Publications
USGS research activities relevant to Alaska have yielded more than 9400 historical publications. This page features some of the most recent newsworthy research findings.
Filter Total Items: 3104
Potential warming-induced changes in stream water sources between proglacial and non-glacial streams, south-central Alaska Potential warming-induced changes in stream water sources between proglacial and non-glacial streams, south-central Alaska
Snow and ice-melt are essential for global water resources. Rising air temperatures are causing vegetation encroachment and shrubification of previously snow- and ice-covered landscapes, and precipitation regimes are changing. Collectively, these changes will likely affect the hydrology of mountain environments, although the exact ways in which the hydrology will change are poorly...
Authors
Hannah Kristen Richardson, Anna Bergstrom, Joshua C. Koch, Zanden Arthur Frederick, James B. Shanley, Emily H. Baker
Integrating detrital magnetite geochemistry and (U-Th)/He chronometry as a sediment provenance tool in geologic and metallogenic terranes Integrating detrital magnetite geochemistry and (U-Th)/He chronometry as a sediment provenance tool in geologic and metallogenic terranes
Magnetite is ubiquitous in porphyry Cu systems and in sediment sourcing both barren and mineralized regions, with potential as an indicator mineral in concealed and coarsely-mapped terranes. We develop and test a workflow for integrated geochemistry and (U–Th)/He (He) dating for inferring detrital magnetite (DMt) provenance in these settings. The ca. 70 Ma Taurus porphyry Cu–Mo(–Au)...
Authors
Robert Gregory McDermott, Douglas C. Kreiner, James V. Jones, Sean P. Regan, James R. Metcalf, Rebecca M. Flowers
Testing the efficacy of industrial mitigation measures for caribou in the Arctic Testing the efficacy of industrial mitigation measures for caribou in the Arctic
1. Mitigation measures are commonly employed to reduce the negative effects of industrial development on wildlife but are not often evaluated for their efficacy. For example, oil fields in the Arctic typically incorporate design features intended to increase permeability for migratory, barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus), even though there is limited empirical evidence of the...
Authors
Heather E. Johnson, John P. Severson
Apatite (U-Th)/He thermochronology from Marsh Creek anticline reconciles Cenozoic and Holocene strain patterns and elucidates the Cenozoic canning displacement zone of Arctic Alaska Apatite (U-Th)/He thermochronology from Marsh Creek anticline reconciles Cenozoic and Holocene strain patterns and elucidates the Cenozoic canning displacement zone of Arctic Alaska
The northeastern Brooks Range is a vast fold-thrust belt that records the northernmost expression of Cenozoic deformation in Alaska, likely with complex dynamic linkages to distant tectonic elements. The principal focus of this manuscript is the Marsh Creek anticline (MCA), which is a large and recently active structure within the broader northeastern Brooks Range. The MCA is a complex...
Authors
William H. Craddock, Julie C Fosdick, Christopher D. Connors, Richard O. Lease, David W. Houseknecht, Megan Mueller, Andrew R C Kylander-Clark
Can a physics-based fire behavior model predict burn severity and post-fire debris flow hazard? Can a physics-based fire behavior model predict burn severity and post-fire debris flow hazard?
Post-wildfire flooding and debris flows pose a threat to ecosystems and infrastructure. As the frequency and size of severe wildfires increase, there is a growing need for predictive debris flow hazard modeling in unburned but fire-prone landscapes. However, no crosswalks have been established between physics-based models of fire behavior and the remotely sensed burn severity inputs...
Authors
Niko J. Tutland, Rachel A. Loehman, Jason W. Kean
Erosional and hydrological controls on the age and thermochemical stability of particulate organic carbon in an Arctic river Erosional and hydrological controls on the age and thermochemical stability of particulate organic carbon in an Arctic river
Understanding the mechanisms that drive the mobilization and fate of organic carbon (OC) in Arctic landscapes is important for modeling the feedbacks among permafrost thaw, carbon cycling, and climate change. While significant progress has been made toward measuring in situ OC decomposition in permafrost soils and bulk particulate organic carbon (POC) export from Arctic rivers, few...
Authors
Marisa Repasch, Suzanne P. Anderson, Robert S. Anderson, Josie Arcuri, Valier Galy, Joshua C. Koch, Irina Overeem
Refinement of a framework for Moving Aircraft River Velocimetry (MARV) and application to particle tracking along Alaskan rivers Refinement of a framework for Moving Aircraft River Velocimetry (MARV) and application to particle tracking along Alaskan rivers
Information on river velocities enhances understanding flood hazards, evaluating habitat conditions, and predicting the transport of floating materials. In this follow-up study, we used data from two new sites, one with a more complex morphology and the other with a lower suspended sediment concentration, to provide further evidence that Moving Aircraft River Velocimetry (MARV) can yield...
