Videos

In this demonstration video, you will learn how to create and update geologic unit polygons using the PGM Toolbox Build Polygons tool. The PGM toolbox is online.

Computer simulation of two planets undergoing a giant impact that results in a merger (accretion). The larger (target) body is one tenth the mass of the Earth and the smaller (impactor) body is 70% the mass of the target. The planets are colliding at 1.08 times their mutual escape velocity, which equates to 3.63 km/s.

Computer simulation of two planets undergoing a hit-and-run giant impact. This style of collision comprises around half of the giant impacts expected to occur during the latter stages of Solar System formation. The larger (target) body is one tenth the mass of the Earth and the smaller (impactor) body is 70% the mass of the target.

Computer simulation of two planets undergoing a disruptive giant impact. Disruptive collisions are not expected to be common in Solar System formation and due to numerical effects, the amount of disruption shown here is likely overestimated. The larger (target) body is one tenth the mass of the Earth and the smaller (impactor) body is 70% the mass of the target.

Flyover of Valles Marineris, the "Grand Canyon" of Mars, highlighting two analysis-ready datasets provided by USGS. The canyon is more than 4,000 km (2,500 miles) long and up to 7 km (23,000 ft) deep.

In this demo, you will learn how to create a custom projection in ArcGIS Pro, using data that is not located on Earth. For this example, we will use the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Wide Angle Camera (WAC) mosaic of the Moon, and create custom polar and equatorial projections.

In this demo, you will learn how to create a topographic profile in ArcGIS Pro, using data that is not located on Earth. For this example, we will use Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Context Camera (CTX) orthoimagery and a derived digital elevation model of Jezero crater, Mars.

Gearing up for Landing Day - An Interview with USGS Scientist and Mars Rover Team Member, Dr. Ryan Anderson

Gearing up for Landing Day - An Interview with USGS Contractor and Mars Rover Team Member, Alicia Vaughan

Gearing up for Landing Day - An Interview with USGS Scientist and Mars Rover Team Member, Dr. Ken Herkenhoff

This video animates the 1:75,000 scale geologic map of Jezero crater, Mars, which is the landing site for the Mars 2020 mission and Perseverance rover, scheduled to land in February, 2021.

This video highlights two mosaics of the Jezero crater landing site on Mars made by the USGS Astrogeology Science Center to support the Mars 2020 mission, as well as several key locations that the Perseverance rover may visit once it is on the surface.

This animation shows a rotating globe of the new Unified Geologic Map of the Moon with shaded topography from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA). This geologic map is a synthesis of six Apollo-era regional geologic maps, updated based on data from recent satellite missions. It will serve as a reference for lunar science and future human missions to the Moon.

The Rise of the USGS in Space Exploration: How the Astrogeology Science Center is integral to the past, present, and future investigation of the Solar System.

By Justin J. Hagerty, Director of the Astrogeology Science Center

Before landing on the surface of the moon in 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin needed a training ground that matched their destination's cratered surface.

Review of all elements included in the GIS template provided to NASA-funded mappers producing USGS SIM-series planetary geologic maps.

A tour of the Planetary Geologic Mapping Python toolbox, a suite of GIS tools from the Astrogeology Science Center.
 

An introduction to GIS data using ArcMap 10.1 and higher; intended for planetary geologic mappers. 
 

Roving on Mars: Curiosity's exploration of Gale Crater

* Overview of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission
* Highlights from 5 years of exploring sedimentary environments
* Preview of next steps in Curiosity's climb up Aeolis Mons

Flyover of the southeast Ceti Mensa map. Distinct groups of rock layers, called geologic units, are shaded in different colors, with dark browns representing the oldest rocks and green representing the youngest rocks. All of these rocks formed as wind-blown sand that became trapped in shallow, ephemeral lakes, similar to the wet playas of the desert southwest US.

An animation of the USGS topographic map of Mercury created using images from NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft.