The 2023 National Seismic Hazard Model – What's Shaking?
No one can predict earthquakes. But existing faults and past earthquakes give us information about future earthquakes, and geology tells us how the ground shakes during an earthquake.
Natural Hazards
Natural Hazards
This webpage has links to information about research related to natural hazards, including earthquakes, landslides, and geomagnetic hazards, done by scientists at the USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center in Golden, Colorado.
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CSI: Rockfall Forensics
The next time you find yourself at the bottom of a cliff, make sure to look up.
Listening to the Earth at the South Pole
The darkest place on Earth may be deep within a cave, but the quietest place on Earth is deep within the Antarctic ice. If you want to listen to the softest whispers of the Earth, South Pole, Antarctica is where you want to be. Seismic station, QSPA (Quiet South Pole, Antarctica) has been allowing us to eavesdrop on the Earth for over six decades, and it may soon gain the equivalent of a hearing...
Barry Arm, Alaska Landslide and Tsunami Monitoring
A large steep slope in the Barry Arm fjord 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Whittier, Alaska has the potential to fall into the water and generate a tsunami that could have devastating local effects on those who live, work, and recreate in and around Whittier and in northern Prince William Sound.
How Often Do Rainstorms Cause Debris Flows in Burned Areas of the Southwestern U.S.?
Debris flows, sometimes referred to as mudslides, mudflows, lahars, or debris avalanches, are common types of fast-moving landslides. They usually start on steep hillsides as a result of shallow landslides, or from runoff and erosion that liquefy and accelerate to speeds in excess of 35 mi/h. The consistency of debris flows ranges from thin, watery to thick, rocky mud that can carry large items...
Auroras and Earthquakes: Strange Companions
Release Date: JULY 6, 2020 In 1722 and 1723 a London clockmaker, George Graham, observed daily and consistent variations on one of his instruments, a “Needle upon the Pin” (a compass), for which he had no explanation. Swedish scientists obtained some of Graham’s instruments to record what is now known to be the variations in Earth’s magnetic field. In 1741, they noticed a significant deflection of...
Geomagnetism Monitoring Operations
Learn more about the USGS Geomagnetism operations.
Emergency Assessment of Post-Fire Debris-Flow Hazards
Estimates of the probability and volume of debris flows that may be produced by a storm in a recently burned area, using a model with characteristics related to basin shape, burn severity, soil properties, and rainfall. Wildfire can significantly alter the hydrologic response of a watershed to the extent that even modest rainstorms can produce dangerous flash floods and debris flows. The USGS...
Landslide Monitoring Stations
Click on the map to view monitoring site locations. Click on the marker for a link to each site.