Department: WRI
Subspecialty: Analytical Chemistry
Current Research Description: 1. Development of new (patent pending) X-Wand device and ASTM method for measueing halogenated volatile organic compounds (HVOC) such as trichloroethylene (TCE) in water (or soil)down to 1 part per billion. 2. Developing new methods for measuring well tracers in water for EORI projects.
Key Words: Trichloeoethylene, HVOC, Well tracers, Water analysis
Publications: “Field Validation of the X-Wand Sensor Device for Screening Halogenated Volatile Organic Compound (HVOC) Contamination in Water, J.F. Schabron, S.S. Sorini, J.F. Rovani, Jr., and T.M. Bomstad, Report to U.S. Department of Defense, Concurrent Technologies Corp., 2005. “Development of a Standard Test Method for Screening Trichloroethylene (TCE)-Contaminated Soil Using a Heated Diode Sensor” S.S. Sorini, J.F. Schabron, J.F. Rovani, Jr., and T.M. Bomstad, ASTM International Research Report RR:D34-1017, November 2005. “Field Screening for Halogenated Volatile Organic Compounds: The New X-WandTM HVOC Screening Device”, J.F. Schabron, S.S. Sorini, and J.F. Rovani, Jr., WRI Final Report to DOE under Cooperative Agreement DE-FC21-98FT40322, 2005.
Graduate Support: No

Department: Zoology & Physiology
Subspecialty: Aquatic biogeochemistry, aquatic toxicology
Current Research Description: Bioavailability of metals to aquatic organisms; influence of biofilm on diel cycling of metals in streams; effects of coalbed natural gas product water on aquatic organisms
Key Words: Metals, coalbed natural gas, toxicity, bioavailability, biofilm
Publications: Meyer, J.S., W.J. Adams, K.V. Brix, S.N. Luoma, D.R. Mount, W.A. Stubblefield and C.M. Wood (eds.). 2005. Toxicity of Dietborne Metals to Aquatic Organisms. SETAC Press, Pensacola, Florida, USA; Morris, J.M., A.M. Farag, D.M. Nimick and J.S. Meyer. 2005. Does biofilm contribute to diel cycling of Zn in High Ore Creek, Montana? Biogeochemistry 76:233-259; Clearwater, S.J., B.A. Morris and J.S. Meyer. 2005. Potential effects of coalbed natural gas product waters on surface waters in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming. Wyoming State Geological Survey Public Information Circular 43:14-15.
Graduate Support: Yes

Department: Renewable Resources
Subspecialty: Ecohydrology, plant water relations, isotope hydrology, climate change ecology
Current Research Description: Interactions and feedbacks between vegetation dynamics and hydrological processes in riparian and upland systems. Plant response to precipitation variability and change. Interactions between water and carbon cycles in arid and semiarid terrestrial ecosystems.
Key Words: Stable isotopes, ecohydrology, plant ecophysiology, global change ecology, ecosystem ecology
Publications: Williams, D.G. and R. Scott. Vegetation-hydrology interactions: Dynamics of riparian plant water use along the San Pedro River, Arizona. In Stromberg, J. and B. Tellman (eds) Riparian area conservation and ecology in a semi-arid Region: the San Pedro River example. (in press). Williams, D.G., J. Coltrain, M. Lott, *N. English, and J.R. Ehleringer. 2005. Oxygen isotopes in cellulose identify source water for archeological maize in the American Southwest. Journal of Archaeological Science 32:931-939. Williams, D.G., *W. Cable, *K. Hultine, J.C.B. Hoedjes, *E. Yepez, V. Simonneaux, S. Er-Raki, G. Boulet, H.A.R. de Bruin, A. Chehbouni, O.K. Hartogensis and F. Timouk. 2004. Components of evapotranspiration determined by stable isotope, sap flow and eddy covariance techniques. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 125:241-258.
Graduate Support: Yes

Department: Atmospheric Sciences
Subspecialty: atmospheric science
Current Research Description: Precipitation formation over mountains in Wyoming, using King Air and Wyoming Cloud Radar. It is well-accepted that a definive test of the viability of cloud seeding to enhance snowfall by having seeded plumes scanned by cloud radar. Such test is feasible with our current equipment, but at this time we have no funding for it. We do have a WWDC/USGS grant to study orographic precipitation enhancement in natural (unseeded) conditions.
Key Words: cloud precipitation orographic radar aircraft
Publications: None at this time. Another proposal is in preparation, so this is a new, long-term development.
Graduate Support: Yes

Department: GEOL
Subspecialty: Hydrology, Fluvial systems, dynamics of cold regions water flow systems
Current Research Description: -glacial hydrology and the interaction between snow melt, climate and glacier motion -snow pack change under conditions of changing climate and the relation between changing climate and the runoff from the Greenland Ice sheet -geomorphic impacts of coal bed methane discharge waters on low order stream channels -anchor ice/sediment interactions in cold regions rivers -river erosion in the Himalaya
Key Words: glacier, snowmelt, anchor-ice, fluvial geomorphology
Publications: Harper, J. T., and Humphrey, N.F., 2003, High altitude Himalayan climate inferred from glacial ice flux: Geophysical Research Letters, 30, n. 14., HLS 3 1-4. Humphrey, N. F., and Konrad, S. K., 2000, River incision or diversion in response to bedrock uplift: Geology, 28, 43-46. Pfeffer,W.T., and Humphrey, N.F., 1998, Formation of ice layers by infiltration and refreezing of meltwater, Annals of Glac., V. 26, p 83-91.
Graduate Support: Yes