SEARCH · Search USGS

Results for “Structure”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 829 records · Page 46Linked to original sources

USGS1997

Crustal structure along the west flank of the Cascades, western Washington

Knowledge of the crustal structure of the Washington Cascades and adjacent Puget Lowland is important to both earthquake hazards studies and geologic studies of the evolution of this tectonically active region. We present a model for crustal velocity structure derived from analysis of seismic refraction/wide-angle reflection data collected in 1991 in western Washington. The 280-km-long north-south transect skirts the west flank of the Cascades as it crosses three tectonic provinces including the Northwest Cascades Thrust System (NWCS), the Puget Lowland, and the volcanic arc of the southern Cascades. Within the NWCS, upper crustal velocities range from 4.2 to 5.7 km s-1 and are consistent with the presence of a diverse suite of Mesozoic and Paleozoic metasediments and metavolcanics. In the upper 2-3 km of the Puget Lowland velocities drop to 1.7-3.5 km s-1 and reflect the occurrence of Oligocene to recent sediments within the basin. In the southern Washington Cascades, upper crustal velocities range from 4.0 to 5.5 km s-1 and are consistent with a large volume of Tertiary sediments and volcanics. A sharp change in velocity gradient at 5-10 km marks the division between the upper and middle crust. From approximately 10 to 35 km depth the velocity field is characterized by a velocity increase from ???6.0 to 7.2 km s-1. These high velocities do not support the presence of marine sedimentary rocks at depths of 10-20 km beneath the Cascades as previously proposed on the basis of magnetotelluric data. Crustal thickness ranges from 42 to 47 km along the profile. The lowermost crust consists of a 2 to 8-km-thick transitional layer with velocities of 7.3-7.4 km s-1. The upper mantle velocity appears to be an unusually low 7.6-7.8 km s-1. When compared to velocity models from other regions, this model most closely resembles those found in active continental arcs. Distinct seismicity patterns can be associated with individual tectonic provinces along the seismic transect. In the NWCS and Puget Lowland, most of the seismicity occurs below the base of the upper crust as defined by a seismic boundary at 5-10 km depth and continues to 20-30 km depth. The region of transition between the NWCS and the Puget Lowland appears as a gap in seismicity with notably less seismic activity north of the boundary between the two. Earthquakes within the Cascades are generally shallower (0-20 km) and are dominated by events associated with the Rainier Seismic Zone.

Washington↗

USGS2012

The Yellowstone-Snake River Plain seismic profiling experiment: Crustal structure of the Eastern Snake River Plain

Seismic refraction profiles recorded along the eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) in southeastern Idaho during the 1978 Yellowstone-Snake River Plain cooperative seismic profiling experiment are interpreted to infer the crustal velocity and attenuation (Q-1) structure of the ESRP. Travel-time and synthetic seismogram modeling of a 250 km reversed refraction profile as well as a 100 km detailed profile indicate that the crust of the ESRP is highly anomalous. Approximately 3 to 6 km of volcanic rocks (with some interbedded sediments) overlie an upper-crustal layer (compressional velocity ≅6.1 km/s) which thins southwestward along the ESRP from a thickness of 10 km near Island Park Caldera to 2 to 3 km beneath the central and southwestern portions of the ESRP. An intermediate-velocity (≅6.5 km/s) layer extends from ≅10 to ≅20 km depth. A thick (≅22 km) lower crust of compressional velocity 6.8 km/s, a total crustal thickness of ≅42 km, and a P n velocity of ≅7.9 km/s is observed in the ESRP, similar to the western Snake River Plain and the Rocky Mountains Provinces. High attenuation is evident on the amplitude corrected seismic data due to low-Q values in the volcanic rocks (Q p = 20 to 200) and throughout the crust (Q p = 160 to 300). Based on these characteristics of the crustal structure and volcanic-age progression data, it is suggested that the ESRP has resulted from an intensive period of intrusion of mantle-derived basaltic magma into the upper crust generating explosive silicic volcanism and associated regional uplift and caldera collapse. This activity began about 15 m.y. ago in southwestern Idaho and has migrated northeast to its present position at Yellowstone. Subsequent cooling of the intruded upper crust results in the 6.5 km/s velocity intermediate layer. Crustal subsidence and periodic basaltic volcanism as represented by the ESRP complete the sequence of crustal evolution.

Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth↗

USGS2012

The mechanics and three-dimensional internal structure of active magmatic systems: Kilauea volcano, Hawaii

Interpretation of abundant seismic data suggests that Kilauea's primary conduit within the upper mantle is concentrically zoned to about 34-km depth. This zoned structure is inferred to contain a central core region of relatively higher permeability, surrounded by numerous dikes that are in intermittent hydraulic communication with each other and with the central core. During periods of relatively high magma transport, the entire cross section of the conduit is utilized. During periods of relatively low to moderate transport, however, only the central core is active. As the conduit penetrates the oceanic crust and enters the volcanic shield, it simultaneously supplies the deeper sections of the rift zones (6-to 10-km depth) and the roots of the summit reservoir with picritic magma. The rift zones at depth are inferred to be almost wholly molten and to possess a high degree of fluid continuity from Heiheiahulu in the East Rift Zone, 45 km westward through the roots of the summit magma reservoir, and well into the Southwest Rift Zone. Higher in the shield, the subcaldera magma reservoir and the shallow rift zones occupy the 2-to 4-km depth interval. Summit-differentiated olivine tholeiite (ρ ≈ 2.62 g cm −3 ) is periodically injected laterally along a horizon of neutral buoyancy within the rift zones, where the density of the magma is just balanced by the in situ density of the shield (Ryan, 1987 a , b ). Deep rift zone intrusions push seaward the deep tectonic blocks of the volcano's south flank. Shallow rift intrusions build a sheeted dike complex, inferred to be in isostatic equilibrium with the higher-density deep rift cores below. General finite element analyses are presented for the deformation and stress fields surrounding such dikes in the horizontal and vertical planes. The dike tip in two and three dimensions is surrounded by a tubular core of tensile (σ 1 , σ 2 ) and shear stress (τ max ). The displacement field is characterized by counterrotating cells on either side of the dike tip which, in vertical orientation, produce the characteristic subsidence above the dike complex, with uplift on either side, forming a ridge-trough-ridge structure. A finite element model of Kilauea's shield computes the displacement fields and principal stress (σ 1 ) distributions resulting from intrusive activity on each or both of the rift zones. Within the summit region, tensile stress lobes produced by the three-dimensional upward extension of the intrusions superpose constructively to produce calderawide regimes of tensile stress, conducive to caldera development. Parametric studies of (1) intrusion in the East Rift Zone only, (2) intrusion in the Southwest Rift Zone only, and (3) intrusion in both rift zones demonstrate their unique kinematic contributions. For case 1, the caldera undergoes a counterclockwise rotation (torque up state) conducive to the development of rightstepping en echelon eruptive fissures, as exemplified by the August 14, 1971, eruption. For case 2, the caldera undergoes a clockwise rotation (torque down state) conducive to the development of left-stepping eruptive fissures, as occurred during the December 31, 1974, eruption. For case 3, the caldera substructure is driven due southward, producing the southward migration of the upper portions of the summit magma reservoir.

Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth↗

USGS2012

Structure of the lower crust beneath the Carolina Trough, U.S. Atlantic continental margin

Data from three large-offset seismic profiles provide information on the crustal structure beneath the Carolina trough. The profiles, obtained by the U.S. Geological Survey, the Naval Oceanographic Research Development Agency, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 1985, were oriented parallel to the trough and were located (1) seaward of the East Coast Magnetic Anomaly (ECMA), which is generally thought to represent the boundary between oceanic and continental crust; (2) along the axis of the trough between the ECMA and the hinge zone, which is thought to reflect the landward limit of highly stretched and altered transitional crust; and (3) along the Carolina platform landward of the basement hinge zone on crust thought to have been thinned only slightly during rifting. These data constrain the velocity structure of the lower crust and provide evidence for a thick lens of high-velocity (>7.1 km/s) lower crustal material that extends beneath the Carolina trough and the adjacent ocean basin. This lens reaches a maximum thickness of about 13 km beneath the deepest part of the trough, thins to about 5 km seaward of the ECMA, and is either very thin or absent landward of the hinge zone. It is interpreted to represent material that was underplated beneath and/or intruded into the crust during the late stage of continental rifting and that led to an anomalously thick plutonic layer during the early seafloor spreading phase. These data thus support the recent conclusions of White et al. (1987b) and Mutter et al. (1988) that the initiation of seafloor spreading is attended in many, if not most, cases by the generation of an anomalously large volume of melt.

