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Explore our planet through photography and imagery, including climate change and water all the way back to the 1800s when the USGS was surveying the country by horse and buggy.
This timelapse image sequence shows the opening sequence of the new eruption in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. The first few moments are shown on a loop several times to highlight the visible uplift of the crater floor, just before the appearance of new fissures.
This timelapse image sequence shows the opening sequence of the new eruption in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. The first few moments are shown on a loop several times to highlight the visible uplift of the crater floor, just before the appearance of new fissures.
Complex aquifer system simulated in the Los Angeles Coastal Plain, California.
Complex aquifer system simulated in the Los Angeles Coastal Plain, California.
Landsat 9 is the latest in a prestigious line of satellites that have been watching our planet for nearly 50 years. They have monitored changes on land and made that information freely available to users around the world.
Landsat 9 is the latest in a prestigious line of satellites that have been watching our planet for nearly 50 years. They have monitored changes on land and made that information freely available to users around the world.
A view looking north into Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea's summit, on September 24, 2021, seen during a brief clear spell between passing rain clouds. There has been no significant change in the surface elevation of the solidified crust of the lava lake since the eruption paused in late May 2021.
A view looking north into Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea's summit, on September 24, 2021, seen during a brief clear spell between passing rain clouds. There has been no significant change in the surface elevation of the solidified crust of the lava lake since the eruption paused in late May 2021.
Photographs from red crossbills (Loxia curvirostra; A, C) and American goldfinches (Spinus tristis; B, D) from Montana, U.S.A. (A) A large yellow/tan plaque (asterisk) is present on the mucosal surface of the crop. (B) White seed-like plaques (arrow) are present on the mucosal surface of the crop.
Photographs from red crossbills (Loxia curvirostra; A, C) and American goldfinches (Spinus tristis; B, D) from Montana, U.S.A. (A) A large yellow/tan plaque (asterisk) is present on the mucosal surface of the crop. (B) White seed-like plaques (arrow) are present on the mucosal surface of the crop.
Five tule white-fronted geese flying over Summer Lake Wildlife Area, the primary stopover site for this species on its fall migration.
Five tule white-fronted geese flying over Summer Lake Wildlife Area, the primary stopover site for this species on its fall migration.
Six tule white-fronted geese flying over Summer Lake Wildlife Area, the primary stopover site for this species on its fall migration.
Six tule white-fronted geese flying over Summer Lake Wildlife Area, the primary stopover site for this species on its fall migration.
Tule white-fronted geese get ready to land at Summer Lake Wildlife Area in Oregon. The geese turn upside down and sideways to drop altitude quickly to land, a behavior known as "whiffling" or "maple leafing."
Tule white-fronted geese get ready to land at Summer Lake Wildlife Area in Oregon. The geese turn upside down and sideways to drop altitude quickly to land, a behavior known as "whiffling" or "maple leafing."
Five tule white-fronted geese take off from Summer Lake Wildlife Area, the primary stopover site for this species on its fall migration.
Five tule white-fronted geese take off from Summer Lake Wildlife Area, the primary stopover site for this species on its fall migration.
Two high-resolution, digital cameras were mounted on towers overlooking the beach, dunes, and instrument arrays in the Outer Banks of North Carolina on September 18, 2021, as part of the DUring Nea
Two high-resolution, digital cameras were mounted on towers overlooking the beach, dunes, and instrument arrays in the Outer Banks of North Carolina on September 18, 2021, as part of the DUring Nea
Researchers from the USGS and North Carolina Universites set up their equipment on installed poles stretching from the dune to the surf zone.
Researchers from the USGS and North Carolina Universites set up their equipment on installed poles stretching from the dune to the surf zone.
an Image from a video recording taken during a spatial mapping boat trip of about 50 miles on the Hudson River from New Hamburg to Yonkers, NY, passing through the Hudson Highlands, West Point, and the Tappan Zee.
an Image from a video recording taken during a spatial mapping boat trip of about 50 miles on the Hudson River from New Hamburg to Yonkers, NY, passing through the Hudson Highlands, West Point, and the Tappan Zee.
To install instruments offshore professional divers were hired to work alongside USGS personnel. Here, long segments of pipe are jetted into the seafloor to which instruments will be attached to measure offshore oceanographic conditions.
To install instruments offshore professional divers were hired to work alongside USGS personnel. Here, long segments of pipe are jetted into the seafloor to which instruments will be attached to measure offshore oceanographic conditions.
USGS personnel install signs on the beach warning and informing beach goers of the DUNEX experiment
USGS personnel install signs on the beach warning and informing beach goers of the DUNEX experiment
USGS researcher Jenna Brown takes a measurement with a real time kinematic GPS receiver, this will give her an accurate position and height of the aluminum pole beneath it, which will have mutliple instruments attached to it to measure water flow and elevation changes.
USGS researcher Jenna Brown takes a measurement with a real time kinematic GPS receiver, this will give her an accurate position and height of the aluminum pole beneath it, which will have mutliple instruments attached to it to measure water flow and elevation changes.
An alternative to uncrewed aerial systems (UAS; commonly known as 'drones'), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists use helikites equipped with cameras to collect imagery of the coastline. The pictures collected by these helium-powered kite-balloons are used to create a 3D digital elevation map of the beach.
An alternative to uncrewed aerial systems (UAS; commonly known as 'drones'), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists use helikites equipped with cameras to collect imagery of the coastline. The pictures collected by these helium-powered kite-balloons are used to create a 3D digital elevation map of the beach.
Overhead image collected by a helikite of field work being conducted in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. An alternative to uncrewed aerial systems (UAS; commonly known as 'drones'), USGS scientists use helikites equipped with cameras to collect imagery of the coastline.
Overhead image collected by a helikite of field work being conducted in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. An alternative to uncrewed aerial systems (UAS; commonly known as 'drones'), USGS scientists use helikites equipped with cameras to collect imagery of the coastline.
An alternative to uncrewed aerial systems (UAS; commonly known as 'drones'), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists use helikites equipped with cameras to collect imagery of the coastline. The pictures collected by these helium-powered kite-balloons are used to create a 3D digital elevation map of the beach.
An alternative to uncrewed aerial systems (UAS; commonly known as 'drones'), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists use helikites equipped with cameras to collect imagery of the coastline. The pictures collected by these helium-powered kite-balloons are used to create a 3D digital elevation map of the beach.
An alternative to uncrewed aerial systems (UAS; commonly known as 'drones'), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists use helikites equipped with cameras to collect imagery of the coastline. The pictures collected by these helium-powered kite-balloons are used to create a 3D digital elevation map of the beach.
An alternative to uncrewed aerial systems (UAS; commonly known as 'drones'), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists use helikites equipped with cameras to collect imagery of the coastline. The pictures collected by these helium-powered kite-balloons are used to create a 3D digital elevation map of the beach.
Coastal communities, especially those on barrier islands, are vulnerable to processes of coastal change. The DUring Nearshore Event eXperiment (DUNEX) project is a multi-agency, a
Coastal communities, especially those on barrier islands, are vulnerable to processes of coastal change. The DUring Nearshore Event eXperiment (DUNEX) project is a multi-agency, a
The US Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility in Duck, NC has set up a variety of sensors and arrays on the beach to measure oceanographic paramters for DUNEX
The US Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility in Duck, NC has set up a variety of sensors and arrays on the beach to measure oceanographic paramters for DUNEX