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Images

Browse images from a wide range of science topics covered by USGS. All items in this gallery are considered public domain unless otherwise noted.

Filter Total Items: 1594
Person in a blue jacket working at a weather station in the snow with mountains in the background
Installing a camera at the Mt. Foraker weather station in Denali National Park
Installing a camera at the Mt. Foraker weather station in Denali National Park
Installing a camera at the Mt. Foraker weather station in Denali National Park

Zan Frederick (USGS) installing a camera on the Mt. Foraker weather station, located on the southeast ridge at 7,826'. Mt. McKinley (20,320 ft) and Mt. Hunter (14,573 ft) are in the background. This site is a collaboration between USGS, Denali National Park, and the National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring program.

Zan Frederick (USGS) installing a camera on the Mt. Foraker weather station, located on the southeast ridge at 7,826'. Mt. McKinley (20,320 ft) and Mt. Hunter (14,573 ft) are in the background. This site is a collaboration between USGS, Denali National Park, and the National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring program.

Person in blue jacket at a weather station on snow with the sunshine, mountains, and a red helicopter in the background
Installing a camera at the Mt. Foraker weather station in Denali National Park
Installing a camera at the Mt. Foraker weather station in Denali National Park
Installing a camera at the Mt. Foraker weather station in Denali National Park

Zan Frederick (USGS) installing a camera on the Mt. Foraker weather station, located on the southeast ridge at 7,826'. This site is a collaboration between USGS, Denali National Park, and the National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring program. The camera transmits low-latency images once daily in winter and hourly during the busy summer season.

Zan Frederick (USGS) installing a camera on the Mt. Foraker weather station, located on the southeast ridge at 7,826'. This site is a collaboration between USGS, Denali National Park, and the National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring program. The camera transmits low-latency images once daily in winter and hourly during the busy summer season.

Black outline of Alaska with purple, orange, and green circles with numbers and a bar plot corresponding to the colors
Bar plot showing the percentage of Chinook salmon with evidence of heat stress across Alaska
Bar plot showing the percentage of Chinook salmon with evidence of heat stress across Alaska
Bar plot showing the percentage of Chinook salmon with evidence of heat stress across Alaska

Bar plot showing the percentage of Chinook salmon with evidence of heat stress in each group based on the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) protein concentration data. Map indicates sample collection locations. Sample groups are arranged by region from north to south: Norton Sound (purple), Yukon (orange), and Kuskokwim (green).

Bar plot showing the percentage of Chinook salmon with evidence of heat stress in each group based on the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) protein concentration data. Map indicates sample collection locations. Sample groups are arranged by region from north to south: Norton Sound (purple), Yukon (orange), and Kuskokwim (green).

Black and white three-ring binders with content labels.
Shelf of legacy seabird data
Shelf of legacy seabird data
Shelf of legacy seabird data

A shelf full of legacy data collected on seabirds in Cook Inlet and Glacier Bay, Alaska.

White and brown carboard boxes stacked on top of each other.
Physical data ready for archive
Physical data ready for archive
Physical data ready for archive

Alaska Science Center Data Management staff organize, scan, and digitally archive physical data. Once published as part of a data release, the physical data are organized and placed into banker boxes, labeled with pertinent information, such as the data release DOI, and moved to a secure location.

Alaska Science Center Data Management staff organize, scan, and digitally archive physical data. Once published as part of a data release, the physical data are organized and placed into banker boxes, labeled with pertinent information, such as the data release DOI, and moved to a secure location.

pale orange river flowing into a clear blue river.
An orange tributary of the Kugururok River in Noatak National Preserve, Alaska
An orange tributary of the Kugururok River in Noatak National Preserve, Alaska
An orange tributary of the Kugururok River in Noatak National Preserve, Alaska

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Brown vegetation and a small stream.
Acidic waters kill and blacken vegetation as they plunge downhill towards the Nakolikurok Creek
Acidic waters kill and blacken vegetation as they plunge downhill towards the Nakolikurok Creek
Acidic waters kill and blacken vegetation as they plunge downhill towards the Nakolikurok Creek

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Pale orange river entering clear blue river.
An orange tributary of the Kugururok River in Alaska's Noatak National Preserve
An orange tributary of the Kugururok River in Alaska's Noatak National Preserve
An orange tributary of the Kugururok River in Alaska's Noatak National Preserve

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

A pale orange and clear blue river mixing.
Mixing of an orange tributary and Kugururok River, Noatak National Preserve, Alaska
Mixing of an orange tributary and Kugururok River, Noatak National Preserve, Alaska
Mixing of an orange tributary and Kugururok River, Noatak National Preserve, Alaska

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Black vegetation surrounding a creek.
An acid seep on the Nakolikurok Creek
An acid seep on the Nakolikurok Creek
An acid seep on the Nakolikurok Creek

