| Geosciences
Highlights |
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Total Listing: 49
(Listed by the order of record adding time, Descending)
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- Effects of basic pH on amino acid racemization and leaching in freshwater mollusk shell. (6/30/2011)
- Formation of nitrogen-containing oligomers by methylglyoxal and amines in simulated evaporating cloud droplets. (6/30/2011)
- Experimental estimation of the GPR groundwave sampling depth. (5/17/2011)
- Impacts of polarimetric radar observations on hydrologic simulation. (1/31/2011)
- Inter-comparison of rainfall estimates from radar, satellite, gauge, and combinations for a season of record rainfall. (1/31/2011)
- Clay mineral cycles identified by diffuse spectral reflectance in Quaternary sediments from the Northwind Ridge: implications for glacial–interglacial sedimentation patterns in the Arctic Ocean. (1/21/2011)
- Integrating Google Earth with the QUEST for Earth science literacy. (1/21/2011)
- Malathy Devi V Measurement and computations for temperature dependences of self-broadened carbon dioxide transitions in the 30012 ? 00001 and 30013 ? 00001 bands (8/20/2010)
- Formaldehyde around 3.5 and 5.7-µm : measurement and calculation of self- and -N2 broadening coefficients (8/20/2010)
- N2-, O2-, and air-broadened half-widths, their temperature dependence, and line shifts for the rotation band of H216O (8/20/2010)
- Theoretical Calculations of N2-broadened Half-Widths of ?5 Transitions of HNO3 (8/20/2010)
- Some improvements of the HNO3 spectroscopic parameters in the spectral region from 600 to 950 cm-1. J (8/20/2010)
- Weighted model-based clustering for remote sensing image analysis (5/14/2010)
- Development through civic service: the Peace Corps and national service programs in Ghana (5/14/2010)
- The characteristics of magma reservoir failure beneath a volcanic edifice (5/14/2010)
- The Frequency and Characteristics of Lake-Effect Precipitation Events Associated with the New York State Finger Lakes. (1/13/2010)
- Modeling the effect of layered volcanic material on magma reservoir failure and associated deformation, with application to Long Valley caldera, California (1/13/2010)
- Calculated height tendencies in a Southern Hemisphere blocking and cyclone event: The contribution of diabatic heating to block intensification. (12/16/2009)
- Non-destructive chemical characterization of ceramic sherds from Shipwreck 31CR314 and Brunswick Town, North Carolina (9/14/2009)
- Bacterial fossil record in whale-falls: Petrographic evidence of microbial sulfate reduction (9/11/2009)
- Climatology of lake-effect precipitation events over Lake Champlain (9/11/2009)
- Quantifying basalt rock outcrops in NRCS soil map units using Landsat-5 data (1/6/2009)
- Changing role of rural women in Punjab Province/Pakistan (1/6/2009)
- Katbergia gen. nov., a new trace fossil from the Upper Permian and Lower Triassic rocks of the Karoo Basin: implications for paleoenvironmental conditions at the P/Tr Extinction Event. (12/29/2008)
- Sedimentology of acid saline lakes in southern Western Australia: newly described processes and products of an extreme environment (12/29/2008)
- The extinction of the mammoth and the clathrate gun (11/6/2007)
- Visiting a great lakes sand dune: The example of Mt. Pisgah in Holland, Michigan. The Great Lakes Geographer (4/18/2007)
- Evaluating riparian buffers for nonpoint source pollution control in an urban setting using the Riparian Ecosystem Management Model, REMM. (12/12/2006)
- Relationship between deformation bands and petroleum migration in an exhumed reservoir rock, Los Angeles Basin, California, USA (12/8/2006)
- The origin and extent of earth fissures in Escalante Valley, Southern Escalante Desert, Iron County, Utah (7/21/2006)
- Implications for Timing of Andean Uplift Based on Thermal Resetting of
Radiation-damaged Zircon in the Cordillera Huayhuash, Northern Pe (1/6/2006)
- A Reinterpretation of the Wagendrift Quarry, Estcourt, KwaZulu Natal Province, and its Implications for Karoo Basin Paleogeography (9/29/2005)
- Badly Burned? Effects of an Escaped Prescribed Burn on Social Acceptability of Wildland Fuels Treatments (9/29/2005)
- Population recovery and differential Heat Shock Protein Expression for the Corals, Agaricia agaricites and A. tenuifolia in Belize (9/29/2005)
- Petrography of Lower Cretaceous Sandstones on Spitsbergen (6/3/2005)
- Fire History of the Aiken Canyon Woodland-Grassland Ecotone in the Southern Foothills of the Colorado Front Range (6/3/2005)
- A Reconnaissance of Skeletal Crystallography in Rhombiferans, Diploporans, and Paracrinoids (6/3/2005)
- Detecting Important Categorical Land Changes while Accounting for Persistence (8/18/2004)
- Description and Interpretation of Sanctum laurentiensis, New Ichnogenus and Ichnospecies, a Domichnium Mined into Late Ordovician (Cincinnatian) Ramose Bryozoan Colonies (12/16/2003)
- Graphs of Essentially Equivalent Lattice Paths (12/16/2003)
- Deflation/Erosion Rates for the Parva Member, Dorsa Argentea, Formation and Implications for the South Polar Region of Mars (12/16/2003)
- Emplacement of Long Lava Flows Within a Graben Network in Radunitsa Labyrinthus, Carson quadrangle, Venus (12/15/2003)
- Carolina Thunder Revisited: Toward a Transcultural View of Winston Cup Racing (8/20/2003)
- Plio-Pleistocene Basalts from the Meseta del Lago Buenos Aires, Argentina: Evidence for Asthenospheric-lithospheric Interactions During Slab Window Magmatism (5/27/2003)
- Comparison of Satellite Altimetry to Tide Gauge Measurement of Sea Level: Predictions of Glacio-Isostatic Adjustment (5/16/2003)
- Pennsylvania State Plane Coordinate System: Converting to a Single Zone (10/1/2002)
- Stable Isotopes of Carbon as an Invaluable Stratigraphic Tool: An Example from the Cambrian of the Northern Appalachians (10/1/2002)
- Tornado Shelters in Mobile Home Parks in the United States, (3/25/2002)
- International Tourism Trends in Cuba (3/11/2002)
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| ( 1 )
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Recorded at: 6/30/2011 
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| Title |
Effects of basic pH on amino acid racemization and leaching in freshwater mollusk shell. |
| Journal |
Quat Geochronol., 2011; 6: 233-245, Orem CA, Kaufman DS. Northern Arizona University
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| Description |
Quantifying the variables that affect the rate of racemization is imperative for improving the reliability of amino acid geochronology. This study investigated the influence of basic pH on the rate of racemization and leaching of amino acids in freshwater mollusk shell. The amino acid composition of 376 shell samples and 132 buffer solutions was analyzed. The results show little difference in the rate of racemization between pH 8 and 9. Apparently, pH has a significant influence on racemization in shells only where the pH of the pore fluid is >9.
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| Faculty |
Darrell Kaufman is a Professor in the School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability.
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| Student |
Caitlin Orem, the lead author on this data-intensive peer-reviewed journal article, conducted this research for her senior thesis, completing her BS degree in geology in 2007. In 2010, Caitlin finished her MS degree in geological sciences at Central Washington University. She is currently enrolled in the doctoral program at the University of Arizona. |
| Fund |
Caitlin’s study was funded by NAU’s Hooper Undergraduate Research Award, with additional support from the Amino Acid Geochronology Laboratory, a National Shared User Facility funded by National Science Foundation.
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| ( 2 )
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Recorded at: 6/30/2011
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| Title |
Formation of nitrogen-containing oligomers by methylglyoxal and amines in simulated evaporating cloud droplets. |
| Journal |
Environ. Sci. Technol., 2011; 45:3:984-991, De Haan DO, Hawkins LN, Kononenko JA, Turley JJ, Corrigan AL, Tolbert MA, Jimenez JL. University of San Diego
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| Description |
The aerosol-forming reactions of methylglyoxal and amines were examined by scanning mobility particle sizing, NMR, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and aerosol mass spectrometry. Under slightly acidic cloudwater-like conditions, the formation of imines occurs in seconds in drying aerosol droplets, followed by derivatized imidazoles and brown nitrogen-containing oligomer compounds on a timescale of minutes to hours. These reactions may explain the polymerized, brown material commonly observed in atmospheric aerosol particles.
