This book presents the theory of machine learning (ML) algorithms and their applications to geoscience problems. Geoscience problems include traveltime picking of seismograms by a fuzzy cluster method, migration and inversion of seismic data by neural network (NN) methods, geochemical analysis and dating of rock samples by Gaussian discriminant analysis, convolutional neural network (CNN) picking of faults, cracks, and bird types in images, Bayesian inversion of seismic data, clustering of earthquake data and semblance plots, principal component analysis of seismic data and geochemical records, filtering of seismic sections, seismic interpolation by an NN, transformer analysis of seismic data, and Recurrent NN deconvolution of a seismic trace. More than half of the described algorithms fall under the class of neural network methods. Their description is at a level that can be understood by anyone with a modest background in linear algebra, calculus, and probability. An elementary working knowledge of MATLAB is useful and almost every chapter is accompanied by lab exercises to reinforce the ML principles: lab exercises are at http://utam.gg.utah.edu/Classes/ML/LAB1/index.labs.html . Contributions of geoscience ML labs from readers will be welcome, and vetted labs will be posted to make this an evolving document of fast-growing ML methods. YouTube lectures associated with some chapters will be posted as well, e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEjUYeIKAjo . For readers unfamiliar with MATLAB or Python, many of the labs use the CoLaboratory (CoLab) notebook, which is an easy-to-use product from Google that allows for the execution of Keras-based ML computer codes. It also provides for the free use of a cloud-based GPU processor that can be accessed as soon as you log into the site. There is no need for the troublesome installation of notebook software.

Intended for Earth scientists and historians of science, this well-illustrated book recounts the development of the understanding of magnetic, electric, gravitational, seismic, thermal, geodynamic and radioactive phenomena; the subsequent emergence of ‘physics of the Earth’ (which became ‘geophysics’) as a unique study area, and its instrumentation. Biographical information is given for many of the investigators.

The success of exploration and development in the oil and gas industry largely depends on the seismic method, which in turn is dependent on seismic interpretation. This success is because seismic data provide a detailed image of the subsurface, providing not only an image of the current reflector geometries, but through the geoscientist's understanding of geologic processes, of the geologic past. Whether analyzing migrated gathers or stacked traces, the processed seismic data are in the form of reflection amplitudes. Skilled interpreters identify the presence of hydrocarbons by recognizing anomalous high, low, or dim amplitudes. They identify lateral changes in thickness or lithology of thin layers by recognizing lateral changes in amplitude, frequency, and phase of the seismic wavelet. Interpreters also identify faults by recognizing abrupt lateral changes in wavelet alignment and/or reflector orientation, and they differentiate seismic noise by applying their understanding of seismic data acquisition and processing techniques. Not all interpreters are highly skilled in understanding the limitations of seismic acquisition and processing. Nor are all interpreters comfortable with how the seismic data respond to subtle changes in stratigraphy, to architectural elements of depositional systems, to structural components of tectonic deformation, to changes in reflection pattern due to diagenesis, or the amplitude response to hydrocarbons or CO 2 . Seismic attributes quantitively capture effects that a skilled interpreter sees in reflector amplitude, frequency, phase, bandwidth, continuity, orientation, and signal-to-noise ratio. These attributes are not magical; rather they quantitatively map predefined families of patterns seen in the seismic amplitude data. In 2024, seismic attributes and impedance inversion provide excellent images of subtle features in good-quality data that are easy to overlook, especially given the time constraints for interpretation projects. In contrast, attributes have limited value in the analysis of very noisy or poorly imaged data. Here, the human interpreter's ability in pattern recognition along with an understanding of geologic processes and artifacts in seismic data processing is superior to the fixed patterns programmed into today's attribute and impedance inversion algorithms. Seismic attributes extend the concepts of seismic geomorphology, enabling the mapping of structural and stratigraphic features. In combination with impedance, they also facilitate the recognition of seismic facies, and when calibrated with well data, they help predict lithology, porosity, and fluid content. The successful application of seismic attributes requires an understanding of not only their physical principles but also a grasp of seismic data quality and geologic processes. An interpreter may encounter hundreds of attributes ranging from RMS amplitude, spectral components, coherence, curvature, AVO, to impedance and attenuation. Many of these attributes are the same but masquerade with different names, while others are redundant, providing nearly identical results. Still others may prove to be of little practical value. The authors' aim is to provide clarity and organization to this overwhelming list of attributes and guide interpreters in selecting the most appropriate ones for specific objectives.

