ALBERT

Description: Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2019. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Tectonics, 38(2), (2019):666-686. doi:10.1029/2018TC005246.

Description: A magnetotelluric survey in the Barotse Basin of western Zambia shows clear evidence for thinned lithosphere beneath an orogenic belt. The uppermost asthenosphere, at a depth of 60–70 km, is highly conductive, suggestive of the presence of a small amount of partial melt, despite the fact that there is no surface expression of volcanism in the region. Although the data support the presence of thicker cratonic lithosphere to the southeast of the basin, the lithospheric thickness is not well resolved and models show variations ranging from ~80 to 150 km in this region. Similarly variable is the conductivity of the mantle beneath the basin and immediately beneath the cratonic lithosphere to the southeast, although the conductivity is required to be elevated compared to normal lithospheric mantle. In a general sense, two classes of model are compatible with the magnetotelluric data: one with a moderately conductive mantle and one with more elevated conductivities. This latter class would be consistent with the impingement of a stringer of plume‐fed melt beneath the cratonic lithosphere, with the melt migrating upslope to thermally erode lithosphere beneath the orogenic belt that is overlain by the Barotse Basin. Such processes are potentially important for intraplate volcanism and also for development or propagation of rifting as lithosphere is thinned and weakened by melt. Both models show clear evidence for thinning of the lithosphere beneath the orogenic belt, consistent with elevated heat flow data in the region.

Description: Funding for MT acquisition and analysis was provided by the National Science Foundation grant EAR‐1010432 through the Continental Dynamics Program. The data used in this study are available for download at the IRIS Data Management Center through the DOI links cited in Jones et al. (2003–2008; https://doi.org/10.17611/DP/EMTF/SAMTEX) and Evans et al. (2012; https://doi.org/10.17611/DP/EMTF/PRIDE/ZAM). We would like to thank the field crew from the Geological Survey Department, Zambia, for their assistance in collecting data. Matthew Chamberlain, David Margolius, and Colin Skinner, formerly of Northeastern University, are also thanked for their field assistance. Data are available from the corresponding author pending their submission to the IRIS DMC repository at which point they will be publically available. This is Oklahoma State University, Boone Pickens School of Geology contribution number 2019‐99.

Description: 2019-07-30

Description: Author Posting. © American Meteorological Society, 2019. This article is posted here by permission of American Meteorological Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 100(5), (2019): 897-908, doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-19-0130.1.

Description: As states, cities, tribes, and private interests cope with climate damages and seek to increase preparedness and resilience, they will need to navigate myriad choices and options available to them. Making these choices in ways that identify pathways for climate action that support their development objectives will require constructive public dialogue, community participation, and flexible and ongoing access to science- and experience-based knowledge. In 2016, a Federal Advisory Committee (FAC) was convened to recommend how to conduct a sustained National Climate Assessment (NCA) to increase the relevance and usability of assessments for informing action. The FAC was disbanded in 2017, but members and additional experts reconvened to complete the report that is presented here. A key recommendation is establishing a new nonfederal “climate assessment consortium” to increase the role of state/local/tribal government and civil society in assessments. The expanded process would 1) focus on applied problems faced by practitioners, 2) organize sustained partnerships for collaborative learning across similar projects and case studies to identify effective tested practices, and 3) assess and improve knowledge-based methods for project implementation. Specific recommendations include evaluating climate models and data using user-defined metrics; improving benefit–cost assessment and supporting decision-making under uncertainty; and accelerating application of tools and methods such as citizen science, artificial intelligence, indicators, and geospatial analysis. The recommendations are the result of broad consultation and present an ambitious agenda for federal agencies, state/local/tribal jurisdictions, universities and the research sector, professional associations, nongovernmental and community-based organizations, and private-sector firms.

Description: This report would not have been possible without the support and participation of numerous organizations and individuals. We thank New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo for announcing in his 2018 State of the State agenda that the IAC would be reconvened. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (Contract ID 123416), Columbia University’s Earth Institute, and the American Meteorological Society provided essential financial support and much more, including sage advice and moral support from John O’Leary, Shara Mohtadi, Steve Cohen, Alex Halliday, Peter deMenocal, Keith Seitter, Paul Higgins, and Bill Hooke. We thank the attendees of a workshop, generously funded by the Kresge Foundation in November of 2017, that laid a foundation for the idea to establish a civil-society-based assessment consortium. During the course of preparing the report, IAC members consulted with individuals too numerous to list here—state, local, and tribal officials; researchers; experts in nongovernmental and community-based organizations; and professionals in engineering, architecture, public health, adaptation, and other areas. We are so grateful for their time and expertise. We thank the members and staff of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Committee to Advise the U.S. Global Change Research Program for providing individual comments on preliminary recommendations during several discussions in open sessions of their meetings. The following individuals provided detailed comments on an earlier version of this report, which greatly sharpened our thinking and recommendations: John Balbus, Tom Dietz, Phil Duffy, Baruch Fischhoff, Brenda Hoppe, Melissa Kenney, Linda Mearns, Claudia Nierenberg, Kathleen Segerson, Soroosh Sorooshian, Chris Weaver, and Brian Zuckerman. Mary Black provided insightful copy editing of several versions of the report. We also thank four anonymous reviewers for their effort and care in critiquing and improving the report. It is the dedication, thoughtful feedback, expertise, care, and commitment of all these people and more that not only made this report possible, but allow us all to continue to support smart and insightful actions in a changing climate. We are grateful as authors and as global citizens. Author contributions: RM, SA, KB, MB, AC, JD, PF, KJ, AJ, KK, JK, ML, JM, RP, TR, LS, JS, JW, and DZ were members of the IAC and shared in researching, discussing, drafting, and approving the report. BA, JF, AG, LJ, SJ, PK, RK, AM, RM, JN, WS, JS, PT, GY, and RZ contributed to specific sections of the report.

