Core Science Systems
Home
CSS leads USGS’s mission as the civilian mapping agency for the Nation. We conduct detailed surveys and develop high quality, highly accurate topographic, geologic, hydrographic, and biogeographic maps and data. Our maps allow precise planning for critical mineral assessments; energy development; infrastructure projects; urban planning; flood prediction; emergency response; and hazard mitigation.
National Geospatial Program
The National Geospatial Program is the Federal civilian mapping agency and provides the digital geospatial foundation for the Nation. It engages partners and communities of use to collaboratively produce consistent and accurate topographic map data.
Learn MoreScience Analytics and Synthesis (SAS)
The USGS Science Data Catalog, supported by SAS, provides seamless access to USGS research and monitoring data from across the nation. Users have the ability to search, browse, or use a map-based interface to discover data.
Learn MoreNews
FINISHED! TNMCorps Mapping Challenge for Schools in AR
This challenge is now finished! Thank you to everyone who participated!
FINISHED! TNMCorps Mapping Challenge for City / Town Hall Structures in AR
This challenge is now complete! Thank you to everyone who participated!
TNMCorps Mapping Challenge Summary Results for City / Town Hall Structures in MT, ND, & SD
This challenge is now complete!! Thank you to everyone who contributed!
Publications
A system design for implementing advanced feature descriptions for a map knowledge base
A prototype system to explore Linked Data that semantically integrates geospatial data in various formats from different publication sources with data from The National Map of the U.S. Geological Survey is presented. The focus is on accessing advanced feature descriptions for data from The National Map with data coreferenced from other sources....
Wagner, Matthew; Varanka, Dalia E.; Usery, E. Lynn
Integrating the sociology of space with geospatial semantics relation properties for data graphs
This research posits that socially constructed spatial relations address concepts of interactions instead of intersections, human/tool agents instead of physical processes, and broader ranges of geographical outcomes. The hypothesis is that social space can be represented by using patterns of logic relations between sets of entities. The data...
Varanka, Dalia E. Employing an ecosystem services framework to deliver decision ready science
Public land managers have limited information to allow for the integration and balancing of multiple objectives in land management decisions including the social (cultural and health), economic (monetary and nonmonetary), and environmental aspects. In this article, we document an approach to consider the many facets of decision making by...
Pindilli, Emily J.; Hogan, Dianna M.; Zhu, Zhiliang