Articles tagged with Geologic History
Recent geosphere research interprets Eocene–Early Miocene paleotopography in Nevada and examines the origin of the Colorado Mineral Belt. The study also investigates Miocene magmatism in the Bodie Hills volcanic field, California and Nevada, and compares mountain building processes in Alaska.
Lund University has received a total of SEK 40 million in funding for its geology and biology research. This includes SEK 25 million for Birger Schmitz's ERC-funded project Astrogeobiosphere, which explores the link between life on Earth and astronomical events.
Scientists have developed procedures to determine earthquake source information for smaller earthquakes in central and eastern North America. This improved catalog provides detailed information on faulting styles and geometry for these regions, contributing to assessing seismic hazards and constraining ground motion.
Researchers at Caltech have directly determined the surface temperature of early Mars for the first time. They found that carbonate minerals formed at about 18 degrees Celsius, consistent with a warmer and wetter Martian past. This finding provides crucial evidence for understanding Mars' history and climate.
Researchers have developed a new model to evaluate seismic wave velocities at shallow depth in the Seattle Basin, offering refined seismic hazard assessments. The study also exposes two faults in the eastern Sierra Nevada, providing new details about active faulting in the area.
The August 2011 Geosphere issue explores the tectonic influence on the Surveyor Fan and Channel system in the Gulf of Alaska and reviews advancements in measuring currents in submarine canyons. It also delves into the origin and evolution of the Sierra Nevada magmatic arc and the consequences of lithospheric removal in California.
Scientists at University of Nevada, Reno observed an upper limit of three on the number of fault jumps through which an earthquake is likely to rupture. This finding helps reduce uncertainties in estimating earthquake sizes in complex fault systems.
Researchers discovered that flood basalts contain traces of ancient Earth's primitive mantle, challenging previous theories. The findings suggest that a significant fraction of large volcanic events originate from a modern mantle source similar to the primitive reservoir found in northern Canada and Greenland.
A thick plateau of hard, compacted sediments helped spread the rupture from tens of kilometers below to just a few kilometers below, unleashing larger tsunami waves. The study suggests locations with large thicknesses of sediments may promote more significant tsunamis during great earthquakes.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have discovered that parts of the moon's interior contain as much water as the Earth's upper mantle. The presence of this water challenges the current theory of the moon's formation and strengthens the idea that the moon and Earth share a common origin.
Researchers study island settlements to understand human resilience and capacity for colonization. Mobility, social networks, and knowledge of the local environment helped indigenous people survive in the face of natural disasters and climate change. The findings inform how we adapt to vulnerabilities and rebound from catastrophes.
Researchers detected a sequence of small earthquakes in Dallas-Fort Worth triggered by brine disposal, highlighting induced seismicity concerns. Seismologists also identified large hurricanes using microseisms recorded at distant seismic stations.
Researchers at University of Leicester introduce the Anthropocene, a geological epoch marked by significant human impact on the environment. The studies highlight effects of population growth, megacities, and fossil fuel use on global warming, sea level rise, and biodiversity.
The article discusses recent movements and past deformation in Central America, California, Turkey, and Canada. Key findings include the present rates and directions of movement between El Salvador and Nicaragua, as well as the role of low-angle normal faulting in active tectonics in the northern Owens Valley.
A UC Riverside-led team discovered chemical evidence of oxygen-free ancient oceans containing abundant hydrogen sulfide. This finding suggests that ocean chemistry influenced the evolution of early life, potentially delaying its appearance and proliferation.
New data suggests that the Limon and Pedro Miguel faults in Central Panama have ruptured both independently and in unison over the past 1400 years. This indicates a significant seismic risk for Panama City and the Panama Canal, with displacements of up to 3 meters recorded.
The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, a magnitude 7.9 rupture, resulted in over 80,000 fatalities and left four million homeless. The event showcased China's capability to demonstrate its earthquake science program to the global community.
The moon was bombarded by two distinct populations of asteroids or comets in its youth, resulting in a more complex surface than previously thought. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft provided unprecedented global topographic maps using the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA), highlighting lunar craters with clarity.
Research using geoscientific observatories reveals high levels of manganese in certain soils linked to nearby industrial activities. The study contributes to understanding the impact of human activity on soil formation and fertility.
Scientists have found that volatile elements, including water, were present during the violent process of Earth's birth. The discovery, made using high precision equipment to measure Silver isotopes in rocks, suggests that comets and asteroids may not have brought significant amounts of volatile elements to Earth.