Carolina Trough↗

USGS2020

The influence of soil age on ecosystem structure and function across biomes

The importance of soil age as an ecosystem driver across biomes remains largely unresolved. By combining a cross-biome global field survey, including data for 32 soil, plant, and microbial properties in 16 soil chronosequences, with a global meta-analysis, we show that soil age is a significant ecosystem driver, but only accounts for a relatively small proportion of the cross-biome variation in multiple ecosystem properties. Parent material, climate, vegetation and topography predict, collectively, 24 times more variation in ecosystem properties than soil age alone. Soil age is an important local-scale ecosystem driver; however, environmental context, rather than soil age, determines the rates and trajectories of ecosystem development in structure and function across biomes. Our work provides insights into the natural history of terrestrial ecosystems. We propose that, regardless of soil age, changes in the environmental context, such as those associated with global climatic and land-use changes, will have important long-term impacts on the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems across biomes.

Nature Communications↗

USGS2000

Polyoxometalates from heteropoly "brown" precursors. A new structural class of mixed valence heteropolytungstates, [(XO4)W3IVW17VIO 62Hx]n-

Reduction of the α-Keggin anion [X n + O 4 W 12 O 36 ] [8 − n]− (X = H 2 2+ , B 3+ , Si 4+ ) by six electrons results in the known tungsten “brown” species [X n + O 4 (H 2 O) 3 W IV 3 W VI 9 O 33 ] [8 − n ]− in which three W atoms have been reduced from W VI to W IV , forming a metal–metal bonded triad. The W IV atoms have terminal water coordinated in place of terminal oxo groups. Additional tungstate can condense onto these water molecules in aqueous solution between pH = 4 and 6.5 to form the species reported here, [(XO 4 )W IV 3 W VI 17 O 62 H x ] y − . The boron derivative (X = B 3+ ) is more stable than the metatungstate (X = H 2 2+ ), both of which have been characterized by elemental analysis, 183 W NMR and X-ray crystal structure analysis. Eight additional tungstate groups condense in the form of a partial Keggin structure containing two triads and one dyad which is rotated 60° relative to a hypothetical α-isomer.

Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactio↗

USGS2001

P-wave velocity structure of the uppermost mantle beneath Hawaii from traveltime tomography

We examine the P-wave velocity structure beneath the island of Hawaii using P-wave residuals from teleseismic earthquakes recorded by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory seismic network. The station geometry and distribution of events makes it possible to image the velocity structure between ~ 40 and 100 km depth with a lateral resolution of ~ 15 km and a vertical resolution of ~ 30 km. For depths between 40 and 80 km, P-wave velocities are up to 5 per cent slower in a broad elongated region trending SE-NW that underlies the island between the two lines defined by the volcanic loci. No direct correlation between the magnitude of the lithospheric anomaly and the current level of volcanic activity is apparent, but the slow region is broadened at ~ 19.8??N and narrow beneath Kilauea. In the case of the occanic lithosphere beneath Hawaii, slow seismic velocities are likely to be related to magma transport from the top of the melting zone at the base of the lithosphere to the surface. Thermal modelling shows that the broad elongated low-velocity zone cannot be explained in terms of conductive heating by one primary conduit per volcano but that more complicated melt pathways must exist.