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| Faculty |
David De Haan is an associate professor of chemistry at USD. Margaret Tolbert and Jose Jimenez are professors in the departments of chemistry and CIRES fellows at CU Boulder.
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| Student |
Lelia Hawkins is a postdoc about to begin a faculty position at Harvey Mudd College. Julia Kononenko and Jake Turley are scheduled to graduate in 2011, and participated in summer research as rising seniors. Ashley Corrigan participated in summer research beginning after her freshman year, and is now studying aerosol chemistry in the graduate program at Scripps Institute of Oceanography. |
| Fund |
This research was supported by an NSF RUI award.
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| ( 3 )
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Recorded at: 5/17/2011
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| Title |
Experimental estimation of the GPR groundwave sampling depth. |
| Journal |
Water Resour. Res., 2010; 46, Grote K, Crist T, Nickel C. University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
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| Description |
Monitoring near‐surface soil water content is essential for efficient water management and for understanding hydrologic processes in soils. Ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) groundwaves are an approach that can be used to monitor the near‐surface soil water content, but the efficacy of this technique is currently limited by the uncertainty surrounding the groundwave sampling depth. This research experimentally determines the sampling depth of GPR groundwaves under dry and saturated conditions in a sandy soil. Results show that the groundwave sampling depth is a function of frequency in both dry and saturated soils, and sampling depth is inversely related to frequency.
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| Faculty |
Katherine Grote is an assistant professor of Hydrogeology in the Department of Geology.
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| Student |
Crystal Nickel and Taylor Crist participated in the research beginning as sophomores and continuing to their senior year; both are Geology majors at UW-Eau Claire. |
| Fund |
This research was supported by Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, USDA (award 20063510717245) and University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Center of Excellence for Faculty and Undergraduate Student Research Collaboration.
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| ( 4 )
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Recorded at: 1/31/2011
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| Title |
Impacts of polarimetric radar observations on hydrologic simulation. |
| Journal |
J. Hydrometeor., 2010;11:3:781-796, Gourley JJ, Giangrande SE, Hong Y, Flamig ZL, Schuur TJ, Vrugt JA. "University of Oklahoma
National Severe Storms Laboratory"
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| Description |
Rainfall estimated from the polarimetric prototype of the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler was evaluated using a dense Micronet rain gauge network on the Ft. Cobb research watershed in Oklahoma. Comparisons with collocated Micronet rain gauge measurements indicated all six rainfall algorithms that used polarimetric observations had lower root-mean-squared errors and higher Pearson correlation coefficients than the conventional algorithm that used reflectivity factor alone when considering all events combined. To evaluate whether polarimetric radar observations improve discharge simulation, recent advances in Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation using the Hydrology Laboratory Research Distributed Hydrologic Model (HL-RDHM) were used. The hydrologic evaluation indicated that all polarimetric rainfall estimators outperformed the conventional R(Z) algorithm, but only after their long-term biases were identified and corrected.
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| Faculty |
Jonathan Gourley is an affiliate associate professor of meteorology.
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| Student |
Zac is currently enrolled in the graduate program in the School of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma. He was employed as an undergraduate research assistant with the Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies at the time of the study. |
| Fund |
Funding was provided by NOAA/Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research under NOAA–University of Oklahoma Cooperative Agreement NA17RJ1227, U.S. Department of Commerce.
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| ( 5 )
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Recorded at: 1/31/2011
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| Title |
Inter-comparison of rainfall estimates from radar, satellite, gauge, and combinations for a season of record rainfall. |
| Journal |
J. Appl. Meteor. Climatol., 2010;49:3:437-452, Gourley JJ, Hong Y, Flamig ZL, Li L, Wang J. University of OklahomaNational Severe Storms Laboratory
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| Description |
Rainfall products from radar, satellite, rain gauges, and combinations have been evaluated for a season of record rainfall in a heavily instrumented study domain in Oklahoma. Algorithm performance was evaluated in terms of spatial scale, temporal scale, and rainfall intensity. Results from this study will help users of rainfall products to understand their errors. Moreover, it is intended that developers of rainfall algorithms will use the results presented herein to optimize the contribution from available sensors to yield the most skillful multisensor rainfall products.
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| Faculty |
Jonathan Gourley is an affiliate associate professor of meteorology.
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| Student |
Zac is currently enrolled in the School of Meteorology graduate program at he University of Oklahoma. Zac was employed as an undergraduate research assistant with the Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies at the time of the study. |
| Fund |
Funding was provided by NOAA/Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research under NOAA/University of Oklahoma Cooperative Agreement NA17RJ1227, U.S. Department of Commerce.
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| ( 6 )
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Recorded at: 1/21/2011
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| Title |
Clay mineral cycles identified by diffuse spectral reflectance in Quaternary sediments from the Northwind Ridge: implications for glacial–interglacial sedimentation patterns in the Arctic Ocean. |
| Journal |
Polar Res., 2010;29:2, Yurco LN, Ortiz JD, Polyak L, Darby DA, Crawford KA. Kent State University
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| Description |
The study examined a Quaternary record of fine-grained sediment composition from the Northwind Ridge to investigate Arctic Ocean climate variability on glacial-interglacial timescales. R-mode factor analysis of downcore diffuse spectral reflectance data revealed cyclic variations in three major mineralogical assemblages related to changing sediment source and transport mechanisms. The observed variability arose from glacial-interglacial changes in sea level, the size of the terrestrial ice sheets surrounding the Arctic Ocean, the extent of sea-ice cover and altered atmospheric circulation.
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| Faculty |
Dr. Joseph D Ortiz is an associate professor of geology at Kent State University. Dr. Leonid Polyak is a research scientist at the Byrd Polar Research Center at the Ohio State University. Dr. Dennis A Darby is a professor of geology at Old Dominion University.
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| Student |
Lyanne conducted this research from 2005-2007 as a part of her Senior Honors Thesis while she was at the Department of Geology at Kent State University. She has since graduated with a Master's in Marine Geology and Geophysics from the University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS) and is currently doing an internship with Exxon Mobil Corporation. |
| Fund |
This study was supported by grants from the US National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs and by the Kent State University Research Council.
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| ( 7 )
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Recorded at: 1/21/2011
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| Title |
Integrating Google Earth with the QUEST for Earth science literacy. |
| Journal |
The Earth Scientist., 2009;25:4:31-34, Neville SE, Guertin LA. Penn State Brandywine
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| Description |
Google Earth allows viewers to explore satellite imagery from across a virtual globe. We have designed a series of Google Earth files termed QUESTs (Questioning and Understanding Earth Science Themes). A QUEST is a journey in Google Earth based on nonfiction books with Earth science content, where the static words found in the books are integrated with geographic locations and available images. QUESTs are a valuable tool for teachers that are unable to purchase copies of the books for their classrooms but want their students to improve their scientific, technologic, and geographic literacy.
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| Faculty |
Laura Guertin is an associate professor of Earth science.
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| Student |
Sara Neville is a Liberal Arts major and participated in the research for independent study credit during Summer 2009 and through the following academic year. |
| Fund |
The research was supported the National Science Foundation’s GEO-Teach program.
