Date of Award
12-2017
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science - Geology
Department
Geology
First Advisor
Dr. Wesley Brown
Second Advisor
Dr. Kevin Stafford
Third Advisor
Dr. Melinda Faulkner
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Joseph Musser
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Differential dissolution of gypsum karst within the Delaware Basin poses a significant threat to infrastructure that society depends on. The study area is located in Culberson County, Texas and traverses a distance of approximately 54 kilometers along RM 652 within the Gypsum Plain which is situated on the northern margin of the Chihuahua Desert and includes outcrops of Castile and Rustler strata that host karst geohazards. Regions of karst geohazard potential have been physically surveyed proximal to the study area in evaporites throughout the Castile Formation outcrop; minimal hazards, in comparison to the Castile Formation, have been documented in the Rustler Formation.
A TR-5 OhmMapper capacitively-coupled resistivity meter was used to acquire resistivity data for geohazard characterization. This study utilized a traditional dipole-dipole array, with an electrode spacing of 2.5 meters between receivers, and a transmitter offset of 2.5 meters. This geometric configuration combined with the medium analyzed, allowed for resistivity readings to be recorded up to approximately 5 meters deep. Data acquisition was recorded with the OhmMapper attached to a vehicle moving at approximately 3 kilometers per hour and transmitting and receiving once per second (approximately three feet per sample). Resistivity data was processed using AGI’s EarthImager 2D inversion software. Capacitively-coupled resistivity has shown to be effective in locating karst geohazards in the shallow subsurface.
Repository Citation
Woodard, Jonathan David, "GEOPHYSICAL DELINEATION OF MEGAPOROSITY AND FLUID MIGRATION PATHWAYS FOR GEOHAZARD CHARACTERIZATION WITHIN THE DELAWARE BASIN, CULBERSON COUNTY, TEXAS" (2017). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 137.
https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/137
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