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.
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Science Quality and Integrity
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Mission Area Publications
We are focused on some of the most significant issues society faces, and our science is making a substantial contribution to the well-being of the Nation and the world. Learn more about the major topics our research covers and the programs focused on those topics.
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How to determine an earthquake rate budget? A comparison of geodetic, geologic, and seismologic moment rates How to determine an earthquake rate budget? A comparison of geodetic, geologic, and seismologic moment rates
How much tectonic geodetic strain is accommodated as earthquakes? Can estimates of tectonic geodetic strain be used in probabilistic seismic hazard analyses? Understanding the balance of moment accumulation (i.e., geodetic moment) and accommodation (i.e., geologic and seismologic moment) is a necessary step toward leveraging corrected geodetic strain rates to quantify earthquake budgets...
Authors
Alexandra Elise Hatem, Richard W. Briggs, Frederick Pollitz, Nadine G. Reitman, M. Morow Tan
Subsurface water ice mapping on Mars: A probabilistic approach Subsurface water ice mapping on Mars: A probabilistic approach
Subsurface water ice deposits on Mars are an important resource for potential future human exploration. They are also an indicator of the planet’s past climate. However, the distribution of subsurface water ice in Mars’s midlatitudes is uncertain because spacecraft imagery cannot directly observe subsurface ice in most cases. Various spacecraft remote sensing instruments are sensitive to
Authors
Samuel W Courville, Nathaniel E Putzig, Gareth A Morgan, Asmin Pathare, Colin M. Dundas, David M. H. Baker, Ali Bramson, Rachael H. Hoover, Stefano Nerozzi, Matthew R. Perry, Megan Russell, Hanna G. Sizemore
Creating 3D point clouds, digital elevation models, and orthomosaics from historical aerial imagery through structure from motion aided photogrammetry Creating 3D point clouds, digital elevation models, and orthomosaics from historical aerial imagery through structure from motion aided photogrammetry
Detailed and accurate historical data are crucial to characterizing landscape change, whether it is caused by natural phenomena or of anthropogenic origin. Aerial imagery has been periodically collected by government and nongovernment agencies, for a broad range of purposes, since the early 20th century. The acquisition of aerial images involves using standardized equipment with large...
Authors
Jessica D. DeWitt, Kathleen M. Boston, Sindhuja Sunder, Sandra Bond, Pete G. Chirico, Jennifer A. Curtis, Tom Nobles, Neffra Matthews
Modeled groundwater and surface-water interactions surrounding Mobile Bay, Alabama, 2008–15 Modeled groundwater and surface-water interactions surrounding Mobile Bay, Alabama, 2008–15
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, has used MODFLOW 6 to develop a groundwater-flow model to simulate groundwater and surface-water interactions in the Mobile Bay, Alabama, area. The model results indicated that, on average, groundwater discharge near the coastline is equal to 2.5 percent of the surface water that flows into the...
Authors
John G. Richins, Leslie L. Duncan, Kevin Befus
Enhancements to the USGS Landsat Level 2 surface temperature and emissivity product for Collection 3 reprocessing Enhancements to the USGS Landsat Level 2 surface temperature and emissivity product for Collection 3 reprocessing
The Landsat program provides the longest continuous global record of thermal infrared observations of the Earth's surface, underpinning critical applications in climate monitoring, water resources, ecosystem dynamics, urban heat analysis, and natural hazard assessment. The release of a global inventory of Landsat Collection 2 Level 2 surface temperature products by the U.S. Geological...
Authors
Saeed Arab, Chase Mueller, Christopher J. Crawford, Danika Wellington, Ray Dittmeier, Glynn Hulley, Aaron Gerace, Calli Jenkerson, Simon Hook, Amirhossein Hassanzadeh, Rehman Eon, Cody Anderson, Pat Scaramuzza, Frank M. Göttsche
Decadal trends in the quality of groundwater used for public drinking-water supply in California, 2004–23, California Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment Program, Priority Basin Project Decadal trends in the quality of groundwater used for public drinking-water supply in California, 2004–23, California Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment Program, Priority Basin Project
This study provides a comprehensive assessment of decadal changes in the quality of groundwater used for public drinking-water supply at 444 monitoring sites across California during 2004–23. We assessed decadal step trends in groundwater quality for 145 water-quality constituents and geochemical indicators statewide and across geographic and land-use based network groups. We evaluated...
