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Images related to natural hazards.

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In this photo of Kīlauea Volcano's summit lava lake, the light-colo...
In of Kīlauea's summit lava lake, the light-colored rock in the ven...
In of Kīlauea's summit lava lake, the light-colored rock in the ven...
In of Kīlauea's summit lava lake, the light-colored rock in the ven...

In this photo of Kīlauea Volcano's summit lava lake, the light-colored rock in the vent wall to the left of the spattering lava shows were a rockfall occurred on January 2. The shadow of the gas plume appears as a brown streak perpendicular to the dark-colored lava on the floor of Halema‘uma‘u Crater.

In this photo of Kīlauea Volcano's summit lava lake, the light-colored rock in the vent wall to the left of the spattering lava shows were a rockfall occurred on January 2. The shadow of the gas plume appears as a brown streak perpendicular to the dark-colored lava on the floor of Halema‘uma‘u Crater.

Fragments of molten lava were thrown on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u Cra...
Fragments of molten lava were thrown on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u dur...
Fragments of molten lava were thrown on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u dur...
Fragments of molten lava were thrown on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u dur...

Fragments of molten lava were thrown on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u Crater during the January 2 explosive event. This close-up shows the dust and small rock particles that adhered to the surface of these fragments as they were thrown upward through the ashy plume.

Fragments of molten lava were thrown on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u Crater during the January 2 explosive event. This close-up shows the dust and small rock particles that adhered to the surface of these fragments as they were thrown upward through the ashy plume.

Preview image for video: Rockfall triggers small explosive event in...
Rockfall triggers small explosive event in Halema‘uma‘u lava lake
Rockfall triggers small explosive event in Halema‘uma‘u lava lake
Rockfall triggers small explosive event in Halema‘uma‘u lava lake

Preview image for video: Around 2:17 p.m., HST, on January 2, a rockfall from the east rim of the Overlook vent within Halema‘uma‘u Crater at the summit of Kīlauea impacted the lava lake, generating a small explosive event captured by HVO webcams. shows the rockfall as seen from HVO and Jaggar Museum.

Preview image for video: Around 2:17 p.m., HST, on January 2, a rockfall from the east rim of the Overlook vent within Halema‘uma‘u Crater at the summit of Kīlauea impacted the lava lake, generating a small explosive event captured by HVO webcams. shows the rockfall as seen from HVO and Jaggar Museum.

Another small explosive event at Kīlauea Volcano's summit lava lake...
Another small explosive event at Kīlauea's summit lava lake
Another small explosive event at Kīlauea's summit lava lake
Another small explosive event at Kīlauea's summit lava lake

On January 4, a rockfall within the Overlook vent at the summit of Kīlauea generated another small explosive event at 3:18 a.m., HST. In this image, captured by a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory webcam, the dusty gas plume can be seen rising from the vent after rocks impacted the lava lake.

On January 4, a rockfall within the Overlook vent at the summit of Kīlauea generated another small explosive event at 3:18 a.m., HST. In this image, captured by a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory webcam, the dusty gas plume can be seen rising from the vent after rocks impacted the lava lake.

Preview image for video: shows the same rockfall as captured by the...
shows the same rockfall as captured by the USGS HVO webcam perched ...
shows the same rockfall as captured by the USGS HVO webcam perched ...
shows the same rockfall as captured by the USGS HVO webcam perched ...

Preview image for video: shows the same rockfall as captured by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory webcam perched on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u Crater. Note the fragments of molten lava flying toward the camera—just one of the hazards that led to the closure of this area.

Preview image for video: shows the same rockfall as captured by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory webcam perched on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u Crater. Note the fragments of molten lava flying toward the camera—just one of the hazards that led to the closure of this area.

Photo looking up at a man wearing safety gear and cold weather clothing holding a big drill with puffy white clouds in the sky.
Drilling into permafrost on Alaska's Arctic coast
Drilling into permafrost on Alaska's Arctic coast
Drilling into permafrost on Alaska's Arctic coast

On remote Barter Island, Alaska, Bruce Richmond (right) and Cordell Johnson drill into 500-foot-thick permafrost using a handheld drill with a 2-inch drill bit—a challenging task! It can take 3 hours to drill nearly 20 feet down.

On remote Barter Island, Alaska, Bruce Richmond (right) and Cordell Johnson drill into 500-foot-thick permafrost using a handheld drill with a 2-inch drill bit—a challenging task! It can take 3 hours to drill nearly 20 feet down.

"El Observatorio Volcánico de California (CalVO) — Vigilando los Vo...
"El Observatorio Volcánico de CA (CalVO) — Vigilando los Volcanes A...
"El Observatorio Volcánico de CA (CalVO) — Vigilando los Volcanes A...
"El Observatorio Volcánico de CA (CalVO) — Vigilando los Volcanes A...

Volcanic eruptions happen in the State of California about as frequently as the largest earthquakes on the San Andreas Fault Zone. At least 10 eruptions have taken place in California in the past 1,000 years—most recently at Lassen Peak in Lassen Volcanic National Park (1914 to 1917) in the northern part of the State—and future volcanic eruptions are inevitable.

Volcanic eruptions happen in the State of California about as frequently as the largest earthquakes on the San Andreas Fault Zone. At least 10 eruptions have taken place in California in the past 1,000 years—most recently at Lassen Peak in Lassen Volcanic National Park (1914 to 1917) in the northern part of the State—and future volcanic eruptions are inevitable.

