Images

Instrument on poles in the surf zone for a coastal erosion study.

Post-storm aerial photography following Hurricane Isabel (2003) showing a new breach that completely severs Hatteras Island.

Shipwrecks and other artificial structures increase the potential for large invasions of unwanted species into coral reefs, even relatively pristine ones. In this picture, a shipwreck in the remote Palmyra Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean resulted in the dense colonization of an invasive coral-like species called Rhodactis howesii, pictured here.

Shipwrecks and other artificial structures increase the potential for large invasions of unwanted species into coral reefs, even relatively pristine ones. In this picture, a shipwreck in the remote Palmyra Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean resulted in the dense colonization of an invasive coral-like species called Rhodactis howesii, pictured here.

An Alaska Volcano Observatory Monitoring station with Peulik Volcano behind. This is the main repeater for the Peulik monitoring network located on Whale Mountain, Beecharaof National Wildlife Refuge.

Camps Bay, South Africa

2009 Red River flooding in Grand Forks, North Dakota

Pedernales River at Hamilton Pool Crossing after September 1952 flood. Trees destroyed by flood of September 11, 1952.  Discharge of Pedernales River near Spicewood, TX (USGS station 08154000) was 452,000 cfs.

Full view of the ground with the San Andreas fault running through the middle of the image. A 30 foot steam offset from the 1857 earthquake can be seen near the right edge of the image.

Rivers in middle Tennessee crested May 2-3,2010, breaking records at many USGS-operated streamgages. The flood peak on the Cumberland River in downtown Nashville ranks as the highest observed during the past 73 years.

The Boulder magnetic observatory. Variations and Proton Sensor buildings at the lower right.

The May 12, 2008, Great Sichuan Earthquake, also called the Wenchuan Earthquake, occurred at 14:28 local time, in Sichuan Province, China. The earthquake magnitudes were Mw = 7.9 (USGS), Ms = 8.0 (Chinese Earthquake Administration). The epicenter was 80 km west-northwest of Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province.

Cattle Ranch with typically 100 head of cattle currently flooded from the spring melt of higher than average snow accumulation.

Arenal Volcano is surrounded by inhabitants despite being extremely active.

A massive Coulter pine that was burned in the 2007 Lake Arrowhead/Grass Valley wildfires stands alone on a hillside regrown with Manzanita, dwarfing USGS Western Ecological Research Center director Steven Schwarzbach.

A channelized flow was being erupted today from the vent on the west side of the floor of Pu'u 'O 'o.

Following several collapses and small explosive events that deposited spatter on the floor of Halema'uma'u crater around noon, the lava surface in Halema'uma'u was roiling and agitated for the remainder of the afternoon, with numerous points of upwelling and spattering.

A close-up of the active lava surface in Halema'uma'u.

Another large chunk of the rim collapsed into the Halema'uma'u lava lake.

Just moments after the last photograph, the collapse produced a thick brown plume, but did not appear to trigger an explosive event in this case.

A screenshot from the USGS film "Living with Fire".

A fire tornado swirls near a home in southern California. USGS is investigating the factors that dictate home loss from wildfires as part of the USGS Southern California Wildfire Risk Scenario Project.

Image courtesy of Tim Walton, Photo One Productions, CALFIRE. Shared with permission.