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David Nash Education: |
Geology
for Engineers and Architects:
Introduction to physical geology with particular emphasis on processes and
materials of interest or importance to Civil Engineers and Architects. The
course is required for undergraduate majors in Civil and Environmental engineering. Geomorphic Processes: Junior- to graduate-level, quantitative treatment of the mechanics of processes shaping the earth’s surface. The course is taken by students in Geology, Geography, Engineering, and Archeology. Ground-Water Geology: Introduction to the circulation and storage of ground water with emphasis on aquifer types and occurrence, recharge estimation, and well testing for geology, environmental science, and engineering students. Ground-Water Modeling: Introduction to modeling of ground-water flow. Primary emphasis is on numerical (finite differences) modeling. Starts with physics of ground-water flow, progresses to design and coding of simple computer models, and concludes with construction of MODFLOW models of local aquifer. Intended for advanced students in geology and engineering. Well-Head Protection: Capstone course providing practical application of ground-water concepts developed in previous courses in ground-water flow and chemistry, geomorphology, and glacial geology. Intended for environmental geology majors and students in environmental engineering. |
Geomorphology: Hillslope evolution: I am particularly interested in changes in the morphologic changes in simple hillslopes developed unconsolidated materials as the slopes degrade with time. Most of the work has been funded by the USGS and has led to the application of the diffusion model of hillslope evolution to hillslopes formed by wave and fluvial undercutting, and by normal faulting. The work has led to the development of SLOPEAGE, a popular computer program for the morphologic dating of hillslopes. Much of this work is summarized in Nash (1986). Fluvial sediment transport: Fluvial processes dominate the formation of our local geology. Several of my graduate students have studied the influence of base-level rise on channel aggradation patterns (i.e., do downstream factors influence base level in upstream reaches of a fluvial system?). I have also re-evaluated the Wolman and Miller Magnitude-Frequency analysis as it applies to the transport of suspended sediment (Nash, 1994). Ground-Water Geology I hold a faculty part-time appointment with the California District of the USGS, WRD as a ground-water hydrologist. I was involved in a major ground-water flow and solute transport model of the Lompoc basin (Bright, Nash., and Martin, 1997) and am currently working on a ground-water flow model for the Menlo Park area. Most of my current graduate students are involved in ground-water studies of the local area (e.g., Kris Field’s thesis). A topic of particular relevance to the local ground-water system is the interaction of surface water and ground water in alluvial aquifers. One of my students is conducting a study in cooperation with the City of Springfield, Ohio on the interaction of Mad River with the well field. As a class project in Well-Head Protection, my students, colleagues, and I worked on a ground-model and well-head protection area delineation for various public water suppliers in Warren County, Ohio. Remote Sensing I developed an interest in thermal infrared geologic remote sensing while a National Research Council postdoctoral fellow at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. My worked involved the feasibility of using thermal remote sensing to detect thinly buried geologic features (a simple, non-geologic example of the concept may be found here). This work is summarized in Nash (1988) (which received the Autometrics Best Paper award from the American Society of Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing). References: Bright, D.J., and Nash, D.B., and Martin, P. 1997. Evaluation of ground-water flow and solute transport in the Lompoc area, Santa Barbara County, California. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigation Report 97-4056. 113p. Nash, D.B. 1986. Morphologic dating and degradation of fault scarps. In Active Tectonics, Panel on Active Tectonics, National Academy of Science, p. 181-194. Nash, D.B. 1988. Detection of a buried horizon with a high thermal diffusivity using thermal remote sensing. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing. 54:1437-1446 Nash, D.B. 1994. Effective sediment-transporting discharge from magnitude-frequency analysis. Journal of Geology. 102:79-95. |
Department
of Geology Box
210013 ttel:
513-556-3732 fax: 513-556-6931 |