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At least 829 records · Page 46Linked to original sources
USGS2014

Part I—History and activities of the section of geophysics of the United States Geological Survey

From the beginning of time, all ingenuity of mankind has been concentrated upon the methods of finding gold and unusual deposits in the earth. An illustration (Fig. 1) from the old treatise by Agricola, “De Re Metallica,” published in 1580, will serve to show the implicit faith of that generation in divining methods. However, it was not until 1920 that real progress was made in prospecting by using the latest advances of the physical sciences. The public interest was stimulated by the successes of these methods on the part of commercial operators, and governmental agencies received many requests for information concerning their reliability. There were also, in the late 1920's, high‐pressure mine‐promotion schemes which used geophysical methods in a very questionable manner, symbolized in Figure 2 as of 1928 by an electrified forked stick. Authoritative information concerning such practices for public protection was needed to curb such notorious undertakings. Dr. Scott Turner, then Director of the United States Bureau of Mines, thoroughly understood the situation and was first in the governmental departments to recognize the possible value of a study of modern prospecting methods. The Bureau of Mines began this investigation by employing Drs. A. S. Eve and D. A. Keys of McGill University for short periods in the summer in 1927. Their first publication [see 1 of “References” at end of paper] served to illustrate the fundamental scientific principles which underlie geophysical prospecting. This was followed by a second publication [2] giving the results of field‐tests. In the light of the rapid improvements during the intervening ten years, these two papers take a historical position.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

Report of committee on relation of inch and meter

Those of you who attended the annual meeting of this Section on April 27, 1938, heard a paper entitled “A method for introducing a new standard of length” that was presented by Professor Philip Klssara, calling attention to the Bill then in Congress proposing to redefine the length of the inch. The paper has been published in the “Transactions of the American Geophysical Union“ [19th Annual Meeting, 1938, pp. 94–96]. Its closing paragraph is as follows: “As the American Geophysical Union has as one of its functions the duty of offering advice to the Congress on technical matters, I move, Mr. Chairman, that the Chairman be empowered to appoint a committee to study the matter and to report what recommendations should be made to Congress by the Union.”

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

Some features of the Livingston Formation near Nye, Montana

The Livingston Formation is a series of pyroclastic rocks several thousand feet thick cropping out on the north side of the Beartooth Mountains. These pyroclastic rocks grade laterally into the Claggett, Judith River, Bearpaw, and Lennep formations of the Montana Group, according to Stone and Calvert [see 1 of references at end of paper], showing that they were being deposited during much of Montana time; they are therefore of Upper Cretaceous age and antedate the Laramide orogeny. The purpose of this paper is to describe briefly several significant features of the Formation where it is exposed in the Nye No. 2 Quadrangle (Fig. 1) along the southeast edge of its outcrop. It is concluded that much of the Formation was formed by mudflows, and that certain chloritized beds were deposited by hot mudflows.

Montana↗
USGS2014

Early history of the Mexican volcano Parícutin

Owing to the good fortune of being stationed near the new volcano Parícutin when it first erupted, I was able to visit it when it was only a week old. As my observations have been recorded in full in a previous article [see 1 of “References” at end of paper], only a few of the more pertinent features are repeated here, in order to give a setting for the succeeding papers in this symposium.

Michoacan↗
USGS2014

Correlation of ground‐water levels and precipitation on Long Island, New York

A brief though concise statement of the history of ground‐water studies on Long Island, beginning with the early water‐level observations in Brooklyn by STODDARD in 1854, was given by THOMPSON [see 7 of “References” at end of paper]. These and other early data were considered later by LEGGETTE [8]. He evaluated them by means of a graph of the cumulative departure of precipitation. More recent studies by LEGGETTE [9] and by the writer have lead to the procedure outlined in Part I of this paper [10], which was founded upon an empirical approach suggested by LEGGETTE and was later justified by analysis based on the theory of BOUSSINESQ [11].

New York↗
USGS2014

Report of Committee on Runoff—1944–1945

The membership of the committee has been selected to afford good representation of geographic sections and of organizations engaged in runoff research. Some new members were added during the year in order to strengthen the representation of the committee in certain phases of runoff research. Norbert H. Leupold submitted his resignation in April because his work is no longer directly related to runoff‐research. At the beginning of the year members of the committee met to discuss its setup and plans for the future. The committee has two subcommittees, one dealing with floods and the other with subsurface‐flow. The question was considered whether progress might be facilitated by the addition of one or more additional committees dealing with logical classifications of the subject of runoff. The confusion in nomenclature and terminology relating to runoff was discussed,but it was thought that the present time was not fitting for comprehensive consideration of standardization. It was considered important that the writer of a paper dealing with runoff should make clear the usage of terms he follows In his paper. It was emphasized that there is still an important need for better understanding or liaison between groups dealing with the influence of land use on stream‐flow and those dealing with control and development of streams.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