Karen Felzer, a USGS researcher, has been recognized with the Seismological Society of America's Richter Early Career Award for her transformative and sometimes controversial research on earthquake physics. Her statistical approaches have challenged previously held theories and reshaped the way earthquakes are understood.
The new Multiple Collector Inductively-Coupled Mass Spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) will help researchers interpret the Earth system's history and understand connections in weathering-climate systems. It will enable faster data analysis, expand isotopic techniques to new fields, and promote interdisciplinary collaboration.
The WUSTL-led MoonRise mission is one of three finalists for a $650 million NASA space science venture. The mission aims to retrieve two pounds of lunar rocks and return them to Earth, providing new insights into the early history of the Earth-Moon system.
The October issue of BSSA features a review on strong ground motions, suggesting that the current global record reflects only a small sample of what is physically possible. Additionally, researchers explore the correlation between toppled columns and earthquake source determination in archaeoseismology.
A new study suggests that future tsunamis could reach a scale far beyond the 1964 Alaskan earthquake, killing up to 35 people directly and causing extensive damage. The research indicates that rupture of an even larger area than previously thought could create an even bigger tsunami.
New studies by Scripps Institution of Oceanography suggest a magnitude-7 earthquake occurs every 2,000 to 3,000 years in Lake Tahoe's basin. The largest fault in the basin, West Tahoe, appears to have last ruptured between 4,100 and 4,500 years ago, capable of producing nearly 500m of overlying water tsunami waves.
The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake had a profound societal impact, transforming earthquake sciences and engineering. The event led to improved understanding of earthquake processes and triggered major changes in building codes and disaster response.
A new study from Purdue and Northwestern universities suggests the New Madrid fault system is less active than expected, with reduced surface movement indicating a possible shutdown. The team analyzed GPS data for eight years, finding the ground surrounding the fault system is moving at a rate of less than 0.2 millimeters per year.
Deep-sea drilling reveals extensive rock deformation and concentrated slip zones in shallow regions, contradicting long-held assumptions. The discovery sheds light on the complex mechanics of faulting and tsunamis, highlighting the megasplay fault as a key contributor to largest tsunami-generating plate slips.
A team led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has been selected by NASA to focus on expanding knowledge of the Moon's formation and bombardment history. The four-year project will unravel the origin of the Earth-Moon system and the early evolution of the solar system through a multidisciplinary approach.
Researchers have uncovered evidence of at least three previous major tsunamis in the Indian Ocean over the past 2,800 years, with the most recent occurring between 550 and 700 years ago. The findings suggest that a region's tsunami history can serve as a long-term warning system, highlighting the importance of tsunami education.
Walter Alvarez, a maverick geologist, has won the prestigious Vetlesen Prize for his groundbreaking work on the link between a massive comet impact and the extinction of dinosaurs. His research, conducted over several decades, challenged conventional wisdom and revealed that life on Earth is affected by cosmic interactions.
Scientists have solved the debate about the origin of a 3 billion-year-old rock fragment using a new X-ray technique, revealing it formed in the Earth's mantle at high temperatures. This discovery provides clues about the Earth's early history and internal processes, opening up new avenues for research on the planet's evolution.
A new study by Peter K. Swart suggests that carbonate platform records are not reliable for tracking the global carbon cycle over the past 10 million years. This finding challenges widely-held ideas about CO2 levels during specific periods of Earth's geological history.
Scientists discover diverse microbes that can consume hydrocarbons without oxygen, reflecting early appearance of these compounds as nutrients. Understanding their role may help access natural climate change control.
This paper describes network analyses capabilities within GIS to describe and quantify shear zone networks. Meanwhile, structural analysis of rockslide avalanches reveals fault structures as fingerprints for motion and emplacement styles.
Researchers used a model to study stress changes on faults after the May 12 China earthquake and found heightened rupture likelihood for some faults. The study suggests that potential for failure exists on some faults, but does not predict when or if an earthquake will occur.
A Florida State University researcher has challenged the long-held 'late veneer hypothesis' regarding the formation of the Earth. By studying palladium distribution at high pressures and temperatures, Humayun's team found that it can be explained by means other than millions of years of meteorite bombardment.
Researchers are joining forces to study past earthquakes in the archaeological record, which can provide valuable insights into seismic hazard estimates. A new standardized method, known as the Archeological Quality Factor (AQF), is being proposed to document the certainty of ancient earthquake records.
Researchers uncover rare two-billion-year-old window into the Earth's mantle, shedding light on geological history. The discovery suggests the mantle is not as well-mixed or homogenous as previously believed.