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| ( 8 )
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Recorded at: 8/20/2010
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| Title |
Malathy Devi V Measurement and computations for temperature dependences of self-broadened carbon dioxide transitions in the 30012 ? 00001 and 30013 ? 00001 bands |
| Journal |
J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer, 2010;111:1065-1079, Predoi-Cross A, Liu W, Murphy R, Povey C, Gamache RR, Laraia AL, McKellar ARW, Hurtmans DR
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| Description |
Using a Fourier transform spectrometer setup we have measured the self-broadened half width, pressure shift, and line asymmetry coefficients for transitions in the 30012-->00001 and30013→00001 vibrational bands of carbon dioxide for four different temperatures. A total of 46 pure CO2 spectra were recorded at 0.008 and 0.009 cm^-1 resolution and at pressures varying from a few Torr to nearly an atmosphere. Theself-broadening and self- shift coefficients are compared to semiclassical calculations based on the Robert-Bonamy formalism and were found to be in good agreement
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| Faculty |
Robert R. Gamache is a Professor in the Department of Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences and Dean of the University of Massachusetts School of Marine Sciences
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| Student |
Anne L. Laraia is a senior in the Atmospheric Science option of DEEAS. This work was started between Anne’s Sophomore and Junior year |
| Fund |
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation through Grant no. ATM-0803135
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| ( 9 )
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Recorded at: 8/20/2010
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| Title |
Formaldehyde around 3.5 and 5.7-µm : measurement and calculation of self- and -N2 broadening coefficients |
| Journal |
J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer, 2010;111:1209-1222, Jacquemart D, Laraia A, Kwabia-Tchana F, Gamache RR, Lacome AN
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| Description |
Self- and N2-broadening coefficients of H2CO have been retrieved in both the 3.5 and 5.7 micron spectral regions. These coefficients have been measured in FT spectra for transitions with various J and K values, showing a clear dependence with both rotational quantum numbers. First, an empirical model is presented to reproduce the rotational dependence of the measured self- and N2-broadening coefficients. Then, calculations of N2-broadening of H2CO were made for some 3296 nu2 transitions using the semi-classical Robert-Bonamy formalism. These calculations have been done for various temperatures in order to obtain the temperature dependence of the line widths. Finally,self- and N2-broadening coefficients, as well as temperature dependence of the N2-widths has been generated to complete the HITRAN2008 version of formaldehyde
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| Faculty |
Robert R. Gamache is a Professor in the Department of Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences and Dean of the University of Massachusetts School of Marine Sciences
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| Student |
Anne L. Laraia is a senior in the Atmospheric Science option of DEEAS. This work was started between Anne’s Sophomore and Junior year |
| Fund |
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation through Grant no. ATM-0803135
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| ( 10 )
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Recorded at: 8/20/2010
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| Title |
N2-, O2-, and air-broadened half-widths, their temperature dependence, and line shifts for the rotation band of H216O |
| Journal |
J. Mol. Spectrosc, 2009;257:116-127, Gamache RR, Laraia AL
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| Description |
Complex Robert-Bonamy (CRB) calculations of the half-width, its temperature dependence, and the line shift have been made for the rotation band transitions of H216O for N2 or O2, as the bath molecule. First the atom-atom component of the intermolecular potential was adjusted to reproduce the half-widths of the 22 and 183 GHZ transition determined by Payne et al. (IEEE Trans. Geosci Remote Sens. 2007; 46: 3601-17). Then the line shape parameters were determined at seven temperatures (200., 225., 275., 296., 350., 500., and 700. K) for the H2O-N2 and H2O-O2 systems. The air-broadened values were determined at each temperature by the standard method. The half-widths, their temperature dependence, and the line shifts were studied as a function of the rotational quantum numbers
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| Faculty |
Robert R. Gamache is a Professor in the Department of Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences and Dean of the University of Massachusetts School of Marine Sciences
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| Student |
Anne L. Laraia is a senior in the Atmospheric Science option of DEEAS. This work was started during Anne’s Junior year |
| Fund |
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation through Grant no. ATM-0803135
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| ( 11 )
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Recorded at: 8/20/2010
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| Title |
Theoretical Calculations of N2-broadened Half-Widths of ?5 Transitions of HNO3 |
| Journal |
. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer, 2009;110:687-699, Laraia A, Gamache RR, Hartmann J-M, Perrin A, Gomez L
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| Description |
A number of satellite instruments are measuring nitric acid, HNO3, in the Earth’s atmosphere. In order to do retrievals of temperature and concentration profiles, the spectral parameters for many thousands of HNO3 transitions must be known. Currently the HITRAN database uses a constant estimated value for the air-broadened half-width of HNO3. To help improve the line shape parameters, complex Robert–Bonamy calculations were made to determine N2-broadened half-widths for some 5000 transitions of HNO3 in the n5 band. The half-width data are compared with available rotation band measurements. The average percent difference between the measured and calculated half-widths is -2.38 for N2-broadening and -0.65 for air-broadening
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| Faculty |
Robert R. Gamache is a Professor in the Department of Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences and Dean of the University of Massachusetts School of Marine Sciences
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| Student |
Anne L. Laraia is a senior in the Atmospheric Science option of DEEAS. This work was started during Anne’s Junior year |
| Fund |
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation through Grant no. ATM-0803135
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| ( 12 )
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Recorded at: 8/20/2010
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| Title |
Some improvements of the HNO3 spectroscopic parameters in the spectral region from 600 to 950 cm-1. J |
| Journal |
Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer, 2009;110:675-686, Gomez L, Tran H, Perrin A, Gamache RR, Laraia A, Orphal J, Chelin P, Fellows CE, Hartmann J-M
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| Description |
The HNO3 line parameters have recently been updated in the MIPAS spectral range. At 11.3 microns these updates involve the line positions and the intensities. However, comparisons between observed spectra recorded by MIPAS and the calculated ones in the 600–950 wavenumber region show significant disagreements. The goal of the present paper is to solve some of these problems. Based on the analysis of N2-broadened HNO3 laboratory spectra recorded with a Fourier transform instrument, a new HNO3 database was generated, including the following improvements: (i) approximate parameters for the n5+n7-n7 and n5+n6-n6 hot bands, and (ii) the intensities for the n6 and n8 bands have been updated. (iii) The air-broadening and its temperature dependence, calculated using a semi-classical approach, have been added for each HNO3 transition, (iv) Finally, line-mixing effects have been pointed out
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| Faculty |
Robert R. Gamache is a Professor in the Department of Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences and Dean of the University of Massachusetts School of Marine Sciences
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| Student |
Anne L. Laraia is a senior in the Atmospheric Science option of DEEAS. This work was started between Anne's Sophmore and Junior year |
| Fund |
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation through Grant no. ATM-0803135
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| ( 13 )
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Recorded at: 5/14/2010
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| Title |
Weighted model-based clustering for remote sensing image analysis |
| Journal |
Computational Geosciences, 2010;14:125-136, Richards JW, Hardin JS, Grosfils, EB
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| Description |
We introduce a weighted method of clusteringthe individual units of a segmented image. Specifically, we analyze geologic maps generated from experts’ analysis of remote sensing images and provide geologists with a powerful method to numerically test the consistency of a mapping with the entire multidimensional dataset of that region
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| Faculty |
Johanna Hardin is an Associate Professor of Mathematics. Eric Grosfils is a Professor of Geology
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| Student |
Joseph Richards is currently in a doctoral program in Statistics at Carnegie Mellon University. The work was performed as summer research and a senior thesis project. He graduated from Pomona College in 2005 |
| Fund |
Funding provided through Pomona College Summer Undergraduate Research Program
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| ( 14 )
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Recorded at: 5/14/2010
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| Title |
Development through civic service: the Peace Corps and national service programs in Ghana |
| Journal |
Progress in Development Studies, 2009;2:87-99, Frontani HG, Taylor LC
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| Description |
The study expands the limited academic literature on development through civic service in Africa by examining national service programs in Ghana. Peace Corps publications, volunteer memoirs, and archival research were used to examine intra-organizational learning in Ghana’s national service programs and the Peace Corps in Ghana. The Peace Corps and Ghana’s National Service Scheme generally have met educational, cross-cultural understanding, and self development objectives, but due to overriding organizational concerns with public image, have rarely enhanced patriotism or Ghanaian national development, despite abundant comment from individual volunteers. Improved organizational learning could enhance program assessment and the effectiveness of development assistance at the national level
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| Faculty |
Heidi G. Frontani is a Professor of Geography, Chair of the Department of History and Geography, and faculty mentor for the Periclean Scholars, class of 2010
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| Student |
Lauren C. Taylor is a Periclean Scholar (Ghana Group) graduating from Elon University in May 2010 with an Independent Major in Global Women's Health Initiatives |
| Fund |
The research for this project was undertaken over the summer of 2007 without any university or external support
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| ( 15 )
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Recorded at: 5/14/2010
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| Title |
The characteristics of magma reservoir failure beneath a volcanic edifice |
| Journal |
J. Volc. Geotherm. Res, 2009;188:379-394, Hurwitz DM, Long SM, Grosfils EB
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| Description |
Eruptions fed from subsurface magma reservoirs commonly construct volcanic edifices at the surface, and the growth of and loading from an edifice will in turn modify the subsurface stress state that dictates the conditions under which subsequent rupture of the inflating reservoir can occur. We examine this problem using axisymmetric finite element models of ellipsoidal reservoirs beneath conical edifices, explicitly incorporating key physical factors absent from previous solutions, and our results illustrate why variations in rupture behavior will occur. Ultimately, integration of our numerical model results with other geological information provides useful new insight into the general ways in which a volcano's subsurface magma plumbing system can evolve, which in turn can help us better understand future eruption potential at active volcanoes. We apply our model to Summer Coon, a well-studied stratocone on Earth, and Ilithyia Mons, a large conical shield volcano on Venus
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| Faculty |
Eric Grosfils is a professor of geology
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| Student |
This research was largely conducted as a senior thesis project by Debra Long, with involvement of a second student, Sylvan Long, during the preceding summer. Upon graduating from Pomona College in 2007, Ms. Hurwitz began work toward a Ph.D. in the Department of Geosciences at Brown University. Mr. Long, who also graduated in 2007, completed a M. Phil as a Downing Fellow at Cambridge University, and is currently employed by Leggette, Brashears and Graham Inc. in Shelton, CT |
| Fund |
This research was supported by a grant from NASA 's Planetary Geology & Geophysics program and with funding from Pomona College
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| ( 16 )
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Recorded at: 1/13/2010
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| Title |
The Frequency and Characteristics of Lake-Effect Precipitation Events Associated with the New York State Finger Lakes. |
| Journal |
J Appl Meteor Climatol., 2009;48:873–886, Laird N, Sobash R, Hodas N.
