Unified Interior Regions
Arizona
The Southwest Region includes California, Nevada, and Arizona. The Regional Office, headquartered in Sacramento, provides Center oversight and support, facilitates internal and external collaborations, and works to further USGS strategic science directions.
States L2 Landing Page Tabs
Cassini Observations of Io's Visible Aurorae
As the Cassini spacecraft passed through the Jovian system on its way to Saturn, it captured more than 500 images of Jupiter's moon Io in eclipse. Cassini's near-ultraviolet filters detected the moon's bright equatorial glows, supporting the interpretation that the visible emissions are predominantly due to molecular sulfer dioxide (SO2).
Laboratory Infrared Spectroscopy of Mars Analog Materials
Former USGS scientist, Jeff Johnson, performed key research on the detection of dust on the Martian surface. This work explored the laboratory thermal infrared and visible/near-infrared spectroscopy of palagonitic dust coatings on rock substrates and experimentally shocked feldspars and pyroxenes.
Three Decades of Martian Surface Changes
The surface of Mars has changed dramatically during the three decades spanned by spacecraft exploration. Comparisons of Mars Global Surveyor images with Viking and Mariner 9 pictures suggest that more than one third of Mars' surface area has brightened or darkened by at least 10%.
Valles Marineris - The Grand Canyon of Mars
The Valles Marineris is a system of canyons located just south of the Martian equator. The system is about 4000 km long, and, if on earth, would extend all the way across the United States. The central individual troughs, generally 50 to 100 km wide, merge into a depression as much as 600 km wide. In places the canyon floor reaches a depth of 10 km, 6 to 7 times deeper than...
Sub-ice Volcanism on Earth and Mars
Sub-glacially erupted volcanoes form free-standing flat-topped mesas, known as tuyas. Although there are some silicic edifices (e.g. Tuffen et al., 2002), most terrestrial sub-ice volcanoes are mafic and consist of horizontal layered basaltic lavas overlying friable flank deposits of steeply-dipping (angled) hyaloclastite breccias composed of variably-altered fine-grained...
Venus Magellan Impact Crater Database
The NASA Magellan spacecraft provided synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image coverage of 98% of the surface of the planet Venus, in addition to topography and several types of physical property data on the venusian surface (e.g., radar reflectivity, radar backscatter, emissivity, and rms slopes).(See Special Magellan Issue of J. Geophys. Res., v. 97, nos. E8 and E10, August 25...
Mars MER Microscopic Imager Surface Findings
The Microscopic Imagers (MI) on the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, have returned images of Mars with higher resolution than any previous camera system, allowing detailed petrographic and sedimentological studies of the rocks and soils. Designed to simulate a geologist’s hand lens, the MI cameras were mounted on the rovers’ instrument arms. They can resolve...
Moon Pyroclastic Volcanism Project
The products of explosive or pyroclastic volcanic eruptions on the Moon have intrigued lunar scientists for years. These deposits, nearly 100 in number and spread widely across the lunar surface, are generally dark and smooth-surfaced. Although pyroclastic materials were found in all lunar samples and thus they are known to be widely dispersed from their sources, the dark...
Revisiting Lava Flow Simple Models
Simple models relating the final dimensions of a lava flow to eruption parameters an lava rheology were used extensively in the 1980's but have fallen out of use in the terrestrial vocanology community. However, in the planetary volcanology community these models have had a resurgence of utilization, especially in response to the availability of high resolution topographic...
Conferences
International Planetary Caves Conference
Planetary Caves
As USGS scientist and planetary cave enthusiast, Glen Cushing, points out, "Caves are important to the future of planetary exploration because they are believed to provide shelter from a range of harsh surface conditions, maintaining near-pristine surfaces and relatively stable microclimates." See links on this page to explore further.
Shoemaker Sample Collection
The USGS Shoemaker Collection consists of unique and irreplaceable geologic hand samples, rock powders, petrographic thin sections and billets, and associated documentation, from impact craters and terrestrial analog sites around the world. Current curation efforts are focused on data rescue, preservation, and inventory. All geologic materials are being relocated into...
Structures Data
USGS data portray selected structures data, including the location and characteristics of manmade facilities. Characteristics consist of a structure's physical form (footprint), function, name, location, and detailed information about the structure. The types of structures collected are largely determined by the needs of the disaster planning and response and homeland security organizations....
