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Most of the world’s beaches have regular cycles of erosion and recovery, but new USGS research is showing that these cycles may be considerably different from common perceptions.
Most of the world’s beaches have regular cycles of erosion and recovery, but new USGS research is showing that these cycles may be considerably different from common perceptions.
The USGS EROS Landsat archive recently reached a milestone of 12 million Landsat Collection 2 Level-1 products. These are available for download at no charge. The image representing this milestone displays a sprawling desert landscape and contains a multitude of agricultural, geological, and urban features.
The USGS EROS Landsat archive recently reached a milestone of 12 million Landsat Collection 2 Level-1 products. These are available for download at no charge. The image representing this milestone displays a sprawling desert landscape and contains a multitude of agricultural, geological, and urban features.
Flooding in the binational cities at Ambos Nogales on the Arizona-Sonora portion of the US-Mexico border has caused damage, ruined livelihoods and taken lives for hundreds of years.
Flooding in the binational cities at Ambos Nogales on the Arizona-Sonora portion of the US-Mexico border has caused damage, ruined livelihoods and taken lives for hundreds of years.
Creating a binational sponge city in the desert: Flooding in the binational cities at Ambos Nogales on the Arizona-Sonora portion of the US-Mexico border has caused damage, ruined livelihoods and taken lives for hundreds of years.
Creating a binational sponge city in the desert: Flooding in the binational cities at Ambos Nogales on the Arizona-Sonora portion of the US-Mexico border has caused damage, ruined livelihoods and taken lives for hundreds of years.
The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, measuring magnitude 6.9, was the strongest to hit the San Francisco Bay Area since the Great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Although it provided extensive data on ground shaking, the available observations don’t fully capture all the quake's important features.
The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, measuring magnitude 6.9, was the strongest to hit the San Francisco Bay Area since the Great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Although it provided extensive data on ground shaking, the available observations don’t fully capture all the quake's important features.
Mercury contamination from historic gold mining represents a potential risk to human health and the environment. There is a lack of public awareness of the history mercury use in gold mining and how it contributed to this situation, and also what the present concerns are. Specifically, the public is not aware of locations and levels of contamination.
Mercury contamination from historic gold mining represents a potential risk to human health and the environment. There is a lack of public awareness of the history mercury use in gold mining and how it contributed to this situation, and also what the present concerns are. Specifically, the public is not aware of locations and levels of contamination.
A group of desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis mexicana) interact near a water catchment, also known as a tinaja, in the Sonoran Desert, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, southern Arizona.
A group of desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis mexicana) interact near a water catchment, also known as a tinaja, in the Sonoran Desert, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, southern Arizona.
USGS scientists collect core samples from estuaries, lakes, coasts, and marine environments to study a range of physical and chemical properties preserved in sediment or coral over time. They process and analyze these core samples at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center’s Sediment Core Lab.
USGS scientists collect core samples from estuaries, lakes, coasts, and marine environments to study a range of physical and chemical properties preserved in sediment or coral over time. They process and analyze these core samples at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center’s Sediment Core Lab.
USGS scientists collect core samples from estuaries, lakes, coasts, and marine environments to study a range of physical and chemical properties preserved in sediment or coral over time. They process and analyze these core samples at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center’s Sediment Core Lab.
USGS scientists collect core samples from estuaries, lakes, coasts, and marine environments to study a range of physical and chemical properties preserved in sediment or coral over time. They process and analyze these core samples at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center’s Sediment Core Lab.
Heterosigma akashiwo collected from Seaplane Lagoon in San Francisco Bay on August 9, 2022. Video was taken with an ioLight 1mm microscope.
Heterosigma akashiwo collected from Seaplane Lagoon in San Francisco Bay on August 9, 2022. Video was taken with an ioLight 1mm microscope.
A winter of heavy rain causes flooding in California's Tulare Basin, threatening cropland. The basin was once the site of a large lake that appeared naturally every winter as rainfall and snowmelt from the nearby Sierra Nevada mountain range flowed down and filled the basin. It was even known as the largest lake west of the Mississippi River.
A winter of heavy rain causes flooding in California's Tulare Basin, threatening cropland. The basin was once the site of a large lake that appeared naturally every winter as rainfall and snowmelt from the nearby Sierra Nevada mountain range flowed down and filled the basin. It was even known as the largest lake west of the Mississippi River.
Staff from the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Marine Facility engineered a Free Ascent Tripod (FAT) for deployment in deep-sea environments along the Cascadia Subduction Zone.
Staff from the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Marine Facility engineered a Free Ascent Tripod (FAT) for deployment in deep-sea environments along the Cascadia Subduction Zone.
Staff from the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Marine Facility engineered a Free Ascent Tripod (FAT) for deployment in deep-sea environments along the Cascadia Subduction Zone.
Staff from the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Marine Facility engineered a Free Ascent Tripod (FAT) for deployment in deep-sea environments along the Cascadia Subduction Zone.
Monitoring coastal changes is important for the millions of people that live along coasts in the United States, particularly as climate change hastens coastal erosion by raising sea levels and fueling powerful storms.
Monitoring coastal changes is important for the millions of people that live along coasts in the United States, particularly as climate change hastens coastal erosion by raising sea levels and fueling powerful storms.
Monitoring coastal changes is important for the millions of people that live along coasts in the United States, particularly as climate change hastens coastal erosion by raising sea levels and fueling powerful storms.
Monitoring coastal changes is important for the millions of people that live along coasts in the United States, particularly as climate change hastens coastal erosion by raising sea levels and fueling powerful storms.
The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers deliver half the amount of sediment they did 50 years ago to San Francisco Bay. Just as sea-level rise is accelerating, the demand for sediment is growing.
The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers deliver half the amount of sediment they did 50 years ago to San Francisco Bay. Just as sea-level rise is accelerating, the demand for sediment is growing.
The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers deliver half the amount of sediment they did 50 years ago to San Francisco Bay. Just as sea-level rise is accelerating, the demand for sediment is growing.
The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers deliver half the amount of sediment they did 50 years ago to San Francisco Bay. Just as sea-level rise is accelerating, the demand for sediment is growing.
Lake Powell on the border of Utah and Arizona supplies water to millions across the southwestern United States.
Lake Powell on the border of Utah and Arizona supplies water to millions across the southwestern United States.
The Caldor fire in California started on August 14, 2021 and quickly spread in high winds.
The fire continues to expand toward the Lake Tahoe area as residents evacuate.
This image was captured on August 21, the 8th day.
Landsat 8's near infrared and shortwave infrared bands reveal active fire, burn scars, and smoke.
The Caldor fire in California started on August 14, 2021 and quickly spread in high winds.
The fire continues to expand toward the Lake Tahoe area as residents evacuate.
This image was captured on August 21, the 8th day.
Landsat 8's near infrared and shortwave infrared bands reveal active fire, burn scars, and smoke.
Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 (HLS) data are here!
Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 (HLS) data are here!
The Dixie Fire has become the largest single fire in California's recorded history. State fire officials don't list it at the top, however. The record is held by the massive August Complex fire of 2020 which burned over one million acres. The term "complex" is used when multiple fires in the same area ignite separately.
The Dixie Fire has become the largest single fire in California's recorded history. State fire officials don't list it at the top, however. The record is held by the massive August Complex fire of 2020 which burned over one million acres. The term "complex" is used when multiple fires in the same area ignite separately.