Unified Interior Regions
Alaska
The Alaska Region represents a resource-rich, dynamic landscape shaped by volcanos, earthquakes, major rivers, and glaciers. Here, we conduct research to inform management of Alaska’s extensive natural resources, inform national Arctic energy policy, and provide scientific information to help others understand, respond to, and mitigate impacts from natural hazards.
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Sea Ice - Habitat Dynamics
Sea Ice Present, Future and Ice Loss and Wildlife
Fish and Aquatic Ecology
Fish and aquatic habitats in Alaska support important commercial, sport, and subsistence fisheries and provide forage fish that support wildlife populations. The USGS Alaska Science Center conducts interdisciplinary research to inform local, state, federal, and international policy makers regarding conservation of fish, aquatic species, and their habitats. We work collaboratively with...
Research Conducted in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) Coastal Plain (1002 Area)
Selected Bibliography of Research Involving USGS and Conducted in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) Coastal Plain (1002 Area)
Compiled as of 12/17/2018
Research Conducted in the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska (NPRA)
Selected Bibliography of Research Involving USGS and Conducted in the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska (NPR-A)
Compiled as of 12/17/2018
Broad-scale Research Conducted Across the 1002 Area and the NPR-A of Alaska
Selected Bibliography of Broad-scale Research Involving USGS and Conducted Across the 1002 Area and the NPR-A of Alaska
Compiled as of 12/17/2018
National Assessment of Coastal Vulnerability to Sea Level Rise
The original national coastal vulnerability index (CVI) assessment was motivated by expected accelerated sea-level rise (SLR) and the uncertainty in the response of the coastline to SLR. This research was conducted between 1999 and 2001, and is currently being updated using new data sources and methodology. This original study was part of the ...
Alaska Science Center Previous Seminars
The USGS Alaska Science Center has a monthly seminar series that runs from October through May. This series highlights the multiple research programs that are taking place across all disciplines at the center.
Listed below are previous seminars given.
Long-Term Coastal Change
Goals of this task include developing and improving coastal-change assessments and supporting long-term planning and decision making to ensure sustainable coastal economies, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards
Research to identify areas that are most vulnerable to coastal change hazards including beach and dune erosion, long-term shoreline change, and sea-level rise.
USGS Research Vessel Alaskan Gyre
The R/V Alaskan Gyre is a 50-foot fiberglass seiner that has been converted into a versatile research vessel to provide USGS scientists and collaborators with access to remote marine areas of Alaska and serve as a mobile laboratory. The vessel was built by Ledford Marine of Marysville, Washington in 1989 and is named after the Alaskan Gyre, a series of wind driven currents that...
Polar Bear Maternal Denning
Pregnant polar bears enter maternity dens in October/November, give birth to cubs in December/January, and exit dens in March/April. Historically, most polar bears from the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) population constructed maternity dens on the sea ice. Over the last three decades, as sea ice has become thinner and prone to fragmentation, there has been a landward shift in the distribution...
Distribution and Movements of Polar Bears
Polar bears are tied to the sea ice for nearly all of their life cycle functions. Most important of these is foraging, or access to food. Polar bears almost exclusively eat seals, and they are equally as dependent upon the sea for their nutrition as are seals, whales, and other aquatic mammals. Polar bears are not aquatic, however, and their only access to the seals is from the surface of the...
Plasmodium Parasite Infection Data from Mosquitoes Collected in South-central Alaska, 2016
This data set includes two tables associated with a study of Plasmodium parasite infection in mosquitoes collected in south-central Alaska during the summer of 2016. The first table contains data regarding mosquito collection from three sites using CO2 baited CDC light traps. Mosquitoes were sorted and pooled according to collection date, genus, and location and subsequently screened for Plas...
National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska, (NPRA) Legacy Seismic Data Archive
The National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska, (NPRA) Legacy Data Archive represents one of the largest geological and geophysical data sets held by the U.S. Geological Survey. Two exploration programs by the U.S. Navy and USGS collected over 12,000 line miles of seismic data and drilled 28 wells. These programs generated a vast amount of data, analyses, and documents, much of which is presented...
Pacific (Gavia pacifica) and Yellow-billed Loon (G. adamsii) Mark-Resight Encounter History Data; National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, 2011-2014
This data release contains a mark-resight encounter history table for Pacific and Yellow-billed loons from the Arctic Coastal Plain in northern Alaska, 2011-2014.