Boundaries Data
Boundaries data or governmental units represent major civil areas including states, counties, Federal, and Native American lands, and incorporated places such as cities and towns.
Hydrography Data
The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) are used to portray surface water on The National Map.
The United States Interagency Elevation Inventory (USIEI)
The USIEI is a comprehensive, nationwide listing of known high-accuracy topographic and bathymetric data for the United States and its territories. The project is a collaborative effort of the USGS and NOAA with contributions from other federal agencies. The inventory supports the 3D Elevation Program and the Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping effort. This resource is updated in Spring and...
Elevation Data
The 3DEP products and services available through The National Map consist of lidar point clouds (LPC), standard digital elevation models (DEMs) at various horizontal resolutions, elevation source and associated datasets, an elevation point query service and bulk point query service. All 3DEP products are available, free of charge and without use restrictions.
Orthoimagery Data
Orthoimagery data typically are high resolution aerial images that combine the visual attributes of an aerial photograph with the spatial accuracy and reliability of a planimetric map. The National Map offers public domain, 1-meter orthoimagery for the conterminous United States with many urban areas and other locations at 2-foot or finer resolution.
The National Map Small-Scale Collection
The National Map offers a collection of small-scale datasets, most of which are at 1:1,000,000. The National Map publishes two data collections at one million-scale: one for Global Map users and one for National Map users. In terms of vector geometry, the lines, points, and areas in these data collections are identical. The difference is in the attributes assigned to these features.
WaterWatch
WaterWatch is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) World Wide Web site that displays maps, graphs, and tables describing real-time, recent, and past streamflow conditions for the United States. The real-time information generally is updated on an hourly basis.
Current Alerts for U.S. Volcanoes
Volcano-alert notifications are produced by Volcano Observatory scientists based on analysis of data from monitoring networks, direct observations, and satellite sensors. They are issued for both increasing and decreasing volcanic activity and include text about the nature of the unrest or eruption and about potential or current hazards and likely outcomes.
Total Mercury Concentrations in Fish Muscle from the Colorado River and Bright Angel Creek, AZ, USA (2015)
This dataset contains data on the length, mass, and muscle total mercury concentration of Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) and Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) collected from the Colorado River in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (GLCA) and Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA), and Bright Angel Creek in GRCA.
Land Treatment Digital Library (LTDL)
The Land Treatment Digital Library (LTDL) was created by the USGS to catalog legacy land treatment information on Bureau of Land Management lands in the western United States. The LTDL can be used by federal managers and scientists for compiling information for data-calls, producing maps, generating reports, and conducting analyses at varying spatial and temporal scales.
Data Entry Module for the Land Treatment Digital Library (LTDL)
This software allows agencies, organizations, and individuals to download an empty, stand-alone Land Treatment Digital Library database to individual or networked computers. Data entered in these databases may be submitted to the USGS for possible inclusion in the online Land Treatment Digital Library (https://ltdl.wr.usgs.gov).
Ground-water, surface-water, and water-chemistry data, Black Mesa area, northeastern Arizona, 1996
The Black Mesa monitoring program is designed to document long-term effects of ground-water pumping from the N aquifer by industrial and municipal users. The N aquifer is the major source of water in the 5,400-square-mile Black Mesa area, and the ground water occurs under confined and unconfined conditions. Monitoring activities include...
Littin, Gregory R.; Monroe, Stephen A.
Hydrologic data, Colorado River and major tributaries, Glen Canyon Dam to Diamond Creek, Arizona, water years 1990-95
The U.S. Geological Survey collected hydrologic data at 12 continuous-record stations along the Colorado River and its major tributaries between Glen Canyon Dam and Diamond Creek. The data were collected from October 1989 through September 1995 as part of the Bureau of Reclamation's Glen Canyon Environmental Studies. The data include daily values...
Rote, John J.; Flynn, Marilyn E.; Bills, D.J.
Sand-storage changes in the Colorado River downstream from the Paria and Little Colorado rivers, April 1994 to August 1995
Sixty-six cross sections on the Colorado River in 11-kilometer reachesdownstream from the Paria and Little Colorado Rivers were monitoredfrom June 1992 to August 1995 to provide data to evaluate the effectof releases from Glen Canyon Dam on channel-sand storage and fordevelopment of multidimensional flow and sediment-transport models.Most of the...
Graf, Julia B.; Marlow, Jonathan E.; Rigas, Patricia D.; Jansen, Samuel M.D.
