USGS Science⌕ Search

SEARCH · USGS Science

Results for “Technology”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
USGS2007

Effects of Regulation and Technology on End Uses of Nonfuel Mineral Commodities in the United States

The regulatory system and advancement of technologies have shaped the end-use patterns of nonfuel minerals used in the United States. These factors affected the quantities and types of materials used by society. Environmental concerns and awareness of possible negative effects on public health prompted numerous regulations that have dramatically altered the use of commodities like arsenic, asbestos, lead, and mercury. While the selected commodities represent only a small portion of overall U.S. materials use, they have the potential for harmful effects on human health or the environment, which other commodities, like construction aggregates, do not normally have. The advancement of technology allowed for new uses of mineral materials in products like high-performance computers, telecommunications equipment, plasma and liquid-crystal display televisions and computer monitors, mobile telephones, and electronic devices, which have become mainstream products. These technologies altered the end-use pattern of mineral commodities like gallium, germanium, indium, and strontium. Human ingenuity and people?s demand for different and creative services increase the demand for new materials and industries while shifting the pattern of use of mineral commodities. The mineral commodities? end-use data are critical for the understanding of the magnitude and character of these flows, assessing their impact on the environment, and providing an early warning of potential problems in waste management of products containing these commodities. The knowledge of final disposition of the mineral commodity allows better decisions as to how regulation should be tailored.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2013

Use of surrogate technologies to estimate suspended sediment in the Clearwater River, Idaho, and Snake River, Washington, 2008-10

Elevated levels of fluvial sediment can reduce the biological productivity of aquatic systems, impair freshwater quality, decrease reservoir storage capacity, and decrease the capacity of hydraulic structures. The need to measure fluvial sediment has led to the development of sediment surrogate technologies, particularly in locations where streamflow alone is not a good estimator of sediment load because of regulated flow, load hysteresis, episodic sediment sources, and non-equilibrium sediment transport. An effective surrogate technology is low maintenance and sturdy over a range of hydrologic conditions, and measured variables can be modeled to estimate suspended-sediment concentration (SSC), load, and duration of elevated levels on a real-time basis. Among the most promising techniques is the measurement of acoustic backscatter strength using acoustic Doppler velocity meters (ADVMs) deployed in rivers. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, evaluated the use of acoustic backscatter, turbidity, laser diffraction, and streamflow as surrogates for estimating real-time SSC and loads in the Clearwater and Snake Rivers, which adjoin in Lewiston, Idaho, and flow into Lower Granite Reservoir. The study was conducted from May 2008 to September 2010 and is part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lower Snake River Programmatic Sediment Management Plan to identify and manage sediment sources in basins draining into lower Snake River reservoirs. Commercially available acoustic instruments have shown great promise in sediment surrogate studies because they require little maintenance and measure profiles of the surrogate parameter across a sampling volume rather than at a single point. The strength of acoustic backscatter theoretically increases as more particles are suspended in the water to reflect the acoustic pulse emitted by the ADVM. ADVMs of different frequencies (0.5, 1.5, and 3 Megahertz) were tested to target various sediment grain sizes. Laser diffraction and turbidity also were tested as surrogate technologies. Models between SSC and surrogate variables were developed using ordinary least-squares regression. Acoustic backscatter using the high frequency ADVM at each site was the best predictor of sediment, explaining 93 and 92 percent of the variability in SSC and matching sediment sample data within +8.6 and +10 percent, on average, at the Clearwater River and Snake River study sites, respectively. Additional surrogate models were developed to estimate sand and fines fractions of suspended sediment based on acoustic backscatter. Acoustic backscatter generally appears to be a better estimator of suspended sediment concentration and load over short (storm event and monthly) and long (annual) time scales than transport curves derived solely from the regression of conventional sediment measurements and streamflow. Changing grain sizes, the presence of organic matter, and aggregation of sediments in the river likely introduce some variability in the model between acoustic backscatter and SSC.

