USGS - science for a changing world

Science Topics

Maps, Imagery, and Publications Hazards Newsroom Education Jobs Partnerships Library About USGS Podcasts/RSS
You are here: Topics > Earth characteristics
Help
Atmospheric properties
Characteristics of the mass of gases surrounding the earth such as composition, temperature, pressure, and humidity.
Subtopics:
Air temperature (10 items)
Atmospheric composition (11 items)
Related topics:
Results 1 - 21 of 21 listed by similarity [list alphabetically]
PDF A climate trend analysis of Chad [More info]
Long-term reduction in rainfall and increasing temperature threaten Chad's future food production prospects; combined with rapid population growth and zones of substantial conflict, increasing numbers of people will be at risk.
PDF A climate trend analysis of Ethiopia [More info]
Recent trends in March-June, June-September, and March-September rainfall and temperature, identifying significant reductions in rainfall and increases in temperature over time in this area.
PDF A climate trend analysis of Mali [More info]
Summer rains have remained steady for the past 20 years, but are below the long-term average. Current population and agricultural trends indicate increasing yields have offset population expansion, keeping per capita cereal production steady.
PDF A Climate Trend Analysis of Niger [More info]
While summer rains have increased during the past 20 years, temperatures have increased as well, amplifying the effects of droughts. Crop yields are low but the population is growing, pointing to rising food insecurity.
PDF A climate trend analysis of Sudan [More info]
The data shown here depict drying trends in one of the world's most food insecure regions. Decreasing rainfall since 1980 accompanied increases in air temperature greater than global warming.
PDF A climate trend analysis of Uganda [More info]
Long-term reduction in rainfall and increasing temperature threaten Uganda's future food production prospects; combined with rapid population growth these factors could increase the number of people who are at risk during the next 20 years.
Acid rain and our Nation's Capital [More info]
Describes noticeable effects of acid rain on the building stones and monuments in Washington, DC.
PDF Assessing carbon stocks, carbon sequestration, and greenhouse-gas fluxes in ecosystems of the United States under present conditions and future scenarios [More info]
Congress asked us (in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007) to figure out how to assess the effects of carbon storage, sequestration, and greenhouse gas fluxes in our ecosystems. Here's how we plan to do that.
Benchmark glaciers [More info]
Summary of the USGS benchmark glacier program to intensively monitor climate, glacier motion, glacier mass balance, glacier geometry, and stream runoff at three glacier basins, Gulkana and Wolverine in Alaska and South Cascade in Washington.
Biological resource status and trends: Contaminants in air [More info]
Information concerning status and trends of biological resources, focusing on contaminants in air
Coal-bed methane: potential and concerns [More info]
Fact sheet in PDF format on occurrence and recoverability of coalbed methane in the U.S. and related environmental concerns.
Data for giant constrictors - Biological management profiles and an establishment risk assessment for nine large species of pythons, anacondas, and the boa constrictor [More info]
Locations for nine species of large constrictors, from published sources, along with monthly precipitation and average monthly temperature for those locations. Shapefiles for each snake species studied.
PDF Emissions from Coal Fires and Their Impact on the Environment [More info]
Reviews how coal fires occur, how they can be detected by airborne and remote surveys, and, most importantly, the impact coal-fire emissions may have on the environment and human health, especially mercury, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane.
Global Change Hydrology Program (hydroclimatology) [More info]
Review of the Global Change Hydrology Program components relating to hydroclimatology and studies of the biogeochemistry of greenhouse gases with links to research activities, datasets, fact sheets, and other publications and websites.
National assessment of mercury in aquatic ecosystems [More info]
Overview of three research programs including determining levels of mercury at selected sites in water, sediment and fish, mercury emissions into the atmosphere, and mercury cycling in the Everglades National Park, Florida.
Ozone in our air - friend or foe? - depends on where [More info]
Article on ozone layer and ozone as a pollutant from the weekly newsletter Volcano Watch (Hawaiian Volcano Observatory) for August 20, 2001.
Potential effects of anthropogenic greenhouse gases on avian habitats and populations in the Northern Great Plains [More info]
Report on effects of the increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide on plants and animals, especially birds, in the Great Plains including effects of carbon dioxide fertilization, ultraviolet radiation, climate change, and harmful effects on bird habitats.
PDF The Cottonwood Lake study area, a long-term wetland ecosystem monitoring site [More info]
Here we study effects of climate and groundwater on surface-water levels, the hydrological effects on wetland water chemistry, and the combined effects of climate, hydrology, and water chemistry on plant and animal communities of prairie pothole wetlands.
PDF The Yukon River Basin Active Layer Network: A cooperative project between the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council and the U.S. Geological Survey [More info]
Monitoring soil temperature, soil moisture, air temperature, and overall thickness of the soil and sediment that is above the permafrost, therefore undergoing freeze-thaw cycles. Climate change may affect this active layer; we want to know how it does.
Understanding our planet through chemistry [More info]
Site with a series of articles showing how chemists and geologists use analytical chemistry to determine the age of the Earth, determine Earth's history, predict volcanic eruptions, observe long-term atmospheric change and study pollution.
USGS guide to federal environmental laws and regulations [More info]
Guide to major U.S. environmental statutes and corresponding regulations on air quality, fish and wildlife conservation, cultural and historic resources, solid and hazardous substances, public lands, farmlands, and water resources.
Alphabetical Index of Topics a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

Take Pride in America logo USA.gov logo U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.usgs.gov/science//science/science.php?term=67&n=22
Page Contact Information: Ask USGS