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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: 175279

Magma fragmentation and tephra deposition from a small-volume phreatomagmatic eruption: Blue Lake crater, Oregon, USA Magma fragmentation and tephra deposition from a small-volume phreatomagmatic eruption: Blue Lake crater, Oregon, USA

Maars pose considerable hazards due to their more explosive nature (compared with more common scoria cones) and likelihood that eruptions produce pyroclastic surges. Blue Lake crater is a maar in the Oregon High Cascades that erupted within the last 3000 years, making it one of the youngest eruptions in the Oregon Cascades. Its young, unaltered deposits make it an excellent site to...
Authors
Sophia Leiter, Pierre-Simon Ross, Emily Renee Johnson

UAS and high-resolution satellite imagery improve the accuracy of cheatgrass detection across an invaded Yellowstone landscape UAS and high-resolution satellite imagery improve the accuracy of cheatgrass detection across an invaded Yellowstone landscape

Context Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) is a problem across the western United States, where it outcompetes and replaces native grass species, alters habitats, and increases the risk of wildfires. Cheatgrass greens up earlier in the growing season compared to native grasses, making it classifiable with multi-temporal and multi-spectral remote sensing. Objectives We mapped cheatgrass at...
Authors
Jason R. Kreitler, Joshua W. Von Nonn, Seth M. Munson, Alex C. Zaideman, Steven T. Bekedam, Ann Rodman, Miguel L. Villarreal

Mechanisms influencing thermal refuges and territory occupancy by collared pikas during summer and winter Mechanisms influencing thermal refuges and territory occupancy by collared pikas during summer and winter

Collared pikas (Ochotona collaris) are cold adapted alpine lagomorphs of western Canada and Alaska, USA, that are vulnerable to direct and indirect effects of climate change. However, how and to what extent such changes influence persistence for this species is not well understood, particularly at fine spatial scales. Our goal was to evaluate how microclimate and microhabitat...
Authors
Lillian A. Harrison, Katherine S. Christie, Collette Brandt, Matthew Richard Falcy, Sophie L. Gilbert, Janet L. Rachlow

Monitoring Pacific walrus coastal haulouts by satellite to estimate herd abundance and distribution Monitoring Pacific walrus coastal haulouts by satellite to estimate herd abundance and distribution

The Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) has a single, panmictic stock that ranges across the Bering and Chukchi Seas. However, its seasonal distribution is incompletely described, particularly in autumn when herds gather on shore, and abundance is of interest to management entities. We monitored walrus herds using satellite imagery on shore across their summer and autumn range...
Authors
Anthony S. Fischbach, Rebecca L. Taylor, David C. Douglas

Late Pleistocene kinematics of the Great Southern Puerto Rico Fault Zone, Puerto Rico Late Pleistocene kinematics of the Great Southern Puerto Rico Fault Zone, Puerto Rico

Several onshore faults in southern Puerto Rico have recently been recognized as Quaternary active. However, the kinematics of these faults, particularly any lateral component, remain largely unconstrained. It is difficult to characterize low strain‐rate faults, partially due to extensive erosional and anthropogenic landscape modification, steep relief, and frequent landsliding, limiting...
Authors
Emerson Madelyn Lynch, Jessica Ann Thompson Jobe, Richard W. Briggs, M. Morow Tan, Victor Ortega Díaz, K. Stephen Hughes

Statistical streamflow comparison of current and historical 30-year periods for selected streams in New Jersey Statistical streamflow comparison of current and historical 30-year periods for selected streams in New Jersey

As the population of New Jersey increases, supplying adequate drinking water to meet demand remains a high priority. To better understand potential streamflow trends over time, the U.S. Geological Survey completed a study comparing low flows at continuous- and partial-record streamgages in New Jersey between a historical period (1950–79) and a current period (1990–2019). Fourteen...
Authors
Brianna Williams, Samantha L. Sullivan, Thomas P. Suro, Jerilyn V. Collenburg, Amy R. McHugh, Jennifer L. Shourds

Thirty years of the U.S. National Land Cover Database: Impacts and future direction Thirty years of the U.S. National Land Cover Database: Impacts and future direction

The National Land Cover Database (NLCD), developed through the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium, was initiated 30 years ago and has continually provided critical, Landsat-based landcover and land-change information for the United States. Originally launched to address the lack of national-scale, moderate-resolution land-cover data, NLCD has evolved from the pioneering...
Authors
Terry L. Sohl, Suming Jin, Jon Dewitz, James Wickham, Jesslyn F. Brown, Stephen Stehman, Nathaniel Herold, Karen Schleeweis, Heather J. Tollerud, Carol Deering

Earthquake magnitude and source parameter estimation with a distributed acoustic sensing dataset in the Gorda subduction zone Earthquake magnitude and source parameter estimation with a distributed acoustic sensing dataset in the Gorda subduction zone

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) systems offer a cost‐effective way to create large‐scale strainmeter arrays for seismological applications using fiber‐optic cables. DAS‐based strain measurements are known to be influenced by various factors, bringing into question their general reliability for accurate earthquake characterization. A 15‐km‐long DAS deployment in northern California was
Authors
Andrew J. Barbour, Jeffrey J. McGuire, Martin Karrenbach, Robert McPherson, Mark Hemphill-Haley, Connie Stewart

Fitness consequences of catastrophic wildfire are mitigated by behavioral responses of an iconic bird Fitness consequences of catastrophic wildfire are mitigated by behavioral responses of an iconic bird

Background Drought, human disturbance, and invasive species are reshaping disturbance regimes and increasing the scale, severity, and frequency of wildfire in many ecosystems around the globe, including the sagebrush steppe of western North America. Recent studies suggested greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) adhere to strong site fidelity in the aftermath of wildfire...
Authors
Bryan S. Stevens, Courtney J. Conway, Shane B. Roberts, Devin K. Englestead

Spatiotemporal overlap of mallards with poultry farms is associated with greater risk of avian influenza wild bird spillover events Spatiotemporal overlap of mallards with poultry farms is associated with greater risk of avian influenza wild bird spillover events

Animal movement influences local transmission and geographic spread of pathogens. Waterfowl are known reservoirs of pathogens, including H5 goose/Guangdong lineage (H5 GsGd) highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). This HPAI virus lineage causes high rates of morbidity and mortality in domestic poultry and many wild bird species. Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) are a generalist waterfowl...
Authors
Joshua Alexander Cullen, Nicholas M. Masto, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Cory Highway, Kelly A. Patyk, Mary-Jane McCool, Mia Kim Torchetti, Kristina Lantz, Rebecca L. Poulson, Deborah Carter, Jamie Feddersen, Bradley S. Cohen, Diann J. Prosser

Update to a management-focused population viability analysis for North Atlantic right whales Update to a management-focused population viability analysis for North Atlantic right whales

We provide an update to the recently published population viability analysis for North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis). The update includes improvements to the reproduction modeling and also shares additional context given evidence of reduced mortality indicated by recent population monitoring. Projections from the analysis are used to quantify simulated population sizes...
Authors
Daniel Linden, Michael C. Runge, J. A. Hostetler, Diane Borggaard, Lance Garrison, Amy R. Knowlton, Véronique Lesage, Robert A. Williams, Richard Pace III
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