Streamflow and sediment data collected to determine the effects of a controlled flood in March and April 1996 on the Colorado River between Lees Ferry and Diamond Creek, Arizona
An 8-day period of planned release of water at 1,275 cubic meters per second from Glen Canyon Dam in March and April 1996 provided an opportunity to collect data on river stage, streamflow, water chemistry, and sediment transport at discharges above powerplant releases. The U.S. Geological Survey collected data at five streamflow-gaging stations...
Konieczki, Alice D.; Graf, Julia B.; Carpenter, Michael C.
The Colorado River in Grand Canyon: how fast does it flow?
Opening the jet tubes at Glen Canyon Dam on March 26, 1996, released from Lake Powell a controlled flood of water that traveled down the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. How fast did the water move? How long did it take for water to reach a particular point along the river? The answers to these questions are important because the speed of river...
Graf, Julia B.
Geochemical analyses of ground-water ages, recharge rates, and hydraulic conductivity of the N aquifer, Black Mesa area, Arizona
The Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe of the Black Mesa area, Arizona, depend on ground water from the N aquifer to meet most tribal and industrial needs. Increasing use of this aquifer is creating concerns about possible adverse effects of increased ground-water withdrawals on the water resources of the region. A thorough understanding of the N...
Lopes, Thomas J.; Hoffmann, John P.
Controlled Flooding of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon: the Rationale and Data-Collection Planned
Anderson, Mark T.; Graf, Julia B.; Marzolf, G. Richard
Ground-water, surface-water, and water-chemistry data, Black Mesa area, northeastern Arizona, 1995
Littin, G.R.; Monroe, S.A.
When the blue-green waters turn red: Historical flooding in Havasu Creek, Arizona
Havasu Creek, the second largest tributary of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, attracts numerous visitors each year owing to its spectacular scenery. Perennial streamflow seldom exceeds 2 cubic meters per second (m3/s), but supports important stands of riparian vegetation, forms unique travertine pools, and spills over spectacular...
Melis, Theodore S.; Phillips, William M.; Webb, Robert H.; Bills, Douglas J.
Physical, chemical, biological, and toxicity data from the study of urban stormwater and ephemeral streams, Maricopa County, Arizona, water years 1992-95
Fossum, K.D.; Davis, R.G.
Hydrogeology of the Quitobaquito Springs and La Abra Plain area, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona, and Sonora, Mexico
Quitobaquito Springs, in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument near the south end of the northwestward-trending Quitobaquito Hills, are less than 0.25 mile north of the international boundary between the United States and Mexico. The National Park Service is concerned that the natural flow from Quitobaquito Springs might be reduced by ground-water...
Carruth, R.L.
An accounting system for water and consumptive use along the Colorado River, Hoover Dam to Mexico
An accounting system for estimating and distributing consumptive use of water by vegetation to water users was developed for the Colorado River to meet the requirements of a U.S. Supreme Court decree and used with data from calendar year 1984. The system is based on a water-budget method to estimate total consumptive use by vegetation which is...
Owen-Joyce, Sandra J.; Raymond, Lee H.
Rainout shelters allow researchers to study effects of drought
Rainout shelters block about 35% of natural rainfall, allowing researchers to study the effects of drought on plants in the arid and semiarid southwestern United States.
Rainout structures allow researchers to study the effects of drought
This rainout structure blocks about 35% of the natural rainfall, allowing researchers to study the effects of drought on plants in the southwestern United States.
Standing in the field with managers
Touring public lands, guided by the people who manage the lands, is a important to RAMPS. On these tours we get to meet the passionate people, understand their challenges and aspirations, and help make steps towards innovative science-based solutions. In this photo staff from BLM's Aqua Fria National Monument stand with USGS scientist, Seth Munson and discuss how to
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Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Organ pipe cactus are rare in the Sonoran desert in the U.S. They can only be found in and around Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, shown here. The distribution of Organ Pipe Cactus is limited due to lack of tolerance for cold temperatures. The biota of the Sonoran desert is particularly senstive to disturbance. Soils often erode quickly once vegetation is removed. The
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Pink Dune
This is a photo of a pink sand dune in Utah.
USGS hydrographer collecting a suspended-sediment water sample.
