College of Arts & Sciences Earth Sciences

Mark R. Sweeney

Mark Sweeney
Associate Professor
Earth Sciences, College of Arts & Sciences
UAK Akeley-Lawrence Science Center 311
Phone: 605-677-6142
Research Interests:
I conduct a variety of research projects related to sedimentology & geomorphology. My expertise is in the generation and the deposition of dust.
Education:
  • Ph D, Geology, Washington State University, 2004
  • MS, Geosciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1999
  • BS, Geology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1997
Grants:
  • Acquisition of a Portable In Situ Wind Erosion Lab (PI-SWERL) for research in Earth Sciences, NSF, (2011 - 2012)
  • Collaborative Research: Mechanisms Producing Variation in Lake Salinity in Dune Environments: Nebraska, NSF, (2010 - 2011)
  • Collaborative Research: Linking loess landforms and eolian processes, NSF, (2009 - 2011)
  • Where does dust originate? Geomorphic and climatic control on the evolution of dust sources in the Mojave Desert, USA, NSF, (2007 - 2010)
  • USD Bush Grant, USD Continuing Education, (2008 - 2008)
  • Travel grant, Office of Research, (2006 - 2006)
Publications:
  • Sweeney, M., McDonald, E., Markley, C., Alluvial sediment or playas: what is the dominant source of sand and silt in desert soil Av horizons, southwest USA, Journal of Geophysical Research - Earth Surface.
  • Loope, D., Elder, J., Sweeney, M., (2012), Downslope coarsening in aeolian grainflows of the Navajo Sandstone, Sedimentary Geology/ Elsevier, vol. 265-266, pp. 156-162.
  • McDonald, E., Sweeney, M., Busacca, A., (2012), Glacial outburst floods and loess sedimentation documented during oxygen isotope stage 4 on the Columbia Plateau, Washington State, Quaternary Science Reviews/ Elsevier, vol. 45, pp. 18-30.
  • King, J., Etyemezian, V., Sweeney, M., Buck, B., Nikolich, G., (2011), Dust emission variability at the Salton Sea, California, USA, Aeolian Research/ Elsevier, vol. 3, pp. 67-79.
  • Sweeney, M., McDonald, E., Etyemezian, V., (2011), Quantifying dust emissions from desert landforms, eastern Mojave Desert, USA, Geomorphology/Elsevier, vol. 135, pp. 21-34.
  • Kavouras, I., Etyemezian, V., Nikolich, G., Gillies, J., Sweeney, M., Young, M., Shafer, D., (2009), A new technique for characterizing the efficacy of fugitive dust suppressants, Journal of Air and Waste Management/Air and Waste Management Assoc, vol. 59, pp. 603-612.
  • Sweeney, M., Etyemezian, V., Macpherson, T., Nickling, W., Gillies, J., Nikolich, G., McDonald, E., (2008), Comparison of PI-SWERL with dust emission measurements from a straight-line field wind tunnel, Journal of Geophysical Research - Earth Surface/Americal Geophysical Union, vol. 113.
  • Sweeney, M., Busacca, A. J., Gaylord, D. R., (2007), Eureka Flat: a long-term dust-production engine of the Palouse loess, Pacific Northwest, USA, Quaternary International/Elsevier, vol. 162-163, pp. 76-96.
  • Etyemezian, V., Nikolich, G., Ahonen, S., Pitchford, M., Sweeney, M., Purcell, R., Gillies, J., Kuhns, H., (2007), The Portable In-Situ Wind Erosion Laboratory (PI-SWERL): A new method to measure PM10 windblown dust properties and potential for emissions, Atmospheric Environment/Elsevier, vol. 41, pp. 3789-3796.
  • Sweeney, M., McDonald, E., Etyemezian, V., Caldwell, T., Bacon, S., Baker, S., DuBois, D., King, J., (2007), Assessment of potential playa and lake analogues to the Salton Sea in support of the Programmatic Environmental Impact Report, Desert Research Institute, p. 60.
  • Etyemezian, V., Sweeney, M., McDonald, E., Caldwell, T., Gillies, J., Nikolich, G., Xu, J., (2006), Measurement of windblown dust emission potential and soil characteristics at the Salton Sea in support of the Programmatic Environmental Impact Report: Final Report., Desert Research Institute, p. 177.
Awards and Honors:
  • Gladys W. Cole Memorial Research Award, Geological Society of America, 2009
Presentations:
  • Mason, J., Hanson, P., Sweeney, M., Loope, H., Xiaodong, M. (2012, December). Aeolian morphodynamics of loess landscapes. Presented at the American Geophysical Union, San Francisco.
  • Sweeney, M., Zlotnik, V., Joeckel, R., Gates, J., Stout, J. (2012, November). Preliminary results of dust emission data from Yellow Lake playa, West Texas, USA. Presented at the Geological Society of America, Charlotte, NC.
