Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Geologic mapping

more...

Mineral resources

more...

Geothermal resources

more...

Geophysical mapping

more...

Climate studies

more...

Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Scientists with the GMEG Science Center work on issues related to geologic processes, mineral and energy resource potential, and past climate, primarily in the Western United States. The science staff includes Geologists, Geophysicists, Geochemists, Biologists, and Geographic Information Systems specialists located in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.

Primary Research Direction - What we do.

GMEGSC focuses on Geologic Mapping, Mineral Resources and Mineral Environmental Health, Landslide Hazards, Energy Resources, Earthquake Hazards, and Land Change Science.

Innovation - How we help.

GMEGSC hosts the USGS Innovation Center, which sponsors work with public and private technology partners to design, test, and bring into operation a new generation of technical and engineering tools to address urgent national natural science issues.

Disciplinary Expertise - How we do it.

GMEGSC utilizes Geologic Mapping and Tectonics, Geophysics, Economic Geology, Geochronology, Sedimentary Basin Studies and Energy Assessments, Landslide Hazards, Geomorphology, Paleoclimatology, and many more processes to complete our work!

News

Earth Science Matters - Vol. 21 | Issue 1

Earth Science Matters - Vol. 21 | Issue 1

Uncovering the Mysteries of the Bering Land Bridge

Uncovering the Mysteries of the Bering Land Bridge

Restoring Giants from the Ground Up: A Story of Fire, Soil, and Sequoias

Restoring Giants from the Ground Up: A Story of Fire, Soil, and Sequoias

View All

Publications

Long-term intermittent connection between the western Snake River Plain and Columbia basin: A two-phased incision history of Hells Canyon Long-term intermittent connection between the western Snake River Plain and Columbia basin: A two-phased incision history of Hells Canyon

For more than a century, researchers have debated the route of the Snake River across the northern Cordillera and U.S. Pacific Northwest, including the associated incision history of Hells Canyon. Here, we use detrital zircon U-Pb provenance analysis of Miocene strata upstream and downstream of Hells Canyon to constrain the evolution in fluvial pathways over time. Downstream of Hells...
Authors
Lydia M. Staisch, Jim E. O'Connor, Charles M. Cannon, Christopher S. Holm-Denoma, Maxwel Fredrick Schwid
By
Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Controls on natural hydrogen generation during serpentinization of mantle rocks Controls on natural hydrogen generation during serpentinization of mantle rocks

Mantle rocks undergoing serpentinization can generate significant amounts of natural hydrogen, yet the rates and controlling processes remain poorly understood. Here, we constrain the possible hydrogen generation rates in two distinct mantle rock types, the fertile lherzolites of the Western Pyrenees and the depleted harzburgites of Northern California, to relatively low rates of ~0.1 to...
Authors
Rodolfo Christiansen, Mohamed Sobh, Christian Ostertag-Henning, Guido Gianni, Nicolas Saspiturry, Sebastien Chevrot, Victoria Langenheim, Javier Garcia-Pintado, Gerald Gabriel
By
Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Post-fire soil hydrologic response and recovery in northern California (USA) Post-fire soil hydrologic response and recovery in northern California (USA)

Background Wildfires abruptly change landscapes by altering soil properties and vegetation cover. These changes are thought to reduce soil infiltration capacity, making landscapes susceptible to runoff and erosion. However, post-fire soil response is complex and likely varies across locations and time.Aims Here, we aim to understand regional post-fire soil response and recovery by...
Authors
Corina Cerovski-Darriau, Kimberlie Perkins, Courtney Creamer, Jeff P. Prancevic, Jonathan D. Stock
By
Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center
View All

Science

Colored map of Quaternary geology of Santa Cruz Island

Geologic Mapping for Landscape Resiliency in California, Oregon, and Washington

This project uses geologic and geomorphic mapping in the context of societally relevant problems in the Earth’s critical zone. Leveraging interdisciplinary research ties and interagency collaborations, it utilizes remote sensing data, corroborated with field observations, to determine i) the spatial distribution of geomorphic processes and ages of Quaternary deposits in the context of active...
By
Earthquake Hazards Program, Landslide Hazards Program, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, Earthquake Science Center, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Big Sur Landslides
Geologic Mapping for Landscape Resiliency in California, Oregon, and Washington

Geologic Mapping for Landscape Resiliency in California, Oregon, and Washington

This project uses geologic and geomorphic mapping in the context of societally relevant problems in the Earth’s critical zone. Leveraging interdisciplinary research ties and interagency collaborations, it utilizes remote sensing data, corroborated with field observations, to determine i) the spatial distribution of geomorphic processes and ages of Quaternary deposits in the context of active...
Learn More
Close up of Bastnaesite

Controls on Critical Element Enrichment in Carbonatite-Alkaline Igneous Complexes

The project seeks to determine the processes responsible for critical element enrichment in carbonatites and to enhance our ability to identify and assess economic deposits. This project will work at various scales to meet this objective and will primarily focus on deposits within the US or our USGS collaborative Nations.
By
Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center
Controls on Critical Element Enrichment in Carbonatite-Alkaline Igneous Complexes

Controls on Critical Element Enrichment in Carbonatite-Alkaline Igneous Complexes

The project seeks to determine the processes responsible for critical element enrichment in carbonatites and to enhance our ability to identify and assess economic deposits. This project will work at various scales to meet this objective and will primarily focus on deposits within the US or our USGS collaborative Nations.
Learn More
Image Collage of Landsat, pollinator, and volcanologist

Large Magmatic Systems for Minerals

This project continues work on large magmatic systems in the U.S., where critical mineral commodities important to clean energy technologies can be concentrated. Modeling of large mafic intrusion extents will continue, and new geophysical methods will be applied to improve understanding of magmatic systems.
By
Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center
Large Magmatic Systems for Minerals

Large Magmatic Systems for Minerals

This project continues work on large magmatic systems in the U.S., where critical mineral commodities important to clean energy technologies can be concentrated. Modeling of large mafic intrusion extents will continue, and new geophysical methods will be applied to improve understanding of magmatic systems.
Learn More
View All
Was this page helpful?