Description: Author Posting. © American Meteorological Society, 2019. This article is posted here by permission of American Meteorological Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Weather Climate and Society 11(3), (2019):465-487, doi: 10.1175/WCAS-D-18-0134.1.

Description: As states, cities, tribes, and private interests cope with climate damages and seek to increase preparedness and resilience, they will need to navigate myriad choices and options available to them. Making these choices in ways that identify pathways for climate action that support their development objectives will require constructive public dialogue, community participation, and flexible and ongoing access to science- and experience-based knowledge. In 2016, a Federal Advisory Committee (FAC) was convened to recommend how to conduct a sustained National Climate Assessment (NCA) to increase the relevance and usability of assessments for informing action. The FAC was disbanded in 2017, but members and additional experts reconvened to complete the report that is presented here. A key recommendation is establishing a new nonfederal “climate assessment consortium” to increase the role of state/local/tribal government and civil society in assessments. The expanded process would 1) focus on applied problems faced by practitioners, 2) organize sustained partnerships for collaborative learning across similar projects and case studies to identify effective tested practices, and 3) assess and improve knowledge-based methods for project implementation. Specific recommendations include evaluating climate models and data using user-defined metrics; improving benefit–cost assessment and supporting decision-making under uncertainty; and accelerating application of tools and methods such as citizen science, artificial intelligence, indicators, and geospatial analysis. The recommendations are the result of broad consultation and present an ambitious agenda for federal agencies, state/local/tribal jurisdictions, universities and the research sector, professional associations, nongovernmental and community-based organizations, and private-sector firms.

Description: This report would not have been possible without the support and participation of numerous organizations and individuals. We thank New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo for announcing in his 2018 State of the State agenda that the IAC would be reconvened. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (Contract ID 123416), Columbia University’s Earth Institute, and the American Meteorological Society provided essential financial support and much more, including sage advice and moral support from John O’Leary, Shara Mohtadi, Steve Cohen, Alex Halliday, Peter deMenocal, Keith Seitter, Paul Higgins, and Bill Hooke. We thank the attendees of a workshop, generously funded by the Kresge Foundation in November of 2017, that laid a foundation for the idea to establish a civil-society-based assessment consortium. During the course of preparing the report, IAC members consulted with individuals too numerous to list here—state, local, and tribal officials; researchers; experts in nongovernmental and community-based organizations; and professionals in engineering, architecture, public health, adaptation, and other areas. We are so grateful for their time and expertise. We thank the members and staff of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Committee to Advise the U.S. Global Change Research Program for providing individual comments on preliminary recommendations during several discussions in open sessions of their meetings. The following individuals provided detailed comments on an earlier version of this report, which greatly sharpened our thinking and recommendations: John Balbus, Tom Dietz, Phil Duffy, Baruch Fischhoff, Brenda Hoppe, Melissa Kenney, Linda Mearns, Claudia Nierenberg, Kathleen Segerson, Soroosh Sorooshian, Chris Weaver, and Brian Zuckerman. Mary Black provided insightful copy editing of several versions of the report. We also thank four anonymous reviewers for their effort and care in critiquing and improving the report. It is the dedication, thoughtful feedback, expertise, care, and commitment of all these people and more that not only made this report possible, but allow us all to continue to support smart and insightful actions in a changing climate. We are grateful as authors and as global citizens. Author contributions: RM, SA, KB, MB, AC, JD, PF, KJ, AJ, KK, JK, ML, JM, RP, TR, LS, JS, JW, and DZ were members of the IAC and shared in researching, discussing, drafting, and approving the report. BA, JF, AG, LJ, SJ, PK, RK, AM, RM, JN, WS, JS, PT, GY, and RZ contributed to specific sections of the report.

