Plate motions recorded in tectonostratigraphic terranes of the Franciscan Complex and evolution of the Mendocino triple junction, northwestern California

The Mendocino triple junction area of northern California is underlain by the Coastal belt of the Franciscan complex, flanked on the east by the Central and Eastern belts of the Franciscan Complex. The coastal belt is further divided into three tectonostratigraphic terranes. Upper Cretaceous through middle Miocene rocks included in these terranes were accreted to the North American plate margin partly during normal convergence with the Farallon plate between 49 and 25 Ma at poleward rates of 2 to 5cm /yr, and partly during translation with the Pacific plate between 14 and 2 Ma at poleward rates of 3 to 6cm/yr. The evolution of the triple junction is discussed. -from Author

An application of machine learning techniques to interactive, constraint-based search

The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Title from title screen of research.pdf file viewed on (December 12, 2006)Includes bibliographical references.Thesis (M.S.) University of Missouri-Columbia 2005.Dissertations, Academic -- University of Missouri--Columbia -- Computer science.Search engine users frequently place additional constraints on search results that are not included in the user's original query. To respond to these additional constraints, search engine designers frequently add an "advanced search" page. On these pages, the user supplies a set of constraints for the result items. While this is certainly more useful, it relies on two assumptions: that the user knows these constraints prior to the search, and that the constraints are independent. This is not always the case. This work presents a method to use an existing search engine to create an interactive, constraint-based search: the Query Expansion and Refinement Process (QUERP). In addition, this work provides an example of the method as applied to the popular eBay auction site. The experimental results show that using QUERP to provide an interactive, constraint-based search has the potential to provide higher precision and recall than the original search engine

Delineating The Subsurface: Using Surface Geophysics To Identify Groundwater Flow Paths In A Carbonate Aquifer, Paper 12

This study examines stream loss in a small tributary of the Youghiogheny River known as Hoyes Run in Garrett County, Maryland. The stream bounds the pit of the Deep Creek limestone quarry, operated by Keystone Lime Company. During low flow, the stream abruptly terminates in a swallet, leaving approximately 100 m of dry streambed. In addition to geophysically investigating this swallet, our study located two other zones of loss active during periods of higher flow. Multiple resistivity profiles using the SuperSting™ Resistivity System were generated along the zone of stream loss and compared with results of ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electromagnetic conductivity (EM) profiles in the same location. Dye trace using Fluorescein™ confirmed the flow path of water from the stream into the quarry. Geologic examination of the area reveals several sizable known caves developed in the same limestone sequence; however, there are no known cave entrances in the immediate vicinity. Our study shows that surface geophysics coupled with hydrologic and geologic analysis can locate possible flow paths for groundwater in a karst aquifer, even in the absence of obvious karst surface expression. Borehole confirmation is slated before remediation measures are executed