Idaho;Washington↗
USGS1997

Bathymetric surveys of Morse and Geist Reservoirs in central Indiana made with acoustic Doppler current profiler and global positioning system technology, 1996

Acoustic Doppler current profiler, global positioning system, and geographic information system technology were used to map the bathymetry of Morse and Geist Reservoirs, two artificial lakes used for public water supply in central Indiana. The project was a pilot study to evaluate the use of the technologies for bathymetric surveys. Bathymetric surveys were last conducted in 1978 on Morse Reservoir and in 1980 on Geist Reservoir; those surveys were done with conventional methods using networks of fathometer transects. The 1996 bathymetric surveys produced updated estimates of reservoir volumes that will serve as base-line data for future estimates of storage capacity and sedimentation rates.An acoustic Doppler current profiler and global positioning system receiver were used to collect water-depth and position data from April 1996 through October 1996. All water-depth and position data were imported to a geographic information system to create a data base. The geographic information system then was used to generate water-depth contour maps and to compute the volumes for each reservoir.The computed volume of Morse Reservoir was 22,820 acre-feet (7.44 billion gallons), with a surface area of 1,484 acres. The computed volume of Geist Reservoir was 19,280 acre-feet (6.29 billion gallons), with a surface area of 1,848 acres. The computed 1996 reservoir volumes are less than the design volumes and indicate that sedimentation has occurred in both reservoirs. Cross sections were constructed from the computer-generated surfaces for 1996 and compared to the fathometer profiles from the 1978 and 1980 surveys; analysis of these cross sections also indicates that some sedimentation has occurred in both reservoirs.The acoustic Doppler current profiler, global positioning system, and geographic information system technologies described in this report produced bathymetric maps and volume estimates more efficiently and with comparable or greater resolution than conventional bathymetry methods.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS2022

Five years of monitoring a bio-engineered living shoreline: Comparison of oyster population development by reef technology.

The Living Shoreline Demonstration Project (PO-148) used five bio-engineered reef technologies (Reef Balls in two configurations; Figure 1) acting as breakwaters to protect vulnerable shorelines. While the primary goal is to attenuate wave energy, the sustainability and success of these products as “living” shorelines are based on their ability to enhance oyster habitat, enabling the reef to maintain elevation within the rapidly changing environment (i.e., sea level rise, subsidence). This report documents the recruitment, survival, and growth of the living components of the reef – oysters and other encrusting organisms (e.g. mussels, barnacles). This final technical report provides data from five years of monitoring (November 2017 – December 2021) of reefs located along the western side of Eloi Bay in Pontchartrain Basin (Figure 2). Monitoring goals included assessment of (1) annual oyster densities and population dynamics on the reefs, (2) annual density and diversity of other encrusting organisms, and (3) comparisons of outcomes by reef technology, exposure, and water quality. Detailed information on technologies used, construction design, as-built elevations are available in Coast & Harbor Engineering (2016) Design Memorandum dated March 25, 2016, submitted to Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.

Louisiana↗
USGS1986

USE OF SPACE TECHNOLOGY IN FEDERALLY FUNDED LAND PROCESSES RESEARCH IN THE UNITED STATES.

A review of the use of space technology in federally funded earth science research in the US was carried out in 1985 by the President's Office of Science and Technology Policy. Five departments and three independent agencies, representing the primary earth science research agencies in the Federal government, participated in the review. The review by the subcommittee indicated that, while there is considerable overlap in the legislated missions of the earth science agencies, most of the space-related land processes research is complementary. Summaries are provided of the current and projected uses of space technology in land processes activities within the eight Federal organizations.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2002

Raw materials and technology fuel U.S. economic growth

In 1900, the average U.S. citizen's average life span was 47 years. He traveled about 1,900 km (1,200 miles) in a lifetime and resided in a home with an icebox for food storage and oil or gas for lighting. He communicated by mail, telegraph and crude telephones with limited availability and range. By 2000, the average citizen's life span was 77 years. He traveled an average of 19,000 km/a (12,000 miles/ year) by automobile alone. He resided in a home with many electrical appliances, including refrigerators and electric lights. And the communicated almost instantaneously with any other part of the globe by several widely available means, including portable phones and e-mail. Technology, the application of knowledge about the Earth's materials, their extraction and fabrication into products, helped create this change. Throughout the 20th century, the United States was a leader in technology. Automobiles, refrigerators, electric lighting, telephones and personal computers are only a few examples of the products invented and improved or further developed by American technology (National Academy of Engineering, 2000).

