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Explore a diverse collection of engaging videos showcasing the latest research, discoveries, and educational content from the U.S. Geological Survey. Dive into the fascinating world of geology, hydrology, ecology, and natural hazards as we bring science to life. Stay informed and inspired by our visual storytelling that highlights the vital work of USGS scientists and their impact on the planet.

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lava lava
Halema‘uma‘u west vent lava pond with koa‘e kea bird
Halema‘uma‘u west vent lava pond with koa‘e kea bird

Lava continues to erupt from a perched lava pond within the west vent of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. This video shows nearly continuous spatter bursts through the pond and a roiling and sloshing pond surface. At about 43 seconds into the video, a white-trailed tropicbird (koa‘e kea) flies through the frame.

Lava continues to erupt from a perched lava pond within the west vent of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. This video shows nearly continuous spatter bursts through the pond and a roiling and sloshing pond surface. At about 43 seconds into the video, a white-trailed tropicbird (koa‘e kea) flies through the frame.

Historic Lows at Lake Powell - video thumbnail Historic Lows at Lake Powell - video thumbnail
Image of the Week - Historic Lows at Lake Powell
Image of the Week - Historic Lows at Lake Powell

Lake Powell on the border of Utah and Arizona supplies water to millions across the southwestern United States.

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PubTalk-11/2021: Busting Myths About One of the Largest Volcanic Systems in the World - The Top 10 Misconceptions about Yellowstone Volcanism
PubTalk-11/2021: Busting Myths About One of the Largest Volcanic Systems in the World - The Top 10 Misconceptions about Yellowstone Volcanism

Busting Myths About One of the Largest Volcanic Systems in the World - The Top 10 Misconceptions about Yellowstone Volcanism

By Michael Poland, USGS Scientist-in-charge, Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

disease ecologist disease ecologist
I Am A...Disease Ecologist
I Am A...Disease Ecologist

Welcome to the "I Am A..." series, a whiteboard animation video series highlighting USGS careers.

Welcome to the "I Am A..." series, a whiteboard animation video series highlighting USGS careers.

lava flowing lava flowing
Overflow of a perched levee—Halema‘uma‘u, Kīlauea summit
Overflow of a perched levee—Halema‘uma‘u, Kīlauea summit

Lava continues to erupt from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u, and supply the lava lake through a spillway in the spatter cone. On November 12, a small overflow of the perched lava lake levee was visible from the western crater rim. Overflows are an important process for building up perched levees, as they help add height and stability.

Lava continues to erupt from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u, and supply the lava lake through a spillway in the spatter cone. On November 12, a small overflow of the perched lava lake levee was visible from the western crater rim. Overflows are an important process for building up perched levees, as they help add height and stability.

lava lava
Lava sloshing and spattering in west vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater at Kīlauea volcano
Lava sloshing and spattering in west vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater at Kīlauea volcano

Lava continues to erupt from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u, and supply the lava lake through a spillway in the spatter cone. On November 9, a close-up view of the west vent shows spatter bursting and sloshing within the cone. Spatter was thrown about 6–9 m (20–30 ft) above the pond surface, occasionally depositing spatter onto the rim of the cone. 

Lava continues to erupt from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u, and supply the lava lake through a spillway in the spatter cone. On November 9, a close-up view of the west vent shows spatter bursting and sloshing within the cone. Spatter was thrown about 6–9 m (20–30 ft) above the pond surface, occasionally depositing spatter onto the rim of the cone. 

Screenshot for video thumbnail of Landsat 9 first images Screenshot for video thumbnail of Landsat 9 first images
Image of the Week - Landsat 9 First Images!
Image of the Week - Landsat 9 First Images!

Landsat 9 launched into space on September 27th, 2021. The "first light" images arrived on October 31st. On that day the satellite captured: algal blooms in Lake Erie, the glaciers of the Himalayas, bush fires in Australia's Eucalypt Woodlands, coastal communities on the Florida panhandle, and deserts, mountains and mesas across the Navajo Nation.

Landsat 9 launched into space on September 27th, 2021. The "first light" images arrived on October 31st. On that day the satellite captured: algal blooms in Lake Erie, the glaciers of the Himalayas, bush fires in Australia's Eucalypt Woodlands, coastal communities on the Florida panhandle, and deserts, mountains and mesas across the Navajo Nation.

Man standing in cold wintery landscape Man standing in cold wintery landscape
November (2021) Yellowstone Volcano
November (2021) Yellowstone Volcano

The November 2021 YVO Yellowstone Volcano update comes to you from a very snowy Norris Geyser Basin with a story about Porkchop Geyser’s 1989 explosion.

The November 2021 YVO Yellowstone Volcano update comes to you from a very snowy Norris Geyser Basin with a story about Porkchop Geyser’s 1989 explosion.

lava lava
November 1, 2021 — Kīlauea summit eruption
November 1, 2021 — Kīlauea summit eruption

Eruptive activity continues in Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea. The west vent remains active with low fountaining in a slightly perched pond set within the cone. Lava pours through a short spillway into the lava lake. The base level of the pond fluctuates over the timespan of minutes.

