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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: 3084

Seabird tissue archival and monitoring project: Egg collections and analytical results 1999-2002 Seabird tissue archival and monitoring project: Egg collections and analytical results 1999-2002

In 1998, the U.S. Geological Survey Biological Resources Division (USGS-BRD), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (AMNWR), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) began the Seabird Tissue Archival and Monitoring Project (STAMP) to collect and cryogenically bank tissues from seabirds in Alaska for future retrospective...
Authors
Stacy S. Vander Pol, Steven J. Christopher, David G. Roseneau, Paul R. Becker, Russel D. Day, John R. Kucklick, Rebecca S. Pugh, Kristin S. Simac, Geoff Weston-York

Metamorphism within the Chugach accretionary complex on southern Baranof Island, southeastern Alaska Metamorphism within the Chugach accretionary complex on southern Baranof Island, southeastern Alaska

On Baranof Island, southeastern Alaska, we identify four metamorphic events that affect rocks associated with the Chugach accretionary complex. This study focuses on the M1 and M4 metamorphic events. Mesozoic schists, gneisses, and migmatitic gneisses exposed near the Kasnyku pluton on central Baranof Island represent the M1 metamorphic rocks. These rocks underwent amphibolite facies...
Authors
Cathy L. Zumsteg, Glen R. Himmelberg, Susan M. Karl, Peter J. Haeussler

Controls on intrusion of near-trench magmas of the Sanak-Baranof Belt, Alaska, during Paleogene ridge subduction, and consequences for forearc evolution Controls on intrusion of near-trench magmas of the Sanak-Baranof Belt, Alaska, during Paleogene ridge subduction, and consequences for forearc evolution

A belt of Paleogene near-trench plutons known as the Sanak-Baranof belt intruded the southern Alaska convergent margin. A compilation of isotopic ages of these plutons shows that they range in age from 61 Ma in the west to ca. 50 Ma in the east. This migrating pulse of magmatism along the continental margin is consistent with North Pacific plate reconstructions that suggests the plutons...
Authors
Timothy M. Kusky, Dwight Bradley, D. Thomas Donely, David Rowley, Peter J. Haeussler

Polar bear aerial survey in the eastern Chukchi Sea: A pilot study Polar bear aerial survey in the eastern Chukchi Sea: A pilot study

Alaska has two polar bear populations: the Southern Beaufort Sea population, shared with Canada, and the Chukchi/Bering Seas population, shared with Russia. Currently a reliable population estimate for the Chukchi/Bering Seas population does not exist. Land-based aerial and mark-recapture population surveys may not be possible in the Chukchi Sea because variable ice conditions, the...
Authors
Thomas J. Evans, Anthony S. Fischbach, Scott L. Schliebe, Bryan Manly, Susanne B. Kalxdorff, Geoff S. York

Variability of the seasonally integrated normalized difference vegetation index across the north slope of Alaska in the 1990s Variability of the seasonally integrated normalized difference vegetation index across the north slope of Alaska in the 1990s

The interannual variability and trend of above-ground photosynthetic activity of Arctic tundra vegetation in the 1990s is examined for the north slope region of Alaska, based on the seasonally integrated normalized difference vegetation index (SINDVI) derived from local area coverage (LAC) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer...
Authors
D. Stow, Scott Daeschner, A. Hope, David C. Douglas, A. Petersen, Ranga B. Myneni, L. Zhou, W. Oechel

Radio tag retention and tag-related mortality among adult sockeye salmon Radio tag retention and tag-related mortality among adult sockeye salmon

Tag retention and tag-related mortality are concerns for any tagging study but are rarely estimated. We assessed retention and mortality rates for esophageal radio tag implants in adult sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka. Migrating sockeye salmon captured at the outlet of Lake Clark, Alaska, were implanted with one of four different radio tags (14.5 × 43 mm (diameter × length), 14.5 × 49...
Authors
Kristina M. Ramstad, Carol Ann Woody

Effects of implanted radio transmitters with percutaneous antennas on the behavior of Canada Geese Effects of implanted radio transmitters with percutaneous antennas on the behavior of Canada Geese

We examined whether surgically-implanted radio transmitters with percutaneous antennas affected behavior of Lesser Canada Geese (Branta canadensis parvipes) in Anchorage, Alaska. We implanted either a 26-g VHF radio transmitter or a larger VHF radio that was the same mass (35 g) and shape as a satellite transmitter in the coelom of adult females captured during molt in 2000. A control...
Authors
Jerry W. Hupp, G.A. Ruhl, John M. Pearce, Daniel M. Mulcahy, M.A. Tomeo

Effect of analytical conditions in wavelength dispersive electron microprobe analysis on the measurement of strontium-to-calcium (Sr/Ca) ratios in otoliths of anadromous salmonids Effect of analytical conditions in wavelength dispersive electron microprobe analysis on the measurement of strontium-to-calcium (Sr/Ca) ratios in otoliths of anadromous salmonids

The use of strontium-to-calcium (Sr/Ca) ratios in otoliths is becoming a standard method to describe life history type and the chronology of migrations between freshwater and seawater habitats in teleosts (e.g. Kalish, 1990; Radtke et al., 1990; Secor, 1992; Rieman et al., 1994; Radtke, 1995; Limburg, 1995; Tzeng et al. 1997; Volk et al., 2000; Zimmerman, 2000; Zimmerman and Reeves, 2000...
Authors
Christian E. Zimmerman, Roger L. Nielsen

High precision earthquake locations reveal seismogenic structure beneath Mammoth Mountain, California High precision earthquake locations reveal seismogenic structure beneath Mammoth Mountain, California

In 1989, an unusual earthquake swarm occurred beneath Mammoth Mountain that was probably associated with magmatic intrusion. To improve our understanding of this swarm, we relocated Mammoth Mountain earthquakes using a double difference algorithm. Relocated hypocenters reveal that most earthquakes occurred on two structures, a near-vertical plane at 7–9 km depth that has been interpreted...
Authors
Stephanie G. Prejean, Anna Stork, William L. Ellsworth, David Hill, Bruce R. Julian

Biogeochemical processes that produce dissolved organic matter from wheat straw Biogeochemical processes that produce dissolved organic matter from wheat straw

The chemical reactions that lead to the formation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in natural waters are poorly understood. Studies on the formation of DOM generally are complicated because almost all DOM isolates have been derived from mixtures of plant species composed of a wide variety of different types of precursor compounds for DOM formation. This report describes a study of DOM...
Authors
Robert L. Wershaw, David W. Rutherford, Jerry A. Leenheer, Kay R. Kennedy, Larry G. Cox, Donald R. Koci

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

No abstract available
Authors
Thomas B. Mowbray, James S. Sedinger, Robert E. Trost

Horned Puffin (Fratercula corniculata) Horned Puffin (Fratercula corniculata)

No abstract available
Authors
John F. Piatt, Alexander S. Kitaysky
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