Geophysical Journal International↗

USGS2002

Genetic structure of the world's polar bear populations

We studied genetic structure in polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) populations by typing a sample of 473 individuals spanning the species distribution at 16 highly variable microsatellite loci. No genetic discontinuities were found that would be consistent with evolutionarily significant periods of isolation between groups. Direct comparison of movement data and genetic data from the Canadian Arctic revealed a highly significant correlation. Genetic data generally supported existing population (management unit) designations, although there were two cases where genetic data failed to differentiate between pairs of populations previously resolved by movement data. A sharp contrast was found between the minimal genetic structure observed among populations surrounding the polar basin and the presence of several marked genetic discontinuities in the Canadian Arctic. The discontinuities in the Canadian Arctic caused the appearance of four genetic clusters of polar bear populations. These clusters vary in total estimated population size from 100 to over 10 000, and the smallest may merit a relatively conservative management strategy in consideration of its apparent isolation. We suggest that the observed pattern of genetic discontinuities has developed in response to differences in the seasonal distribution and pattern of sea ice habitat and the effects of these differences on the distribution and abundance of seals.

Molecular Ecology↗

USGS2003

Genetic variation among interconnected populations of Catostomus occidentalis: Implications for distinguishing impacts of contaminants from biogeographical structuring

Exposure to contaminants can affect survivorship, recruitment, reproductive success, mutation rates and migration, and may play a significant role in the partitioning of genetic variation among exposed and nonexposed populations. However, the application of molecular population genetic data to evaluate such influences has been uncommon and often flawed. We tested whether patterns of genetic variation among native fish populations (Sacramento sucker, Catostomus occidentalis) in the Central Valley of California were consistent with long-term pesticide exposure history, or primarily with expectations based on biogeography. Field sampling was designed to rigorously test for both geographical and contamination influences. Fine-scale structure of these interconnected populations was detected with both amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP) and microsatellite markers, and patterns of variation elucidated by the two marker systems were highly concordant. Analyses indicated that biogeographical hypotheses described the data set better than hypotheses relating to common historical pesticide exposure. Downstream populations had higher genetic diversity than upstream populations, regardless of exposure history, and genetic distances showed that populations from the same river system tended to cluster together. Relatedness among populations reflected primarily directions of gene flow, rather than convergence among contaminant-exposed populations. Watershed geography accounted for significant partitioning of genetic variation among populations, whereas contaminant exposure history did not. Genetic patterns indicating contaminant-induced selection, increased mutation rates or recent bottlenecks were weak or absent. We stress the importance of testing contaminant-induced genetic change hypotheses within a biogeographical context. Strategic application of molecular markers for analysis of fine-scale structure, and for evaluating contaminant impacts on gene pools, is discussed.

Molecular Ecology↗

USGS2000

Radar structure of earthquake-induced, coastal landslides in Anchorage, Alaska

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was used to investigate the internal structure of two large landslides in Anchorage, Alaska that resulted from the great 1964 earthquake. The Government Hill and Turnagain Heights landslides occurred in similar stratigraphic and geographic settings, yet the style of ground deformation is different at each site. GPR data are compared with previous investigations and are shown, under certain conditions, to have utility in the identification of ancient landslides. Reflection surveys accurately reproduced the subsurface geometry of horst and graben structures and imaged finer scale features such as ground cracks and fissures. Where more complete disintegration of the bluff occurred, GPR reflections from within the slide mass are generally chaotic and include no recognizable evidence of the original stratigraphy. Common midpoint surveys estimated GPR velocity in the sediment and allowed the conversion of travel times to depths.

Alaska↗

USGS1989

Adaptive modeling, identification, and control of dynamic structural systems. I. Theory

A concise review of the fheory of adaptive modeling, identification, and control of dynamic structural systems based on discrete‐time recordings is presented. Adaptive methods have four major advantages over the classical methods: (1) Removal of the noise from the signal is done over the whole frequency band; (2) time‐varying characteristics of systems can be tracked; (3) systems with unknown characteristics can be controlled; and (4) a small segment of the data is needed during the computations. Included in the paper are the discrete‐time representation of single‐input single‐output (SISO) systems, models for SISO systems with noise, the concept of stochastic approximation, recursive prediction error method (RPEM) for system identification, and the adaptive control. Guidelines for model selection and model validation and the computational aspects of the method are also discussed in the paper. The present paper is the first of two companion papers. The theory given in the paper is limited to that which is necessary to follow the examples for applications in structural dynamics presented in the second paper.

