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Alan F. Halfen
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Publications/Presentations |
Research Interests |
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Manuscripts: Halfen, A.F., Koop, A.N., Johnson, W.C., (2011 in review). Eolian dune fields of Kansas: a map to guide the search for Paleoindian sites. Current Research in the Pleistocene 28. Halfen, A.F., Fredlund, G.G., and Mahan, S.M., 2010. Late Quaternary Geochronology and Stratigraphy of the Casper Dune Field, Casper, Wyoming, USA. The Holocene 20(5): 773–783. Halfen, A.F., Fredlund, G.G., and Mahan, S.M., 2010. Late Quaternary Geochronology and Stratigraphy of the Casper Dune Field, Casper, Wyoming, U.S.A. The Holocene 20(5): 773–783 Halfen, A.F., and Hasiotis, S.T., 2010. Traces and Burrowing Behaviors of the Western Harvester Ant Pogonomymrex occidentalis: Paleopedogenic and Paleoecological Significance. PALAIOS 25(11): 1–15 Day, M.J., Halfen, A.F., Chenoweth, S., 2010. Boundaries and Disturbance in the Cockpit Country, Jamaica. In Van Baynen, P. (ed.) Karst Management, Springer, U.S.A. Halfen, A.F., and Hasiotis, S.T., 2010. Downward Thinking: Rethinking the “Up” in Soil Bioturbation. In: Gilkes, R.J., and Prakongkep, N., (eds). Proceedings of the 19th World Soil Congress; Soil Solutions for a Changing World. Published on DVD, http://www.iuss.org: 1–4. Hasiotis, S.T., and Halfen, A.F., 2010. The Story of O: The Dominance of Organisms as a Soil-Forming Factor From a Geologic Perspective and Neoichnological Approach. In: Gilkes, R.J., and Prakongkep, N., (eds). Proceedings of the 19th World Soil Congress; Soil Solutions for a Changing World. Published on DVD, http://www.iuss.org: 1–4. Presentations: Halfen, A.F., 2011. The Past, Current, and Future of North American Great Plains Dune Field Research: Linking Chronological Data to Climate. 18th Congress of the International Union for Quaternary Research, Bern, Switzerland. Halfen, A.F., and Johnson, W.C., 2011. Medieval Climatic Anomaly and Little Ice Age Dune Activity in the Arkansas River Valley, Central Great Plains, USA. 18th International Union for Quaternary Research Congress, Bern, Switzerland. Halfen, A.F., Johnson, W.C., Hanson, P.R., Spencer, J.Q.G., Woodburn, T.L., and Young, A.R., 2011. Rapid climate shifts, dune activity, and megadroughts in the central Great Plains around the Medieval Climatic Anomaly and Little Ice Age. Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, USA. Johnson, W.C., Mason, J.A., Woodburn, T.L., Halfen, A.F., Hasiotis, S.T., and Moore, R., 2011. The Pleistocene–Holocene Transition in the Central Great Plains: An Unashamed Lust for Loess. Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, USA. Halfen, A.F., Johnson, W.C., Hanson, P.R., Woodburn, T.L., and Young, A.R., 2010. A New High-Resolution Chronology of Megadrought following the Medieval Climatic Optimum and Little Ice Age in the Central Great Plains, USA. American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California U.S.A. Halfen, A.F., Johnson, W.C., Hanson, P.R., Woodburn, T.L., and Young, A.R., 2010. New ages of dune activity during and following the Medieval Climatic Anomaly on the eastern margin of the Great Plains. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. Halfen, A.F., Johnson, W.C., Hanson, P.R., Spencer, J.Q.G., and Young, A.R., 2010. Geomorphology and activation chronology of the Arkansas River dune field. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. Rockel, R.A., Wooten, S.M., Sanderson, B.F., Halfen, A.F., and Johnson, W.C., 2010. Geological mapping and stratigraphic characterization of alluvial landforms within the lower Kansas River valley: an undergraduate USGS EDMAP experience. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. Halfen, A.F., 2010. The Great Plains’ oldest dunes: Preliminary results and landscape history of the Robinson Tract. Kansas Biological Survey Colloquium Series. Lawrence, Kansas, U.S.A. Halfen, A.F., and Hasiotis, S.T., 2010. Downward Thinking: Rethinking the “Up” in Soil Bioturbation. 19th World Soil Congress, Brisbane, New Queensland, Australia. Halfen, A.F., and Hasiotis, S.T., 2010. New Insights of Soil Bioturbation by the Ant and Other Soil-Dwelling Organisms: Modern and Paleopedologic Significance. American Association of Petroleum Geologist International Conference and Exhibition, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A. |
Ongoing Research Projects Quaternary Dune Atlas (International Union of Quaternary Research project 0704): This international research collaboration aims to develop a global database of eolian dune fields. I serve as a regional correspondent for North America.www.inquadunesatlas.dri.edu. (Nick Lancaster, Desert Research Institute; Steve Wolfe, Geological Survey of Canada; and others) Use of stereoscopic displays for teaching physical geography: Supported by NSF, this two-year study seeks to investigate the benefits of using a stereoscopic display (“GeoWall”) to teach undergraduate students concepts in physical geography. I serve as a researcher assistant responsible for developing and implementing course materials. (Terry Slocum, Steve Egbert, Bill Johnson, University of Kansas; Dave McDermott, Haskell University; and others) Archaeology and OSL dating of coastal dunes, Florida, USA:Severe weather events are quickly eroding the shorelines on northwestern Florida taking important archaeological sites with them. This research exams a coastal dune system, their evolution, and their use Paleoindian culture. (Bill Johnson, University of Kansas) Oklahoma silt dunes, Oklahoma, USA:Several eolian dune-like features are found in the panhandle of Oklahoma, however, these features are composed of silt, not sand. This research aims to investigate the origin and timing of these unique features. (Steve McGowen, NRCS; Brian Carter, Oklahoma State University; Lee Bement, University of Oklahoma; and others) Quaternary terrace mapping of the Kansas River, Kansas, USA: Four Quaternary alluvial terraces are found within the Kansas River valley. The goal of this research is to map and better define the age and stratigraphy of these terraces. (Bill Johnson, University of Kansas) Landscape and archaeological history of the Tanana River Lowlands, Alaska, USA: Sand dunes in the Tanana River Lowlands contain a rich record of early human occupation of interior Alaska. This research aims to better define the chronology and character of environmental change over the past 15,000 years. (Ed Gaines, Colorado State University and Bill Johnson, University of Kansas) Karst management in the Cockpit Country, Jamaica: Resource exploration and mining in the Cockpit Country of Jamaica has threatened one of the last pristine Karst landscapes of the Western Hemisphere. This and other research is being used to push for recognition of the Cockpit Country as a UN World Heritage Site. (Mick Day, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and Sean Chenoweth, University of Southern Florida) Phytoliths and regional climate signals from playa lakes in Texas, USA: Phytoliths are plant-specific, silica bodies, and are useful in defining Late-Quaternary climate. This research investigates whether phytoliths are regional or local indicators of climate. (Glen Fredlund, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee; Vance Holliday, University of Arizona; and James Mayer, Texas Christian University) Ant bioturbation and mixing rates: Ants, and other soil biota, are often underappreciated as a principle component of pedogenesis. This ongoing research uses a neoichnological approach to study the behaviors and quantify the soil-mixing rates of Ants. (Steve Hasiotis, University of Kansas) |
