Kevin Foley
I work as a member of the USGS PRISM project (Pliocene Research, Interpretation and Synoptic Mapping). I provide data management and programming to make the project's twenty-year collection of data useable and available to the Climate Modeling Community. Our primary users are the NASA GISS project and PlioMIP (Pliocene Model Inter-comparison Project), an international consortium of climate mode
I previously worked as a member of the Glacier Studies Project on the Coastal Change and Glaciological Maps of Antarctica map series. This map series draws on a broad range of resources from satellite imagery and aerial photographs to ships logs from previous centuries to demonstrate changes in the configuration of Antarctic glaciers and coastal ice over time. The project dates back to 1990. I joined the project in 2000 to study problems in map production that existed due to the broad range of source materials of varying scale and projections and the small number of reliable positional ground control points. I initiated a program to digitize all source materials and shift the production of maps to digital means.
Professional Experience
2007 to present – GIN project, formerly PRISM Project, U.S. Geological Survey, FBSC, EGPSC, Reston, Virginia. Programming, data management and micropaleontology.
2015 – Detail to USGS Core Science/ Land Remote Sensing Group for feasibility study of a LANDSAT data cube project.
2000 to 2014 – Coastal Change and Glaciological Maps of Antarctica, EGPSC, Reston, Virginia. Digital mapping of glaciers and coastal change in Antarctica.
1995 to 1999 – Warm Climates Project, Physical Scientist, Climate History Team. Management of computer graphic lab, GIS application servers and network data servers.
1989 to 1995 – Physical Science Technician, Paleontology and Stratigraphy Branch, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia. Microfossil Laboratory Manager.
1987 to 1989 – Physical Science Aide, Paleontology and Stratigraphy Branch, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia. Moving offices, repairing computers, shaking sieves.
Education and Certifications
Master of Public Administration, with Concentration in Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University. 2015
B.S. Geology, George Mason University. 1995
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 28
State of the Earth’s cryosphere at the beginning of the 21st century : glaciers, global snow cover, floating ice, and permafrost and periglacial environments: Chapter A in Satellite image atlas of glaciers of the world
This chapter is the tenth in a series of 11 book-length chapters, collectively referred to as “this volume,” in the series U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1386, Satellite Image Atlas of Glaciers of the World. In the other 10 chapters, each of which concerns a specific glacierized region of Earth, the authors used remotely sensed images, primarily from the Landsat 1, 2, and 3 series of sp
Authors
Richard S. Williams, Jane G. Ferrigno
Assessing confidence in Pliocene sea surface temperatures to evaluate predictive models
In light of mounting empirical evidence that planetary warming is well underway, the climate research community looks to palaeoclimate research for a ground-truthing measure with which to test the accuracy of future climate simulations. Model experiments that attempt to simulate climates of the past serve to identify both similarities and differences between two climate states and, when compared w
Authors
Harry J. Dowsett, Marci M. Robinson, Alan M. Haywood, Daniel J. Hill, Aisling M. Dolan, Danielle K. Stoll, Wing-Le Chan, Ayako Abe-Ouchi, Mark A. Chandler, Nan A. Rosenbloom, Bette L. Otto-Bliesner, Fran J. Bragg, Daniel J. Lunt, Kevin M. Foley, Christina R. Riesselman
Computational considerations for collecting and using data in the equidistant cylindrical map projection and the bounds of sampling geographic data at progressively higher resolution
The Equidistant Cylindrical Map projection is popular with digital modelers and others for storing and processing worldwide data sets because of the simple association of latitude and longitude to cell values or pixels in the resulting grid. This projection does not accurately display area, and the diminished geographic area represented by cells at high latitudes is not often carefully considered.
