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Publications

Browse more than 160,000 publications authored by our scientists over the past 100+ year history of the USGS.  Publications available are: USGS-authored journal articles, series reports, book chapters, other government publications, and more.

Filter Total Items: 176904

Testing characteristic magnitude distributions in modern PSHA models Testing characteristic magnitude distributions in modern PSHA models

The characteristic magnitude distribution hypothesis predicts a higher rate of large earthquakes than a Gutenberg–Richter extrapolation of the small‐earthquake rate would imply. Characteristic magnitude distributions have been commonly applied to faults in probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA), and in modern models they can emerge from the way short‐term seismicity constraints are...
Authors
Morgan T. Page, Kevin Ross Milner, Edward H. Field

Regional characterization of coal resources in the Gulf Coast Coal Region—In support of coal as a potential source for critical minerals and rare earth elements Regional characterization of coal resources in the Gulf Coast Coal Region—In support of coal as a potential source for critical minerals and rare earth elements

There is increasing interest in extracting critical minerals (CM), including rare earth elements (REE), from coals in the United States to address the overreliance on imported REE. The Gulf Coast and the Fort Union regions are the two major lignite-bearing regions within the United States. Recent REE and CM studies of the lignite in these regions have indicated that the coals may be a...
Authors
Peter D. Warwick, Robert C. Reedy, Bridget R. Scanlon

The value of electronic tagging and tracking studies for understanding fish–hypoxia interactions The value of electronic tagging and tracking studies for understanding fish–hypoxia interactions

Objective Hypoxia (i.e., low dissolved oxygen availability) is a natural phenomenon but can also be induced by human activities (e.g., nutrient enrichment from runoff). Given that dissolved oxygen is essential for aquatic life, periods of hypoxia tend to have negative consequences (e.g., sublethal disturbances, mortality) for most fishes. Extensive laboratory research has documented...
Authors
Steven J. Cooke, Robert J. Lennox, Knut Wiik Vollset, Myra Thapar, Claudia Junge, Kim Birnie-Gauvin, Petter Lundberg, Gaute Velle, Lotte S. Dahlmo, Morgan L. Piczak, R. Dean Grubbs, Caleb T. Hasler, Jessica A. Robichaud, Richard Kraus

Ecological transformations of coastal wetlands of the conterminous United States in response to contemporaneous sea-level rise Ecological transformations of coastal wetlands of the conterminous United States in response to contemporaneous sea-level rise

Coastal wetlands are among the most important ecosystems on the planet but are increasingly imperiled by accelerating sea-level rise (SLR). In the past, biogeomorphic feedbacks have allowed coastal wetlands to adjust vertically and persist through periods of accelerated SLR. Recent rates of SLR are faster than any in recent geologic history, making the fate of coastal wetlands highly...
Authors
Justine Annaliese Neville, Katya E. Kovalenko, Gregg A. Snedden, Michael J. Osland, Karen M. Thorne, Laura C. Feher, Michelle C. Moorman, Jena A. Moon, Ken W. Krauss, James B. Grace, Tiffany C. Lane, Colt R. Sanspree, Donald R. Cahoon, Glenn R. Guntenspergen

Climate-adaptive urban planning: Quantitative assessment of drought impacts and practical strategies for climate-resilient urban green spaces Climate-adaptive urban planning: Quantitative assessment of drought impacts and practical strategies for climate-resilient urban green spaces

Urban green spaces (UGSs) are vital for enhancing a city’s resilience and livability; however, their functionality is increasingly jeopardized by drought, particularly in water-scarce regions. This study evaluates drought impact on UGSs in Metropolitan Adelaide, Australia, a representative semi-arid urban system, using satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time...
Authors
Sattar Chavoshi Borujeni, Alfredo Huete, Biswajeet Pradhan, Hamideh Nouri, Neda Abbasi, Pamela L Nagler

PFAS exposure suppresses leaf litter decomposition in a stream ecosystem PFAS exposure suppresses leaf litter decomposition in a stream ecosystem

