Preprints
Filtering by Subject: Geology
Interplay between geometry and brittle deformation of bedrock fault scarps
Published: 2026-02-28
Subjects: Geology, Tectonics and Structure
Energy built up during interseismic phases is released during earthquakes as seismic energy and dissipated within fault zones. Seismological observations indicate spatial variations in earthquake behavior across a fault (e.g., rupture speed, stress drop, wave directivity). However, how this relates to energy dissipation through brittle fracturing in the fault zone is difficult to quantify from [...]
PaleoEurope-DEM v1.0: A distributed pipeline for continental-scale paleo-landscape reconstruction from FABDEM-GEBCO fusion and glacial isostatic adjustment
Published: 2026-02-28
Subjects: Geology, Glaciology, Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing
Reconstructing paleo-landscapes at high spatial resolution is essential for understanding Quaternary environmental change, yet no open-source, reproducible pipeline currently exists for fusing modern elevation data with glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) models at continental scale. We present PaleoEurope-DEM v1.0, a distributed processing pipeline that produces continuous topo-bathymetric [...]
Rethinking grounding-zone basal drag for improved projections of Antarctic ice loss
Published: 2026-02-24
Subjects: Geology, Geomorphology, Glaciology
Ice-stream grounding zones are critical parts of the Antarctic Ice Sheet and we must be able to model how they retreat with confidence. This is because for most of Antarctica, the grounding-zone location determines the flux of ice to the ocean. As such, future grounding-zone locations (as the ice-sheet edge retreats inland) dictate the pattern and rate of ice loss and the associated sea-level [...]
Backstress governs transient postseismic creep in the continental lithospheric mantle
Published: 2026-02-23
Subjects: Earth Sciences, Geology, Mineral Physics, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Understanding the physical processes that control how the continental lithospheric mantle responds to sudden stress changes during the earthquake cycle is essential for interpreting postseismic deformation and constraining the rheological behaviour of the mantle. Laboratory studies have revealed that long-range elastic interactions among dislocations generate backstresses that strongly influence [...]
The Role of Flexure Margins in Controlling Open Fracture Distribution: Insights from Analogue Modeling of Orthogonal Rift and Pull-Apart Systems
Published: 2026-02-21
Subjects: Earth Sciences, Geology, Physical Sciences and Mathematics, Tectonics and Structure
Hydrocarbon exploration in Basement Fracture Reservoirs faces significant challenges in predicting fracture connectivity below seismic resolution. This study utilizes analogue sandbox modeling to compare the spatial distribution of open fractures in orthogonal normal fault systems and pull-apart basins. Methodological innovation is implemented through the use of a 1 mm thick gypsum layer atop 8 [...]
Compositional Reservoir Simulation Sensitivity Studies: Grid, Permeability, and Well Configuration Analysis Using OPM Flow
Published: 2026-02-14
Subjects: Earth Sciences, Geology, Other Earth Sciences, Petroleum Engineering
This technical report presents a comprehensive parametric sensitivity analysis of compositional reservoir simulation using the open-source OPM Flow simulator, extending previous gas injection feasibility studies (Padder, 2026) through three systematic investigations: (1) grid refinement analysis comparing coarse (7×7×3, 147 cells) and refined (14×14×6, 1,176 cells) spatial discretization under [...]
Mid-crustal Origin of Alkaline Magmas in the Arosa Zone: Evidence from Primary Analcime and Xenolith Interaction at the Rothplattenbach Complex (Germany)
Published: 2026-02-13
Subjects: Geochemistry, Geology, Mineral Physics, Physical Sciences and Mathematics, Volcanology
The Rothplattenbach Complex (Arosa Zone, Germany) hosts alkaline magmatic rocks that provide unique insights into the mid-crustal evolution of water-saturated melts. This study presents a detailed phase-analytical investigation using XRD and SEM/EDX to characterize the primary magmatic mineralogy and its subsequent autometasomatic alteration. A key discovery is the occurrence of primary magmatic [...]