This volume focuses on similarities and differences of meandering patterns across various landscapes and scales. It explores how different processes are expressed in the kinematics, morphology, sedimentology and stratigraphic architecture of meandering streams. Results from various fields and environments are combined to describe the state-of-the-science on meandering patterns.

Our seismic data are a kind of digital palimpsest: a manuscript written on imperfectly erased reused paper that contains multiple overlapping layers of writing. Each layer of writing has its own story; it may be fresh and distinct, easy to read, or broken up into fragments and faded into near invisibility. In our processing we typically pay the most attention to the data layer that we plan to use for imaging, and ignore the others to the extent that we can get away with doing so. The deeper layers become “noise”. However, the better we can understand the various layers of the data, the better we can turn each layer into either additional useful signal or structured (i.e. predictable) noise. Preserving the structure of the noise is important. It allows us to do better, possibly much better, than we could by treating it as Gaussian random noise. For random noise the best we can typically do is stacking. While stacking is a powerful tool, its noise-suppression abilities are effective only up to a point. Each incremental increase in the stack size N costs the same to acquire, yet results in ever less S/N improvement. Even worse, noise in real data often contains statistical outliers that will dominate over the noise-suppression power of stack as N becomes large. We can damage our data at every step of the process from acquisition to final delivered product. If you are not checking for problems, you may be unaware that anything is amiss. The next game-changing improvement in our ability to guide business decisions by producing higher-quality Earth images may only happen if we can treat our seismic data with greater scientific rigor than has been standard practice. The goal of this book is to teach you the skills that you will need to do that.

Geological sciences are perhaps the least diverse of all the sciences. Recently, gender equity has approached parity within the student population, but professionally, people of color and differently abled people are still underrepresented in the geosciences. This book presents the autobiographies of eight professional earth scientists from underrepresented groups. They relate the joys and horrors; the help and the harm; and the care, hatred, and indifference they saw in their quests for earth science careers. All became successful, most often despite their circumstances, finding the courage to resist and even fight through the prejudice, bias, ignorance, and indifference that still characterize our society and our profession today. Their stories are unique, yet the reader will see many common threads that describe how these individuals persevered in their dreams to become professional earth scientists.

Eight field guides take you to a variety of locations in southern California, USA, and beyond. Explore basaltic volcanoes in Hawai‘i (active!) and California’s Mojave Desert (Miocene to Quaternary). Learn about the geology and paleontology of some of southern California’s top attractions: Disneyland and the La Brea Tar Pits. Study post-fire debris flows in the San Bernardino Mountains and magmatic fracture systems in Yosemite National Park. Investigate the geologic history of the Santa Monica Mountains and Santa Cruz Island. These field guides from the GSA Connects 2024 meeting in Anaheim, California, are an indispensable resource for geology enthusiasts!

The Geology of Scotland is a fully revised and updated key text celebrating Scotland's onshore and offshore geology. It provides a modern review of advances in our understanding over the last two decades of academic and applied research. The volume is broad based, aimed at undergraduates, academic- and industry-based geoscientists, policy makers and amateur geologists.

Igneous processes within sedimentary basins impact energy resource plays across a range of scales from regional tectonics to reservoir porosity. Understanding these interactions has a direct influence on hydrocarbon, carbon capture, geothermal, hydrogen and helium projects. This volume demonstrates state of the art thinking around these often complex systems.

Geomechanics has a marked impact on safe and sustainable use of the subsurface. This Special Publication contains contributions detailing the latest efforts in present-day in-situ stress characterization, prediction and modelling on a borehole to plate-tectonic scale. A particular emphasis is on the uncertainties that are often associated with geomechanics.