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| Description |
This study presents a climatological analysis of the frequency and characteristics of lake-effect precipitation events that were initiated or enhanced by lakes within the New York State (NYS) Finger Lakes region for the 11 winters (October–March) from 1995/96 through 2005/06. Results show that lake-effect precipitation routinely develops over lakes that are considerably smaller than lakes previously discussed as being associated with lake-effect precipitation, such as the Great Lakes. The frequency of NYS Finger Lakes lake-effect events determined in the current investigation paired with subsequent analyses of the environmental conditions leading to these events will allow for 1) comparative analyses of necessary conditions for lake-effect development across a range of lake sizes and 2) an informative examination of the connection between mesoscale processes and climate variability.
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| Faculty |
Neil F. Laird is an associate professor in the Department of Geoscience.
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| Student |
Ryan Sobash conducted the research as part of the 2005 and 2006 HWS summer research program. At the time of the research Ryan was an undergraduate in the Meteorology Department at Pennsylvania State University. He is currently in graduate school at the University of Oklahoma.Natasha Hodas conducted the research as part of the 2006 HWS summer research program. At the time of the research Natasha was an undergraduate in Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University. She is currently in graduate school at Rutgers University. |
| Fund |
The research was made possible by a National Science Foundation grant through the Physical and Dynamic Meteorology program within the Geoscience Directorate.
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| ( 17 )
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Recorded at: 1/13/2010
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| Title |
Modeling the effect of layered volcanic material on magma reservoir failure and associated deformation, with application to Long Valley caldera, California |
| Journal |
J. Volc. Geotherm. Res., 2009;186:349-360, Long SM, Grosfils EB.
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| Description |
Elastic, gravitationally loaded finite element models of an ellipsoidal magma reservoir in mechanically layered host rock yield new insight into the effect of layer stiffness, thickness, and spatial configuration on the resulting surface displacement curve and tensile rupture of the reservoir wall. Application of the model to interpret surface deformation that occurred between 1985 and 1999 at Long Valley shows that inclusion of appropriate mechanical layers significantly alters the inferred size and depth of the inflating subsurface magma body. In addition, we show that reservoir geometries previously inferred from inversion of surface deformation would rupture before achieving sufficient pressure to reproduce the measured surface displacements.
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| Faculty |
Eric Grosfils is a professor of geology.
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| Student |
This research was largely conducted as a senior thesis project by Sylvan Long. Upon graduating from Pomona College in 2007, Mr. Long completed a M. Phil as a Downing Fellow at Cambridge University; he is currently employed by Leggette, Brashears and Graham Inc. in Shelton, CT. |
| Fund |
This research was supported by a grant from NASA's Planetary Geology & Geophysics program and with funding from Pomona College.
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| ( 18 )
|
Recorded at: 12/16/2009
|
| Title |
Calculated height tendencies in a Southern Hemisphere blocking and cyclone event: The contribution of diabatic heating to block intensification. |
| Journal |
Mon Wea Rev, 2008;136:3568–3578, Tilly DE, Lupo AR, Melick C.J., Market PS
|
| Description |
A vorticity tendency equation was used to calculate height tendencies in two intensifying Southern Hemisphere blocking events. These results demonstrated that the diabatic heating forced height rises through the sensible and latent heating terms in these two Southern Hemisphere blocking events. The sensible heating was the larger contributor, second only to (about the same as) the vorticity advection term in the first (second) event. The vorticity advection term has been shown by several studies to be associated with block intensification, while diabatic heating is almost always ignored
|
| Faculty |
|
| Student |
Mr. Douglas Tilly, a senior atmospheric science major, led this work as part of his Numerical Methods in the Atmospheric Sciences and Natural Resources class. Mr. Tilly is currently in the graduate program at Saint Louis University and employed full time with the National Weather Service Forecast Office in St. Charles, MO |
| Fund |
The research was supported by the University of Missouri Agriculture Experiment Station
|
|
|
| ( 19 )
|
Recorded at: 9/14/2009
|
| Title |
Non-destructive chemical characterization of ceramic sherds from Shipwreck 31CR314 and Brunswick Town, North Carolina |
| Journal |
Jour. Archaeological Res, 2008;35:2824-2838, Schleicher LS, Miller JW, Watkins-Kenney S, Carnes-McNaughton LF, Wilde-Ramsing MU
|
| Description |
Oil jar sherds from the reputed Queen Anne’s Revenge (QAR) shipwreck (the pirate Blackbeard’s flagship) were characterized by environmental scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectrometry. Compositions and microscopic textures of the sherds, compared to similar-aged sherds from other sites, were sufficient to characterize these groups of sherds and possibly could help distinguish similar type vessels that originated from different manufacturing sites
|
| Faculty |
Her research advisor and collaborator was J.W. Miller, Professor, at the University of North Carolina Asheville
|
| Student |
Lisa Schleicher completed this project for her senior research project that fulfilled a requirement for her Environmental Studies Degree/Earth Science Concentration. Lisa currently is working on her Masters Degree in geology at the University of Maryland |
| Fund |
The research was supported by the UNCA Undergraduate Research Program and UNCA New Horizons Fund grants to Lisa, the Environmental Studies Department, and the National Science Foundation
|
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| ( 20 )
|
Recorded at: 9/11/2009
|
| Title |
Bacterial fossil record in whale-falls: Petrographic evidence of microbial sulfate reduction |
| Journal |
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2009;274:196-203, Shapiro RS, Spangler E
|
| Description |
This study analyzed fossil whale bones for evidence of bacteria. The fossils came from a variety of locations around the United States and Chile, spanning the past 10s of millions of years. Evidence was similar to the fossil record of hydrothermal vents and hydrocarbon seeps and comprises microborings, organic concentrations, framboidal pyrite, and botryoidal cements. Together, the evidence suggests preservation of the predicted sulfate reduction ecosystem on whale falls
|
| Faculty |
Russell Shapiro is an assistant professor of Geology
|
| Student |
Eleanor Spangler was a junior geology major at the time the study was conducted. Ms. Spangler conducted all the quantitative work as an independent project, presented her findings at two professional meetings and participated in the manuscript preparation. Ms Spangler will be attending graduate school in the fall |
| Fund |
Work was partially funded through an NSF-Biogeosciences grant to Dr Shapiro
|
|
|
| ( 21 )
|
Recorded at: 9/11/2009
|
| Title |
Climatology of lake-effect precipitation events over Lake Champlain |
| Journal |
J. Appl. Meteor. Climatol, 2009; 48: 232-250, Laird NF, Desrochers J, Payer M
|
| Description |
This study provides the first long-term climatological analysis of lake-effect precipitation events that developed in relation to a small lake. The frequency and environmental conditions favorable for Lake Champlain lake-effect precipitation were examined for the nine winters (October–March) from 1997/98 through 2005/06. Lake Champlain lake-effect events were found to occur within a limited range of environmental conditions, thus providing events that are more sensitive to small changes in conditions than are large-lake lake-effect events and offering a more responsive system for subsequent investigation of connections between mesoscale processes and climate variability
|
| Faculty |
Neil Laird is an associate professor of Geoscience
|
| Student |
Jared Desrochers, a Geoscience major, participated in the research during his junior and senior years for independent study credit and during summer internships. Melissa Payer, a sophomore meteorology major at Plymouth State University, participated in the research during a summer internship. Jared is currently in the graduate program in Geography at Indiana University. Melissa is currently in the Atmospheric Sciences graduate program at the University at Albany – State University of New York |
| Fund |
The research was supported by a National Science Foundation grant from the Physical and Dynamic Meteorology program within the Geoscience Directorate
|
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|
| ( 22 )
|
Recorded at: 1/6/2009
|
| Title |
Quantifying basalt rock outcrops in NRCS soil map units using Landsat-5 data |
| Journal |
Soil Survey Horizons, 2007;48:59–62, Moore C, Hoffman G, Glenn N
|
| Description |
