Study confirms fossil footprints at White Sands National Park date to the Last Glacial Maximum
National Uncrewed Systems Office
Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
The Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center (GECSC) delivers critical science that supports Administrative and Departmental priorities. Through geologic mapping and Earth system research, GECSC provides essential data on the nation’s geologic resources, landscape dynamics, and surface processes—informing resource development, hazard mitigation, and land-use planning.
News
Earth Science Matters - Vol. 21 | Issue 1
Earth Science Matters - Vol. 21 | Issue 1
USGS Unveils New National Geologic Map
USGS Unveils New National Geologic Map
The Next Fueling Discovery Webinar Takes Place May 29
The Next Fueling Discovery Webinar Takes Place May 29
Publications
Zircon petrochronology fingerprints mantle sources of magmatic rare earth element deposits Zircon petrochronology fingerprints mantle sources of magmatic rare earth element deposits
The mantle sources of carbonatite and alkaline magmatic systems that host rare earth element (REE) deposits are difficult to constrain because whole-rock compositions are commonly altered. Alteration-resistant zircon trace-element compositions are used to fingerprint mantle sources at Mountain Pass, California, the largest REE deposit in the United States, and extend this approach to a...
Forest canopy decline under elevated CO2 during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum Forest canopy decline under elevated CO2 during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum
Uncertainty remains regarding the impact of rapid anthropogenic warming on forest ecosystem structure, biodiversity, and function. As an analog, we reconstruct forest canopy density and compositional change in Wyoming, USA, through the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), an interval of abrupt carbon increase and warming ~56 million years ago. We develop a proxy to quantify leaf area...