Scientists have used subterranean rock samples to help fill a gap in the history of Earth's magnetic field, shedding light on North America's position 400 million years ago. The study provides new insights into Paleomagnetism and its relevance to understanding the continent's geological past.
Researchers used 3D laser scanning to measure surface deformation after the 2014 South Napa earthquake, revealing complex deformation patterns that challenge traditional notions of topography formation. The study also found evidence of 'afterslip' effects that can occur hours to years after an earthquake.
Researchers have developed a new approach to recover flood frequency and magnitude data from temperate lakes, providing new sources of paleohydrological information. The study uses sediment dynamics to establish relationships between river discharge and deposit preservation, helping model and mitigate future flood risk.
The article discusses imaging spectroscopy's potential in enhancing geological insights, highlighting its power and versatility. It also explores the growing concern of a critical shortage of trained geoscientists in the US workforce, with projected shortages reaching 135,000 by the next decade.
A team of scientists has found evidence of iron-rich dust from 300 million years ago, which suggests that atmospheric dust acted as a fertilizer for life. The discovery provides new insights into the biogeochemical impacts of iron on the oceans and the climate system during the late Paleozoic era.
Researchers at Materialytics, LLC have developed a new testing method to identify the sources of diamonds with an average accuracy of 98%. The technique analyzes signals from the carbon itself, making it applicable to all diamonds and providing scientific verification for conflict-free trade.
A new study warns that wildfires may double soil erosion in some western US states by 2050, degrading water quality and affecting aquatic life. The increase in wildfires due to climate change is projected to cause at least a 100% increase in erosion in a quarter of western watersheds.
Scientists have discovered that holes in Mount Baldy's sand dunes were formed by entombed oak trees that decomposed into a cementing mineral, creating hazardous voids. The study, presented at the Geological Society of America meeting, sheds light on how these living systems interact between biology and geology.
A study by Wellesley College and the League of Urban Canners found that urban fruits like apples and peaches have lower levels of lead and arsenic, but higher concentrations of micronutrients. The researchers also found that eating urban fruit is not a significant source of lead exposure.
Researchers found stratigraphic evidence of subsidence during large earthquakes beneath salt marshes in California's Humboldt Bay. Microfossil data analysis enabled more accurate estimates of subsidence, refining earthquake models that match observed measurements. New plant macrofossils provide tighter constraints on past earthquake ti...
Planetary scientist Shoshanna Cole discovered signs of acid fog on Mars, which formed when acidic vapors dissolved minerals and created gel-like cement. The phenomenon was observed in the Watchtower Class outcrops on Husband Hill, indicating a change in the environment billions of years ago.
Pleistocene-era sediment samples contain pollen from desert plants, indicating severe droughts occurred between glacial periods. These droughts may have led to the extinction of large mammals like mammoths.
A study by Kari Pohl and colleagues found that extreme climate indices, such as increased frequency of warmer-than-normal days and wet days, are strongly correlated to shallow water environment changes. These changes may impact environmental boundaries and vulnerable organisms in Chesapeake Bay.
Researchers link large igneous provinces to extinction events and global warming due to greenhouse gases. Improved isotope dating confirms the long-proposed link between LIPs and catastrophic climatic change.
Using historical intensity data from Japan, researchers found that uniform and randomized versions of earthquake hazard maps outperform published maps in predicting shaking. The study aims to provide a more accurate understanding of how these maps work and their limitations.
Paleontologist Matthew McLain discovered a tyrannosaur bone with teeth marks indicating it was gnawed by another tyrannosaur. The grooves found on the bone suggest that the eating occurred after the animal had died, adding to evidence of cannibalism among tyrannosaurs.
The study found that the glacial ice covering New England's highest peaks was unable to erode the rock below, preserving the landscape in a fossil state. The contrast between stable summit landscapes and adjacent valleys deeply eroded by glacial ice contributed to the development of northern Appalachian topography.
