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

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At least 1,549 records · Page 86Linked to original sources
USGS1986

Vegetation and terrain mapping in Alaska using Landsat MSS and digital terrain data

During the past 5 years, the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center Field Office in Anchorage, Alaska has worked cooperatively with Federal and State resource management agencies to produce land-cover and terrain maps for 245 million acres of Alaska. The need for current land-cover information in Alaska comes principally from the mandates of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), December 1980, which requires major land management agencies to prepare comprehensive management plans. The land-cover mapping projects integrate digital Landsat data, terrain data, aerial photographs, and field data. The resultant land-cover and terrain maps and associated data bases are used for resource assessment, management, and planning by many Alaskan agencies including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Alaska Department of Natural Resources. Applications addressed through use of the digital land-cover and terrain data bases range from comprehensive refuge planning to multiphased sampling procedures designed to inventory vegetation statewide. The land-cover mapping programs in Alaska demonstrate the operational utility of digital Landsat data and have resulted in a new land-cover mapping program by the USGS National Mapping Division to compile 1:250,000-scale land-cover maps in Alaska using a common statewide land-cover map legend.

Alaska↗
USGS1995

Effects of empirical versus model-based reflectance calibration on automated analysis of imaging spectrometer data: a case study from the Drum Mountains, Utah

Data collected by the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) have been calibrated to surface reflectance using an empirical method and an atmospheric model-based method. Single spectra extracted from both calibrated data sets for locations with known mineralogy compared favorably with laboratory and field spectral measurements of samples from the same locations. Generally, spectral features were somewhat subdued in data calibrated using the model-based method when compared with those calibrated using the empirical method. Automated feature extraction and expert system analysis techniques have been successfully applied to both data sets to produce similar endmember probability images and spectral endmember libraries. Linear spectral unmixing procedures applied to both calibrated data sets produced similar image maps. These comparisons demonstrated the utility of the model-based approach for atmospherically correcting imaging spectrometer data prior to extraction of scientific information. The results indicated that imaging spectrometer data can be calibrated and analyzed without a priori knowledge of the remote target.

Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing↗
USGS2012

Using computational modeling of river flow with remotely sensed data to infer channel bathymetry

As part of an ongoing investigation into the use of computational river flow and morphodynamic models for the purpose of correcting and extending remotely sensed river datasets, a simple method for inferring channel bathymetry is developed and discussed. The method is based on an inversion of the equations expressing conservation of mass and momentum to develop equations that can be solved for depth given known values of vertically-averaged velocity and water-surface elevation. The ultimate goal of this work is to combine imperfect remotely sensed data on river planform, water-surface elevation and water-surface velocity in order to estimate depth and other physical parameters of river channels. In this paper, the technique is examined using synthetic data sets that are developed directly from the application of forward two-and three-dimensional flow models. These data sets are constrained to satisfy conservation of mass and momentum, unlike typical remotely sensed field data sets. This provides a better understanding of the process and also allows assessment of how simple inaccuracies in remotely sensed estimates might propagate into depth estimates. The technique is applied to three simple cases: First, depth is extracted from a synthetic dataset of vertically averaged velocity and water-surface elevation; second, depth is extracted from the same data set but with a normally-distributed random error added to the water-surface elevation; third, depth is extracted from a synthetic data set for the same river reach using computed water-surface velocities (in place of depth-integrated values) and water-surface elevations. In each case, the extracted depths are compared to the actual measured depths used to construct the synthetic data sets (with two- and three-dimensional flow models). Errors in water-surface elevation and velocity that are very small degrade depth estimates and cannot be recovered. Errors in depth estimates associated with assuming water-surface velocities equal to depth-integrated velocities are substantial, but can be reduced with simple corrections.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2006

Textural analysis of marine sediments at the USGS Woods Hole Science Center; methodology and data on DVD

