Interactive visualization to advance earthquake simulation
L.H. Kellogg, G.W. Bawden, T. Bernardin, M. Billen, E. Cowgill, B. Hamann, M. Jadamec, O. Kreylos, O. Staadt, D. Sumner
2008, Pure and Applied Geophysics (165) 621-633
The geological sciences are challenged to manage and interpret increasing volumes of data as observations and simulations increase in size and complexity. For example, simulations of earthquake-related processes typically generate complex, time-varying data sets in two or more dimensions. To facilitate interpretation and analysis of these data sets, evaluate the...
Detection rates of the MODIS active fire product in the United States
T. J. Hawbaker, V. C. Radeloff, A.D. Syphard, Z. Zhu, S. I. Stewart
2008, Remote Sensing of Environment (112) 2656-2664
MODIS active fire data offer new information about global fire patterns. However, uncertainties in detection rates can render satellite-derived fire statistics difficult to interpret. We evaluated the MODIS 1??km daily active fire product to quantify detection rates for both Terra and Aqua MODIS sensors, examined how cloud cover and fire...
Role of NSO compounds during primary cracking of a Type II kerogen and a Type III lignite
F. Behar, F. Lorant, M. Lewan
2008, Organic Geochemistry (39) 1-22
The aim of this work is to follow the generation of NSO compounds during the artificial maturation of an immature Type II kerogen and a Type III lignite in order to determine the different sources of the petroleum potential during primary cracking. Experiments were carried out in closed system pyrolysis...
Carbon dioxide of Pu`u`O`o volcanic plume at Kilauea retrieved by AVIRIS hyperspectral data
C. Spinetti, V. Carrere, M. Fabrizia Buongiorno, A. J. Sutton, T. Elias
2008, Remote Sensing of Environment (112) 3192-3199
A remote sensing approach permits for the first time the derivation of a map of the carbon dioxide concentration in a volcanic plume. The airborne imaging remote sensing overcomes the typical difficulties associated with the ground measurements and permits rapid and large views of the volcanic processes together with the measurements of volatile components exolving...
Seasonal frost effects on the dynamic behavior of a twenty-story office building
Z. Yang, U. Dutta, F. Xiong, N. Biswas, H. Benz
2008, Cold Regions Science and Technology (51) 76-84
Studies have shown that seasonal frost can significantly affect the seismic behavior of a bridge foundation system in cold regions. However, little information could be found regarding seasonal frost effects on the dynamic behavior of buildings. Based on the analysis of building vibration data recorded by a permanent strong-motion instrumentation...
An overview of methods for developing bioenergetic and life history models for rare and endangered species
J.H. Petersen, D.L. DeAngelis, C.P. Paukert
2008, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society (137) 244-253
Many fish species are at risk to some degree, and conservation efforts are planned or underway to preserve sensitive populations. For many imperiled species, models could serve as useful tools for researchers and managers as they seek to understand individual growth, quantify predator-prey dynamics, and identify critical sources of mortality....
Joint inversion of fundamental and higher mode Rayleigh waves
Y.-H. Luo, J.-H. Xia, J.-P. Liu, Q.-S. Liu
2008, Chinese Journal of Geophysics (Acta Geophysica Sinica) (51) 242-249
In this paper, we analyze the characteristics of the phase velocity of fundamental and higher mode Rayleigh waves in a six-layer earth model. The results show that fundamental mode is more sensitive to the shear velocities of shallow layers (< 7 m) and concentrated in a very narrow band (around...
Relations between nutritional condition and survival of North American elk Cervus elaphus
Louis C. Bender, J.G. Cook, R.C. Cook, P.B. Hall
2008, Wildlife Biology (14) 70-80
We related annual and seasonal survival of four populations of elk Cervus elaphus in the Pacific Northwest, USA, to measures and indices of individual nutritional condition. Among populations, for all mortality (human and non-human causes) sources inclusive, annual survival of adult females was correlated with a rump body condition score...
Stratigraphic evidence for the role of lake spillover in the inception of the lower Colorado River in southern Nevada and western Arizona
P.K. House, P. A. Pearthree, M. E. Perkins
2008, Conference Paper, Special Paper of the Geological Society of America
Late Miocene and early Pliocene sediments exposed along the lower Colorado River near Laughlin, Nevada, contain evidence that establishment of this reach of the river after 5.6 Ma involved flooding from lake spillover through a bedrock divide between Cottonwood Valley to the north and Mohave Valley to the south. Lacustrine...