Geophysicists Paul Silver and Mark Behn propose a new theoretical model that plate tectonic motions have stopped in Earth's geologic history, suggesting an intermittent process. This finding could impact our understanding of earthquakes, volcanism, and the formation of continents.
Scientists propose that plate tectonics may have halted or slowed down in the distant past and could do so again due to changes in ocean basin closure. This idea challenges current models and may explain differences in igneous rock formation and continental evolution.
Scientists have discovered a possible explanation for Mars' limestone-free climate: sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere. The greenhouse gas interfered with carbonate rock formation, but led to the creation of silicates and sulfites instead.
Researchers have successfully drilled four boreholes into the ocean floor near a major earthquake fault zone in Japan. The team collected geophysical information about the rock layers while drilling, revealing unexpected differences in physical stress conditions between active and inactive parts of the plate boundary.
Researchers found a small but significant amount of oxygen in the oceans and atmosphere 2.5 billion years ago, with oxygen nearly undetectable just before that time. The discovery provides compelling evidence for a shift in the oxidation state of the surface ocean 50 million years before the Great Oxidation Event.
The NanTroSEIZE expedition aims to retrieve geological samples and provide scientific data from the Nankai Trough fault zone. The program will drill deeply into the Earth to observe earthquake mechanisms in a well-known subduction zone, providing new insights into naturally occurring processes responsible for earthquakes.
A recent study found that media accounts of past earthquakes, such as the M7.6 Bhuj, India earthquake of 2001, can be misleading due to a natural bias towards dramatic effects. The research compared written accounts with ground-based surveys and concluded that the media bias can be significant, particularly at stronger shaking levels.
A geophysicist from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute urges officials to consider all subduction-type tectonic boundaries as lethal due to the unpredictability of massive earthquakes. The expert highlights the importance of warning systems and educational outreach to coastal communities to mitigate the impact of tsunamis.
Researchers at the University of Nevada used precariously balanced rocks to test seismic hazard predictions, measuring forces and angles to determine when an earthquake has not occurred for a long time. The study provides important information on seismic hazards in areas throughout the West, including data on ground-motion probability ...
A team of researchers has discovered that ancient rocks from Quebec, Canada, contain iron carbonates believed to have formed in an atmosphere with extremely high CO2 levels. This suggests that high concentrations of greenhouse gases may have helped Earth avoid global freezing in its youth.
Scientists analyzed ancient rocks from Hudson Bay in Quebec to confirm that high concentrations of greenhouse gases could have sustained surface temperatures above freezing 3.75 billion years ago. The study suggests that carbon dioxide played a crucial role as the Earth's 'thermostat' to support life on the planet.
The January special issue of BSSA focuses on the 2004 Sumatra earthquake, which is the best recorded large earthquake in history. The study reveals that great earthquakes can occur in various types of subduction zones, not just fast and young ones.
A new study suggests that early Earth haze could have provided a substantial source of organic material useful for emerging life on the planet. The researchers found that hazy conditions could have produced a similar organic haze over a wide range of methane and carbon dioxide concentrations.
Scientists have proposed a new theory that combines deadly sudden catastrophes (pulses) with longer, steadier pressures on species (presses) to explain Earth's mass extinctions. The Press/Pulse theory suggests that these combined events are necessary for big extinctions to occur.
A team of scientists from Ohio State University has discovered a massive crater, hidden beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, which could date back to the Permian-Triassic extinction event. The crater is estimated to be four times wider than the Chicxulub meteor that may have killed the dinosaurs.
A new study provides an explanation for continental plate breakups, showing that they often occur along preexisting lines of weakness created during earlier collisions. The research uses geochemical fingerprinting to demonstrate this principle, shedding light on the history of the Rheic Ocean.
New Jersey Institute of Technology physicists have used Earthshine observations to study changes in the earth's climate, with a focus on cloud cover and global warming. The research also has implications for the search for life on other planets, as evidenced by the detection of oxygen, water, and ozone in the Earth's spectrum.
The study found that the 2004 earthquake was caused by rupture of a 1,000-mile stretch of the megathrust, spanning up to 93 miles at the surface. This has global implications for understanding earthquake hazards and may require reassessment of subduction zones previously thought to be at low risk.
Researchers found evidence of increased clay mineral deposition in the oceans during a 200 million year period, which preceded the first animal fossils about 600 million years ago. The study suggests that an increase in oxygen concentration in the atmosphere was necessary for animal life to arise.
A Berkeley lab scientist has found a spike in micro-earthquakes followed by relative calm months before a large quake occurred. This discovery may help predict destructive earthquakes within a shorter time frame than current statistical tools.