Marine sediments off the eastern United States vary markedly in texture (i.e., the size, shape, composition, and arrangement of their grains) due to a complex geologic history. For descriptive purposes, however, it is typically most useful to classify these sediments according to their grain-size distributions. In 1962, the U.S. Geological Survey began a program to study the marine geology of the continental margin off the Atlantic coast of the United States. As part of this program and numerous subsequent projects, thousands of sediment grab samples and cores were collected and analyzed for grain size at the Woods Hole Science Center. USGS Open-File Report 2005-1001 (Poppe et al., 2005), available on DVD and online, describes the field methods used to collect marine sediment samples as well as the laboratory methods used to determine and characterize grain-size distributions, and presents these data in several formats that can be readily employed by interested parties. The report is divided into three sections. The first section discusses procedures and contains pictures of the equipment, analytical flow diagrams, video clips with voice commentary, classification schemes, useful forms and compiled and uncompiled versions of the data-acquisition and data-processing software with documentation. The second section contains the grain-size data for more than 23,000 analyses in two “flat-file” formats, a data dictionary, and color-coded browse maps. The third section provides a GIS data catalog of the available point, interpretive, and baseline data layers, with FGDC-compliant metadata to help users visualize the textural information in a geographic context.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1976

Geothermal flux through palagonitized tephra, Surtsey, Iceland: The Surtsey temperature-data-relay experiment via Landsat-1

The net geothermal flux through palagonitized basaltic tephra rims of the Surtur I and Surtur II craters at Surtsey, Iceland, in 1972, is estimated at 780 ±325 μ cal cm -2 s -1 , indicating a decline since 1969 when a flux of 1,500 μ cal cm -2 s -1 was estimated. Heat flux in this range characterizes the postvolcanic environment on Surtsey in which the subaerial palagonitization of basaltic tephra is associated with mass transfer of hydrothermal vapor, either of meteoric or sea-water origin, only a few years after cessation of eruptive activity. The flux estimation is the result of the Surtsey data-relay experiment via Landsat-1 which was carried. out in several phases. Successful field installation and test transmissions demonstrated the feasibility of repetitive long-distance (that is, 4,800-km) data transmission and reception from a volcanic environment in Iceland via the Landsat Data Collection System. Temperature data were transmitted for a 38-day period in November and December 1972. A near-surface vertical gradient of 69.4 °C/m was obtained, suggesting a mixed mechanism of heat transfer, partitioned between conduction and convection. Comparison of four methods for estimating fluxes between 500 and 1,500 μ cal cm -2 s -1 , using temperature data derived from the Data Collection Platform, suggests that, where the only temperature available are from the surface and a depth of 1 m, methods of estimating the net geothermal flux from examination of spectral radiance are superior to methods that assume dominant convection or conduction. A computerized thermal-modeling technique to construct parametric diurnal surface-temperature curves is particularly applicable. Flux-estimation methods that assume dominant convection or conduction are limited by the lack of temperature data at greater depths and lack of knowledge of the exact energy partition.

Surtsey↗
USGS2022

Update on the Center for Engineering Strong-Motion Data (CESMD)

he Center for Engineering Strong-Motion Data (CESMD), an internationally utilized joint center of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the California Geological Survey (CGS), provides a unified access point for earthquake strong-motion records and station metadata from the CGS California Strong-Motion Instrumentation Program (CSMIP), the USGS National Strong-Motion Project (NSMP), the USGS Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS), and other affiliates. The CESMD works closely with the ANSS and with the Consortium of Organizations for Strong-Motion Observation Systems (COSMOS) to engage with strong-motion networks in the U.S. and other countries to receive, process, and post records. The CESMD has recently developed new tools to facilitate access to strong-motion data and metadata for use in post-earthquake response and scientific research applications. The Center provides raw and processed strong-motion data via its Engineering Data Center (EDC) and the Virtual Data Center (VDC) web portals, currently hosting more than 60,000 records with peak ground accelerations greater than 0.1% g, from over 3,000 earthquakes. This short paper provides updates of the available strong-motion data, station metadata, recent enhancements and developments of the tools, and applications that are made available to users for accessing strong-motion data.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2023

Development of small uncrewed aerial systems for multi-instrument geophysical data acquisition in active geothermal systems

