Estimation and removal of non-tectonic effects from gravity survey data

When gravity survey accuracies of a few microgals are sought, many correction factors must be accounted for, including meter calibration constants, water-table level fluctations, solid-earth tides, ocean tides and in some cases rapid atmospheric fluctuations. Calculation of most of these correction factors is relatively straightforward. However, the effects of ocean tide loading are not as easily estimated, partly due to the lack of knowledge of the ocean tides themselves. Amplitude and phase factors for the better-known ocean tide components O₁ and M₂ have been theoretically computed for a grid in southern California in order to correct gravity survey data at arbitrary locations for these ocean tidal-loading components. The gravity data from a three-month period were recorded on a tidal gravimeter at the station PAS and then hand-digitized in order to test the ocean tide estimation program. The O₁ and M₂ ocean tidal components were effectively reduced to less than 0.5 μGal. The remaining high-frequency tidal components appear to be K₁ and S₂. If the ocean tides are not taken into account, as much as 16–20 μGal of error can occur solely due to the effect of ocean loading on the gravitational tides when comparing two surveys near Pasadena. The effect increases towards the coastline and decreases inland. Examples of reduced data from the CIT gravity survey network, which has been observed on an approximately monthly basis since 1974, will be shown.     

Geochemistry of hydrothermal alteration at the Roosevelt hot springs thermal area,Utah

Hot spring deposits in the Roosevelt thermal area consist of opaline sinter and sintercemented alluvium. Alluvium, plutonic rocks, and amphibolite-facies gneiss have been altered by acidsulfate water to alunite and opal at the surface, and alunite, kaolinite, montmorillonite, and muscovite to a depth of 70 m. Marcasite, pyrite, chlorite, and calcite occur below the water table at about 30 m.The thermal water is dilute (ionic strength 0.1–0.2) sodium-chloride brine. The spring water now contains 10 times as much Ca, 100 times as much Mg, and up to 2.5 times as much SO₄ as the deep water. Although the present day spring temperature is 25°C, the temperature was 85°C in 1950.A model for development of the observed alteration is supported by observation and irreversible mass transfer calculations. Hydrothermal fluid convectively rises along major fractures. Water cools by conduction and steam separation, and the pH rises due to carbon dioxide escape. At the surface, hydrogen and sulfate ions are produced by oxidation of H₂S. The low pH water percolates downward and reacts with feldspar in the rocks to produce alunite, kaolinite, montmorillonite, and muscovite as hydrogen ion is consumed.