Mining Engineering↗
USGS2006

Overview of selected surrogate technologies for continuous suspended-sediment monitoring

Surrogate technologies for inferring selected characteristics of suspended sediments in surface waters are being tested by the U.S. Geological Survey and several partners with the ultimate goal of augmenting or replacing traditional monitoring methods. Optical properties of water such as turbidity and optical backscatter are the most commonly used surrogates for suspended-sediment concentration, but use of other techniques such as those based on acoustic backscatter, laser diffraction, digital photo-optic, and pressure-difference principles is increasing for concentration and, in some cases, particle-size distribution and flux determinations. The potential benefits of these technologies include acquisition of automated, continuous, quantifiably accurate data obtained with increased safety and at less expense. When suspended-sediment surrogate data meet consensus accuracy criteria and appropriate sediment-record computation techniques are applied, these technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way fluvial-sediment data are collected, analyzed, and disseminated.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2010

Large-scale laboratory testing of bedload-monitoring technologies: Overview of the StreamLab06 Experiments

A 3-month-long, large-scale flume experiment involving research and testing of selected conventional and surrogate bedload-monitoring technologies was conducted in the Main Channel at the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory under the auspices of the National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics. These experiments, dubbed StreamLab06, involved 25 researchers and volunteers from academia, government, and the private sector. The research channel was equipped with a sediment-recirculation system and a sediment-flux monitoring system that allowed continuous measurement of sediment flux in the flume and provided a data set by which samplers were evaluated. Selected bedload-measurement technologies were tested under a range of flow and sediment-transport conditions. The experiment was conducted in two phases. The bed material in phase I was well-sorted siliceous sand (0.6-1.8 mm median diameter). A gravel mixture (1-32 mm median diameter) composed the bed material in phase II. Four conventional bedload samplers – a standard Helley-Smith, Elwha, BLH-84, and Toutle River II (TR-2) sampler – were manually deployed as part of both experiment phases. Bedload traps were deployed in study Phase II. Two surrogate bedload samplers – stationarymounted down-looking 600 kHz and 1200 kHz acoustic Doppler current profilers – were deployed in experiment phase II. This paper presents an overview of the experiment including the specific data-collection technologies used and the ambient hydraulic, sediment-transport and environmental conditions measured as part of the experiment. All data collected as part of the StreamLab06 experiments are, or will be available to the research community.

Book chapter↗
USGS2021

Tools and technologies for quantifying spread and impacts of invasive species

The need for tools and technologies for understanding and quantifying invasive species has never been greater. Rates of infestation vary on the species or organism being examined across the United States, and notable examples can be found. For example, from 2001 to 2003 alone, ash ( Fraxinus spp.) mortality progressed at a rate of 12.97 km year −1 (Siegert et al. 2014), and cheatgrass ( Bromus tectorum ) is expected to increase dominance on 14% of Great Basin rangelands (Boyte et al. 2016). The magnitude and scope of problems that invasive species present suggest novel approaches for detection and management are needed, especially those that enable more cost-effective solutions. The advantages of using technologically advanced approaches and tools are numerous, and the quality and quantity of available information can be significantly enhanced by their use. They can also play a key role in development of decision-support systems; they are meant to be integrated with other systems, such as inventory and monitoring, because often the tools are applied after a species of interest has been detected and a threat has been identified. In addition, the inventory systems mentioned in Chap. 10 are regularly used in calibrating and validating models and decision-support systems. For forested areas, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data are most commonly used (e.g., Václavík et al. 2015) given the long history of the program. In non-forested systems, national inventory datasets have not been around as long (see Chap. 10), but use of these data to calibrate and validate spatial models is growing. These inventory datasets include the National Resources Inventory (NRI) (e.g., Duniway et al. 2012) and the Assessment Inventory and Monitoring program (AIM) (e.g., McCord et al. 2017). Similarly, use of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database is growing as well (e.g., Evangelista et al. 2017). The consistent protocols employed by these programs prove valuable for developing better tools, but the data they afford are generally limited for some tools because the sampling intensity is too low.