Journal of Engineering Mechanics↗

USGS2008

Temporal and spatial structure in a daily wildfire-start data set from the western United States (198696)

The temporal and spatial structure of 332 404 daily fire-start records from the western United States for the period 1986 through 1996 is illustrated using several complimentary visualisation techniques. We supplement maps and time series plots with Hovmo??ller diagrams that reduce the spatial dimensionality of the daily data in order to reveal the underlying space?time structure. The mapped distributions of all lightning- and human-started fires during the 11-year interval show similar first-order patterns that reflect the broad-scale distribution of vegetation across the West and the annual cycle of climate. Lightning-started fires are concentrated in the summer half-year and occur in widespread outbreaks that last a few days and reflect coherent weather-related controls. In contrast, fires started by humans occur throughout the year and tend to be concentrated in regions surrounding large-population centres or intensive-agricultural areas. Although the primary controls of human-started fires are their location relative to burnable fuel and the level of human activity, spatially coherent, weather-related variations in their incidence can also be noted. ?? IAWF 2008.

International Journal of Wildland Fire↗

USGS2015

Twentieth-century shifts in forest structure in California: Denser forests, smaller trees, and increased dominance of oaks

We document changes in forest structure between historical(1930s) and contemporary (2000s) surveys of California vegetation through comparisons of tree abundance and size across the state and within several ecoregions. Across California, tree density in forested regions increased by 30% between the two time periods, whereas forest biomass in the same regions declined, as indicated by a 19% reduction in basal area. These changes reflect a demographic shift in forest structure: larger trees (>61 cm diameter at breast height) have declined, whereas smaller trees ( < 30 cm) have increased. Large tree declines were found in all surveyed regions of California, whereas small tree increases were found in every region except the south and central coast. Large tree declines were more severe in areas experiencing greater increases in climaticwater deficit since the 1930s, based on a hydrologicmodel of water balance for historical climates through the 20th century. Forest composition in California in the last century has also shifted toward increased dominance by oaks relative to pines, a pattern consistent with warming and increased water stress, and also with paleohistoric shifts in vegetation in California over the last 150,000 y.

California↗

USGS1994

Community structure of a microbial mat: The phylogenetic dimension

Traditional studies of microbial communities are incomplete because of the inability to identify and quantify all contributing populations. In the present study, we directly determine the abundance and distribution of sulfate-reducing bacterial populations in a microbial mat community by using hybridization probes complementary to the 16S-like rRNAs of major phylogenetic groups. Most of the major groups were found in this single community, distributed for the most part in nonoverlapping depth intervals of the mat. The reflection of the phylogenetic structure in the community structure suggests that those species making up the major phylogenetic groups perform specific interrelated metabolic functions in the community. Comparison of population profiles to previously observed rates of sulfate reduction suggests there are additional populations of sulfate-reducing bacteria both within the photooxic zone and deeper in the mat.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of↗

USGS2015

Spatial structure of morphological and neutral genetic variation in Brook Trout

Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis exhibit exceptional levels of life history variation, remarkable genetic variability, and fine-scale population structure. In many cases, neighboring populations may be highly differentiated from one another to an extent that is comparable with species-level distinctions in other taxa. Although genetic samples have been collected from hundreds of populations and tens of thousands of individuals, little is known about whether differentiation at neutral markers reflects phenotypic differences among Brook Trout populations. We compared differentiation in morphology and neutral molecular markers among populations from four geographically proximate locations (all within 24 km) to examine how genetic diversity covaries with morphology. We found significant differences among and/or within streams for all three morphological axes examined and identified the source stream of many individuals based on morphology (52.3% classification efficiency). Although molecular and morphological differentiation among streams ranged considerably (mean pairwise F ST : 0.023–0.264; pairwise P ST : 0.000–0.339), the two measures were not significantly correlated. While in some cases morphological characters appear to have diverged to a greater extent than expected by neutral genetic drift, many traits were conserved to a greater extent than were neutral genetic markers. Thus, while Brook Trout exhibit fine-scale spatial patterns in both morphology and neutral genetic diversity, these types of biological variabilities are being structured by different ecological and evolutionary processes. The relative influences of genetic drift versus selection and phenotypic plasticity in shaping morphology appear to vary among populations occupying nearby streams.

