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The USGS provides unbiased, objective, and impartial scientific information upon which our audiences, including resource managers, planners, and other entities, rely.
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ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System performance during the Mw 7.0 offshore Cape Mendocino earthquake ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System performance during the Mw 7.0 offshore Cape Mendocino earthquake
The 5 December 2024 Mw 7.0 Offshore Cape Mendocino earthquake was a challenging test of the U.S. West Coast ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system due to its offshore epicenter and limited near‐source station coverage. We analyzed real‐time performance of all components of the ShakeAlert system, including the seismic algorithms (earthquake point‐source integrated code [EPIC] and...
Authors
Angela I. Lux, Jessie K. Saunders, Jessica R. Murray, Jeffrey J. McGuire, Maren Bose, Sumant Jha, Deborah Smith, S. N. Dybing, Carl W. Ulberg, Jacob Alexander Crummey, Stephen Crane, Richard Allen, Robert Michael deGroot
Evaluating snow depth measurements from ground-penetrating radar and airborne lidar in boreal forest and tundra environments during the NASA SnowEx 2023 campaign Evaluating snow depth measurements from ground-penetrating radar and airborne lidar in boreal forest and tundra environments during the NASA SnowEx 2023 campaign
Snow is a vital component of high-latitude terrestrial systems, but environmental factors (e.g., permafrost) and complex vegetation challenge the accurate measurement of key snowpack properties. We evaluated local-scale ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and large-scale airborne lidar retrievals of snow depth collected during the NASA SnowEx 2023 campaign in tundra and boreal forest...
Authors
Kajsa Holland-Goon, Randall Ray Bonnell, Daniel McGrath, W. Brad Baxter, Tate Meehan, Ryan Webb, Christopher F. Larsen, Hans-Peter Marshall, Megan A. Mason, Carrie Vuyovich
A temporal look at the influence of topographic amplification on earthquake-triggered landslides in 3D seismic simulations A temporal look at the influence of topographic amplification on earthquake-triggered landslides in 3D seismic simulations
Earthquakes are a primary trigger for landslides, often leading to catastrophic consequences. While numerous studies have explored the spatial distribution of earthquake-triggered landslides, understanding the interaction between seismic waves and topography remains a critical challenge. Topographic irregularities can cause seismic wave amplification, altering ground shaking, and can...
Authors
Emerald Awuor, Audrey M. Dunham, Hakan Tanyas, Islam Fadel
A Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach for species diversity in ecology A Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach for species diversity in ecology
Species diversity is the foundation of many ecological disciplines. This metric is often approximated using species richness and evenness, even though actual richness likely exceeds observations due to imperfect sampling methods. Estimating the “true” species richness, which includes identifying the number of missing species, has intrigued ecologists for decades. We adopted a parametric...
Authors
Song S. Qian, Mark Richard Dufour, Sabrina Jaffe, Corbin David Hilling, William D. Hintz
A practical decision tool for marine bird mortality assessments A practical decision tool for marine bird mortality assessments
Given the rise in anthropogenic, environmental, and disease events contributing to marine bird mortality, there is a critical need to improve the rigor of mortality assessments. Deficits in data collection and mortality estimation can hinder a manager’s ability to document the scale of events and assess population level impacts. Therefore, to inform decisions required during activities...
Authors
Johanna Harvey, Andrew M. Ramey, Stephanie Avery-Gomm, Gregory J. Robertson, Marc D. Romano, Jennifer M Mullinax, Megan L Boldenow, Philip W. Atkinson, Diann J. Prosser
Hydrogeology, groundwater salinity distributions, and assessment of the effect of oil-production activities on groundwater in the Midway Valley area, western Kern County, San Joaquin Valley, California Hydrogeology, groundwater salinity distributions, and assessment of the effect of oil-production activities on groundwater in the Midway Valley area, western Kern County, San Joaquin Valley, California
This study seeks to determine the effects of oil field produced water disposal operations and well mechanical integrity issues on groundwater quality in oil fields in the southwest San Joaquin Valley, California. Whereas previous studies used groundwater wells to study shallow aquifers outside the oil fields, this study demonstrates that future approaches may use oil well geophysical...
