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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 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS1988

Quaternary geologic map of the Lookout Mountain 4° x 6° quadrangle, United States

This map is part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States (I–1420). It was first published as a printed edition in 1988. The geologic data have now been captured digitally and are presented here along with images of the printed map sheet and component parts as PDF files. The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Lookout Mountain 4° x 6° Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the Earth. They make up the "ground" on which we walk, the "dirt" in which we dig foundations, and the "soil" in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale. In recent years, surficial deposits and materials have become the focus of much interest by scientists, environmentalists, governmental agencies, and the general public. They are the foundations of ecosystems, the materials that support plant growth and animal habitat, and the materials through which travels much of the water required for our agriculture, our industry, and our general well being. They also are materials that easily can become contaminated by pesticides, fertilizers, and toxic wastes. In this context, the value of the surficial geologic map is evident.

Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, North Car↗
USGS1986

Quaternary geologic map of the Hatteras 4° x 6° quadrangle, United States

This map is part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States (I-1420). It was first published as a printed edition in 1986. The geologic data have now been captured digitally and are presented here along with images of the printed map sheet and component parts as PDF files. The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Hatteras 4° x 6° Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the Earth. They make up the "ground" on which we walk, the "dirt" in which we dig foundations, and the "soil" in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale.

Hatteras quadrangle↗
USGS1993

Quaternary geologic map of the Wichita 4 degrees x 6 degrees quadrangle, United States

This map is part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States (I-1420). It was first published as a printed edition in 1993. The geologic data have now been captured digitally and are presented here along with images of the printed map sheet and component parts as PDF files. The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Wichita 4° x 6° Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the earth. They make up the "ground" on which we walk, the "dirt" in which we dig foundations, and the "soil" in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale. In recent years, surficial deposits and materials have become the focus of much interest by scientists, environmentalists, governmental agencies, and the general public. They are the foundations of ecosystems, the materials that support plant growth and animal habitat, and the materials through which travels much of the water required for our agriculture, our industry, and our general well being. They also are materials that easily can become contaminated by pesticides, fertilizers, and toxic wastes. In this context, the value of the surficial geologic map is evident.

IMAP↗
USGS1993

Quaternary geologic map of the Ozark Plateau 4° x 6° quadrangle, United States

The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Ozark Plateau 4° x 6° Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the earth. They make up the "ground" on which we walk, the "dirt" in which we dig foundations, and the "soil" in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale.

Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma↗
USGS1987

Quaternary geologic map of the Chesapeake Bay 4 degrees x 6 degrees quadrangle, United States

The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Chesapeake Bay 4? x 6? Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the Earth. They make up the 'ground' on which we walk, the 'dirt' in which we dig foundations, and the 'soil' in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale.

Maryland, Virginia↗
USGS1994

Quaternary Geologic Map of the Platte River 4 Degrees x 6 Degrees Quadrangle, United States

The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Platte River 4 degree x 6 degree Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the earth. They make up the 'ground' on which we walk, the 'dirt' in which we dig foundations, and the 'soil' in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale. This map is part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States (I-1420). It was first published as a printed edition in 1994. The geologic data have now been captured digitally and are presented here along with images of the printed map sheet and component parts as PDF files.

IMAP↗
USGS1994

Quaternary Geologic Map of the Des Moines 4 Degrees x 6 Degrees Quadrangle, United States

The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Des Moines 4 degree x 6 degree Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the earth. They make up the 'ground' on which we walk, the 'dirt' in which we dig foundations, and the 'soil' in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale. This map is part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States (I-1420). It was first published as a printed edition in 1994. The geologic data have now been captured digitally and are presented here along with images of the printed map sheet and component parts as PDF files.

IMAP↗
USGS1983

Quaternary geologic map of the Chicago 4 degrees x 6 degrees quadrangle, United States

The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Chicago 4 degree x 6 degree Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the earth. They make up the 'ground' on which we walk, the 'dirt' in which we dig foundations, and the 'soil' in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale.

IMAP↗
USGS1991

Quaternary geologic map of the Lake Erie 4 degrees x 6 degrees quadrangle, United States and Canada

The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Lake Erie 4? x 6? Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the earth. They make up the 'ground' on which we walk, the 'dirt' in which we dig foundations, and the 'soil' in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale.

IMAP↗
USGS1992

Quaternary geologic map of the Hudson River 4° x 6° quadrangle, United States and Canada

The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Hudson River 4? x 6? Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the earth. They make up the 'ground' on which we walk, the 'dirt' in which we dig foundations, and the 'soil' in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale.

Hudson River 4° x 6° quadrangle↗
USGS1991

Quaternary geologic map of the Boston 4 degrees x 6 degrees quadrangle, United States and Canada

The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Boston 4 deg x 6 deg Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the earth. They make up the 'ground' on which we walk, the 'dirt' in which we dig foundations, and the 'soil' in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale.

IMAP↗
USGS1984

Quaternary geologic map of the Lake Superior 4 degrees x 6 degrees quadrangle, United States and Canada

The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Lake Superior 4? x 6? Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the earth. They make up the 'ground' on which we walk, the 'dirt' in which we dig foundations, and the 'soil' in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale.

IMAP↗
USGS1993

Quaternary geologic map of the Sudbury 4° x 6° quadrangle, United States and Canada

The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Sudbury 4° x 6° quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the earth. They make up the 'ground' on which we walk, the 'dirt' in which we dig foundations, and the 'soil' in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale.

Michigan, Ontario↗
USGS1993

Quaternary geologic map of the Ottawa 4 degrees x 6 degrees quadrangle, United States and Canada

The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Ottawa 4 degree x 6 degree Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the earth. They make up the 'ground' on which we walk, the 'dirt' in which we dig foundations, and the 'soil' in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale.

