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.
Filter Total Items: 175664
Updates to and applications of the USGS National Crustal Model for seismic hazard studies Updates to and applications of the USGS National Crustal Model for seismic hazard studies
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Crustal Model (NCM) is being developed to assist in the modeling of seismic hazards across the conterminous United States. The NCM is composed of a grid of geophysical profiles, extending from the Earth’s surface into the upper mantle. It is constructed from a 3D geologic framework and geophysical rules defined by: (1) a petrologic and mineral...
Authors
Oliver S. Boyd
Young basalt fields of the Mojave Desert Young basalt fields of the Mojave Desert
Basalt, a mafic volcanic rock common in mid-ocean islands and in several continental settings, is melted from upper mantle rocks in many cases and thus provides information on mantle conditions. Basalt lava fields, some decorated with cinder cones, are scattered around the Mojave Desert. Only a few basalt fields have been well studied, so we undertook a compilation of basalt fields that...
Authors
David M. Miller, David C. Buesch
Post-Early Miocene silicic volcanism in the northern Mojave Desert, California Post-Early Miocene silicic volcanism in the northern Mojave Desert, California
Silicic volcanism that postdates widespread early Miocene volcanism in the Mojave Desert is underappreciated. We compiled age, petrographic, and geochemical data for volcanic rocks in a wide swath of the desert south of the Garlock fault using an age threshold of post-18.8 Ma, approximately the limit of the earlier Miocene volcanism as marked by the eruption of the widespread Peach...
Authors
David M. Miller, Phillip B Gans, Tracey J. Felger, Jorge A. Vazquez
Results of the collaborative Lake Ontario bloater restoration stocking and assessment, 2012–2020 Results of the collaborative Lake Ontario bloater restoration stocking and assessment, 2012–2020
Bloater, Coregonus hoyi, are deepwater planktivores native to the Laurentian Great Lakes and Lake Nipigon. Interpretations of commercial fishery time series suggest they were common in Lake Ontario through the early 1900s but by the 1950s were no longer captured by commercial fishers. Annual bottom trawl surveys that began in 1978 and sampled extensively across putative bloater habitat...
Authors
Brian Weidel, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Marc Chalupnicki, Michael Connerton, Steve Davis, John M. Dettmers, Timothy Drew, Aaron T. Fisk, Roger Gordon, S. Dale Hanson, Jeremy Holden, Mark E. Holey, James H. Johnson, Timothy B. Johnson, Colin Lake, Brian F. Lantry, Kevin Loftus, Gregg Mackey, James E. McKenna, Michael J. Millard, Scott P. Minihkeim, Brian O’Malley, Adam Rupnik, Andrew C. Todd, Steven Lapan
Biomarkers in the Precambrian: Earth’s ancient sedimentary record of life Biomarkers in the Precambrian: Earth’s ancient sedimentary record of life
The hydrocarbon remnants of biologically diagnostic lipids inform our understanding of Earth’s early ecosystems, particularly where morphological vestiges of biology are absent or ambiguous. Yet both the analysis and interpretation of ancient biomarkers require scrutinous approaches. Here, we describe the status quo of Precambrian biomarker geochemistry with four examples that highlight...
Authors
Christian Hallmann, Katherine L. French, Jochen J. Brocks
The ~400 yr B.P. eruption of Half Cone, a post-caldera composite cone within Aniakchak caldera, Alaska Peninsula The ~400 yr B.P. eruption of Half Cone, a post-caldera composite cone within Aniakchak caldera, Alaska Peninsula
Aniakchak volcano is a historically active caldera located on the central Alaska Peninsula. The largest eruption from Aniakchak since the ~3,400 yr B.P. caldera-forming eruption occurred ~400 yr B.P. from Half Cone volcano, an intracaldera composite cone on the northwest floor of the Aniakchak caldera that was largely destroyed by the eruption. The ~400 yr B.P. eruption produced a widely...
Authors
Brandon Browne, Christina A. Neal, Charles R. Bacon
Elevating human dimensions of amphibian and reptile conservation, a USA perspective Elevating human dimensions of amphibian and reptile conservation, a USA perspective
Increasing threats to amphibian and reptile species raise the urgency of their conservation. However, relative to other vertebrate groups at risk, amphibians and reptiles have low and more variable social capital; they are not generally high-priority natural goods and services valued by people. Consequently, relative to other groups such as birds, mammals, and economically important fish...
Authors
Deanna H. Olson, David S. Pilliod
To catch a (marsh) predator: Modified trapping methods for breeding and wintering Northern Harriers (Circus hudsonius) To catch a (marsh) predator: Modified trapping methods for breeding and wintering Northern Harriers (Circus hudsonius)
Although there are a variety of methods available for trapping raptors, some species, such as Northern Harriers (Circus hudsonius), are not easily captured with standard methods. We tested several existing trapping methods and modified two of them based on Northern Harrier ecology and behavior across seasons in a study population in California. No previously successful methods described...
