Images

An alternative to uncrewed aerial systems (UAS; commonly known as 'drones'), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists use helikites equipped with cameras to collect imagery of the coastline. The pictures collected by these helium-powered kite-balloons are used to create a 3D digital elevation map of the beach.

An alternative to uncrewed aerial systems (UAS; commonly known as 'drones'), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists use helikites equipped with cameras to collect imagery of the coastline. The pictures collected by these helium-powered kite-balloons are used to create a 3D digital elevation map of the beach.

An alternative to uncrewed aerial systems (UAS; commonly known as 'drones'), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists use helikites equipped with cameras to collect imagery of the coastline. The pictures collected by these helium-powered kite-balloons are used to create a 3D digital elevation map of the beach.

Overhead image collected by a helikite of field work being conducted in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. An alternative to uncrewed aerial systems (UAS; commonly known as 'drones'), USGS scientists use helikites equipped with cameras to collect imagery of the coastline.

An alternative to uncrewed aerial systems (UAS; commonly known as 'drones'), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists use helikites equipped with cameras to collect imagery of the coastline. The pictures collected by these helium-powered kite-balloons are used to create a 3D digital elevation map of the beach.

To survey the bathymetry off of the Pea Island DUNEX site WHOI investigator Peter Traykovski prepares to run into the surf with the ASV nicknamed "Robo Turtle" while USGS investigator Chris Sherwood handles the remote controller.

The US Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility in Duck, NC has set up a variety of sensors and arrays on the beach to measure oceanographic paramters for DUNEX

The Helikite in action, being walked by WHOI scientist, Peter Traykovski, at Pea Island DUNEX site, the helium powered balloon kite is used to survey the beach and dune to produce elevation models using Structure from Motion.

A calm hazy horizon after the team pushed two boats up and over the dune to be launched from the beach on Pea Island.

This field work was conducted as part of the During Nearshore Event Experiment (DUNEX) in 2021. 

Assembling the CoastCam station, USGS researchers Jenna Brown and Meg Palmsten stake down support wires as a storm approaches the Pea Island field site.

This field work was conducted as part of the During Nearshore Event Experiment (DUNEX) in 2021. 

To survey the bathymetry off of the Pea Island DUNEX site WHOI investigator Peter Traykovski, and USGS investigator, Chris Sherwood, prepare to launch the ASV into the water to measure the bathymetry of the Pea Island DUNEX site.

Cross-shore array of poles equipped with various sensors to measure water level and other parameters at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. This equipment was deployed as part of the During Nearshore Event Experiment (DUNEX) in 2021. 

Looking south along a Point Aux Chenes scarped low-marsh shoreline in September 2021

The RV Desmid (foreground) alongside the RV Rafael during sampling operations on Lake Superior.

A novel stereo CoastCam will be installed on at dune at Pea Island for the duration of the experiment.

This beautiful red jellyfish in the genus Poralia may be an undescribed species. It was seen during the third transect of Dive 20 of the 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones expedition, at a depth of 700 meters (2,297 feet).

Photo Contest Winner | August 2021 | USGS at Work
Impounded wetland eddy flux tower install

Towards the end of Dive 19 of the 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones expedition, we continued to observe the scattered rock debris sitting on the lobate and pillow lava outcrops that we’d seen earlier, suggesting that the pinnacle of Retriever Seamount was perhaps a late-stage eruption site and that it remains largely susceptible to continued erosional modification

This large bubblegum coral (Paragorgia arborea) was observed during Dive 19 of the 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones expedition. Based on published radial growth rates for this species, this colony is approximately 100 years old!

Remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer surveys a large boulder covered in bamboo corals during the 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones expedition. Bamboo corals were locally abundant on these large boulders and more spread out throughout different hard-bottom habitats.

New bathymetry data of the New England Seamounts collected with the EM 304 MK II variant during the 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones: New England and Corner Rise Seamount Chain (EX-21-04) expedition, overlaid on the Global Multi-Resolution Topography Data Synthesis grid.