Small Uncrewed Aerial Systems (sUAS) serve as critical platforms for geophysical data collection at an intermediate scale between lower resolution, regional datasets collected via crewed aerial surveys, and high resolution, but spatially sparse sampling of ground-based data collection methods. Advances in sensor design and sUAS capabilities have led to rapid advances in the amount and type of geophysical data that can be acquired using sUAS-based survey designs (Gavazzi et al., 2019). Here we showcase the utility of a single sUAS (the Matrice 600 Pro and accompanying sensor package) that collects magnetic, thermal infra-red (TIR) and gas (CO2, SO2, H2S, water vapor) data for use in geothermal resource exploration and monitoring, with case studies in eastern California and Iceland. The work highlights the flexibility of modern sUAS systems for single-team acquisition of multiple independent but coupled geophysical data which allow for a multidisciplinary approach to geothermal systems research. We summarize the workflows involved in collecting each dataset as well as several common issues encountered both during data collection and data processing.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2006

Dissemination of LANDFIRE Prototype Project data

The transfer of LANDFIRE data to users is the most important aspect of the Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools Project (LANDFIRE Prototype Project). The creation of an accurate, consistent, nationwide data set provides the foundation for a successful project. The final step is to make the data readily available to the user community. User capabilities and needs vary widely. Many users require LANDFIRE data to solve day-to-day wildfire management problems such as planning fuel treatments or managing active wildfires. Others use LANDFIRE data to gather information over large geographic areas for strategic planning and analyses. The diversity of users and the variety of applications of LANDFIRE data present an interesting challenge: to develop a data dissemination system that is comprehensive, user-friendly, and flexible. The system must be functional across many levels of technology, ranging from powerful computing capability to support national-scale strategic planning to field-level tactical wildfire operations support. The system must be sustainable, dependable, affordable, and adaptable to various levels of and changes in technology.

General Technical Report↗
USGS2005

Analysis of multi-temporal geospatial data sets to assess the landscape effects of surface mining

Geospatial data sets, especially digital elevation data, have proven useful for characterizing and analyzing land surface conditions. Digital elevation models are routinely used for describing the morphology of the land surface in terms of slope gradient and aspect. Additionally, the elevation data are useful for deriving parameters that describe the local drainage conditions such as watersheds and stream channels. When the element of time is added to the analysis through the use of multi-temporal topographic data, the effects of changes to the physical shape of the land surface may be studied. Such is the case with analysis of historical (pre-mining) and recent (post-mining) topographic and other geospatial data sets, including land cover maps derived from remote sensing. Nationwide geospatial data sets now exist with the required spatial and temporal resolution that allow for assessment of the effects of surface mining operations. Changes to the local landscape morphology are readily identified, and the effects to the surface drainage features are quantifiable, such as changes to local relief and drainage pattern and the total length of affected streams. Additionally, the visual impact of the movement of rock and soil materials may be assessed through viewshed analysis. Examples in both Appalachian and Western coalfields show the usefulness of analyzing detailed historical and recent geospatial data sets to better map and describe the effects of surface mining.

Kentucky↗
USGS2025

From critical minerals to food security, the benefits of data collaboration

The volume of data in the public geoscience sphere is rapidly and continually expanding. At Geoscience Australia (GA) we saw an over 500% increase in data points within our relational databases between 2018 and 2024, over the life of the Exploring for the Future (EFTF) program. With the Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative, a continued increase in data quantity will be seen for the next 10 to 35 years. At the same time, a broadening audience for geoscience data is increasing the desire to enhance the diversity of delivery streams. This ranges from data-dense highly technical outputs for geoscience specialists to curated interpretive products for people who are non-geoscientists. Development of these curated outputs has contributed to our awareness of the need for data to be collected and compiled in a way that ensures its reuse, with a focus on quality metadata and data provenance.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2024

Plant macrofossil data for 48-0 ka in the USGS North American Packrat Midden Database, version 5.0

