Remote Sensing and Geophysical Investigations of Glacial Buried Valleys in Northeastern Kansas

Aquifers found in glacial buried valleys are a major source of good-quality ground water in northeastern Kansas. The extent and character of many of these deposits are not precisely known, so a detailed study of the buried valleys was undertaken. Test drilling, Landsat imagery, shallow-earth temperature measurements, seismic refraction, surface electrical resistivity, and gravity data were used to evaluate two sites in Nemaha and Jefferson Counties. Tonal patterns on springtime Landsat imagery and winter/summer anomalies in shallow-earth temperatures were quick and inexpensive methods for locating some glacial buried aquifers and suggested areas for more intensive field studies. Reversed seismic refraction and resistivity surveys were generally reliable indicators of the presence or absence of glacial buried valleys, with most depth determinations being within 25% of test-drilling results. The effectiveness of expensive test-hole drilling was greatly increased by integrating remote sensing, shallow-earth temperature, seismic, and resistivity techniques in the two buried valley test areas. A gravity profile allowed precise definition of the extent of one of the channels after the other techniques had been used for general information.     

Induced seismicity in mines in Canada—An overview

Monitoring of mine-induced seismicity in Canada has improved with the expansion of regional seismograph networks into areas of active mining. However, the severity, and in some cases the frequency, of mine-induced tremors has increased as mining extends to greater depths and at accelerated rates of extraction. Because of the complex design and large areal extent of many mines (potash, coal and metalliferous), the most feasible and practical way to monitor these tremors at the present time is to deploy a network of seismometers in and on the surface above mines experiencing microearthquake activity. A few of these mines already have a network of seismometers deployed around them and plans are under way to deploy seismograph networks around other mines that have experienced some rather severe tremors in recent times. Six possible mechanisms for mine-induced tremors are described and the associatedP- andS-wave radiation patterns presented. A comparison of actual seismic radiation patterns with theoretical predictions is a quick way to diagnose the potential source mechanisms. In addition, recognizing the pattern of microearthquake activity preceding larger tremors can be used to mitigate the potential effects of severe tremors.     

Monitoring land surface and cover in urban and peri-urban environments using digital aerial photography

This paper describes the development of a system for decimetre-scale monitoring of land-surface and land-cover in urban and peri-urban environments. We describe our methodology that comprises the application of highly automated processing and analysis methods to digital aerial photography. The approach described in this paper addresses a monitoring need by providing the ability to generate change information at a spatial resolution suitable for urban, peri-urban and coastal areas, where an increasing percentage of the worlds’ population dwells. These areas are dynamic, with many environmental issues associated with planning, service provision, resource management and allocation, as well as monitoring regulatory compliance. We present a system based on standardised data and methods, which is able to track and communicate changes in features of interest in a way that has not been previously possible. We describe the methodology and then demonstrate its feasibility by applying it to geographic areas of planning and policy relevant size (the order of tens of thousands of square kilometres). We demonstrate the approach by applying it to the problem of urban forest assessment.     

Net deficits and the case for aquacultural geography

Summary The crisis in capture fisheries has placed an increased onus on aquaculture to supply the world fish demand. The advancing role of culture relative to capture fisheries has precipitated environmental and socio-economic transformations. Geographers have paid scant attention to these developments. This paper provides a literature review and proffers a research agenda for aquacultural geography.     

A new look at the Martian “violet haze” problem II. “Blue clearing” in 1969

The 1969 apparition of Mars has been extensively observed by the International Planetary Patrol Program. Using this material, the distribution of “blue clearing” in phase angle has been examined for four Martian bright area-dark area pairs. Arabia-Syrtis Major showed a smooth variation with a maximum at opposition. Zephyria-Mare Cimmerium showed a similar behavior except for a period around 20° before opposition. Memnonia-Mare Sirenum showed a rather steady decline from 20° before opposition to 30δ after opposition, except for an increase around 11° after opposition. Xanthe-Nilokeras showed a rather erratic behavior.Arabia-Syrtis Major underwent a strong diurnal variation in blue clearing near opposition. Xanthe-Nilokeras showed a diurnal variation throughout the apparition nearly identical to that of Arabia-Syrtis Major near opposition. Mare Cimmerium and Mare Sirenum are not well suited for showing a diurnal variation.The systematic error in these data due to the effects of astronomical “seeing” is discussed quantitatively.     

Sudbury Breccia (Canada): a product of the 1850 Ma Sudbury Event and host to footwall Cu–Ni–PGE deposits

The Sudbury Structure, formed by meteorite impact at 1850 Ma, consists of three major components: (1) the Sudbury Basin; (2) the Sudbury Igneous Complex, which surrounds the basin as an elliptical collar; and (3) breccia bodies in the footwall known as Sudbury Breccia. In general, the breccia consists of subrounded fragments set in a dark, fine-grained to aphanitic matrix. A comparison of the chemical composition of host rocks, clasts and matrices indicates that brecciation was essentially an in-situ process. Sudbury Breccia forms irregular-shaped bodies or dikes that range in size from mm to km scale. Contacts with the host rocks are commonly sharp. The aspect ratio of most clasts is approximately 2 with the long axes parallel to dike walls. The fractal dimension (Dr)=1.55. Although there appears to be some concentration of brecciation within concentric zones, small Sudbury Breccia bodies within and outside these zones have more or less random strikes and steep dips. Sudbury Breccia bodies near an embayment structure tend to be subparallel to the base of the Sudbury Igneous Complex. Sudbury Breccia occurs as much as 80 km from the outer margin of the Sudbury Igneous Complex. In an inner zone, 5 to 15 km wide, breccia comprises 5% of exposed bedrock with an increase in brecciation intensity in embayment structures. Sudbury Breccia may be classified into three types based on the nature of the matrix: clastic, pseudotachylite and microcrystalline. Clastic Sudbury Breccia, the dominant type in the Southern Province, is characterized by flow-surface structures. Possibly, a sudden rise in pore pressure caused explosive dilation and fragmentation, followed by fluidization and flowage into extension fractures. Pseudotachylite Sudbury Breccia, mainly confined to Archean rocks, apparently formed by comminution and frictional melting. Microcrystalline Sudbury Breccia formed as a result of the thermal metamorphism, of the North Range footwall, by the Sudbury Igneous Complex. This produced a zone, approximately 1.2 km wide, wherein the matrix of the breccia either recrystallized or, locally, melted. An overprint of regional metamorphism obliterated contact effects in the South Range footwall. The Ni–Cu–PGE magmatic sulphide deposits may be classified into four types based on structural setting: Sudbury Igneous Complex–footwall contact, footwall, offset, and sheared deposits. Sudbury Breccia is the main host for footwall deposits (e.g., McCreedy East, Victor, Lindsley). Sudbury Breccia locally hosts mineralization in radial (e.g., Parkin and Copper Cliff) and concentric (e.g., Frood–Stobie) offset dikes.