Images

A white-fronted goose flies over a nesting area near Point Lonely, Alaska. For more information about this USGS study read "Effects of industrial and investigator disturbance on Arctic-nesting geese" at: https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70192845

The Wolverine Glacier weather station was installed in 1968, and at 3250 ft is the highest elevation long-term weather record on the Kenai Peninsula. On October 19, 2020, USGS scientists upgraded the power system to a Lithium battery bank and installed a radar-based precipitation sensor (Lufft WS-100) to compare with the weighing based precipitation gage.

Black Oystercatcher on Gull Island, Kachemak Bay, Alaska 

An aerial view of the upper cracks in the Wolverine Glacier icefall as sunset approaches.

The Wolverine Glacier weather station was installed in 1968, and at 3250 ft is the highest elevation long-term weather record on the Kenai Peninsula. In Ocotober 2020, USGS scientists upgraded the power system to a Lithium battery bank and installed a radar-based precipitation sensor (Lufft WS-100) to compare with the weighing based precipitation gage. The

The Wolverine Glacier weather station was installed in 1968, and at 3250 ft is the highest elevation long-term weather record on the Kenai Peninsula.

The Wolverine Glacier weather station was installed in 1968, and at 3250 ft is the highest elevation long-term weather record on the Kenai Peninsula. Close up of the new radar precipitation sensor on the top of the pole. The crazy looking thing in the middle of the picture is an aspirated temperature sensor.

USGS scientists Robin Beebee (left) and Jeff Conaway use a boat-mounted multibeam echosounder to map river bathymetry around bridge piers in the Copper River Delta of Alaska. The bathymetric mapping is part of a streambed scour study conducted in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.

Blue River confluence with Unuk River in the volcanic Iskut-Unuk River Cones region. The Unuk River is one of the transboundary watersheds of Southeast Alaska.

Unuk River waterfalls from old lava pipes. Volcanic lava pipes form as the result of violent eruptions of deep-origin volcanoes. The Unuk River is one of the transboundary watersheds of Southeast Alaska.

Pelagic cormorant, sitting on a cliff on Gull Island, which is located at Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

Three thick-billed Murres perched on the Pribilof Islands, off the coast of the mainland, Alaska.

Ablation stakes on Gulkana Glacier, Alaska. Late summer fieldwork on Gulkana Glacier reveals ablation stakes emerging from the ice. Measurements of the change in the height of the snow and ice at these stakes is one aspect of determining glacier mass balance.

A Common Murre holds a Northern Ronquil in its bill. Photo taken at Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

Fairweather Range, Alaska. The mountain range spans across Alaska and the Canadian province of British Columbia. Photo taken while flying over range.

Variation of weathering and lichen growth on the rock surface reveals veins and segregated zones with different mineralogy. 

USGS Biologist Caitlin Marsteller prepares to release a Black Oystercatcher after assisting with the collection of morphometric data and tagging. Data were collected from Black Oystercatchers as part of a new study to better understand migration strategies and movement ecology of the species.

Brian Robinson (USGS) and Ben Weitzman (NOAA) record observations along nearshore transects in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. USGS is studying the migration strategies and movement ecology of Black Oystercatchers as part of the new tracking study.

USGS Biologist Caitlin Marsteller releases a Black Oystercatcher after assisting with the collection of morphometric data and tagging. Data were collected from Black Oystercatchers as part of a new study to better understand migration strategies and movement ecology of the species.

A group of Pacific walruses during summer in the Chukchi Sea

Glaucous-winged gull with externally attached GPS satellite transmitter, Soldotna, Alaska