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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.
Browse more than 65,000 articles authored by our scientists over the past 100+ year history of the USGS and refine search by topic, location, year, and advanced search.
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Automated detection of clipping in broadband earthquake records Automated detection of clipping in broadband earthquake records
Because the amount of available ground‐motion data has increased over the last decades, the need for automated processing algorithms has also increased. One difficulty with automated processing is to screen clipped records. Clipping occurs when the ground‐motion amplitude exceeds the dynamic range of the linear response of the instrument. Clipped records in which the amplitude exceeds...
Authors
James Kael Kleckner, Kyle Withers, Eric M. Thompson, J.M. Rekoske, Emily Wolin, Morgan P. Moschetti
Exposure of cultural resources to 21st-century climate change: Towards a risk management plan Exposure of cultural resources to 21st-century climate change: Towards a risk management plan
Anthropogenic climate change during the 21st century presents a significant challenge to the protection of cultural resources (CRs) on federal lands that encompass ∼ 28% of the U.S. In particular, CRs on this land base may be adversely affected by a wide range of climate-change hazards, including damage by sea-level rise, enhanced deterioration by increasing temperature and precipitation...
Authors
Jorie Clark, Jeremy S. Littell, Jay R. Alder, Nathan Teats
Exploring local riverbank sediment controls on the occurrence of preferential groundwater discharge points Exploring local riverbank sediment controls on the occurrence of preferential groundwater discharge points
Groundwater discharge to rivers takes many forms, including preferential groundwater discharge points (PDPs) along riverbanks that are exposed at low flows, with multi-scale impacts on aquatic habitat and water quality. The physical controls on the spatial distribution of PDPs along riverbanks are not well-defined, rendering their prediction and representation in models challenging. To...
Authors
Martin A. Briggs, Kaetlyn Jackson, F. Liu, Eric Moore, Alaina Bisson, A. M. Helton
Migration strategies supporting salmonids in Arctic Rivers: A case study of Arctic Cisco and Dolly Varden Migration strategies supporting salmonids in Arctic Rivers: A case study of Arctic Cisco and Dolly Varden
Amphidromous fish such as Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) and Arctic Cisco (Coregonus autumnalis) have distinct life histories that facilitate their success in Arctic environments. Both species spawn in freshwater and make annual migrations between marine, brackish, or freshwater environments. Dolly Varden rear for one or more years in freshwater before migrating to sea whereas Arctic...
Authors
Michael P. Carey, Vanessa R. von Biela, Randy J Brown, Christian E. Zimmerman
Host correlates of avian influenza virus infection in wild waterfowl of the Sacramento Valley, California Host correlates of avian influenza virus infection in wild waterfowl of the Sacramento Valley, California
Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) are distributed globally in members of the family Anatidae (waterfowl), and significant disease may occur when these viruses infect commercial poultry or humans. Early detection of AIV through surveillance of wild waterfowl is one measure to prevent future disease outbreaks. Surveillance efforts that are designed to account for host and environmental...
Authors
Elizabeth A. Bianchini, Raymond J. Bogiatto, Robin A. Donatello, Michael L. Casazza, Joshua T. Ackerman, Susan E.W. De La Cruz, Troy D. Cline
Assessing spontaneous howling rates in captive wolves using automatic passive recorders Assessing spontaneous howling rates in captive wolves using automatic passive recorders
We studied the spontaneous vocal behaviour of captive wolves at the International Wolf Center (IWC) in Minnesota (spring 2019 and winter 2020), and the Centro del Lobo Ibérico Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente (CLIFRF) in Spain (winter 2020). We used AudioMoth recording devices to record wolf howling 24 hr/day. We identified 412 solo howl series and 403 chorus howls and found differences...
Authors
Vicente Palacios, Shannon Barber-Meyer, Barbara Marti-Domken, Lori J. Schmidt
Invasive sea lamprey detection and characterization using interdigitated electrode (IDE) contact sensor Invasive sea lamprey detection and characterization using interdigitated electrode (IDE) contact sensor
The ability to monitor invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) populations in the Laurentian Great Lakes is critical to protecting the region’s $ 7 billion USD fishing industry and preserving its biodiversity. Monitoring these invaders requires considerable fieldwork and human power, making remote lamprey detection systems attractive for their continuous monitoring capabilities and...
Authors
Ian Gonzalez-Afanador, Hongyang Shi, Christopher M. Holbrook, Xiaobo Tan, Nelson Sepulveda
The statistical power to detect regional temporal trends in riverine contaminants in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, USA The statistical power to detect regional temporal trends in riverine contaminants in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, USA
Chemical contamination of riverine ecosystems is largely a result of urbanization, industrialization, and agricultural activities occurring on adjacent terrestrial landscapes. Land management activities (e.g., Best Management Practices) are an important tool used to reduce point and non-point sources of pollution. However, the ability to confidently make inferences about the efficacy of...
Authors
Tyler Wagner, Paul McLaughlin, Kelly L. Smalling, Sara E. Breitmeyer, Stephanie E. Gordon, Gregory E. Noe
Characterizing methane emission hotspots from thawing permafrost Characterizing methane emission hotspots from thawing permafrost
Methane (CH4) emissions from climate-sensitive ecosystems within the northern permafrost region represent a potentially large but highly uncertain source, with current estimates spanning a factor of seven (11–75 Tg CH4 yr−1). Accelerating permafrost thaw threatens significant increases in pan-Arctic CH4 emissions, amplifying the permafrost carbon feedback. We used airborne imaging...
Authors
Clayton D. Elder, David R. Thompson, Andrew K Thorpe, Hrishikesh Chandanpurkar, Philip J Hanke, Nicholas Hasson, Stephanie R. James, Burke J. Minsley, Neal J. Pastick, David Olefeldt, Katey M Walter Anthony, Charles E. Miller
Influencing activity of bats by dimly lighting wind turbine surfaces with ultraviolet light Influencing activity of bats by dimly lighting wind turbine surfaces with ultraviolet light
Wind energy producers need deployable devices for wind turbines that prevent bat fatalities. Based on the speculation that bats approach turbines after visually mistaking them for trees, we tested a potential light-based deterrence method. It is likely that the affected bats see ultraviolet (UV) light at low intensities. Here, we present the results of a multi-month experiment to cast...
Authors
Paul M. Cryan, Marcos Gorresen, Bethany R. Straw, Syhoune Thao, Elise DeGeorge
From anecdotes to quantification: Advances in characterizing volcanic eruption impacts on the built environment From anecdotes to quantification: Advances in characterizing volcanic eruption impacts on the built environment
Over the past 20 years, our understanding of volcanic eruption impacts on the built environment has transformed from being primarily observational with small datasets to one grounded in field investigations, laboratory experiments, and quantitative modeling, with an emphasis on stakeholder collaboration and co-creation. Here, we summarize key advances and knowledge gaps of impacts across...
Authors
Natalia I. Deligne, Susanna F. Jenkins, Elinor S. Meredith, George T. Williams, Graham S. Leonard, Carol Stewart, Thomas M. Wilson, Sebastien Biass, Daniel M. Blake, Russell J. Blong, Costanza Bonadonna, Rodrigo Calderon, Josh L. Hayes, David M. Johnston, Ben M. Kennedy, Christina R. Magill, Robin Spence, Kristi L. Wallace, John Wardman, Alanna M. Weir, Grant Wilson, Giulio Zuccaro
Some systemic risks to progress on seismic hazard assessment Some systemic risks to progress on seismic hazard assessment
No abstract available.
Authors
Edward H. Field