Authors
Carl J. Legleiter, Paul J. Kinzel, Mark Laker, Jeff Conaway
Dynamic drainage reorganization in Eastern Tibet: Insights from the Yangtze River first bend Dynamic drainage reorganization in Eastern Tibet: Insights from the Yangtze River first bend
The modern drainage network of eastern Tibet is widely believed to have developed through a series of river capture and flow reversal events; however, the timing and mechanisms driving this reorganization remain contentious. Among these events, the river capture that formed the First Bend of the Yangtze River (YFB) stands out as both iconic and particularly debated. Here we present...
Authors
Xudong Zhao, Yifei Li, Huiping Zhang, Richard O. Lease, Ying Wang, Yuqi Hao, Zifa Ma, Hao Xie, Huan Kang, Jianguo Xiong, Peizhen Zhang
A practical decision tool for marine bird mortality assessments A practical decision tool for marine bird mortality assessments
Given the rise in anthropogenic, environmental, and disease events contributing to marine bird mortality, there is a critical need to improve the rigor of mortality assessments. Deficits in data collection and mortality estimation can hinder a manager’s ability to document the scale of events and assess population level impacts. Therefore, to inform decisions required during activities...
Authors
Johanna Harvey, Andrew M. Ramey, Stephanie Avery-Gomm, Gregory J. Robertson, Marc D. Romano, Jennifer M Mullinax, Megan L Boldenow, Philip W. Atkinson, Diann J. Prosser
The Sedimentary Geochemistry and Paleoenvironments Project Phase 2 data release: An open data resource for the study of Earth's environmental history The Sedimentary Geochemistry and Paleoenvironments Project Phase 2 data release: An open data resource for the study of Earth's environmental history
Geochemical data from sedimentary rocks are the primary source of information regarding Earth's surface evolution through time, including its air and water envelopes and interactions with life and deep Earth processes. The Sedimentary Geochemistry and Paleoenvironments Project (SGP) is a scientific consortium centered around open data and community-driven development of...
Authors
Una Farrell, Hunter Olson, Maya Thompson, Michelle L. Abshire, Oyeleye Adeboye, Anne-Sofie Ahm, Lewis Alcott, Thomas Algeo, Ross Anderson, Arif Ansari, Lucas Bastos, Kohen Bauer, Brian Beaty, Justin E. Birdwell, Fred Bowyer, Jochen J. Brocks, Tessa Brunoir, James F. Busch, Donald Canfield, Fabrício Caxito, Chao-Chin Chang, Meng Cheng, Jean Clemente, David Cordie, Peter W. Crockford, Huan Cui, Celeste Cunningham, Tais Dahl, Janaina Rodrigues de Paula, Carol Dehler, Lucas Del Mouro, Keith Dewing, Dermeval Aparecido do Carmo, Stephen Dornbos, Nadja Drabon, Julie A. Dumoulin, Omabehere Ejeh, Emily Ellefson, Maya Elrick, Joseph Emmings, Bokanda Eric, Hao Fang, Gabriella Fazio, Henrique Fernandes, Katherine L. French, Robert R. Gaines, Richard Gaschnig, Timothy M. Gibson, Geoffrey J. Gilleaudeau, Karin Goldberg, Zheng Gong, Amy Hagen, Galen P. Halverson, Kalev G. Hantsoo, Emma R. Haxen, Miles A. Henderson, João-Pedro Hippertt, Malcolm S. W. Hodgskiss, Paul Hoffman, Edward Huang, Benjamin Johnson, Pavel B. Kabanov, Junyao Kang, C. Brenhin Keller, Brian Kendall, Julien Kimmig, Sara Kimmig, Michael A. Kipp, Andrew H. Knoll, Timmu Kreitsmann, Anurag Kulkarni, Alexandra Kunert, Marcus Kunzmann, Jiankang Lai, Richard O. Lease, Chao Li, Sen Li, Alex Lipp, Yang Liu, David Loydell, Xinze Lu, Katie Maloney, Kaarel Mänd, Alexie E. G. Millikin, N. Tanner Mills, Kento Motomura, Chiza N. Mwinde, Lyle Nelson, Nora M. Nieminski, Brennan O'Connell, Edel Mary O'Sullivan, Juliana Okubo, Jaden Olah, Frantz Ossa Ossa, Chadlin Ostrander, Kärt Paiste, Camille A. Partin, Egberto Pereira, Shanan Peters, Tiffany L. Playter, Susannah M. Porter, Simon W. Poulton, Sara B. Pruss, Zhen Qiu, Daven Quinn, Mariano Remirez, Sebastian Richiano, Sylvain Richoz, Kathryn Rico, Samantha R. Ritzer, Zachary Roney, Alan D. Rooney, William C. Rose, Elias Rugen, Swapan K. Sahoo, Shane D. Schoepfer, Judith A. Sclafani, Nathan D. Sheldon, Yanan Shen, Graham Shields, Pulkit Singh, Arvind Singh, Sarah P. Slotznick, Emily Smith, Haijun Song, Sam Spinks, Richard G. Stockey, Justin Strauss, Eva Stüeken, Zongyuan Sun, Dongjie Tang, Lidya Tarhan, Danielle Thomson, Nicholas Tosca, Rosalie Tostevin, Chenyi Tu, Maoli Vizcaíno, Yuxuan Wang, Changle Wang, Xiaomei Wang, Lucas Warren, Lucy Webb, Philip R. Wilby, Christina R. Woltz, Rachel Wood, Yuyang Wu, Xiuqing Yang, Inessa A. Yurchenko, Junpeng Zhang, Jessica Whiteside, Benjamin C. Gill, Akshay Mehra, Kimberly V. Lau, Noah J. Planavsky, David T. Johnston, Erik A Sperling
Global glacier mass change in 2025 Global glacier mass change in 2025
Glaciers lost 408 ± 132 Gt of mass during the hydrological year 2025, equivalent to 1.1 ± 0.4 mm sea-level rise. Since 1975, glacier mass loss has totalled 9,583 ± 1,211 Gt, equivalent to 26.4 ± 3.3 mm of sea-level rise, with six of the highest mass-loss years on record occurring in the past seven years.