Winter survival of Eurasian woodcock Scolopax rusticola in central Italy
A. Aradis, M.W. Miller, G. Landucci, P. Ruda, S. Taddei, F. Spina
2008, Wildlife Biology (14) 36-43
The Eurasian woodcock Scolopax rusticola is a popular game bird in much of Europe. However, little is known about its population dynamics. We estimated winter survival of woodcock in a protected area with no hunting in central Italy. We radio-tagged 68 woodcocks with battery-powered radio-transmitters during 2001-2005. Woodcocks were captured...
Long-term water quality and biological responses to multiple best management practices in Rock Creek, Idaho
T.R. Maret, D.E. MacCoy, D.M. Carlisle
2008, Journal of the American Water Resources Association (44) 1248-1269
Water quality and macroinvertebrate assemblage data from 1981 to 2005 were assessed to evaluate the water quality and biological responses of a western trout stream to the implementation of multiple best management practices (BMPs) on irrigated cropland. Data from Rock Creek near Twin Falls, Idaho, a long-term monitoring site, were...
Wide-area estimates of stand structure and water use of tamarix spp. on the lower colorado river: Implications for restoration and water management projects
P.L. Nagler, E. P. Glenn, K. Didan, J. Osterberg, F. Jordan, J. Cunningham
2008, Restoration Ecology (16) 136-145
Tamarix spp. removal has been proposed to salvage water and allow native vegetation to recolonize western U.S. riparian corridors. We conducted wide-area studies on the Lower Colorado River to answer some of the scientific questions about Tamarix water use and the consequences of removal, combining ground surveys with remote sensing...
Simulating water, solute, and heat transport in the subsurface with the VS2DI software package
R. W. Healy
2008, Vadose Zone Journal (7) 632-639
The software package VS2DI was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey for simulating water, solute, and heat transport in variably saturated porous media. The package consists of a graphical preprocessor to facilitate construction of a simulation, a postprocessor for visualizing simulation results, and two numerical models that solve for flow...
Challenges of DNA-based mark-recapture studies of American black bears
K.E. Settlage, F.T. Van Manen, J. D. Clark, T.L. King
2008, Journal of Wildlife Management (72) 1035-1042
We explored whether genetic sampling would be feasible to provide a region-wide population estimate for American black bears (Ursus americanus) in the southern Appalachians, USA. Specifically, we determined whether adequate capture probabilities (p >0.20) and population estimates with a low coefficient of variation (CV <20%) could be achieved given typical agency...
Occurrence and fate of pesticides in four contrasting agricultural settings in the United States
G. V. Steele, H.M. Johnson, Mark W. Sandstrom, P. D. Capel, J.E. Barbash
2008, Journal of Environmental Quality (37) 1116-1132
Occurrence and fate of 45 pesticides and 40 pesticide degradates were investigated in four contrasting agricultural settings—in Maryland, Nebraska, California, and Washington. Primary crops included corn at all sites, soybeans in Maryland, orchards in California and Washington, and vineyards in Washington. Pesticides and pesticide degradates detected in water samples from...
Greenland ice sheet surface temperature, melt and mass loss: 2000-06
D.K. Hall, R.S. Williams Jr., S.B. Luthcke, N.E. DiGirolamo
2008, Journal of Glaciology (54) 81-93
A daily time series of 'clear-sky' surface temperature has been compiled of the Greenland ice sheet (GIS) using 1 km resolution moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) land-surface temperature (LST) maps from 2000 to 2006. We also used mass-concentration data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) to study mass change...
Orbital identification of carbonate-bearing rocks on Mars
B.L. Ehlmann, J.F. Mustard, S.L. Murchie, F. Poulet, J.L. Bishop, A.J. Brown, W. M. Calvin, R. N. Clark, D.J. Des Marais, R.E. Milliken, L.H. Roach, T. L. Roush, G.A. Swayze, J.J. Wray
2008, Science (322) 1828-1832
Geochemical models for Mars predict carbonate formation during aqueous alteration. Carbonate-bearing rocks had not previously been detected on Mars' surface, but Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mapping reveals a regional rock layer with near-infrared spectral characteristics that are consistent with the presence of magnesium carbonate in the Nili Fossae region. The carbonate...
