Evaluating the effectiveness of near surface geophysics to interpret varying geological environments
Description
TitleEvaluating the effectiveness of near surface geophysics to interpret varying geological environments
Date Created2022
Other Date2022-05 (degree)
Extent100 pages : illustrations
DescriptionIn this thesis, I use Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW), an integral part of non-invasive ways to evaluate shallow substrata, to investigate and compare two different geological environments. The use of non-invasive methods prior to excavation is important because it gives insight into subsurface features that can eliminate unnecessary excavation. It also facilitates evaluation of environmental impacts without having to drill or excavate, or prior to drilling to identify various obstacles, such as water table depths. At the first site, a largely karstic environment, data were collected in an effort to find subsurface features, natural or anthropogenic, within the Rio Bravo Conservation Area (Rio Bravo Field School) in the northwestern comer of Belize, C.A. In 2019, I conducted GPR and MASW at two separate locations: 1) a Mayan ball court; and 2) a series of possible catch basins running down the slope of the Rio Bravo escarpment. At location 1, we imaged a possible channel through the center of the playing field and a change in slope of the bedrock in the direction of water flow. At location 2, despite data artifacts, there are indications of vertical features (such as walls) seen throughout the profiles. My second site, Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area, is a barrier spit comprised of mostly coarse to fine-grained sands, located along the New Jersey coast. I led a Rutgers team to examine this spit and its constantly changing morphology that tells a story of seaward and duneward progradation, changes in sediment supply, and rip-up clasts from storm deposits. We investigated the North Beach locality in the northwestern section of the spit, as well as locations at the northern tip. We found these areas to be most representative of the spit' s continuous growth, change, and adaptation to the effects of sea-level change. The two different study environments illustrate the challenges faced when in the field, how they affect data collection, and the constraints of using GPR and MASW. The use of non-invasive techniques in science, can foster a better understanding of preservation, through technology, to promote a less anthropogenic future.
NoteM.S.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references
Genretheses
LanguageEnglish
CollectionSchool of Graduate Studies Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.