  • Sweeney, M. (2012, May). Eureka Flat: Engine of the Palouse Loess. Presented at the Loess Conference and field trip.
  • Biesecker, Shmagin, 10 others, Sweeney, M. (2012, April). Uncertainty of Hydrologic Events under South Dakota’s Changing Conditions: Research Plan. Presented at the South Dakota Academy of Sciences, Vermillion, SD.
  • Sweeney, M., Mason, J., Hanson, P. (2011, October). Formation of large linear troughs and streamlined ridges by direct deflation of Peoria Loess, Nebraska, USA. Presented at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN.
  • Bacon, S., McDonald, E., Sweeney, M., Amit, R., Enzel, Y., Courvi, O. (2011, July). Emission of PM10 and total suspended particulate matter from desert landforms across the southwestern U.S. and Israel: Implications for near-surface and atmospheric dust loading models.. Presented at the International Quaternary Assoc (INQUA) XVIII, Bern, Switzerland.
  • Mason, J., Sweeney, M., Hanson, P. (2011, April). Evidence for eolian remobilization of loess in the central Great Plains, USA, and implications for paleoclimatic interpretation of the loess record. Presented at the European Geophysical Union, Vienna, Austria.
  • McDonald, E., Sweeney, M. (2010, October). Extensive eolian activity during OIS 4-3 as recorded by paleoflood evidence and regional sedimentation patterns of loess on the Columbia Plateau, Washington State. Presented at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Denver, CO.
  • Sweeney, M., McDonald, E., Hanson, P., Young, A. (2010, October). Using luminescence dating to deciper the timing and origin of eolian Av horizons, southwest US. Presented at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Denver, CO.
  • Irvine, Z., Sweeney, M., Mason, J. (2010, October). Using the PI-SWERL to evaluate sources of loess in Nebraska. Presented at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Denver, CO.
  • Rathbun, K., Sweeney, M. (2010, April). Source and paleoclimatic significance of loess in southeast South Dakota. Presented at the Geological Society of America Rocky Mountain Section Meeting, Rapid City, SD.
  • Sweeney, M., Erickson, E., Cowman, T. (2010, March). The challenge of identifying sediment sources in superimposed fluvial channels: the Missouri and James rivers, South Dakota. Presented at the MRNRC Conference and BiOp Forum, Nebraska City, NE.
  • King, J., Etyemezian, V., Sweeney, M., Buck, B. (2009, December). Dust emission variability at the Salton Sea, California. Presented at the American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
  • Caldwell, T., Sweeney, M., Bacon, S., McDonald, E. (2009, December). Hydraulic gradient and dust emissivity along a playa to distal fan transect. Presented at the American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
  • Roberts, H., Gaylord, D., Foit, F., Sweeney, M., Busacca, A. (2009, December). Shedding new light on the age of the Palouse Loess, southeastern Washington, using optically stimulated luminescence dating of quartz. Presented at the American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
  • Erickson, E., Sweeney, M., Cowman, T. (2009). Differentiating Missouri and James river sediments in South Dakota using grain size and geochemical methods. Presented at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.
  • Lundstrom, S., Cowman, T., Holbrook, J., Paces, J., Hanson, P., Dillon, J., Sweeney, M., Jacobson, R., B, H., J, A. (2009). Geological mapping and research along the Missouri National Recreational River, Nebraska and South Dakota: Integration of results and significance to hydrogeologic and ecologic issues. Presented at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.
  • Sweeney, M., McDonald, E., Etyemezian, V. (2009). Quantification of dust emissions from desert landforms, using the PI-SWERL, southern California. Presented at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.
  • Markley, C., Sweeney, M., McDonald, E. (2008, October). Compositional variability of dust-producing landforms in the Mojave Desert of southern California. Presented at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Houston, TX.
  • Sweeney, M., Gaylord, D., Busacca, A. (2008, October). Using soils, tephras, and luminescence to reveal the Holocene record of loess in the Pacific Northwest. Presented at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Houston, TX.
  • Sweeney, M. (2008, February).
  • Etyemezian, V., Sweeney, M., Nickling, W., Gillies, J., McDonald, E. (2006, December). Seasonal dust emissions measured from shorelines at the Salton Sea, southern California. Presented at the American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
  • Sweeney, M., Gaylord, D., Busacca, A., Richardson, C., Reyerson, P., Blinnikov, M. (2006). A new luminescence chronology and paleoecologic history of Holocene loess, Pacific Northwest, USA. Presented at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Gillies, J., Etyemezian, V., Sweeney, M., Nickling, W., King, J. (2006, September). Factors Controlling the Spatial and Temporal Variability of Dust Emissions. Presented at the 7th International Symposium on Environmental Geochemistry, Beijing, China.