IMAP↗
USGS1987

Quaternary geologic map of the Quebec 4 degrees x 6 degrees quadrangle, United States and Canada

The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Quebec 4? x 6? Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the Earth. They make up the 'ground' on which we walk, the 'dirt' in which we dig foundations, and the 'soil' in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale.

IMAP↗
USGS2006

Time-domain representation of frequency-dependent foundation impedance functions

Foundation impedance functions provide a simple means to account for soil-structure interaction (SSI) when studying seismic response of structures. Impedance functions represent the dynamic stiffness of the soil media surrounding the foundation. The fact that impedance functions are frequency dependent makes it difficult to incorporate SSI in standard time-history analysis software. This paper introduces a simple method to convert frequency-dependent impedance functions into time-domain filters. The method is based on the least-squares approximation of impedance functions by ratios of two complex polynomials. Such ratios are equivalent, in the time-domain, to discrete-time recursive filters, which are simple finite-difference equations giving the relationship between foundation forces and displacements. These filters can easily be incorporated into standard time-history analysis programs. Three examples are presented to show the applications of the method.

Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering↗
USGS2026

Hyperspectral narrowband imaging spectroscopy: A new paradigm for Earth observation

This editorial introduces the Special Issue entitled “Hyperspectral Narrowband Imaging Spectroscopy: A New Paradigm for Earth Observation” in the August 2026 issue of Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing (PE&RS), the flagship journal of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS). This volume represents the fourth dedicated hyperspectral special issue published in PE&RS, following earlier contributions by Thenkabail et al. (2025, 2024a, 2024b), and continues ASPRS’s commitment to advancing cutting‑edge imaging spectroscopy research and its applications across Earth system science. Remote sensing is undergoing one of the most profound transformations in its history. The emergence of hyperspectral narrowband (HNB) imaging spectroscopy data, capable of acquiring hundreds of contiguous, narrow spectral bands, has shifted the discipline from observing Earth in a handful of broad spectral windows to capturing continuous spectral signatures of the Planet. This transition marks a decisive break from the multispectral paradigm that has dominated satellite remote sensing for nearly five decades, driven by the advent of new orbital imaging spectrometers such as EnMAP, PRISMA, and NASA’s EMIT, and by the forthcoming Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) mission ((Pires Silva et al., 2026; Bourriz et al., 2025; Thenkabail et al., 2025; Chabrillat et al., 2024; Aneece et al., 2024; Dave et al., 2024; Thenkabail et al., 2024a; Thenkabail et al., 2024b; Thenkabail, 2024a; Thenkabail, 2024b; Thompson et al., 2022; Kokaly et al., 2022; Aneece & Thenkabail, 2022; Cawse Nicholson et al., 2021; Guanter et al., 2021; Vangi et al., 2021; Thenkabail et al., 2021). These missions (e.g., Table 1) deliver unprecedented spectral fidelity, improved signal to noise ratios, and global coverage capabilities, enabling a new era of quantitative, spectroscopy based Earth observation. Where multispectral broadbands (MBBs) provide only a few discrete measurements along the electromagnetic spectrum, HNB systems deliver rich, diagnostic information that enables scientists to characterize Earth’s surface with unprecedented biochemical, biophysical, and structural detail (Figure 1a, 1b). The implications for environmental monitoring, agriculture, water resources, and mineral exploration are profound. Several overarching themes emerge: • Spectral fidelity matters. The ability to preserve subtle absorption features is essential for mineral mapping, vegetation trait retrieval, and biochemical modeling. • AI and deep learning are indispensable. From destriping to classification, modern analytics must be scalable, label‑efficient, and capable of exploiting the full spectral–spatial richness of HNB data. • Physics‑based and data‑driven approaches must converge. Radiative transfer models such as PROSAIL, enhanced with localized soil parameterizations, remain foundational for biophysical retrievals and model‑based inference. • Dimensionality reduction and feature extraction are critical. Techniques such as L1‑ISOMAP demonstrate that intelligent manifold learning can unlock the structure of fused, high‑dimensional datasets. • Next‑generation architectures must be interactive and multimodal. ICTNet exemplifies the future of hyperspectral classification: hybrid, synergistic, and capable of modeling both local textures and global spectral dependencies.

Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing (PE↗
USGS1998

The Loma Prieta, California, Earthquake of October 17, 1989: Performance of the built environment

Professional Paper 1552 focuses on the response of buildings, lifelines, highway systems, and earth structures to the earthquake. Losses to these systems totaled approximated $5.9 billion. The earthquake displaced many residents from their homes and severely disrupted transportation systems. Some significant findings were: * Approximately 16,000 housing units were uninhabitable after the earthquake including 13,000 in the San Francisco Bay region. Another 30,000-35,000 units were moderately damaged in the earthquake. Renters and low-income residents were particularly hard hit. * Failure of highway systems was the single largest cause of loss of life during the earthquake. Forty-two of the 63 earthquake fatalities died when the Cypress Viaduct in Oakland collapsed. The cost to repair and replace highways damaged by the earthquake was $2 billion, about half of which was to replace the Cypress Viaduct. * Major bridge failures were the result of antiquated designs and inadequate anticipation of seismic loading. * Twenty one kilometers (13 mi) of gas-distribution lines had to be replaced in several communities and more than 1,200 leaks and breaks in water mains and service connections had to be excavated and repaired. At least 5 electrical substations were badly damaged, overwhelming the designed redundancy of the electrical system. * Instruments in 28 buildings recorded their response to earthquake shaking that provided opportunities to understand how different types of buildings responded, the importance of site amplification, and how buildings interact with their foundation when shaken (soil structure interaction).

Professional Paper↗