United States Geological Survey

About: United States Geological Survey is a government organization based out in Reston, Virginia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Groundwater. The organization has 17899 authors who have published 51097 publications receiving 2479125 citations. The organization is also known as: USGS & US Geological Survey.

The Relationship between Fluids in Some Fresh Alpine-Type Ultramafics and Possible Modern Serpentinization, Western United States

Abstract: Calcium hydroxide waters issue from four partly serpentinized Alpine-type ultramafic bodies in the western United States. The occurrence of calcium-hydroxide-type water is restricted to fresh Alpine-type ultramafic rocks. The calcium hydroxide waters are unsaturated with Mg end-member olivine and pyroxene but supersaturated with Mg end-member brucite and serpentine and thus have chemical potentials to cause Serpentinization. The calcium hydroxide waters are isotopically similar to the common magnesium bicarbonate meteoric waters peculiar to ultramafic rocks and serpentinites. Some Serpentinization is apparently a near-surface phenomenon occurring at present. The Serpentinization takes place at nearly constant composition, except for loss of CaO.

Orientation and Growth of Hawaiian Volcanic Rifts: The Effect of Regional Structure and Gravitational Stresses

Abstract: The rifts of the 14 basaltic shield volcanoes that extend from Kauai to Hawaii are composed of thousands of dykes that were fed laterally by periodic leakages from central volcanic con­duits. Individual dykes are believed to be thin, steeply dipping blades, several kilometres from top to bottom, that extend horizontally outward for as much as 120 km. The dykes are contained largely within the volcanic edifices, and, because of such shallow emplacement, the direction of dyke propagation is interpreted to be strongly influenced by the gravitational stresses within these edifices. Simple isolated shields, such as Kauai and West Molokai, had nearly symmetrical stress fields, influenced only slightly by regional stresses, and the dykes injected into these volcanoes had little or no tendency to cluster into well-defined rifts. Other volcanoes, such as Koolau and Kilauea, pierced the thick, sloping apron of pre-existing neigh­bour volcanoes. The dykes that propagated from these centres were strongly influenced by the gravitational stress fields of the sloping aprons in which they grew. Accordingly, they clustered into well-defined rifts oriented roughly perpendicular to the downslope direction of these aprons. With only minor exceptions, 8 of the 14 volcanoes forming the southeast part of the Hawaiian chain conformed to this pattern of growth; the influence of regional Pacific structure on rift orientation is suspected in only 6 volcanoes that grew as simple, iso­lated shields, away from the influence of gravitational stresses of any neighbour volcano.

Global irrigated area map (GIAM), derived from remote sensing, for the end of the last millennium

Abstract: A Global Irrigated Area Map (GIAM) has been produced for the end of the last millennium using multiple satellite sensor, secondary, Google Earth and groundtruth data. The data included: (a) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) 3‐band and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) 10 km monthly time‐series for 1997–1999, (b) Systeme pour l'Observation de la Terre Vegetation (SPOT VGT) NDVI 1 km monthly time series for 1999, (c) East Anglia University Climate Research Unit (CRU) rainfall 50 km monthly time series for 1961–2000, (d) Global 30 Arc‐Second Elevation Data Set (GTOPO30) 1 km digital elevation data of the World, (e) Japanese Earth Resources Satellite‐1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (JERS‐1 SAR) data for the rain forests during two seasons in 1996 and (f) University of Maryland Global Tree Cover 1 km data for 1992–1993. A single mega‐file data‐cube (MFDC) of the World with 159 layers, akin to hyperspectral data, was composed by re‐sampling different data types into a common 1 km resolutio...

Advancing process‐based watershed hydrological research using near‐surface geophysics: A vision for, and review of, electrical and magnetic geophysical methods

Abstract: We want to develop a dialogue between geophysicists and hydrologists interested in synergistically advancing process based watershed research. We identify recent advances in geophysical instrumentation, and provide a vision for the use of electrical and magnetic geophysical instrumentation in watershed scale hydrology. The focus of the paper is to identify instrumentation that could significantly advance this vision for geophysics and hydrology during the next 3–5 years. We acknowledge that this is one of a number of possible ways forward and seek only to offer a relatively narrow and achievable vision. The vision focuses on the measurement of geological structure and identification of flow paths using electrical and magnetic methods. The paper identifies instruments, provides examples of their use, and describes how synergy between measurement and modelling could be achieved. Of specific interest are the airborne systems that can cover large areas and are appropriate for watershed studies. Although airborne geophysics has been around for some time, only in the last few years have systems designed exclusively for hydrological applications begun to emerge. These systems, such as airborne electromagnetic (EM) and transient electromagnetic (TEM), could revolutionize hydrogeological interpretations. Our vision centers on developing nested and cross scale electrical and magnetic measurements that can be used to construct a three-dimensional (3D) electrical or magnetic model of the subsurface in watersheds. The methodological framework assumes a ‘top down’ approach using airborne methods to identify the large scale, dominant architecture of the subsurface. We recognize that the integration of geophysical measurement methods, and data, into watershed process characterization and modelling can only be achieved through dialogue. Especially, through the development of partnerships between geophysicists and hydrologists, partnerships that explore how the application of geophysics can answer critical hydrological science questions, and conversely provide an understanding of the limitations of geophysical measurements and interpretation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Preparation and certification of Re-Os dating reference materials: Molybdenites HLP and JDC

Abstract: Two Re-Os dating reference material molybdenites were prepared. Molybdenite JDC and molybdenite HLP are from a carbonate vein-type molybdenum-(lead)-uranium deposit in the Jinduicheng-Huanglongpu area of Shaanxi province, China. The samples proved to be homogeneous, based on the coefficient of variation of analytical results and an analysis of variance test. The sampling weight was 0.1 g for JDC and 0.025 g for HLP. An isotope dilution method was used for the determination of Re and Os. Sample decomposition and pre-concentration of Re and Os prior to measurement were accomplished using a variety of methods: acid digestion, alkali fusion, ion exchange and solvent extraction. Negative thermal ionisation mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry were used for the determination of Re and 187Os concentration and isotope ratios. The certified values include the contents of Re and Os and the model ages. For HLP, the Re content was 283.8 ± 6.2 μg g−1, 187Os was 659 ± 14 ng g−1 and the Re-Os model age was 221.4 ± 5.6 Ma. For JDC, the Re content was 17.39 ± 0.32 μg g−1, 187Os was 25.46 ± 0.60 ng g−1 and the Re-Os model age was 139.6 ± 3.8 Ma. Uncertainties for both certified reference materials are stated at the 95% level of confidence. Three laboratories (from three countries: PR. China, USA, Sweden) joined in the certification programme. These certified reference materials are primarily useful for Re-Os dating of molybdenite, sulfides, black shale, etc.