Book chapter↗
USGS2022

Next-generation technologies unlock new possibilities to track rangeland productivity and quantify multi-scale conservation outcomes

Historically, relying on plot-level inventories impeded our ability to quantify large-scale change in plant biomass, a key indicator of conservation practice outcomes in rangeland systems. Recent technological advances enable assessment at scales appropriate to inform management by providing spatially comprehensive estimates of productivity that are partitioned by plant functional group across all contiguous US rangelands. We partnered with the Sage Grouse and Lesser Prairie-Chicken Initiatives and the Nebraska Natural Legacy Project to demonstrate the ability of these new datasets to quantify multi-scale changes and heterogeneity in plant biomass following mechanical tree removal, prescribed fire, and prescribed grazing. In Oregon's sagebrush steppe, for example, juniper tree removal resulted in a 21% increase in one pasture's productivity and an 18% decline in another. In Nebraska's Loess Canyons, perennial grass productivity initially declined 80% at sites invaded by trees that were prescriptively burned, but then fully recovered post-fire, representing a 492% increase from nadir. In Kansas' Shortgrass Prairie, plant biomass increased 4-fold (966,809 kg/ha) in pastures that were prescriptively grazed, with gains highly dependent upon precipitation as evidenced by sensitivity of remotely sensed estimates (SD ± 951,308 kg/ha). Our results emphasize that next-generation remote sensing datasets empower land managers to move beyond simplistic control versus treatment study designs to explore nuances in plant biomass in unprecedented ways. The products of new remote sensing technologies also accelerate adaptive management and help communicate wildlife and livestock forage benefits from management to diverse stakeholders.

Kansas, Nebraska, Oregon↗
USGS2003

Information technology challenges of biodiversity and ecosystems informatics

Computer scientists, biologists, and natural resource managers recently met to examine the prospects for advancing computer science and information technology research by focusing on the complex and often-unique challenges found in the biodiversity and ecosystem domain. The workshop and its final report reveal that the biodiversity and ecosystem sciences are fundamentally information sciences and often address problems having distinctive attributes of scale and socio-technical complexity. The paper provides an overview of the emerging field of biodiversity and ecosystem informatics and demonstrates how the demands of biodiversity and ecosystem research can advance our understanding and use of information technologies.

Information Systems↗
USGS2006

The future of imaging spectroscopy - Prospective technologies and applications

Spectroscopy has existed for more than three centuries now. Nonetheless, significant scientific advances have been achieved. We discuss the history of spectroscopy in relation to emerging technologies and applications. Advanced focal plane arrays, optical design, and intelligent on-board logic are prime prospective technologies. Scalable approaches in pre-processing of imaging spectrometer data will receive additional focus. Finally, we focus on new applications monitoring transitional ecological zones, where human impact and disturbance have highest impact as well as in monitoring changes in our natural resources and environment We conclude that imaging spectroscopy enables mapping of biophysical and biochemical variables of the Earth's surface and atmospheric composition with unprecedented accuracy.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2006

Toward "Supervolcano" technology

I n addition to depicting the ultimate volcano-eruption horror story, the recent Discovery Channel/BBC coproduction “Supervolcano” speculates about what technology will be available to the geophysicist in 2025 to monitor active volcanoes. The result is a fictional Virtual Geophysical Laboratory that, when fed the right data, predicts eruption scenarios, thereby providing information to help guide civil emergency-response decisions. On page 821 of this issue, Patanè et al. ( 1 ) report a key step toward realizing such an advanced volcano-monitoring technology.

