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.
Mission Area Publications
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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Gravity and magnetic surveys of the Skaergaard intrusion, East Greenland Gravity and magnetic surveys of the Skaergaard intrusion, East Greenland
Aeromagnetic and gravity surveys of the Skaergaard intrusion in East Greenland were carried out in July–August 1971 as part of a grant to the University of Oregon Center for Volcanology to refine the models of crystallization and differentiation of the intrusion, specifically to test whether the intrusion is underlain by dense rocks of a reservoir 20 kilometers (km) thick (referred to as...
Authors
Mark E. Gettings
The story of the Penobscot River Ecology Mural: A 10-step process for scientists to create public art The story of the Penobscot River Ecology Mural: A 10-step process for scientists to create public art
Rivers are home to a wide variety of biota, including fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, freshwater mussels, aquatic insects, and microscopic organisms that fill unique niches to support broader ecosystem functions. While the general public may be aware of recreationally relevant biological life (e.g., fishes and insects to model flyfishing flies from), they may not be aware of more...
Authors
Jillian Fedarick, Christina Amy Murphy, Sydne Record, Allison H. Roy, Annette Dodd, Susan L. Smith
Development of PCR blocking primers enabling DNA metabarcoding analysis of dietary composition in hematophagous sea lamprey Development of PCR blocking primers enabling DNA metabarcoding analysis of dietary composition in hematophagous sea lamprey
Conventional dietary assessments are challenging in hematophagous species, particularly in sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). However, recent technological developments and molecular approaches have provided an attractive alternative through the use of DNA metabarcoding. While DNA metabarcoding has been used for dietary analyses in numerous species, including lampreys, applications of...
Authors
Conor O'Kane, Nicholas S. Johnson, Kim T. Scribner, Jeannette Kanefsky, Weiming Li, John D. Robinson
Divergent trends in fluvial suspended-sediment concentrations following improved land-use practices, southwest Washington State Divergent trends in fluvial suspended-sediment concentrations following improved land-use practices, southwest Washington State
Improvements in logging practices since the mid-20th century are widely presumed to have reduced suspended sediment loads in streams across the Pacific Northwest. However, there have been few opportunities to directly assess this, particularly in larger rivers. We compare modern (2019–22) and historical (1960s) suspended sediment monitoring in three large, actively managed watersheds in...
Authors
Scott W Anderson, Christopher A. Curran, Oscar Wilkerson, Katie Seguin
Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala, 2024 Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala, 2024
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean conventional resources of 14.6 billion barrels of oil and 83.7 trillion cubic feet of gas in Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala.
Authors
Christopher J. Schenk, Tracey J. Mercier, Phuong A. Le, Andrea D. Cicero, Ronald M. Drake II, Sarah E. Gelman, Jane S. Hearon, Benjamin G. Johnson, Jenny H. Lagesse, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Kira K. Timm
Airborne geophysics for geologic mapping of critical mineral systems in the United States southern midcontinent Airborne geophysics for geologic mapping of critical mineral systems in the United States southern midcontinent
The increased demand for clean energy technology and a significant reliance on foreign supply chains have given impetus to understanding critical mineral systems and locating potential resources within the United States. At least thirteen critical mineral-bearing systems have been identified throughout the U.S. southern Midcontinent (Hofstra and Kreiner, 2020) but much of the region’s...
Authors
Chelsea Morgan Amaral, Anne E. McCafferty, Dylan Mark Connell
Invasive hitchhiking organisms on aquarium plants: An emerging pathway of introduction Invasive hitchhiking organisms on aquarium plants: An emerging pathway of introduction
The aquarium trade is a global industry responsible for the movement of live plants and animals, but it also serves as a major pathway for the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species. Invasive species contribute to biodiversity loss, disrupt ecosystems, and can have widespread economic and societal impacts. A significant but poorly understood invasion risk in the plant...
Authors
Kathryn A. O'Shaughnessy, Wesley Daniel, Zoey C.W. Hendrickson, Samantha N. Smith, Ashley M. McDonald, Charles W. Martin
A compilation pipeline for wildlife tracking datasets collected from ground-based and satellite-based telemetry transmission devices A compilation pipeline for wildlife tracking datasets collected from ground-based and satellite-based telemetry transmission devices
Wildlife conservation planning increasingly requires collaboration and integration of research from discrete studies spanning large geographic areas. Tracking datasets are essential for analyzing animal movements and species distributions in relation to environmental conditions and combining them can enable powerful analyses to further aid planning efforts. However, combining datasets...
Authors
Gregory T. Wann, Ashley L. Whipple, Michael S. O’Donnell, Cameron L. Aldridge
Assessing policy effectiveness trends in nonindigenous aquatic species introduction in the Ohio River basin Assessing policy effectiveness trends in nonindigenous aquatic species introduction in the Ohio River basin
Aquatic invasive species (AIS) create costly, detrimental effects when established. Recognition of this in the United States reached a threshold in 1990 with the federal passage of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act. This act created six regional panels, the national Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, and incentivized state-level AIS planning. The management...
Authors
Abigail N. Clasgens, Brent A. Murry, Kaylyn Zipp, Caroline C. Arantes, Matthew Neilson
Improved prediction of postfire debris flows through rainfall anomaly maps Improved prediction of postfire debris flows through rainfall anomaly maps
Predicting where runoff-generated debris flows might occur during rainfall on steep, recently burned terrain is challenging. Studies of mass-movement processes in unburned areas indicate that event locations are well-predicted by rainfall anomaly, R*, in which peak observed rainfall is normalized by local rainfall climatology. Here, we use remote and field methods to map debris flows...
Authors
David B. Cavagnaro, Scott W. McCoy, Matthew A. Thomas, Jaime Kostelnik, Donald N. Lindsay
Estimating the hypothetical endowment of critical minerals and other commodities in porphyry copper mine waste in the Four Corners states, USA Estimating the hypothetical endowment of critical minerals and other commodities in porphyry copper mine waste in the Four Corners states, USA
Society is fundamentally dependent upon commodities that are used in end-use products for the aerospace, defense, energy, telecommunication, and transportation sectors, resulting in centuries of mining to supply these commodities and materials. Waste from these mining operations can remain on the landscape indefinitely, but there is a lack of national understanding of the distribution...
Authors
Sean Patrick Gaynor, Nick Karl, Autumn Lynne Helfrich, Andrew Francis Smith, Jeffrey L. Mauk
Potomac Tributary Summary: A summary of trends in tidal water quality and associated factors, 1985 - 2022 Potomac Tributary Summary: A summary of trends in tidal water quality and associated factors, 1985 - 2022
The Potomac Tributary Summary outlines change over time for a suite of monitored tidal water quality parameters and associated potential drivers of those trends for the period of 1985 to 2022, and provides a brief description of the current state of knowledge explaining these observed changes. Water quality parameters described include surface (above pycnocline) total nitrogen (TN)...
Authors
Breck Maura Sullivan, Kaylyn Gootman, Alex Gunnerson, Sarah Betts, Gabriel Duran, Cindy Johnson, Christopher A. Mason, Elgin Perry, Gopal Bhatt, Jennifer L. Keisman, James S. Webber, Jon Harcum, Michael Lane, Olivia Devereux, Qian Zhang, Rebecca Murphy, Renee Karrh, Thomas Butler, Zhaoying Wei