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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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Chronic wasting disease
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious disease
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious disease
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious disease

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emerging infectious disease that is fatal to free-ranging and captive animals in Cervidae (the deer family; referred to as “cervids”). Affected animals include deer, elk, moose, and reindeer.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emerging infectious disease that is fatal to free-ranging and captive animals in Cervidae (the deer family; referred to as “cervids”). Affected animals include deer, elk, moose, and reindeer.

Chronic wasting disease
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious disease
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious disease
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious disease

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emerging infectious disease that is fatal to free-ranging and captive animals in Cervidae (the deer family; referred to as “cervids”). Affected animals include deer, elk, moose, and reindeer.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emerging infectious disease that is fatal to free-ranging and captive animals in Cervidae (the deer family; referred to as “cervids”). Affected animals include deer, elk, moose, and reindeer.

Chronic wasting disease
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious disease
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious disease
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious disease

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emerging infectious disease that is fatal to free-ranging and captive animals in Cervidae (the deer family; referred to as “cervids”). Affected animals include deer, elk, moose, and reindeer.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emerging infectious disease that is fatal to free-ranging and captive animals in Cervidae (the deer family; referred to as “cervids”). Affected animals include deer, elk, moose, and reindeer.

Chronic wasting disease
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious disease
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious disease
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious disease

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emerging infectious disease that is fatal to free-ranging and captive animals in Cervidae (the deer family; referred to as “cervids”). Affected animals include deer, elk, moose, and reindeer.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emerging infectious disease that is fatal to free-ranging and captive animals in Cervidae (the deer family; referred to as “cervids”). Affected animals include deer, elk, moose, and reindeer.

Chronic wasting disease
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious disease
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious disease
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious disease

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emerging infectious disease that is fatal to free-ranging and captive animals in Cervidae (the deer family; referred to as “cervids”). Affected animals include deer, elk, moose, and reindeer.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emerging infectious disease that is fatal to free-ranging and captive animals in Cervidae (the deer family; referred to as “cervids”). Affected animals include deer, elk, moose, and reindeer.

Scientist spraying down a boat after sampling around Harmful Algal Blooms
Decontamination
Decontamination
Decontamination

Hydrographer Jonathan Cohl sprays down the boat and trailer, used to deploy a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) water quality monitoring buoy on Lake Hopatcong, with a decontamination solution. This is a very important step between missions when vessels are used in multiple bodies of water.

Hydrographer Jonathan Cohl sprays down the boat and trailer, used to deploy a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) water quality monitoring buoy on Lake Hopatcong, with a decontamination solution. This is a very important step between missions when vessels are used in multiple bodies of water.

Glacier mass balance measurements on Taku Glacier, Alaska
Glacier mass balance measurements on Taku Glacier, Alaska
Glacier mass balance measurements on Taku Glacier, Alaska
Glacier mass balance measurements on Taku Glacier, Alaska

Students Stacey Edmonsond (left) and Audrey Erickson (right) of the Juneau Icefield Research Program, measuring glacier mass balance at the flow divide of Taku and Mendenhall glaciers during the summer of 2019

Students Stacey Edmonsond (left) and Audrey Erickson (right) of the Juneau Icefield Research Program, measuring glacier mass balance at the flow divide of Taku and Mendenhall glaciers during the summer of 2019

Looking a a monitoring Buoy from the boat
Hopatcong Buoy
Hopatcong Buoy
Hopatcong Buoy

USGS scientists deploy a monitoring buoy on Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, to monitor water-quality conditions and a harmful algal bloom in near real-time. USGS scientist Karl Braun is photographed.

USGS scientists deploy a monitoring buoy on Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, to monitor water-quality conditions and a harmful algal bloom in near real-time. USGS scientist Karl Braun is photographed.

Scientists setting out a monitor for algal bloom
Hopatcong Monitor
Hopatcong Monitor
Hopatcong Monitor

USGS scientists Lisa Carper and Jon Cohl deploy a monitoring buoy at Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, to monitor water-quality conditions and a harmful algal bloom in near real-time.

USGS scientists Lisa Carper and Jon Cohl deploy a monitoring buoy at Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, to monitor water-quality conditions and a harmful algal bloom in near real-time.

Warning sign posted at the marina on Lake Hapatcong
Hopatcong Warning
Hopatcong Warning
Hopatcong Warning

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection advised the public to avoid swimming in or contact with Lake Hopatcong water due to a harmful algal bloom confirmed in June 2019 by aerial surveillance. To help study water-quality conditions and the bloom’s severity, the USGS installed a monitoring buoy on the lake in July.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection advised the public to avoid swimming in or contact with Lake Hopatcong water due to a harmful algal bloom confirmed in June 2019 by aerial surveillance. To help study water-quality conditions and the bloom’s severity, the USGS installed a monitoring buoy on the lake in July.

Monitor buoy floating on Lake Hopatcong
Monitor Buoy
Monitor Buoy
Monitor Buoy

USGS monitoring buoy deployed on Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, to monitor water-quality conditions and a harmful algal bloom in near real-time.

USGS monitoring buoy deployed on Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, to monitor water-quality conditions and a harmful algal bloom in near real-time.

