holocene mafic eruptive products within the vicinity of the city of Al Madīnah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A detailed geologic investigation into the eruptive history of a 570 square kilometer (km2) area covering Al Madīnah and the...
Cenozoic tectonics of the western Arabia Plate related to harrat magmatism near Al Madīnah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Andrew T. Calvert, Thomas W. Sisson
2023, Professional Paper 1862-B
Sprawling volcanic fields, or harrats, in western Saudi Arabia have been emplaced during the past 30 million years following effusions of flood basalts in Ethiopia and Yemen. Although broadly associated with volcanism in three rift valleys (Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and East African Rift Zone) radiating from the Afar...
The Saudi Geological Survey-U.S. Geological Survey northern Harrat Rahat project—Styles, rates, causes, and hazards of volcanism near Al Madīnah al Munawwarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Thomas W. Sisson, Andrew T. Calvert, Walter D. Mooney
2023, Professional Paper 1862-A
Active volcanic systems pose serious hazards to people and property including inundation and incineration by lava, blanketing by tephra (volcanic ash), exposure to noxious volcanic gases, and damage from shallow earthquakes triggered by ascending molten material (magma). To improve understanding of volcanism and associated seismicity on the western Arabia Plate,...
Active volcanism on the Arabian Shield—Geology, volcanology, and geophysics of northern Harrat Rahat and vicinity, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Thomas W. Sisson, Andrew T. Calvert, Walter D. Mooney, editor(s)
2023, Professional Paper 1862
Active volcanic systems pose serious hazards to people and property including inundation and incineration by lava, blanketing by tephra (volcanic ash), exposure to noxious volcanic gases, and damage from shallow earthquakes triggered by ascending molten material (magma). To improve understanding of volcanism and associated seismicity on the western Arabia Plate,...
Ancient infrastructure offers sustainable agricultural solutions to dryland farming
Matthew C. Pailes, Laura M. Norman, Christopher H. Baisan, David Meko, Nicolas E. Gauthier, Jose Villanueva-Diaz, Jeff Dean, Jupiter Martinez, Nicholas V Kessler, Ron Towner
Rattan Lal, editor(s)
2023, Book chapter, Soil and drought: Basic processes
For 1000 years, human populations in dryland regions of the North American Southwest (NAS) extensively constructed diverse forms of agricultural infrastructure, including canals, linear rock alignments, check dams, stock ponds, and other earthworks and rock structures. The long-term hydrological impacts of these and the demographic and socio-political drivers of construction...
Introduction to karst aquifers
Eve L. Kuniansky, Charles J. Taylor, John H. Williams, Frederick Paillet
2023, Book
No abstract available....
Conservation plan for golden eagles in eastern North America
Todd E. Katzner, Tricia A. Miller, Andrew J. Dennhardt, Maxwell Field, Thomas Wittig, Elizabeth Mojica, Michael J. Lanzone, Mark S. Martell, Richard M. Bailey, Andrew Berry, Renee Dillard, David Brandes, David F. Brinker, Bracken Brown, Erynn M. Call, Jeffrey Cooper, Adam E. Duerr, Christopher J Farmer, Shilo K. Felton, Julie Garvin, Rolf Gubler, Sergio R. Harding, Michael Jones, Christine A. Kelly, Hardy Kern, Netawn Kiogima, Craig A. Koppie, Jerome Lemaitre, Mercedes Maddox, Scott Mehus, Joel Merriman, Amy Mitchell, Bill Parsons, Evan Patrick, Nora P. Pennarola, Margaret Rheude, Casey Rucker, Scott Rush, Ryan Schmitz, Hank Seltzer, Vincent A. Slabe, Eric C. Soehren, Johnny Wills
2023, Report
No abstract available....
The haunting raptor: Yellowstone’s golden eagles
David B. Haines, Douglas W. Smith, Todd E. Katzner, Victoria J. Dreitz
2023, Book chapter, Yellowstone's Birds- Diversity and Abundance in the World's First National Park
For many who live in North America, when picturing an eagle, the image of a large magnificent bird with a distinct white head and tail comes to mind. Rightfully, the bald eagle has garnered much attention as a national symbol of the United States (US), nearly brought to extinction from...
Evaluation of stream capture related to groundwater pumping, Lower Humboldt River Basin, Nevada
Cara A. Nadler, Susan C. Rybarski, Hai Pham
2023, Scientific Investigations Report 2023-5110
The Humboldt River Basin is the only river basin that is contained entirely within the State of Nevada. The effect of groundwater pumping on the Humboldt River is not well understood. Tools are needed to determine stream capture and manage groundwater pumping in the Humboldt River Basin. The objective of...
