geology

Super-eruptions: Volcanic Activity with a Global Impact; Stephen Self, Volcano Dynamics Group, Department of Earth Science, The Open University, Senior Volcanologist, US NRC - Every now and again, Earth suffers from tremendous explosive volcanic eruptions, much bigger than those witnessed in modern times. Although the return period for such events is long, perhaps every 10-100,000 years depending on the size, it is statistically more likely that Earth will next experience a large...

Geologic Mapping and Petrochemical Stratigraphy of Southern Warner Valley, Southern Oregon, USA Michelle Dooley M.S. Candidate Department of Geological Sciences San Diego State University Advisor Dr. Vic Camp -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ABSTRACT The tectonomagmatic evolution of the northwestern margin of the Basin and Range Province is well expressed by the mafic-to-intermediate-to-silicic volcanic stratigraphy and...

Scenario-Based Seismic Loss Estimation for San Diego County, California: Loren Wimmer, M.S. Candidate, Department of Geological Sciences, San Diego State University, Advisor Dr. Steven Day - A study was done to estimate seismic losses to San Diego County, California, and test the sensitivity of those loss estimates to the choice of ground motion model. The scenario chosen was a magnitude 7.1 earthquake on the Rose Canyon Fault Zone. A rupture surface for this scenario was defined following...

Biotic Response of Ostracodes to the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO; 40.0 Ma) in the Southern Indian Ocean (ODP Site 748): Jared Warner, M.S. Candidate, Department of Geological Sciences, San Diego State University - The long-term cooling trend from “greenhouse” to “icehouse” conditions through the middle-to-late Eocene (49.0 – 33.7 Ma) was interrupted by the middle-Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO; ~40.0 Ma), a transient (~500 kyr) global warming of ~4-6 C° widely recorded in...

The Recent Prehistoric Geochemical Evolution of Summit Lavas From Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii: Dale Burns, M.S. Candidate, Department of Geological Sciences, San Diego State University - Lavas from Kilauea Volcano display rapid geochemical and isotopic variations (e.g., 206Pb/204Pb or Nb/Y ratios) on a time scale of decades to centuries. The wall of Kilauea Caldera at Uwekahuna Bluff exposes a sequence of recent prehistoric, caldera-filling lavas (erupted mostly between AD 900-1400). Here we...

Chemical and Physical Characteristics of Pulverized Tejon Lookout Granite Adjacent to the San Andreas and Garlock Faults: Implications for Earthquake Physics: Matthew Sisk, M.S. Candidate, Department of Geological Sciences, San Diego State University - We present new detailed analysis of pulverized Tejon Lookout granite from sections adjacent to the San Andreas and Garlock faults in southern California. The granite is pulverized in all exposures within about 100 m from both faults....

TIR spectroscopy of shocked Deccan basalt: Implications for Mars and Martian meteorites: Shawn Wright, Institute of Meteoritics, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico - Hundreds of thousands of impact craters dominate the surfaces of the Moon, Mercury, and Mars. There exists much geomorphic and spectral evidence for basalt on those surfaces, so basaltic target rocks are most likely common. However, little work has been done on the thermal infrared (TIR)...

Imaging Fault Damage Zones with Seismic and Geodetic Data - Elizabeth Cochran, Department of Earth Sciences, University of California, Riverside: During earthquakes slip is often localized on preexisting faults, but it is not well understood how the structure of crustal faults may contribute to slip localization and energetics. Growing evidence suggests that the crust along active faults suffers anomalous strain and damage during large quakes. Data collected along several faults including...

Not-So-Simple Cinder Cone Plumbing Systems: Examples From the Sierra Nevada - Brandon Browne, Department of Geological Sciences, California State University Fullerton: Cinder cones situated in continental monogenetic volcanic fields are generally thought to erupt single magma batches over short periods of time. However, field mapping efforts combined with petrologic, geochemical, and thermobarometric analysis of erupted products from two unrelated volcanic fields in California (Red Cones, 5...

The Cretaceous-Paleogene ("KT") Boundary In Belize and Alabama - David T. King, Jr., Department of Geology and Geography, Auburn University, Alabama: Belize - At Albion Island in northern Belize, Cretaceous-Paleogene (KT) boundary deposits, also known as the Albion formation, rest upon karsted and fractured Maastrichtian dolostones. These deposits consist of a basal impactoclastic clay layer (~ 1 to 2-m thick) and an upper carbonate-rich, coarse impactoclastic breccia layer (up to 15-m...