Authors
Kevin M. Foley
Sea surface temperatures of the mid-Piacenzian Warm Period: A comparison of PRISM3 and HadCM3
It is essential to document how well the current generation of climate models performs in simulating past climates to have confidence in their ability to project future conditions. We present the first global, in-depth comparison of Pliocene sea surface temperature (SST) estimates from a coupled ocean–atmosphere climate model experiment and a SST reconstruction based on proxy data. This enables th
Authors
Harry J. Dowsett, A.M. Haywood, P.J. Valdes, Marci M. Robinson, D.J. Lunt, D.J. Hill, D.K. Stoll, Kevin M. Foley
The PRISM3D paleoenvironmental reconstruction
The Pliocene Research, Interpretation and Synoptic Mapping (PRISM) paleoenvironmental reconstruction is an internally consistent and comprehensive global synthesis of a past interval of relatively warm and stable climate. It is regularly used in model studies that aim to better understand Pliocene climate, to improve model performance in future climate scenarios, and to distinguish model-dependent
Authors
H. Dowsett, M. Robinson, A.M. Haywood, U. Salzmann, Daniel Hill, L.E. Sohl, M. Chandler, Mark Williams, K. Foley, D.K. Stoll
Mid-Piacensian mean annual sea surface temperature: an analysis for data-model comparisons
Numerical models of the global climate system are the primary tools used to understand and project climate disruptions in the form of future global warming. The Pliocene has been identified as the closest, albeit imperfect, analog to climate conditions expected for the end of this century, making an independent data set of Pliocene conditions necessary for ground truthing model results. Because mo
Authors
Harry J. Dowsett, Marci M. Robinson, Kevin M. Foley, Danielle K. Stoll
PRISM3/GISS Topographic Reconstruction
The PRISM3/GISS topographic reconstruction is one of the global data sets incorporated into a new reconstruction for the mid-Piacenzian warm interval of the Pliocene, at about 3.3 to 3.0 Ma. The PRISM3/GISS topography-gridded data set is a digitization of a graphical reconstruction, provided at 2 deg x 2 deg resolution and based on updated paleoaltimetry data and a refined land/ocean mask. Mid-Pia
Authors
Linda E. Sohl, Mark A. Chandler, Robert B. Schmunk, Ken Mankoff, Jeffrey A. Jonas, Kevin M. Foley, Harry J. Dowsett
Pliocene three-dimensional global ocean temperature reconstruction
The thermal structure of the mid-Piacenzian ocean is obtained by combining the Pliocene Research, Interpretation and Synoptic Mapping Project (PRISM3) multiproxy sea-surface temperature (SST) reconstruction with bottom water temperature estimates from 27 locations produced using Mg/Ca paleothermometry based upon the ostracod genus Krithe. Deep water temperature estimates are skewed toward the Atla
Authors
H.J. Dowsett, M.M. Robinson, K.M. Foley
Coastal-change and glaciological maps of Antarctica
No abstract available.
Authors
Richard S. Williams, Jane G. Ferrigno, Kevin M. Foley
Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Saunders Coast area, Antarctica: 1972-97
Satellite images from 1972 to 1997 have been used to prepare a map showing glaciological features of the Saunders Coast area, Antarctica. Analysis of the imagery shows a trend toward ice-front retreat that may be a result of changing environmental conditions.
Authors
Jane G. Ferrigno, Richard S. Williams, Kevin M. Foley
Distribution of benthic foraminifers (>125 um) in the surface sediments of the Arctic Ocean
Census data on benthic foraminifers (>125 ?m) in surface
sediment samples from 49 box cores are used to define
four depth-controlled biofacies, which will aid in the paleoceanographic
reconstruction of the Arctic Ocean. The shelf
biofacies contains a mix of shallow-water calcareous and
agglutinated species from the continental shelves of the
Beaufort and Chukchi Seas and reflects the variabl
Authors
Lisa E. Osterman, Richard Z. Poore, Kevin M. Foley
Modern benthic foraminifer distribution in the Amerasian Basin, Arctic Ocean
A total of 38 box cores were collected from the Amerasian Basin, Arctic Ocean during the U.S. Geological Survey 1992 (PI92-AR) and 1993 (PI93-AR) Arctic Cruises aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Icebreaker Polar Star. In addition, the cruises collected geophysical data, piston cores and hydrographic data to address the geologic and oceanographic history of the western Arctic Ocean. This paper reports th
Authors
S. E. Ishman, K.M. Foley
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 28
State of the Earth’s cryosphere at the beginning of the 21st century : glaciers, global snow cover, floating ice, and permafrost and periglacial environments: Chapter A in Satellite image atlas of glaciers of the world
This chapter is the tenth in a series of 11 book-length chapters, collectively referred to as “this volume,” in the series U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1386, Satellite Image Atlas of Glaciers of the World. In the other 10 chapters, each of which concerns a specific glacierized region of Earth, the authors used remotely sensed images, primarily from the Landsat 1, 2, and 3 series of sp
Authors
Richard S. Williams, Jane G. Ferrigno
Assessing confidence in Pliocene sea surface temperatures to evaluate predictive models
In light of mounting empirical evidence that planetary warming is well underway, the climate research community looks to palaeoclimate research for a ground-truthing measure with which to test the accuracy of future climate simulations. Model experiments that attempt to simulate climates of the past serve to identify both similarities and differences between two climate states and, when compared w
Authors
Harry J. Dowsett, Marci M. Robinson, Alan M. Haywood, Daniel J. Hill, Aisling M. Dolan, Danielle K. Stoll, Wing-Le Chan, Ayako Abe-Ouchi, Mark A. Chandler, Nan A. Rosenbloom, Bette L. Otto-Bliesner, Fran J. Bragg, Daniel J. Lunt, Kevin M. Foley, Christina R. Riesselman
Computational considerations for collecting and using data in the equidistant cylindrical map projection and the bounds of sampling geographic data at progressively higher resolution
The Equidistant Cylindrical Map projection is popular with digital modelers and others for storing and processing worldwide data sets because of the simple association of latitude and longitude to cell values or pixels in the resulting grid. This projection does not accurately display area, and the diminished geographic area represented by cells at high latitudes is not often carefully considered.