The present study examined spectral characteristics of rock outcrops in multispectral remote sensing data. The spectral characteristics and remote sensing data were then used to develop a classified map of rock outcrops in southeast Idaho for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). This information is critical to the NRCS because the presence of rock outcrops can affect the productivity and management opportunities of the soil resource. The methodology can be used to identify the rock outcrop component of soil map units in many areas
|
| Faculty |
Glenn Hoffman is a soil scientist with the NRCS. Nancy Glenn is an associate professor of geosciences at ISU
|
| Student |
Carol Moore is an undergraduate in Earth and Environmental Systems in the Department of Geosciences at Idaho State University (ISU). The research started as Moore’s class project for remote sensing in 2006 |
| Fund |
Moore and Glenn then received funding from the NRCS to expand the research to a more comprehensive assessment of methods for rock outcrop classification. With this funding, Moore is now a research assistant and in the process of completing her undergraduate degree
|
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|
| ( 23 )
|
Recorded at: 1/6/2009
|
| Title |
Changing role of rural women in Punjab Province/Pakistan |
| Journal |
Geographische Rundschau International Edition, 2008;4(2):4-9, Mahmud A, Sarmiento F
|
| Description |
This study examines the landscape transformation of the urbanizing rural communities and its effect on Pakistan’s rural Punjab women. Urbanization of the peripheral areas in Pakistan’s Punjab has created attractive economic alternatives to the traditional farming economy; simultaneously, it introduces urban norms into a historically agrarian-based culture. The alteration of the socio-economic climate has modified the traditional gender role of Punjab’s women
|
| Faculty |
Fausto Sarmiento is an assistant professor at the University of Georgia
|
| Student |
Aqsa Mahmud authored the article during her third year at University of Georgia and collected related data through an independent research and summer internship with Punjab Rural Support Programme. The article is the end product of a directed reading undertaken with Dr. Sarmiento of the Geography Department through UGA’s Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunity (CURO). Aqsa will be attending University of Michigan Law School this upcoming fall |
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|
| ( 24 )
|
Recorded at: 12/29/2008
|
| Title |
Katbergia gen. nov., a new trace fossil from the Upper Permian and Lower Triassic rocks of the Karoo Basin: implications for paleoenvironmental conditions at the P/Tr Extinction Event. |
| Journal |
Palaeontology, 2008;51:215-229, Gastaldo RA, Rolerson MW
|
| Description |
The Permian-Triassic Mass Extinction is the largest recorded loss of biodiversity in Earth history. In the continental sedimentary record, previous authors have claimed that a unique fossil burrow characterized the boundary event in South Africa. This trace fossil was thought only to range into the Early Triassic. It also was interpreted to represent inhabitation of soils formed under more arid climate conditions. The present study demonstrates that the fossil burrow is neither unique to the boundary event, occurring in older rocks below the horizon of mass extinction, nor was it made in soils of an arid nature. Using a combination of paleontological, sedimentological, and stable-isotopic geochemical data, we demonstrated that the burrows represent colonization of ancient wetland soils that were common from the latest Permian into the earliest Triassic of the southern hemisphere
|
| Faculty |
Robert A. Gastaldo is Whipple-Coddington Professor of Geology and Chair
|
| Student |
Marcy W. Rolerson was a senior geology major who undertook the project as an independent project in AY04/05. Marcy is pursuing a law degree with a concentration in mining law at Suffolk Law School, Boston |
| Fund |
Research was supported by NSF-EAR 0417317, and the Dean of Faculty
|
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|
| ( 25 )
|
Recorded at: 12/29/2008
|
| Title |
Sedimentology of acid saline lakes in southern Western Australia: newly described processes and products of an extreme environment |
| Journal |
J. Sed. Research, 2007;77:366-388, Benison KC, Bowen BB, Oboh-Ikuenobe FE, Jagniecki EA, LaClairDA, Story SL, Mormile MR, Hong BY
|
| Description |
This work documents a combination of physical and chemical processes that occur in naturally acid (pH 1.7 - 4) saline systems with pH values in Western Australia. This is a previously undescribed type of modern sedimentary environment and knowledge of it adds to the comparative sedimentology knowledge base and suggests an expansion of the traditional brine classification models
|
| Faculty |
Kathleen C. Benison is an associate professor of geology
|
| Student |
Deidre LaClair and Elliot Jagniecki participated in fieldwork (in 2001 and 2005, respectively) and assisted in laboratory examinations of field samples while undergraduate geology majors. For both Deidre and Elliot, this work was related to their senior thesis projects (which have been/will be published as separate manuscripts). Deidre went on to earn her master's degree in planetary geology from Arizona State University and is currently a Ph.D. student at Binghamton University. Elliot is still an undergraduate. Although Deidre and Elliot did not overlap during their undergraduate tenure at CMU, they will be graduate student colleagues next fall, as Elliot will be an incoming masters student at Binghamton University |
| Fund |
Funding was provided by an American Chemical Society-Petroleum Research Fund grant to KCB and a National Science Foundation grant to KCB, as well as by CMU Summer Research Scholars Awards to Deidre and Elliot
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| ( 26 )
|
Recorded at: 11/6/2007
|
| Title |
The extinction of the mammoth and the clathrate gun |
| Journal |
Deposits, 2007;1:20-25, Ballard J, Bijkerk A
|
| Description |
The cause of extinction of late Pleistocene megafauna, such as mammoth and giant ground sloths is still being debated, with hyperdisease, overhunting, and climate change as leading hypotheses. The authors present a new hypothesis linking climate change to extinction through massive methane hydrate releases off the coast of Norway and at the Amazon Fan in South America. They propose such catastrophic releases of methane hydrate (clathrate) would likely have induced major changes in oceanic circulation and affected climate through precipitation changes. The implications are enormous. This hypothesis could explain much about rapid climate change at the Pleistocene/Holocene transition. The authors are currently working on the cause of the trigger of the clathrate gun.
|
| Faculty |
Her advisor is Dr. Glenn Mason, Head of Geosciences at IUS
|
| Student |
Joanne Ballard is a geoscience senior at Indiana University Southeast, graduating in May 2007. This has been an independent study project. Andre Bijkerk is an independent researcher, residing in Germany |
|
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| ( 27 )
|
Recorded at: 4/18/2007
|
| Title |
Visiting a great lakes sand dune: The example of Mt. Pisgah in Holland, Michigan. The Great Lakes Geographer |
| Journal |
, 2005;12(2):45-63, van Dijk D, Vink DR
|
| Description |
The study investigated local claims that dune visitors were causing a decrease in the height of Mt. Pisgah, a large parabolic dune and local landmark in Holland on the east coast of Lake Michigan. The study mapped dune topography, collected information from dune visitors and local residents, and collected historical data. In summer 2005, Mt. Pisgah’s height above Lake Michigan was 8 meters lower than its previously-reported height. More than 3400 people (most of whom are not local residents) visit the dune in the summer. Visitor activities on Mt. Pisgah produce significant changes to dune topography, including lowering of the dune crest at a popular pathway. Management strategies were recommended to mitigate the impacts of the high numbers of visitors
|
| Faculty |
Deanna van Dijk is an associate professor of geography at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan
|
| Student |
Rob Vink is a geology major (graduating May 2007) who participated in this research the summer before his junior year |
| Fund |
The research was supported by a grant from the Ottawa County Parks and Recreation Commission
|
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|
| ( 28 )
|
Recorded at: 12/12/2006
|
| Title |
Evaluating riparian buffers for nonpoint source pollution control in an urban setting using the Riparian Ecosystem Management Model, REMM. |
| Journal |
Proc Intnatl Conf Hydrology and Management of Forested Wetlands., 2006;129-137, Allison BE, Fatula S, Wolanski D
|
| Description |
Riparian buffers are effective for treatment of runoff and nonpoint source ollution, but they are routinely designed for urban use based on criteria for agricultural buffers. The Riparian Ecosystem Management Model (REMM) was evaluated as an environmental planning tool for designing urban riparian buffers based on site-specific data. REMM was useful in designing urban buffers, especially when different housing densities, multiple soils, and variable slopes were contained in a developed area
|
| Faculty |
Bruce E. Allison is a professor of environmental science at Wesley College. David Wolanski is a watershed scientist at the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Dover, Delaware
|
| Student |
Stephen Fatula participated in this research during his senior year and is currently enrolled in the environmental law program at Rutgers University. |
| Fund |
The research was part of an independent research study supported in part by an NSF/EPSCoR grant and DNREC.
