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
Atmospheric deposition of glacial iron in the Gulf of Alaska impacted by the position of the Aleutian Low Atmospheric deposition of glacial iron in the Gulf of Alaska impacted by the position of the Aleutian Low
Our understanding of glacial flour dust storm delivery of iron to the Gulf of Alaska (GoA) is limited. Here we interpret concurrent time series satellite, meteorological, and aerosol geochemical data from the GoA to examine how interannual variability in regional weather patterns impacts offshore aerosol glacial Fe deposition. In 2011, when a northerly Aleutian Low (AL) was persistent...
Authors
Andrew W. Schroth, John Crusius, Santiago Gasso, Christopher M. Moy, Nathan J. Buck, Joseph A. Resing, Robert W. Campbell
The Peters Hills basin, a Neogene wedge-top basin on the Broad Pass thrust fault, south-central Alaska The Peters Hills basin, a Neogene wedge-top basin on the Broad Pass thrust fault, south-central Alaska
The Neogene Peters Hills basin is a small terrestrial basin that formed along the south flank of the Alaska Range during a time in which there was regional shortening. The formation of the Peters Hills basin is consistent with it being a wedge-top basin that formed on top of the active southeast-vergent Broad Pass thrust fault. Movement along this thrust raised a ridge of Jurassic and...
Authors
Peter J. Haeussler, Richard W. Saltus, Richard G. Stanley, Natalia Ruppert, Kristen Lewis, Susan M. Karl, Adrian M. Bender
Declining survival of black brant from subarctic and arctic breeding areas Declining survival of black brant from subarctic and arctic breeding areas
Since the mid 1990s, the number of black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans; brant) nests on the Yukon‐Kuskokwim Delta (YKD), Alaska, USA, the historically predominant breeding area of brant, has declined steadily. This has caused researchers and managers to question if arctic breeding populations can compensate for the reduction in brant nests on the YKD. An important component of the...
Authors
Alan G. Leach, David H. Ward, James S. Sedinger, Mark S. Lindberg, W. Sean Boyd, Jerry W. Hupp, Robert J. Ritchie
Modeling ancient land use and resilient forests in the Jemez Mountains Modeling ancient land use and resilient forests in the Jemez Mountains
No abstract available.
Authors
Rachel A. Loehman
High-latitude dust in the Earth system High-latitude dust in the Earth system
Natural dust is often associated with hot, subtropical deserts, but significant dust events have been reported from cold, high latitudes. This review synthesizes current understanding of high-latitude (≥50°N and ≥40°S) dust source geography and dynamics and provides a prospectus for future research on the topic. Although the fundamental processes controlling aeolian dust emissions in...
Authors
Joanna E Bullard, Matthew Baddock, Tom Bradwell, John Crusius, Eleanor Darlington, Diego Gaiero, Santiago Gasso, Gudrun Gisladottir, Richard Hodgkins, Robert McCulloch, Cheryl NcKenna Neuman, Tom Mockford, Helena Stewart, Throstur Thorsteinsson
Hydrologic and geomorphic changes resulting from episodic glacial lake outburst floods: Rio Colonia, Patagonia, Chile Hydrologic and geomorphic changes resulting from episodic glacial lake outburst floods: Rio Colonia, Patagonia, Chile
Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are a prominent but poorly understood cryospheric hazard in a warming climate. We quantify the hydrologic and geomorphic response to 21 episodic GLOFs that began in April 2008 using multitemporal satellite imagery and field observations. Peak discharge exiting the source lake became progressively muted downstream. At ~40–60 km downstream, where the...
