Dr. Howard Mooers, Professor

Robert L. Heller Professor of Geology

Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

University of Minnesota Duluth

Email: hmooers [at] d.umn.edu

Phone: 218-726-7239

Curriculum Vitae

 

About My Research

My students and I focus our research in the broad areas of glacial geology, hydrogeology, air quality, and genesis of ore deposits. Much of my ongoing work focuses on reconstruction of large-scale flow patterns of the Laurentide Ice Sheet using dispersal of erratics and landform suites, particularly drumlins, eskers, and transverse ribbed moraine (Rogen moraine). Hydrogeology has always been of particular interest to me, particularly groundwater recharge at the regional scale. More recently, my research has focused on the reconstruction of air quality in central England during the Industrial Revolution. Weathering of lead-lettered marble gravestone provides an excellent record acid deposition. By measuring surface recession of marble gravestones in cemeteries across the Midlands of England, we can reconstruct the spatial and temporal history of acid deposition and air quality.

 

Another interest of mine in the genesis of ore deposits, and with the help of my colleagues Phil Larson (Hibbing Taconite Company) and George Hudak (Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI), University of Minnesota Duluth) we have explored the genesis of Neoarchean, Algoma-type iron formation in the Vermilion District. Our work in the Vermilion District of northern Minnesota also involves the genesis of peperite, rock formed essentially in situ by disintegration of magma intruding and mingling with unconsolidated or poorly consolidated, typically wet sediments.

 

Recent Publications

Pfannkuch, H-O., Mooers, H.D., Siegel, D.I., Quinn, J.J., and Rosenberry, D.O., (submitted) “Jacob’s Zoo”: How Using Jacob’s Method for Aquifer Testing Leads to More Intuitive Understanding of Aquifer Characteristics. Hydrogeology Journal.

Larson, P.C., Mooers, H.D., Berthold, A.J., and Kotrapu, K.M. (submitted). Sediment transport cycles of the Laurentide Ice Sheet I: Evolving bed conditions through the Wisconsin (MIS 5d-2) glacial cycle.

Mooers, H.D., Larson, P.C., Berthold, A.J., Kotrapu, K.M., Meyer, M.S., Kryzer, R. (submitted). Sediment transport cycles of the Laurentide Ice Sheet II: Sedimentology and glacial bedforms.

Mooers, H.D., Sugita, S., Moen, R., Pastor, J. (submitted). Mastodons and the Late Glacial vegetation of eastern North America.

Mooers, H.D.; Burley, P.D. (2020). Revisiting the Megalithic Yard. University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy.

Mooers, H.D., Jones, K.A., and van Scoy, M.S. (2020) Duct Tape Occlusion Therapy in the Treatment of Plantar Warts. University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy.

Mooers, H.D. and Massman, W.J., (2017). Gravestone decay and the determination of deciduous bulk canopy resistance to acid deposition. Science of the Total Environment, 578, pp. 551-556.

Mooers, H.D., Carlson, M.J., Harrison, R.M., Inkpen, R.J. and Loeffler, S., (2017). Correlation of gravestone decay and air quality 1960–2010, Atmospheric Environment, 152, pp.156-171.

 Inkpen, R., Mooers, H.D. and Carlson, M.J., (2016). Using rates of gravestone decay to reconstruct atmospheric sulphur dioxide levels. Area, 49(2), pp.174-184.,

Mooers, H.D., Cota-Guertin, A.R., Regal, R.R., Sames, T.R., Dekan, A.J., and Henlels, L.M., (2016). A 120-year Record of the spatial and temporal distribution of acid deposition, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom, Atmospheric Environment (127), February 2016, 139–154.

Mooers, H.D., Wiethoff, W.S., and Evich, A., (2016). Monitoring the Continuing Spectral Evolution of Nova Delphini 2013 (V339 Del) with Low Resolution Spectroscopy, Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Observers, v. 44, no.

Mooers, H.D. and Wiethoff, W.S., (2014). 125-Day Spectral Record of the Bright Nova 2013 Delphini (V339 Del), Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Observers. Vol. 42, 161-165,.

Larson, P.C., Knaeble, A., Mooers, H.D., and Marlow, L.M., (2014). The St. Louis Sublobe and Glacial Lake Upham, Fieldtrip guidebook for the 60th annual meeting of the Institute on lake Superior geology.

Mooers, H.D. and Bandli, B., (2013). Lutefisk: Secrets of the taste, texture, and aroma revealed by scanning electron microscopy, Journal of Irreproducible Results, v. 52, no. 2.

