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Publications

Here you will find publications, reports and articles produced by Core Science System scientists. For a comprehensive listing of all USGS publications please click the button below.

Filter Total Items: 289

Automated mapping of culverts, bridges, and dams Automated mapping of culverts, bridges, and dams

Accurate maps of built structures around stream channels, such as dams, culverts, and bridges, are vital in monitoring infrastructure, risk management, and hydrologic modeling. Hydrologic modeling is essential for research and decisionmaking related to infrastructure and development planning, emergency management, ecology, and developing hydrographic data. Technological advances in...
Authors
Ethan Shavers, Larry Stanislawski, Joel Schott, Zachary Brosseau

Geomorphometric analysis of the Summit and Ridge classes of the Geographic Names Information System Geomorphometric analysis of the Summit and Ridge classes of the Geographic Names Information System

This research aims to conduct a geosemantic comparison of landforms classified in the Summit and Ridge feature classes in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). The comparison is based on a 2D shape analysis of manually delineated polygons produced by USGS staff to correspond to 33,304 Summit and 8,006 Ridge features. Five shape measures were chosen for this specific...
Authors
Sinha Gaurav, Samantha Arundel, Romim Somadder, David P. Martin, Kevin McKeehan

Guidelines for calibration of uncrewed aircraft systems imagery Guidelines for calibration of uncrewed aircraft systems imagery

Executive SummaryThis report outlines quality assurance (QA) processes, including radiometric and geometric calibration guidelines, and guidelines for data acquisition and quality control to be followed by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers for acquiring and processing uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) data. These QA processes ensure that UAS data can be used for quantitative...
Authors
Aparajithan Sampath, Mahesh Shrestha, Michelle While, Victoria Scholl

The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Arkansas's economy The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Arkansas's economy

Introduction In recent years, Arkansas has coordinated with Federal and local partners to improve the quality and availability of high-resolution elevation data for the State. With high-quality elevation data, Arkansas can improve services offered to the public and within government, resulting in better quality of life, improved public safety, and higher return on investments. Elevation...
Authors
Chris Cretini

Satellite precipitation bias estimation and correction using in situ observations and climatology isohyets for the MENA region Satellite precipitation bias estimation and correction using in situ observations and climatology isohyets for the MENA region

The availability of reliable gridded precipitation datasets is limited around the world, especially in arid regions. In this study, we utilized observations from satellite-based precipitation data and in situ rain gauge observations to determine a suitable precipitation dataset in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region. First, we evaluated seven different precipitation products...
Authors
Stefanie Kagone, Naga Manohar Velpuri, Kul Bikram Khand, Gabriel Senay, Michael Van der Valk, Daniel Goode, Salam Hantash, Thair Al-Momani, Nanor Momejian, Jack R. Eggleston

Named landforms of the World: A geomorphological and physiographic compilation Named landforms of the World: A geomorphological and physiographic compilation

Prior to the current era of digital geomorphological mapping, global and regional-scale land surface characterization was advanced by qualitative interpretations that relied on human visualization aided by disciplinary knowledge of geophysical processes combined with extensive field study. In the early twentieth century, Fenneman proposed to devise systematic physiographic divisions of...
Authors
Charlie Frye, Roger Sayre, Alexander Murphy, Deniz Karagulle, Moira Pippi, Mark Gilbert, Jaynya Richards

The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Washington's economy The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Washington's economy

Washington State has a geographically diverse and spectacular landscape that is divided to the east and west by the largely volcanic mountains of the Cascade Range. Approximately 88 percent of the population lives in western Washington, mostly in urban areas. The climate is varied, with high precipitation and seasonal flooding in the western part of the State, while drier conditions are...
Authors
Tom Carlson

Toward consistent change detection across irregular remote sensing time series observations Toward consistent change detection across irregular remote sensing time series observations

The use of remote sensing in time series analysis enables wall-to-wall monitoring of the land surface and is critical for assessing and understanding land cover and land use change and for understanding the Earth system as a whole. However, variability in remote sensing observation frequency through time and across space presents challenges for producing consistent change detection...
Authors
Heather Tollerud, Zhe Zhu, Kelcy Smith, Danika F. Wellington, Reza Hussain, Donna Viola

Trends in tree cover change over three decades related to interannual climate variability and wildfire in California Trends in tree cover change over three decades related to interannual climate variability and wildfire in California

The U.S. State of California has experienced frequent drought events, hotter temperatures and other disruptions to the climate system whose effects on ecosystems have been widely reported in recent decades. Studies primarily confined to specific vegetation communities or species, individual drought incidents, or analysis over a relatively short intervals, has limited our understanding of...
Authors
Francis Dwomoh, Roger Auch, Jesslyn Brown, Heather Tollerud

Ecological Coastal Units – Standardized global shoreline characteristics Ecological Coastal Units – Standardized global shoreline characteristics

A new set of resources is now available that describe global shoreline characteristics. High resolution (30 m), globally comprehensive Coastal Segment Units (CSUs) and Ecological Coastal Units (ECUs) were developed in a collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Esri, and the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON). The data were produced from a segmentation and...
Authors
Roger Sayre, Kevin Butler, Keith Van Graafeiland, Sean Breyer, Dawn Wright
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