Portable Seismic Station
Portable Seismic Station
Portable Seismic Station
Portable Seismic Station

Two portable sensors: a strong motion sensor (to record strong shaking that can be felt) and a broadband sensor (to record weak motion for detecting small earthquakes) buried into the ground to detect earthquakes. These stations can be quickly deployed and send real-time data back to the USGS via cellular telemetry immediately after they are installed. 

Two portable sensors: a strong motion sensor (to record strong shaking that can be felt) and a broadband sensor (to record weak motion for detecting small earthquakes) buried into the ground to detect earthquakes. These stations can be quickly deployed and send real-time data back to the USGS via cellular telemetry immediately after they are installed. 

Scientists collecting samples on lake Hopatcong
Sampling Hopatcong
Sampling Hopatcong
Sampling Hopatcong

USGS scientists Brad Bjorklund and Jon Cohl collect a water-quality sample at Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, to monitor a harmful algal bloom on the lake.

USGS scientists Brad Bjorklund and Jon Cohl collect a water-quality sample at Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, to monitor a harmful algal bloom on the lake.

Taku Glacier, Alaska retreat
Taku Glacier, Alaska retreat
Taku Glacier, Alaska retreat
Taku Glacier, Alaska retreat

2019 Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP) students during a four day and 83 kilometers ski traverse across Taku Glacier, carrying all their food, water, clothing, tents, and science gear as they help measure the mass balance along the way.

2019 Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP) students during a four day and 83 kilometers ski traverse across Taku Glacier, carrying all their food, water, clothing, tents, and science gear as they help measure the mass balance along the way.

briefing navy
USGS provides briefing to Navy about Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence
USGS provides briefing to Navy about Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence
USGS provides briefing to Navy about Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence

Kate Scharer (USGS) provides CO CAPT Paul Dale (Navy) with the field mapping team’s initial product, showing the surface fault rupture at NAWSCL as well as the temporarily deployed seismic and GPS sensors that were rapidly deployed. Contributions of field data from within the base were from CGS & USGS, and from outside the base were from Univ.

Kate Scharer (USGS) provides CO CAPT Paul Dale (Navy) with the field mapping team’s initial product, showing the surface fault rupture at NAWSCL as well as the temporarily deployed seismic and GPS sensors that were rapidly deployed. Contributions of field data from within the base were from CGS & USGS, and from outside the base were from Univ.

briefing navy
USGS provides briefing to Navy about Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence
USGS provides briefing to Navy about Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence
USGS provides briefing to Navy about Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence

Kate Scharer (USGS) provides CO CAPT Paul Dale (Navy) with the field mapping team’s initial product, showing the surface fault rupture at NAWSCL as well as the temporarily deployed seismic and GPS sensors that were rapidly deployed. Contributions of field data from within the base were from CGS & USGS, and from outside the base were from Univ.

Kate Scharer (USGS) provides CO CAPT Paul Dale (Navy) with the field mapping team’s initial product, showing the surface fault rupture at NAWSCL as well as the temporarily deployed seismic and GPS sensors that were rapidly deployed. Contributions of field data from within the base were from CGS & USGS, and from outside the base were from Univ.

USGS scientist measuring sediment pH
USGS scientist measuring sediment pH
USGS scientist measuring sediment pH
USGS scientist measuring sediment pH

USGS scientist measuring sediment pH in a sample taken from a tributary of the Maumee River in Ohio

USGS scientist measuring sediment pH in a sample taken from a tributary of the Maumee River in Ohio

White-tailed deer and chronic wasting disease
White-tailed deer
White-tailed deer
White-tailed deer

Distribution map: distribution of chronic wasting disease in North America

access road offset
Helicopter Overflight Viewing Access Road Fault Offset
Helicopter Overflight Viewing Access Road Fault Offset
Helicopter Overflight Viewing Access Road Fault Offset

California Geological Survey and USGS geologists and geophysicists with National Guard and Navy personnel view road damage from 3 to 5 feet of right-lateral motion near the expected maximum slip locality along the primary tectonic rupture associated with the M 7.1 event.

California Geological Survey and USGS geologists and geophysicists with National Guard and Navy personnel view road damage from 3 to 5 feet of right-lateral motion near the expected maximum slip locality along the primary tectonic rupture associated with the M 7.1 event.

fault scarp
Inspecting the Vertical Offset Fault Scarp
Inspecting the Vertical Offset Fault Scarp
Inspecting the Vertical Offset Fault Scarp

Scientists from USGS & California Geological Survey viewing vertical fault offset of ~12 +/- 3 foot high fault scarp near the expected maximum slip locality along the primary tectonic rupture associated with the M 7.1 event.

Scientists from USGS & California Geological Survey viewing vertical fault offset of ~12 +/- 3 foot high fault scarp near the expected maximum slip locality along the primary tectonic rupture associated with the M 7.1 event.

surface displacement
Measure surface displacement from Searles Valley quake #1
Measure surface displacement from Searles Valley quake #1
Measure surface displacement from Searles Valley quake #1

USGS Research Geologists Christopher DuRoss and Jessica Thompson Jobe examine rupture resulting from the M7.1 Searles Valley earthquake.

USGS Research Geologists Christopher DuRoss and Jessica Thompson Jobe examine rupture resulting from the M7.1 Searles Valley earthquake.