Decomposition of organic matter is critical to the biogeochemical cycling of carbon and nutrients in all ecosystems. In streams, decomposition can be influenced by anthropogenic impacts, including contaminants. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are resistant to degradation and widespread in freshwater ecosystems, yet little is known about their influence on organic matter...
Authors
Alison M. Zachritz, Abagael N. Pruitt, Therese M. Reisch, Daniele A. Miranda, Brittany G. Perrotta, Laura E. Hubbard, Christopher James Kotalik, Dana W. Kolpin, David M. Walters, Jennifer L. Tank, Gary A. Lamberti

Resources to inform the 2026 Colorado Climate Preparedness Roadmap: Compound hazards and associated public health implications Resources to inform the 2026 Colorado Climate Preparedness Roadmap: Compound hazards and associated public health implications

Changing environmental conditions are increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather and environmental hazards, including heat waves, wildfires, drought, reduced water quality, and degraded air quality from ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter pollution (AghaKouchak et al., 2020; Bolinger et al., 2024; Colorado Health Institute, 2023a; Fann et al., 2015; IPCC, 2023a; Nagamoto...
Authors
Sarah E. Whipple, Meagan Ford Oldfather, Katherine A. Kurth

Assessing the status and drivers of phytoplankton blooms along the riverine to freshwater-tidal continuum in a modified delta Assessing the status and drivers of phytoplankton blooms along the riverine to freshwater-tidal continuum in a modified delta

Shifts in phytoplankton communities, from beneficial taxa that fuel food webs to harmful taxa that degrade water quality, are often linked to anthropogenic modifications to estuaries. We analyzed monitoring data from 2000 to 2023 in the heavily modified southern, landward portion of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (California, USA) to determine the status and drivers of phytoplankton...
Authors
Nicholas (Nick) Framsted, Crystal Lee Sturgeon, Tamara E. C. Kraus, Keith Bouma-Gregson

Subsurface vertical connectivity shapes solute transport to montane streams: Insights from watershed-scale geophysics-informed modeling Subsurface vertical connectivity shapes solute transport to montane streams: Insights from watershed-scale geophysics-informed modeling

Headwater catchments provide essential water and nutrients to downstream ecosystems. The timing and evolution of their transport is shaped in part by the “invisible” subsurface structure but have been largely unexplored at the watershed scale. This raises a fundamental question: how and to what extent does subsurface structure influence streamflow and solute transport in montane...
Authors
Xueyuan Kang, Pamela L. Sullivan, Burke J. Minsley, Li Li, Marc Dumont, Kamini Singha

Hyperspectral narrowband imaging spectroscopy: A new paradigm for Earth observation Hyperspectral narrowband imaging spectroscopy: A new paradigm for Earth observation

This editorial introduces the Special Issue entitled “Hyperspectral Narrowband Imaging Spectroscopy: A New Paradigm for Earth Observation” in the August 2026 issue of Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing (PE&RS), the flagship journal of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS). This volume represents the fourth dedicated hyperspectral special issue...
Authors
Prasad Thenkabail, Itiya Aneece, Pardasaradhi Teluguntla

Effects of rice idling on occupancy dynamics and survival of giant gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) in the Sacramento Valley, California, 2016–24 Effects of rice idling on occupancy dynamics and survival of giant gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) in the Sacramento Valley, California, 2016–24

The giant gartersnake (Thamnophis gigas) is a semi-aquatic species of snake endemic to marshes and sloughs in the Central Valley of California. Because the Central Valley has lost a substantial amount of wetland habitat, giant gartersnake populations are typically found in aquatic habitats associated with rice (Oryza sativa) agriculture. Therefore, changes to the amount and location of...
Authors
Anna C. Jordan, Jonathan P. Rose, Elliot J. Schoenig, Daniel Macias, Giancarlo R. Napolitano, Gabriel A. Reyes, Brian J. Halstead

Stream health shows indirect and threshold responses to implementation of agricultural conservation practices Stream health shows indirect and threshold responses to implementation of agricultural conservation practices

Many agricultural conservation practices (hereafter conservation practices) are intended to protect streams from the deleterious effects of agriculture, but desired effects of their implementation are not always realized. Understanding the pathways through which conservation practices influence stream health can guide future implementation. Our goal was to quantify how conservation...
Authors
Joshua B. Mouser, Serena Ciparis, Jonathan A. Czuba, Bryan L. Brown, Paul L. Angermeier
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