Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Images

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.

Filter Total Items: 21608
Woman showing instrumentation to visitors at an outreach event
Science Stroll 2019
Science Stroll 2019
Science Stroll 2019

Marinna Martini doing an instrumentation show-and-tell at the 2019 Science Stroll.

Marinna Martini doing an instrumentation show-and-tell at the 2019 Science Stroll.

Woman showing instrumentation to visitors at an outreach event
Science Stroll 2019
Science Stroll 2019
Science Stroll 2019

Marinna Martini doing an instrumentation show-and-tell at the 2019 Science Stroll.

Marinna Martini doing an instrumentation show-and-tell at the 2019 Science Stroll.

Woman showing instrumentation to visitors at an outreach event
Science Stroll 2019
Science Stroll 2019
Science Stroll 2019

Marinna Martini doing an instrumentation show-and-tell at the 2019 Science Stroll.

Marinna Martini doing an instrumentation show-and-tell at the 2019 Science Stroll.

Woman showing instrumentation to visitors at an outreach event
Science Stroll 2019
Science Stroll 2019
Science Stroll 2019

Marinna Martini doing an instrumentation show-and-tell at the 2019 Science Stroll.

Marinna Martini doing an instrumentation show-and-tell at the 2019 Science Stroll.

Woman showing instrumentation to visitors at an outreach event
Science Stroll 2019
Science Stroll 2019
Science Stroll 2019

Marinna Martini doing an instrumentation show-and-tell at the 2019 Science Stroll.

Marinna Martini doing an instrumentation show-and-tell at the 2019 Science Stroll.

Woman showing instrumentation to visitors at an outreach event
Science Stroll 2019
Science Stroll 2019
Science Stroll 2019

Marinna Martini doing an instrumentation show-and-tell at the 2019 Science Stroll.

Marinna Martini doing an instrumentation show-and-tell at the 2019 Science Stroll.

Woman showing instrumentation to visitors at an outreach event
Science Stroll 2019
Science Stroll 2019
Science Stroll 2019

Marinna Martini doing an instrumentation show-and-tell at the 2019 Science Stroll.

Marinna Martini doing an instrumentation show-and-tell at the 2019 Science Stroll.

A device that's sort of round and brightly colored sitting on the deck of a ship near a person's feet.
Seafloor transponder for geodetic station
Seafloor transponder for geodetic station
Seafloor transponder for geodetic station

A seafloor transponder recovered from the Cascadia subduction zone.

A seafloor transponder recovered from the Cascadia subduction zone.

bee
Bumble bee on a flower
Bumble bee on a flower
Bumble bee on a flower

While surveying high water marks in Oakridge, Oregon, bumble bees buzzed around the river banks. The bees often mistake our bright colored equipment and florescent safety gear for tasty yellow flowers.

While surveying high water marks in Oakridge, Oregon, bumble bees buzzed around the river banks. The bees often mistake our bright colored equipment and florescent safety gear for tasty yellow flowers.

bee
Bumble bee on a flower
Bumble bee on a flower
Bumble bee on a flower

While surveying high water marks in Oakridge, Oregon, bumble bees buzzed around the river banks. The bees often mistake our bright colored equipment and florescent safety gear for tasty yellow flowers.

While surveying high water marks in Oakridge, Oregon, bumble bees buzzed around the river banks. The bees often mistake our bright colored equipment and florescent safety gear for tasty yellow flowers.

image related to volcanoes. See description
This close-up of the eastern end of the pond provides a better view of the varyi
This close-up of the eastern end of the pond provides a better view of the varyi
This close-up of the eastern end of the pond provides a better view of the varyi

This close-up of the eastern end of the pond provides a better view of the varying surface color. Ripples are also obvious. USGS photo by M. Patrick, 08-30-2019.

This close-up of the eastern end of the pond provides a better view of the varying surface color. Ripples are also obvious. USGS photo by M. Patrick, 08-30-2019.

What does water in Halema‘uma‘u mean
What does water in Halema‘uma‘u mean
What does water in Halema‘uma‘u mean
What does water in Halema‘uma‘u mean

These images look east at the pond within Halema‘uma‘u on August 8 and 14, 2019. The pond widened mainly toward the south (right). The north-south width of the pond on August 14 was about 32 m (105 ft), about 10 m (35 ft) wider than on August 8. The pond has widened and deepened slowly and steadily rate since measurements began on August 3.

These images look east at the pond within Halema‘uma‘u on August 8 and 14, 2019. The pond widened mainly toward the south (right). The north-south width of the pond on August 14 was about 32 m (105 ft), about 10 m (35 ft) wider than on August 8. The pond has widened and deepened slowly and steadily rate since measurements began on August 3.

image related to volcanoes. See description
Heart Spring in 19989 (left) and 2019 (right).
Heart Spring in 19989 (left) and 2019 (right).
Heart Spring in 19989 (left) and 2019 (right).