|
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|
| ( 29 )
|
Recorded at: 12/8/2006
|
| Title |
Relationship between deformation bands and petroleum migration in an exhumed reservoir rock, Los Angeles Basin, California, USA |
| Journal |
Geofluids, 2006;6:105-112., Sample JC, Woods S, Bender E, Loveall M
|
| Description |
An oil-bearing sandstone unit within the Monterey Formation is exposed along the Newport-Inglewood fault zone in southern California. The unit preserves structures, some original fluids, and cements that record the local history of deformation, petroleum migration, and cementation. Field relationships demonstrate that petroleum migrated into the reservoir during at least three different phases after the fault had become active. The structure-fluid flow relationships exhibited here may help geologists understand oil migration in other settings
|
| Faculty |
|
| Student |
James C. Sample, Department of Geology, Northern Arizona University (formerly Department of Geological Sciences, California State University, Long Beach). Sharon Woods assisted in field work and data collection for this project during Summer, 2002. At the time Woods was a second year student at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California |
| Fund |
She was participating in the G-DEP program at CSU, Long Beach, funded by NSF’s “Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences” program (GEO-0119891). Additional support was provided by NSF grant
|
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| ( 30 )
|
Recorded at: 7/21/2006
|
| Title |
The origin and extent of earth fissures in Escalante Valley, Southern Escalante Desert, Iron County, Utah |
| Journal |
Ut Geol Sur, 2005; Special Study 115, Lund WR, DuRoss CB, Kirby SM, McDonald GN, Hunt G, Vice GS
|
| Description |
During the particularly wet spring of 2005, several large fissures developed near the town of Beryl in Escalante Valley, western Iron County, Utah. Gary Hunt was studying land subsidence due to ground water withdrawal in the area for his senior project and had already located the extant USGS Bench Marks in the area. With the sudden development of a fissure crossing a main highway and several more near structures, the Utah Geological Survey utilized his data and incorporated it into this larger publication that was done with state funds
|
| Faculty |
|
| Student |
Garret Vice collected GPS data and completed the GIS portion of the project. Gary will graduate from Southern Utah University in May and go to New Mexico State University to pursue a master’s degree. Garret graduated from Southern Utah University in May, 2005 and is pursuing a master's degree at University of Nevada, Reno |
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| ( 31 )
|
Recorded at: 1/6/2006
|
| Title |
Implications for Timing of Andean Uplift Based on Thermal Resetting of
Radiation-damaged Zircon in the Cordillera Huayhuash, Northern Pe |
| Journal |
Journal of Geology, 2005, 113, 117-138, J.I. Garver, P.R. Reiners, L.J. Walker, J.M. Ramage, S.E. Perry (Union College).
|
| Description |
This research documents the age of rock cooling along the spine of the Andes and relates this cooling to the timing of uplift of the Andes. The research documents a period of intense heating at 10 Ma that is related to plutonic intrusion. This intrusion was followed by a significant amount of erosion that ultimately resulted in this spectacular mountain range with peaks of almost 7000 m (i.e. N. Yerupaja, featured in the recent movie "Into thin air"). Crystals dated were old radiation-damaged zircons, which allow dating of cooling though about 180°C.
|
| Faculty |
J.I. Garver is Chair, Department of Geology, Union College.
|
| Student |
. Lydia Walker, 2004 graduate, wrote her thesis on dating rocks in this transect. The fieldwork was completed as part of summer support though Union College, but the main research was completed as her Senior thesis. She is currently in the Peace Corps in Guatemala. S.E. Perry, also a 2004 graduate, wrote her thesis on similar rocks slightly to the north in Cordillera Blanca. Her fieldwork in this area and to the north was completed as part of summer support though Union College, but her main research was completed as her Senior thesis. She is currently in graduate school at SUNY Albany. |
| Fund |
Funding was through Union College Research fund (internal).
|
|
|
| ( 32 )
|
Recorded at: 9/29/2005
|
| Title |
A Reinterpretation of the Wagendrift Quarry, Estcourt, KwaZulu Natal Province, and its Implications for Karoo Basin Paleogeography |
| Journal |
Journal of South African Geology, 2005, 108(3), 17-26, R. W. Selover, R. A. Gastaldo (Colby College).
|
| Description |
Exposures near Estcourt, KwaZulu Natal Province, South Africa, in the Karoo Basin originally were interpreted as part of the Beaufort Group, a continental sequence of deposits of fluvial origin. This project focused on the sedimentology, stratigraphy, and paleontology and demonstrated that the exposures do not represent river deposits but, rather, are deep-lake turbidites. Palynomorphs recovered from the rocks allow for assignment of these deposits to the Ecca Group, a unit beneath the Beaufort. This reassignment changes the paleogeography of the Karoo Basin, indicating that deep-water deposits persisted in the northeastern part of the basin.
|
| Faculty |
R. A. Gastaldo is professor of geology.
|
| Student |
Robert W. Selover '04 undertook this project as a second senior thesis, conducting field work during the summer 2003 in South Africa. Presently, Rob is a graduate student in the Department of Geosciences at Penn State University. |
| Fund |
This work was supported by NSF RUI - EAR 0417317, HHMI Grant to Colby College, and Department of Geology Bove Endowment.
|
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|
| ( 33 )
|
Recorded at: 9/29/2005
|
| Title |
Badly Burned? Effects of an Escaped Prescribed Burn on Social Acceptability of Wildland Fuels Treatments |
| Journal |
Journal of Forestry, 2005, 101(3), 134-138, Mark W. Brunson, Jessica Evans (Utah State University).
|
| Description |
A 2003 “prescribed burn” set by managers of the Uinta National Forest escaped, costing nearly $3 million to extinguish while choking Utah cities with smoke for a week. When the incident drew harsh criticism from local officials and news media, wildland fire managers worried that prescribed fire would no longer be a viable land management tool in northern Utah. A survey of residents in three affected counties, based in part on a 2001 survey, found that prescribed fire remains an acceptable tool for some situations, however citizens increasingly doubt agencies’ ability to use it effectively.
|
| Faculty |
Mark Brunson is a professor of environment and society at Utah State University.
|
| Student |
Jessica designed and administered the survey in her junior year - her second year as a research assistant studying public attitudes toward wildfire management. She is now employed by a private foundation. |
| Fund |
Research was funded by the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station.
|
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|
| ( 34 )
|
Recorded at: 9/29/2005
|
| Title |
Population recovery and differential Heat Shock Protein Expression for the Corals, Agaricia agaricites and A. tenuifolia in Belize |
| Journal |
Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2004, 283: 151-160, Martha P. Robbart, Paulette Peckol, Stylianos P. Scordilis, H. Allen Curran, Jocelyn Brown-Saracino (Smith College).
|
| Description |
The recovery of two populations of corals on reefs off the coast of Belize was studied following the 1997-1998 El Niño. A. agaricites and A. tenuifolia, showed different recovery patterns and heat shock protein expression. The ability to produce heat shock proteins may serve to protect against environmental stress due to significant thermal fluctuations.
|
| Faculty |
Paulette Peckol is a professor of biological sciences, Stylianos P. Scordilis a professor of biological sciences and director of the biochemistry program, H. Allen Curran a professor of geology at Smith College.
|
| Student |
Jocelyn Brown-Saracino participated in this work after her junior year and Martha Robbart, a Smith graduate, worked on this project as a Masters student at Smith College. Jocelyn is currently teaching in Teach for America and Martha is employed in industry. |
| Fund |
This research was supported by the Blakeslee Fund for Genetics Research, a Culpeper Foundation grant, the Smith College Summer Science Program and the B. Elizabeth Horner Fund.
|
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| ( 35 )
|
Recorded at: 6/3/2005
|
| Title |
Petrography of Lower Cretaceous Sandstones on Spitsbergen |
| Journal |
Polar Research, 2004, 23, 147-165, Harmon D. Maher, Jr., Troy Hays, Robert Shuster, Jeremy Mutrux (University of Nebraska at Omaha)
|
| Description |
Study results indicate that during a Barremian-Aptian transgression a relatively abrupt change in sandstone composition from quartz arenites to sublitharenites and lithic arenites was due to the local arrival of marine sands that had a different source than underlying fluvial-deltaic strata. Shore-parallel transport of Aptian marine sands tapped a penecontemporaneous High Arctic large Igneous Province and Precambrian basement sources to the northeast, part of which is still well preserved on Franz Josef Land. The marine sandstone composition remained unchanged into the Albian.