Authors
J. Jacquet, S.W. McCoy, Daniel Mcgrath, David Nimick, Mark Fahey, J. O’kuinghttons, B.A. Friesen, J. Leidich
Links between atmosphere, ocean, and cryosphere from two decades of microseism observations on the Antarctic Peninsula Links between atmosphere, ocean, and cryosphere from two decades of microseism observations on the Antarctic Peninsula
The lack of landmasses, climatological low pressure, and strong circumpolar westerly winds between the latitudes of 50°S to 65°S produce exceptional storm‐driven wave conditions in the Southern Ocean. This combination makes the Antarctic Peninsula one of Earth's most notable regions of high‐amplitude wave activity and thus, ocean‐swell‐driven microseism noise in both the primary (direct...
Authors
Robert E. Anthony, Richard C. Aster, Daniel Mcgrath
An empirical approach for estimating stress-coupling lengths for marine-terminating glaciers An empirical approach for estimating stress-coupling lengths for marine-terminating glaciers
Variability in the dynamic behavior of marine-terminating glaciers is poorly understood, despite an increase in the abundance and resolution of observations. When paired with ice thicknesses, surface velocities can be used to quantify the dynamic redistribution of stresses in response to environmental perturbations through computation of the glacier force balance. However, because the...
Authors
Ellyn Enderlin, Gordon S. Hamilton, Shad O’Neel, Timothy C. Bartholomaus, Mathieu Morlighem, John W. Holt
Multidecadal increases in the Yukon River Basin of chemical fluxes as indicators of changing flowpaths, groundwater, and permafrost Multidecadal increases in the Yukon River Basin of chemical fluxes as indicators of changing flowpaths, groundwater, and permafrost
The Yukon River Basin, underlain by discontinuous permafrost, has experienced a warming climate over the last century that has altered air temperature, precipitation, and permafrost. We investigated a water chemistry database from 1982 to 2014 for the Yukon River and its major tributary, the Tanana River. Significant increases of Ca, Mg, and Na annual flux were found in both rivers...
Authors
Ryan C. Toohey, Nicole M. Herman-Mercer, Paul F. Schuster, Edda A. Mutter, Joshua C. Koch
Haemosporidian parasite infections in grouse and ptarmigan: Prevalence and genetic diversity of blood parasites in resident Alaskan birds Haemosporidian parasite infections in grouse and ptarmigan: Prevalence and genetic diversity of blood parasites in resident Alaskan birds
Projections related to future climate warming indicate the potential for an increase in the distribution and prevalence of blood parasites in northern regions. However, baseline data are lacking for resident avian host species in Alaska. Grouse and ptarmigan occupy a diverse range of habitat types throughout the northern hemisphere and are among the most well-known and important native...
Authors
Matthew M. Smith, Caroline R. Van Hemert, Richard Merizon
Surveillance for Eurasian-origin and intercontinental reassortant highly pathogenic influenza A viruses in Alaska, spring and summer 2015 Surveillance for Eurasian-origin and intercontinental reassortant highly pathogenic influenza A viruses in Alaska, spring and summer 2015
Background: Eurasian-origin and intercontinental reassortant highly pathogenic (HP) influenza A viruses (IAVs) were first detected in North America in wild, captive, and domestic birds during November–December 2014. Detections of HP viruses in wild birds in the contiguous United States and southern Canadian provinces continued into winter and spring of 2015 raising concerns that...
Authors
Andrew M. Ramey, John M. Pearce, Andrew B. Reeves, Rebecca L. Poulson, Jennifer Dobson, Brian Lefferts, Kyle A. Spragens, David E. Stallknecht
Increased prevalence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in gulls sampled in southcentral Alaska is associated with urban environments Increased prevalence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in gulls sampled in southcentral Alaska is associated with urban environments
Background Antibiotic-resistant bacteria pose challenges to healthcare delivery systems globally; however, limited information is available regarding the prevalence and spread of such bacteria in the environment. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in large-bodied gulls (Larus spp.) at urban and remote locations in Southcentral Alaska to...
Authors
Clara Atterby, Andrew M. Ramey, Gabriel Gustafsson Hall, Josef Jarhult, Stefan Borjesson, Jonas Bonnedahl