Development of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in Greater-White Fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) for Genetic Stock Identification on Wintering Grounds, 2019
This data set contains a description of 3 mitochondrial DNA and 93 nuclear DNA Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) loci and sequence information developed through double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) techniques for Greater White-Fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) that winter in California.
Sampling, Antimicrobial Resistance Testing, and Genomic Typing of E. coli in Gulls (Larus spp.) on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, 2016
This data set includes information on collections of fecal or cloacal samples from wild gulls (Larus spp.) at four locations on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, USA. Samples were also collected from sockeye salmon harvested as part of the personal-use fisheries on the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers. Samples were screened for Escherichia coli (E. coli) and tested for resistance to multiple antib
Allometrics of Baltic Tellin (Macoma balthica) bivalves from Cook Inlet, AK, and Baie de Somme, France, 2010-2011
This dataset contains two tables of sampling information and size and mass measurements of the Baltic Tellin (Macoma balthica) from sites in Cook Inlet, Alaska, USA, and the Baie de Somme estuary, France.
Bathymetry, acoustic backscatter, and minisparker seismic-reflection datasets collected southwest of Montague Island and southwest of Chenega, Alaska during field activity 2014-622-FA
High-resolution acoustic backscatter data, bathymetry data, single channel minisparker seismic-reflection data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in May of 2014 southwest of Chenega Island and southwest of Montague Island, Alaska. Data were collected aboard the Alaska Department of Fish and Game vessel, R/V Solstice.
Pacific Sand Lance Energy Density, Length, and Age, Prince William Sound, Alaska, 2012-2016
This data set documents the age, length, dry mass energy density, and dry mass of age-0 and age-1 Pacific sand lance captured in Prince William Sound Alaska each July from 2012 to 2016. The analysis of this data was published in von Biela et al. 2019 (doi:10.3354/meps12891).
National Water Information System (NWIS) Mapper
The NWIS mapper provides access to over 1.5 million sites contained in the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS), including sites where current and historical surface-water, groundwater, springs, and atmospheric data has been collected. Users can search by site type, data type, site number, or place.
Inventory Data of Lowland-Breeding Birds and Associated Vegetation Types on the Alaska Peninsula, 2004-2007 - Raw Data
These are raw field data from a stratified random survey to inventory the birds breeding in lowlands (elevation below 100m) of the Alaska Peninsula, during summers 2004-2007. Data were collected at 792 survey points on 52 5-km x 5-km plots. The data are in: 1) four PDF files of digitally scanned original field data forms describing each of the 52 plots, and 2) a ZIP package containi
Inventory Data of Lowland-Breeding Birds and Associated Vegetation Types on the Alaska Peninsula, 2004-2007 - Base Data
These are data from a stratified random survey to inventory the birds breeding in lowlands (elevation below 100m) of the Alaska Peninsula, during summers 2004-2007. Data were collected at 792 points on 52 5-km x 5-km plots. The data are in six tables: 1) geographic coordinates of the bounding corners of each of the 52 plots, 2) geographic coordinates of each of the 792 bird count po
Migratory Timing and Site Use of Marbled Godwits Breeding in Alaska, 2008–2015
This dataset contains migration timing and land-based location information from nine Marbled Godwits (Limosa fedoa beringiae) equipped with solar-powered satellite transmitters on breeding grounds near Ugashik, Alaska, in June of 2008. Transmitters were programmed with a duty cycle of 10 hr on and 48 hr off, yielding 10,858 locations (47-3,490 locations per bird, depending on th
Effects of the earthquake of March 27, 1964, in the Homer area, Alaska, with a section on beach changes on Homer Spit: Chapter D in The Alaska earthquake, March 27, 1964: effects on communities
The March 27, 1964, earthquake shook the Homer area for about 3 minutes. Land effects consisted of a 2- to 6-foot subsidence of the mainland and Homer Spit, one earthflow at the mouth of a canyon, several landslides on the Homer escarpment and along the sea bluffs, and minor fissuring of the ground, principally at the edges of bluffs and on Homer...
Waller, Roger M.; Stanley, Kirk W.
