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J.D. Sims

Publications and source records attributed to J.D. Sims.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2017

Late-Pleistocene and Holocene remains of Hysterocarpus traski (Tule Perch) from Clear Lake, California, and inferred Holocene temperature fluctuations

The remains of scales of Hysterocarpus traski Gibbons (Tule perch) were found throughout a 27.44-m core from Clear Lake. Most scales occurred between the mud surface and deposits approximately 11,000 years old. Changes in growth rates of the animals were examined by measuring scale annuli and applying an empirically established regression of fish length on scale radius. The data indicate a pattern of accelerating growth rates, reaching a peak between ⋍4000 and 2800 BP. After ⋍2800 BP, growth rates decline markedly. Because the growth rates of these animals are essentially dependent on temperature, the changes observed in the patterns of growth probably reflect changes in climate in the northern Coast Range. The general pattern of inferred temperature increase during the early and middle Holocene, ending between ⋍4000 and 2800 BP, is consistent with evidence from tree-line studies and palynology indicating higher temperatures in parts of the western United States during this period.

California↗
USGS2017

Correlation of Alaskan varve thickness with climatic parameters, and use in paleoclimatic reconstruction

The thickness of varves in the sediments of Skilak Lake, Alaska, are correlated with the mean annual temperature (r = 0.574), inversely correlated with the mean annual cumulative snowfall (r = -0.794), and not correlated with the mean annual precipitation (r = 0.202) of the southern Alaska climatological division for the years 1907-1934 A.D. Varve thickness in Skilak Lake is sensitive to annual temperature and snowfall because Skilak Glacier, the dominant source of sediment for Skilak Lake, is sensitive to these climatic parameters. Trends of varve thickness are well correlated with trends of mean annual cumulative snowfall (r = -0.902) of the southern Alaska climatological division and with trends of mean annual temperature of the southern (r = 0.831) and northern (r = 0.786) Alaska climatological divisions. Trends of varve thickness also correlate with trends of annual temperature in Seattle and North Head, Washington (r = 0.632 and 0.850, respectively). Comparisons of trends of varve thickness with trends of annual temperature in California, Oregon, and Washington suggest no widespread regional correlation. Trends of annual snowfall in the southern Alaska climatological division and trends of annual temperature in the southern and northern Alaska climatological divisions are reconstructed for the years 1700-1906 A.D. Climatic reconstructions on the basis of varve thickness in Skilak Lake utilize equations derived from the regression of series of smoothed climatological data on series of smoothed varve thickness. Reconstruction of trends of mean annual cunulative snowfall in the southern Alaska climatological division suggests that snowfall during the 1700s and 1800s was much greater than that during the early and mid-1900s. The periods 1770-1790 and 1890-1906 show marked decreases in the mean annual snowfall. Reconstructed trends of the annual temperature of the northern and southern Alaska climatological divisions suggest that annual temperatures during the 1700s and 1800s were lower than those of the early and mid-1900s. Two periods of relatively high annual temperatures coincide with the periods of low annual snowfall thus determined. ?? 1983.

Quaternary Research↗
USGS2005

Evidence for New Madrid earthquakes in A.D. 300 and 2350 B.C

Six episodes of earthquake-induced liquefaction are associated with soil horizons containing artifacts of the Late Archaic (3000-500 B.C.) and Early to Middle Woodland (500 B.C.-A.D. 400) cultural periods at the Burkett archaeological site in the northern part of the New Madrid seismic zone, where little information about prehistoric earthquakes has been available. Radiocarbon dating of organic material and analysis of artifacts are used to estimate the ages of the liquefaction features and times of the causative earthquakes. The most recent episode of liquefaction occurred after A.D. 1670, produced small sand dikes, and is probably related to the 1895 Charleston, Missouri earthquake. The preceding episode struck the area in A.D. 300 ± 200 years and generated a sand blow that contains Late Woodland artifacts and buries an Early to Middle Woodland cultural horizon. Four older episodes of liquefaction occurred in 2350 B.C. ± 200 years and may have been produced by a sequence of closely timed earthquakes. The four earlier episodes produced graben structures, sand dikes, and associated sand blows on which a cultural mound was constructed. The Burkett liquefaction features that formed about 2350 B.C. and A.D. 300 are relatively large and similar in age to other liquefaction features in northeastern Arkansas and southeastern Missouri, respectively. If the prehistoric features at the Burkett site and those of similar age elsewhere in the region are the result of the same earthquakes, then this suggests that they were similar in size to the three largest (M 7-8) 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes. A New Madrid-type earthquake in A.D. 300 ± 200 years would support an average recurrence time of 500 years. Although this study extends the earthquake chronology back to 2500 B.C., it is uncertain that the record of New Madrid events is complete for the period between 2350 B.C. and A.D. 300. As demonstrated by this study, information about other prehistoric earthquakes may be buried beneath fluvial deposits of the Mississippi River Valley.

Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee↗
USGS1992

Surface effects of the earthquakes

The April 25-26, 1992, earthquakes caused significant changes in the landscape of the Cape Mendocino region. Although fault rupture did not break through to the surface, effects on the landscape included landslides, ground cracking due to strong shaking, liquefaction features (described later in this article), and uplift along the coast. The location map on the next page shows the distribution of some of these features.

California↗
USGS1981

The Montenegro, Yugoslavia, earthquake of April 15, 1979: source orientation and strength

Long-period teleseismic P, S and Rayleigh waves and geologic considerations indicate that the Montenegro earthquake involved thrust faulting on a plane striking nearly parallel to the Adriatic coast and dipping ca. 15?? toward the Yugoslav mainland. There is some support from modeling of body waves recorded on long-period WWSSN instruments for a focal depth of 22 km, but the possibility of a multiple source and the difficulty of matching some of the detailed characteristics of the P- and S-wave forms reduce our confidence in the determination of the depth. Fortunately, the source orientation and moment of the event are not sensitive functions of the depth. The long-period (256 s) moment was 4.6 ?? 1019 Nm (4.6 ?? 1026 dyne-cm). The moment obtained by fitting the first cycle of P and S waves recorded on WWSSN long-period instruments is about four times smaller. This increase of moment with period is consistent with spectral estimates of the moment from SH waves recorded at SRO and ASRO stations. ?? 1981.

Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors↗
USGS1979

Fish remains from core 8, Clear Lake, Lake County, California

A 21.2-m-long core taken in the northwest part of the Upper Arm or main body of Clear Lake, California, has yielded a continuous record of fish life in this part of the lake during approximately the last 24,500 years. This record provides data concerning faunal changes in the Upper Arm, and also permits reconstruction of fish sizes and growth rates based upon scale remains. Four tables are presented that provide data on sample numbers and their frequency of occurrence and identification of skeletal and scale remains, and the reconstructed lengths and weights of Tule perch ( Hysterocarpus traski Gibbons) based upon remains of the scales of this species. A fifth table presents the mean reconstructed standard lengths and mean ages in years B.P. for slugs 1 through 24, 0-18.3 m. These data provide a unique data base for examination of paleoecologic and paleoclimatic trends in the North Coast Range of California through the Holocene and late Pleistocene. The record augments similar paleoecologic and paleoclimatic trends reconstructed from Core 6 and 7, taken in the Highlands and Oaks Arms of Clear Lake, respectively.

California↗
USGS1979

Chemical composition of water and gas from five nearshore subaqueous springs in Clear Lake, Northern California

In 1971 The Geysers-Clear Lake area was selected by the U.S. Geological Survey geothermal research program as a region for extensive investigation. Under this program thermal water samples were first collected in December, 1974 during a winter of normal rainfall; the last samples were collected in February, 1977 during a period of drought. The drought exposed many springs which normally are submerged by Clear Lake. The collection and analysis of these springs is reported in Thompson and others (this vol.).

California↗
USGS1976

Sampling procedures and catalogue of samples for eight boreholes at Clear Lake, Lake County, California

Clear Lake, California, is situated in an area which has been subject to crustal movement, earthquake-generated ground shaking, volcanic eruptions, and climatic fluctuations during late Quaternary time. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Lake County, has undertaken a study of the seismic, volcanic, and environmental history recorded in the late Quaternary sediments beneath the floor of the lake (Sims, 1974). This study is based on continuous core samples measuring 12 cm or 15 cm in diameter that were obtained in August-November, 1973, from 8 boreholes measuring 14-113 m in length (Figure 1). Preliminary description of many of these samples and interpretation of ancient seismic events can be found in Sims and Rymer (1975). Over 2,000 multiple samples have been taken from these cores in order to study the environmental record preserved in the lacustrine sediments. Samples were taken for pollen, diatoms, cladocera, bulk mineralogy, fine size analysis, macrofossils, and water-content/organic carbon-content at designated depths. In addition, volcanic ash and radiocarbon samples were removed for correlation studies and age determinations. This report provides a description of the standard sampling procedures designed for sapropelic muds and peat-rich clays, a description of modified sampling procedures developed for sampling sands and coarser sediments, and a catalogue of samples from the Clear Lake cores. Table 2 outlines the steps followed for the standard sampling procedures.

California↗