Description: 2020-05-21

Description: The integration of passive electromagnetic geophysical data and well-log data for basin characterization and interpretation has been investigated in the Clare Basin, western Ireland. The Clare Basin is overmature and has a clear contrast in electrical resistivity between the Clare Shale Formation, a widespread organic rich shale unit, and the surrounding stratigraphy. The electrical resistivity distribution beneath the Clare Basin was determined by means of three-dimensional (3-D) joint inversion of three distinct and differently sensitive electromagnetic parameters: (1) the MT impedance tensor (Z), (2) the geomagnetic transfer function (T), and (3) the interstation horizontal magnetic transfer function (H). Well-log data from a local exploration well, Doonbeg-1, were analyzed by means of multivariate statistical methods identifying three groups with distinct resistivity values. The groups were propagated along the basin using the 3-D electrical resistivity model, showing those regions in the basin with significant organic content at high maturity stage. The lack of continuity of these regions supports the hypothesis of advective fluid heating as the cause of the high maturity levels. The results also help to define the geometry of the basin at depth and have identified an area within the basin, near the Loop Head, where organic-rich clay/shale is either poorly developed, and/or the organic matter is less mature and less conductive. Finally, the potential of the basin for both CO2 storage and geothermal energy was considered, supporting the use of the Clare Basin as a potential site for geothermal energy but not for the storage of CO2.

Description: SUMMARY We present modelling of the geophysical data from the Newcastle area, west of Dublin, Ireland within the framework of the IRETHERM project. IRETHERM's overarching objective was to facilitate a more thorough strategic understanding of Ireland's geothermal energy potential through integrated modelling of new and existing geophysical, geochemical and geological data. The Newcastle area, one of the target localities, is situated at the southern margin of the Dublin Basin, close to the largest conurbation on the island of Ireland in the City of Dublin and surrounds. As part of IRETHERM, magnetotelluric (MT) soundings were carried out in the highly urbanized Dublin suburb in 2011 and 2012, and a description of MT data acquisition, processing methods, multidimensional geoelectrical models and porosity modelling with other geophysical data are presented. The MT time-series were heavily noise-contaminated and distorted due to electromagnetic noise from nearby industry and Dublin City tram/railway systems. Time-series processing was performed using several modern robust codes to obtain reasonably reliable and interpretable MT impedance and geomagnetic transfer function ‘tipper’ estimates at most of the survey locations. The most ‘quiet’ 3-hr subsets of data during the night time, when the DC ‘LUAS’ tram system was not operating, were used in multisite and multivariate processing. The final 2-D models underwent examination using a stability technique, and the final two 2-D profiles, with reliability estimations expressed through conductance and resistivity, were derived. In the final stage of this study, 3-D modelling of all MT data in the Newcastle area was also undertaken. Comparison of the MT models and their interpretation with existing seismic profiles in the area reveals that the Blackrock–Newcastle Fault (BNF) zone is visible in the models as a conductive feature down to depths of 4 km. The investigated area below Newcastle can be divided into two domains of different depths, formed as depth zones. The first zone, from the surface down to 1–2 km, is dominated by NE–SW oriented conductors connected with shallow faults or folds probably filled with less saline waters. The conductors are also crossing the surface trace of the BNF. The second depth domain can be identified from depths of 2–4 km, where structures are oriented along the BNF and the observed conductivity is lower. The deeper conductive layers are interpreted as geothermal-fluid-bearing rocks. Porosity and permeability estimations from the lithological borehole logs indicate the geothermal potential of the bedrock, to deliver warm water to the surface. The fluid permeability estimation, based on Archie's law for porous structures and synthetic studies of fractured zones, suggests a permeability in the range 100 mD–100 D in the study area, which is prospective for geothermal energy exploitation.

Description: Magnetotelluric data from LITHOPROBE SNORCLE Corridor 2 in western Canada crossing the Rocky Mountain Trench-Tintina Fault between 56° and 60°N have been analyzed using modern MT methods to provide new insights into the tectonics of the North American Cordillera and Ancestral North America. Resistivity images of the crust were obtained using two independent sets of unconstrained 2-D inversions and constrained 2-D inversions incorporating seismic constraints. Structure to the west of the Tintina Fault includes uniform, moderate, mid to lower crustal resistivity in a seismically-defined westward-tapering wedge of Ancestral North American rocks. To the east, between the Tintina Fault and the Liard line, a transfer zone in asymmetric Neoproterozoic rifting, the wedge includes a major synformal conductor that parallels seismic reflections. The large lateral changes in resistivity can be explained by transition between different blocks of asymmetric rifting. The synformal conductor is attributed to graphitic rocks from the Aida Formation of the Mesoproterozoic Muskwa Assemblage that were re-distributed in a sag basin on the lower plate margin in the Blackwater Block. Spatially-complex upper crustal resistivity in the Cordillera can be interpreted in terms of lithological variations and alteration processes. An east-dipping conductor in Stikinia is attributed to east-dipping Jurassic and relatively high conductivity beneath the Eskay rift may be explained by crustal fertilization. A conductor in the Cache Creek terrane is attributed to listwanite alteration of ultramafic bodies on the King Salmon Fault, and high conductivity in the Slide Mountain terrane within the Sylvester Allochthon to localized carbonaceous alteration. A series of conductors above North American Basement is attributed to deformation and metamorphic processes associated with Mesozoic thrust faulting. To the west of the Tintina Fault the source material for these conductors is likely from the Stikinia terrane, and to the east it is likely from the Muskwa Assemblage.