 

Recent Graduate Theses

Tovar Rodriguez, David F. (2020). A Possible Late Pleistocene Impact Crater in Central North America and its Relation to the Younger Dryas Stadial. MS Project, University of Minnesota Duluth.

Mattko, Matthew (2020). Ore Liberation and Characterization Using Electric Pulse Disaggregation and Other Novel Techniques. MS Thesis, University of Minnesota Duluth.

Budde, Nicholas (2020). Hydrology of Calcareous Fens within the Lake Agassiz Beach Ridge Complex, Northwestern MN. MS Thesis, University of Minnesota Duluth.

Drazan, Jacqueline L. (2019). A Genetic Model of Pillowed Dike and Peperite Formation Interpreted From Pleistocene and Archean Volcanogenic Sequences. MS Thesis, University of Minnesota Duluth.

Shull, Carolyn (2019). A tunnel speleothem based stable-isotope record of Atlantic Multi-Decadal Oscillation forcing of precipitation in the Midlands, United Kingdom, MS Thesis, University of Minnesota Duluth.

Kotrapu, Kristi, M. (2018). Estimating the Sliding Velocity of the Rainy Lobe Using Intermediate Clast Size in Lodgement Tills. MS Thesis, University of Minnesota Duluth.

Carlson, Michael (2017). A method for correlation of gravestone weathering and air quality (SO2), West Midlands, UK, MS Thesis, University of Minnesota Duluth.

Burley, Paul D. (2016). Myth as True History: Medicine Wheels and Landmarks as Boundary Markers of the Lakota World, MS Thesis, University of Minnesota Duluth.

Broderius, Lisa (2015). The Mid-Holocene record of lake level fluctuations and episodic eolian activity, Lake Winnibigoshish, North Central Minnesota, MS Thesis, University of Minnesota Duluth.

Thompson, Adam (2015). A Hydrothermal Model for Metasomatism of Neoarchean Algoma-Type Banded Iron Formation to Massive Hematite Ore at the Soudan Mine, NE Minnesota., MS Thesis, University of Minnesota Duluth.

Berthold, Angela (2015). Surface boulder concentrations of the Late Wisconsinan Rainy lobe, Minnesota, USA, MS Thesis, University of Minnesota Duluth.

Cota-Guertin, Avery (2012). Statistical analysis of the spatial and temporal distribution of acid deposition in the West Midlands, England, United Kingdom.  MS Thesis, University of Minnesota Duluth.

Recent Undergraduate Research Projects

Identification of Karst Features in the Portsdown Chalk Fm. from Aerial Photography, Dorset, UK. Morena Hammer.

Trends in lilac bloom dates across England, 1880-2015: Climate, elevation, and environmental effects. Nathan Koski.

Slope morphology of Icelandic fuglaþúfur, Iceland, Brittany Hoover.

Dimensional structure and origin of Rögen Moraine NE Minnesota, Robert Kryzer.

A Mathematical Framework for Biological Evolution based on Entropy, Haitao Shang.

Age and morphology of Neoglacial moraines, Skaftafellsjokull, Iceland, Cara Leitheiser.

Flow Patterns of the Laurentide Ice Sheet and Dispersal of Erratics, Grace Johnson.

Tombstone Corrosion and the Peppered Moth: Impacts of Acid Rain in England's Black Country, Amanda Putz.

Industrial Revolution, acid rain, and the increase in carbonate weathering rates near Birmingham, England:  Part 1, Point-source emissions and proximal weathering rates, Amanda Putz.

Industrial Revolution, acid rain, and the increase in carbonate weathering rates near Birmingham, England:  Part 2, Prevailing winds and baseline weathering rates, Jaclyn Berger.

Glacial landforms and recent retreat of Lewis Glacier, South Sister Mountain, Oregon, David Demmer.

Evaluation of the effect of culverts on stream channel morphology, Superior National Forest, Josh Dark.

Processes and rates of comminution in the basal debris layer of ice sheets, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, University of Minnesota, Keri Hager.

Spatial and temporal variation in evapotranspiration from boreal ecosystem wetlands, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, University of Minnesota, Danial Allison.

Direct measurement of evapotranspiration from boreal ecosystem wetlands using a portable ET chamber, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, University of Minnesota, Ryan Peterson.

On the timing of sand dune formation in Minnesota, independent research project, Eric Liestman.

Estimation of the spatial distribution of recharge over complex glacial sedimentary settings, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, University of Minnesota, P.M. Schulte.