USGS scientists operating a small research vessel in water near a grassy shoreline.
USGS vessel used to collect single-beam bathymetry
USGS vessel used to collect single-beam bathymetry
USGS vessel used to collect single-beam bathymetry

This USGS vessel acquires single-beam bathymetry in shallow nearshore environments. We acquire repeat bathymetry surveys over multiple years and compute changes in bathymetry, thus allowing us to identify hotspots of erosion and deposition on short timescales.

This USGS vessel acquires single-beam bathymetry in shallow nearshore environments. We acquire repeat bathymetry surveys over multiple years and compute changes in bathymetry, thus allowing us to identify hotspots of erosion and deposition on short timescales.

Image: Tsunami Evacuation Sign
Tsunami Evacuation Sign
Tsunami Evacuation Sign
Tsunami Evacuation Sign

Tsunami evacuation route sign at an intersection in Nehalem, Oregon.

Scientist sets up solar-powered research station amid Fire Island dunes
Setting up a science base in a barrier island wilderness
Setting up a science base in a barrier island wilderness
Setting up a science base in a barrier island wilderness

USGS scientist BJ Reynolds sets up a solar-powered, satellite-uplinked GPS base station in the Fire Island Wilderness Area to support detailed elevation surveys.

CalVO's Stuart Wilkinson skis out to a remote seismic instrument in...
Monitoring Seismicity in the Long Valley
Monitoring Seismicity in the Long Valley
Monitoring Seismicity in the Long Valley

CalVO's Stuart Wilkinson skis out to a remote seismic instrument in the Long Valley volcanic region to perform routine maintenance.

CalVO's Stuart Wilkinson skis out to a remote seismic instrument in the Long Valley volcanic region to perform routine maintenance.

cinder cone with blue sky and fluffy clouds.
Sunset Crater is the youngest cinder cone of the San Francisco Volcanic Field in Northern Arizona.
Sunset Crater is the youngest cinder cone of the San Francisco Volcanic Field in Northern Arizona.
Sunset Crater is the youngest cinder cone of the San Francisco Volcanic Field in Northern Arizona.

Eruptions between 1064 and 1067 AD produced three lava flows that covered 8 km2 (3 mi2) and a field of scoria and spatter that covers 2300 km2 (890 mi2). Archeological evidence shows that there were communities of people living in the area who were impacted by the eruption.

Map of Gulf of America
Gulf of America
Gulf of America
Gulf of America

A GIS compilation of Updated Vector Shorelines and Associated Shoreline Change Data for the Gulf of America Coast

A GIS compilation of Updated Vector Shorelines and Associated Shoreline Change Data for the Gulf of America Coast

Map of the south Atlantic coast
South Atlantic Coast
South Atlantic Coast
South Atlantic Coast

Vector Shorelines and Associated Shoreline Change Data for the Southeast Atlantic Coast

USGS personnel collecting samples in Barnegat Bay, NJ
Collecting Samples in Barnegat Bay
Collecting Samples in Barnegat Bay
Collecting Samples in Barnegat Bay

Box-cores provide a relatively undistributed look into the recent past to help better understand the processes contributing to sediment deposition and erosion.

Box-cores provide a relatively undistributed look into the recent past to help better understand the processes contributing to sediment deposition and erosion.

USGS personnel collecting sediments
Barnegat Bay, NJ Surface Sediments
Barnegat Bay, NJ Surface Sediments
Barnegat Bay, NJ Surface Sediments

Surface sediments will be analyzed for various physical parameters that will be used as initial conditions in hydrodynamic and sediment transport models.

 

Surface sediments will be analyzed for various physical parameters that will be used as initial conditions in hydrodynamic and sediment transport models.

 

USGS staff diving in Chincoteague Bay, MD
Measuring seagrass!
Measuring seagrass!
First map shows aerial view of beach area, next with 50-centimeter sea-level rise, last with added annual storm.
Flood Map, Stinson Beach
Flood Map, Stinson Beach
Flood Map, Stinson Beach

Flood maps from Our Coast, Our Future showing Stinson Beach today (slide 1); with a 50-centimeter sea-level rise (slide 2); and when an annual storm strikes in addition to 50-centimeter sea-level rise (slide 3). Green patches are low-lying areas prone to flooding.

Flood maps from Our Coast, Our Future showing Stinson Beach today (slide 1); with a 50-centimeter sea-level rise (slide 2); and when an annual storm strikes in addition to 50-centimeter sea-level rise (slide 3). Green patches are low-lying areas prone to flooding.

Near vertical (top, middle) and low angle oblique (bottom) aerial photographs of Oregon Inlet, North Carolina. 
Aerial photographs of Oregon Inlet, North Carolina
Aerial photographs of Oregon Inlet, North Carolina
Aerial photographs of Oregon Inlet, North Carolina

Near vertical (top, middle) and low angle oblique (bottom) aerial photographs of Oregon Inlet, North Carolina. View looking west along the North Carolina shore. High waves and storm surge from Hurricane Joaquin eroded the beach and inundated the low area in the backshore at Oregon Inlet (A, green box, blue arrows).

Near vertical (top, middle) and low angle oblique (bottom) aerial photographs of Oregon Inlet, North Carolina. View looking west along the North Carolina shore. High waves and storm surge from Hurricane Joaquin eroded the beach and inundated the low area in the backshore at Oregon Inlet (A, green box, blue arrows).

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