This volume samples global geoheritage locales that impacted the history of geological understanding. From internationally celebrated sites to sacred indigenous areas, contributing authors celebrate a rich geological history and the preservation of Earth's geodiversity – providing cautionary tales of exceptional sites that were almost lost to future generations.

This volume showcases recent geological, geophysical and geochemical research on the UK Mississippian Bowland Shale Formation. Here, the Bowland Shale and equivalent units are described and interpreted in terms of sedimentary, geochemical, and mechanical properties and processes, basin-forming events, hydrocarbon prospectivity, mineralization, and heat and fluid flow in the subsurface.

The four guides in this volume are associated with the GSA 2024 Joint North-Central and South-Central Section Meeting in Springfield, Missouri, USA, near the heart of the Ozarks physiographic province. They explore urbanization in a karst terrane as well as the geology and genesis of the Viburnum Trend Mississippi Valley–type ore district. One chapter tackles the trace fossils and paleosalinity of the Northview Formation. The last chapter addresses the geology of the Ouachita Mountains and linkages to North American late Paleozoic orogenesis.

The Inland Pacific Northwest documents geologic processes from Proterozoic time to the Present. This volume presents field trips from the 2024 GSA Cordilleran and Rocky Mountain Joint Sections Meeting, exploring the genesis of bedrock in Idaho, Neoproterozoic development of supercontinents in Washington, Cambrian tectonic and biostratigraphic history of Washington, and paleoecology of Miocene woodlands in Idaho. An overview of Pleistocene megaflood effects is shown through outcrops and drone images. Advances in understanding of the Columbia River Basalt Group are presented with a strong emphasis on volcanology and flood basalt evolution. The story of the Sevier orogeny accretionary margin is examined, as are the landmark studies of the Mesoproterozoic Belt Basin through a Missoula to Spokane transect.

A tribute to the career of J. Brendan Murphy, this volume covers topics that encompass the three main fields of his influence: (i) supercontinents and the supercontinent cycle; (ii) orogenesis and terranes; and (iii) magmatism and magmatic processes. Papers range from strongly field-based studies to conceptual analyses, and focus on clarifying some crucial geological processes.

The three field guides in this volume explore facets of the geology of western North Carolina, USA. The trip to Buck Creek and Chunky Gal Mountain examines high-temperature mafic and ultramafic rocks interpreted to be part of a dismembered ophiolite thrust onto Laurentian crust during the Taconic orogeny. The second trip traverses rugged terrain along the Blue Ridge Escarpment from near the South Carolina state line to Hickory Nut Gorge just southeast of Asheville to examine rockfalls, rockslides, debris flows, and debris slides triggered by extreme rainfall events. The trip to Sparta, North Carolina, highlights the results of interdisciplinary studies among collaborators following the 2020 M w 5.1 earthquake.

From planetary surfaces to crystals and their boundaries, maps are fundamental tools for developing geological knowledge. This book spans not only these scales but also the history of earth science – exploring techniques and applications. It celebrates geological mapping in developing knowledge of Earth and planetary evolution and processes.

The spatial extent and quality of seismic and subsurface datasets have substantially improved in recent years due to traditional hydrocarbon activities and the emergence of green technologies like offshore wind. This Special Publication investigates the opportunities for (re)investigating past environments using seismic geomorphology and its integration with other datasets.

Wildfire biogeomorphology is an integrative science fundamental in understanding the dynamic processes of adjustment that occur after wildfires. This volume draws together interdisciplinary studies that highlight key insights important to support heterogeneity, biodiversity, and resilience in fluvial ecosystems. Post-wildfire sediment pulses that change the physical elements of fluvial habitat may be transitory or long-lasting, for example, depending on variations in post-wildfire climate conditions. How biological processes and feedback alter post-wildfire geomorphic responses is also important to enhance ecosystem resilience. The syntheses point to greater emphasis on integrated approaches to advance strategies for ecosystem management toward conservation, restoration, and sustainable practices, in particular, to accommodate multiple possible postfire disturbance and recovery trajectories.