Plant macrofossils from packrat ( Neotoma spp.) middens provide direct evidence of past vegetation changes in arid regions of North America. Here we describe the newest version (version 5.0) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) North American Packrat Midden Database. The database contains published and contributed data from 3,331 midden samples collected in southwest Canada, the western United States, and northern Mexico, with samples ranging in age from 48 ka to the present. The database includes original midden-sample macrofossil counts and relative-abundance data along with a standardized relative-abundance scheme that makes it easier to compare macrofossil data across midden-sample sites. In addition to the midden-sample data, this version of the midden database includes calibrated radiocarbon ( 14 C) ages for the midden samples and plant functional type (PFT) assignments for the midden taxa. We also provide World Wildlife Fund ecoregion assignments and climate and bioclimate data for each midden-sample site location. The data are provided in tabular (.xlsx), comma-separated values (.csv), and relational database (.mdb) files.

Scientific Data↗
USGS2022

Groundwater and surface-water data collection for the Walla Walla River Basin, Washington, 2018–22

The semi-arid Walla Walla River Basin (WWRB) spans 1777 square miles in the states of Washington and Oregon and supports a diverse agricultural region as well as cities and rural communities that are partially reliant on groundwater. Historically, surface water and groundwater data have been collected in the WWRB by several entities including federal, state, local, and tribal governments; irrigation districts; universities; and non-profits. This report describes the surface and groundwater data collection by the U.S. Geological Survey from February 2018 to April 2022 to provide the Washington State Department of Ecology and other stakeholders basic knowledge of existing water resources in the WWRB, Washington. Additionally, the data were collected to build a long-term groundwater dataset, with the intent to provide data for better understanding to assist in informed decisions about groundwater use, management, and conservation throughout the basin, and for future inclusion in a conceptual model of the groundwater-flow system (conceptual model). Data were collected and compiled for 237 sites—191 wells and 46 surface-water discharge sites. A small annual network of deep basalt wells was established in February 2018 to commence the data collection. In March 2020 and April 2021, additional field inventories were performed by locating and measuring groundwater wells in the WWRB. A subset of the inventoried wells were selected for an annual or a quarterly water level network to be measured until July 2024. In August 2020, field reconnaissance identified 46 surface-water sites to be measured for discharge, estimating gaining and losing reaches in streams for groundwater influences.

Oregon, Washington↗
USGS2016

Ground-penetrating radar and differential global positioning system data collected from Long Beach Island, New Jersey, April 2015

Scientists from the United States Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, and students from the University of Hawaii at Manoa collected sediment cores, sediment surface grab samples, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) data from within the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge–Holgate Unit located on the southern end of Long Beach Island, New Jersey, in April 2015 ( FAN 2015-611-FA ). The study’s objective was to identify washover deposits in the stratigraphic record to aid in understanding barrier island evolution. This report is an archive of GPR and DGPS data collected from Long Beach Island in 2015. Data products, including raw GPR and processed DGPS data, elevation corrected GPR profiles, and accompanying Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata can be downloaded from the Data Downloads page.

New Jersey↗
USGS2017

DOI/GTN-P Climate and active-layer data acquired in the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, 1998–2015

This report provides data collected by the climate monitoring array of the U.S. Department of the Interior on Federal lands in Arctic Alaska over the period August 1998 to July 2015; this array is part of the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (DOI/GTN-P). In addition to presenting data, this report also describes monitoring, data collection, and quality-control methods. The array of 16 monitoring stations spans lat 68.5°N. to 70.5°N. and long 142.5°W. to 161°W., an area of approximately 150,000 square kilometers. Climate summaries are presented along with quality-controlled data. Data collection is ongoing and includes the following climate- and permafrost-related variables: air temperature, wind speed and direction, ground temperature, soil moisture, snow depth, rainfall totals, up- and downwelling shortwave radiation, and atmospheric pressure. These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in close collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Alaska↗
USGS2017

Groundwater data collection for the Quinault Indian Nation, Grays Harbor and Jefferson Counties, Washington

