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At least 991 records · Page 55Linked to original sources

USGS2012

High-resolution reflectance spectra of Mars in the 2.3-μm region: evidence for the mineral scapolite

patially resolved reflectance spectra of Mars in the 2.2- to 2.4-μm spectral region were obtained in August 1988 using the NASA 3-m Infrared Telescope Facility. The spectra show weak absorption features due to Martian atmospheric carbon monoxide and a surface mineral. Both CO and the mineral absorptions are composed of overlapping narrow features, but in many locations, such as Hellas, Chryse, Eden, and Moab, the mineral absorptions are quite strong, at least 3 times stronger than at the most absorbing wavelengths of CO near 2.33 μm. Therefore CO complicates the analysis of the surface mineral but does not always overwhelm its signature. Model removal of the Martian atmospheric CO has been performed, and the remaining absorption bands are identified as scapolite. Relatively strong absorptions that match bands in the spectrum of scapolite and have little or no CO absorption interference are seen near 2.41, 2.39, and 2.29 μm. Absorption also occurs at the scapolite bands at 2.36 and 2.33 μm, but the analysis is complicated by uncertainty in the atmospheric CO removal at these wavelengths. Weaker scapolite bands are seen at 2.44 and 2.23 μm where there is virtually no atmospheric interference. The scapolite bands observed on Mars are due to HCO 3 − and HSO 4 − ions in the scapolite structure. The bicarbonate and bisulfate contents appear to vary with location: the scapolite in Hellas is more bisulfate-rich relative to that in the Chryse/Moab/Eden area. Other locations contain little (Arabia, Syrtis Major, Hellespontica, and Isidis) or no scapolite (e.g., Margaritifer, Ausonia, and Erythraeum). The calculated abundances are unconstrained because the amounts of HCO 3 − and HSO 4 − in the Martian scapolites as well as their grain sizes are not known. If the scapolites contain about 3 wt % of each, near the maximum possible, the scapolite abundances probably range from about 5 wt % scapolite at Eden and Hellas; 3–5% at Chryse, Moab, and Oxia Palus; 2–3% at Arabia, Syrtis Major, and Isidis; to less than 2% at Hellespontica, Syrtis Minor, and Margaritifer, assuming a relatively large grain size of 50–100 μm. If the characteristic grain sizes are smaller or the HCO 3 − and HSO 4 − contents are lower, the scapolite abundances required to match the observed band depths would be higher. The mineral bands are apparent in many of the Mars spectra measured, so it appears to be widely but not uniformly distributed. The newly observed fine structure also varies greatly in both depth and spectral detail with location on Mars. Thus there appears to be regional variations in composition. The mineral phases appear to reflect local or regional geology and are not primarily contained in the homogeneous, globally redistributed aeolian dust. Higher spectral resolution Martian spectra in the 2.3-μm region as well as at 3.9 μm are needed to confirm the scapolite identification and to constrain its abundance.

Journal of Geophysical Research↗

USGS1996

Cyclic stressing and seismicity at strongly coupled subduction zones

We use the finite element method to analyze stress variations in and near a strongly coupled subduction zone during an earthquake cycle. Deformation is assumed to be uniform along strike (plane strain on a cross section normal to the trench axis), and periodic earthquake slip is imposed consistent with the long-term rate of plate convergence and degree of coupling. Simulations of stress and displacement rate fields represent periodic fluctuations in time superimposed on an average field. The oceanic plate, descending slab, and continental lithosphere are assumed here to respond elastically to these fluctuations, and the remaining mantle under and between plates is assumed to respond as Maxwell viscoelastic. In the first part of the analysis we find that computed stress fluctuations in space and time are generally consistent with observed earthquake mechanism variations with time since a great thrust event. In particular, trench-normal extensional earthquakes tend to occur early in the earthquake cycle toward the outer rise but occur more abundantly late in the cycle in the subducting slab downdip of the main thrust zone. Compressional earthquakes, when they occur at all, have the opposite pattern. Our results suggest also that the actual timing of extensional outer rise events is controlled by the rheology of the shallow aseismic portion of the thrust interface. The second part of the analysis shows the effects of mantle relaxation on the rate of ground surface deformation during the earthquake cycle. Models without relaxation predict a strong overall compressional strain rate in the continental plate above the main thrust zone, with the strain rate constant between mainshocks. However with significant relaxation present, a localized region of unusually low compressional, or even slightly extensional, strain rate develops along the surface of the continental plate above and somewhat inland from the downdip edge of the locked main thrust zone. The low strain rate starts in the middle or late part of the cycle, depending on position. This result suggests that the negligible or small contraction measured on the Shumagin Islands, Alaska, during 1980 to 1991, may not invalidate an interpretation of that region as being a moderately coupled subduction zone. In contrast, mantle relaxation causes only modest temporal nonuniformity of uplift rates in the overriding plate and of extensional stress rates in the subducting plate, even when the Maxwell time is an order of magnitude less than the recurrence interval.

Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth↗

USGS1996

Hydrogeology of the Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project borehole KP-1 2. Groundwater geochemistry and regional flow patterns

A series of downhole and surface water samples were taken from the 1‐km‐deep KP‐1 borehole located on the eastern flank of the island of Hawaii. Early samples from depths of more than 700 m showed salinities nearly equivalent to seawater but having anomalous cation concentrations that are attributed to ion exchange between formation fluids and residual drilling mud clays. Later deep samples found only minor variations from seawater cation chemistry that are consistent with low‐temperature weathering of basalts; δ 18 O values are equivalent to seawater values and are consistent with this interpretation. Carbon 14 activities of dissolved inorganic carbonate indicate a water age ranging from 5890 to 7170 years B.P. and fluid transport rates of 1.8 to 2.2 m/yr. Fluid samples from perforations at 310 m in the borehole demonstrate that a freshwater aquifer is present at the Mauna Kea/Mauna Loa interface; borehole resistivity logs indicate that it is ∼200 m thick. Although it has not yet been possible to obtain samples of the freshwater zone without contamination from the deep saline fluids, the chloride concentrations of the low‐salinity zone are estimated using a mixing enthalpy calculation to be less than 100 mg/L. Light stable isotope data indicate that the fresh water at 320 m is derived from recharge entering the island at an average elevation of 2000 m. Inferred 14 C activities of the dissolved bicarbonate in the freshwater zone indicate an average calibrated age of 2200 years B.P. and an average fluid velocity of at least 14 m/yr. A regional water flow model is proposed that suggests that the fresh water found at the 320‐m depth is derived from rainfall recharge from the middle elevations of Mauna Kea volcano. This rainfall is channeled beneath the Mauna Loa lavas by the thick soil layer separating the two volcanoes. A second shallow fresh‐to‐brackish water zone, derived from Mauna Loa recharge, is also inferred to exist below the carbonate formation that underlies the shallow basal lens. The results of our preliminary study of the groundwater system below the KP‐1 drill site demonstrate that intervolcano and interflow aquicludes can have a substantial impact on water circulation and discharge from young island volcanoes.

Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth↗

USGS1996

The 1992 M=7 Cape Mendocino, California, earthquake: Coseismic deformation at the south end of the Cascadia megathrust

We invert geodetic measurements of coseismic surface displacements to determine a dislocation model for the April 25, 1992, M = 7 Cape Mendocino, California, earthquake. The orientation of the model slip vector, which nearly parallels North America-Juan de Fuca relative plate convergence, and the location and orientation of the model fault relative to the offshore Cascadia megathrust, suggest that the 1992 Cape Mendocino earthquake is the first well-recorded event to relieve strain associated with the Cascadia subduction zone. We use data from three geodetic techniques: (1) the horizontal and vertical displacements of 13 monuments surveyed with the Global Positioning System, corrected for observed horizontal interseismic strain accumulation, (2) 88 section-elevation differences between leveling monuments, and (3) the uplift of 12 coastal sites observed from the die-off of intertidal marine organisms. Maximum observed displacements are 0.4 m of horizontal movement and 1.5 m of uplift along the coast. We use Monte Carlo techniques to estimate an optimal uniform slip rectangular fault geometry and its uncertainties. The optimal model using all the data resolves 4.9 m of slip on a 14 by 15 km fault that dips 28° SE. The fault extends from 1.5 to 8.7 km in depth and the main-shock hypocenter is close to the downdip projection of the fault. The shallowly dipping fault plane is consistent with the observed aftershock locations, and the estimated geodetic moment is 3.1 × 10 19 N m, 70% of the seismic moment. Other models that exclude leveling data collected in 1935 and 1942 are more consistent with seismological estimates of the fault geometry. If the earthquake is characteristic for this segment, the estimated horizontal slip vector compared with plate convergence rates suggests a recurrence interval of 140 years, with a 95% confidence range of 100–670 years. The coseismic uplift occurred in a region that also has high Quaternary uplift rates determined from marine terrace studies. If repeated ruptures of this southernmost segment of the Cascadia megathrust are responsible for the Quaternary uplift, a comparison of the coseismic uplift with coastal uplift rates suggests a recurrence interval of 200–400 years. Thus comparing horizontal and vertical coseismic to long-term deformation suggests a recurrence interval of about 100–300 years for M = 7 events at the south end of the Cascadia megathrust.

Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth↗

USGS2012

Heat flow and energetics of the San Andreas fault zone

Approximately 100 heat flow measurements in the San Andreas fault zone indicate (1) there is no evidence for local factional heating of the main fault trace at any latitude over a 1000-km length from Cape Mendocino to San Bernardino, (2) average heat flow is high (∼2 HFU, ∼80 mW m −2 ) throughout the 550-km segment of the Coast Ranges that encloses the San Andreas fault zone in central California; this broad anomaly falls off rapidly toward the Great Valley to the east, and over a 200-km distance toward the Mendocino Triple Junction to the northwest. As others have pointed out, a local conductive heat flow anomaly would be detectable unless the frictional resistance allocated to heat production on the main trace were ≲100 bars. Frictional work allocated to surface energy of new fractures is probably unimportant, and hydrologic convection is not likely to invalidate the conduction assumption, since the heat discharge by thermal springs near the fault is negligible. Explanations for the low dynamic friction fall into two intergradational classes: those in which the fault is weak all of the time and those in which it is weak only during earthquakes (possibly just large ones). The first class includes faults containing anomalously weak gouge materials and faults containing materials with normal frictional properties under near-lithostatic steady state fluid pressures. In the second class, weakening is caused by the event (for example, a thermally induced increase in fluid pressure, dehydration of clay minerals, or acoustic fluidization). In this class, unlike the first, the average strength and ambient tectonic shear stress may be large, ∼1 kbar, but the stress allocated to elastic radiation (the apparent stress) must be of similar magnitude, an apparent contradiction with seismic estimates. Unless seismic radiation is underestimated for large earthquakes, it is difficult to justify average tectonic stresses on the main trace of the San Andreas fault in excess of ∼200 bars. The development of the broad Coast Range heat flow anomaly southward from Cape Mendocino suggests that heat flow increases by a factor of 2 within 4 m.y. after the passage of the Mendocino Triple Junction. This passage leaves the San Andreas transform fault zone in its wake; the depth of the anomalous sources cannot be much greater than the depth of the seismogenic layer. Some of the anomalous heat may be supplied by conduction from the warmer mantle that must occur south of the Mendocino transform (where there is no subducting slab), and some might be supplied by shear heating in the fault zone. With no contribution from shear heating, extreme mantle upwelling would be required, and asthenosphere conditions should exist today at depths of only ∼20 km in the northernmost Coast Ranges. If there is an appreciable contribution from shear heating, the heat flow constraint implies that the seismogenic layer is partially decoupled at its base and that the basal traction is in the sense that resists right lateral motion on the fault(s). As a result of these basal tractions, the average shearing stress in the seismogenic layer would increase with distance from the main fault, and the seismogenic layer would offer substantial resistance to plate motion even though resistance on the main fault might be negligible. These speculative models have testable consequences.

Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth↗

USGS2022

High-rate very-long-period seismicity at Yasur volcano, Vanuatu: source mechanism and decoupling from surficial explosions and infrasound

Yasur volcano, Vanuatu is a continuously active open-vent basaltic-andesite stratocone with persistent and long-lived eruptive activity. We present results from a seismo-acoustic field experiment at Yasur, providing locally dense broad-band seismic and infrasonic network coverage from 2016 July 27 to August 3. We corroborate our seismo-acoustic observations with coincident video data from cameras deployed at the crater and on an unoccupied aircraft system (UAS). The waveforms contain a profusion of signals reflecting Yasur’s rapidly occurring and persistent explosive activity. The typical infrasonic signature of Yasur explosions is a classic short-duration and often asymmetric explosion waveform characterized by a sharp compressive onset and wideband frequency content. The dominant seismic signals are numerous repetitive very-long-period (VLP) signals with periods of ∼2–10 s. The VLP seismic events are ‘high-rate’, reoccurring near-continuously throughout the data set with short interevent times (∼20–60 s). We observe variability in the synchronization of seismic VLP and acoustic sources. Explosion events clearly delineated by infrasonic waveforms are underlain by seismic VLPs. However, strong seismic VLPs also occur with only a weak infrasonic expression. Multiplet analysis of the seismic VLPs reveals a systematic progression in the seismo-acoustic source decoupling. The same dominant seismic VLP multiplet occurs with and without surficial explosions and infrasound, and these transitions occur over a timescale of a few days during our field campaign. We subsequently employ template matching, stacking, and full-waveform inversion to image the source mechanism of the dominant VLP multiplet. Inversion of the dominant VLP multiplet stack points to a composite source consisting of either a dual-crack (plus forces) or pipe-crack (plus forces) mechanism. The derived mechanisms correspond to a point-source directly beneath the summit vents with centroid depths in the range ∼900–1000 m below topography. All mechanisms suggest a northeast trending crack dipping relatively shallowly to the northwest and indicate a VLP source centroid and mechanism controlled by a stable structural geologic feature beneath Yasur. We interpret the results in the framework of gas slug ascent through the conduit responsible for Yasur explosions. The VLP mechanism and timing with infrasound (when present) are explained by a shallow-buffered top-down model in which slug ascent is relatively aseismic until reaching the base of a shallow section. Slug disruption in this shallow zone triggers a pressure disturbance that propagates downward and couples at the conduit base (VLP centroid). If the shallow section is open, an explosion propagates to the surface, producing infrasound. In the case of (the same multiplet) VLPs occurring without surficial explosions and weak or no infrasound, the decoupling of the dominant VLPs at ∼900–1000 m depth from surficial explosions and infrasound strongly indicates buffering of the terminal slug ascent. This buffering could be achieved by a variety of conditions at or directly beneath the vents, such as a high-viscosity layer of crystal-rich magma, a debris cap from backfill, a foam layer, or a combination of these. The dominant VLP at Yasur captured by our experiment has a source depth and mechanism separated from surface processes and is stable over time.