Authors
Zeno F. Levy, Andrew L. Soldavini
Global carbon investment in terrestrial biological nitrogen fixation Global carbon investment in terrestrial biological nitrogen fixation
Biological nitrogen (N) fixation (BNF) provides the N needed to produce proteins and other biological building blocks, helping feed humanity and mitigate climate change. Due to its high energetic cost compared to other forms of N acquisition, biotic investment in BNF indicates N limitation. Globally gridded BNF flux data provide an opportunity to determine the energetic investment in BNF...
Authors
Duncan N.L. Menge, Carla R. Reis Ely, Steven S. Perakis, Sian Kou-Giesbrecht, Cory C. Cleveland, Sasha C. Reed, Benton N. Taylor, Sarah A. Batterman, Timothy E. Crews, Katherine A. Dynarski, Jennifer L. Funk, Maga G. Gei, Kevin L. Griffin, Michael J. Gundale, David F. Herridge, Sarah E. Jovan, Mark B. Peoples, Johannes Piipponen, Emilio Rodriguez-Caballero, Verity G. Salmon, Fiona M. Soper, Anika P. Staccone, Bettina Weber, Amelia A. Wolf, Nina Wurzburger
Understanding natal emigration in group-living carnivores Understanding natal emigration in group-living carnivores
Dispersal is a critical ecological and evolutionary process, yet the drivers of individual variation in emigration, particularly under human-modified conditions, remain relatively understudied. We investigate the determinants and patterns of emigration in a managed population of cooperative breeders using genetic samples from harvested individuals.We used a novel genetic approach to...
Authors
Kathleen M. Petersen, Joel M. Tebbenkamp, Matthew A. Mumma, David Edward Ausband
Quantifying methane emissions from a rich fen with uncrewed aircraft systems in boreal Alaska Quantifying methane emissions from a rich fen with uncrewed aircraft systems in boreal Alaska
Thawing of permafrost in northern latitudes is accelerating, potentially releasing substantial amounts of methane (CH4) as forested permafrost plateaus transition into wetlands. This ecosystem shift alters the carbon exchange between the soil and atmosphere, influencing the permafrost-carbon feedback. Monitoring these changes may require measurement platforms operating across varied...
Authors
J.M. Tomlin, C.W. Edgar, E. Seroki, E.S. Euskirchen, E.S. Kane, M.Y. McPartland, L.T. Iraci, Kristen L. Manies
Assessment of undiscovered shale-oil and shale-gas resources in the Berkine, Illizi, Hamra, Murzuq, and Erdis Kufra Basins of northern Africa, 2026 Assessment of undiscovered shale-oil and shale-gas resources in the Berkine, Illizi, Hamra, Murzuq, and Erdis Kufra Basins of northern Africa, 2026
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 2.4 billion barrels of shale oil and 65.4 trillion cubic feet of shale gas in the Berkine, Illizi, Hamra, Murzuq, and Erdis Kufra Basins of northern Africa.
Authors
Michael E. Brownfield, Christopher J. Schenk, Tracey J. Mercier, Kristen R. Marra, Cheryl A. Woodall, Thomas M. Finn, Phuong A. Le, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Ronald M. Drake II, Scott A. Kinney
Assessment of undiscovered tight-gas resources in the Berkine, Illizi, and Hamra Basins of northern Africa, 2026 Assessment of undiscovered tight-gas resources in the Berkine, Illizi, and Hamra Basins of northern Africa, 2026
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 114.1 trillion cubic feet of tight gas in the Berkine, Illizi, and Hamra Basins of northern Africa.
Authors
Michael E. Brownfield, Christopher J. Schenk, Tracey J. Mercier, Thomas M. Finn, Cheryl A. Woodall, Phuong A. Le, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Kristen R. Marra, Ronald M. Drake, Scott A. Kinney
Increasing artificial light at night enhances salmonid predator foraging efficiency in an urbanized lake Increasing artificial light at night enhances salmonid predator foraging efficiency in an urbanized lake
Artificial light at night (ALAN) poses a threat to ecosystems globally. It includes both direct and indirect light, or skyglow, which occurs when ALAN scatters in the atmosphere, extending beyond its original source. We analyzed ALAN trends in Lake Washington, WA, from 2014 to 2023 using Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) nighttime light measurements, evaluated the...
Authors
Jennifer A Schulien, Tessa Julianne Code