Detecting Strain in the Yucca Mountain Area, Nevada

Savage, J. C.; Connor, Charles B.; Stamatakos, John; Ferrill, David A.; Hill, Brittain E.; Davis, J. L.; Wernicke, Brian P.; Bennett, Richard A.

doi:10.1126/science.282.5391.1007b

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…The claim of anomalous strain was countered by Savage [1998] who reported a N65°W strain rate of 8 ± 20 nanostrain yr −1 . They found that Wernicke et al [1998] had not included monument instability in their error budget and did not give proper weight to the effects of the 1992 Little Skull Mountain earthquake.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing claims about volcanic disruption of a potential geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Coleman

Abramson

Marsh

2004

Geophysical Research Letters

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[1] Yucca Mountain is a potential repository site for highlevel radioactive waste. We examine claims that the frequency of future basaltic dike intersection could be 1 Â 10 À6 /yr or higher (i.e., on average, one penetration every million yrs). These claims fail simple tests at four time scales. Spatial-temporal models that predict intrusion frequencies >2 Â 10 À7 /yr are overly pessimistic because no dikes have been found in the 13 Myr-old potential repository footprint. More realistic models are developed by considering this non-detection of dikes and by applying probabilistic hazard assessments based on known patterns of Pleistocene volcanism. Using a hazard assessment code, we estimate the frequency of dike intersection at 5.4 Â 10 À8 /yr with an upper 95% confidence bound of 9.8 Â 10 À8 /yr.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing claims about volcanic disruption of a potential geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Coleman

Abramson

Marsh

2004

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…If true, this change in regional recurrence rate would increase the upper bound of the hazard estimate to --• 10-r'/yr. Although the magnitude of these GPS strain rates [Savage, 1998] and their interpretation in terms of hazard rates are debated ], such data illustrate how hazard rates can be affected by improved understanding of the geology of the volcanic systems.…”

Section: Impact On Probability Estimatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If true, this change in regional recurrence rate would increase the upper bound of the hazard estimate to --• 10-r'/yr. Although the magnitude of these GPS strain rates [Savage, 1998] fr(x, y) probability density function to weight Xx,y using additional information. Q• integrated weighting factor.…”

Section: Impact On Probability Estimatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geologic factors controlling patterns of small‐volume basaltic volcanism: Application to a volcanic hazards assessment at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Connor¹,

Stamatakos²,

Ferrill³

et al. 2000

J. Geophys. Res.

152

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“…Crustal strain rates vary throughout the Basin and Range Province of the western United States. Strain monitored at the Nevada Test Site (Figure 1) by geodetic measurements indicates a strain rate of 8 to 50 nanostrain/yr with extension occurring in the northwest orientation [ Wernicke et al , 1998; Savage , 1998]. This measurement was taken roughly 40 km north of Devils Hole (25 km from study area) and is used in the following numerical calculations.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

An investigation of regional tectonic strain on water levels in Devils Hole, Death Valley National Park, Nevada

Robertson

Cutillo

2007

Geophysical Research Letters

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[1] Changes in hydraulic head at Devils Hole due to regional tectonic deformation were estimated using aquifer properties and the volumetric strain field present through the Great Basin in the western United States. Devils Hole is a large fault cavern located along a 15 km spring discharge line in a carbonate-rock aquifer, 240 km west of Las Vegas, Nevada. Geodetic measurements indicate that extensional strain in the Devils Hole area is oriented N 65 W and has a rate of 8 nanostrain/yr. Changes in hydraulic head due to strain were calculated and then used as initial conditions in a calibrated numerical ground-water flow model. Results of this analysis show that tectonic deformation could produce up to 0.02 cm/yr of water-level decline in Devils Hole. However, this rate is relatively small in comparison to rates caused from other factors such as natural recharge and ground-water pumping.

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Detecting Strain in the Yucca Mountain Area, Nevada

Cited by 7 publications

References 25 publications

Testing claims about volcanic disruption of a potential geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Testing claims about volcanic disruption of a potential geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Geologic factors controlling patterns of small‐volume basaltic volcanism: Application to a volcanic hazards assessment at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

An investigation of regional tectonic strain on water levels in Devils Hole, Death Valley National Park, Nevada

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