Authors
Janice M. Gillespie, Riley Gannon, Lyndsay B. Ball, John G. Warden, Rhett R. Everett, Michael J. Stephens
Water volumes, heat flow, and solute discharge from Old Faithful Geyser eruptions, Yellowstone National Park, USA Water volumes, heat flow, and solute discharge from Old Faithful Geyser eruptions, Yellowstone National Park, USA
The iconic Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park, USA, has attracted a significant amount of research because of the relative regularity and impressive size of its eruptions. Numerous studies have included observations, measurements, and analyses that informed models of geyser eruptions. However, fundamental quantities, including the associated mass and heat discharged, remain...
Authors
Shaul Hurwitz, R. Blaine McCleskey, Maxwell L. Rudolph, Sara Peek, David A. Roth, Melissa Schott-Atkins, Michael Manga, Kiernan F. Folz Donahue, Mara H. Reed, Jefferson D.G. Hungerford
A roadmap for implementing the Emergency Recovery Plan for freshwater biodiversity A roadmap for implementing the Emergency Recovery Plan for freshwater biodiversity
No abstract available.
Authors
Steve J. Cooke, Abigail J. Lynch, David Tickner, Robin Abell, Morgan L. Piczak, Angela H. Arthington, Michele Thieme, Denielle M. Perry, J. Robert Britton, Tatenda Dalu, Kim Birnie-Gauvin, Steve J. Ormerod, Fernanda Ayaviri Matuk, Rajeev Raghavan, John P. Smol
Comparative assessment of STIC sensors, streamflow and rain gauges for quantifying river connectivity in intermittent systems Comparative assessment of STIC sensors, streamflow and rain gauges for quantifying river connectivity in intermittent systems
In intermittent stream systems, including those occurring in Texas, USA, the severity of low-flow conditions, duration of seasonal disconnection, and frequency of no-flow events have been amplified by drought. Documentation of these no-flow events is necessary to evaluate ecosystem health. However, many intermittent reaches remain un-gauged given that perennial river sec-tions are often
Authors
Cienna R. Cooper, Jane S. Rogosch, Nathan G. Smith, Clinton R. Robertson, Wade M. Wilson
Late Miocene Colorado River arrival in the Bidahochi basin supports spillover origin of Grand Canyon Late Miocene Colorado River arrival in the Bidahochi basin supports spillover origin of Grand Canyon
The timing and mechanism of the integration of the Colorado River and incision of the Grand Canyon remain among geology’s enduring controversies. A key question is the configuration of the upper Colorado River watershed between 11 and 6 million years ago. In this study, we present new evidence from zircon uranium-lead geochronology for the arrival of distinctive Colorado–Green River...
Authors
John J.Y. He, Ryan S. Crow, John R. Douglass, Christopher S. Holm-Denoma, Jorge A. Vazquez, Brian F. Gootee, Marsha I Lidzbarski, Laura S. Pianowski, Harrison J. Gray, Emma Heitmann, Phil Pearthree, Kyle House, Shannon Dulin
Size of modern megafire not unprecedented and a cumulative fire deficit persists Size of modern megafire not unprecedented and a cumulative fire deficit persists
Background
Authors
C. H. Guiterman, Ellis Q. Margolis, D. W. Huffman, M. K. Lonergan, M. Kaib, C. H. Baisan
The damability function: A probabilistic approach to regional landslide dam susceptibility analysis applied to the Oregon Coast Range, USA The damability function: A probabilistic approach to regional landslide dam susceptibility analysis applied to the Oregon Coast Range, USA
Landslides can dam rivers and require rapid response to mitigate catastrophic outburst floods. Here, we present a workflow to map landslide dam formation susceptibility at a regional scale. We define a probabilistic function that combines river valley width and landslide volume to efficiently determine the likelihood of a landslide dam or “damability”. We combine damability values with...
Authors
Paul M Morgan, Alex R. Grant, William Struble, Sean Richard LaHusen, Alison R. Duvall