Geophysical Journal International↗

USGS1998

Persistent water level changes in a well near Parkfield, California, due to local and distant earthquakes

Coseismic water level rises in the 30-m deep Bourdieu Valley (BV) well near Parkfield, California, have occurred in response to three local and five distant earthquakes. Coseismic changes in static strain cannot explain these water level rises because (1) the well is insensitive to strain at tidal periods; (2) for the distant earthquakes, the expected coseismic static strain is extremely small; and (3) the water level response is of the incorrect sign for the local earthquakes. These water level changes must therefore be caused by seismic waves, but unlike seismic water level oscillations, they are monotonic, persist for days or weeks, and seem to be caused by waves with periods of several seconds rather than long-period surface waves. Other investigators have reported a similar phenomenon in Japan. Certain wells consistently exhibit this type of coseismic water level change, which is always in the same direction, regardless of the earthquake's azimuth or focal mechanism, and approximately proportional to the inverse square of hypocentral distance. To date, the coseismic water level rises in the B V well have never exceeded the seasonal water level maximum, although their sizes are relatively well correlated with earthquake magnitude and distance. The frequency independence of the well's response to barometric pressure in the frequency band 0.1 to 0.7 cpd implies that the aquifer is fairly well confined. High aquifer compressibility, probably due to a gas phase in the pore space, is the most likely reason why the well does not respond to Earth tides. The phase and amplitude relationships between the seasonal water level and precipitation cycles constrain the horizontal hydraulic diffusivity to within a factor of 4.5, bounding hypothetical earthquake-induced changes in aquifer hydraulic properties. Moreover, changes of hydraulic conductivity and/or diffusivity throughout the aquifer would not be expected to change the water level in the same direction at every time of the year. The first 2.5 days of a typical coseismic water level rise could be caused by a small coseismic discharge decrease at a point several tens of meters from the well. Alternatively, the entire coseismic water level signal could represent diffusion of an abrupt coseismic pore pressure increase within several meters of the well, produced by a mechanism akin to that of liquefaction. The coseismic water level changes in the BV well resemble, and may share a mechanism with, coseismic water level, stream discharge, and groundwater temperature changes at other locations where preearthquake changes have also been reported. No preearthquake changes have been observed at the BV well site, however.

Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth↗

USGS1999

Chemical, multispectral, and textural constraints on the composition and origin of rocks at the Mars Pathfinder landing site

Rocks at the Mars Pathfinder site are probably locally derived. Textures on rock surfaces may indicate volcanic, sedimentary, or impact-generated rocks, but aeolian abration and dust coatings prevent unambiguous interpretation. Multispectral imaging has resolved four spectral classes of rocks: gray and red, which occur on different surfaces of the same rocks; pink, which is probably soil crusts; and maroon, which occurs as large boulders, mostly in the far field. Rocks are assigned to two spectral trends based on the position of peak reflectance: the primary spectral trend contains gray, red, and pink rocks; maroon rocks constitute the secondary spectral trend. The spatial pattern of spectral variations observed is oriented along the prevailing wind direction. The primary spectral trend arises from thin ferric coatings of aeolian dust on darker rocks. The secondary spectral trend is apparently due to coating by a different mineral, probably maghemite or ferrihydrite. A chronology based on rock spectra suggests that rounded maroon boulders constitute the oldest petrologic unit (a flood deposit), succeeded by smaller cobbles possibly deposited by impact, and followed by aeolian erosion and deposition. Nearly linear chemical trends in alpha proton X-ray spectrometer rock compositions are interpreted as mixing lines between rock and adhering dust, a conclusion supported by a correlation between sulfur abundance and red/blue spectral ratio. Extrapolations of regression lines to zero sulfur give the composition of a presumed igneous rock. The chemistry and normative mineralogy of the sulfur-free rock resemble common terrestrial volcanic rocks, and its classification corresponds to andesite. Igneous rocks of this composition may occur with clastic sedimentary rocks or impact melts and breccias. However, the spectral mottling expected on conglomerates or breccias is not observed in any APXS-analyzed rocks. Interpretation of the rocks as andesites is complicated by absence of a "1 μm" pyroxene absorption band. Plausible explanations include impact glass, band masking by magnetite, or presence of calcium- and iron-rich pyroxenes and olivine which push the absorption band minimum past the imager's spectral range. The inferred andesitic composition is most similar to terrestrial anorogenic icelandites, formed by fractionation of tholeiitic basaltic magmas. Early melting of a relatively primitive Martian mantle could produce an appropriate parent magma, supporting the ancient age of Pathfinder rocks inferred from their incorporation in Hesperian flood deposits. Although rocks of andesitic composition at the Pathfinder site may represent samples of ancient Martian crust, inferences drawn about a necessary role for water or plate tectonics in their petrogenesis are probably unwarranted.

Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets↗

USGS2026

Bulk location and source mechanisms of repetitive long-period seismicity at Mount St. Helens in July 2005

The 2004–2008 eruption of Mount St. Helens exemplified the practical challenges of processing high seismic event rates and data volumes. This protracted multi-year eruptive sequence was accompanied by a near-continuous occurrence of long-period (LP, 0.5–5 Hz) seismicity, but network-based picks and locations have previously been performed for only a relatively small subset of the overall seismicity, and full-waveform source–mechanism inversions have previously been performed for just two event types during the eruption. We present a new workflow for the bulk detection, cluster picking, 3-D location, and full-waveform source–mechanism inversion of repetitive LP volcanic seismicity recorded by a local broadband seismic network. Our emphasis is on methods that: exploit waveform similarity (multiplets) commonly observed for volcanic LP seismicity swarms; can take into account 3-D topographic and velocity structure heterogeneity typical of volcanoes; can process high event rates with relatively low analyst burden; and do not require a priori catalogue picks or known waveform templates. We develop and illustrate the workflow using data from Mount St. Helens from 2005 June 29 to July 31, a time-window characterized by high-rate LP seismicity, including numerous lower amplitude small LPs, and for which relatively dense seismic network coverage is available. Approximately 40 per cent of seismicity (20 561 events out of 52 141 triggers) during 2005 June 29 to July 31 is repetitive enough to be grouped into 17 multiplets of at least 300 events. We present 3-D locations of the 17 multiplets, representing 20 076 events having picks from at least eight stations, along with full-waveform source mechanism inversions of the 17 separate multiplet stacks. Collectively, our seismic 3-D hypocentre distributions for 2005 June 29 to July 31 are compatible with sources around the margins of the upper conduit section that is associated with plug solidification. All location results indicate compact seismicity clusters, with the 17 multiplets spatially connected and collectively located at shallow depth, approximately ~ 775 m depth beneath the 1980s crater floor and directly beneath, or immediately adjacent to, the extruding dacite spine. The full-waveform source–mechanism inversions for the 17 multiplets generally indicate mechanisms dominated by volumetric components consistent with subhorizontal cracks along with minor contributions from subvertical cracks. The overall picture is that of a stack or plexus of subhorizontal cracks located at shallow depth beneath the extruding dacite spines, consistent with subhorizontal hydrofractures extending from the conduit margins into the surrounding wall rock; minor subvertical crack components of the mechanisms could possibly arise from surfaces parallel to the conduit wall, such as within the damage halo associated with degassing pathways.