Science↗
USGS2011

Measuring currents in submarine canyons: technological and scientific progress in the past 30 years

The development and application of acoustic and optical technologies and of accurate positioning systems in the past 30 years have opened new frontiers in the submarine canyon research communities. This paper reviews several key advancements in both technology and science in the field of currents in submarine canyons since the1979 publication of Currents in Submarine Canyons and Other Sea Valleys by Francis Shepard and colleagues. Precise placements of high-resolution, high-frequency instruments have not only allowed researchers to collect new data that are essential for advancing and generalizing theories governing the canyon currents, but have also revealed new natural phenomena that challenge the understandings of the theorists and experimenters in their predictions of submarine canyon flow fields. Baroclinic motions at tidal frequencies, found to be intensified both up canyon and toward the canyon floor, dominate the flow field and control the sediment transport processes in submarine canyons. Turbidity currents are found to frequently occur in active submarine canyons such as Monterey Canyon. These turbidity currents have maximum speeds of nearly 200 cm/s, much smaller than the speeds of turbidity currents in geological time, but still very destructive. In addition to traditional Eulerian measurements, Lagrangian flow data are essential in quantifying water and sediment transport in submarine canyons. A concerted experiment with multiple monitoring stations along the canyon axis and on nearby shelves is required to characterize the storm-trigger mechanism for turbidity currents.

Geosphere↗
USGS2017

International Watershed Technology: Improving Water Quality and Quantity at the Local, Basin, and Regional Scales

This article introduces the five papers in the “International Watershed Technology” collection. These papers were selected from 60 technical presentations at the fifth biennial ASABE 21st Century Watershed Technology Conference and Workshop: Improving the Quality of Water Resources at Local, Basin, and Regional Scales, held in Quito, Ecuador, on 3-9 December 2016. The conference focused on solving spatial and temporal water quality and quantity problems and addressed topics such as watershed management in developing countries, aquatic ecology and ecohydrology, ecosystem services, climate change mitigation strategies, flood forecasting, remote sensing, and water resource policy and management. While diverse, the presentation topics reflected the continuing evolution of the “data mining” and “big data” themes of past conferences related to geospatial data applications, with increasing emphasis on practical solutions. The papers selected for this collection represent applications of spatial data analyses toward practical ends with a theme of “tools and techniques for sustainability.” The papers address a range of topics, including the matching of crops with water availability, and assessing the environmental impacts of agricultural production. The papers identify some of the latest tools and techniques for improving sustainability in watershed resource management that are relevant to both developing and developed countries.

Transactions of the ASABE↗
USGS1989

Comprehensive technologies and decision-making: Reflections on the instream flow incremental methodology

The controversy surrounding the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology is briefly discussed. A 1968 article by James Schlesinger on the likely success of systems analysis in aiding decision-makers is used to illustrate some pitfalls involving comprehensive technologies. The lessons of systems analysis are drawn together with the literature on instream flow methods to illustrate that there is no one best way to perform an instream flow analysis. It is argued that technology should be employed only with an extensive knowledge of assumptions and purposes.

Fisheries↗
USGS2021

Leveraging existing technology: Developing a trusted digital repository for the U.S. Geological Survey

As Federal Government agencies in the United States pivot to increase access to scientific data (Sheehan, 2016), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has made substantial progress (Kriesberg et al., 2017). USGS authors are required to make federally funded data publicly available in an approved data repository (USGS, 2016b). This type of public data product, known as a USGS data release, serves as a method for publishing reviewed and approved data. In this paper, we present major milestones in the approach the USGS took to transition an existing technology platform to a Trusted Digital Repository. We describe both the technical and the non-technical actions that contributed to a successful outcome.We highlight how initial workflows revealed patterns that were later automated, and the ways in which assessments and user feedback influenced design and implementation. The paper concludes with lessons learned, such as the importance of a community of practice, application programming interface (API)-driven technologies, iterative development, and user-centered design. This paper is intended to offer a potential roadmap for organizations pursuing similar goals.

International Journal of Digital Curation↗
USGS1996

Technology transfer opportunities: partnership opportunities for states: U.S. Geological Survey assistance to state business economy

As a research and information laboratory of the Federal government, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is committed to making its developments readily available to customers within the private sector. The USGS is the Nation's premier earth science agency, providing unique scientific data and technology in the areas of natural hazards, environment, resources, and information. Often USGS research and information activities lead to developments that have significant commercial applications and that can help increase the global competitiveness of our domestic economy. The agency uses a proactive technology transfer program to encourage the adoption and use of these developments. In addition, the agency welcomes collaborative opportunities with private industry.

Fact Sheet↗