Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
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.
COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) Interferogram for the period from April 6 to June 2, 2019, covering Kīlauea Volcano's summit region. Each color fringe represents 1.65 centimeters (0.65 inches) of ground displacement.
COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) Interferogram for the period from April 6 to June 2, 2019, covering Kīlauea Volcano's summit region. Each color fringe represents 1.65 centimeters (0.65 inches) of ground displacement.
Yellow Creek near Oak Grove, IN - downstream view
USGS hydrologist Kassidy Mapel takes hydrologic measurements from the Kewaunee River, Kewaunee, Wis., at USGS streamgage 04085200.
USGS hydrologist Kassidy Mapel takes hydrologic measurements from the Kewaunee River, Kewaunee, Wis., at USGS streamgage 04085200.
Aerial photographs were collected from a small, fixed-wing aircraft over the coast of Barter Island, Alaska on July 01 2014, September 07 2014. Precise aircraft position information and structure-from-motion photogrammetric methods were combined to derive a high-resolution orthophotomosaic.
Aerial photographs were collected from a small, fixed-wing aircraft over the coast of Barter Island, Alaska on July 01 2014, September 07 2014. Precise aircraft position information and structure-from-motion photogrammetric methods were combined to derive a high-resolution orthophotomosaic.
Map showing the surficial geology from this study and Baldwin and others (2016) with equivalent onshore geology (adapted from Stone and DiGiacomo-Cohen, 2009). The areal extents over which offshore subsurface geologic units crop out at the sea floor were interpreted from seismic-reflection data.
Map showing the surficial geology from this study and Baldwin and others (2016) with equivalent onshore geology (adapted from Stone and DiGiacomo-Cohen, 2009). The areal extents over which offshore subsurface geologic units crop out at the sea floor were interpreted from seismic-reflection data.
Montana State University students at an outcrop along Highway 20, in Idaho, sampling the Mesa Falls Tuff fall deposit exposed just beneath the ignimbrite. Photo by Madison Myers (Montana State University) on June 9, 2019.
Montana State University students at an outcrop along Highway 20, in Idaho, sampling the Mesa Falls Tuff fall deposit exposed just beneath the ignimbrite. Photo by Madison Myers (Montana State University) on June 9, 2019.
Bobby Joe Monhollen and Matt Hinkle preparing to make an ADCP measurement on the Cumberland River.
Bobby Joe Monhollen and Matt Hinkle preparing to make an ADCP measurement on the Cumberland River.
Bobby Joe Monhollen and Matt Hinkle preparing to make an ADCP measurement on the Cumberland River. Record high water levels were experienced at Lake Cumberland.
Bobby Joe Monhollen and Matt Hinkle preparing to make an ADCP measurement on the Cumberland River. Record high water levels were experienced at Lake Cumberland.
Flood water pouring down the Cumberland River in Kentucky.
Flood water pouring down the Cumberland River in Kentucky.
Magma dynamics experiments seek to recreate the pressure and temperature at depths far beneath a volcano, in order to determine how the magma forms, evolves, and ascends prior to eruption.
Magma dynamics experiments seek to recreate the pressure and temperature at depths far beneath a volcano, in order to determine how the magma forms, evolves, and ascends prior to eruption.
Yellow Creek near Oak Grove, IN - downstream of gage
Yellow Creek near Oak Grove, IN - downstream of gage
Yellow Creek near Oak Grove, IN - downstream view
Yellow Creek near Oak Grove, IN - downstream view
Yellow River at Knox, IN - upstream of bridge
A USGS pilot and Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas geochemist prepare to conduct a test flight of an unmanned aerial system (UAS) on Kīlauea Volcano in November 2018. This UAS was outfitted with a prototype miniaturized multi-gas sensor for the detection of volcanic gases emitted by Kīlauea, including sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide.
A USGS pilot and Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas geochemist prepare to conduct a test flight of an unmanned aerial system (UAS) on Kīlauea Volcano in November 2018. This UAS was outfitted with a prototype miniaturized multi-gas sensor for the detection of volcanic gases emitted by Kīlauea, including sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide.
USGS scientists deploying a Conductivity/Temperature/Depth (CTD) instrument package.
USGS scientists deploying a Conductivity/Temperature/Depth (CTD) instrument package.
Northeast Region Photo Contest Winner | February 2019 | Honorable Mention
Steve Suttles (L) and John Borden (R) onboard Muddy Waters research boat removing meter in Wellfleet, MA used to quantify critical sediment transport parameters of diverse wetland complexes within 4 NCBN parks in order to inform management efforts.
Northeast Region Photo Contest Winner | February 2019 | Honorable Mention
Steve Suttles (L) and John Borden (R) onboard Muddy Waters research boat removing meter in Wellfleet, MA used to quantify critical sediment transport parameters of diverse wetland complexes within 4 NCBN parks in order to inform management efforts.
A popular hiking trail on the North side of the Anaconda valley in Montana is blanketed in snow.
A popular hiking trail on the North side of the Anaconda valley in Montana is blanketed in snow.
USGS scientists, working with researchers from the University of Ghent, probed the floor of Eklutna Lake, Anchorage Borough, Alaska, for evidence of turbidity currents triggered by strong shaking during the 2018 Mw7.1 Anchorage earthquake.
USGS scientists, working with researchers from the University of Ghent, probed the floor of Eklutna Lake, Anchorage Borough, Alaska, for evidence of turbidity currents triggered by strong shaking during the 2018 Mw7.1 Anchorage earthquake.
A debris flow in Marin County triggered by intense rainfall destroyed several homes and injured one person during February 2019. View is looking from the top of the landslide downslope.
A debris flow in Marin County triggered by intense rainfall destroyed several homes and injured one person during February 2019. View is looking from the top of the landslide downslope.
Dann Blackwood and Jon Borden prepare to drop a current meter overboard from the research boat Muddy Waters offshore of Wellfleet, Massachusetts.
Dann Blackwood and Jon Borden prepare to drop a current meter overboard from the research boat Muddy Waters offshore of Wellfleet, Massachusetts.