The Geological Society of America is hosting a special session on the Nepal earthquake, bringing together scientists to discuss recovery and forecasting. Researchers are using various techniques, including GPS measurements, to gain insights into the region's tectonics and develop more accurate predictions for future earthquakes.
Floodwaters in Vermont (2011) and Colorado (2013) highlighted the impact of downstream increases and decreases in stream power on erosion and sedimentation. The study successfully predicted river channel and floodplain responses in almost 90% of cases, revealing the potential role of downstream changes in stream power.
A new study presents a method using GIS and National Geothermal Data System data to evaluate regions for geothermal energy exploration. The Denver-Julesberg Basin is identified as the highest capacity for large-scale, economically feasible geothermal power production.
The analysis reveals that modern oceans have a unique and unparalleled biodiversity, with numerous species coexisting due to the fossil record's large Internet database. Human impacts on the environment could lead to a decline in biodiversity.
A study analyzing fossil brachiopod shells from West Virginia and Ohio found minimal seasonal variation in temperature and rainfall during the latest Pennsylvanian (~300 million years ago). The findings may help resolve a paleoclimate debate about monsoonality and sea level, providing insights into ancient mega-continent climates.
A new study documents rare early Jurassic corals from New York Canyon in west-central Nevada, shedding light on coral recovery after the end-Triassic mass extinction event. The findings provide valuable information on biotic responses during this critical period.
A new themed issue explores the anatomy of rifting, revealing diverse extensional processes, including plate thinning, magma intrusion, and volcanism. The study documents active processes at divergent plate boundaries and transforms, synthesizing key research topics on plate extension.
New study on Karoo Basin finds no support for climate aridification, floral collapse, and tetrapod turnover as part of the extinction event. Multidisciplinary data indicate that terrestrial response occurred earlier than previously thought.
A new hypothesis suggests that large bolides pierced early thin lithosphere, causing massive partial melting and forming cratonic crust. This process is thought to have occurred on a Venus-like Earth, which preserved a more complete geological record of its infancy.
Large earthquakes cause catastrophic landslides that can persist up to 20-fold after the earthquake, then gradually decrease over time. The magnitude of this response is linked to the size of the earthquake, with shaking-induced damage near Earth's surface and active healing processes playing a key role.
A new study by Alexander Simms and colleagues reveals that uplift rates across the Pacific Coast have been overestimated by an average of 40%, implying a slower rate of shoreline rise. This finding has important implications for coastal management, including earthquake hazards and sea-level rise impacts.
Researchers examine the Loa River system and its impact on water scarcity, highlighting the need for sustainable long-term management. The study identifies areas where deeply buried aquifers exchange water with shallow ones or discharge to surface water systems.
A new digital seafloor geologic map created using artificial intelligence reveals that deep ocean basins are more complex than previously thought. The map shows diatom accumulations on the seafloor are nearly entirely decoupled from diatom blooms in surface waters, highlighting a key link in the carbon cycle.
Researchers reconstruct Pangea's plate thickness before its break-up, finding a boomerang-shaped arc formed by thick plates. The study reveals the boomerang's shape is controlled by plate thickness and deformation.
Researchers have found that sea levels in the Chesapeake Bay region deviate from global trends due to glacio-isostatic adjustment, with implications for future subsidence and sea-level rise. The study suggests that the region will continue to experience subsidence for millennia, exacerbating coastal erosion and resource loss.
The Geological Society of America (GSA) and its partners have awarded funding to support 25 undergraduate and graduate students attending the SACNAS and GSA national conferences in November 2015. The students will gain knowledge, access to peers and colleagues, and career opportunities through networking and mentoring experiences.
Researchers investigate granitic rocks in El Capitan using field mapping, rock climbing, and geochemical analyses. They found no systematic patterns in rock composition, challenging models of granite formation that rely on magma chambers.
