Niem, Alan Randolph
Oregon State University
Science

Phone: (541) 737-1233
Fax: (541) 737-1200
E-Mail: niema@geo.oregonstate.edu

Position: Professor Emeritus
Appointed:2000

Qualifications:
B.S., Geology, Antioch College, 1966;
M.S., Geology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1968;
Ph.D., Geology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1971

Membership:
Geological Society of America;
American Association of Petroleum Geologists;
Society for Sedimentary Geology;
International Working Group on Volcanogenic Sediments;
Northwest Energy Association;
Oregon Academy of Science;
Sigma Xi

Past Positions:
1972-1985, 1991, United States Geological Survey, Western Regional Geology Branch, Geologist

Expertise:

My current research has expanded upon my 25+ years experience in the geology of the Tertiary sedimentary and volcanic rocks of western Oregon and Washington. I have conducted and continue my research in the Olympic Mountains of Northwest Washington (with the United States Geological Survey) and in the Oregon and Washington Coast Range (Astoria, Grays Harbor, Tillamook, Newport, and Tyee basins). My research interests and capabilities have expanded from classical stratigraphy and sedimentary petrology to basin analysis in which not only do I conduct investigations with the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and microprobe, I also do field work and analyze seismic reflection records both onshore and offshore. Most of my petrographic work is with clastic sedimentary rocks, especially volcaniclastic rocks. My fascination with the interaction of volcanic and sedimentary processes has led to research with various workers in many locales. I am particularly interested in continuing my investigation of the Columbia River Basalt Group at the Miocene shoreline in the Astoria basin of Northwest Oregon.

As a follow up to my work on volcaniclastics in western Oregon in which I was joined by Peter Ballance of the University of Auckland (New Zealand), I hope to do similar studies in New Zealand. During my 1985-86 sabbatical, I expanded my research capabilities in sedimentary petrology through extensive use of the microprobe and scanning electron microscope in investigating diagenesis and development of secondary porosity in clastic rocks of the Cook Inlet, Alaska. In addition to my work with clastic rocks, I also enjoy working with modern and ancient carbonates (refer to bibliography: Niem, 1989).

Other Expertise:
Academic Experience:
Hydrogeology, water supply in sedimentary rocks and unconsolidated sediments especially in coastal areas.

Language: reading, writing, speaking; scale: 1 (basic) to 3 (fluent):

Spanish: 1, 1, -

Publications:

McKnight, B. K., Niem, A. R., Kociolek, P., and Renne, P., Origin of a freshwater-diatom-rich pyroclastic-debris-flow deposit in a shallow-marine Tertiary forearc basin, NW Oregon: Journal of Sedimentary Research, v. A65, no. 3, p. 505-512, 1995;

Kvenvolden, K.A., Lorenson, T.D., and Niem, A. R., Natural hydrocarbon gases in the Coast Range of southern Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 95-93, 19 p., 1995;

Niem, A. R. and Niem, W. A., 1990, Geology and oil, gas, and coal resources, southern Tyee Basin, southern Coast Range, Oregon: Oregon Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries, Open-File Report 0-89-3, 11 tables, 3 plates, 44 pages;

Niem, A. R., Snavely, P. D., Jr., and Niem, W. A., 1990, Onshore-offshore geologic cross section from the Mist Gas Field, northern Oregon Coast Range, to the northwest Oregon continental shelf and slope: Oregon Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries Continental Margin Transect OGI-17, 1 plate, 46 pages;

Niem, A. R., 1989, Coral and limestone, carbonate cements in siliciclastic rocks, and chalk from dredge samples, Solomon Islands and Bougainville, Papua New Guinea; in Vedder, J. G. and Bruns, T. R. (eds.), Geology and offshore resources of Pacific Island arcs - Solomon Islands and Bougainville, Papua New Guinea regions: Circum-Pacific Council for Energy and Mineral Resources, Earth Science Series, v. 12, p. 175-202

Description:
USA, Northwest; Petrology; Sedimentary Geochemistry; 100500 100500

Keywords:
clastic sedimentary petrology; carbonate petrology; clastic diagenesis; stratigraphy; volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks; volcanic rock; northwest Washington; basin analysis; Oregon; regional geology; Columbia River Basalts

Industrial Relevance:
petroleum exploration; petroleum production research