Maryland↗

USGS2015

Patterns of fish assemblage structure and habitat use among main- and side-channel environments in the lower Kootenai River, Idaho

The lower Kootenai River, Idaho, was sampled during the summers of 2012 and 2013 to evaluate its fish assemblage structure at seven sites within main- and side-channel habitats where large-scale habitat rehabilitation was undertaken. Understanding the current patterns of fish assemblage structure and their relationships with habitat is important for evaluating the effects of past and future rehabilitation projects on the river. Species-specific habitat associations were modeled, and the variables that best explained the occurrence and relative abundance of fish were identified in order to guide future habitat rehabilitation so that it benefits native species. The results indicated that the side-channel habitats supported higher species richness than the main-channel habitats and that nonnative fishes were closely associated with newly rehabilitated habitats. This research provides valuable insight on the current fish assemblages in the Kootenai River and the assemblage-level responses that may occur as a result of future rehabilitation activities.

Idaho↗

USGS2017

Using variance structure to quantify responses to perturbation in fish catches

We present a case study evaluation of gill-net catches of Walleye Sander vitreus to assess potential effects of large-scale changes in Oneida Lake, New York, including the disruption of trophic interactions by double-crested cormorants Phalacrocorax auritus and invasive dreissenid mussels. We used the empirical long-term gill-net time series and a negative binomial linear mixed model to partition the variability in catches into spatial and coherent temporal variance components, hypothesizing that variance partitioning can help quantify spatiotemporal variability and determine whether variance structure differs before and after large-scale perturbations. We found that the mean catch and the total variability of catches decreased following perturbation but that not all sampling locations responded in a consistent manner. There was also evidence of some spatial homogenization concurrent with a restructuring of the relative productivity of individual sites. Specifically, offshore sites generally became more productive following the estimated break point in the gill-net time series. These results provide support for the idea that variance structure is responsive to large-scale perturbations; therefore, variance components have potential utility as statistical indicators of response to a changing environment more broadly. The modeling approach described herein is flexible and would be transferable to other systems and metrics. For example, variance partitioning could be used to examine responses to alternative management regimes, to compare variability across physiographic regions, and to describe differences among climate zones. Understanding how individual variance components respond to perturbation may yield finer-scale insights into ecological shifts than focusing on patterns in the mean responses or total variability alone.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗

USGS2010

Structure and metamorphism of the Franciscan Complex, Mt. Hamilton area, Northern California

Truncation of metamorphic isograds and fold axes within coherent terranes of Franciscan metagraywacke by intervening zones of melange indicate that the melange is tectonic and formed after the subduction-related metamorphism and folding. These relations are expressed in two terranes of blueschist-facies rocks of the Franciscan Complex in the Mt. Hamilton area, northern California-the Jurassic Yolla Bolly terrane and the structurally underlying Cretaceous Burnt Hills terrane. Local preservation in both terranes of basal radiolarian chert and oceanic basalt beneath continent-derived metagraywacke and argillite demonstrates thrust repetition within the coherent terranes, although these relations are scarce near Mt. Hamilton. The metagraywackes range from albite-pumpellyite blueschists to those containing well-crystallized jadeitic pyroxene, and a jadeite-in isograd can be defined in parts of the area. Primary bedding defines locally coherent structural orientations and folds within the metagraywacke units. These units are crosscut by thin zones of tectonic melange containing blocks of high-grade blueschist, serpentinite, and other exotic rocks, and a broader, but otherwise identical melange zone marks the discordant boundary between the two terranes.

California↗