The Geological Society of America recognized James W. Head, Jerry X. Mitrovica, Brandon Schmandt, and others for their groundbreaking contributions to geology. The GSA also honored individuals for their public service, outstanding achievements in science, and dedication to the profession.
Research by Franz Neubauer and Fariba Kargaranbafghi reveals lithospheric thinning associated with the formation of a metamorphic core complex in the Central Iranian plateau. The study suggests that this process was linked to extension, upwelling of hot asthenosphere, and subsequent uplift of the plateau.
Researchers use innovative NanoSIMS ion probe measurements to document concentration gradients in igneous minerals, calculating the timescale between reheating and eruption. The study suggests an eruption triggered within 10 months after a magma reservoir's reheating, predicting potential future eruptions at Yellowstone.
A new database of submarine landslides has been developed to better understand these events and their effects. The database, which includes over 332 points of study, aims to improve the development of geo-models for forecasting future submarine slides.
Researchers studied earthquake history in the eastern Indian Ocean, tracing modes of coastal sedimentation over time. They discovered seven subduction zone earthquakes recorded 3,800 to 7,500 years ago, indicating past tsunamis occurred approximately four to six times.
Two new studies shed light on the Himalayan tectonic system, confirming a strike-slip dominated fault in western Nepal and highlighting topographic and tectonic discontinuities. The findings also support the initiation of mountain belt-parallel extension in the mid-Miocene epoch.
Researchers studied the western Grand Canyon and found that it must be younger than a fault slip that occurred 18 to 12 million years ago. The data also suggest that the notion of the canyon starting to erode about six million years ago is still the best scientific idea for its age.
Researchers Alyson M. Thibodeau and colleagues used lead and strontium isotopic ratios to distinguish geological sources of turquoise, shedding light on pre-Hispanic mining practices in the region. The study provides a new approach to investigate turquoise provenance, enabling scientists to better understand ancient mining activities.
Researchers have identified glass formations on Mars that could preserve signs of ancient biological activity. The glass-rich impactites found by Kevin Cannon and John Mustard are preserved on billion-year timescales and could provide a promising target for searching for possible ancient Martian life.
Groundwaters in southern Western Australia have pH levels as low as 2.4 and salinities up to 28%, affecting bedrock and sediments. Human activities like mining and agriculture contributed to this extreme acidity, with deforestation and irrigation using desalinized seawater exacerbating the issue.
Researchers from the Geological Society of America discovered intricate microbe-sediment systems in ancient rocks, suggesting thermophilic life forms existed at least 3.3 billion years ago. The findings indicate that these early life forms were deeply rooted in time and flourished in hydrothermal environments.
A new study critiques the geological and geophysical evidence supporting competing models for the origin of the Albian Gap, a feature along the Brazilian continental margin. The researchers suggest that much of this evidence is not diagnostic of either model, highlighting the need for a revised understanding of the structure's origin.
Research sheds light on the kinematic evolution of the Himalayan orogen, uncovering cryptic thrust-sense discontinuities that help understand processes in continent-continent convergent margins. The Klamath Mountains' unroofing process is also explored, revealing a new mechanism to produce plate margin orogens.
A new study by USGS researcher R.T. Hanson reveals that California's Santa Clara Valley has recovered its water levels and halted land subsidence through targeted groundwater recharge. This innovative approach, combined with the management of urbanization and industrialization, has helped to preserve the valley's hydrological framework.
Large landslides in the Himalaya-Karakoram ranges predominantly occur in the lower portions of the landscape, whereas glaciers and rock glaciers occupy the higher elevations almost exclusively. The study also introduces a new method called excess topography (ZE) to identify potentially unstable rock-mass volumes.
Researchers argue that the Chicxulub impact likely triggered most of the immense Deccan Traps flood basalt eruptions in India, changing the narrative on the end-Cretaceous mass extinction. The study suggests a cause-and-effect relationship between the two events, citing geological evidence and historical data.