Washington↗

USGS2002

Crustal structure of the coastal and marine San Francisco Bay region, California

As of the time of this writing, the San Francisco Bay region is home to about 6.8 million people, ranking fifth among population centers in the United States. Most of these people live on the coastal lands along San Francisco Bay, the Sacramento River delta, and the Pacific coast. The region straddles the tectonic boundary between the Pacific and North American Plates and is crossed by several strands of the San Andreas Fault system. These faults, which are stressed by about 4 cm of relative plate motion each year, pose an obvious seismic hazard. We have many ways to study earthquake faults. Where faults break the land surface, we may learn valuable information needed for hazard assessment, such as cumulative offset, slip rate, and earthquake history. However, many of the major faults in the region are partly submerged beneath San Francisco and Monterey Bays. Although this situation poses problems in gathering observational data for hazard assessment, bay-region waterways provide an opportunity to study faultzone structure by using marine subsurface-imaging techniques, which are easier and cheaper than equivalent studies on land. In 1993, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) launched a 5-year project aimed at unearthing the basic science of the submerged San Andreas strike-slip fault system in the San Francisco Bay region with its many interacting strands. Primary project goals were structural, such as to discover how the San Andreas and Hayward Faults are connected or related at depth, to learn how the complex of faults in the San Andreas stepover zone on the Golden Gate platform functions, and to locate previously unknown faults. This volume thus contains mostly structural information about the San Francisco Bay region, much of it gathered through exploratory geophysical experiments. The volume is organized “top down,” from studies in the shallowest crust to the base of the crust. The first three chapters are linked through their use of novel geophysical techniques to study earthquake effects, coseismic slip, and shallow stratigraphy. Kayen and others examine crustal structure at very high resolution and demonstrate the use of ground-penetrating-radar tomography to measure the liquefaction potential of coastal sedimentary deposits. McGann and others use microfossils from drill cores along the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge to determine a more detailed late Pleistocene stratigraphy of San Francisco Bay than was previously available. Geist and Zoback use the historical record of a small local tsunami generated by the great 1906 San Francisco earthquake to model the rupture process of that earthquake. The last four chapters are dedicated to studies of fault related structure of the seismogenic crust in and around the San Andreas Fault system in the San Francisco Bay region. Jachens and others compile an aeromagnetic anomaly map from new high-resolution flights across the bay region. Some of these anomalies mark the positions of offshore faults, and others are offset by faults, providing constraints on cumulative slip. Hart and others concisely summarize the marine seismic data recorded in and around San Francisco Bay, map the coverage, and provide archival information for those interested in acquiring data. The last two chapters present the results of the seismic data that have been analyzed. Bruns and others present their analysis of high-quality intermediate-resolution (~5-km penetration) seismic-reflection data gathered over the complex San Andreas-San Gregorio Fault junction. This junction, which is thought to be where the 1906 San Francisco earthquake originated (see Geist and Zoback, this volume), contains an apparent extensional right stepover in the San Andreas Fault. Finally, Parsons and others review and summarize the results of deep-crustal seismic-reflection experiments and local-earthquake tomographic studies, including previously unpublished data, and provide additional support and discussion for already-published studies. In summary, these studies were carried out in an environment where background information on faults in the San Francisco Bay region was sought. Much of the structural information presented here comes from experiments of a style unlikely to be conducted by the USGS in the near future. Together, the chapters in this volume provide a structural framework for a major part of a complex strike-slip fault system.

California↗

USGS1965

Aeromagnetic map of parts of Marquette, Dickinson, Baraga, Alger, and Schoolcraft Counties, Michigan, and its geologic interpretation

The U. S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Geological Survey Division of the Michigan Department of Conservation, is conducting a comprehensive restudy of the iron-bearing districts of Michigan. The use of aeromagnetic data is one of the fastest and most reliable methods for outlining the areal distribution of magnetic iron-formation and thus is of material value in assessing the iron resources of the United States. As part of this program of restudy, aeromagnetic surveys of approximately 4,500 square miles of the Northern Peninsula have been made. The results of several of these surveys have been presented by Balsley and others (1949) and by Wier and others (.1953). This report is about a survey made in 1950, over an area of about 1,400 square miles in Marquette County and ad-· joining strips in northern Dickinson and northeastern Baraga Counties, and a later survey flown in 1961, over about 500 square miles in parts of Marquette, Alger, and Schoolcraft Counties. The Marquette iron range extends in an east-west direction across approximately the west-central part of the area, and iron districts of lesser importance are located at Republic, in the southwestern part of the area, and near Gwinn, in the south -central part of the area. Aeromagnetic surveys were flown along north-south lines spaced at intervals of one-quarter mile in the western part of the area and at intervals of from about 1 to 3 miles in the eastern part. Lines were flown at approximately 500 feet above the surface or at elevations of 1,100 to 2,400 feet above sea level. The flight path of the aircraft was recorded by a gyrostabilized continuous-strip camera, and elevation was continuously recorded by a radio altimeter. Magnetic measurements were made by an AN/ASQ-3A fluxgate magnetometer. Compilation of aeromagnetic data was by standard methods, described by Balsley ( 1952 ), under the supervision of John Kirby and Frank Petrafeso. The aeromagnetic contours are relative to an arbitrary datum. Magnetic properties of rocks were measured by W. E. Huff. At the time the earlier aeromagnetic survey was flown, the only base maps available were planimetric maps such as the Helena NW quadrangle and county road maps. Small errors, therefore, may exist in the location of flight lines and specific aeromagnetic a nomalies. The major magnetic anomalies and broad areas that have characteristic magnetic patterns are correlated herein with geology as determined from published reports and from mapping done since 1957 by the U. S. Geological Survey in the eastern part of the Marquette iron range. The geology north of the Marquette iron range and west of the line between R. 25 W. and R. 26 W. is based mainly on a compilation made by Robert Reed of the Geological Survey Division of the Michigan Department of Conservation from data in the files of the State Survey. In addition some aeromagnetic features have been checked by ground magnetometer in selected localities and correlated directly with the rock types. A few oriented samples have been collected for measurement of the magnetic properties of the major rock units, but many hundreds or thousands of samples would be required to obtain a full range of values of the magnetic susceptibility and remanent magnetization of the rocks over such a large area. Although the geology of much of the area is still imperfectly known, the available aeromagnetic data together with the best obtainable geologic data are presented at this time, rather than awaiting the eventual extension or completion of the present mapping program, because the combined data provide much information on the extent and location of magnetic iron-formation and other major rock units where concealed beneath glacial, vegetative, and alluvial cover.

Michigan↗

USGS2012

Impact crater outflows on Venus: Morphology and emplacement mechanisms

Many of the 932 impact craters discovered by the Magellan spacecraft at Venus are associated with lobate flows that originate at or near the crater rim. They extend for several to several hundred kilometers from the crater, and they commonly have a strong radar backscatter. A morphologic study of all identifiable crater outflows on Venus has revealed that many individual flows each consist of two areas, defined by distinct morphologic features. These two areas appear to represent two stages of deposition for each flow. The part of the flow that is generally deposited closest to the crater tends to be on the downrange side of the crater, flows in the downrange direction, and it is interpreted to be a late-stage ejecta. In many cases, this proximal part of the flow is too thin to completely bury the large blocks in subjacent ejecta deposits. Dendritic channels, present in many proximal flows, appear to have drained liquid from the proximal part in the downhill direction, and they debouch to feed the outer part of the flows. This distal part flows downhill, fills small grabens, and is ponded by ridges, behavior that mimics that of volcanic lava flows. The meandering and dendritic channels and the relation of the distal flows to topography strongly suggest that the distal portion is the result of coalescence and slow drainage of impact melt from the proximal portion. Impact melt forms a lining to the transient crater and mixes turbulently with solid clasts, and part of this mixture may be ejected to form the proximal part of the flow during the excavation stage of crater development. A statistical study of the Venusian craters has revealed that, in general, large craters produced by impacts with relatively low incidence angles to the surface are more likely to produce flows than small craters produced by higher-angle impacts. The greater flow production and downrange focusing of the proximal flows with decreasing incidence angle indicate a strong control of the flows by the impactor flight direction, and a high downrange velocity imparted to the proximal flow material in lower angle impacts. On the Moon, small flows interpreted to be composed of impact melt are observed atop the ejecta of large, fresh craters; on Earth, melt-rich suevite deposits form the uppermost layer of ejecta of some fresh craters. These features, albeit much smaller, may be analogous to the flows on Venus. Numerical models have predicted that larger volumes of impact melt would be produced on Venus than on the cooler terrestrial bodies due to high atmospheric and target temperatures, perhaps 3 times the volume produced on the Moon for a given crater diameter.

Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets↗

USGS2001

Seismic tomography shows that upwelling beneath Iceland is confined to the upper mantle

We report the results of the highest-resolution teleseismic tomography study yet performed of the upper mantle beneath Iceland. The experiment used data gathered by the Iceland Hotspot Project, which operated a 35-station network of continuously recording, digital, broad-band seismometers over all of Iceland 1996-1998. The structure of the upper mantle was determined using the ACH damped least-squares method and involved 42 stations, 3159 P-wave, and 1338 S-wave arrival times, including the phases P, pP, sP, PP, SP, PcP, PKIKP, pPKIKP, S, sS, SS, SKS and Sdiff. Artefacts, both perceptual and parametric, were minimized by well-tested smoothing techniques involving layer thinning and offset-and-averaging. Resolution is good beneath most of Iceland from ??? 60 km depth to a maximum of ??? 450 km depth and beneath the Tjornes Fracture Zone and near-shore parts of the Reykjanes ridge. The results reveal a coherent, negative wave-speed anomaly with a diameter of 200-250 km and anomalies in P-wave speed, Vp, as strong as -2.7 per cent and in S-wave speed, Vs, as strong as -4.9 per cent. The anomaly extends from the surface to the limit of good resolution at ??? 450 km depth. In the upper ??? 250 km it is centred beneath the eastern part of the Middle Volcanic Zone, coincident with the centre of the ??? 100 mGal Bouguer gravity low over Iceland, and a lower crustal low-velocity zone identified by receiver functions. This is probably the true centre of the Iceland hotspot. In the upper ??? 200 km, the low-wave-speed body extends along the Reykjanes ridge but is sharply truncated beneath the Tjornes Fracture Zone. This suggests that material may flow unimpeded along the Reykjanes ridge from beneath Iceland but is blocked beneath the Tjornes Fracture Zone. The magnitudes of the Vp, Vs and Vp/Vs anomalies cannot be explained by elevated temperature alone, but favour a model of maximum temperature anomalies <200 K, along with up to ??? 2 per cent of partial melt in the depth range ??? 100-300 km beneath east-central Iceland. The anomalous body is approximately cylindrical in the top 250 km but tabular in shape at greater depth, elongated north-south and generally underlying the spreading plate boundary. Such a morphological change and its relationship to surface rift zones are predicted to occur in convective upwellings driven by basal heating, passive upwelling in response to plate separation and lateral temperature gradients. Although we cannot resolve structure deeper than ??? 450 km, and do not detect a bottom to the anomaly, these models suggest that it extends no deeper than the mantle transition zone. Such models thus suggest a shallow origin for the Iceland hotspot rather than a deep mantle plume, and imply that the hotspot has been located on the spreading ridge in the centre of the north Atlantic for its entire history, and is not fixed relative to other Atlantic hotspots. The results are consistent with recent, regional full-thickness mantle tomography and whole-mantle tomography images that show a strong, low-wave-speed anomaly beneath the Iceland region that is confined to the upper mantle and thus do not require a plume in the lower mantle. Seismic and geochemical observations that are interpreted as indicating a lower mantle, or core-mantle boundary origin for the North Atlantic Igneous Province and the Iceland hotspot should be re-examined to consider whether they are consistent with upper mantle processes.

Geophysical Journal International↗

USGS2012

Anatomy of a metamorphic core complex: seismic refraction/wide-angle reflection profiling in southeastern California and western Arizona

The metamorphic core complex belt in southeastern California and western Arizona is a NW-SE trending zone of unusually large Tertiary extension and uplift. Midcrustal rocks exposed in this belt raise questions about the crustal thickness, crustal structure, and the tectonic evolution of the region. Three seismic refraction/wide-angle reflection profiles, acquired and analyzed as a part of the U.S. Geological Survey's Pacific to Arizona Crustal Experiment, were collected to address these issues. The results presented here, which focus on the Whipple and Buckskin-Rawhide mountains, yield a consistent three-dimensional image of this part of the metamorphic core complex belt. The seismic refraction/wide-angle reflection data are of excellent quality and are characterized by six principal phases that can be observed on all three profiles. These phases include refractions from the near-surface and crystalline basement, reflections from boundaries in the middle and lower crust, and reflections and refractions from the upper mantle. The final model consists of a thin veneer (<2 km) of upper plate and fractured lower plate rocks (1.5–5.5 km s−1 ) overlying a fairly homogeneous basement (∼6.0 km s −1 ) and a localized high-velocity (6.4 km s −1 ) body situated beneath the western Whipple Mountains. A prominent midcrustal reflection is identified beneath the Whipple and Buckskin-Rawhide mountains between 10 and 20 km depth. This reflector has an arch-like shape and is centered beneath, or just west of, the metamorphic core complex belt. This event is underlain by a weaker, approximately subhorizontal reflection at 24 km depth. Together, these two discontinuities define a lens-shaped midcrustal layer with a velocity of 6.35–6.5 km s −1 . The apex of this midcrustal layer corresponds roughly to a region of major tectonic denudation and uplift (∼10 km) defined by surface geologic mapping and petrologic barometry studies. The layer thins to the northeast and is absent in the Transition Zone. The 6.35–6.5 km s −1 velocities are compatible with a diorite composition or a mixture of mafic and silicic rocks. This midcrustal layer is underlain by a higher-velocity lower crustal layer that is modeled as only 3–6 km thick beneath the metamorphic core complex belt and regions to the southwest. To the northeast, however, this layer thickens to 8–10 km as the midcrustal layer pinches out above it. The velocity of the lower crust is constrained by traveltime modeling and is 6.6±0.15 kms −1 beneath the western Transition Zone and the metamorphic core complex belt; higher velocities may be present farther to the southwest where the layer is thin. The velocity of the lower crust is too low to accommodate significant amount of mafic underplating at the base of the crust. Instead, we interpret the velocities to indicate that the lower crust is passively thinned beneath these regions without significant addition of mafic mantle-derived intrusions. The crust-mantle boundary does not dome up beneath the core complexes but remains approximately subhorizontal at a depth of 26–28 km or, in the case of the Whipple Mountains, actually deepens; a 3-km crustal root is modeled. This lack of upward doming of the Moho, together with the vertical alignment of the metamorphic core complex belt over what are believed to be extension-related structures in the middle and lower crust, suggest that there is no lateral offset of upper crustal deformation from deeper zones of extension, as one would expect if extension occurred along crust-penetrating shear zones (Wernicke, 1981; Wernicke et al., 1985). Instead, domed and inflated middle crust and thinned lower crust directly underlie the region of greatest thinning of the upper crust.

Journal of Geophysical Research↗

USGS2018

Preliminary groundwater salinity mapping near selected oil fields using historical water-sample data, central and southern California

The distribution of groundwater salinity was mapped for 31 oil fields and adjacent aquifers and summarized by 8 subregions across major oil-producing areas of central and southern California. The objectives of this study were to describe the distribution of groundwater near oil fields having total dissolved solids less than 10,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L) based on available data and to document where data gaps exist. Salinity was represented by the measured or calculated concentration of total dissolved solids (TDS) in samples of produced water obtained from petroleum wells and groundwater obtained from water wells. The water chemistry data were used to estimate the minimum depths of TDS greater than 3,000 mg/L and greater than 10,000 mg/L in areas near selected oil fields using historical water-chemistry data coupled with available well-location and construction information. The 10,000 mg/L threshold, representing the highest level of TDS concentration of water that could be considered as a potential source of drinking water, was present in all but 4 (Jasmin, Kern Bluff, Kern Front, and Mount Poso) of the 31 individual oil fields. Among petroleum wells, the median TDS concentration of produced water ranged from 500 mg/L for the Jasmin field to 32,636 mg/L for the Elk Hills field. Among water wells, median TDS concentrations, either reported or calculated from specific conductance, ranged from 151 mg/L for wells within 2 miles of the Ten Section field to 9,750 mg/L for wells within 2 miles of the combined North and South Belridge fields. In general, TDS across the eight geographic subregions increased with depth, but the relation of TDS with depth varied regionally. The most pronounced increases in TDS with depth were across the West Kern Valley Floor and West Kern Valley Margin subregions on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, and in the vicinity of the Wilmington field in the Los Angeles Basin subregion; in these areas, relatively high TDS concentrations greater than 10,000 mg/L were present within the upper few hundred to several thousand feet of land surface. Total dissolved solids concentrations increased more gradually with depth in the Middle Kern Valley Floor subregion, in the South Kern Valley Margin subregion, in the vicinity of the Montebello and Santa Fe Springs fields in the Los Angeles Basin subregion, and in the Central Coast Basin subregion. The Kern Sierran Foothills and East Kern Valley Floor subregions, on the east side of the San Joaquin Valley, had the most gradual increases in TDS with depth. Fields in the East Kern Valley Floor subregion generally had groundwater and produced water with TDS less than 10,000 mg/L that extended to a large depth compared to most other subregions. Overall, the west side of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County and the Wilmington field in Los Angeles County generally have the highest TDS values and the shallowest depths to high TDS. High TDS at relatively shallow depths on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley may be because of a combination of natural conditions and anthropogenic factors. In the vicinity of the Wilmington field in the Los Angeles Basin subregion, high TDS at relatively shallow depths is attributable at least in part to seawater intrusion. Fields on the east side of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County have the lowest TDS and greatest depths to TDS greater than 10,000 mg/L because of their geologic setting adjacent to Sierra Nevada recharge areas. Reconnaissance salinity mapping was limited by several factors. The primary limitation was the lack of well-construction data for a significant number of water wells. Bottom perforation, well depth, or hole depth were not available for 35 percent of wells used for salinity mapping. A second limitation was variability in data quality. Total dissolved solids and specific conductance data were compiled from different data sources with varying degrees of documentation that ranged from comprehensive to very little or none. As a result, it was not always possible to assess the quality of the provided data with respect to either conditions at each well during sampling or the methodology used for sample collection and analysis. A third limitation was the lack of wells, either petroleum or water, and associated TDS data over large vertical intervals for some fields. As a result, the distribution of salinity and the depths at which TDS concentration exceeds the 3,000 and 10,000 mg/L thresholds could not always be precisely determined. This analysis highlights key gaps that need to be filled with additional analysis of other sources of information, such as borehole geophysical logs and new water sample or geophysical data collection.