|
| Faculty |
Harmon Maher is a professor of geology and Robert Shuster is an associate professor of geology.
|
| Student |
Troy Hays and Jeremy Mutrux participated in field work and subsequent laboratory work as part of their senior theses. Troy Hays is currently a graduate student at the University of Florida and Jeremy Mutrux is locally employed and finishing his senior thesis. |
| Fund |
The research was supported through ACS-PRF and the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
|
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|
| ( 36 )
|
Recorded at: 6/3/2005
|
| Title |
Fire History of the Aiken Canyon Woodland-Grassland Ecotone in the Southern Foothills of the Colorado Front Range |
| Journal |
Southwestern Naturalist, 2004, 49, 239-243, William R. Wieder, Nathan W. Bower (Colorado College).
|
| Description |
A fire history for SE Colorado was constructed for 1602-1999 using ponderosa pine. A relatively short median fire interval (MFI = 7.5 yrs) was obtained for the period 1753-1935. An unusually strong association was found between El Nino weather patterns and fires. A very short MFI was observed in the grasslands for 1872-1935, possibly due to pioneer railroads and/or ranching. These efforts help inform fire management in the region.
|
| Faculty |
Nate Bower teaches chemistry and environmental science.
|
| Student |
Will Wieder conducted this research in the summer following his sophomore year. He currently teaches Biology in Bangkok, Thailand. |
| Fund |
Will’s research was supported with matching grants from The Nature Conservancy and Colorado College.
|
|
|
| ( 37 )
|
Recorded at: 6/3/2005
|
| Title |
A Reconnaissance of Skeletal Crystallography in Rhombiferans, Diploporans, and Paracrinoids |
| Journal |
Journal of Paleontology, 2004, 78, 1154-1162, Brian E. Bodenbender, Erik J. Hiemstra (Hope College)
|
| Description |
This study examined orientations of crystallographic axes in the minerals that make up the skeletons of several groups of extinct echinoderms, relatives of modern crinoids (sea lilies). Diploporans differ from rhombiferans and paracrinoids in the directions their crystallographic axes point. Patterns of axis orientation shared by rhombiferans and fossil crinoids suggest that these two groups may have undergone similar processes of skeletal development.
|
| Faculty |
Brian Bodenbender is an associate professor of geological and environmental sciences.
|
| Student |
Erik Hiemstra is currently employed as a geologist in petroleum exploration. He worked on this project during summer research following his sophomore, junior, and senior years, including a summer of support by a CUR Summer Research Fellowship. |
| Fund |
The work was also supported by Hope College.
|
|
|
| ( 38 )
|
Recorded at: 8/18/2004
|
| Title |
Detecting Important Categorical Land Changes while Accounting for Persistence |
| Journal |
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2004, 101(2-3), 251-268, R Gil Pontius, Jr., Emily Shusas, Menzie McEachern (Clark University)
|
| Description |
Statistical formulas in order to assess the change of land categories between two points in time are derived. These methods enable scientists to focus on the strongest signals of systematic landscape transitions, which is necessary to link geographic patterns to processes. An example of change among four land categories in central Massachusetts illustrates the technique.
|
| Faculty |
R Gil Pontius, Jr. is associate professor in the school of geography.
|
| Student |
Emily Shusas undertook this research as part of her senior thesis while working as in the HERO (Human-Environment Regional Observatory) program. |
| Fund |
The research was funded by an NSF-REU award.
|
|
|
| ( 39 )
|
Recorded at: 12/16/2003
|
| Title |
Description and Interpretation of Sanctum laurentiensis, New Ichnogenus and Ichnospecies, a Domichnium Mined into Late Ordovician (Cincinnatian) Ramose Bryozoan Colonies |
| Journal |
Journal of Paleontology, 2003, 75, 1002-1010, J. Mark Erickson, Tim Bouchard (St. Lawrence University)
|
| Description |
A newly recognized Late Ordovician trace fossil represents the domicile of an organism that was responsible for tunneling through the interiors of bryozoan skeletons while those colonies lived on the carbonate flats of the Cincinnati region 475 million years ago. The organism responsible is unknown as yet, but its tunnels were pervasive and were likely to have had a deleterious effect on colony resistance to waves generated by large storms. By tunneling and by breakage of host skeletons, much bioclastic carbonate sediment resulted from production of Sanctum laurentiensis.
|
| Faculty |
Mark Erickson is a professor of geology and mineralogy.
|
| Student |
Tim Bouchard, while a sophomore, began a study of these unique trace fossils as an independent project. He is presently beginning graduate work in paleontology at the University of Alaska. |
| Fund |
This research was supported by St. Lawrence University.
|
|
|
| ( 40 )
|
Recorded at: 12/16/2003
|
| Title |
Graphs of Essentially Equivalent Lattice Paths |
| Journal |
Geombinatorics, 2003, 13, 5-9, Marjorie Brewer, Adam Hughes, Lara Pudwell (Valparaiso University)
|
| Description |
The elementary properties of the family of graphs with vertices consisting of the paths of a rectangular lattice and edges consisting of pairs of paths sharing more than k steps (essentially equivalent) are investigated. Connectivity and trees are completely characterized.
|
| Faculty |
|
| Student |
Adam, Margie, and Lara were a freshman, sophomore, and junior, respectively, when they worked on this paper under the direction of Rick Gillman. They were participating in the Department's ongoing undergraduate research program, and continued to be part of the program the following year. This year, Adam is pursuing his studies in music, Margie is preparing to do her student teaching, and Lara has begun graduate studies at Rutgers University. |
|
|
| ( 41 )
|
Recorded at: 12/16/2003
|
| Title |
Deflation/Erosion Rates for the Parva Member, Dorsa Argentea, Formation and Implications for the South Polar Region of Mars |
| Journal |
Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets, 2003, 108, 5075, J. E. Bleacher, S.E.H. Sakimoto, J. B. Garvin, M. Wong, (Franklin and Marshall College/Goddard Space Flight Center)
|
| Description |
The surficial materials near the south polar region of Mars are one of the younger units globally. In both image and topography data, they show apparent evidence for large scale removal. Using recently acquired topography data, we show that a type of preserved impact crater indicates unmistakably that the surface of part of the polar terrain was at one time higher, and has experienced deflation without destruction of the craters. Using the remaining impact craters as gauges, We estimate the deflation magnitude and rates, tie the materials to possible similar materials in surrounding terrains, and show that additional impact features are visible in the topography but thoroughly blanketed and subdued by the remaining materials.
|
| Faculty |
Susan Sakimoto is a planetary scientist working at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center with the Goddard Earth Science and Technology Center. James Garvin is the Mars Exploration Program Scientist (now at NASA/HQ)
|
| Student |
Jacob Bleacher performed the work while an undergraduate at Franklin and Marshall College for his senior thesis, spending summer and break times at Goddard, and commuting regularly during the school year. He has gone on to Arizona State University and is in their PhD program in Geological Sciences. Martin Wong was a research assistant at Goddard for a year between his BS and PhD programs, and is now in the PhD program at the University of California Santa Barbara. |
| Fund |
Funding for this work was provided by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) science team, Franklin and Marshall and Goddard's Geodynamics Branch.
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| ( 42 )
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Recorded at: 12/15/2003
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| Title |
Emplacement of Long Lava Flows Within a Graben Network in Radunitsa Labyrinthus, Carson quadrangle, Venus |
| Journal |
Geophysical Research Letters, 2003, 30, 1908, Karen M. Kortz, Eric B. Grosfils, Susan E. H. Sakimoto. (Pomona College/Goddard Space Flight Center)
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| Description |
Radar bright lava flows in Radunitsa Labyrinthus traveled up to 200 km within a network of orthogonal grabens. Using a cooling model for basalt to evaluate the channelized lava flow emplacement process, we explore whether unusual eruption conditions or lava properties are required to promote the observed behavior, and conclude that neither are necessary. This raises questions about why similar channelization of lava flows is not more commonly observed on Venus.