Groundwater data were collected on the Quinault Indian Reservation to provide the Quinualt Indian Nation (QIN) with basic knowledge of the existing wells and springs on the reservation, and to establish a water-level network to be monitored by QIN to begin building a long-term groundwater dataset. The 327 mi 2 Quinault Indian Reservation is located within the heavily forested Queets-Quinault watershed along the west-central coast of Washington and includes the coastal communities of Taholah and Queets, and the inland community of Amanda Park. Groundwater data were collected or compiled for 87 sites—82 wells and 5 springs. In October 2016, a field inventory was done to locate the sites and acquire site data. Groundwater levels were measured in 15 of the field-inventoried wells and 3 of those wells were observed as flowing (artesian). A monthly groundwater‑level monitoring network of 13 wells was established by the U.S. Geological Survey in March 2017, and the network was transferred to QIN in June 2017 for continued measurements. Several data needs were identified that would provide a more complete understanding of the groundwater system of the Quinault Indian Reservation. The collection of monthly water-level data for multiple years is an important first step in understanding seasonal and long term changes in water levels. Additionally, the collection of baseline groundwater chemistry and quality data across the reservation would help with future efforts to monitor existing and potentially changing groundwater quality conditions. Development of a water budget of the Queets-Quinault Watershed and the reservation within that area would provide water users with a better understanding of this important resource and provide needed information about the competing demands on local water sources.

Washington↗
USGS2018

Ground penetrating radar and differential global positioning system data collected in April 2016 from Fire Island, New York

Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a long-term coastal morphologic-change study at Fire Island, New York, prior to and after Hurricane Sandy impacted the area in October 2012. The Fire Island Coastal Change project objectives include understanding the morphologic evolution of the barrier island system on a variety of time scales (months to centuries) and resolving storm-related impacts, post-storm beach response, and recovery. In April 2016, scientists from the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted geophysical and sediment sampling surveys on Fire Island to characterize and quantify spatial variability in the subaerial geology with the goal of subsequently integrating onshore geology with other surf zone and nearshore datasets. This report, along with the associated USGS data release , serves as an archive of ground penetrating radar (GPR) and post-processed differential global positioning system (DGPS) data collected from beach and back-barrier environments on Fire Island, April 6–13, 2016 (USGS Field Activity Number 2016-322-FA). Data products, including unprocessed GPR trace data, processed DGPS data, elevation-corrected subsurface profile images, geographic information system files, and accompanying Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata are available for download.

New York↗
USGS2018

DOI/GTN-P climate and active-layer data acquired in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, 1998-2019

This report provides data collected by the climate monitoring array of the U.S. Department of the Interior on Federal lands in Arctic Alaska over the period August 1998 to July 2019; this array is part of the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (DOI/GTN-P). In addition to presenting data, this report also describes monitoring, data collection, and quality-control methods. The array of 16 monitoring stations spans lat 68.5°N. to 70.5°N. and long 142.5°W. to 161°W., an area of approximately 150,000 square kilometers. Climate summaries are presented along with quality-controlled data. Data collection is ongoing and includes the following climate- and permafrost-related variables: air temperature, wind speed and direction, ground temperature, soil moisture, snow depth, rainfall totals, up- and downwelling shortwave radiation, and atmospheric pressure. These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in close collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Alaska↗
USGS2019

Petrographic, geochemical, and geochronologic data for cenozoic volcanic rocks of the Tonopah, Divide, and Goldfield Mining Districts, Nevada

The purpose of this report is to summarize geochemical, petrographic, and geochronologic data for samples, principally those of unmineralized Tertiary volcanic rocks, from the Tonopah, Divide, and Goldfield mining districts of west-central Nevada (fig. 1). Much of the data presented here for the Tonopah and Divide districts are for samples collected by Bonham and Garside (1979) during geologic mapping in and around those districts, whereas much of that for samples from the Goldfield district were obtained by Ashley (1974; 1979; 1990a). Additional data were derived from samples collected between 2012–2015, as part of the Mineral Resources Program funded project titled: “Magmatic-tectonic history and component sources of major precious metal deposits in the southern Walker Lane”. A small amount of additional geochemical data for samples from each of the districts were compiled from other sources. Individual sample collectors are identified by appropriate entries in the “Collector” field (appendix 1) and published sources of geochemical data are defined by entries in the “Chem_Src” data field (appendix 1).

California, Nevada↗