Geologic effects of the March 1964 earthquake and associated seismic sea waves on Kodiak and nearby islands, Alaska: Chapter D in The Alaska earthquake, March 27, 1964: regional effects
Kodiak Island and the nearby islands constitute a mountainous landmass with an aggregate area of 4,900 square miles that lies at the western border of the Gulf of Alaska and from 20 to 40 miles off the Alaskan mainland. Igneous and metamorphic rocks underlie most of the area except for a narrow belt of moderately to poorly indurated rocks...
Plafker, George; Kachadoorian, Reuben
Geomorphic effects of the earthquake of March 27, 1964, in the Martin-Bering Rivers area, Alaska: Chapter B in The Alaska earthquake, March 27, 1964: regional effects
The Alaska earthquake of March 27, 1964, caused widespread geomorphic changes in the Martin-Bering Rivers area-900 square miles of uninhabited mountains, alluvial flatlands, and marshes north of the Gulf of Alaska, and east of the Copper River. This area is at lat 60°30’ N. and long 144°22’ W., 32 miles east of Cordova, and approximately 130 miles...
Tuthill, Samuel J.; Laird, Wilson M.
Gravity survey and regional geology of the Prince William Sound epicentral region, Alaska: Chapter C in The Alaska earthquake, March 27, 1964: regional effects
Sedimentary and volcanic rocks of Mesozoic and early Tertiary age form a roughly arcuate pattern in and around Prince William Sound, the epicentral region of the Alaska earthquake of 1964. These rocks include the Valdez Group, a predominantly slate and graywacke sequence of Jurassic and Cretaceous age, and the Orca Group, a younger sequence of...
Case, J.E.; Barnes, D.F.; Plafker, George; Robbins, S.L.
Slide-induced waves, seiching and ground fracturing caused by the earthquake of March 27, 1964 at Kenai Lake, Alaska: Chapter A in The Alaska earthquake, March 27, 1964: regional effects
The March 27, 1964, earthquake dislodged slides from nine deltas in Kenai Lake, south-central Alaska. Sliding removed protruding parts of deltas-often the youngest parts-and steepened delta fronts, increasing the chances of further sliding. Fathograms show that debris from large slides spread widely over the lake floor, some reaching the toe of...
McCulloch, David S.
The Alaska earthquake, March 27, 1964: field investigations and reconstruction effort
One of the greatest geotectonic events of our time occurred in southern Alaska late in the afternoon of March 27, 1964. Beneath a leaden sky, the chill of evening was just settling over the Alaskan countryside. Light snow was falling on some communities. It was Good Friday, schools were closed, and the business day was ending. Suddenly without...
Hansen, Wallace R.; Eckel, Edwin B.; Schaem, William E.; Lyle, Robert E.; George, Warren; Chance, Genie
The Alaska earthquake, March 27, 1964: regional effects
This is the third in a series of six reports that the U.S. Geological Survey published on the results of a comprehensive geologic study that began, as a reconnaissance survey, within 24 hours after the March 27, 1964, Magnitude 9.2 Great Alaska Earthquake and extended, as detailed investigations, through several field seasons. The 1964 Great...
McCulloch, David S.; Tuthill, Samuel J.; Laird, Wilson M.; Case, J.E.; Barnes, D.F.; Plafker, George; Robbins, S.L.; Kachadoorian, Reuben; Ferrians, Oscar J.; Foster, Helen L.; Karlstrom, Thor N.V.; Kirkby, M.J.; Kirkby, Anne V.; Stanley, Kirk W.
Effects of the earthquake of March 27, 1964, at Anchorage, Alaska: Chapter A in The Alaska earthquake, March 27, 1964: effects on communities
Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, is about 80 miles west-northwest of the epicenter of the March 27 earthquake. Because of its size, Anchorage bore the brunt of property damage from the quake; it sustained greater losses than all the rest of Alaska combined. Damage was caused by direct seismic vibration, by ground cracks, and by landslides. Direct...
Hansen, Wallace R.
Effects of the earthquake of March 27, 1964, at Whittier, Alaska: Chapter B in The Alaska earthquake, March 27, 1964: effects on communities
Whittier, Alaska, lying at the western end of Passage Canal, is an ocean terminal of The Alaska Railroad. The earthquake that shook south-central Alaska at 5:36 p.m. (Alaska Standard Time) on March 27, 1964, took the lives of 13 persons and caused more than $5 million worth of damage to Government and private property at Whittier. Seismic motion...
