Mining Reclamation and Environmental Characterization
Topics of Research:
Remote Mapping of Acid Sulfate Systems
Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) and GPS for Groundwater Hydrology
Geochemistry
Remote Mapping of Acid Sulfate Systems
Synthesis of Hyperspectral and Multispectral Image Data for the Identification of Fossil and Active Sulfate Deposits. Collaborators: Greg Vaughan, Wendy Calvin (UNR), Simon Hook (JPL)
Summary of Research: This was the dissertation project Dr. R. Greg Vaughan. Funding is provided from NASA's Graduate Student Research Fellowship Program. Work focusses on two sites where high and low temperature hydrothermal alteration produces a variety of sulfur mineralizations. Study areas include the Steamboat Springs geothermal region just south of Reno, and Virginia City, home to numerous adandoned mines from the 19th and early 20th century. First results were published by Dr. Vaughan et al. in Remote Sensing of Environment in 2005.
Hyperspectral Analysis of Beatty, Nevada Using ProspecTIR and SEBASS image data for analysis of Geology and Soils
The Department of Energy's Office of Non-Nuclear Proliferation (DOE-NA-22) has been funding the ABLE to conduct hyperspectral imaging research in the reflectance and emittance portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Full-range (0.4um to 15um) reflectance and emittance hyperspectral data were simultaneously acquired over a variety of different geological terrains for the purposes of mapping and characterizing the backgrounds against which industrial gases are imaged. Drs. Taranik and Kruse are the principal investigators for this work which supports graduate students, Zan Alsett, Todd Morkin, and Matt Weller. ABLE utilizes a variety of very high-end Dell workstations and ENVI software for this research.
Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) and GPS for Groundwater Hydrology
An Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) research capability for developing integrated groundwater-monitoring methods. Drs. Fred Kruse and Jim Taranik are training graduate students in InSAR processing techniques using JPL's ROI_PAC and ENVIsarscape software programs available on workstations in the ABLE Imaging Radar Laboratory.
Summary of Research: A proof-of-concept study of seasonal effects over groundwater basins in the Reno, Nevada using integrated time-series Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) and Global Positioning System (GPS) . The study's objective is to improve the understanding of natural and cultural seasonal groundwater changes on InSAR-GPS ground displacement applications and explore methods to isolate the InSAR groundwater signal from other effects.
Geochemistry
Geochemical Characterization of Magmatic-related vs. Extension-related Geothermal Systems in the Great Basin: Implications for Exploration, Exploitation, and Environmental Issues. Collaborators: Greg B. Arehart, Mark F. Coolbaugh, and Simon R. Poulson: funded by DOE.
Summary of Research: This research will identify the distinguishing chemical characteristics of magmatic and extensional geothermal systems, and relate those differences to differences in host rock lithologies, magma compositions, or other physical and chemical parameters. The significance those differences have for exploration, exploitation, and effects on the environment is being reviewed.