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Book Chapters

Browse more than 5,500 book chapters authored by our scientists over the past 100+ year history of the USGS and refine search by topic, location, year, and advanced search.

Filter Total Items: 6195

Geochemical monitoring of volcanic fluids in the twenty-first century Geochemical monitoring of volcanic fluids in the twenty-first century

This chapter reviews the state-of-the-art of geochemical volcano monitoring techniques. We cover in-situ monitoring technologies that rely on sampling fluids (direct sampling) and on instrumental analysis of the composition of such fluids in real-time (remote sensing of volcanic fluids is covered elsewhere in this book). We first review key concepts and principles in the field, and then...
Authors
A. Aiuppa, C. Caudron, G. Chiodini, Steven E. Ingebritsen, F. Viveiros

Monitoring lightning and electrification in volcanic plumes Monitoring lightning and electrification in volcanic plumes

Detection of the electrical discharges and, more fundamentally, the electrification from volcanic plumes is an emerging capability for volcano monitoring. In addition to being able to detect an explosive eruption, such measurements also provide insight into volcanic processes. Volcanic lightning monitoring can be achieved through varying levels of complexity. At the lowest complexity, an
Authors
Sonja A. Behnke, Alexa R. Van Eaton, Christopher J. Schultz

Lake water storage and level Lake water storage and level

No abstract available.
Authors
Merritt Elizabeth Harlan, Michael Frederick Meyer, Eric S. Levenson, Sarah Cooley, Benjamin M. Kraemer

Arctic fold-and-thrust belts Arctic fold-and-thrust belts

The modern Arctic has been formed through a series of continent–continent collisions, accretion of terranes and phases of crustal extension. The Neoproterozoic Timanian, Paleozoic Caledonian and Uralian, and late Mesozoic Verkhoyansk–Kolyma, Chukotkan and Brookian orogenies formed several large fold-and-thrust belts (FTBs). The FTBs are exposed across vast areas of continents and...
Authors
Sergey S. Drachev, Andrey K. Khudoley, Iwona Klonowska, Jaroslaw Majka, Thomas E. Moore, Karsten Piepjohn, Andrey V. Prokopiev

Chapter three - Global SSEBop actual evapotranspiration modeling and mapping using the VIIRS data Chapter three - Global SSEBop actual evapotranspiration modeling and mapping using the VIIRS data

AActual evapotranspiration (ETa) is an essential climate variable that can be used for drought monitoring and water availability assessment because of its close connection with vegetation, soil moisture, and the water cycle. An operational ETa using the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and global weather datasets was developed through the Simplified Surface Energy...
Authors
Gabriel B. Senay, Stefanie Kagone, Kul Bikram Khand, Gabriel Edwin Lee Parrish, Claudia Young, Michael Budde

Near-surface geophysics: Environmental applications Near-surface geophysics: Environmental applications

The field of geophysics encompasses a broad and diverse compilation of methodologies that employs principles of physics to characterize properties of earth materials within the subsurface. While geophysical methods have a long history in resource exploration and studies of Earth’s interior, the subdiscipline of “near-surface geophysics” has evolved in recent decades for examination of...
Authors
Stephanie R. James, Dan R. Glaser, Alejandro Garcia

Constraints and enablers for meaningful consideration of plural values through integration of cultural ecosystem services (CES) in decision-making Constraints and enablers for meaningful consideration of plural values through integration of cultural ecosystem services (CES) in decision-making

This chapter presents and applies five constraint/enabler categories that influence integration of the plural values of cultural ecosystem services (CES) in decision-making, highlighting how diverse forms of CES knowledge can intersect with decision making contexts. CES make foundational contributions to human well-being, and yet they are consistently underrepresented in research...
Authors
Kristen R Hoelting, Rachelle K. Gould, Amanda E. Cravens, Brian D. Winter

Carbonatite-hosted residual REE deposits Carbonatite-hosted residual REE deposits

Rare earth elements (REEs) occur in magmatic rocks but are especially enriched in carbonatite and alkaline silicates. If these rocks are chemically weathered, then the REEs may become further enriched within the regolith developed from these rocks. Primary magmatic REE minerals, as well as the various carbonate minerals and apatite, provide the REEs which, under pervasive chemical...
Authors
Peter R Siegfried, Frances Wall, Philip L. Verplanck

Hazards related to man-made structures: Buildings, noise, electric power Hazards related to man-made structures: Buildings, noise, electric power

Many man-made structures can form a hazard to avian wildlife. The most common hazard is one of collision, and this paper will look at problems with glass in buildings, power lines, and wind turbines all as sources of collision and trauma to avian wildlife. However, other anthropogenic factors that can adversely affect avian wildlife can be those that effectively eliminate suitable...
Authors
Glenn H. Olsen

Stratigraphy, structure, and geomorphology of the central Appalachians across the North Mountain fault zone near Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA Stratigraphy, structure, and geomorphology of the central Appalachians across the North Mountain fault zone near Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA

This field trip focuses on the geology of the central Appalachian Valley and Ridge province near Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA. Recent geologic mapping utilizing 1-m resolution lidar data has revealed new insights into the Paleozoic stratigraphy, structural geology, and Neogene landscape evolution of the region. The detailed mapping reveals the presence of the Big Spring Station Member and...
Authors
Daniel H. Doctor, Alexander Addison Gray, William E. Odom

Ordovician stratigraphy, structure, and karst of the Falling Spring Valley, Alleghany County, Virginia, USA Ordovician stratigraphy, structure, and karst of the Falling Spring Valley, Alleghany County, Virginia, USA

This one-day trip highlights new findings on a preliminary bedrock geologic map that shows results from ongoing geologic mapping in the Falling Spring Valley of Alleghany County, Virginia, USA, which is the southern end of the larger Warm Springs Valley, an elongated anticlinal valley rimmed by Ordovician and Silurian siliciclastic rocks, and which is famous for its thermal springs. This...
Authors
John T. Haynes, Richard A. Lambert, Delbert C. Martin, Randall C. Orndorff, Mercer Parker

Macroseismology Macroseismology

In this chapter I discuss the use of so-called macroseismic data, i.e., reports of damage and other effects of shaking on humans and the built environment, to improve the characterization of earthquakes and the ground motions they produce. Macroseismic data are critical not only to investigate earthquakes that occurred before the start of the instrumental era in seismology, but are also...
Authors
Susan E. Hough
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