Multiple-Well Monitoring Site Adjacent to the Midway- Sunset and Buena Vista Oil Fields, Kern County, California
Published: 2026-02-12
Subjects: Earth Sciences, Geochemistry, Geology, Hydrology, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Groundwater quality in and around oil fields in the Southern San Joaquin Valley is of interest to many California residents that rely heavily on groundwater for domestic, commercial, and agricultural use. To help assess the effects of historical oil-field activities and natural geologic sources on groundwater near the southwest margins of the Kern County Groundwater Subbasin, a multiple-well [...]
Shifting the Paradigm: Redefining the Chronostratigraphy of the Triassic Rewan Group, Bowen Basin, Australia
Published: 2026-02-12
Subjects: Earth Sciences, Geology, Physical Sciences and Mathematics, Tectonics and Structure
The Triassic continental Rewan Group in the northern Bowen Basin, Queensland, Australia, consisting of the Sagittarius Sandstone and the Arcadia Formation, preserves a key record of terrestrial environments and faunas that have been assumed to document recovery following the end‑Permian mass extinction (EPME). The Rewan Group accumulated in a retroarc foreland basin during the Hunter–Bowen [...]
Systematic Evaluation of the Influence of Camera Placement and Settings on the Quality of Photogrammetric Models of Rocks
Published: 2026-02-05
Subjects: Geology, Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing, Other Computer Sciences, Other Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Despite the widespread adoption of photogrammetry across diverse disciplines, the relative influences of image acquisition parameters on the quality of photogrammetric models are seldom quantitatively understood. To address this, we conducted experiments under controlled lighting conditions, camera positions, and camera settings and evaluated the quality of the resultant models using both a [...]
Unconformity-related rare earth element mineral potential of Australia
Published: 2026-01-28
Subjects: Geology, Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing, Other Earth Sciences
Heavy rare earth elements (HREE) are critical for the transition to net zero in addition to being key to manufacturing defense technologies. Unconformity-related rare earth element (REE) deposits represent an important source of HREE, including key elements such as dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb). Given the strategic importance of these critical minerals to the national economy, a national-scale [...]
A New Paradigm for High-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal: Intrinsic Radionuclide Properties and Comparative Hazard
Published: 2026-01-21
Subjects: Environmental Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Geochemistry, Geology
This paper develops a hazard- and pathway-based framework for high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal grounded in intrinsic radionuclide decay characteristics, geochemical behavior, and comparative hazard. We examine the physical and geochemical properties of key radionuclides and quantify lifetime cancer risk from chronic ingestion on a per-unit-mass basis using established regulatory [...]
Magmatic degassing as the primary source of salt in Archean oceans
Published: 2026-01-21
Subjects: Earth Sciences, Geochemistry, Geology, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
The salinification of Earth’s early oceans impacted both the climate and the evolution of life. However, available halogen data of Archaean seawater samples are at apparent odds with a conventionally assumed mantle origin of sea salt, highlighting a critical lack of mechanistic understanding of how the Archaean oceans became salty. Here, we present new triple halogen (Cl-Br-I) data from high [...]
Last Interglacial shoreline successions in southeastern Australia: A framework for identifying a waning mantle upwelling, neotectonic movements and sea-level change
Published: 2026-01-18
Subjects: Earth Sciences, Geology, Geophysics and Seismology, Tectonics and Structure
Relict shoreline successions are critically important for investigations of recent tectonism, as they are commonly amenable to dating and may provide information about surface displacement and changes in sea level since their deposition. In this study, Last Interglacial (MIS 5e; 128–116 ka) shoreline successions from 47 locations across southeastern Australia are reviewed. The surface [...]
Role of Lithospheric and Upper-Mantle Heterogeneities in Controlling Intraplate Seismicity in Central and Southeastern Brazil
Published: 2026-01-11
Subjects: Earth Sciences, Geology, Geophysics and Seismology
Seismicity in Central and Southeastern Brazil is spatially heterogeneous, with active zones showing little correspondence to major geological provinces, a pattern typical of many intraplate settings worldwide. While previous studies have explored possible controls using geophysical observations, the relative roles of crustal and upper-mantle heterogeneities in shaping the regional stress fields [...]