Groundwater discharge by evapotranspiration from the Amargosa Wild and Scenic River and contributing areas, Inyo and San Bernardino Counties, California
Michael T. Pavelko, Nancy A. Damar
2023, Scientific Investigations Report 2023-5106
The Amargosa Wild and Scenic River, located in the southwestern Mojave Desert in Inyo and San Bernardino Counties, California, is a Federally protected waterway that supports the biodiversity of the region. Water in the river primarily comes from interbasin groundwater flow that originates as precipitation in the Spring Mountains. The...
Atmospheric correction intercomparison of hyperspectral and multispectral imagery over agricultural study sites
Brian T Lamb, W. Dean Hively, Jyoti Jennewein, Alison Thieme, Alex M. Soroka
2023, Conference Paper, International Symposium on Geoscience and Remote Sensing (IGARSS): Conference Proceedings
In this research effort we assess the performance of atmospheric correction-based surface reflectance (SR) retrievals from two satellite image sources, one with very high spatial resolution (VHR) (<5-m) and the other high spectral resolution (~10-nm). The VHR images are from MAXARs WorldView-3 (WV3) satellite and the high spectral resolution images...
Connecting flood-related fluvial erosion and deposition with vulnerable downstream road-stream crossings
Faith Fitzpatrick, Kyle H. Magyera, Jason Laumann, Clement Larson, Stephanie Rockwood, Eric D. Dantoin, Tom Hollenhorst, Brandon Krumwiede, Brandon Ray Nelson, Julia G. Prokopec, Keegan Eland Johnson
2023, Conference Paper, Federal Interagency Sedimentation and Hydrologic Modeling Conference (SedHyd) 2023 Conference Proceedings
Fluvial erosion is increasingly responsible for infrastructure and building damages associated with floods as the intensity of extreme rainfalls hit rural and urban rivers in a variety of climate settings across the United States. Extreme floods in 2016 and 2018 caused widespread culvert blockages and road failures, including extensive damage along steep tributaries...
Preparing for future changes: Louisiana's Coast
Timothy Carruthers, Camille Stagg, Melissa Millman Baustian
2023, Report
Cooperator publication summarizing USGS publications in collaboration with Water Institute that are being used to inform Louisiana coastal policy....
Bedform distributions and dynamics in a large, channelized river: Implications for benthic ecological processes
Caroline M. Elliott, R. B. Jacobson, Bruce Call, Maura O Roberts
2023, Conference Paper
Sand bedforms are fundamental habitat elements for benthic fish in large, sand-bedded rivers and are hypothesized to provide flow refugia, food transport, and ecological disturbance. We explored bedform distributions and dynamics in the Lower Missouri River, Missouri, with the objective of understanding the implications of these features for benthic fish...
Sea-ice conditions predict polar bear land use around military installations in Alaska
Eric V. Regehr, Kristin L. Laidre, Todd C. Atwood, Harry Stern, Benjamin R. Cohen
2023, Human-Wildlife Interactions (17)
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are threatened by sea-ice loss due to climate change, which is concurrently opening the Arctic to natural resource extraction and a broader scope of national security responsibilities. Mitigating the risk of human–bear conflicts is an emerging challenge as many polar bears spend longer ice-free...
Climate impacts to inland fishes: Shifting research topics over time
Abigail Lynch, Andrew DiSanto, Julian D. Olden, Cindy Chu, Craig Paukert, Daria Gundermann, Mitchel Lang, Ray Zhang, Trevor J. Krabbenhoft
2023, PLOS Climate (2)
Climate change remains a primary threat to inland fishes and fisheries. Using topic modeling to examine trends and relationships across 36 years of scientific literature on documented and projected climate impacts to inland fish, we identify ten representative topics within this body of literature: assemblages, climate...
Dive characteristics of Common Loons wintering in the Gulf of Mexico and off the southern U.S. Atlantic coast
Kevin P. Kenow, Luke J. Fara, Steven C. Houdek, Brian R. Gray, Darryl J. Heard, Michael W. Meyer, Timothy J. Fox, Robert J. Kratt, Carrol L. Henderson
2023, Journal of Field Ornithology (94)
Common Loons (Gavia immer) winter primarily in marine coastal areas and utilize a forage base that is poorly defined, especially for offshore areas. Information on dive activity is needed for describing foraging strategies and for inferring prey distribution. Archival geolocator tags were used to determine the wintering locations and dive...