The glacial anticyclone theory examined in the light of recent meteorological data from Greenland—Part I

The glacial anticyclone theory, which William H. Hobbs propounded in 1910, is today still the only definitely formulated theory concerning the atmospheric movements that take place over an ice sheet of large extent. It stands chiefly on deductive grounds and contains several features that to climatologists as well as to glaciologists have always seemed questionable. Aside from the need of its verification for scientific reasons, there is now also urgent practical need for reliable information about the weather conditions that prevail over the ice sheet of Greenland, for Greenland lies athwart several of the great air routes of the future. In this paper, accordingly, the glacial anticyclone theory is first analyzed and then confronted with the facts of observation that are now at hand, especially those reported from the fixed meteorological stations which were maintained in the interior of Greenland during the 1930s. In this, the first part of the paper, the meteorological data from the Eismitte station of the German Wegener Expedition are reviewed. The second part will cover the areological data of that expedition and the similar material from the other ice‐cap stations. The conclusions reached are that there is no evidence of a virtually permanent “glacial anticyclone” centered over the Greenland ice sheet. On the contrary, there is consistent evidence from all parts of Greenland that the weather over the ice sheet is controlled by alternating cyclonic and anticyclonic movements. Cyclonic activity is most intense in southern Greenland and weakest in northern Greenland. The entire ice sheet is supplied with snow brought by rising maritime air masses, not by air descending from the upper troposphere. Aviators need not expect so much as a fifty‐fifty chance of meeting with good weather on flights across central Greenland, except for a few weeks in midsummer.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

Discussion of “tide‐producing forces and artesian pressures”

I was an employee of the Texas State Board of Water Engineers in charge of the Fort Stockton field office at the time that the data for this paper were gathered. Since I have done both extensive and detailed ground‐water work in the Fort Stockton area, including the setting and maintaining of the water‐stage recorder at the Gonzales well, I believe I can add some pertinent hydrologic remarks about this paper. The authors state that the principal water‐bearing formation is a limestone. This opinion is not shared by myself and most likely the majority of other geologists in this area. Adkins [1927] favored the basal Cretaceous sands as the principal source of water to Comanche Springs. I believe that the most extensive and the principal water‐bearing formation is a sand and sandstone. The crevices and channels reported in wells and exposed at the springs are only a localized condition resulting from structural weakness and solution caused by a high water surface. The piezometric surface in sand and crevice wells is essentially identical; this suggests that there exists but one principal aquifer in this area. W.N. White, former District Geologist in Texas for the U.S. Geological Survey, in a personal communication to me in 1948, reported Comanche Springs to be the most reliable springs in Texas. This reliable flow strongly supports the concept of a sand aquifer, whose catchment area, or source, is of vast and varied extent, and a great distance from its outlet.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

Montana earthquakes noted in pennsylvania mine‐water pools

A recent paper by daCosta [1959] reported water ‐level fluctuations caused by the Montana earthquake of August 18, 1959, and mentioned the fluctuations registered in three mine ‐ water pools of the Northern anthracite field in northeastern Pennsylvania , ten miles north of Wilkes‐Barre. This paper will discuss the water ‐level phenomena of these pools in more detail. Most of the coal mines near Wilkes‐Barre are idle, and ground water is forming extensive mine ‐ water pools in the underground mine openings. Some of the pools are interconnected by boreholes, tunnels, and other openings through the barrier pillars between adjacent mines.

Montana↗
USGS2014

The U. S. Geological Survey's gravity program in Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming

The following summary of the U . S . Geological Survey gravity program in Washington , Idaho , Montana , and Wyoming is one of a series of short papers that outline Geological Survey gravity projects in the western United States. The substance of this summary is a list of references of published papers on U . S . Geological Survey gravity projects in the northwestern states together with an index map (Figure 1) showing the location of the project, the approximate a real coverage reported in the publication, and the contour map given in the publication. Areas in Figure 1 are related to the References (part 2) by a number code. In addition, the gravity projects in progress are listed in Table 1, indicating the area in which the work is being done and the person in charge of the project. Capital letter relate the locations of the projects in Figure 1 to the list of projects in Table 1. No attempt has been made to indicate the areal coverage or contour interval of the projects in progress.

Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming↗
USGS2008

Field determination of the three-dimensional hydraulic conductivity tensor of anisotropic media: 1. Theory

A field method is proposed for determining the three-dimensional hydraulic conductivity tensor and specific storage of an anisotropic porous or fractured medium. The method, known as cross-hole testing (to distinguish it from conventional single-hole packer tests), consists of injecting fluid into (or withdrawing fluid from) packed-off intervals in a number of boreholes and monitoring the transient head response in similar intervals in neighboring boreholes. The directions of the principal hydraulic conductivities need not be known prior to the test, and the boreholes may have arbitrary orientations (e.g., they can all be vertical). An important aspect of the proposed method is that it provides direct field information on whether it is proper to regard the medium as being uniform and anisotropic on the scale of the test. The first paper presents theoretical expressions describing transient and steady state head response in monitoring intervals of arbitrary lengths and orientations, to constant-rate injection into (or withdrawal from) intervals having similar or different lengths and orientations. The conditions under which these intervals can be treated mathematically as points are investigated by an asymptotic analysis. The effect of planar no-flow and constant-head boundaries on the response is analyzed by the theory of images. The second paper describes the field methodology and shows how the proposed approach works in the case of fractured granitic rocks.

Water Resources Research↗
USGS2001

The landing of the NEAR-Shoemaker spacecraft on asteroid 433 Eros

The NEAR-Shoemaker spacecraft was designed to provide a comprehensive characterization of the S-type asteroid 433 Eros (refs 1-3), an irregularly shaped body with approximate dimensions of 34 ?? 13 ?? 13 km. Following the completion of its year-long investigation, the mission was terminated with a controlled descent to its surface, in order to provide extremely high resolution images. Here we report the results of the descent on 12 February 2001, during which 70 images were obtained. The landing area is marked by a paucity of small craters and an abundance of 'ejecta blocks'. The properties and distribution of ejecta blocks are discussed in a companion paper. The last sequence of images reveals a transition from the blocky surface to a smooth area, which we interpret as a 'pond'. Properties of the 'ponds' are discussed in a second companion paper. The closest image, from an altitude of 129 m, shows the interior of a 100-m-diameter crater at 1-cm resolution.

Nature↗
USGS2018

On the contribution of waves to total coastal water level changes in the context of sea level rise: a response to Melet, et al. (2018)

Response to Melet, A., Meyssignac, B., Almar, R. & Le Cozannet, G. Under-estimated wave contribution to coastal sea-level rise. Nat. Clim. Change 8, 234–239 (2018). In a recent paper, Melet et al.1 claim that the contribution of wind-waves to coastal sea-level rise has been under-estimated. Although we agree with the overall premise that coastal wind-wave dynamics are important when assessing the full coastal impacts of sea-level rise, we argue that the paper is misleading.

Climate Change↗
USGS1996

Numerical simulation of widening and bed deformation of straight sand-bed rivers. II: Model evaluation

In this paper the numerical model presented in the companion paper is tested and applied. Assessment of model accuracy was based on two approaches. First, predictions of evolution of a 13.5 km reach of the South Fork of the Forked Deer River, in west Tennessee, were compared to observations over a 24-yr period. Results suggest that although the model was able to qualitatively predict trends of widening and deepening, quantitative predictions were not reliable. Simulated widths and depths were within 15% of the corresponding observed values, but observed change in these parameters at the study sites were also close to these values. Simulated rates of depth adjustment were within 15% of observed rates, but observed rates of channel widening at the study sites were approximately three times those simulated by the model. In the second approach, the model was used to generate relationships between stable channel width and bank-full discharge. The model was able to successfully replicate the form of empirically derived regime-width equations. Simulations were used to demonstrate the model's ability to obtain more realistic predictions of bed evolution in widening channels.

