Mission Areas
Natural Hazards
Every year in the United States, natural hazards threaten lives and livelihoods and result in billions of dollars in damage. We work with many partners to monitor, assess, and conduct targeted research on a wide range of natural hazards so that policymakers and the public have the understanding they need to enhance preparedness, response, and resilience.
Reducing Risk
USGS scientists develop new products to make science available to the public, emergency managers, and decision-makers. These efforts increase public safety and reduce risk and economic losses caused by natural hazards.
Learn MoreSubduction Zone Science
The most powerful earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, and volcanic eruptions occur in subduction zones, where two plates collide and one is thrust beneath another.
Learn MoreNews
USGS Participation in the 2021 SACNAS National Diversity in STEM Digital Conference
Diversity within the science community is essential to solving the world’s scientific problems. Different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives help to maximize innovation and fill gaps in science that benefit our society.
National Hispanic American Heritage Month
National Hispanic American Heritage Month, September 15 through October 15, was established to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success. In honor of this special month, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) celebrated our scientists and staff of Hispanic descent and highlighted how their heritage plays a role in their...
Eyes in the Sky: How Satellite Imagery Transforms Shoreline Monitoring From “Data-Poor” to “Data-Rich”
Monitoring coastal changes is important for the millions of people that live along coasts in the U.S., particularly as climate change hastens coastal erosion by raising sea levels and fueling powerful storms.
Publications
Past, present, and future of Mars Polar Science: Outcomes and outlook from the 7th International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration
Mars Polar Science is a subfield of Mars science that encompasses all studies of the cryosphere of Mars and its interaction with the Martian environment. Every 4 yr, the community of scientists dedicated to this subfield meets to discuss new findings and debate open issues in the International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration (...
Becerra, Patricio; Smith, Isaac B.; Hibbard, Shannon M; Andres, Chimira; Bapst, Jonathan; Bramson, Ali; Buhler, Peter; Coronato, Andrea; Diniega, Serina; Emmett, Jeremy; Grau Galofre, Anna; Herny, Clemence; Kahre, Melinda; Knightly, J. Paul; Nerozzi, Stefano; Pascuzzo, Alyssa; Portyankina, Ganna; Rabassa, Jorge; Tamppari, Leslie; Titus, Timothy N.; Whitten, Jennifer L; Yoldi, Zuriñe
Geologic map of the Athabasca Valles region, Mars
This 1:1,000,000-scale geologic map of the Athabasca Valles region of Mars places the best-preserved lavas on Mars into their geologic context. The map shows vigorous geologic activity in the most recent epoch of the geologic history of Mars, which is extremely unusual for the planet. In these atypically youthful terrains, the interpretations of...
Keszthelyi, Laszlo P.; Huff, Alexandra E.; Jaeger, Windy L.
Five-year management plan for establishing and operating NVEWS—The National Volcano Early Warning System
On March 12, 2019, Congress passed the John D. Dingell, Jr., Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Public Law 116–9; 133 Stat. 580), in which Title V, §5001 (43 U.S.C. 31k) authorized the establishment of the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System (NVEWS) within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Conceived by the USGS Volcano...
Cervelli, Peter F.; Mandeville, Charles W.; Avery, Victoria F.; Wilkins, Aleeza M.