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| Faculty |
Eric Grosfils is an associate professor of geology at Pomona College. Susan Sakimoto is a planetary scientist working at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
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| Student |
Karen Kortz performed the research described here for her senior thesis project at Pomona College. She went on to get her Masters degree from Brown University, and has recently begun teaching at the Community College of Rhode Island. |
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| ( 43 )
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Recorded at: 8/20/2003
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| Title |
Carolina Thunder Revisited: Toward a Transcultural View of Winston Cup Racing |
| Journal |
The Professional Geographer, 2003, 55, 238-249, Alderman, Derek H., Preston W. Mitchell, Jeffrey T. Webb, and Derek Hanak (East Carolina University)
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| Description |
Contrary to previous research, the growing national popularity of stock car racing does not necessarily come at the cost of its strong historical connection with the American South. Rather, the sport is “transcultural,” embodying both tradition and transition as well as regional and national forces. This study documents major changes and continuities in Winston Cup racing and briefly examines two North Carolina cases (North Wikesboro and the Charlotte area) that provide contradictory views on the relationship between NASCAR and the South.
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| Faculty |
Derek Alderman is an assistant professor of geography.
|
| Student |
The students performed the research as part of an independent student requirement. Preston Mitchell in enrolled in the Master of Public Administration program at East Carolina University. Jeffrey Webb is currently applying to graduate programs in geography. Derek Hanak is employed as a GIS technician. |
| Fund |
The project was supported by department funds.
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| ( 44 )
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Recorded at: 5/27/2003
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| Title |
Plio-Pleistocene Basalts from the Meseta del Lago Buenos Aires, Argentina: Evidence for Asthenospheric-lithospheric Interactions During Slab Window Magmatism |
| Journal |
Chemical Geology, 2003, 193, 215-235, Matthew Gorring, Brad Singer, Jason Gowers, Suzanne M. Kay. (Montclair State University)
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| Description |
The geochemistry of young (0.125 to 3.4 Ma) basaltic volcanics from the Meseta del Lago Buenos Aires (46.7ºS) in the backarc region of the southern Patagonian Andes were investigated in order to elucidate petrogenetic processes associated with ridge-trench collision and the development of asthenospheric slab windows. Geochemical data indicate contamination of OIB-like asthenosphere-derived slab window magmas with the EM1-type Patagonian continental lithospheric mantle. Results of the study suggest hot, upwelling slab window asthenosphere can cause significant thermo-mechanical erosion and thinning of the continental lithosphere and is an important process in slab window magma petrogenesis.
|
| Faculty |
Matthew Gorring is an associate professor of geology. Brad Singer is an assistant professor of geology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Suzanne Kay is a professor of geology at Cornell University.
|
| Student |
Jason Gowers participated in this research for his senior thesis project and is currently a graduate student in geoscience at Montclair State University. |
| Fund |
The research was supported through grants from Montclair State, NSF, and the Swiss NSF. Jason Gowers was supported through a GSA undergraduate research grant.
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| ( 45 )
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Recorded at: 5/16/2003
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| Title |
Comparison of Satellite Altimetry to Tide Gauge Measurement of Sea Level: Predictions of Glacio-Isostatic Adjustment |
| Journal |
Journal of Climate, 2002, 15, 3291-3300, James A. Clark, Paul E. Haidle, L. Nichole Cunningham. (Wheaton College, IL)
|
| Description |
Sea level changes, possibly caused by global warming and melting of ice sheets, are monitored with tide gauges and satellite altimetry. Our predictions from a numerical model of a viscoelastic self-gravitating earth indicate that the tide gauge signal should differ from the satellite signal because tide gauges record the change between the earth’s solid surface and its geoid (i.e. sea level) whereas the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite measures only geoid changes. Both sea level signatures are predicted to be distinctly non-uniform with a fall in sea level occurring near the source of meltwater and enhanced sea level rise very distant from the source. Therefore the spatial gradient in the rate of sea level rise will point towards any source of meltwater.
|
| Faculty |
James Clark is a professor of geology.
|
| Student |
The research was done during the summer. Paul had just finished his junior year and Nikki was a senior. Paul Haidle is currently employed in industry. Nikki Cunningham is pursuing an environmental law degree at the University of Tennessee. |
| Fund |
The research was supported by a grant from NASA and with funds from Wheaton College.
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| ( 46 )
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Recorded at: 10/1/2002
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| Title |
Pennsylvania State Plane Coordinate System: Converting to a Single Zone |
| Journal |
Surveying and Land Information Systems, 2002, 62, 95-103, P.Hartzell, L. Strunk, C. Ghilani (Pennsylvania State University, Wilkes-Barre)
|
| Description |
A single-zone map projection coordinate system for Pennsylvania will help meet the needs of state-wide surveying, mapping, and geospatial projects. Currently the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania uses a dual-zone state plane coordinate system (SPCS) based on the Lambert Conformal Conic Map Projection. The options available for the development of a new map projection coordinate system were considered, and a single-zone system based on the Lambert Conformal Conic Map Projection was proposed. This paper partially fulfilled the course requirements in SUR 262: Coordinate Systems in Map Projections in the Penn State Surveying program.
|
| Faculty |
C. Chilani is the Chair of the surveying program.
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| Student |
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| ( 47 )
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Recorded at: 10/1/2002
|
| Title |
Stable Isotopes of Carbon as an Invaluable Stratigraphic Tool: An Example from the Cambrian of the Northern Appalachians |
| Journal |
USA, Geology, 2002, 30, 563-566, Bosiljka Glumac, Malkah L. Spivak-Birndorf. (Smith College)
|
| Description |
A detailed carbon isotope analysis of the lowermost Gorge Formation at Highgate Gorge in northwestern Vermont illustrated the usefulness of carbon isotopes in stratigraphic interpretations of poorly fossiliferous strata beyond the resolution possible by biostratigraphy. Previous age interpretations of the highly condensed continental-slope deposits of the Upper Cambrian lower Gorge Formation were based on information from two thin fossiliferous intervals, the occurrence of one of them being unconfirmed in a recent study. The carbon isotope results question the age for these strata and suggest the presence of a stratigraphic gap or a hiatus, which is greater than previously recognized.
|
| Faculty |
Bosiljka Glumac is an assistant professor of geology.
|
| Student |
Malkah Spivak-Birndorf spent one semester working on the project, and she currently teaches on a Navajo Reservation in New Mexico. |
| Fund |
The work was supported by ACS-PRF and a Sigma Xi grant-in-aid of research.
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| ( 48 )
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Recorded at: 3/25/2002
|
| Title |
Tornado Shelters in Mobile Home Parks in the United States, |
| Journal |
The American Society of Professional Emergency Managers (ASPEP) Journal, 2001, 1-15, Thomas W. Schmidlin, B. O. Hammer, Jodanna Knabe. (Kent State University)
|
| Description |
A disproportionate number of mobile home residents are killed by tornadoes. Current safety recommendations state that mobile home residents should go to a sturdy shelter when a tornado warning is issued. We surveyed 480 mobile home parks (MHPs) to assess the availability and quality of tornado shelters in MHPs in 11 Southern and Central states. A 'shelter' was identified in 33% of MHPs. 20% of those shelters were below ground, most others were offices, laundry buildings, or pool houses of questionable sturdiness. There were strong regional differences with fewer shelters and poor quality in the South and more shelters of higher quality in the Plains. This was the first summary of tornado shelters in MHPs in the United States. Results may be useful in legislation requiring shelters in MHPs. The results also inform state and county emergency managers of the availability of shelters (or lack of) so that realistic storm safety recommendations can be provided to mobile home residents.
|
| Faculty |
Thomas W. Schmidlin is Professor and Chair of the Department of Geography.
|
| Student |
Jodanna Knabe is a senior majoring in Geography. She completed the work as a summer project funded by an NSF REU supplement to an NSF grant. |
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| ( 49 )
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Recorded at: 3/11/2002
|
| Title |
International Tourism Trends in Cuba |
| Journal |
The Geographical Bulletin, 2001,43,47-58, David Aagesen and Jennifer Paluch
|
| Description |
The history and current status of international tourism in Cuba, whose leaders have embraced the tourism industry since the collapse of the Soviet Union, was surveyed. The socioeconomic and environmental challenges associated with the development of Cuba's tourism industry are integrated and evaluated.
|
| Faculty |
David Aagesen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at the State University of New York - Geneseo.
|
| Student |
Jennifer Paluch undertook the work during her senior year and is currently a graduate student at San Diego State University. |
| Fund |
Support was provided through a Geneseo Foundation Research Travel Grant.
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