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Pale orange creek flowing into clear blue river.
Orange waters mixing in to the mainstem of the Kugururok River
Orange waters mixing in to the mainstem of the Kugururok River
Orange waters mixing in to the mainstem of the Kugururok River

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Bear tracks in an orange-stained river.
Bear tracks in an orange tributary of the Kugururok River, Noatak National Preserve, Alaska
Bear tracks in an orange tributary of the Kugururok River, Noatak National Preserve, Alaska
Bear tracks in an orange tributary of the Kugururok River, Noatak National Preserve, Alaska

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

A white net in an orange creek.
Drift net collecting samples in orange tributary of Anatok Creek, Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska
Drift net collecting samples in orange tributary of Anatok Creek, Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska
Drift net collecting samples in orange tributary of Anatok Creek, Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Faint orange creek running through green brush.
Anatok Creek, Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska
Anatok Creek, Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska
Anatok Creek, Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

map of placer tailing samples in Alaska.
Alaska locations of USGS placer tailings sampling sites
Alaska locations of USGS placer tailings sampling sites
Alaska locations of USGS placer tailings sampling sites

Map showing locations of placer mines in the Alaska Resource Data File (ARDF, red crosses), primary mineral districts that contain targeted critical minerals (black boxes) and locations that were sampled by the USGS in 2022 through 2024 (yellow stars).

Map showing locations of placer mines in the Alaska Resource Data File (ARDF, red crosses), primary mineral districts that contain targeted critical minerals (black boxes) and locations that were sampled by the USGS in 2022 through 2024 (yellow stars).

Three scientists stand on a bridge above a flooded river holding a rope attached to scientific equipment in the water below.
USGS Measures Glacial Flooding in Juneau, Alaska
USGS Measures Glacial Flooding in Juneau, Alaska
USGS Measures Glacial Flooding in Juneau, Alaska

USGS scientists measure flooding on the Mendenhall River as water releases from Suicide Basin’s glacier-dammed lake on August 13, 2025. 

USGS scientists measure flooding on the Mendenhall River as water releases from Suicide Basin’s glacier-dammed lake on August 13, 2025. 

Yellow sunset over mountains and water.
Sunset over Katmai
Sunset over Katmai
Sunset over Katmai

The sun sets over Katmai National Park and Preserve. Katmai is one of four monitoring sites for the Nearshore Component of the Gulf Watch Alaska program.

The sun sets over Katmai National Park and Preserve. Katmai is one of four monitoring sites for the Nearshore Component of the Gulf Watch Alaska program.

Two boats anchored to a rocky shoreline.
Waiting for passengers at Katmai National Park and Preserve
Waiting for passengers at Katmai National Park and Preserve
Waiting for passengers at Katmai National Park and Preserve

Ridged hull inflatable skiffs are used by scientists to conduct rocky intertidal monitoring for the Nearshore Component of the Gulf Watch Alaska program. Data are collected to estimate percent cover and densities of intertidal invertebrates and algae to assess change in communities from sheltered rocky shorelines.

Ridged hull inflatable skiffs are used by scientists to conduct rocky intertidal monitoring for the Nearshore Component of the Gulf Watch Alaska program. Data are collected to estimate percent cover and densities of intertidal invertebrates and algae to assess change in communities from sheltered rocky shorelines.

A hand in a purple glove holds a black tube.
A retrieved HOBO temperature logger at Katmai National Park and Preserve
A retrieved HOBO temperature logger at Katmai National Park and Preserve
A retrieved HOBO temperature logger at Katmai National Park and Preserve

A scientist holds a HOBO temperature logger that was recently retrieved from a sampling site at Katmai National Park and Preserve. The sensor end of the HOBO was partially covered by a small sea star (Leptasterias spp.) when recovered from the site. The temperature loggers record the water temperature.

A scientist holds a HOBO temperature logger that was recently retrieved from a sampling site at Katmai National Park and Preserve. The sensor end of the HOBO was partially covered by a small sea star (Leptasterias spp.) when recovered from the site. The temperature loggers record the water temperature.

A yellow and black bumble bee feeding on a yellow flower.
Bumble bee pollinating a wild celery (Angelica lucida) flower at Katmai National Park and Preserve
Bumble bee pollinating a wild celery (Angelica lucida) flower at Katmai National Park and Preserve
Bumble bee pollinating a wild celery (Angelica lucida) flower at Katmai National Park and Preserve

A native bubble bee pollinates a wild celery. There are 22 species of bumblebees in Alaska and all are essential pollinators during the short growing season.

Two people looking through telescopes.
Scientists observing foraging sea otters through telescopes
Scientists observing foraging sea otters through telescopes
Scientists observing foraging sea otters through telescopes

A pair of scientists observe sea otter foraging behavior at Katmai National Park and Preserve. Questar telescopes are used to assist with prey identification.

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