Authors
Kevin M. Foley
Sea surface temperatures of the mid-Piacenzian Warm Period: A comparison of PRISM3 and HadCM3
It is essential to document how well the current generation of climate models performs in simulating past climates to have confidence in their ability to project future conditions. We present the first global, in-depth comparison of Pliocene sea surface temperature (SST) estimates from a coupled ocean–atmosphere climate model experiment and a SST reconstruction based on proxy data. This enables th
Authors
Harry J. Dowsett, A.M. Haywood, P.J. Valdes, Marci M. Robinson, D.J. Lunt, D.J. Hill, D.K. Stoll, Kevin M. Foley
The PRISM3D paleoenvironmental reconstruction
The Pliocene Research, Interpretation and Synoptic Mapping (PRISM) paleoenvironmental reconstruction is an internally consistent and comprehensive global synthesis of a past interval of relatively warm and stable climate. It is regularly used in model studies that aim to better understand Pliocene climate, to improve model performance in future climate scenarios, and to distinguish model-dependent
Authors
H. Dowsett, M. Robinson, A.M. Haywood, U. Salzmann, Daniel Hill, L.E. Sohl, M. Chandler, Mark Williams, K. Foley, D.K. Stoll
Mid-Piacensian mean annual sea surface temperature: an analysis for data-model comparisons
Numerical models of the global climate system are the primary tools used to understand and project climate disruptions in the form of future global warming. The Pliocene has been identified as the closest, albeit imperfect, analog to climate conditions expected for the end of this century, making an independent data set of Pliocene conditions necessary for ground truthing model results. Because mo
Authors
Harry J. Dowsett, Marci M. Robinson, Kevin M. Foley, Danielle K. Stoll
PRISM3/GISS Topographic Reconstruction
The PRISM3/GISS topographic reconstruction is one of the global data sets incorporated into a new reconstruction for the mid-Piacenzian warm interval of the Pliocene, at about 3.3 to 3.0 Ma. The PRISM3/GISS topography-gridded data set is a digitization of a graphical reconstruction, provided at 2 deg x 2 deg resolution and based on updated paleoaltimetry data and a refined land/ocean mask. Mid-Pia
Authors
Linda E. Sohl, Mark A. Chandler, Robert B. Schmunk, Ken Mankoff, Jeffrey A. Jonas, Kevin M. Foley, Harry J. Dowsett
Pliocene three-dimensional global ocean temperature reconstruction
The thermal structure of the mid-Piacenzian ocean is obtained by combining the Pliocene Research, Interpretation and Synoptic Mapping Project (PRISM3) multiproxy sea-surface temperature (SST) reconstruction with bottom water temperature estimates from 27 locations produced using Mg/Ca paleothermometry based upon the ostracod genus Krithe. Deep water temperature estimates are skewed toward the Atla
Authors
H.J. Dowsett, M.M. Robinson, K.M. Foley
Coastal-change and glaciological maps of Antarctica
No abstract available.
Authors
Richard S. Williams, Jane G. Ferrigno, Kevin M. Foley
Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Saunders Coast area, Antarctica: 1972-97
Satellite images from 1972 to 1997 have been used to prepare a map showing glaciological features of the Saunders Coast area, Antarctica. Analysis of the imagery shows a trend toward ice-front retreat that may be a result of changing environmental conditions.
Authors
Jane G. Ferrigno, Richard S. Williams, Kevin M. Foley
Distribution of benthic foraminifers (>125 um) in the surface sediments of the Arctic Ocean
Census data on benthic foraminifers (>125 ?m) in surface
sediment samples from 49 box cores are used to define
four depth-controlled biofacies, which will aid in the paleoceanographic
reconstruction of the Arctic Ocean. The shelf
biofacies contains a mix of shallow-water calcareous and
agglutinated species from the continental shelves of the
Beaufort and Chukchi Seas and reflects the variabl
Authors
Lisa E. Osterman, Richard Z. Poore, Kevin M. Foley
Modern benthic foraminifer distribution in the Amerasian Basin, Arctic Ocean
A total of 38 box cores were collected from the Amerasian Basin, Arctic Ocean during the U.S. Geological Survey 1992 (PI92-AR) and 1993 (PI93-AR) Arctic Cruises aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Icebreaker Polar Star. In addition, the cruises collected geophysical data, piston cores and hydrographic data to address the geologic and oceanographic history of the western Arctic Ocean. This paper reports th
Authors
S. E. Ishman, K.M. Foley