Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

The primary mission of the Florence Bascom Geoscience Center (FBGC) is to provide detailed scientific data and assessments to support natural resource management, public safety, and national security. The FBGC specializes in:

Geologic mapping and hazards

Paleontology, stratigraphy, and environmental geology

Special geologic studies at the intersection of national security and mineral resources

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR WORK

USGS Scientists Help Address Conflict Mining

Artisanal miners digging a mining pit using simple tools such as shovels, buckets and water pumps.

The USGS has collaborated with several international organizations working to track and monitor illegal mining and armed groups funded by natural resources around the world.

See Featured Story

Mid-Atlantic Stream & Sediment Science

An image taken along Western Branch in Maryland

FBGC's ecologist Greg Noe's work is highlighted in this great article discussing legacy erosion and sedimentation in Mid-Atlantic watersheds.

View Story

Climate Change Impacts on Mangrove Forests

The shore along the edges of an island playa in Florida

FBGC scientists Miriam Jones and Lynn Wingard were recently interviewed by NPR regarding climate change and mangrove forests. 

Listen to Interview

Publications

Nanometer-scale relationships between sedimentary organic matter molecular composition, fluorescence, cathodoluminescence, and reflectance: The importance of oxygen content at low thermal maturities

Molecular characterization of sedimentary organic matter (SOM), termed macerals, is a common goal when seeking to understand petroleum generation as well as other geologic processes in deep time. However, unambiguous measurement of discrete macerals is challenging due to the small size of organic particles in sedimentary rocks, the proximity of different organic matter types to one...
Authors
Aaron M. Jubb, Paul C. Hackley, Ryan J. McAleer, Jing Qu
By
Energy Resources Program, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Properties of solid bitumen formed during hydrous, anhydrous, and brine pyrolysis of oil shale: Implications for solid bitumen reflectance in source-rock reservoirs

Solid bitumen reflectance (BRo in %) is widely used as a thermal maturity proxy in source-rock reservoirs, yet solid bitumen texture and physical attributes may be affected by varying environmental constraints during its formation, e.g., water saturation, mineral catalysis, or salinity. Herein we investigated the development of solid bitumen properties during artificial maturation using...
Authors
Paul C. Hackley, Justin E. Birdwell, Ryan J. McAleer
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Dynamic baseflow storage estimates and the role of topography, geology and evapotranspiration on streamflow recession characteristics in the Neversink Reservoir Watershed, New York

Estimates of dynamic groundwater volumes supplying baseflow to streams are important for water availability projections during extended periods of drought. The primary goals of this study were to provide dynamic storage volume estimates, inferred from streamflow recession analysis, for baseflow regimes within seven gaged catchments within the Neversink Reservoir Watershed (NRW), a...
Authors
Joshua R. Benton, Daniel H. Doctor
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center
View All

Science

link
Mangroves on the outside of a playa within Florida Bay

Coastal Wetland Vulnerability to Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise: Understanding Ecological Thresholds and Ecosystem Transformations

Eighteen USGS coastal scientists from all four coasts of the conterminous United States are working together to advance the understanding of climate change and sea-level rise impacts to coastal wetlands.
By
California Water Science Center, Chesapeake Bay Activities, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Great Lakes Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Western Geographic Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
link

Coastal Wetland Vulnerability to Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise: Understanding Ecological Thresholds and Ecosystem Transformations

Eighteen USGS coastal scientists from all four coasts of the conterminous United States are working together to advance the understanding of climate change and sea-level rise impacts to coastal wetlands.
Learn More
link
Image Collage of Landsat, pollinator, and volcanologist

Quaternary Geologic Mapping of the Glaciated Regions Project

Quaternary Geologic Mapping of the Glaciated Regions Project
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center
link

Quaternary Geologic Mapping of the Glaciated Regions Project

Quaternary Geologic Mapping of the Glaciated Regions Project
Learn More
link
Image Collage of Landsat, pollinator, and volcanologist

Task 3 - Geologic Mapping of the (other) Non-Coalition Glaciated States

The area encompassed by Task 3 comprises the non-coalition (other) states within the glaciated region, including Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and New Jersey. The primary objective of Task 3 is to continue the compilation of existing and create new 1:500,000-scale Quaternary geologic maps for the region, and to conduct new 1:24,000-scale mapping in areas of...
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center
link

Task 3 - Geologic Mapping of the (other) Non-Coalition Glaciated States

The area encompassed by Task 3 comprises the non-coalition (other) states within the glaciated region, including Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and New Jersey. The primary objective of Task 3 is to continue the compilation of existing and create new 1:500,000-scale Quaternary geologic maps for the region, and to conduct new 1:24,000-scale mapping in areas of...
Learn More
View All
Was this page helpful?