Journal of Hydraulic Engineering↗
USGS1999

Predicting boundary shear stress and sediment transport over bed forms

To estimate bed-load sediment transport rates in flows over bed forms such as ripples and dunes, spatially averaged velocity profiles are frequently used to predict mean boundary shear stress. However, such averaging obscures the complex, nonlinear interaction of wake decay, boundary-layer development, and topographically induced acceleration downstream of flow separation and often leads to inaccurate estimates of boundary stress, particularly skin friction, which is critically important in predicting bed-load transport rates. This paper presents an alternative methodology for predicting skin friction over 2D bed forms. The approach is based on combining the equations describing the mechanics of the internal boundary layer with semiempirical structure functions to predict the velocity at the crest of a bedform, where the flow is most similar to a uniform boundary layer. Significantly, the methodology is directed toward making specific predictions only at the bed-form crest, and as a result it avoids the difficulty and questionable validity of spatial averaging. The model provides an accurate estimate of the skin friction at the crest where transport rates are highest. Simple geometric constraints can be used to derive the mean transport rates as long as bed load is dominant.To estimate bed-load sediment transport rates in flows over bed forms such as ripples and dunes, spatially averaged velocity profiles are frequently used to predict mean boundary shear stress. However, such averaging obscures the complex, nonlinear interaction of wake decay, boundary-layer development, and topographically induced acceleration downstream of flow separation and often leads to inaccurate estimates of boundary stress, particularly skin friction, which is critically important in predicting bed-load transport rates. This paper presents an alternative methodology for predicting skin friction over 2D bed forms. The approach is based on combining the equations describing the mechanics of the internal boundary layer with semiempirical structure functions to predict the velocity at the crest of a bedform, where the flow is most similar to a uniform boundary layer. Significantly, the methodology is directed toward making specific predictions only at the bed-form crest, and as a result it avoids the difficulty and questionable validity of spatial averaging. The model provides an accurate estimate of the skin friction at the crest where transport rates are highest. Simple geometric constraints can be used to derive the mean transport rates as long as bed load is dominant.

Journal of Hydraulic Engineering↗
USGS1993

Seismic responses of two adjacent buildings. I. Data and analyses

In this two-part paper, responses of two, adjacent, seven-story buildings in Norwalk, California, to the Whittier-Narrows, Calif, earthquake of Oct. 1, 1987 are studied. Building A, instrumented according to code recommendations, and building B, extensively instrumented, are offset by 16.3 m from one another. The data set includes motions from the superstructure of both buildings, from a downhole below the foundation of building B, and from three free-field sites. Part I of the paper includes descriptions of the buildings, site, instrumentation, and analysis of the data of each building. System identification and spectral analysis techniques are employed in part I. Building A has identical first-mode frequencies of 0.65 Hz for both building axes. The strong-motion response characteristics of building A are considerably different than those determined from low-amplitude tests. Building B has fundamental modes at 0.76 Hz and 0.83 Hz in the major and minor axes, respectively. Torsional and diaphragm effects in building B are negligible.

Journal of Structural Engineering↗
USGS2009

Social, political, and institutional setting: Water management problems of the Rio Grande

This paper discusses various water management issues facing federal, state, and local agencies charged with managing the water resources of the Rio Grande River Basin and its major tributaries. The Rio Grande - 3,058 km (=1,900 mi) long - is the fourth longest river in the United States. The river's basin is 870,236 km 2 (=336,000 mi 2 ) and for roughly two-thirds of its length it forms the United States-Mexican border. It is a major recreational resource providing world class trout fishing near its headwaters in Colorado's San Juan Mountains and shoreline, angling, and boating opportunities near the Colorado-New Mexico border. The Rio Grande is the principal tourist attraction of Big Bend National Park and flows through downtown Albuquerque and El Paso. Many reaches are wide and broad, but almost all are relatively shallow and not navigable by commercial ships. Nevertheless, it is one of the most important renewable water resources of the southwestern United States and North America. The issue of the "manageability" of the river in the face of social forces and disparate administrative jurisdictions that adversely impact Rio Grande flows is a thread linking various sections of the paper together. The length of the river; the fact that major reaches lie in Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas; and its unique role as an international boundary pose complex management problems. The allocation status quo formed by the complex nexus of existing river laws make it difficult to reshape Rio Grande management. ?? 2009 ASCE.

Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management↗
USGS1999

Applications and issues of GIS as tool for civil engineering modeling

A tool that has proliferated within civil engineering in recent years is geographic information systems (GIS). The goal of a tool is to supplement ability and knowledge that already exists, not to serve as a replacement for that which is lacking. To secure the benefits and avoid misuse of a burgeoning tool, engineers must understand the limitations, alternatives, and context of the tool. The common benefits of using GIS as a supplement to engineering modeling are summarized. Several brief case studies of GIS modeling applications are taken from popular civil engineering literature to demonstrate the wide use and varied implementation of GIS across the discipline. Drawing from the case studies, limitations regarding traditional GIS data models find the implementation of civil engineering models within current GIS are identified and countered by discussing the direction of the next generation of GIS. The paper concludes by highlighting the potential for the misuse of GIS in the context of engineering modeling and suggests that this potential can be reduced through education and awareness. The goal of this paper is to promote awareness of the issues related to GIS-based modeling and to assist in the formulation of questions regarding the application of current GIS. The technology has experienced much publicity of late, with many engineers being perhaps too excited about the usefulness of current GIS. An undoubtedly beneficial side effect of this, however, is that engineers are becoming more aware of GIS and, hopefully, the associated subtleties. Civil engineers must stay informed of GIS issues and progress, but more importantly, civil engineers must inform the GIS community to direct the technology development optimally.

Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering↗