Images

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake ruptured the Mendocino Transform Fault offshore Northern California on December 5, 2024. The USGS and colleagues from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s Ocean Bottom Seismic Instrument Center deployed our new fleet of rapid response ocean bottom seismographs just 11 days later—the fastest response in U.S. history. 

Coastal Change Hazards Portal showing the trajectory of Hurricane Milton and the various data users could explore on the map.

Wayne Baldwin (USGS) and Eric Moore (USGS) preparing the rapid response ocean bottom seismograph fleet for deployment. Photo credit: Nathan Miller, USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center. 

Wayne Baldwin (USGS), Eric Moore (USGS), and Hannah Brewer (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) preparing the rapid response ocean bottom seismograph fleet for deployment. Photo credit: Nathan Miller, USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center. 

Wayne Baldwin (USGS), Eric Moore (USGS), and Hannah Brewer (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) preparing the rapid response ocean bottom seismograph fleet for deployment. Photo credit: Nathan Miller, USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center. 

Wayne Baldwin (USGS), Eric Moore (USGS), and Hannah Brewer (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) about to deploy one of the rapid response ocean bottom seismograph fleet. Photo credit: Nathan Miller, USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center. 

Eric Moore (USGS) deploying one of the rapid response ocean bottom seismographs. Photo credit: Nathan Miller, USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center. 

Wayne Baldwin (USGS) and Eric Moore (USGS) preparing the rapid response ocean bottom seismograph fleet for deployment. Photo credit: Nathan Miller, USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center. 

Wayne Baldwin (USGS) and Eric Moore (USGS) preparing the rapid response ocean bottom seismograph fleet for deployment. Photo credit: Nathan Miller, USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center. 

Example CoSMoS flood extent map products for the Humboldt County region, showing a 100-year storm across three sea-level rise scenarios.

Figure a) Coastal flooding (no storm), shallow groundwater exposure and erosion (unimpeded model case) for 1.00 m of SLR (that is, the Intermediate scenario projected for 2100¹⁴), and observed vertical land motion (VLM) across the Southeast Atlantic coast.

As powerful hurricanes approach the coast, they generate elevated water levels and dangerous wave conditions that can cause extensive flooding, significant landscape changes, and destruction of property.

As powerful hurricanes approach the coast, they generate elevated water levels and dangerous wave conditions that can cause extensive flooding, significant landscape changes, and destruction of property.

Dr. Donya Frank-Gilchrist visited the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine during the Science and Innovation Diplomacy Workshop, organized by the US Global Change Research and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research.

Cascadia sparker data with ghosts removed, with annotation identifying geologic contacts, offset layers, and a submarine landslide deposit.

On October 16 and 17, Ben Gutierrez visited Tennessee State University (TSU) to give guest lecture in Environmental Science and Water Resource classes taught by Tom Byl of the USGS Lower Mississippi Gulf Water Science Center.

On October 16 and 17, Ben Gutierrez visited Tennessee State University (TSU) to give guest lecture in Environmental Science and Water Resource classes taught by Tom Byl of the USGS Lower Mississippi Gulf Water Science Center.

On October 16 and 17, Ben Gutierrez visited Tennessee State University (TSU) to give guest lecture in Environmental Science and Water Resource classes taught by Tom Byl of the USGS Lower Mississippi Gulf Water Science Center.

Example sparker data from Cascadia Subduction Zone showing multiple ghost reflections that reduce the overall resolution of the image.

Diagram shows the paths that the sound travels away from the sparker source (black oval). The ghost reflections are shown in green and orange. PP= Primary Pulse, BP = Bubble Pulse. From the study Practical approaches to maximizing the resolution of sparker seismic reflection data.

Animated GIF of fault zone outcrop from late Miocene–Pliocene period, Western Macedonia, Greece. Subsequent images are overlays that are offset with colors inverted, to simulate ghost reflections found in sparker seismic data.