Suspended-Sediment Sampling and Turbidity
Here, a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) hydrographer is collecting a suspended-sediment water sample from the Little Colorado River, a kilometer upstream from the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA. To gain knowledge of the
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Ungulates in a Warmer Climate
Researchers supported by NCCWSC are working to improve managers’ understanding of ungulates’ response to a warmer climate. For example, when surface water is unavailable, the water content within ungulates’ food provides them with their main source of water, and they must make resourceful foraging decisions to meet their water needs. Scientists researching desert bighorn
Lake Powell
The USGS Utah Water Science Center and the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted a collaborative geophysical research effort within Lake Powell, UT-AZ to map the bathymetry of the lake and characterize shallow sediment deposition near the mouths of the San Juan and Colorado Rivers.
Collaborative Discussion
The USGS RAMPS program hosts workshops where land managers from federal, state, and local agencies, practitioners, and NGO's can come together to discuss challenges and develop creative solutions. Here,
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Digital Elevation Model Created by an Unmanned Aerial System
This digital elevation model was created using structure from motion software mounted to an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) to analyze bridge scour. Studies using UAS have included stream temperature analyses, bird and mammal surveys, coastal change mapping, sandbar habitat surveys, fluvial erosion rates, microclimate mapping, air quality analysis, plant stress assessment,
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Dry, cracked soil (RAMPS)
Rangelands of the desert Southwest can be in a degraded condition and lacking perennial vegetation, which can lead to exposed soil and erosion. RAMPS is working to mitigate degradation by increasing
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Unmanned Aerial System
This small unmanned aerial system with digital camera has been used to create digital elevation models to answer questions about erosion, bridge scour, and other hydraulics analyses.
There was a full house at Cady Hall on Saturday, Dec. 17 to hear USGS scientist Laura Norman, PhD, talk about our water, the liquid gold of the Patagonia watershed. Her presentation was sponsored by the Friends of Sonoita Creek (FOS).
An article published in the Scientific American describes how conservationists along the poverty-stricken Arizona–Mexico are repairing habitat for more than 900 species of wild pollinators and boosting livelihoods.
Kids can visit the USGS Astrogeology Science Center before Nov. 6 for a chance to win an annual membership or a trip to U.S. Space & Rocket Center's Space Camp.
In 2014, a large pulse of water was released into the mostly dry delta of the Colorado River along the U.S.-Mexico border. U.S. Geological Survey scientists are studying the effects of the pulse on the environment as part of a historic, bi-national collaborative effort. The pulse flow and the need to study its effects were accepted as part of the Minute 319 of the 1944 U.S.-Mexico Water Treaty.
Scientists have discovered possible evidence for water-rich minerals on the surface of the largest metallic asteroid in the solar system, according to a study by the U.S. Geological Survey and NASA.
Large precipitation events that occur about every 10 years are a critical source of recharge for replenishing groundwater resources, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation.
Biocrust 3 Conference Begins Next Week in Moab, Utah.
A new report by the U.S. Geological Survey shows, for the first time ever, detailed habitat information on the entire range of a federally listed endangered bird allowing officials to take a scientific approach to helping protect the species.
Streamflow and groundwater levels are declining in some locations along the San Pedro River near Sierra Vista, Arizona, according to a new report by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Future groundwater replenishment in the Upper Colorado River Basin may benefit from projected increases in future basin-wide precipitation under current climate projections, according to a recent study by the U.S. Geological Survey and Bureau of Reclamation.
To gain insights into the risks associated with uranium mining and processing, U.S. Geological Survey scientists are investigating how uranium moves into and up food chains.
Assessing age of groundwater to determine resource availability
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Locations
Astrogeology Science Center
Phone: 928-556-7000
Fax: 928-556-7014
Southwest Biological Science Center - Flagstaff, AZ, Headquarters
Phone: 928-556-7094
Fax: 928-556-7092
Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center
Western Geographic Science Center - Tucson Project Office
Western Geographic Science Center - Flagstaff Project Office
Arizona Water Science Center, Tucson Office
Phone: (520) 670-6671
Fax: (520) 670-5592
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO)
yvowebteam@usgs.gov
Phone: 360-993-8906
Southwest Biological Science Center - Tucson, AZ, Research Station
Phone: (520) 670-6671
Fax: (520) 670-5592
Arizona Water Science Center, Flagstaff Office
Phone: (928) 556-7136
Fax: (928) 556-7112
Arizona Water Science Center, Tempe Office
Phone: (480) 736-1093
Fax: (480) 736-1356
Arizona Water Science Center, Yuma Office
Phone: (928) 782-6024
Fax: (928) 782-0268