Authors
Shannon Skalos, Michael L. Casazza, Matthew J. Falcon, William Thein, Joshua M. Hull
In situ recording of Mars soundscape In situ recording of Mars soundscape
Prior to the Perseverance rover landing, the acoustic environment of Mars was unknown. Models predicted that: (i) atmospheric turbulence changes at centimeter scales or smaller at the point where molecular viscosity converts kinetic energy into heat1, (ii) the speed of sound varies at the surface with frequency2,3, and (iii) high frequency waves are strongly attenuated with distance in...
Authors
Sylvestre Maurice, Baptiste Chide, Naomi Murdoch, Ralph D. Lorenz, David Mimoun, Roger C. Wiens, Alexander E. Stott, X. Jacob, T. Bertrand, F. Montmessin, Nina L. Lanza, C. Alvarez-Llamas, S. M. Angel, M. Aung, J. Balaram, O. Beyssac, A. Cousin, G. Delory, O. Forni, T. Fouchet, Olivier Gasnault, H. Grip, M. Hecht, J. Hoffman, J. Laserna, J. Lasue, J. N. Maki, J. McClean, P. #NAME? Meslin, S. Le Mouélic, A. Munguira, C. E. Newman, J. A. Rodriguez Manfredi, J. Moros, A. Ollila, P. Pilleri, S.E. Schröder, M. de la Torre Juarez, T. Tzanetos, K. Stack, K. Farley, K. H. Williford, T. Acosta-Maeda, Ryan Anderson, D.M. Applin, G. Arana, M. Bassas-Portus, R. Beal, P.S.A. Beck, K. Benzerara, S. Bernard, P. Bernardi, Tanja Bosak, B. Bousquet, A.J. Brown, A. Cadu, P. Caïs, K. Castro, E. Clavé, S. M. Clegg, E. Cloutis, S. Connell, A. Debus, E. Dehouck, D. Delapp, C. Donny, A. Dorresoundiram, G. Dromart, B. Dubois, C. Fabre, A. Fau, W. F. Fischer, R. Francis, J. Frydenvang, Travis S.J. Gabriel, E. Gibbons, I. Gontijo, J. R. Johnson, H. Kalucha, E. Kelly, E. Knutsen, G. Lacombe, C. Legett, R. Leveille, E. Lewin, G. Lopez-Reyes, E. Lorigny, J. M. Madariaga, M. B. Madsen, S. Madsen, L. Mandon, N. Mangold, M. Mann, J.-A. Manrique, J. Martinez-Frias, L.E. Mayhew, F. Meunier, T. McConnochie, S. M. McLennan, G. Montagnac, V. Mousset, T. Aliste Nelson, R. T. Newell, Y. Parot, C. Pilorget, P. Pinet, G. Pont, C. Quantin-Nataf, B. Quertier, W. Rapin, A. Reyes-Newell, S. Robinson, L. Rochas, C. Royer, F. Rull, V. Sautter, S. Sharma, V. Shridar, A. Sournac, M. Toplis, I. Torre-Fdez, N. Turenne, A. Udry, M. Veneranda, D. Venhaus, D. Vogt, P. Willis
Post-fledging spatial dispersion and movement behaviour differs between cavity-nesting and open-cup nesting passerines Post-fledging spatial dispersion and movement behaviour differs between cavity-nesting and open-cup nesting passerines
Spatial dispersion and movement behaviour vary across animal taxa and can affect fitness. The reasons why species differ in movement behaviour of young and why some species form family groups and other species have dispersed young have been rarely addressed. We tested a hypothesis that spatial dispersion and movement behaviour of dependent young were influenced by their developmental...
Authors
Necmiye Sahin Arslan, Thomas E. Martin
Estimating soil moisture, actual evapotranspiration, climatic water deficit, and groundwater recharge during periods of drought for current and future climate conditions in Hawaiʻi Estimating soil moisture, actual evapotranspiration, climatic water deficit, and groundwater recharge during periods of drought for current and future climate conditions in Hawaiʻi
Mid- and end-of-century climate projections for the Hawaiian Islands indicate that rainfall is projected to decrease across large areas. In areas affected by drought or where the future climate becomes drier, reduced groundwater recharge can affect freshwater availability. Reduced rainfall can also reduce soil moisture, which can increase the risk of wildfire. Cloud-water interception...
Authors
Alan Mair, Delwyn S. Oki
Science and innovation for battling invasive carp Science and innovation for battling invasive carp
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is the Federal Government’s independent research agency that conducts research to inform management of invasive species. Bighead, black, grass, and silver carp, which are native to China, were originally stocked in aquaculture facilities to control algae, snails, and vegetation. These species have invaded the Mississippi River and are now established...
Authors
Patrick M. Kocovsky