Deformation and rupture of the oceanic crust may control growth of Hawaiian volcanoes
J.-L. Got, V. Monteiller, J. Monteux, R. Hassani, P. Okubo
2008, Nature (451) 453-456
Hawaiian volcanoes are formed by the eruption of large quantities of basaltic magma related to hot-spot activity below the Pacific Plate. Despite the apparent simplicity of the parent process - emission of magma onto the oceanic crust - the resulting edifices display some topographic complexity. Certain features, such as rift...
Quaternary geology and sedimentary processes in the vicinity of Six Mile Reef, eastern Long Island Sound
L.J. Poppe, S.J. Williams, M. S. Moser, N.A. Forfinski, H.F. Stewart, E. F. Doran
2008, Journal of Coastal Research (24) 255-266
Six Mile Reef, a sandy, 22-m-high shoal trending east-west and located about 7.8 km off the Connecticut coast, has a core of postglacial marine deltaic deposits mantled by tidally reworked modern sediments. Sedimentary environments off the eastern end of the shoal are characterized by processes associated with long-term erosion or...
Surface drift prediction in the Adriatic Sea using hyper-ensemble statistics on atmospheric, ocean and wave models: Uncertainties and probability distribution areas
M. Rixen, E. Ferreira-Coelho, R. Signell
2008, Journal of Marine Systems (69) 86-98
Despite numerous and regular improvements in underlying models, surface drift prediction in the ocean remains a challenging task because of our yet limited understanding of all processes involved. Hence, deterministic approaches to the problem are often limited by empirical assumptions on underlying physics. Multi-model hyper-ensemble forecasts, which exploit the power...
A Visual Basic program to plot sediment grain-size data on ternary diagrams
L.J. Poppe, A.H. Eliason
2008, Computers & Geosciences (34) 561-565
Sedimentologic datasets are typically large and compiled into tables or databases, but pure numerical information can be difficult to understand and interpret. Thus, scientists commonly use graphical representations to reduce complexities, recognize trends and patterns in the data, and develop hypotheses. Of the graphical techniques, one of the most...
Probable flood predictions in ungauged coastal basins of El Salvador
M.J. Friedel, M.E. Smith, A.M.E. Chica, D. Litke
2008, Conference Paper, Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
A regionalization procedure is presented and used to predict probable flooding in four ungauged coastal river basins of El Salvador: Paz, Jiboa, Grande de San Miguel, and Goascoran. The flood-prediction problem is sequentially solved for two regions: upstream mountains and downstream alluvial plains. In the upstream mountains, a set of...
Change in the forested and developed landscape of the Lake Tahoe basin, California and Nevada, USA, 1940-2002
C.G. Raumann, Mary E. Cablk
2008, Forest Ecology and Management (255) 3424-3439
The current ecological state of the Lake Tahoe basin has been shaped by significant landscape-altering human activity and management practices since the mid-1850s; first through widespread timber harvesting from the 1850s to 1920s followed by urban development from the 1950s to the present. Consequences of landscape change, both from development...
Proximate cues for a short-distance migratory species: An application of survival analysis
J. Meunier, R. Song, R.S. Lutz, D. E. Andersen, K.E. Doherty, J.G. Bruggink, E. Oppelt
2008, Journal of Wildlife Management (72) 440-448
Investigation of bird migration has often highlighted the importance of external factors in determining timing of migration However, little distinction has been made between short- and long-distance migrants and between local and flight birds (passage migrants) in describing migration chronology. In addition, measures of food abundance as a proximate factor...
M-log A observations for recent large earthquakes
Thomas C. Hanks, W. H. Bakun
2008, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (98) 490-494
Using a magnitude (M)-log area (A) dataset augmented with seven large (M > 7.0) earthquakes occurring since Wells and Coppersmith (1994), this short note assesses the current validity of the bilinear M-log A relations for continental, strike-slip earthquakes proposed by Hanks and Bakun (2002), in particular the L-model scaling at...