California↗

USGS2022

Potential effects of energy development on environmental resources of the Williston Basin in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota—Water resources

The Williston Basin has been a leading oil and gas producing area for more than 50 years. While oil production initially peaked within the Williston Basin in the mid-1980s, production rapidly increased in the mid-2000s, largely because of improved horizontal (directional) drilling and hydraulic fracturing methods. In 2012, energy development associated with the Bakken Formation was identified as a priority requiring collaboration toward improved timeliness of issuing permits for new wells combined with reasonable measures to maintain environmental quality. Shortly thereafter, the Bakken Federal Executive Group was created to address common challenges associated with energy development. The Bakken Federal Executive Group partner agencies identified a gap in current understanding of the cumulative environmental challenges attributed to energy development throughout the area, resulting in an effort to aggregate scientific data and identify additional research and information needs related to natural resources within areas of energy development in the Williston Basin. As part of this effort, water resources in the area (including groundwater; streams and rivers; and lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands) were characterized and described in terms of physical occurrence, flow characteristics, recharge, water quality, and water use. Similarly, waters produced during energy-development activities also were characterized even though these waters are not considered usable resources within the area. Groundwater resources were characterized by the major hydrogeologic units, or aquifers, identifying the units that supply most groundwater used for domestic, stock, agricultural, and industrial purposes. The groundwater characterization included other deeper hydrogeologic units in the Williston Basin that may be a useable source of water with treatment, have utility as a reservoir for reinjection of produced waters, or be a source of minerals and energy resources. A generalized groundwater budget and flow system identifying the sources of recharge (stream infiltration, precipitation, and movement [leakage] from other aquifers) and the general groundwater flow direction is included for each of the major hydrogeologic units. Rivers and streams within the Williston Basin with 10 or more years of continuous streamflow data were identified. For a subset of these sites, streamflow characteristics, including the monthly and annual mean flow, were generated to identify seasonal and interannual changes in streamflow and thus provide information on the drivers and reliability of streamflow at the seasonal or multiyear scale. Daily streamflow and annual extreme flows (peak and low flow) also were estimated for the subset of sites. The daily streamflow and annual extreme flow values provide information on short-term or extreme events that are relevant to infrastructure design and evaluating spills, leaks, or accidental discharges of water or petroleum products. Surface-water features (lakes, ponds, and wetlands) were classified using the Cowardin system and identified on the National Wetlands Inventory maps generated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The spatial distribution of the surface-water features was analyzed by State, county, and specifically in comparison to the Prairie Pothole Region. The proximity of the surface-water features to energy development infrastructure (specifically oil or gas well pads) was evaluated. It was determined that, although oil or gas wells are often near a surface-water feature, most surface-water features do not have wells nearby, with the exception of wells in the Prairie Pothole Region. Water-quality data were aggregated from two data sources: (1) the Water-Quality Portal, sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and National Water Quality Monitoring Council; and (2) a data compilation completed as part of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment project. The Water-Quality Portal integrates publicly available water-quality data from databases maintained by the USGS, EPA, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, including water-quality data from Tribal, State, and local databases. Water-quality data for 15 commonly measured water-quality constituents were aggregated for groundwater, rivers and streams, and lakes and reservoirs. For each aggregated dataset (groundwater, rivers and streams, and lakes and reservoirs), analyses of the water-quality data included summary statistics, maps of spatial distribution of constituent values, boxplots of constituent values by timeframe or hydrogeologic unit, spatial comparisons of site locations and constituent values to petroleum well density, and comparisons of the constituent values measured to EPA drinking-water standards/guidelines. Produced water includes all fluids brought to the surface along with the targeted hydrocarbons as part of the oil and gas exploration and extraction processes. These fluids may include formation water (waters that co-exist with rock/oil/gas), hydraulic fracturing fluids, and other combinations of water and chemicals used during oil and gas well drilling, development, treatments, recompletions, and workovers. Produced water datasets were aggregated from two sources: the USGS National Produced Waters Geochemical database (ver. 2.1) and a series of projects focused specifically on sampling produced water in the Williston Basin from 2010 to 2014. The National Produced Waters Geochemical database was useful for a general understanding of produced-water chemistry. Produced waters are characterized by extreme salinity and contain elevated concentrations of other constituents (including arsenic, barium, cadmium, lead, zinc, radium-226/radium-228, and ammonium) that could negatively affect water and aquatic resources if released. Produced waters also have a generally unique chemical (isotopic) signature that may be useful in tracking water from different geologic units; for example, the oxygen/deuterium and strontium ratio values measured in brine waters from the Bakken Formation are distinct from brines collected from other geologic units in the Williston Basin. Water-use information related to energy production in the area also was aggregated and summarized. The summary of water use is not limited to oil and gas production but includes water used to produce all types of energy resources in the Williston Basin, including coal/lignite, thermoelectric power, oil and gas, hydropower, biomass and biofuels, wind, geothermal, and solar. Each State has its own methods for regulating and reporting water usage within its jurisdiction. These methods can introduce problems when examining water use from sources, such as the Missouri River or Fox Hills aquifer, that are shared across political boundaries. Without the one-to-one match for usage types and amounts used from a water source, it is difficult to develop a comprehensive water budget for the water source being evaluated. A large amount of freshwater is required to prepare a well for oil and gas well production; in some cases, 3 to 7 million gallons of water are needed per well. The EPA estimates that hydraulic fracturing in the Williston Basin uses between 70 to 140 billion gallons per year. Water also is used for myriad other purposes related to ancillary oil and gas extraction. In addition to water used for immediate energy development, the expanded human workforce migrating into the area and other support staff who have moved into the area during the development also use water. Research and information needs were identified that could be relevant in the evaluation of the effects of energy development on water resources. Information needs related to the evaluation of groundwater resources include the following: improved potentiometric-surface maps for glacial units; availability of a uniform stream network digital geographic coverage that spans the international boundary with Canada; enhanced surface-water use information with regards to the gain and loss of streamflow to shallow groundwater, which would increase understanding groundwater and surface-water interactions; and expanded geophysical assessments. Gaps in the availability of streamflow data include the lack of information on ice-jam flooding despite potential for effects to infrastructure (pipelines, roads, and facilities) and an understanding of the cumulative effects of largely undocumented stock and diversion dams. Although this study resulted in the aggregation of a large quantity of water-quality data, the availability of consistently collected, systematically processed and reported data over large parts of the Williston Basin is sparse. Few samples have been analyzed for constituents that may indicate the effect of energy development on water resources. Constituents that could be considered include boron, chloride, bromide, iodine, fluoride, manganese, lithium, radium, strontium isotopes, volatile organic compounds, and isotopes of inorganic ions (such as hydrogen and carbon). Collaboration between Tribal, Federal, State, and local entities to identify a common study design, common monitoring constituents, and consistent sampling locations would generate datasets with broad utility and would likely result in overall cost savings for monitoring over time. Similarly, there is a need for standardized sample collection, processing, laboratory analytical methods, and the collection of ancillary data for produced waters sampling. Additional characterization of the range of chemical, microbial, and isotopic compositions and quantities of “end-member” produced waters, and the collection of time-series datasets to document the changes in produced waters during and after well development also were needs identified during this study. Water-use estimates would be improved through the implementation of comprehensive studies of water use from groundwater and surface-water sources using consistent methodologies across the Williston Basin. The submission of chemical and water data related to hydraulic fracturing collected by the oil and gas industry would add to the quantity of available data. Consistent implementation of regulations and monitoring controls across political boundaries (State, county, and international) would further improve the consistency of data available for the estimates of water use.

Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota↗

USGS2010

Observations at convergent margins concerning sediment subduction, subduction erosion, and the growth of continental crust

At ocean margins where two plates converge, the oceanic plate sinks or is subducted beneath an upper one topped by a layer of terrestrial crust. This crust is constructed of continental or island arc material. The subduction process either builds juvenile masses of terrestrial crust through arc volcanism or new areas of crust through the piling up of accretionary masses (prisms) of sedimentary deposits and fragments of thicker crustal bodies scraped off the subducting lower plate. At convergent margins, terrestrial material can also bypass the accretionary prism as a result of sediment subduction, and terrestrial matter can be removed from the upper plate by processes of subduction erosion. Sediment subduction occurs where sediment remains attached to the subducting oceanic plate and underthrusts the seaward position of the upper plate's resistive buttress (backstop) of consolidated sediment and rock. Sediment subduction occurs at two types of convergent margins: type 1 margins where accretionary prisms form and type 2 margins where little net accretion takes place. At type 2 margins (∼19,000 km in global length), effectively all incoming sediment is subducted beneath the massif of basement or framework rocks forming the landward trench slope. At accreting or type 1 margins, sediment subduction begins at the seaward position of an active buttress of consolidated accretionary material that accumulated in front of a starting or core buttress of framework rocks. Where small-to-medium-sized prisms have formed (∼16,300 km), approximately 20% of the incoming sediment is skimmed off a detachment surface or decollement and frontally accreted to the active buttress. The remaining 80% subducts beneath the buttress and may either underplate older parts of the frontal body or bypass the prism entirely and underthrust the leading edge of the margin's rock framework. At margins bordered by large prisms (∼8,200 km), roughly 70% of the incoming trench floor section is subducted beneath the frontal accretionary body and its active buttress. In rounded figures the contemporary rate of solid-volume sediment subduction at convergent ocean margins (∼43,500 km) is calculated to be 1.5 km³/yr. Correcting type 1 margins for high rates of terrigenous seafloor sedimentation during the past 30 m.y. or so sets the long-term rate of sediment subduction at 1.0 km³/yr. The bulk of the subducted material is derived directly or indirectly from continental denudation. Interstitial water currently expulsed from accreted and deeply subducted sediment and recycled to the ocean basins is estimated at 0.9 km³/yr. The thinning and truncation caused by subduction erosion of the margin's framework rock and overlying sedimentary deposits have been demonstrated at many convergent margins but only off northern Japan, central Peru, and northern Chile has sufficient information been collected to determine average or long-term rates, which range from 25 to 50 km³/m.y. per kilometer of margin. A conservative long-term rate applicable to many sectors of convergent margins is 30 km³/km/m.y. If applied to the length of type 2 margins, subduction erosion removes and transports approximately 0.6 km³/yr of upper plate material to greater depths. At various places, subduction erosion also affects sectors of type 1 margins bordered by small- to medium-sized accretionary prisms (for example, Japan and Peru), thus increasing the global rate by possibly 0.5 km³/yr to a total of 1.1 km³/yr. Little information is available to assess subduction erosion at margins bordered by large accretionary prisms. Mass balance calculations allow assessments to be made of the amount of subducted sediment that bypasses the prism and underthrusts the margin's rock framework. This subcrustally subducted sediment is estimated at 0.7 km³/yr. Combined with the range of terrestrial matter removed from the margin's rock framework by subduction erosion, the global volume of subcrustally subducted material is estimated to range from 1.3 to 1.8 km³/yr. Subcrustally subducted material is either returned to the terrestrial crust by arc-related igneous processes or crustal underplating or is lost from the crust by mantle absorption. Geochemical and isotopic data support the notion that upper mantle melting returns only a small percent of the subducted material to the terrestrial crust as arc igneous rocks. Limited areal exposures of terrestrial rocks metamorphosed at deep (>20–30 km) subcrustal pressures and temperatures imply that only a small fraction of subducted material is reattached via deep crustal underplating. Possibly, therefore much of the subducted terrestrial material is recycled to the mantle at a rate near 1.6 km³/yr, which is effectively equivalent to the commonly estimated rate at which the mantle adds juvenile igneous material to the Earth's layer of terrestrial rock.