Eruptive activity continues in Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea. The west vent remains active with low fountaining in a slightly perched pond set within the cone. Lava pours through a short spillway into the lava lake. The base level of the pond fluctuates over the timespan of minutes.

lava lava
One year thermal camera time-lapse—Kīlauea summit
One year thermal camera time-lapse—Kīlauea summit

It has been one month since the new eruption began in Halema'uma'u. Over the past year at Kīlauea summit there has been a water lake and two eruptions within Halema'uma'u crater.

It has been one month since the new eruption began in Halema'uma'u. Over the past year at Kīlauea summit there has been a water lake and two eruptions within Halema'uma'u crater.

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PubTalk-10/2021: Zombie Salmon and Ghost Moose
PubTalk-10/2021: Zombie Salmon and Ghost Moose

Zombie Salmon and Ghost Moose - The Spooky Implications of Climate Change

By Laura Thompson & Abigail Lynch, USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center

Zombie Salmon and Ghost Moose - The Spooky Implications of Climate Change

By Laura Thompson & Abigail Lynch, USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center

mountain mountain
Rockfall, Cliff Retreat in Yosemite Valley since Last Glacial Maximum
Rockfall, Cliff Retreat in Yosemite Valley since Last Glacial Maximum

The granitic cliffs of Yosemite Valley produce frequent rockfalls, modifying the landscape but also posing risk to park visitors. Analyses of terrestrial lidar and historical structure-from-motion photogrammetry data provide relatively precise short-term (approximately 40 years) rates of rockfall and cliff retreat.

The granitic cliffs of Yosemite Valley produce frequent rockfalls, modifying the landscape but also posing risk to park visitors. Analyses of terrestrial lidar and historical structure-from-motion photogrammetry data provide relatively precise short-term (approximately 40 years) rates of rockfall and cliff retreat.

color thumbnail for Image of the Week - Kilauea 2021 color thumbnail for Image of the Week - Kilauea 2021
Image of the Week - Kilauea 2021
Image of the Week - Kilauea 2021

The volcanic activity of Kilauea continues on the island of Hawaii. The latest eruption began within Halema'uma'u Crater on September 29. The previous eruption just ended in May 2021. Before that, major lava flows covered the eastern tip of Hawaii's Big Island in 2018. This latest eruption included vigorous fountaining up to 50-60m high.

The volcanic activity of Kilauea continues on the island of Hawaii. The latest eruption began within Halema'uma'u Crater on September 29. The previous eruption just ended in May 2021. Before that, major lava flows covered the eastern tip of Hawaii's Big Island in 2018. This latest eruption included vigorous fountaining up to 50-60m high.

lava lava
Kīlauea summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater - October 2, 2021
Kīlauea summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater - October 2, 2021

Eruptive activity continues in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. The west vent remains active with low fountaining in a slightly perched pond set within the cone. Lava pours through a short spillway into the lava lake.

Eruptive activity continues in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. The west vent remains active with low fountaining in a slightly perched pond set within the cone. Lava pours through a short spillway into the lava lake.

Color photograph of lava lake Color photograph of lava lake
Morning views of Halema‘uma‘u west vent & lava lake - October 23, 2021
Morning views of Halema‘uma‘u west vent & lava lake - October 23, 2021

Morning views of the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit, on October 23, 2021. Variable west vent fountain heights are visible in this video, which is shown at 5 times speed.

Color photograph of volcanic vent Color photograph of volcanic vent
Morning views of the eruption in Halema‘uma‘u - October 23, 2021
Morning views of the eruption in Halema‘uma‘u - October 23, 2021

Morning views of the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit, on October 23, 2021. This view is from the south rim of the crater. Lava continues to erupt from a single vent on the western wall of the crater. Lava fountains within the cone and spills out of the cone opening, flowing east into the lake.

Morning views of the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit, on October 23, 2021. This view is from the south rim of the crater. Lava continues to erupt from a single vent on the western wall of the crater. Lava fountains within the cone and spills out of the cone opening, flowing east into the lake.

highway and access roads in narrow canyon with river at the bottom highway and access roads in narrow canyon with river at the bottom
Evaluating rockfall frequency from natural slopes (multiple methods)
Evaluating rockfall frequency from natural slopes (multiple methods)

Understanding of rockfall frequency-magnitude relationships is important for managing rockfall hazards, but characterizing these relationships is a challenging problem due to limited data, limited access, and the difficulty of accurately dating historic rockfalls.

Understanding of rockfall frequency-magnitude relationships is important for managing rockfall hazards, but characterizing these relationships is a challenging problem due to limited data, limited access, and the difficulty of accurately dating historic rockfalls.

Color photograph of lava lake Color photograph of lava lake
Kīlauea summit overflight - October 15, 2021
Kīlauea summit overflight - October 15, 2021

A morning overflight of Kīlauea summit on October 15, 2021, provided aerial views of the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u. Lava erupts from a single vent on the western wall of the crater. The vent has a spatter cone around it, with an opening to the east from which lava flows into the lava lake. 

A morning overflight of Kīlauea summit on October 15, 2021, provided aerial views of the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u. Lava erupts from a single vent on the western wall of the crater. The vent has a spatter cone around it, with an opening to the east from which lava flows into the lava lake. 

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