Kachadoorian, Reuben
Chilkat River bridge
Chilkat River bridge
Chilkat River sonar on a bridge
Chilkat River sonar on a bridge
Kashwitna River bridge debris
Kashwitna River bridge debris
Kashwitna River bridge
Kashwitna River bridge
Lowering minnow trap to fish
Supporting the project of winter habitat of juvenile Dolly Varden in the Canning River.
Minnow trap in icehole
Supporting the project of winter habitat of juvenile Dolly Varden in the Canning River.
Shublik Spring open water
Supporting the project of winter habitat of juvenile Dolly Varden in the Canning River.
Canning River with bars
Supporting the project of winter habitat of juvenile Dolly Varden in the Canning River.
Michael Carey and Vanessa von Biela on Canning River
Supporting the project of winter habitat of juvenile Dolly Varden in the Canning River.
Hole in the ice from an auger on Canning River
Supporting the project of winter habitat of juvenile Dolly Varden in the Canning River.
Under Ice Habitat in Canning River Delta
In the Arctic, rivers are often thought to freeze completely during winter. Since fish need liquid water to survive, there are few places where they can live. Fish usually inhabit deep river channels and areas where springwater enters a stream. However, this video shows that winter habitat occurs in places we didn't expect, below the ice in the delta of a shallow river.
Canning River with bars view
Supporting the project of winter habitat of juvenile Dolly Varden in the Canning River.
US Topo maps now have a crisper, cleaner design - enhancing readability of maps for online and printed use. Map symbols are easier to read over the digital aerial photograph layer whether the imagery is turned on or off.
Want to know how elevation will benefit your state? The USGS National Geospatial Program is advancing the 3D Elevation Program, known as 3DEP, in response to the growing need for high-quality three-dimensional representations of the Nation’s natural and constructed features.
Stronger storms, rising seas, and flooding are placing hundreds of millions people at risk around the world, and big part of the solution to decrease those risks is just off shore. A new study finds that coral reefs reduce the wave energy that would otherwise impact coastlines by 97 percent.
The coastal geology of Simeonof Island, the southeastern-most island in the Shumagin archipelago of the Aleutian Islands, suggests the region has not experienced a great megathrust earthquake in at least the past 3,400 years.
US Topo maps now have a crisper, cleaner design - enhancing readability of maps for online and printed use. Map symbols are easier to read over the digital aerial photograph layer whether the imagery is turned on or off. Improvements to symbol definitions (color, line thickness, line symbols, area fills), layer order, and annotation fonts are additional features of this supplemental release.
Ever since the great magnitude 9.2 earthquake shook Alaska 50 years ago today, scientists have suspected that the quake's rupture halted at the southwestern tip of Kodiak Island due to a natural barrier.
Why does the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake Matter 50 Years Later? Scientific experts will talk about a half-century of scientific and monitoring advances triggered by the 1964 events.
The U.S. Geological Survey has released two new videos about the Great Alaska Earthquake of March 27, 1964 to commemorate the upcoming 50th anniversary of the largest earthquake ever recorded in the United States. The videos include rare vintage film footage and photos of the earthquake damage, combined with modern interviews with some of the same scientists who first investig
To commemorate the upcoming 50th anniversary of the largest earthquake ever recorded in the United States, the U.S. Geological Survey has reissued a series of landmark reports covering the results of investigations of the Great Alaska Earthquake of March 27, 1964.
A recent U.S. Geological Survey-led study of the bar-tailed godwit, a shorebird known famously as the ultimate marathon champion of bird flight, suggests that these birds can sense broad weather patterns and optimally time their long, nonstop, transoceanic migrations to destinations thousands of miles away.
Nearly 25 years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill injured wildlife off the coast of Alaska, a new report issued today by the U.S. Geological Survey indicates that sea otters have returned to pre-spill numbers within the most heavily oiled areas of Prince William Sound.
On March 27th, 1964, the second largest instrumentally recorded earthquake worldwide rocked southern Alaska for 4 to 5 minutes. In addition to the earthquake, the event triggered a major tsunami that caused casualties and damage from the Kodiak Islands to northern California.
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Locations
Alaska Science Center
Phone: (907) 786-7000
Fax: (907) 786-7020
Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center
Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO)
http://www.avo.alaska.edu/contact.php
Phone: 907-786-7497
Anchorage Field Office - Water
Phone: 907-786-7000
Fairbanks Field Office - Water
Phone: 907-479-5645
Juneau Field Office - Water
Phone: 907-586-7216