Alaska↗

USGS2024

Streams, springs, and volcanic lakes for volcano monitoring

Introduction Volcanic unrest can trigger appreciable change to surface waters such as streams, springs, and volcanic lakes. Magma degassing produces gases and soluble salts that are absorbed into groundwater that feeds streams and lakes. As magma ascends, the amount of heat and degassing will increase, and so will any related geochemical and thermal signal. Subsurface magma movement can cause pressurization that alters hydrostatic head and may induce groundwater discharge. Fluid-pressure changes have been linked to distal volcano-tectonic earthquakes (White and McCausland, 2016; Coulon and others, 2017) and phreatic eruptions (for example, Yamaoka and others, 2016). Clearly, changes in groundwater and surface waters are both indicators of unrest and clues to how and where magma is rising toward the surface. Where possible, it is prudent to incorporate real-time hydrologic data into multiparameter monitoring of restless volcanoes. Hydrologic dynamics can also be tracked by changes in groundwater levels that are commonly measured in shallow boreholes (see of Flinders, A.F., Lowenstern, J.B., Coombs, M.L., and Poland, M.P., eds., Recommended capabilities and instrumentation for volcano monitoring in the United States: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2024–5062–K, 5 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20245062k. ">chapter K , this volume, on boreholes; Hurwitz and Lowenstern, 2024). Although inferred to be common, relatively few volcano-hydrology anomalies are well documented, and many are essentially anecdotal (Newhall and others, 2001), reflecting the fact that high-resolution time series remain rare. Extreme examples include the 2008 eruption of Nevado del Huila, Colombia, where relatively minor phreatomagmatic eruptions were accompanied by expulsion of as much as 300 million cubic meters of groundwater from fissures high on the volcano (Worni and others, 2011), generating large lahars. Substantial decreases in flow rate from springs about 8 kilometers from the summit of Mayon Volcano, Philippines, have been noted before most eruptions in the 20th century (Newhall and others, 2001). Stream monitoring at Redoubt Volcano in 2009 allowed Werner and others (2012) to recognize that groundwater was unable to absorb (or scrub) the high flux of volcanic gas and that a high CO 2 /SO 2 precursor signal had been evident for 5 months prior to the eruption. A key to better interpreting hydrologic anomalies—or even identifying them—is therefore obtaining adequate baseline data. Most hydrologic monitoring at U.S. volcanoes has been accomplished by intermittent sampling surveys with annual or less frequent sampling (for example, https://hotspringchem.wr.usgs.gov/index.php ). More frequent sampling, however, generally is needed to establish reliable baselines. A recent hydrologic and hydrothermal monitoring experiment at 25 sites and 10 of the 12 level 4 (very high threat) volcanoes in the U.S. portion of the Cascade Range demonstrated that there is sufficient temporal variability in hydrothermal fluxes, even during quiescent periods, that one-time measurements will commonly have limited interpretive value (Crankshaw and others, 2018). Thus, surveys are best augmented with data from streamgages (for example, Evans and others, 2004; Bergfeld and others, 2008). Streamflow (water discharge) data allow measured temperature and specific conductance to be converted to heat and solute mass fluxes, which could be insightful parameters for detecting anomalous activity (McCleskey and others, 2012). At the Yellowstone Caldera, long-term monitoring of river solutes has allowed calculation of the chloride flux, a proxy for heat discharge (Hurwitz and others, 2007; McCleskey and others, 2016) from the subsurface magma. This is readily accomplished because data from streamgages are continuously recorded and archived by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System (NWIS) (USGS, 2024). Similar studies on stratovolcanoes or shield volcanoes would be scientifically useful, and yet are logistically challenging, requiring streamgages on numerous radial drainages complemented by either frequent manual sampling or numerous deployments of equipment to measure water temperature and specific conductance as a proxy for water chemistry. Another challenge is that some volcanic areas, especially shield volcanoes, are characterized by near-surface porous rocks and soils, such that surface streams are rare and replaced by distant, dilute large-volume springs with only a trace of any original volcanically sourced water (Manga, 2001; Hurwitz and others, 2021). Volcanic lakes are worthy of special attention for monitoring efforts, as their temperature and composition can provide evidence of increased flux of volatile-rich fluids from below. Quantifying changes in volatile and heat release from magma can be simpler in lakes than for volcanoes with radial drainages and no major lakes. Moreover, volcanic lakes pose a range of hazards themselves, including phreatomagmatic eruptions, debris flows, flank collapse, tsunamis, and toxic gas release (Mastin and Witter, 2000; Delmelle and others, 2015; Manville, 2015; Rouwet and others, 2015)—hazards that have historically been responsible for substantial loss of life at many volcanoes worldwide (Manville, 2015). Catastrophic CO 2 release at Lake Nyos, Cameroon, in 1986 suffocated about 1,750 people and about 3,500 livestock and was probably triggered by a large landslide into the gas-saturated lake (Kling and others, 1987; Evans and others, 1993). Gas-charged springs in Soda Bay within Clear Lake (California) have caused almost a dozen deaths to bathers in the past hundred years (ABC News, 2000). A 2005 example of lake overturn and abundant gas release was documented at Mount Chiginagak in Alaska (Schaefer and others, 2008) but did not result in any human casualties. Although thermally stratified lakes, which promote trapping of exsolved magmatic gas, tend to develop in tropical regions, the phenomenon can also arise where salinity creates meromixis (a condition in which a lake does not mix completely), as occurs in Mono Lake, California (Jellison and Melack, 1993; Jellison and others, 1998). If magma erupts or flows into a lake, the interaction between hot magma and cold water can be explosive (Mastin and others, 2004; Zimanowski and others, 2015) and substantially expand the area affected by the eruption. Another hazard is the breaching of crater rims by landslides triggered by volcanic and (or) seismic activity. Under some circumstances, substantial volumes of water can be displaced, leading to large floods and lahars. Late Holocene lake flooding from Aniakchak Crater in the Alaska Peninsula (Waythomas, 2022) and from Paulina Lake in Newberry Crater, Oregon (Chitwood and Jensen, 2000), caused by the failure of outlet sills, testify to the substantial hazards at lake-filled calderas. Several volcanic systems in the United States host lakes known to receive heat and gas from underlying magma. These lakes vary widely in area, depth, and chemical composition. Lakes are present at level 4 volcanoes, including Crater Lake and Newberry Volcano in Oregon; Yellowstone Caldera in Wyoming; Long Valley Caldera, Clear Lake volcanic field, Medicine Lake, and Salton Buttes in California; and Aniakchak Crater, Mount Katmai, Fisher Caldera, Mount Okmok, and Kaguyak Crater, among others, in Alaska. A water lake was present in Halemaʻumaʻu, the crater of Kīlauea, Hawai‘i (fig. F1), from October 2019 to December 2020. Level 3 volcanoes with lakes include Mono Lake volcanic field (Calif.), Mount Bachelor (Ore.), Ukinrek Maars and Mount Chiginagak (Alaska), and Soda Lake (Nevada). In addition, there are lakes at many levels 1 and 2 volcanoes. In the United States, there are no strongly acidic lakes that receive abundant input of magmatic gas, such as those found at Mount Ruapehu (New Zealand), Ijen and Kelud (Indonesia), and Poás (Costa Rica). Nevertheless, many contain fluids that provide clues to magmatic processes below. Since publication of a previous report on recommended instrumentation for volcano monitoring (Moran and others, 2008), continuous hydrologic monitoring has become increasingly feasible. However, changes in water pressure, temperature, and chemistry remain, in general, poorly studied phenomena at volcanoes (Sparks, 2003; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2017). Recent efforts by the USGS have included the temporary study of Cascade Range volcanoes, which included frequent (15 minute to hourly) temporal sampling of temperature, depth, and conductivity (Crankshaw and others, 2018; Ingebritsen and Evans, 2019). At Yellowstone Caldera, many streamgages have now added thermistors and specific conductance sensors, allowing estimation of time-dependent chloride flux as a proxy for variations in subsurface heat flux (McCleskey and others, 2012, 2016). Efforts to better understand lakes have also accelerated, with bathymetric mapping and sampling carried out at several locations in the United States. Especially thorough work was done at Yellowstone Lake thanks to the Hydrothermal Dynamics of Yellowstone Lake (HD-YLAKE, https://hdylake.org ) project, funded primarily by the National Science Foundation. In addition to geophysical surveys and recovery of cores and other samples, HD-YLAKE investigations included remotely operated vehicle (ROV) investigations of hydrothermal vents on the lake floor (fig. F2). Data collected by the ROV provided a better understanding of the thermal and chemical influx from lake-bottom hydrothermal systems (Sohn and others, 2017). In this chapter, we focus on detecting changes in the chemistry, temperature, discharge, or water levels of streams, springs, and lakes that can be caused by seismicity, volumetric strains, or increases in gas flux associated with ascending magma. There is unavoidable overlap with other chapters of this report. Samples of water and gas can also be obtained in boreholes ( of Flinders, A.F., Lowenstern, J.B., Coombs, M.L., and Poland, M.P., eds., Recommended capabilities and instrumentation for volcano monitoring in the United States: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2024–5062–K, 5 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20245062k. ">chapter K , this volume; Hurwitz and Lowenstern, 2024), both shallow and deep. Gas monitoring ( of Flinders, A.F., Lowenstern, J.B., Coombs, M.L., and Poland, M.P., eds., Recommended capabilities and instrumentation for volcano monitoring in the United States: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2024–5062–E, 11 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20245062e.">chapter E , this volume; Lewicki and others, 2024) relies in part on samples from springs and wells, particularly where measurable gas plumes are absent. Water acts as a trigger and lubricant for landslides and sediment-rich floods, and so hydrology has obvious relevance for lahar monitoring, as discussed in of Flinders, A.F., Lowenstern, J.B., Coombs, M.L., and Poland, M.P., eds., Recommended capabilities and instrumentation for volcano monitoring in the United States: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2024–5062–H, 6 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20245062h. ">chapter H (this volume; Thelen and others, 2024). Shared situational awareness among scientists engaged in geophysical, gas, and hydrologic monitoring will improve overall understanding of the volcanic hazard.

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