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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.

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Color map of lava lake at volcano summit
New eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater at Kīlauea summit - September 29
New eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater at Kīlauea summit - September 29
New eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater at Kīlauea summit - September 29

At approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) detected glow in Kīlauea summit webcam images indicating that an eruption has commenced within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

At approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) detected glow in Kīlauea summit webcam images indicating that an eruption has commenced within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Map of volcano summit eruption
September 29, 2021, Kīlauea summit eruption map
September 29, 2021, Kīlauea summit eruption map
September 29, 2021, Kīlauea summit eruption map

This reference map depicts the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption as of approximately 6:00 PM on September 29, 2021. Several new fissures (orange lines) within Halema‘uma‘u have erupted enough lava (red) to cover nearly all of the 12/2021–5/2021 lava lake by more than 36 ft (11 m).

This reference map depicts the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption as of approximately 6:00 PM on September 29, 2021. Several new fissures (orange lines) within Halema‘uma‘u have erupted enough lava (red) to cover nearly all of the 12/2021–5/2021 lava lake by more than 36 ft (11 m).

Timelapse of volcanic eruption
Timelapse camera shows onset of new eruption at Kīlauea summit
Timelapse camera shows onset of new eruption at Kīlauea summit
Timelapse camera shows onset of new eruption at Kīlauea summit

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.

3D aerial view of the greater Los Angeles area with a fence diagram overlay of stratigraphic layers
Los Angeles Coastal Plain Groundwater-flow Model
Los Angeles Coastal Plain Groundwater-flow Model
Los Angeles Coastal Plain Groundwater-flow Model

Complex aquifer system simulated in the Los Angeles Coastal Plain, California.

Complex aquifer system simulated in the Los Angeles Coastal Plain, California.

Click image for full details
Critical Minerals in Landsat 9
Critical Minerals in Landsat 9
Critical Minerals in Landsat 9

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.

Color photograph of inactive lava lake
View of Halema‘uma‘u at Kīlauea summit - September 24, 2021
View of Halema‘uma‘u at Kīlauea summit - September 24, 2021
View of Halema‘uma‘u at Kīlauea summit - September 24, 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.

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.

Necropsy photos from crop, spleen, and liver of red crossbills and American goldfinches.
Photographs from red crossbills and American goldfinches from Montana
Photographs from red crossbills and American goldfinches from Montana
Photographs from red crossbills and American goldfinches from Montana

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 dark goose silhouettes fly over a mountainous landscape
Tule white-fronted geese flying over Summer Lake Wildlife Area
Tule white-fronted geese flying over Summer Lake Wildlife Area
Tule white-fronted geese flying over Summer Lake Wildlife Area

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 dark goose silhouettes fly over a mountainous landscape
Tule white-fronted geese flying over Summer Lake Wildlife Area, OR
Tule white-fronted geese flying over Summer Lake Wildlife Area, OR
Tule white-fronted geese flying over Summer Lake Wildlife Area, OR

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.

About a dozen geese in silhouette flap their wings and turn sideways and upside down in midair
Tule white-fronted geese landing in Summer Lake Wildlife Area
Tule white-fronted geese landing in Summer Lake Wildlife Area
Tule white-fronted geese landing in Summer Lake Wildlife Area

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 geese take off at the edge of a wetland
Tule white-fronted geese take off from Summer Lake Wildlife Area
Tule white-fronted geese take off from Summer Lake Wildlife Area
Tule white-fronted geese take off from Summer Lake Wildlife Area

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 are mounted on towers overlooking the beach and dunes
Two CoastCams installed in the Outer Banks for DUNEX project
Two CoastCams installed in the Outer Banks for DUNEX project
Two CoastCams installed in the Outer Banks for DUNEX project

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

Photo of a beach from a dune with people and equipment along a line in the middle
Looking out at the Pea Island Experiment Cross-shore array
Looking out at the Pea Island Experiment Cross-shore array
Looking out at the Pea Island Experiment Cross-shore array

Researchers from the USGS and North Carolina Universites set up their equipment on installed poles stretching from the dune to the surf zone.

boat on large body of water heading underneath a large bridge
Hudson River Spatial Mapping Boat Trip- photo for video
Hudson River Spatial Mapping Boat Trip- photo for video
Hudson River Spatial Mapping Boat Trip- photo for video

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.

Two boats and multiple people on a calm ocean with a clear blue sky
USGS personnel and contracted divers work together to install instrume
USGS personnel and contracted divers work together to install instrume
USGS personnel and contracted divers work together to install instrume

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.

Two people inspect a metal sign on a vegetated sandy backdrop and blue sky.
USGS personnel install warning signs on the beach
USGS personnel install warning signs on the beach
A woman sitting cross legged on top of a ladder writing in a notebook next to long skinny equipment
USGS researcher uses RTk equipment to locate installed instruments
USGS researcher uses RTk equipment to locate installed instruments
USGS researcher uses RTk equipment to locate installed instruments

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.

A white balloon-shaped kite being held in the air
A helikite used to collect imagery of the coastline
A helikite used to collect imagery of the coastline
A helikite used 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.

A camera points down at a sandy coastline lined with vegetated dunes and a pier. Residential area seen in the distance.
Coast Cam at the USACE Field Research Facility
Coast Cam at the USACE Field Research Facility
Coast Cam at the USACE Field Research Facility

USGS scientists mounted this high-resolution digital camera on an observation tower in the dune at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The camera overlooks the beach, dune, and an instrument array, and collects images throughout calm and storm conditions. 

USGS scientists mounted this high-resolution digital camera on an observation tower in the dune at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The camera overlooks the beach, dune, and an instrument array, and collects images throughout calm and storm conditions. 

Aerial view of a sandy beach and dune. A scientists holds a post near a black and white marker on the ground.
DUNEX beach profile survey
DUNEX beach profile survey
DUNEX beach profile survey

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.

Wide view of a beach, waves, and a pier. Several metal poles stick out of the sand on the beach.
DUNEX instruments and FRF pier
DUNEX instruments and FRF pier
DUNEX instruments and FRF pier

Metal poles and equipment will installed on the beach and in the surf zone near the Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility pier near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The poles extend about 5 feet above the ground or seabed, to support instruments that continuously measure wave heights, water levels, and currents using acoustics. 

Metal poles and equipment will installed on the beach and in the surf zone near the Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility pier near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The poles extend about 5 feet above the ground or seabed, to support instruments that continuously measure wave heights, water levels, and currents using acoustics.