Contrasting photos of Heart Spring on Geyser Hill in the Upper Geyser Basin from 1998 (left) and 2019 (right). Can you spot differences in the hot spring? Photos courtesy of the National Park Service.

Contrasting photos of Heart Spring on Geyser Hill in the Upper Geyser Basin from 1998 (left) and 2019 (right). Can you spot differences in the hot spring? Photos courtesy of the National Park Service.

HVO now tracking ponds of water, not lava, at Kīlauea's summit
HVO now tracking ponds of water, not lava, at Kīlauea's summit
HVO now tracking ponds of water, not lava, at Kīlauea's summit
HVO now tracking ponds of water, not lava, at Kīlauea's summit

A telephoto view of the ponded water at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u on August 7, 2019. For scale, the largest pond is about 15 meters (50 feet) in diameter.

A telephoto view of the ponded water at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u on August 7, 2019. For scale, the largest pond is about 15 meters (50 feet) in diameter.

A man and woman stand together smiling with the sun setting over the water behind them.
Lead scientists Nathan Miller and Janet Watt
Lead scientists Nathan Miller and Janet Watt
Lead scientists Nathan Miller and Janet Watt

USGS principal investigators Nathan Miller and Janet Watt onboard the R/V Rachel Carson.

USGS principal investigators Nathan Miller and Janet Watt onboard the R/V Rachel Carson.

A female mule deer with a GPS-satellite collar at a water source with two fawns.
Mule deer with a GPS-satellite collar with fawns at a water source
Mule deer with a GPS-satellite collar with fawns at a water source
Mule deer with a GPS-satellite collar with fawns at a water source

A female mule deer with a GPS-satellite collar at a water source with two fawns.

image related to volcanoes. See description
Overflight of the lower East Rift Zone
Overflight of the lower East Rift Zone
Overflight of the lower East Rift Zone

HVO conducted an overflight of the lower East Rift Zone flow field to create a thermal map, which will be posted soon on the Maps page. This wide-angle photo shows the new path of Highway 132 through the Fissure 8 lava channels.

HVO conducted an overflight of the lower East Rift Zone flow field to create a thermal map, which will be posted soon on the Maps page. This wide-angle photo shows the new path of Highway 132 through the Fissure 8 lava channels.

Color photograph showing two geologists at road construction through lava flow
Two HVO geologists document road cutting activities on HWY 132
Two HVO geologists document road cutting activities on HWY 132
Two HVO geologists document road cutting activities on HWY 132

Two HVO geologists document road cutting activities on HWY 132 on August 7, 2019. One geologist is taking visual photographs while another geologist is taking thermal photographs to make a tandem pair for comparison. The temperature of the solidified lava was measured to 425° C (800° F) at the digging site. 

Two HVO geologists document road cutting activities on HWY 132 on August 7, 2019. One geologist is taking visual photographs while another geologist is taking thermal photographs to make a tandem pair for comparison. The temperature of the solidified lava was measured to 425° C (800° F) at the digging site. 

A team of 4 USGS scientists drive a hole for installation of a shallow groundwater well.
USGS scientists drive a hole for groundwater well
USGS scientists drive a hole for groundwater well
USGS scientists drive a hole for groundwater well

A team of 4 USGS scientists drive a hole for installation of a shallow groundwater well. These wells help scientists understand the exchange of groundwater and surface water in the Delaware River Basin. 

A team of 4 USGS scientists drive a hole for installation of a shallow groundwater well. These wells help scientists understand the exchange of groundwater and surface water in the Delaware River Basin. 

An apparatus with various fins and equipment sits on the deck of a ship in a harbor.
Waveglider for seafloor geodesy
Waveglider for seafloor geodesy
Waveglider for seafloor geodesy

Waveglider used to communicate with a geodesy station's seafloor transponders.

Waveglider used to communicate with a geodesy station's seafloor transponders.

Short-tailed Shearwater carcass on beach in Bristol Bay, Alaska
Close up of Short-tailed Shearwater carcass in Bristol Bay, Alaska
Close up of Short-tailed Shearwater carcass in Bristol Bay, Alaska
Close up of Short-tailed Shearwater carcass in Bristol Bay, Alaska

Short-tailed Shearwater die-off in the Bering Sea. Emaciated Short-tailed Shearwater carcasses littered the beaches of Bristol Bay during the summer of 2019

Short-tailed Shearwater die-off in the Bering Sea. Emaciated Short-tailed Shearwater carcasses littered the beaches of Bristol Bay during the summer of 2019