Authors
Michael Zemp, Ethan Z. Welty, Samuel U. Nussbaumer, Jacqueline Bannwart, Isabelle Gärtner-Roer, Albin Wells, Andreas Peter Ahlstrøm, Brian Anderson, Liss Marie Andreassen, Mohd. Farooq Azam, Jamie Barnett, Carlo Baroni, Nicholas Edward Barrand, Andreas Bauder, Eric Bernard, Etienne Berthier, Giulia Bertolotti, Tobias Bolch, Mylène Bonnefoy-Demongeot, Matthias H. Braun, David Burgess, David Cappelletti, Jonathan L. Carrivick, Luca Carturan, Daniele Cat Berro, Jorge Luis Ceballos, Guillermo Cobos, Rolando Cruz, Nicolas Cullen, Bolívar Cáceres, Johanna Dahlkvist, Otgonbayar Demberel, Simon de Villiers, Roberto Dinale, Eugene Drozdov, Inés Dussaillant, Luzmila Dávila, Nelly Elagina, Hallgeir Elvehøy, Alexander Erofeev, Daniel Falaschi, Andrea Fischer, Mauro Fischer, Caitlyn Florentine, Koji Fujita, Stephan Peter Galos, Ayon Garcia, Noel Gourmelen, Federico Grosso, Afanasiy Gubanov, Andri Gunnarsson, Anne Guyez, Lea Hartl, Martin Hoelzle, Jorge Huenante, Romain Hugonnet, Matthias Huss, Bernhard Hynek, Takuro Imazu, Rodolfo Iturraspe, Livia Jakob, Sharad Joshi, Neamat Karimi, Nina Kirchner, Bjarne Kjøllmoen, Jack Kohler, Stanislav Kutuzov, Ivan Lavrentiev, James Matthew Lea, Amerigo Lendvai, Huilin Li, Shenghai Li, Zhongqin Li, Andreas Linsbauer, Sebastián Marinsek, Enrico Mattea, Christoph Mayer, Christopher McNeil, Luca Mercalli, Alexandra Messerli, Carolyn Michael, Umberto Morra di Cella, Francisco Navarro, Hofiz Navruzshoev, Anton Neureiter, Gennady Nosenko, Massimo Pecci, Mauri Pelto, Victor Popovnin, Rainer Prinz, Carla Puigdomenech, Heather Purdie, Finnur Pálsson, Alberto Rossotto, Lucas Ruiz, Louis Sass, Erik Schytt Mannerfelt, Riccardo Scotti, Donghui Shangguan, Brenda Shepherd, Delphine Six, Andrey Smirnov, Ireneusz Sobota, Markus Strudl, Shin Sugiyama, Emmanuel Thibert, Laura Thomson, Thorsteinn Thorsteinsson, Levan Tielidze, Florian Tolle, Pavel Toropov, Paolo Tuccella, Gulomjon Umirzakov, Ryskul Usubaliev, Lauren Vargo, Wu Yang, Bernhard Zagel
Permafrost thaw controls iron flux from wetlands and sulfide-bearing rocks to Arctic rivers and streams Permafrost thaw controls iron flux from wetlands and sulfide-bearing rocks to Arctic rivers and streams
Recent warming has caused widespread iron mobilization into Arctic waterbodies that degrades ecosystems and threatens natural resources. Yet, understanding where and when iron flux occurs remains limited. Here, we investigate iron loading across regional to local scales in Arctic Alaska using climate, water chemistry, and borehole data together with mapped geology and permafrost presence...
Authors
Roman J. Dial, Caitlynn Hanna, Patrick F Sullivan, David Cooper, Christopher Tino, Daniel D Gregory, Charles Diamond, Michael Rieser, Dmitry Nicolsky, Kenneth Hill, Go Iwahana, Joshua C. Koch, Michael P. Carey, Lance Miller, Timothy J. Lyons